Special Agent Timothy McGee entered the squad room at the Navy Yard with a spring in his step. All was going well. He was returning from a week long Cyber Crimes Symposium held at his Alma Mater, M.I.T., where he had presented a paper on behalf of NCIS. Tim had met up with some of his fellow students (he resisted the impulse to call them 'frat brothers') and had enjoyed seeing the shock on some faces when they had caught sight of his badge and weapon.

So, the spring in the step and smile on McGee's face were entirely understandable. He soon saw that springy steps were not on the agenda for one of his co-workers: he winced when the saw the crutches propped against Tony DiNozzo's desk. His gaze moved from the crutches to Tony's face where he expected smiles to be absent too. In this he was mistaken, Tony's face split into such a smile of welcome that Tim resolved both to test his keyboard for superglue before touching it and to sit down cautiously on his chair in case it had been dismantled.

"McMIT," cried out Tony, "welcome home. What did you bring me?"

"The conference went well," said Tim, "thanks for asking."

Tony shook his head, impatiently "Well, of course it did, McOrator. So, what you bring me?"

"It was a conference, DiNozzo, not a shopping trip."

"Yah, yah, yah. So, what did you bring me?" persisted Tony, looking eagerly at McGee.

McGee tried to think what he had in his bag that might satisfy Tony. He should have remembered that Tony loved presents and always brought back souvenirs for his co-workers wherever he went. McGee didn't necessarily think much of Tony's taste in gifts but he thought that, on the whole, they were kindly meant. Inspiration struck and he handed Tony the packet of Junior Mints he had bought at the airport.

"Junior Mints?" said Tony, "Junior Mints?" Tim held his breath for a moment but then released it as Tony said, "Great! Thanks, Timbo."

"So," said Tim, pointing to the crutches, "you had the operation?"

"Well done, McSleuth," said Tony who seemed intent on using up a week's worth of mcnicknames at one go, "you will go far. Yeah, doc said the cartilage in the knee had to come out sometime. We were off rotation anyway with you off mccybering so it seemed a good time."

"How'd it go?" asked McGee.

"Fine. Don't really need the crutches now."

"I think you should allow your doctors to be the judge of that, Anthony" said Ducky making one of his well-timed entries. "Ah, Timothy. It is good to see you back. I trust you had a pleasant time at your conference?"

"Yes, Ducky, thank you. It was a very useful …"

"I well remember a most interesting symposium that I attended at your old college. It was on the subject of bile. It was really most illuminating," said Ducky talking over McGee.

"That sounds real interesting," said McGee fighting back, "my paper went down very well. People were intrigued to hear about the NCIS approach to intermodular firewall telemetry …"

"Yes," said Ducky, "I think we all underestimate the importance of bile. Professor Stewart Simmons had some rather controversial views on the matter. I remember some rather heated discussions with him over dinner. Some people did not think bile was a suitable subject for conversation at meal times but we didn't allow that to stop us …"

"And," said McGee, getting louder, "there was talk of convening an international conference to …"

"Hey!" came Gibbs' voice, "keep it down, can't you? This is a federal office, not a zoo."

"I do beg your pardon, Jethro," said Ducky, "Timothy's return reminded me of happy times discussing internal secretions. I fear I got carried away."

"Boss, I'm sorry. I was just telling Ducky how well the conference went and I got a bit excited."

Gibbs looked sternly at McGee and Ducky and then scowled at Tony who had been looking pleased not to be the one in trouble for a change.

"Something we can do for you, Duck?" he asked.

"Indeed there is," said Ducky, "Dr Fernandez asked me to perform an examination on Anthony's knee and let him know my findings. It will save Anthony a visit to the hospital and I have nothing else to do at the moment."

"OK," said Gibbs, waving his hand at Ducky and Tony, "just don't get too bored and decide to dissect DiNozzo's leg for something to do."

Tony squawked in alarm, and Ducky said crossly, "Really, Jethro, you do choose the oddest of moments to make a joke." Tony relaxed a little and Ducky continued, "That only happened once and I told you about it in the strictest of confidences! Come along, Anthony."

