Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or its characters or ideas.

Tony DiNozzo walked out of the elevator and into the bullpen; his backpack slung over one shoulder and a coffee in the opposite hand – to the surrounding agents, he was as normal as could be.

But deep inside, Tony was lost and scrambling for answers.

It had been a mere four weeks since he'd been back from Tel Aviv; a mere four weeks since he'd left the love of his life staring at him from the ground as he took off in a plane, headed back to the states and the God-awful heartache that had been tailing him like a lost puppy.

He tossed his pack in the corner between his wastebasket and TV stand, slumping around the desk and throwing himself into his seat. He wiggled the mouse, waking up the monitor and plugged in his password. Taking a long sip from his coffee, he leaned back and stared across the aisle and the empty desk across from him. So many fond memories. Paris, Berlin… Tel Aviv.

Ah, Tel Aviv.

He needed to stop. Tony shook his head lightly and got up from his seat, straightening his jacket with a few tugs, he turned to the filing cabinet and began thumbing through documents until he came across the one he needed to take down to Abbey. This would do the trick. Some way or another, he needed to stop thinking about all that could have been. And all that wasn't.

Right as he was about to walk back to the elevator, Gibbs came up from the other direction and stopped him.

"Got a dead Marine, DiNozzo," he said, coming up behind his desk. "Gear up!"

"Right, Boss. I was just… gearing up. Got it."

Gibbs walked over to where Tony was standing in the middle of the bullpen, file in hand and that same lost look across his face.

"Everything ok, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said.

"Peachy, Boss."

"Good. Then let's go."

Tony nodded curtly and dropped the file on his desk, grabbing his own backpack once more and followed Gibbs to the elevator. Once inside, the two men stood side by side in an awkward silence. Every silence had the opportunity to be awkward with Gibbs around, but this time, it was Tony who made the air seem heavy. Gibbs reached out and flipped the switch, stopping the elevator in an all-too-familiar manner.

"Speak," he said. "He's not going anywhere."

"Really, Boss," Tony said, trying to laugh half-heartedly the way he usually did. "It's nothing, just got a case of the Mondays, that's all."

"It's Thursday, DiNozzo?"

"Right. Well, you know," he drew in a slight breath between slightly parted teeth. "Hard to keep track of the time, still a little jet lagged I guess."

"We all miss her," Gibbs said gently, leaning his head back and not making eye contact with the senior agent. "You've just gotta find a way to move on."

"Ya see, Boss… took me long enough to get here. Not sure I'm ready to go back yet." He turned from where he'd been facing Gibbs and looked back toward the elevator doors; waiting for Gibbs to hit the switch once more.

"Alright, then don't." Gibbs said after a few seconds.

He leaned over and put his hand to the switch. Before flicking it upwards, he shook his head and let out a light laugh.

"You kids are too damn stubborn."

And with that, they were on their way back down to the lobby.