PLEASE NOTE: THIS STORY TAKES PLACE AFTER SWAK AND TWILIGHT NEVER HAPPENED ALTHOUGH ZIVA HAS JOINED THE TEAM.
Summary: The team was hit hard when Anthony DiNozzo left, enlisted himself in the army and was sent to Iraq. The team was hit hard when Anthony DiNozzo came home.
It was the hardest thing anyone could imagine…no, no one could imagine what pain they all went through that day. It started off slow, no new cases and everyone sat around. Except for Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Who had yet to turn up for work that morning,
At first everyone was just mad. Gibbs thought he was either hung over, or chasing a skirt. Along with the rest of the team. The anger only lasted a couple hours, and then it turned into worry. They had attempted to call his cell phone, only to find it still on his desk, and his land line only to find it "no longer in service". Worried that something had happened Gibbs, Kate, Ziva, and McGee were ready to head out to see if there was anything hinky going on.
But on their way out the director called them to her office. Along with Abby, Ducky and Palmer the team found themselves seated in the conference room and saw, for the first time Director Sheppard ready to fall apart.
Taking a deep breath Jen looked up. "I have news on DiNozzo."
The response was instantaneous. Everyone stood up blurting out questions and talking, but it wasn't until Gibbs noticed the tears building up in Jen's eyes that everyone calmed down.
"What's going on with my agent, Jen?" Gibbs asked in an irritated voice.
Looking down Jen knew that this would be the hardest thing that she would ever have to do. Taking a deep breath she looked up "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo has resigned."
Everyone was silent until Gibbs spoke up "What the hell! Jen what is going on here! Quit? DiNozzo would never quit. He loves his job to much!"
The director shook her head. "He didn't exactly quit Jethro…it seems as though Tony enlisted himself in the US Army and was contracted. He's being sent to Iraq, Gibbs. That's all the information that I could get. Not even my contacts are speaking."
"The army!" Abby exclaimed taping her fingers together nervously, eyes wide. "Iraq? That means guns…and bombs….and killing! Gibb's! We have to do something! We can't just let him leave!"
Gibbs ran a hand over his face. "There's nothing we can do Abs…this is out of our hands. Damn it Tony! What the hell were you thinking!"
The director sighed. "I will try my hardest to find out where DiNozzo is or what's going on but until then you still need to work and solve cases. Work harder and the more time I have to spend on locating Tony."
Ziva nodded before standing up and walking briskly out of the room down to their cubicles, shortly followed by the team.
Kate ran a hand through her hair. It didn't take long for the news of Tony's leaving to get a round and a lot more people were affected than she initially thought would be. She let out a smile when she realized it was all the little guys that were hit. The probie's or the mail boy. They had all taken a liking to Tony.
Feeling a hand on her shoulder she looked up the see McGee with a sad smile on his face. Kate tried to return but just couldn't bring herself to smile.
"It will be alright Kate. We will find out what's going on. Tony's never let us down before." McGee said giving her shoulder a squeeze before going back to his desk to start the newest case. It seems that someone was killing petty officers by exsanguation.
It had been a year. A whole god damn year and there was still no contact from the much missed Anthony DiNozzo. They didn't even know if he was still alive for Pete's sake!
Storming into the office with a cup of coffee Gibb's sat at his computer not even bothering to answer his phone when it rang. He was not taking any cases today.
The director was still having no luck in finding Tony; the militia wouldn't release any information on him. It seemed that not even the president would be able to get any information on him! Slamming his hand down Gibb's stood up to go see Abby.
When he reached the lab the first thing Gibb's realized was that Abby had jazz music playing. Walking in he shut of the music and turned towards the scientist. "He's not dead Abs don't go acting like he is."
"How do we even know he's alive Gibb's! We haven't heard anything from him!" Abby exclaimed looking more worn and tired than ever.
Looking up Gibb's noticed the pictures Abby had hung of the team but also noted each one had Tony. It seemed as though she was a mother whose son has disappeared.
"I know you miss him Abs…we all do but we just have to wait. I know he isn't dead Abs my gut keeps telling me so." Gibb's said pulling Abby into a hug and planting a small kiss on her head.
"He was like my brother Gibb's" Abby murmured in Gibb's chest "Ziva and Tony are the older siblings always bickering and always protecting me, and Kate is like Tony's girlfriend that the older sister doesn't like because she's changing him and Ducky's like our grandpa always telling us really weird stories, and McGee and Palmer and like the twin little brothers who admire Tony and he toughens them up. And you and the director our like the parents. We were perfect, now once of us is gone and we've all fallen apart."
Holding Abby tighter for a moment Gibb's let go. "He is alive Abby, and he will come back and when he does…he's grounded for life."
Abby let out a small smile before turning to her computer. "So those tests you had me run…"
Tony sighed as he ran is fingers through his newly grown hair. That was now full of sand. Hearing a chuckle Tony turned to see his friend laughing at him. "Got a problem captain?"
"No, not at all Master Chief. Just looks like you planned on bringing the whole desert home with you" A man named Chris Edwards replied.
