Hair of the Dog

Disclaimer: Don't own. Yadda yadda.


Epilogue

*six weeks later*

Tony stepped off the elevator, happier than he had been in weeks, and made his way to his desk. The day promised to be a good one indeed: the heavy cast on his ankle had been replaced with a lighter walking cast and he had been able to ditch the crutches that had been a constant source of frustration, he had managed to make it into work early for the first time in quite awhile, and today was the day that his Probie would finally be back at work. Tony hated desk duty, but as they say, misery loves company, and he was glad to have someone with whom to commiserate.

He tucked the bag he had been carrying under his desk and waited for the arrival of the rest of his team. While he pretended to be working on the stack of cold case files that had been the most recent bane of his existence, he mulled over the events of the past few weeks in his mind.

Tony had spent three additional days in the hospital after his own surgery but had stayed in town until McGee was well enough to be transferred to Bethesda. Tony had known it wasn't rational, but the nagging feeling that if he didn't keep an eye on Tim something even worse would happen to the younger man remained. Tim had spent most of that first week in a drug-induced slumber as the multiple injuries he had suffered started to heal, but when he was awake he had genuinely seemed happy for Tony's company. When he had suffered a couple of minor setbacks in his recovery, Tim had learned to rely on Tony's assurance that he would get better, and Tony had been more than willing to provide the support. The men's experience had changed their relationship, or made it more obvious to them what the rest of the team had always known: they were there for each other when it really counted.

The sound of the elevator pulled Tony from his thoughts and he looked up to see the doors slide open and McGee step out. The younger man paused to look around, a slight smile on his still too-pale face, and he slowly walked to his desk. He moved with a slight limp, a reminder of the pressure fractures he had suffered to his upper legs, but his gait was steadier than it had been just a few days ago.

"Probie!" Tony called before McGee had made it even half-way to his desk. "Welcome back!"

"Thanks, Tony," McGee replied when he finally reached his seat and lowered himself into it. He studied the decorations that graced his work area and Tony chuckled at his bemused expression.

"Abby missed you."

"Yeah, I can see that. Odd, though, since she's been by my place almost as often as you."

"Timmy!"

The woman in question dashed through the bullpen, arms wide open, and Tony barely managed to grab her before she could wrap McGee in one of her trademark over-enthusiastic hugs.

"Whoa, there, Abs."

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just so glad to have him back!" She eased out of Tony's grip and gave Tim a gentle hug. "It's good to see you at your desk again, Tim. We missed you."

"So I've been informed," he responded with a soft chuckle. "Even though you saw me yesterday. Both of you."

"But that wasn't at work. It's not the same," she insisted. Tim raised an eyebrow and Tony grinned.

"Can't argue with Abby-logic, McGee."

"Good point."

Further discussion was interrupted by the arrival of Ziva, who leaned over McGee's desk and cupped his cheek with one hand. "I am happy to see you as well, McGee. It has not been the same without you." She glanced over at Tony and smirked. "I was afraid Tony would soon go stomp crazy."

"Stir-crazy," both men corrected in unison.

"Awwww, I've missed that, too," said Abby. She kissed Tim's cheek and giggled before turning to Tony and kissing his cheek as well. "You boys behave now. I'll see you at lunch." She walk-skipped back towards her lab and the three agents couldn't help but smile.

"Behave? Us?"

"Always a first time, DiNozzo," Gibbs announced as he strode towards his desk, coffee in hand. He paused and looked at McGee before giving him a half-smirk. "Good to see you back, Tim."

"Thanks, Boss."

"Someone's gotta keep DiNozzo in line." Gibbs handed McGee a stack of folders. "I trust you two can stay busy until we get back. Come on, Ziva. We've got interviews to do."

"Yes, Gibbs. I will see you two later," she said with a wink and followed Gibbs to the elevator.

Once they were gone, Tony pulled the bag he had stashed earlier from under his desk and carried it over to McGee.

"What's this?"

"A welcome-back present, and a reminder that you have something to show me."

Tim sent Tony a puzzled look and opened the bag. He removed the contents, five multi-colored bean bag "balls" and shook his head. "I can't believe you remembered that."

"How could I forget that my partner has a hidden talent he's never shared with his co-workers? Go on, I want to see you juggle those."

"I'm a little out of practice, Tony."

"I understand…but I still want to see what you can do."

Tim studied him for a moment and grinned. "OK. He goes nothing." He took two of the balls and set them on the edge of his desk, then placed two more in one hand and grabbed the last with his other hand. Soon he had a simple cascade routine going with the three balls, then added a fourth, and after a few rounds, finally added the fifth to the pattern. He went through a couple of cycles before catching all five balls and finishing the routine.

A soft patter of applause caused both men to freeze before they looked toward the source of the sound.

"Uh, Director…I can explain."

"I'm sure you can, Agent McGee," he said, and the amused expression on his face allowed the two men some measure of relief. "But in the future, do that on your own time."

"Yes, sir."

"Agent McGee?"

"Uh, yes, Director?"

Vance gave him a rare smile. "Welcome back." He turned and headed back to his office before either agent could respond.

"Guess we better get to work, huh, Probie?"

"Just one thing, Tony," said McGee and pulled a flat package from his backpack. "I owed you something else." He handed the box to Tony and sat back with a smile.

"What's this?"

"Just open it."

Tony shook the box and when nothing rattled within, he tore off the plain paper and lifted the lid, chuckling when he saw the contents.

"Yeah, I guess I did tell you that you owed me a new one of these. I'm surprised you remembered that." He reached in and lifted the scarf from its nest of tissue paper. "Wow…this is really soft." He examined the chocolate-brown material. "What is it? Angora?"

"Nope. It's Chiengora,"

"Chiengora? Wait…isn't that yarn made from…?" He noticed his partner's slightly wicked grin. "It's dog hair!"

Tim laughed, the first genuine laugh Tony had heard from him in weeks. The senior agent hadn't realized how much he had missed that…

"You…you're incorrigible," he declared before breaking into laughter himself.

"I learned from the best, Tony. I learned from the best."

Still chuckling, Tony took the scarf and flung it dramatically around his neck before settling back in his chair. "Time to get back to work, Probie."

Tim turned to his computer, still grinning, and started to type. The familiar rhythmic clacking of keys was music to Tony's ears, and he now finally had what he had been craving for weeks.

They were on their way back to normal.

The End