"Tim, get saying goodbye, otherwise we'll never get out of here," Balboa shouted, drawing Tim out of his memories,

"That desperate to get away from me Agent Balboa?" Director Shepard, asked, wondering what his response would be.

"Not at all, Ma'am, but the quicker we get to Jacksonville, the quicker those horrible criminals get caught," Balboa knew she was joking, listening to some of the longer serving people laughing.

"Nice save. Good luck in Florida, Ric, but you will be missed here." Jenny said, shaking his hand. Jenny had never found the words to thank this man. If he had ignored Agent McGee two weeks, like everyone else had done, she wouldn't have known what happened in her own agency.

"Thank you, Director, likewise," Ric said.

Tim looked at everyone gathered, and smiled. Cynthia Sumner had a single tear on her face, Jimmy was smiling, happy Tim was moving on with his life and career, Ziva stood by Tims side, wishing he didn't have to go, but knowing he must.

"Tim," Stan Burley appeared on Tims left, hand outstretched, "good luck down there. Just remember to enjoy the Florida weather when you can."

"Thanks Stan, good luck to you too. I know Gibbs will be proud you have taken over from him permanently. Don't think he would have been happy had it gone to a stranger."

"The Director asked, and Gibbs gave me his blessing. This way, I might actually meet a woman and have more than 3 hours in which to see her," Stan laughed, knowing that had happened more than once whole being an Agent Afloat.

Tim turned and hugged Ziva, thinking if he started speaking to her, he might just cry.

The Director was next, and she just smiled at him, taking his outstretched hand in both of hers.

"You'll make us all proud down there, Tim, don't you forget that."

"Yes Ma'am. My father wanted me to tell you that he agrees with your vision for my future. I'm not so sure, though."

"Tim, the future isn't written in stone. I just hope you will keep your mind open to it."

"Yes Ma' you for…, well, for everything."

"Just because I'm not in your building, I'm only a phone call away if you need anything."

Tim turned next to Paula Cassidy, who had come down from the Pentagon to say goodbye.

"Always knew you'd go far, McGee, but all the way down to Florida. Didn't see that coming," She said laughing. "Always seen you as a Washington boy."

"Me too. But Ric opened my eyes." Tim laughed with her."

Jim Nelson was his last goodbye. His first friend at FLETC, best friend both inside and outside of NCIS.

"Looking at you right now makes me think I should have said yes when Balboa offered me the job," Jim said, proving Tim right. Jim was his first choice, and Tim wasn't surprised. They had similar skills, but Jim spoke 9 languages, compared to Tims five. When it came to a Transnational operation, languages outweighed nearly everything else.

"I'm just glad you said no, but why did you turn it down?"

"My parents are in Maryland, Trishas parents are in Richmond. We just bought a house. Way too much upheaval, especially when I've got a great job I love, along with great teammates." Tim was glad Jim was ok with this, otherwise Tim was risking losing a friend. "I'm just glad he chose you. You'll be great, Tim."

"Thanks Jim." With that, the two men hugged each other unabashedly, knowing it could be months before they could match their schedules, and visit each other. Jim would have a lot of work over the coming months, being Senior Field Agent on the MCRT was a lot of work, Tim knew from his four month stint during Gibbs first retirement. Tim knew the man also had the task of making sure Bryn Fillmore was up to the job of third in command as well. Tim wondered who they would get as their "probie." He knew they would be treated better than he was.

"Tim, can I drive now?" Balboa was dying to drive the Porsche Boxster. They had decided to get their belongings shipped to Jacksonville, and drive Tims car down there, stopping in Wilmington, North Carolina, nearly halfway through. Once there, they planned to stay the night, and start again the next day. Tim didn't fancy a 12 hour drive on a Saturday.

"I've told you already Ric. I wanna see you drive an agency car in Florida before I let you loose with my baby." Everyone gathered knew Ricardo Balboa was a car nut, the faster the better.

"6 hours as a passenger today, same tomorrow, I think you'll crack and let me drive."

"Keep thinking like that, and you can hitchhike on the I-95," Tim said, to everyones amusement.

"You're mean." Tim had never joked like this with his old teammates, and found he quite liked it. Ricardo Balboa was both his boss and his friend.

As they got into the car, everyone gathered on the sidewalk, waiting to wave them off to their new lives. Tim looked at the building, where his career had started, with Gibbs pulling him from Norfolk.

"Bye, Kate," his old teammate who would never see what he had become, and Tim felt that pang of regret he always felt when thinking of Caitlyn Todd.

Tim started the porsche up, and pulled away slowly, giving himself, Ric and everyone gathered time to get in plenty of last minute waves and shouts.

As Tim approached the gates, he wound his window down, and passed his parking permit to Lance, a gate guard who had been working there for as long as anyone could remember. He had been there on Tims first day, and was now there for his last day.

"Special Agent McGee, good luck lad, you deserve it."

"Thanks Lance. Who knows, I might be back one day," Tim said winding up his window.

As he pulled off, Lance thought about all he had seen and heard in his time working at NCIS, back when it was NIS. Timothy McGee was a special man, Lance thought. He would be back one day, he mused, probably as Director.

This is the end of the story, but not the journey. McGee and Balboa will be back in Very Good McGee.