A/N: thanks to anyone who has reviewed so far. I also just realised that my separation of paragraphs was a bit messed up so I will try to make it more clear from now on, although no one seemed to mind. Anyway, new chapter: Tony visits the rest of the team and stumbled across a loophole for those in the afterlife. It's getting a little Fantasy but that's OK.
Timothy McGee was sitting at his desk. Considering the team's current situation, the statement itself was a lot less epic than he thought it should be, but it was the truth. As far as progress went, however, he was getting nowhere. He kept thinking about Tony. He didn't know if he was ready to lead a team yet. But he had no choice. Or did he? It was all so mind-blowing.
"Don't get yourself down, McGee."
Tim jumped at what sounded exactly like Tony's voice. Great, now he was hearing things.
"You're not hearing things."
This time, McGee spotted him, which only scared him all the more. He was sitting at his own desk just a few feet away, a task he had done many times before.
"I'm running behind schedule, McGee, so I gotta make this quick," he stated.
"OK, but before you do, I have two questions: one, you're dead; what kind of schedule do you have? And two, why are you behind on it?"
"When you're dead, McGee, you get a few days before you're completely gone from people's lives. It's something Death gives in return for one's life."
"What, like the Grim Reaper?"
"Yeah, he's a tall guy in a black cloak with one bone hand and a big stick with a spike on the end. What do you think?"
"It doesn't sound realistic."
"We're not supposed to talk about it."
"Do you get some kind of seminar on this stuff?"
"Look, McGee, you can find that out when you're dead. Let's just say there is such thing as the afterlife. I'm not actually visible, but I can control your brain so you can see and hear me the way you would think is a fantasy."
"That's amazing! I guess Abby's been right all these years, about it being possible to communicate with the dead."
"Yeah, but don't tell anyone." He tapped the side of his nose.
McGee took a breath. "Why are you here now, Tony?"
"I just wanted to get something off my chest. I'm proud of you, Tim. You've handled this all really well, and I know you're going to lead this team to great things."
"It's not really much of a team now, just me and Ziva."
"Look after her for me, will you?"
Tim nodded understandingly. "Sure."
"Thanks, man. Look, I gotta go, you'd think being dead would involve less of a hectic schedule, but no."
"Tony, just one more question: do you know where Gibbs is?"
"I was kinda saving him till last."
"Oh. No problems."
"Good luck, Tim."
Tim blinked and his friend was gone, as if he was never there. He went over to Tony's desk and touched its surface. He felt the chair and yanked his hand away when he felt it was warm.
...
Ducky held the scalpel for just that few seconds longer, not wanting to cut into his friend's chest. It was just as well he did, because Ziva entered at that very moment, her eyes red.
"Ziva, my dear, I wasn't expecting you," Ducky stated calmly.
"I am sorry for interrupting, Ducky, I just...wanted to see him one last time. Am I too late?"
"No, not at all. I had a feeling you might want to pay him a visit."
Ziva ran a hand over his cold flesh and blood-drained face. She squeezed his hand and shut her eyes tight, muttering words in Hebrew.
"Ani ohevet otcha, ani ohevet otcha..."
She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. "I know how much you cared for him, Ziva. I think it's safe to say he felt the same."
Ziva couldn't stand it anymore, and broke down into loud sobs. Ducky held her tightly. Ziva didn't want to cry, but Ducky was one of the few people she felt truly safe with, and she knew he could be trusted. As the tears poured down her cheeks, she came to realise how much she had wanted to cry, and after almost five minutes, she was able to bring herself to a stop.
"Thank you, Ducky."
"You're very welcome, my dear. Everything will be alright."
Those words. Everything will be alright. They made Ziva feel like a little child. "Promise?" she asked, feeling more small and hopeless by the second.
"You have my word."
...
Ziva had left the lab a while ago, and Abby was now alone, and once again was listening to a dirge, out of respect for her beloved Tony. Tony had been like a big brother to her, the best big brother in the world. He was sweet, funny, a great role model, and Abby had loved him like family.
"You were my little sister, Abs."
Abby wasn't shocked to hear Tony's voice. She was pleased.
"Finally. I thought you weren't gonna come."
"Very funny. You know I'll always come."
"Yeah, I do."
"Growing up, I always wanted a sister. Not a little brother who'd show me up, but a girl, who could teach me things and be my friend when all the other girls hated me."
"That's sweet, Tony."
Abby finally looked at him, and cocked her head to the side in confusion.
"How come you're not dressed up like a Goth like Kate?"
Tony looked at her, perplexed by what she meant.
"Kate wasn't a Goth."
"No, when I saw her, after she died, she was dressed up just like a Goth. How come I'm not seeing you that way?"
"It wasn't your choice how you saw her, it was Kate's. I guess she wanted to connect with you."
"How did she appear to you?"
Tony grinned as he remembered the fantasy.
"Schoolgirl," he said.
Abby rolled her eyes.
"Now that I think about it, maybe she did like me. After all, she chose to appear to me that way. It's supposed to seem like it's all the person's doing, the fantasy, but it isn't." Tony licked his lips.
"You're a pig," Abby said. She was joking, of course. "I am really gonna miss you, Tony."
"I know." He smiled proudly. "I'll miss you too, Abs. You know, one of your hugs might be enough to bring me back from the dead, if it were possible."
"I'm hugging you in my mind." Abby closed her eyes to picture it, and when she opened them, he was gone.
...
Tony's final stop took him to Stillwater, Pennsylvania, Gibbs' hometown. He probably should have seen that coming.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs was peacefully sweeping the floor of his father's store, and Tony sat there waiting for him to notice him.
"Gibbs," he finally called.
Gibbs' happy expression faded. "DiNozzo," he whispered.
"What? Aren't you happy to see me?"
"I'm not sure. What is it you want?"
"Leroy? Who're ya talkin' to?" Jackson called from another room.
"No one, Dad!" Gibbs replied, turning back to Tony.
"Gibbs, here's all I wanted to say: you are and always have been the father I never had. I look up to you, learn from you, and I only ever wanted your approval. Whatever anyone else thought didn't matter, as long as you thought I was making the right call."
Gibbs just nodded.
"Well, that's all I wanted to say. Get back to your sweeping."
"I'm proud of you Tony. I've always thought of you as a son, and you truly are the best young agent I have ever worked with in my almost twenty years at NCIS. You didn't deserve to die, especially not the way you did."
"I'm happy as long as the team knows how I felt. Rivkin being dead is just icing on the cake." He hesitated. "Did you do it?"
Gibbs was silent.
Back at NCIS Headquarters...
"Timothy!" Ducky called as he stepped out of the elevator and into the bullpen. "I have news regarding Michael Rivkin's death!"
"The bullet shots? Were they post mortem?" Tim asked frantically.
"I'm afraid not, my dear boy."
Stillwater, Pennsylvania...
"Yeah, I did it, and I'll admit it! I'm not going anywhere until those bastards from the FBI figure out that I'm not gonna let anyone go who hurts my agents!"
"Gibbs..." Tony was not sure what to say. "Thank you."
A/N: How was it? I'm kinda tired but I wanted to get this finished before I went to sleep so it was a bit rushed. I have ideas for the next chapter but I have to update a few other stories first so not for a few days minimum. Reviews would be nice!
