Tony fell, faster and faster.
He scrabbled desperately for a hold in the darkness, but his grasping
fingers and flayling feet found no purchase hold.
'Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!' he yelled, all decorum to the wall.
Though after a while, he was still falling, and his throat hurt so he stopped.
He folded his arms and rolled his eyes, 'I for crying out loud', he muttered under his breath as he continued down.
'Okay!!', he yelled, 'Bored now!!'
At first there was no answer, not that he expected there to be.
But then, and to his startled surprise, he heard a faint 'tick-tock' above him - and it was getting louder as the source of the noise got closer.
Tony looked up, with trepidation at first, and was greeted with the sight of an enormous white rabbit, with long furry ears, fluffy while tail, tartan waistcoat complete with oversized comedy fob watch.
And McGee's face.
Replete with long white whiskers and wriggling black nose.
'Probie?!' Tony clamped his hands over his mouth, but knowing he couldn't hide the gleeful light in his eyes.
'I'm late! I'm late!!', McGee told him as they fell in tandem, waving his watch at Tony and wriggling his nose in clear distress.
'Late for what?!' Tony laughed at him, 'McGee have you any idea what you look like?!'
'I'm late! And so are you!' McGee told him and then plummeted out of sight.
'McGee! McGee! What am I late for?' Tony yelled down to him.
As he did so he was amazed and strangely grateful to whatever deity had thrown him into his current predicament to see a light below him.
'Thank god,' Tony said quietly as he headed towards the brightness, 'Now at least I'll be able to see where the hell I am!'
Sadly it was not to be - Tony entered the bright light feet first and was caught a sharp rap on the head as he slid further into illuminance.
Tony thought that if he kept his head very, very still, and kept his eyes very tightly shut he might just make it.
Sadly, the universe had decided he was not to enjoy this brief reverie for long.
A damp object entered his right ear and pushed his head about.
Tony's eyes shot open and he saw a small scruffy dog looking up at him hopefully.
'Jeez! Thanks for that, mutt!' Tony told the animal as he sat up holding his head.
'Toto! Toto!' A familiar voice called from behind him.
The small scruffy dog barked and started to jump up and down in front of Tony.
Tony looked more closely at the small scuffy dog - taking in the worn collar and glint of a name tag. He grabbed the animal mid-jump and wrestled with collar till he could read it.
'Oh god, no...' he said.
The tag read, in no way other than completely obviously' 'Toto'.
Tony put the wriggling dog down and took in his outfit.
'Aw c'mon!' he said raising his arms and looking up at the sky, 'The Scarecrow?!'
'Toto! You naughty dog!'
Tony spun round, nearly tripping over his strawfilled shoes and found himself watching a woman, her dark hair in pigtails, bending down to pick up the small dog.
'Kate?!' Tony couldn't help it, he grinned widely.
For there, stood in blue and white checked gingham, short white ankle socks and scuffed black Mary Jane shoes, was his fellow Agent.
Kate pulled a confused face, 'Oh Scarecrow, did you fall over again?
It's not 'Kate', I'm Dorothy. We've been so worried about you!'
'We?' Tony asked, dreading the answer.
'Why yes, silly! Me, and the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, and the Wizard and even Gwenda, the Good Witch of the East!'
Kate/Dorothy turned and waved at the figures coming around a bend in the yellow brick road.
Tony steeled himself, somehow it was inevitable.
There was McGee, the Cowardly Lion, jumping at shadows.
And here was Abby, resplendant in black, flowing robes, broomstick in one hand and pointed hat at a jaunty angle on her head.
And here was Ducky, in green robes, looking like he always did - a bit puzzled but arm in arm with Abby. They appeared to be discussing broomstick speeds.
And, somehow, Tony watched as bringing up the rear, was The Tin Man.
Gibbs with axe on his shoulder and a permanent scowl on his shiny silver face.