Author's note: I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have marked my stories as favorites and follows. It's meant a lot and it makes my spirit soar when I receive the notification e-mails. I hope you enjoy this conclusion to the series. Thank you again for the support and encouragement.

Chapter 1

Tony woke up early the next morning, and checked the clock. He still had an hour before he had to get up. He needed to call Tim before Tim left for work and wondered if it would be too early to call him now. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Delilah would already be up so that meant Tim would be up. It wasn't like Tony ever called him before work unless it was for a case, so…

Tony hit the speed dial and waited.

"Tony? What's up? Do we have a case?" Tim sounded awake and Tony could hear him stirring something in the background, was pretty sure it was coffee.

"No case yet, Probie. I needed to talk to you before work. I talked to Abby last night."

"Yeah? How'd it go?"

He gave Tim a brief rundown on the conversation with Abby, leaving out their argument, and then he told him about how she asked for his resume to be forwarded.

"Oh, please tell me you didn't tell her I already knew," Tim practically groaned.

"She doesn't know you know."

"Thank God, or she would've killed you." Tony could hear Tim breathe a sigh of relief. "I will tell her that you just told me and that I offered to help with the job search and that you told me that Abs was already on it and that I suggested that she and I work on it together. She'll like that."

Tony hesitated, surprised that Tim would be so willing to lie for him. "That…that sounds perfect. Thanks, Tim. I really appreciate this."

"Glad to do it, Tony. What'd she say about how Gibbs was treating you?"

"Well, I don't think she knows. She seems to believe that Gibbs will fight to keep me on. I'm not sure she would believe me if she didn't see it for herself."

Tim was quiet for a moment and Tony could practically hear the wheels turn in his head. "Yeah, that makes sense. So what did you tell her?"

"I told her I didn't want to deal with terrorism any more, which is true. I didn't want to deal with anything more like The Calling, and that I was ready to move on."

"Right, got it. Don't worry, Tony, between Abby and me, we'll help you find something. I read your resume. You never told me you got two Masters."

"Not a big deal," Tony said without thinking, remembering that Tim was proud of his degrees. He mentally kicked himself. "Took a while to finish," he said as though that was why it wasn't a big deal, and it was true, so it wasn't like he was lying.

Tim hesitated for a moment and Tony could hear him let out a breath. "Well, we've always had an erratic work schedule."

"Exactly." Tony allowed his body to relax, hoping that he covered enough. Tony really didn't think the degrees were that big a deal but he'd remembered a second too late that Tim thought they were and right now really wasn't the time to make anyone feel belittled, especially after the way last night had gone. The last thing he needed was to alienate any more friends in his life by being a jerk. "Anyway, thanks Tim. I'll forward it to Abs this morning before I leave. Just…don't do the search at work, okay? I don't want anyone knowing about this, especially not Gibbs…He probably already knows anyway."

"I know, Tony. I've only been searching at home, I promise. I won't even talk to Abby about it at work."

Tony smiled. Tim was really stepping up for him. "I owe you one, Tim. I'll see you at work." He hung up without saying goodbye and set the phone back on the night stand. Wow! He didn't know what he had done to deserve this but he was grateful. It felt good to have Tim in his corner like this. He vowed that if he moved away, he would make a real effort to stay in touch.

He laid back, let his eyes close as he thought over the conversation with Abby last night. He still felt pretty emotionally battered, but he had to admit that was probably the most honest they'd been with each other in a very long time. He wondered if she would witness Gibbs' treatment of him, and how she would react. Knowing Gibbs, he would be careful around her because no one wanted a hysterical Abby on their hands. He sighed as his mind drifted. He doubted his relationship with Abby would ever be the same. He winced in memory at the things she said. Yeah, okay, she was stressed out and she spoke without thinking, but that outburst made him feel like that was what she really thought of him deep down. Needy, attention-seeking. Pathetic, maybe? Okay, maybe all of that was a little true or even a lot true, or used to be true but he never thought she'd use it against him. Then again, she actually liked his father and the things he'd said over the years seem to have been forgotten.

