Epilogue

Five months later...

"Are you ready?" Tim asked.

"Are you kidding?" Stan asked, grinning. "If I have to stay on land any longer, I'll go nuts! Even my mom said that it looked like I was going stir crazy when I went home for Thanksgiving."

Tim laughed. "Well, it's a good thing the Nimitz hadn't left port then, isn't it."

Stan took a deep breath.

"Can't you smell that sea air?"

"Yes, and it's nice, but there's no way I'm going on board with you. Are you ready to go back on a ship?"

Stan took another breath and looked at the carrier.

"I'll admit that I've had my moments. That was the hardest thing for me, you know...realizing that I'd started to hate ships, just because of what happened. I decided I didn't want to let that ruin what I had always enjoyed. So I decided to work on it."

"I'm not ready to deal with that, but that's more because of seasickness."

Stan laughed. "You only threw up at the beginning."

"Well, I was a bit distracted after that, what with my muscles spasming every few seconds."

"So...no Agent Afloat for you?"

"No, but I'm glad you're going back."

"Me, too. Thanks for the ride over. Are you starting back to work?"

"Next week," Tim said. "They're finally letting me off desk duty."

"So...do you know what that means?"

"What what means?" Tim asked.

Stan grinned. "That means that we're officially back to normal. You're going back to work. I'm going back to work. They didn't win."

"You sure it's not an illusion?" Tim asked, smiling a little.

"Positive. The only illusion was that those guys might have won at all."

Tim laughed. Stan just tossed his duffel bag over his shoulder and headed up the gangway.

"Hey, Stan!" Tim called.

"What?"

"Fair winds and following seas!"

Stan turned around and saluted. Then, he went on board. Tim watched him go and took a deep breath. Then, he headed back to his car. As he got in, his phone rang.

"McGee," he said.

"And?"

Tim smiled. "He's safely aboard, Boss."

"And you?"

"On my way back. I'll be there next week."

"It'll be good to have you back. Drive safe."

"Will do, Boss."

Tim hung up and headed back to DC. Everything might not be perfect, but it was as close to normal as it could be...and that was good enough.

FINIS!