"Abby, where do you want all these old test shell casings you won't throw away?" McGee called out to the lab from her inner office. I will never understand the purpose of these. Abby had decided it was time for some "spring cleaning," and since anything was preferable to hanging out in the squad room these days, he volunteered to help her. "I can't hear you over this music!" he yelled when he got no answer.
"She said to McPut them under the desk, McProbie," came the answer as the separating doors whisked open.
McGee stood up so fast he nearly hit his head on the low-hanging cabinet. "Tony?"
"Do you know anyone else this witty?" McGee just stared, mouth open. "Or this good-looking, come to think of it."
"Tony!" He forced himself to resist the urge to hug his partner.
"Does that surprise you for some reason, Probie-Wan?" His easy grin made McGee wonder if this was real.
"N - no, of course not. It's just...you've been so..." He was saved from finishing his stuttering train of thought by Abby's entrance.
"Tonyyy!" She threw herself at him, arms around his neck. "It's so good to have you back."
McGee noted the lack of confusion on his face. So Tony does realize things haven't been the same around here. "Thanks, Abbs," he said quietly. "I really am back, promise." Then his eyes flickered back to McGee, still standing dumbfounded. "Hey, Probilicious. What happened to your hand?"
McGee glanced down at the splint on his left hand. Well, that's embarrassing. "It's a...long story." He prayed Tony would let it drop.
Tony eyed him for a second longer, then said, "Whatever. Where's the bossman?"
"Uh, I'm not sure. Probably...boat building?"
"At three o'clock in the afternoon?"
"Well...I don't know. He hasn't exactly been keeping regular office hours lately." In case you haven't noticed, with your whole trance thing.
"Hmm. Maybe you and I should go look into that."
"Uh, um, okay. Right now? Yeah, we should go - okay, uh, just one second." He pushed in the chair until it was almost touching the shell casings, and grabbed his backpack from by the desk.
"McGee?" Tony stopped halfway out the door. "Why is your gear by Abby's desk?"
Shit. 'Cause the squad room's been a mausoleum the last week? "Well, um, I was just...see, I brought it down here 'cause...in case I needed...my knife. You know, rule number nine..."
Wordlessly, Tony turned and walked to the elevator, leaving McGee to scurry to catch up. He felt Tony's gaze on him as he slipped through the closing doors. Just as the silent stare was starting to make him uncomfortable, Tony spoke, quietly. "Move your stuff back upstairs, 'kay Probie?" He sounded determined, almost regretful. "We're going to get Gibbs, and we're all going to go to the squad room and wait. For a case. While working on cold cases, just like we're supposed to."
"Of course, Tony." I don't know why, but Tony's back. And McGee fought to keep a stupid grin off his face.