A wave of irritation washed over him. If he were honest with himself, he knew why he had smoothed things over with her. It was because she'd be unbearable if he didn't. She'd constantly look at him with those big puppy dog eyes, it would make things tense at work and it would cause even more friction with Gibbs than there already was. He did love her, it was hard not to. She had her faults but he had his too, as she had pointed out. He liked to think he was getting better. He knew he had a long way to go so it wasn't like he could be too hard on her when he was so far from perfect. It would just be better to part on good terms and then let their friendship fade naturally once he had moved on if it did. If they stayed in touch, great, but he didn't delude himself. They had drifted apart while he was still here in DC. If he did end up moving away, drifting would be even easier. He hated that this was the reality but it was what it was. She didn't know him as well as she used to but really, he was probably more to blame for that than she was. He hadn't let her see the changes. Being in her lab all the time, she missed a lot, and that wasn't her fault. It was just the job.

He huffed. He had tried to maintain their friendship despite their respective lives, but he hadn't always felt Abby met him halfway. To be fair, that could be chalked up to the job too. She worked long hours, he worked long hours. She was still dating Burt. Maybe they both were at fault here, and putting all the blame on her wasn't right or fair. Maybe he wasn't as good a friend to her as he imagined himself to be and that it was as much his fault they drifted as it was hers. He winced. He couldn't let their friendship go as long as he felt like he was to blame for it falling apart. He would have to try harder, do better, and not let them drift apart unless he was really, really sure he had done all he could to keep it together. He didn't always like her behavior, but he loved her and that alone made it worth everything. He would have to let her see the changes in him, and he'd have to be more attentive to her, especially if he ended up staying in DC.

He hated to admit it but part of him wanted to move away from DC. New start. New friends. New life. Abby would fight to keep him here in DC but maybe that wasn't the best thing for him. With his new confidence in himself, he needed new friends as well as his old friends, and maybe he needed new friends more. He would talk to Tim again and ask him to quietly search beyond DC for jobs because Abby would cover everything there was to find in a 50-mile radius. If Abby found out, she might get upset at Tim and accuse him of wanting Tony to leave. He couldn't hang Tim out to dry like that so it's better if she didn't know. If Tim did find him a job outside of DC, and he took it, he'd simply tell Abby that he hadn't stopped looking himself just because she and Tim were helping him. That would keep the heat off Tim if she tried to blame him for Tony leaving.

Tony let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He hadn't meant for all this to get so complicated. It really shouldn't be. It wasn't just the secret-keeping part because really, who can keep secrets from investigators? For that matter, Gibbs probably already knew without being told that he was looking.

Still, it felt good to have friends in his corner, helping him with such a monumental change in his life, and he wasn't doing it alone. He thought about talking to Ellie too but ultimately decided to leave her in the dark. No matter how rocky his and Gibbs' relationship was right now, he wouldn't hurt Ellie by doing anything to jeapordize her relationship with Gibbs. He liked her. She was bright, and kind, and she'd had a rough year herself. He wouldn't bring her in the middle of this. It was kinder to leave her out of the loop.

He couldn't tell Ducky either. Ducky would no doubt feel obligated to tell Gibbs and that was the last thing he wanted. No, Ducky couldn't be put in the middle either. He needed to talk to Jimmy but Jimmy would understand and be supportive, of that he had no doubt. Maybe they could have lunch together soon.

Tony closed his eyes and tried to relax. He wondered how long he could go without talking to Gibbs. Not that it mattered since Gibbs wouldn't talk to him. It hurt but it would have to come to a head sooner or later. Maybe he would just wait until he had a new job lined up, that way if things with Gibbs ended badly, he'd have a quick 'out.'

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He couldn't believe he was thinking of a way to have an out if things went bad with Gibbs. He had never believed that things could be so bad with Gibbs but he was wrong. He missed the Gibbs he used to know. The Gibbs who valued his loyal St. Bernard. Maybe he forgot that too.

Tony swallowed again, the lump not having budged from his throat. He had always believed he would take over the team when Gibbs retired but he was still around even though he should have already retired. He still worked in the field, though he left the strenuous work to the younger agents at Dr. Taft's and Ducky's insistence. Maybe Gibbs wouldn't ever retire. Maybe the-powers-that-be determined that he was too good to sideline. Whatever the case, he now had to forge his own path, whatever it was.

