Not at all

by cucumbersaregreen

Chapter 1

He had enough.

But if he really thought about it he'd already had enough three weeks ago.

Then he'd still been convinced it would be some very fleeting effect of the latest developments.

That Gibbs would stop.

He hadn't.

Three months after his return form Mexico Gibbs was still tormenting him at every possible turn.

No thank you, but he hadn't been expecting that. Not really. No acknowledgement or heaven forbid an apology.

"Apologies are a sign of weakness."

But sometimes they aren't, are they? Sometimes to admit your own mistakes and failures takes a lot of bravery. Strength. Something the ex-Marine didn't seem to posses. He'd just dumped Tony's stuff on his old desk, fired the new teammate and demoted him back to Senior Field Agent. Just like that. But that was nothing compared to what had followed. Days of angry Gibbs-glares. More head slaps than ever and continuous screaming had taken its toll.

Tony DiNozzo had enough and soon the whole MCRT would know about that.

He'd already talked to Vance. The Director of the NCIS had been thrilled about his pending resignation. More little McGeeks could invade the bullpen. A great chance for Vance, hell on earth for Tony. But if he really thought about it, he didn't care.

Not a bit.

There was nothing keeping him here. Maybe Abby, but she'd forgiven Gibbs the moment he'd returned. Tony'd helped her, held her while she cried, because Gibbs had left and now, suddenly, it was all back to happy, dancing, carefree Abby, the lapgoth. He'd certainly miss the Autopsy Gremlin. He'd been a great friend the last few years. Even though Tony hadn't liked him right away and their friendship had had a bit of a bumpy start, it was stronger now than ever. But Jimmy had his cell number, the one he hadn't even given Abby and Gibbs and there would be no way he'd leave America. So he'd just step by at Jimmy's place whenever he felt like it. Ducky was another thing entirely. Tony knew that he'd have to cut the ties with the old ME, that he'd always seen like some kind of wise grandfather. He liked to listen to Ducky's stories, he loved to talk to him and Jimmy's boss had helped him on more than one occasion, but he was too close to Gibbs to keep in touch with. Gibbs was the reason he wanted to leave after all. No sense in randomly running into him while meeting Ducky at his home. Not only no sense in it. Tony knew that he wouldn't be able to ever look into the ex-Marine's eyes after he left NCIS. Gibbs would despise him, that was a given. He'd be disappointed that none of his "gentle teaching" had shaped Tony into another Gibbs. One that wouldn't leave his own team behind. Semper fi, huh? Always faithful was not something Gibbs could describe himself as.

More like always drinking coffee, or always glaring. But there was no Latin expression for that.

Tony smiled to himself as he left the elevator and entered the bullpen. The Ninja Chick was already working and McDonald leaning over some probably insanely fascinating new gadget. Tony placed his coffee onto his new/old desk and slipped into his swivel chair. Spun once and then hit the smooth surface of the table with the palms of his hands.

Grinning at his two team members he exclaimed, "Sooooo, how's it?"

Zeehvaa shot him an annoyed glance and continued typing and the Probie sighed, but else ignored him entirely. The Senior Field Agent's 2000 megawatt grin never faltered. Not even when his boss whooshed out of the elevator, outright glared at him and then growled:

"Why aren't you working, DiNozzo?"

"Sorry, boss!" he answered happily and drew an old file from a stack sitting on the corner of his desk. Opening it he glanced over to McGreat who was still occupied with his gadget and so evidently not working that even a mole with crutches would've realized it. Apparently Gibbs wasn't a mole with crutches. Tony sighed and tried to concentrate on the file in front of him, but his mind kept wandering around restlessly.

It felt like hours until Gibbs finally got the long awaited phone call and snarled:

"We've got a dead Marine at Dover. Grab your gear!"

Tony jumped up instantly and already had his bag slung over a shoulder when his boss continued:

"DiNozzo, you stay. We don't want you distracting your team members, do we?"

The recipient of another patented Gibbs-glared forced out a laugh void of any emotion and slumped back into his chair. The bit of happiness he'd felt at having a case to distract himself with had totally evaporated. McGoo send him one last smug look before he disappeared behind the closing doors of the elevator.

No, he wouldn't miss them.

Not at all.

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