Tony got up reluctantly and started following Ducky to the elevator. He had gone a couple of paces when the doctor looked at him pointedly and said, "I think you have forgotten something, Anthony."

Tony sighed and went back for his crutches. Ducky beamed at him in approval and they continued on their way. As they entered the elevator, Tim heard Ducky say, "the leg was going to be removed anyway, Jethro was exaggerating."

Left alone with McGee, Gibbs braced himself for a stream of technobabble as Tim gave his report on the conference. Fortunately, however, the Director had heard about Tim's return and arrived to find out how the NCIS paper had been received. Gibbs tuned their conversation out and allowed himself a moment or two of worry about DiNozzo's knee.

Twenty minutes later the elevator dinged announcing the return of Tony and Ducky. McGee noticed that Tony looked a bit glum and that Gibbs was frowning in concern. McGee was puzzled, he had thought that Tony's operation was minor and straightforward.

"What's the verdict?" asked Gibbs.

"The knee is mending very well," said Ducky, "Dr Fernandez did an excellent job."

"Good," said the Director, turning to go.

"However," said Ducky, "I fear that …"

The Director stopped at the serious tone to Ducky's voice, "However?"

Ducky looked at Tony with a questioning look on his face. Tony sighed and walked over to where Tim was sitting; he put both crutches under one arm so he had a hand free to place on Tim's shoulder,

"Tim," he said solemnly, "it's time for me to stand down. Ducky says I can't risk it anymore."

McGee gazed up at him and felt a mixture of emotions flood through him. Sadness for Tony that he was going to have to retire; sorrow at how much he would miss him; excitement at the thought of becoming senior field agent; terror at the thought of becoming senior field agent and then panic at the thought of being Gibbs' senior field agent. Tony gazed down at him with sympathetic understanding in his eyes,

"You'll have to step up, Tim," he said, "you can do it."

Tim swallowed; he was touched by Tony's vote of confidence in him. Tony clasped Tim's shoulder in an encouraging way and gave it a final pat. Tim stood up and raised his chin in a gesture of determination and resolve. He reached out and shook Tony's hand,

"Thank you, Tony," he said in a slightly tremulous voice, "you'll be a hard act to follow."

Tony nodded; there was a hint of moisture in his eyes. Tim couldn't imagine how the senior field agent was feeling and he couldn't picture what life in the squad room would be like without Tony.

"I shall miss you, Tony," said McGee sincerely.

Tony continued to nod in agreement but then stopped, "What do you mean, 'you'll miss me?'"

"When you retire," said McGee, wondering if perhaps Ducky had prescribed painkillers.

"Oh, when I retire," said Tony in relief, "Well, sure, of course you will. But, geez, McWorrywart, you don't have to think about that yet."

"I don't?" said McGee.

"Hey, how old do you think I am?" said Tony in an offended voice.

"You brought it up," protested Tim.

"Brought what up?" asked Tony, wondering where the fraternal feeling had fled to.

"Retirement," said Tim.

"No, I didn't" said Tony.

"Yes, you did," said Tim getting cross, "you said you were standing down."

"I think there has been a misunderstanding," said Ducky smoothly, "I have indeed recommended that Anthony stand down …"

"See!" said Tim triumphantly.

"From kicking down doors," continued Ducky, "it will be far too risky for Anthony to continue in that duty, he could damage that knee irrevocably."

"Standing down from knocking down doors, McOpportunist," said Tony, "I'm not leaving."

Tim sat down with a thump and felt a maelstrom of emotions once again: disappointment, and relief, that he wouldn't be senior field agent; relief, and perhaps something else, that Tony would still be around. His stomach settled as it realised it would not have to cope with being Gibbs' senior field agent.

Tim reached out his fingers incautiously towards his keyboard but then drew them back sharply as his mind and stomach reconnected once more,

"Me?" he squeaked, "me? I've got to kick doors down?"

Gibbs nodded grimly and took a sip of his coffee. How, wondered Tim, could Gibbs make drinking coffee look menacing?

AN – well, have you ever noticed that it's always Tony who has to kick the doors down?