Title: Where's Tony?

Disclaimer: They belong to the people who run CBS, I just like to play and entertain. I swear this is not for profit... just mental gain.

The bullpen was buzzing, Ziva and McGee were due to be in any moment and Gibbs was upstairs talking to Vance. But the desk of Anthony DiNozzo was empty and it would take a while before any of the team members realized the implications of his tardiness.

"Good morning McGee." Ziva greeted as she entered her cubicle, her hair pulled back into a pony tail and her face held a big smile. The three day weekend had been great, a chance to go on a three day vacation to New England with some friends. It had been a lot of fun and now she was ready to get down to work again.

"Morning Ziva." McGee returned, his mood also quite jovial. He had gone hiking with his sister on the Blue Ridge Parkway, camping, bird watching and time with his sister had proved to be just what he needed to get back into the mood of working again.

Tim had glanced over at Tony's desk several times since he had arrived to work, towards his tormentor's desk but Tony was still missing and he was hoping silently that Tony had taken a sick day off, or better, he decided to take an extra day off from work, maybe he had even found him a new girlfriend. Tony hadn't been in the best of moods lately as if something personal was bothering him or the lack of a love life, either way Tony could be a real bastard when he had nobody to bed, Tim thought to himself.

"Where's Tony?" Ziva asked, knowing that she was running late but wondering if Tony too had been a victim of the morning traffic mess on the beltway.

"Good question." the deep voice of the boss came from behind them, his surly mood couldn't be missed. He walked over a threw a folder on his desk and then continued to walk towards the elevator, "Going for coffee."

They both watched as Gibbs entered the elevator and slammed his hand on the button, disappearing behind the steal doors.

"Well the traffic was pretty bad this morning, I heard there was a ten car pile up on the beltway." Ziva added, a now worried look on her face. "You don't think that Tony?" she cut herself off from stating what she was thinking.

Tim looked up, feeling bad for having his earlier thoughts, for feeling that a day without Tony would or could be a good day. "I'll check the traffic reports," He looked at the screen and continued, "It was actually a twenty car pile up and a semi truck to add to the already existing problems had rammed the back end of the mess and there had been a fire."

Ziva picked up the phone and in a soft voice spoke, then after a few seconds, leaving a voice message for her partner, she looked over to ehr partner, "I'm worried about Tony." her happy face of only minutes ago was gone.

"Anything?" Tim asked, finding nothing more on the traffic accident from earlier that morning, other than there were passengers still trapped, and the eighteen wheeler complicating matters had caused a small explosion. That would be Tony's luck, Tim thought to himself.

"No, he didn't answer but I left a message." she replied as she stood and walked over to Tony's desk, looking for a clue to his whereabouts.

After searching the desk for any clues but finding none, she felt a twinge of uneasiness, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking McGee?" she asked as the elevator door opened, and a voice echoed through the room,"What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Tim and Ziva gave each other a quick glance then grabbed their gear, Ducky was now standing at Gibb's side, they would be going to the accident.

"Where we going boss?" Tim asked as they entered the elevator, feigning ignorance, attempting not to show that he was concerned for the man who called him Probie.

"The Beltway." he answered.

"And Abby and Palmer and going to check out Tony's apartment." Ducky added, a look of seriousness on his face.

"Why all the fuss? Tony is only thirty minutes late, I'm sure he's just stuck in traffic." Ziva commented as she saw the stern look come across her boss's face.

"He always calls if he's going to be late. Always." Tim chimed in, finally realizing himself that Tony must be in trouble.

Ziva suddenly realized the reason for Ducky accompanying them, just in case Tony was hurt, he knew Tony's medical history.

The Beltway

As they drove up the multi car accident they couldn't help but to see the chaos, and the reason for the lack of information about the accident. The place was a mess with cars piled up, one upon another.

Each member of the team, including the medical examiner, disembarked Gibb's car and started out on foot, examining the cars in the pile up, each knowing that Tony had a bureau car so they set out looking for a federal tag.

The sounds of sirens and cries for help continued to fill the air, people still trapped in their vehicles, it was a mess.

Ziva and Gibbs went in one direction and Tim and Ducky the other, their communication gear intact, they would need to be able to talk to each other and it would be too difficult with their cells over all the noise.

Each car had either been burned or badly damaged, Ducky even found himself helping the injured, it was a bad scene and they all silently wished that Tony was not there.

Tony's Apartment

Palmer and Abby pulled up in Abby's hearse, Tony's car sat in the driveway. She would have to call Gibbs. All she could think as she dialed Gibb's number was, 'Where is Tony?'

Palmer was already ringing the door bell but there was no answer, the curtains and blinds closed over the windows. He couldn't get a look inside.

"Abby, he's not here!" he shouted for the front entrance, looking down to see a stack of newspapers on the front door entrance and mail still in the mail box beside Tony's door.

Abby was now standing beside Palmer, also taking in the newspapers and mail, "We have to get inside."

"Can you pick the lock?" Palmer asked as he watched his goth friend at work, looking the door over as if she was a secret agent.

"No, Tony's door is a special made one so that nobody can break inside. He does have a few enemies Palmer, dah, being an NCIS agent , it comes with the territory." Abby continued to look over the door and around the hedges in front, she was beginning to get really worried about her friend.

"You want me to get the manager?" he asked, readying himself for the task, walking down the few steps towards the main office.

" It won't do any good! He had the door special made, they probably don't have a key. But Gibbs might!" she pulled out her cell and hit the speed dial for Gibbs, her eyes still taking in the surroundings, she really like Tony's apartment, too bad he had just recently changed the door or she would have a key, he always gave her a key to water his plants or to just crash when she needed a place to hang out.

After a few seconds she gave up and left a message., he would call her back. She hung up the phone and placed into her jacket pocket, "I left a message, he's probably busy on the beltway."

"Listen, I'll look around back, his apartment is like a condo. This is a cool lay out." Palmer mostly spoke it to himself, the place was nice and expensive looking.

Palmer made his way around to the back of the building, and then he saw it, blood and lots of blood, on the sidewalk and on the grassy area. "Oh my gosh!" He ran to the side of the apartment building, "Abby!' he yelled as his lungs would allow.

Abby came tearing around the building a switchblade knife in one hand and a tazer in the other, her buckled down boots getting stuck once or twice in the thick grass,"What's wrong Palmer?" Seeing that the man was as pale as a ghost,

He couldn't speak, he just pointed and moved towards the back of Tony's apartment.

She followed Palmer back to the back entrance of the apartment and upon seeing the blood she freaked, "Oh My Gosh! Tony, something has happened to Tony!" she pulled our her cell again and hit the speed dial to Ziva's phone, and waited for an answer, tears were streaking down her face, her hands shaking.

This is going around in my head and I had to put it down on the computer...I hope you like!