DISCLAIMER: I don't own NCIS...

***

Gibbs watched as Tony glanced about the room worriedly. He, too, glanced around. All he saw was papers, some laid on the TV stand, others under the coffee table and some stacked in a pile on the couch near Tony. Noticing Tony's ill-ease, Gibbs wondered what the papers could be that had Tony so worked up. He saw Ziva and McGee's still astounded faces.

But it wasn't until Tony started to pick up the papers and stack them on top of each other that Gibbs took action.

"Ziva, McGee get some dinner. Tony put some clean clothes on, you're making the room smell of vomit," Gibbs ordered as he moved into DiNozzo's kitchen.

It obviously the wrong thing to do as Tony abruptly stood and growled, a more primal sound then any Gibbs ever heard. His entire face transformed from irritation to rage, and as he spoke he spit in barely controlled fury.

"This is my house, I will not allow you to barge in and start ordering me around again! I left you; it's not your right!"

A brief pause as Tony started moving towards him, "Get. Out. Don't try to intimidate me again."

Tony continued moving forward as though to shepard them out. McGee scampered from the room and made it to the door without once turning his back on Tony. Even Ziva seemed frightened. But Gibbs was reeling from the amount of animosity directed towards him from DiNozzo.

"I'm still your boss, DiNozzo, I can and will," Gibbs decided to continue to act as though he normally would. "That is if you keep your job."

As soon as he said those words, he cringed inwardly remembering Tony's reaction earlier that day. But instead of fear crossing Tony's face, a maniacal look blossomed. The three agents watched in horror as Tony transformed, eyes wild, body taunt, mouth curled in a snarl.

The next thing Gibbs comprehended was Tony almost foaming at the mouth as he shouted and waved his arms and made his way to them. Ziva tensed ready to defend herself, knowing that she might have to hurt Tony if he tried to harm her or the other two. Suddenly Tony slammed his front door shut and she realized Tony had succeeded in herding them into the hallway. Looking around she realized she was not the only one confused at their position.

"Jesus," Gibbs tugged his hand through his hair. "How the hell did we end up here?"

"Gibbs?"

They turned to see Abby standing further down the hallway, her face covered with the multiple emotions flowing through her. She stood holding Bert and a Caff-Pow in one arm and a huge bag in the other.

"Was that Tony?"

Gibbs was wondering that too, "Yeah Abs. That was Tony."

Abby's eyes filled with tears, "But Gibbs…. I never imagined. What did they do to him?"

Gibbs shook his head, "Something awful Abs. Something unimaginable."

The group stood outside Tony's apartment listening as tore his apartment apart, yelling, and crying. Many times one or more of them would automatically move towards the door before hesitating and resume their previous guard positions. Gibbs called Ducky asking him to make his way there, and after some time both he and Palmer arrived.

After seeing the surprise on Gibbs, Ziva, and McGee's faces, Ducky spoke,

"Who would he have talked to that didn't make references to Jethro during his--leave?"

He shook his head rather morosely as Jimmy Palmer shifted self-consciously. Abby burst out,

"You mean he didn't talk to me because I had Gibbs' pictures on my screens? And because I would always say that Gibbs was coming back? I never meant that Tony wasn't, should've, I don't know!'

Gibbs put his arm around Abby and murmured in her ear. She shook her head as McGee spoke quietly,

"And Ziva and I never, we kept comparing him," McGee look ashamed. Ziva set her jaw and refused to speak.

"Yes, and I, I'm afraid," Ducky nodded his head at himself, "I was not as supportive as I should have been. I was too angry at Jethro's leaving to see the effects the whole affair had on Anthony."

A loud crash that sounded much like a television breaking broke in their conversation. They all cast glances at the closed door.

"But not to make it all Jethro's fault," Ducky continued, "I'm sure we all remember instances that at the time may not have seemed so bad."

"You want us to feel guilty Duck," Gibbs glared at Ducky. But Ducky only returned a blank look before settling himself against the hall wall.

Some time passed before Ziva cocked her head and said, "He's stopped."

They all in turn moved their heads to better listen to any sounds that might emit from the apartment. But Ziva was correct, the apartment had gone eerily quiet. Looking at each other they all converged on the door.

"Umm, Agent Gibbs," Palmer started hesitantly. "I-I think I should go in first. He, er, he trusts me. I think."

Gibbs looked over at Palmer and deliberated for a moment before giving an almost imperceptive nod. Palmer moved forward hitting the door before immediately entering the apartment. A moment of silence before,

"Agent Gibbs he's not here!"

***

A/N: It's a little short but I'm going to update later again today. It just felt like a natural break in the story. Tell me how I did! :)