Dear Donald
I promised to write if we came to Scotland – home of the Brave! We're spending a few days in Edinburgh. We're still looking for famous movie scenes so Tony insisted on going to find the grave of Greyfriars Bobby and we're going 'Trainspotting' tomorrow.
Away from movies, we're going to Elgin next week to see the place where my mom was born and lived until she got swept off her feet by my father. I have a feeling that Tony will want to stop off and take a look at Loch Ness on the way.
I'm glad Tony came with me although I have to admit he's not the most relaxing of companions! He always wants to be on the move – I never really thought of myself as being elderly but my old bones struggle to keep up with him at times. If you were here, you might be able to tell me if he seems more obsessed with keeping busy than normal. He hasn't said anything, but I think there was another reason for him coming with me than a kind wish to keep an old man company.
Tony is fascinated by men in kilts! I won't say anymore ...
We are both well.
Tony says hi.
Gregory
NCISNCIS
Dear Jimmy
For some reason, Tony thought you would like to know that we have just visited Le Mans in France, home of the 24 hour car race. He said something about it sometimes taking you and Dr Mallard that long to reach a crime scene but that even you wouldn't be able to get lost here!
I expect you know that I've only just started driving again. Tony seemed to think it was a good idea for me to practise by having a go on the Le Mans track. That didn't last long ... but Tony was happy to take over. I think his Steve McQueen impressions were getting better by the end of the day!
Tony says hi.
Archie
My dear Ziva
We are visiting Switzerland at the moment. Tony says that you have been to most countries in the world but Switzerland is probably one of your favourites as it is the home of the Swiss Army Knife – apparently you are fond of knives? I can bring you one back if you like.
We're going to visit some of the places where the Bond movie, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' was filmed. I think Tony secretly hopes he'll be able to ski where James Bond skied to escape Blofeld. He's determined, however, that we won't go to Austria so we can't bring you back a souvenir of 'The Sound of Music'!
Archie
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Dear Tim
It's been a while since the last letter but we've travelled a long way. You'll see the stamp on the envelope is for New Zealand - Tony says we've come to Elf Lord land! (In case you don't remember, 'Lord of the Rings' was filmed here). We've just come back from a visit to 'Rivendell' – very beautiful.
Tony says that you'd find it a very soothing place but doesn't want to imply that he thinks you're stressed at the moment.
Archie.
NCISNCIS
Dearest Abby
Here we are on safari in Kenya. It's a stunning place. Tony thinks I look like George Adamson out of 'Born Free' and I tell him that he doesn't look like Tarzan.
Tony wanted me to tell you that we saw 'Bert's cousins' (?) today and that he's taken lots of photos for you. Maybe you'll explain that to me one day?
Archie
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Dear Sister Rosita
You don't know me, but I'm here in Rio de Janeiro with Tony DiNozzo – a friend of Abby Scuito. We visited the statue of Christ the Redeemer this morning and he thought you'd like this postcard.
Gregory Archibald
NCISNCIS
Dear Jethro
You probably know that I've sent letters to everyone in your team over the last few months of our 'road trip' but I didn't quite know what to say to you. I was going to write to you from the Black Forest in Germany – Tony said it would be appropriate because of all the wood carving that goes on around there!
I've enjoyed the trip but I'm looking forward to coming home. Living out of a suitcase wears thin after a while and I think I've satisfied my wanderlust for a time. It has been wonderful to go where I want without any worries and you'll be pleased to know that we managed to avoid trouble: no crazed, knife-wielding criminals, no runaway trucks, no damsels in distress, no pickpockets ... not even a cough or cold between us! We've followed the sun and the warmth and it's done us both good. I gather Tony sometimes suffers in the Washington winter? Well, none of that this year.
You probably wonder why I didn't write to you. If you've seen the other letters you'll know that, though Tony didn't write them, he had a hand in them and sent some sort of message in them. Don't think that Tony has forgotten you, he talks a lot about you and the rest of the team. I get the feeling, however, that he felt he needed to give you all some space from him. I think he thought Tim especially was struggling with having him 'in the wings', so to speak.
I know none of you really wanted Tony to leave and perhaps you never thought he was really serious about the movie theater. But he was serious and, in the end, he thought going away was the way to prove it to you; to make you get on with your lives without him. He struggled at the beginning – we went through Europe so fast my head was spinning. I reckon it was the classic thing of trying to keep too busy to think – that's why I didn't really want to write to you. I was worried about him but I didn't want you to have to worry as well.
I would never have pegged Tony as someone for the great outdoors but it seemed that going to New Zealand and then to Africa helped him. Wide open spaces and beautiful surroundings gave him a different perspective and he began – at last! – to unwind. I expect you know already but I hadn't realised, what an organised person he is. It's not surprising really: military school, college athlete, three police forces and then a federal agency. They're not exactly laissez-faire things, are they? No wonder when he came to Seymour Boulevard, that he wanted to do everything, know everything and be everything. Always so immaculately dressed – I'm guessing Ducky would say something about a need to be in control. Up until now, everything has been about achievement and, because he often feels that he has let people down, he thinks he hasn't achieved much.
But, like I say, being on the other side of the world from all that, seems to have changed something in him. He was happy just to sit and stare, not to get up at the crack of dawn, not to make fifty plans before breakfast, not to fret at all the movies that have been released while we've been away!
