"I'm sorry Tony."

"….So you were the one who took my Mighty Mouse stapler without per-Ow. Okay, head slaps do not work well with apologies Boss. They make you look insincere. Not that I'm saying you're insincere. Though that doesn't mean I know why you're trying to be sincere in the first place either."

"Tony."

"However I am going to use my wonderful powers of deduction and logic as a senior field agent who is working for a federal agency and figure out what the apology is about. You've invited me into your cozy home, stuffed me full with what was probably the best steak dish in the world, and apologized. Now that I think of it, one thought does come to mind. You're dying from some alien induced illness and the only way to save you is for me to marry McGee. Now that deserves an apology. Hell, that-"

"DiNozzo."

"Okay. Gibbs, honestly. I thought we were over this. I'm not pissed about you leaving for Mexico okay?"

"I'm not apologizing about leaving. I'm apologizing about coming back."

"Oh."

"Retirement be damned, Ducky was right; I quit. I dropped everything on you, and ran away. I was being a coward and you had to pay the price for it. I can't even begin to imagine how Ducky and Abby would have been like after I left, but you helped them pull through. You got them back to their pace, helped them cope with everything when you were hurting just as much. And when things finally got back under control, I came back. You don't have to forgive me for it, I don't deserve it-not yet. But I owe you an apology. I'm sorry for coming back and messing things up."

"..."

"..."

"…. I always knew you'd come back."

"Right."

"Seriously Boss! I always knew you'd come back!"

"Tony, even I didn't know I'd come back."

"Well, you had just woken up from a coma. There was a lot you didn't know-"

"DiNo-"

"I, on the other hand, knew better than to believe it when you said you were leaving."

"I meant it-at that time."

"I know you did."

"Tony, I said goodbye to the team, gave you my badge and told you 'you'll do' and left. But you're saying you didn't believe me?"

"Nope."

"And why the hell not?"

"Boss, when I laugh at Ducky's stories, come up with a completely inappropriate joke that makes even Ziva blush, and tell you 'I'm fine' and smile, do you ever believe me?"

"…."

"Exactly."