A/N: Major character death within.

McGee sat on the end of his bed and starred up at the ceiling. He felt a little weird having the celebration today considering what happened on this day five years ago. Five years ago his best friend Anthony "Tony" Dimitri DiNozzo Jr. died at the hands of two other agents. James Ramirez and Parker Kline had brutally attacked Tony in the parking garage and he died in the hospital later that day. They had been making his life hell for two weeks. Just because Kline wanted his job and Ramirez didn't like the way he treated McGee. That had hurt McGee in ways that were almost unbearable at times. McGee was relieved that they got life sentences with no hope of parole. They had even been sent to two separate but very rough prisons. Ramirez had been sent to San Quentin in California while Kline had been sent to Rikers Island in New York. A huge help in their sentence being so heavy and so quick was that everybody in their little NCIS family had testified against them. Well everybody but Jimmy. That a heartbreaking story. McGee hoped that Ramirez and Kline were miserable in jail though he had no desire to be in contact with them in fact Ramirez had written McGee once and McGee had claimed harassment so any mail from him would be thrown out by the post office.

"Timmy we need to go!" Abby called.

"I'll be right there Abbs!" McGee called back.

An hour later the McGee's were at the reception hall on Quantico for McGee's big promotion ceremony. Along with all the remaining members of their NCIS family.

"I am so proud of you Timmy!" Abby cried.

"Yes my dear boy this is quite the accomplishment." Ducky added.

"McGee I am um well I guess er I'm proud of you man." Jimmy replied nervously.

"We all are." Breena said.

"Yeah McGee youngest director in NCIS history quite the feat." Gibbs added.

"I am proud to see you here." Vance said.

"Way to go daddy!" three year old Tony cried.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" eighteen month old Ziva cried.

So much had changed in the five years since Tony's death. Both good and bad. Sometimes McGee had to pinch himself just to know that it was all real and not some crazy dream. Sometimes he wished it was a dream others he was glad it happened the way it had. No matter how tragic the circumstances.

Abby and he had actually had a pretty good life. They had started spending time together after Tony's funeral. Though there relationship hadn't officially begun until about five months after Tony died and they married fifteen months after Tony's death. They dated for two months before McGee proposed and eight months later they wed. Gibbs proudly walked Abby down the aisle. Three years ago they were blessed with a beautiful, energetic, and loving son whom they named Anthony Michael McGee than a year and a half later they welcomed a gorgeous, radiant little girl Catlin Ziva McGee. McGee had been named Assistant Director after Vance left. He was lucky that Granger had opted to stay in LA until two years later when he unexpectedly stepped down along with Henrietta Lang. Rumors ran rampant through NCIS about their departure but nothing was confirmed. After that Jerome Craig who had become director in the place of Vance had sent the new Assistant Director Camille Armstrong to LA so the McGee's didn't have to move across the country. Now Craig was retiring at age sixty he was still fairly young but had a health scare and decided he wanted to spend more time with his family. Abby was of course still the head Forensics Expert but had allowed an Assistant Kris Charles they had been together for three and a half years and were doing well together despite a difference of opinions at first. Since Kris was a headstrong conservative who didn't respect that Abby liberal working soon to be mom was perfectly qualified. Now they were very good friends and had an understanding and were very good friends.

Vance was leading a very happy life since leaving NCIS. He had actually become friends with the remaining members the Gibbs NCIS family. He was actually a cool and laid back guy when he wasn't the boss. Of course it took a long time and a lot of ass kissing on his part to regain the trust of the shattered team after they learned he had ignored Tony's plea for help. Now he had a job with FLETC training Probie's to be agents. One advantage was that by doing that he had set hours Monday through Friday 6am to 3 or 5pm. So he had more time to spend with his family much to Jackie's joy. He did teach boxing to inner city kids for free on nights and weekend but Jackie and the kids could help with that.

Jimmy had had a terrible time however. He had a nervous breakdown and spent three and a half months in a mental hospital. Followed by intensive therapy at first it had been daily then every other day and now he was at weekly. He got lucky because Breena had never left his side. Five years later he was at least close to his former self. The goofy kid was gone but the loving man had returned. He was happy again because two months ago Breena gave birth to a beautiful son Carson Anthony Palmer their first child.

Ducky had retired two years after Tony's death. He waited until Jimmy had gotten back on his feet before retiring. After he did he sold his brownstone and moved away. He bought a cabin in Maine and spent his days walking around his property and volunteering. His favorite was when he did story time for kids at the library.

The most tragic story was Ziva though. She died two days after Ramirez and Kline's first trial. She got mad and went for a drive to clear her head. Of course being Ziva she was going way too fast. It was a rainy day and she was on a poorly lit back road. She hit a wet patch, lost control and went into a tree. She died instantly.

For all that he had been through Gibbs was doing well. . Jack had died last year he just didn't wake up one day. Gibbs missed him but was coping. He had sold his house to the McGee's he just had too many memories there which seemed to hurt him more than help. He just bought a small house. Since he was only there for half the year the winter months. The summer months he spent on the beach of Mexico drinking and flirting with girls in his teak hot tub. He still built things in the basement of his home and was still Gibbs he just seemed more relaxed. He kept pictures of Kelly, Kate, Tony, and Ziva in his wallet his lost children.

FIN

A/N: Well that's it. I just want to thank everybody who read, reviewed, followed, and favorite this story. It was only me second submission to a challenge and far better than the first in my opinion. I wanted to explain a few things about this story. First of all the point of this challenge was that the person doesn't go to Gibbs. Second I am sorry I didn't mention that this was a deathfic I will edit it to say so. Third my inspiration for this came from all the people on the message boards and Facebook page who have said that "Tony doesn't deserve to be an agent because of his immaturity." Or "Should die because of how he treats McGee." Yeah somebody actually said that! I know WTF right? I killed Ziva because I did not know how to write her without Tony. I am not saying she can't live without him but as a Tiva shipper I don't know how to write. I mean is she happy or sad? Does she find new love and have a family or stay alone? Palmer's breakdown had been planned since I decided to make this a deathfic though and I am sure Breena would stick by him if it became cannon. Again thanks for being a part of this. I am sad and glad to be done. Sad because I enjoyed writing it so much and glad because it was time consuming especially since I am working on two other stories which probably suffered because of this. Please review they are still appreciated.