So now, I'm writing this from Rio which we always planned would be our last stop before coming home. We've been here longer than expected, three months, but I'll see you soon.
Tony says hi.
Archie.
NCISNCIS
Gibbs smiled as he read Archie's letter again. His gut had been churning for a long time after Tony's unexpected departure on Archie's road trip but he hadn't been able to do anything about it. He suspected that Tony and Archie were following some sort of plan but it existed just in Tony's head and wasn't being shared. The occasional cards and letters from Archie were just enough to keep his anxiety at a manageable level and in recent weeks he had felt more settled about Tony. Now he realised that might have coincided with the visits to New Zealand and Africa.
He remembered Tony's brief visit the night before he left:
"Hey, notBoss, thought I'd drop by before we go off tomorrow."
"Finished with all your immunisations and stuff?" asked Gibbs.
"Yeah, we both feel like pincushions but I guess we're good to go anywhere in the world."
"How long you going to be gone for?" asked Gibbs.
"Don't know. At least three months, probably more. We'll see how it goes. We're going to follow our yellow brick road."
"That deserves a toast," said Gibbs, getting the bourbon out and pouring them each a glassful."
"Fair winds and following seas," said Gibbs as he raised his glass.
"Not sure there's going to be much sea travel," said Tony, clinking his glass against Gibbs', "but I appreciate the sentiment." They each took a sip, and then Tony said,
"Jethro, it's time to fill the empty chair. It's not fair on Tim and Ziva to make them do the work of three and Tim needs a vote of confidence, your vote of confidence. I'm not coming back and even if I did, I wouldn't expect to be your Senior Field Agent. I know what it feels like to be demoted and I wouldn't inflict that on Tim."
Gibbs had the grace to look a little embarrassed but said, "that's not why I haven't picked anyone yet."
"Then why, Jethro? And if you do have a reason, have you shared it with Tim? Because I have to tell you, Jethro, that the functional mute thing isn't actually a good management technique. It sort of worked for me but then I haven't got high expectations. Tim needs a different approach. You didn't have to pick him to be your SFA but you did, and you need to follow through."
"Did you come here to scold me, DiNozzo?" said Gibbs irritably.
"You know I've always given you my opinion, Gibbs," said Tony, "and I won't stop doing that just because I don't work for you any longer. You need to man up, marine and lead your team".
Gibbs might have argued the toss with Tony but didn't want to part from him on bad terms so swallowed his instinctive response and settled for, "we'll see."
He had seen Tony the next day when the team gathered to see the travellers off. Tony had kissed Abby and Ziva and shaken hands with Ducky and Jimmy. Tim had approached him with a sheepish expression and an outstretched hand. Tony had ignored the hand and pulled him into an embrace, Gibbs had heard him say,
"Learn to say 'no', Probie-no-more, otherwise your life with Gibbs will be like one long session with poison ivy."
"I'll try," said Tim, "thanks."
Tony had then hugged Gibbs, and whispered in his ear, "over to you."
He and Archie had then got into the cab which was taking them to the airport. The last thing the others heard as the car drove away was Tony's voice, "Play nicely, children."
Gibbs saw McGee's worried face and decided to take Tony's advice. He cleared his throat and said,
"Tim, need to talk to you about picking a new probie. Any thoughts?"
"Um, yes, actually, I've been compiling some lists, getting background information. I've put it on a PowerPoint presentation ..."
"Of course you have, Tim. Of course you have," said Gibbs with an internal sigh about how things had changed, "we'll look at it when we get back to the Navy Yard."
Gibbs remembered that he had been pleasantly surprised by McGee's suggestions and they agreed that Dwayne Wilson would be a good addition to the team as they didn't really need a probie. That pattern had continued, with a few hiccups, over the next months. Gibbs learned to cope with McGee's way of doing things and also learned not to say the words, "that's not how DiNozzo did it". McGee learned that there was more to being Gibbs' SFA than was laid out in the NCIS handbook and began to relax a bit. Gibbs thought that they had really turned a corner when, after having solved a case with an inspirational insight, McGee said a little sheepishly,
"I saw it in a movie that Tony made me watch once." It might have been imagination on Gibbs' behalf but the laughter which followed felt as if a wound had been healed. It was the first time in months that McGee had been able to say Tony's name without difficulty.
And now, Gibbs held Archie's letter in his hands and knew that Tony would soon be back and they could all start working out what it would mean to have him as a friend rather than a co-worker. He stuffed the letter back in his pocket as he heard the announcement come over the public address system that the 14.00 flight from Rio de Janeiro was about to land.
It wasn't long before he saw the people who had been on the plane pass through customs and he went to stand by the gate. Archie came through first and Gibbs went to meet him.
"Welcome home, Archie. You're looking good."
"Thanks, Jethro. It's good to be back. Good of you to come to the airport."
"No problem, Archie."
"Let's go then, shall we?" said Archie.
"Shouldn't we wait for Tony?" laughed Gibbs, wondering if Archie was getting forgetful. Archie looked a bit uncomfortable.
"Er, Tony isn't with me."
"Is he coming later? Was the plane overbooked?" asked Gibbs.
"No, Tony's still in Rio. He decided to stay with rose."