Still, the thought of forging his own path stirred excitement rather than fear. He had a lot of skills and they were being underused right now. He knew that, maybe even Gibbs realized that. Gibbs had once said, 'You don't waste good.' Maybe that was why he pushed Tony to move on.

Tony sat up with a start, wide awake. That was it! That had to be it! Right? Gibbs thought he was breaking his own rule so he was trying to fix it. Tony had a flash of a memory of his father telling him that Gibbs told him he was the best young agent he'd ever worked with. Gibbs had never told him that but his father would never have made that up and would never have thought it if no one had said it, so Tony believed Gibbs really had said that. Another memory flashed in his mind of Gibbs telling Senior the story about his 'friend' who paid his father's hotel bill. Gibbs wouldn't have told that story at all unless he felt it worthy of telling, and the fact that he told his father that story…

That could only mean one thing. Gibbs admired him. He blinked several times in succession as that thought set in. Gibbs not only admired him but respected him, and after all this time felt that Tony could do better and be better than he was.

Goosebumps broke out on Tony's skin and a shiver coursed the length of his spine. So many things that hadn't made sense suddenly clicked into place, like doing a jigsaw puzzle where you just pick up a piece and fit it right where it's supposed to go. Once Gibbs paid a compliment, he didn't feel the need to repeat it...ever! Having the best implied you had something to lose. Having something to lose was a weakness. A weakness could be exploited. Being exploited made you a fool. And no one fooled Leroy Jethro Gibbs easily, and if they did, God help them. What if the coldness and the blankness were Gibbs' way of living up to rule 5 without letting anyone know it hurt him to do so?

Tony kicked the covers off, got up, and paced his apartment. Gibbs would never come right out and tell him that he was good and that he needed to move on. Tony had refused promotions before and Gibbs knew he would again as long as he could work with him. Making him feel like he was no longer needed or wanted wasn't about Gibbs not caring, it was about pushing Tony to do better, BE better, just like everything else Gibbs had ever done. Gibbs was still pushing him, still believing in him, even after all these years.

Tears filled his eyes. Gibbs had always believed in him, had never stopped, not once. All this time he had been upset because he thought Gibbs didn't want him around any more, thought Gibbs didn't care any more, felt wounded because his mentor was turning his back on him. His words to Tim suddenly flashed in his mind about his promotion being permanent. If Gibbs was realizing that maybe Tony still could do and be better, maybe he realized that Tim needed a push to do and be better too. Tony flinched at the memory of what Abby had said about his selfishness. All this time, he had thought it was all about him, but what if he thought he was wasting good in Tim too and this was about both of them? Tony knew Tim deserved a promotion, maybe even more than he did. God, he was such an idiot! Why didn't he see this before?

Tony smiled for what felt like the first time in weeks. Gibbs knew Tony wouldn't leave without being pushed. So, his behavior guaranteed this would make it Tony's idea, and that Tony would follow through with it.

Tony let out a breath in a huff and rolled his shoulders, feeling the tension dissipate. He craned his neck and several audible cracks followed as the vertebrae adjusted. He gasped in pain as they settled back into alignment and the muscles in his neck and shoulder blades relaxed and he sighed in relief.

Tony sat down on the couch and rested his head against the back to support his head and neck to allow the neck muscles to more fully relax before he got ready for work, and let his mind drift. The sense of isolation he'd felt over the last few weeks, from both Abby and Gibbs were still keen memories. It had pushed him to seek out his ancestry, looking for family. He remembered that moment in the car when Gibbs asked him about why he was seeking them out.

The concern Gibbs had shown by initiating the question, the fact that he had listened to the answer. It had almost been like being in the basement again like they used to, only they weren't in the basement. They'd been in the car, while working. In that moment, they hadn't just been boss and subordinate. They had been friends, even though things had been tense between them. He should've recognized that moment for what it was. Gibbs was still his friend. The basic essence of the man hadn't changed and he had been handling this the way thought he would need to in order to get Tony to take action, a quiet testament to just how well the man knew him after all. Gibbs hadn't wanted to argue with Tony about moving on; that would've made things worse.

Tony chuckled and spoke aloud to his empty living room. "I gotta hand it to you, Boss. You're good. Really good. I get it now."