Tony had hoped the team wouldn't be too busy to drop in now and then now that he was back in D.C. He hadn't expected to see a desperate looking Palmer camped outside his door with a stack of daycare pamphlets the minute he arrived, though.

Tony shifted a sleepy Tali to one arm so he could unlock the door. "Good to see you too, Palmer. What's all this?"

"It was fine at first," Palmer moaned. "But then Abby - And Tim was just as bad - but Gibbs - "

Tony fought back a spike of alarm as he ushered Palmer inside. "Take a deep breath," he ordered. He waited until Palmer obeyed. "Now. What's going on?"

"They blame me! Do you have any idea what it's like to have Gibbs blame you for something?"

Tony stared at him. "Yes. Also, start at the beginning, Palmer."

Palmer was pacing now. "The new girl, your replacement, didn't work out."

"So replace her."

"We tried that. Repeatedly. We're on Not-Tony number ten. Abby's words, not mine."

Tony looked at the stack of pamphlets Palmer was grasping like a lifeline. "The team wants me back?"

"Everyone wants you back. Especially Fornell."

Tony blinked. "Why does Fornell care?"

"If Gibbs kills the next probie, it's Fornell's job to arrest him."

Tali snuggled into Tony's arm. He stroked her hair.

"Looks live I've got to go keep your Grandpa Gibbs out of prison," he murmured. He shot a look at Palmer. "If you want to live, don't tell him I said that."

Palmer gulped and nodded.

Back to NCIS it was, then. He wondered if Abby could be convinced to babysit the nights he had to stay late.

Something told him the answer was yes.