Tony gave the man a sarcastic smile. "Ha-ha! Funny. Forgetting who you're superior is?"
"Not at all Master Chief. The highest in our little team, our little leader." Another man named Zack Nicholls responded.
Anthony DiNozzo was the Master Chief and Commander of the newly formed Special Task Force Team. It was a new project that the militia was trying that was coming to a great success.
The main point of the team was to perform and carry out missions that were considered highly dangerous and suicidal. And come out alive.
The army had men of all different backgrounds come together in a team of three people. At the head of the groups was Master Chief/Commander Anthony DiNozzo who led the team, followed by his Lieutenant Commander Chris Edwards.
Chris Edwards was a former hunter/ hermit who loved to talk about elves. Many times he was accused of being gay and although it was true, the team held strong never letting that get in their way.
Next was the Lieutenant Zack Nicholls. Former member of the bomb squad in the police He was a short, pudgy man with a fiery spirit and tongue to match.
The trio made quite the team but right now they were on their way home after three years of complete solitude together. Immediately after they were hired they were sent to Iraq where they spent a year dedicated to training. Then the next two years were on missions.
Each man was going home now transformed. With heavily built bodies that could take the most brutal beatings and return them ten fold, along with scars and memories that would forever haunt them. Each man was going home after their team was being disbanded. For now.
They had done all they could and for their hard work they were going home to try and get in contact with the families they hadn't spoken to in three years.
Stepping into the plane that would take them home Chris turned to Tony. "Nervous my friend?"
Tony nodded. "Yeah…I don't know how my old team will react. After all I've been gone three years without a trace."
The two other men nodded, not quite understanding since they themselves hadn't really left anything behind and were going home with each other. Curling up everyone tried to sleep.
Tony fidgeted unable to sleep, restless. How was the team going to react when he came home? After three years? Running his hand across the tattoo on the back of his neck Tony leaned back. His serial number. Mandatory for each of his team members to get in case they were found murdered or taken hostage.
Rolling his shoulder's Tony leaned back to at least attempt to get some sleep.
McGee laughed while he and Palmer talked about memories of Tony and the team. Today marked his three year absence and the team had monthly lunches to keep in touch with each other personally.
Everyone's conversations were interrupted when Gibb's cell phone began to ring. With eyebrow's furrowed Gibb's looked at the caller id only to see the number was unknown. Picking up Gibb's stated his name.
"Gibbs."
"Hey there Boss! Miss me?" Came a cocky voice over the phone.
Gibb's lost his breath for a moment. "DiNozzo?" he asked softly.
Everyone's heads in the room snapped up at the sound of the name being said.
"That's right! Want to come pick me up? I'm at the Norfolk airplane base."
Speechless Gibb's took a minute, then in the angriest voice he could muster he stated. "You have a lot of explaining to do." Hanging up Gibb's looked at his team.
"McGee gas the truck, everyone get in. It seems we have one Anthony DiNozzo to pick up."
Tony sat silent waiting to see a screeching NCIS van pull into the lot. He knew the whole team would come and they only way they would all fit would be to take a van. He looked up when he heard some tires screech to a stop.
The first one out of the truck was Kate, and damn she was looking better than ever. She was followed by Ziva, and Abby.
The team finally all got out and at the sight of him. Tony stood still unsure of what to do and it was Abby who broke the silent moment.
"Tony!" She screamed launching herself into Tony's arms.
"Hey Abs, miss me?" Tony said hugging her just as hard as she was hugging him. Next thing Tony knew he was in a group hug and couldn't help but laugh.
After the hug broke up Tony smiled. "I sure have missed you guys."
The others nodded to teary eyed to talk and it was Gibb's who spoke first. "What was with the disappearing act DiNozzo? You going to explain yourself?"
Tony nodded. "Sure I will, once I have a shower." Turning he looked at the two men behind him. Standing at ease he brought his hand up into a salute ignoring the looks from his team. "Lieutenant Commander Edwards, Lieutenant Zack Nicholls. You are here by dismissed. Go home boys. Don't forget to keep in touch. Semper Fei."
"Thank you Master Chief, Semper Fei!" The two men exclaimed at the same time releasing their salutes.
Turning Tony smiled. "Let's go home."
"So wait…let me get this straight. You're the master chief, head honcho of like this team of mercenary's that do what other mean can't do. Tread where others fear to tread kind of stuff?" Abby asked.
Tony nodded unsure of how the team would react. After a few questions everyone began talking about what Tony missed and began to fill him in on what he missed.
When they called it a night Tony was held back by Kate. Pressing a soft kiss to his lips Kate said "Welcome home." Before walking out…followed closely by Tony.
After three years everyone was reunited and three years later everyone was settled. Tony had ended up staying in the military training "Probies" and lending a helping hand to the team. Tony was currently married to Kate and was expecting his first child.
Gibb's finally gave into his own rules and gave up rule twelve. Never date your co-worker. And soon things were back to normal. And everyone was happy.
And that's all I wrote! I was going to make this a story but I didn't know how…I might write and follow up one-shot or just start a whole new story all together. I don't know! Review and let me know!