DISCLAIMER: I don't own NCIS...

***

"DiNozzo, David!"

"Morning Gibbs," Ziva said. "I may have a lead. Petty Officer Kilgannon injured his uncle when he was young. The uncle, George Kilgannon, had been trying to physically assault his wife and Kilgannon took his uncle's gun and shot him. He lived but I think given the uncle's behavior…"

At that moment McGee rushed in, "Boss! I was just in Abby's lab when the fingerprints came back as George Kilgannon, the victim's-"

"Uncle. Yeah, let's go," Gibbs interrupted.

McGee stopped short and gaped at Gibbs briefly before turning around and following Gibbs to the elevator. He glanced warily at Tony as he stopped next to him. Tony, he surmised, had indeed drank last night and was doing marginally better at controlling himself, so far. As though realizing that McGee was thinking about him, Tony turned his head and stared at McGee. Determined to keep his gaze forward McGee wished the elevator would hurry up.

Gibbs kept an eye on Tony throughout the ordeal with Kilgannon. As they came to the house and were met with open hostility, all the way through when they arrested him for attacking McGee, and when they finally got him to confess in interrogation. Now as they sat at their desks filling out paper work, Gibbs watched as Tony pushed through the physical pain of his swollen knuckles.

"DiNozzo! Get Ducky to check out that hand," Gibbs didn't even look up but he could tell Tony was sending him a scowl. Waiting for the 'it's fine boss, I don't need to,' he was surprised when Tony got up without complaint. Surprised enough to look up from his own paperwork. He watched as Tony made his way out of the bull pen.

"Yes I think that would be the logical conclusion Abby dear," Ducky was saying into the room as Palmer was cleaning the tables. "Ah Tony, what brings you down here? Oh."

Tony showed Ducky his hand embarrassed, "I'm sure you already saw the dent in the wall, Ducky."

"TONY! Oh my gosh! I'm on my way," Abby cried from the tiny speaker.

Chuckling Palmer moved next to Tony, "Hey Tony. Better?"

"Yeah," Tony nodded. "So did you watch the movie like I told you?"

Palmer grinned, "Yes, it was amazing Tony. 'No hard feelings, mister. The hell there ain't' I love John Wayne! 'I thought you were dead-"

"'Not hardly' Yeah great movie," Tony smiled at Palmer. "Last number one box office for John Wayne. Big Jake, 1971," then adopting an impersonation of the Duke, he quoted, "'You can call me Dad, you can call me Father, you can call me Jacob and you can call me Jake. You can call me a dirty old son-of-a-bitch, but if you EVER call me Daddy again, I'll finish this fight.'"

Ducky chuckled, "Very good movie. I remember when that first came out. For some reason, I went to see it, don't remember why. Not that I regret it, but I wasn't in America at the time, was I? Hmm."

"TONY!"

Abby ran full tilt into Tony causing him to fall backwards as she hit him arms already around his shoulders. After a second, she let go of him and hit his shoulder. He winced and sent Abby a reproving look.

"Don't you dare scare me like that again, mister! I brought Bert over and you upped and left."

Tony watched Abby as she continued to babble before Ducky calmed her down a bit.

"I'm sorry Tony. But you really worried me," Abby said as she leaned next to him. "Let me know next time okay? I'm always here for you."

Tony nodded, "Thanks Abby, I know. I'm sorry I worried you."

Abby grinned and pushed herself upright, "No worries! I've got to head back to my lab, but call me? Maybe we'll go clubbing tomorrow night. You guys don't have weekend shift right? You aren't on call are you?"

Tony shook his head 'no' as Abby bounded out of the lab without waiting for the answer. Ducky and Palmer chuckled and went back to working.

"Thanks Ducky," Tony said as he jumped off one of the tables and made his way out as well. "I appreciate it. And Palmer? Watch Donovan's Reef next. 1963. John Wayne, Lee Marvin. Great movie."

"Alright," Palmer said as Tony waved and left. "Do you think he's going to be okay Doctor Mallard?"

"Hmm, yes. But not for awhile."

"Agent DiNozzo. I trust you are feeling better," Director Vance asked when he joined Tony in the elevator.

Tony nodded, "Gibbs tell you I was sick?"

"Yes," Director Vance looked hard at Tony and noticed there was a lot more than just being sick. "You're not looking so well. Good thing today wasn't too hard. Paperwork now."

"Yes. Should be fine," Tony nodded to the director as he got off at the bull pen. "Good afternoon director."

"You as well Agent DiNozzo."

Gibbs looked up as he heard Tony speak to the director. Luckily, it seemed the director had gotten over most of his aversion to Tony's attitude. That came from, Gibbs speculated, the past few months where Tony had been on a downward spiral. Blinking, Gibbs realized that Tony was actually giving them hints the entire time he was falling into this breakdown. Tony's whole demeanor had been deteriorating and he had not even noticed it.

Thinking back, Gibbs couldn't exactly pinpoint the exact start of the problem, but he did remember the last time Tony was actually whole-heartedly happy for a long period of time. And that was before the Jeanne Benoit incident. Not that he hadn't been happy after she left him, but it wasn't exactly the DiNozzo spark. He mentally disciplined Jenny before realizing it was as much his fault as hers. As Ducky pointed out, he had dumped everything on Tony before leaving-abandoning him for Mexico.

As the end of the day approached he watched as his team each looked at their watches repeatedly. Smirking he waited another half-hour before sending them on their way.

"Go home!"

He smiled slightly at the sighs of relief. "DiNozzo! We need to talk!"

Gibbs watched as Tony and Ziva exchanged looks before DiNozzo nodded at her and waited for McGee and her to leave. He settled on the edge of his desk and nodded again as Ziva said something to him. He gave McGee a 'Back atcha' as McGee wished him a good night. The second the elevator doors closed Gibbs watched as Tony tensed and positioned himself in a way that reminded him of an animal backed into the corner and desperately trying to find a way out.

Another disclaimer: I don't own those movies ( I wish I did) and I don't own John Wayne. Kind of hard, considering.

A/N: Yep, I'm a Duke fan. And they are great movies. Anywho, just to let you know, the next couple chapters are Tony and Gibbs chatting, Tony and Ziva trying to sort out his problem, and wait for it... Tony. Let me know how I did! :)