A/N: I don't even own a house, much less the rights to ANY show. Hope you like.

NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo reached over to cut off his alarm and then laid in bed for a moment longer.

Today was the first day of the rest of his long life. Things were already changing. Take, for instance, the morning's agenda. Tony was scheduled to report to the naval yard to embark on an over seas journey. It was one scheduled appointment he didn't plan to keep. Instead, he stretched out and took his sweet time getting out of bed and getting dressed. He threw on a baseball cap to complete his look. Finally, he was ready to make an appearance at the field office.

Once he parked at the office he grabbed a typed sheet of paper from the seat next to him and used his key pass to go the back way to the director's office. He was hoping he could just place the paper on Vance's desk and leave before dear Leon got in but there was no such luck Cynthia informed him.

Tony walked on in without giving poor Cynthia any heed and caught the NCIS director off guard. "Looks like you've made yourself right at home," Tony told the older man bitterly.

Vance looked up in surprise. "Agent DiNozzo. Why haven't you reported to the Reagan yet?"

"Seems I got dock, Leon. Left without me."

Vance immediately reached for the phone. "I'm sure I can hail them."

Tony held up a hand. "Don't bother. I'm not going."

The Director gawked at him and Tony briefly entertained shoving his toothpick down his throat. Sideways. "But you've been reassigned, DiNozzo."

"What part of 'I'm not going' do you not understand, Agent Vance?"

"Agent DiNozzo," the man said in a warning tone.

"Vance, here's the deal. I'm starting to feel violently ill. In fact, I think it's a damn good chance I will be sick for the next two weeks."

The man sighed. "Fine. You need two weeks, take it. After that we will arrange for you--"

Tony interrupted him just to piss him off. "After that, according to this resignation, it's none of your concern what I do."

Vance snatched the piece Tony was waving in front of him. "What is this? I refuse to accept this." He started to rip it up.

Tony shrugged. "Fine. But I've already emailed it to the highers. I would have done the same to you and saved us this face-to-face hassle but I couldn't find you in the directory."

Vance looked righteously pissed. "It's under 'Vance, Leon'," he said, tersely.

Tony snapped his fingers. "That explains it. Now I know why I'll never be as computer savvy as McGee. I was looking under 'J' for 'jackass'." He turned and walked out smiling as he ignored Vance calling his name and telling him to stop. He took the front stairs, pleased to see Gibbs by his desk. Gibbs looked as happy as Gibbs could look to see him.

"Boss!" he said, exuberantly, trying valiantly to ignore the little fresh faces sitting behind THEIR desks.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs greeted as he rounded his desk to stand in front of Tony. "Miss your boat?"

"You know how I am, boss. Always late."

Gibbs' eyes flashed over Tony's shoulder. "Vance knows, I gather."

"Oh, he knows alright."

"Agent DiNozzo!" Vance said from behind him.

"I felt as though I would pass out. Luckily Gibbs was here to keep me standing."

Vance looked outraged. "Have you informed Agent Gibbs what you have done?"

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "I gather this is ASIDE from missing the Reagan."

"Agent DiNozzo has given me his notice of resignation."

Gibbs looked at Tony with steady eyes. "Vance, you're getting what you wanted. First, you get rid of Ziva and now Tony."

"I promoted Tony!"

"Tony is standing right here," he scowled at both bosses, "and if you want to keep me so bad you're out here begging on the floor I suggest you promote me to some place stable. You have two weeks."

Once Vance fumed off Gibbs turned back to his former senior agent. "Think that was smart, DiNozzo? Pissing off the director?"

Tony shrugged. "Made me feel a little better. And it gives us two weeks to get this mess cleaned up with me being able to actually help."

Their talk was interrupted by the arrival of two more agents. Tony rolled his eyes. "Good God, how many kids do you have on your team, Gibbs?"

"Three, DiNozzo."

"Then who's--oh, McGeek!" Tony hated to admit it but he was glad his little Probie hadn't forsaken them yet.

"Tony! What are you doing here?"

"Quitting."

McGee rolled his eyes. "Oh, that's sticking it to them."

"Hey, shut it, McGookenstein. What are you doing over here anyway? I thought you were supposed to be sent to a galaxy far, far, away."

McGee gave Tony a small shrug and tilted his head towards the young agents who were staring at a distance. "Had to stay here to train on the computer. Seems none of them knew how to get in the system to find anything."

"Geez, even Gibbs know how to turn the computer on." Tony turned to look at the probies, cringing for a slap that never came. Looking at the men who were staring at him, he blinked in surprise. "Boss, they don't look old enough to have graduated high school."

Gibbs nodded grimly. "Graduated from the academy five days ago."

"Not one experienced agent?"

"That's why I'm helping out," McGee told him.

"I repeat."

"Can I hit him, Boss?"

"Later, McGee." Gibbs cleared his throat. "Stay close, DiNozzo. I might have use of you soon."

"I'm on vacation, Boss. You know how to reach me."

After he left the office Tony stopped for some coffee and donuts before making his way across town to stop at Ziva David's apartment. He juggled the two cups as he kicked the door, an alternative way to knock.

Ziva opened the door dressed in running shorts and a tank. "What are you doing here, Tony?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"You just get back or you headed out?"

"Got back."

He grinned. "Good! Help me eat these donuts."

She took the offered bag and stepped back to admit him into the apartment. "What are you doing here?"

"Duh, giving you good-for-you goodies."

She rolled her eyes but dug into the bag for breakfast. "I meant here as in you are supposed to be in a ship."

He flopped onto her couch like he had done times before. "I put in my two weeks."

She somehow managed to look at him darkly while licking the glaze off of her fingers. "Why?"

He shrugged as he snatched a donut for himself. "I didn't want to go off to sea/"

"And you couldn't just tell Vance that. You had to make a rash decision."

He was beginning to get mad. "Hey! I don't see you biting at the bit to tell Vance you wanted to stay."

Ziva made a gesture with her hand to cut him off. "My situation is different."

"How?" he demanded.

She flushed with anger. "You were promoted, Tony. I was terminated. My job no longer is available. NCIS has nothing for me."

"Give Gibbs two weeks, Ziva," Tony told her.

She nodded. "Fine. I can wait two weeks."