A/N: I wrote the draft of this story some months back, but I wasn't sure about posting it; this week I found it between some other files and realized I couldn't not try and see what the outcome would be. So, here you go.

It's AU and Tony-centric of course. And so far, no spoiler alert is needed; but if something comes up later, I'll be sure to let you know. The team still consists of Gibbs, Tony, McGee and Ziva, here.

.

Hope you like this one and let me know what you think.

. He Didn't Hear It Snap .

.

"Is he really that bad?"

"Who?" Gibbs looked up from the coffee mug in his hand and frowned at his old buddy; he really was tired and frustrated and just wished he could be alone; not in the mood for small talk or even reminiscences.

"You other agent; the one who wasn't there tonight." Rick clarified.

Gibbs thought about earlier that night for a moment before asking, "DiNozzo?"

"Yeah; I guess. He a rookie or something?"

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee and shook his head, "My SFA."

Rick's eyebrow rose. "Forced by the higher-ups?"

"No; why?"

"Well, I don't know;" The other man shrugged, "I mean the way you all seem to view him, one'd think he's either a rookie you were forced to take on your team or if he's your SFA, he was still pushed to your team by someone higher. Definitely not wanted and completely an outsider. And the way your other agents talked about him and how they both refused to have him stay with them in one of their rooms in the motel? It kinda spoke volumes."

"He can be annoying." Gibbs growled.

"Just that?"

"What do you want me to say, Rick? He's annoying; self-centered, shallow and just a womanizer. He never shuts up; never; and what pours out of his stupid mouth is pure crap. He's full of inappropriate jokes and never thinks of anyone else but himself. So excuse us if none of us wanted to bunk with him for the night; he can be a nightmare on the best days and this definitely hasn't been the best of days." Gibbs was too irritated about their case and everything going on to even think about what was coming out of his own mouth.

"Wow; Gunny! Why do you keep someone like him around? Never pegged you as one who suffers fools gladly."

"Good at his job. Need him." Gibbs gritted out. "Won't stop him if he walks away, though."

"Stockholm syndrome!" Rick announced and shook his head. "Still; don't know how you can stand someone like that. Glad you warned me before I could offer him a bed."

"Would've shot you myself if you'd done that."

.

Unbeknownst to the two men talking in the kitchen, a lone figure who'd entered the house minutes earlier, quietly walked back out without making any noise.

Feeling numb and bone-tired, the man got into his car and drove away. He didn't have an exact destination; but he knew that with no room available in the only motel of that small town, he couldn't find a place to crash this late. So, driving to the deserted road out of the town, he parked his car under a tree, locked the doors and closed his eyes. It didn't matter if he didn't have a bed to sleep in, that night; he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep, anyway. With the things he'd heard out of his boss' mouth, he knew for sure that his mind wouldn't shut up now.

He had a lot to think about; the things he'd accidentally overheard had certainly been an eye-opener and he wasn't sure if he was hurt because once again he'd been rejected by people who he'd thought of as friend and family or because he'd, once again, chosen the wrong set of masks to hide behind and had, in the process, pushed people so far away that they deemed it right to talk about him with strangers behind his back and in a way that'd make him look like a total nuisance and a jerk. Or maybe that's what he'd become! In order to keep himself from getting hurt, he'd become a nuisance, annoying people to death with merely his presence and then had ended up getting hurt anyway.

Damn; he'd never get it right! He couldn't blend in right with the others, no matter what he did or what way he chose; he just didn't know how much the right amount for joking, bending or trying was. He always tried too hard and at the end, always found himself alone or left behind; either after being betrayed by a partner; or left at the altar or thrown out of house... And in this newest case, he was being merely tolerated because apparently he was good at his job. At least, that was something. Because once he walked away again, he'd need something to focus on and keep himself floating; his job had to be that thing, since he knew he had to start over somewhere else, with a new set of rules and masks; the old ones were useless and burnt now.

By the morning, the only thing that Tony DiNozzo was certain of, was that he needed to leave this job; this team, this agency; this city! Heck, he'd leave this country and this continent if another job was available in Europe; but one way or another; this would be the last case he worked on, as a part of Gibbs' team.

When it was closed, once they were back to DC, he'd type his resignation letter; add the amount of vacation he owned to it so he wouldn't be forced to work the mandatory two weeks before leaving and then walk away without a word. Not that it mattered if he'd talk about his departure in advance; Gibbs had stated clearly that he wouldn't be stopped if he walked away; still, he preferred to do it quietly, maybe that way he could preserve a little bit of his dignity; whatever was left of it.

.

.

TBC ...

.

OK, yes, I know things wouldn't have happened this way on the show; which is why it's an AU and a fanfiction; the little bit of exaggeration must be allowed, though; to highlight the wrongness of what did happen, even if it wasn't this overemphasized; because let's face it, semblance of this did happen as Gibbs has proved he wouldn't find it wrong talking about Tony behind his back when he's frustrated.

Let me know what you think, though? Do I continue?

.

P.S. I haven't forgotten about that Kid-AU fic and I'm not done with it. I'll go back to it, soon. Thanks for your support there.

.

Except for all the mistakes, I own nothing!