Chapter Two – All That I've Got

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is not mine. Everything is created by my insane imagination.

I'll be just fine

Pretending I'm not

I'm far from lonely

And it's all that I've got

- All That I've Got by The Used

Two weeks later …

"DiNozzo here yet? Or will he keep coming here late?" Gibbs asked his team.

"I haven't heard from him." McGee said.

"I'll give him a call." Ziva spoke up.

The elevator doors opened, revealing a smiling but tired looking DiNozzo with a water bottle in hand.

"Like stretching the limit, don't ya?" Gibbs said smacking him on the back of the head.

"I got here just ten minutes late, boss." Tony said looking down to his watch.

"You've got ten seconds to get to your desk and start working on cold cases. NOW!" Gibbs barked.

Tony hurriedly got to his desk. He checked his drawer. Apparently it was left intact. He grabbed the letter he left last time and hid it before starting to work on the cold cases.

"So, Tony, any reason you didn't call us to go to the bar?"

"I will be honest with you I was so busy, Ziva, that I completely forgot." Tony said with a smile.

"What were you doing that kept you so busy?" Ziva said with a distinct mischief look on her eyes.

"That, my dear, is for me to know and you to ponder." Tony said with a smirk.

"Is that your line to say you were picking up "chicks" with your so extensive knowledge?" Ziva said now standing in front of his desk.

"Wait until you see the DiNozzo charm for the ladies in action. Then we'll talk, Ziver."

McGee cleared his throat.

"What? You don't believe me?" Tony said standing up.

"I am a lady, and I would never fall for the likes of you." Ziva told him.

"That's because you're immune to feelings, Ziva. You're just a Mossad ninja chick who has a wall up to your head. It's impossible for any human being to charm you."

"I think the world would be a better place if you kept your mouth shut." Comments like these triggered Tony's anger.

"I agree," said McGee. "Did you know we actually finished and closed more cases last week than usual?" 'Was it picking on Tony day? What was it with their teammates?'

"That is true," Ziva said. "I thought you were really worried about your job. Coming late and I mean you reeking of alcohol on a Monday morning looking all disheveled. I bet you were partying last night. Why am I not surprised?"

"Hey! Take that back! I do not reek of alcohol and I was not up partying last night!" Tony said standing up. 'These people woke up on the wrong side of the bed today' He thought.

Smack!

"DiNozzo! David! If I hear you two bickering one more time, I'll make your lives hell today. Got it?"

"And DiNozzo, I'm not sure if your nose can smell or not, but ours sure does and your clothes stink of alcohol. I thought you were going to rest this week, but I guess your frat persona just got the better of you."

DiNozzo kept silent. McGee could sense anger in the SFA. But Tony kept himself in control. Soon, Gibbs walked out of the room and headed to MTAC.

It was already one o'clock in the afternoon when Abby called Tony on the phone. Everyone was on their lunch break. Except DiNozzo, as he found the attitude of his coworkers infuriating and rather liked the solitude as of late.

"Tony!"

"Abbs, what's up?"

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on lunch break?"

"Why are you calling me if you thought I shouldn't be here right now?" Tony asked back.

"Hmmm... I saw you?"

"Abby if you saw me I'm pretty sure you would've stopped by here in person."

"What if I have a super duper important test that my lovely Major Mass Spec needs of my assistance?"

"Abby, I'm not buying a thing of what you're telling me."

"I am deeply hurt by what you're saying. Does that mean that you do not trust me?"

"AbbY! Can you please just get to the point of this conversation?" Tony was getting a headache.

"Ok. I admit it! I sort of hacked the cameras and saw you. Happy?"

"Ecstatic. Now why would you do that?"

"I had a hinky feeling you were there."

"McGee told you."

"Not so… Dammit Tony you're like a lie detector. Yes, he told me."

"I'm glad now we're finally reaching honesty here," said Tony.

"Not really. Why haven't you gone to lunch?" Abby told him.

"Not hungry."

"Not a good enough answer. Spill!"

"Gibbs hates me." Tony said in a low voice.

"Bossman doesn't hate you. That's like impossible."

"You haven't seen how he's been lately to me, Abbs."

"I'm sure this is just a stage you both are going. I mean he's like a father to you. Kids fight their parents all the time." Abby said logically.

"I would say yes, but you know things haven't been exactly the same since he left Mexico." Tony admitted to her.

"It's because you haven't opened up to him like before." This made Tony feel a bit on edge. Why was Abby blaming it on him? He wasn't the one who left.

"I'm not sure I can Abbs. And now, he's just really pissed off."

"I don't believe you."

"Abbs, he didn't call me this whole two weeks I was suspended." Tony coughed.

"Oooh, this is bad. He calls you like every weekend and that's just like two days."

"I know."

"But hey, Tony I called you last week and you didn't answer."

"That's not the point Abbs, I know you called. I sort of forgot and I am sorry. I just have other things in mind." Tony said exasperated. "The point is he's giving me the cold shoulder and he is angry at me." For the second time Tony was coughing. A lot.

"Weren't you going to rest this week?" Abby asked him when the coughing stopped.

"Why can't people believe me that I did?" Tony told her and then sarcastically added. "Ok. What I did was going from one bar to another hooking up with random women because I'm a frat guy who needs party to live."

He shouldn't have said that, but he was just so angry with everyone assuming and prejudging him he splurged that out of rage.

"Anthony DiNozzo these weeks were a week you were supposed to feel guilty and behave. Not party and drink!"

"Abbs!" He couldn't believe she believed more his sarcasm than when he was being honest.

"Don't you, Abbs me, mister! I'll tell Tim to buy you something. But honestly if you want to get better, you need to take care of yourself."

Tony couldn't even answer back as Abby had already shut the phone off.

Ten minutes later while everyone was still on their lunch break, Ducky called Tony.

"Anthony!"

"Hey Duck."

"May I remind you that your appointment is today at three?"

"Ducky, I haven't been able to finish reading the cold case that Gibbs left me. I am not sure I'll get it all done."

"Anthony, dear boy, you will not discuss whether or not you're going. You are going and that is not debatable. But what you need to do is to let Jethro know."

"I'll only ask his permission to leave early today. But I'm not telling anyone why." Tony responded to him.

"I respect your wishes, young lad. But that rift you both have right now is not getting any better."

"You do know it has to work both ways? It doesn't matter how much I want if he just doesn't want to. Anyways, I'm waiting for HR to send me how much vacation and downtime I can get."

"Are you going to tell your teammates? Abby? Palmer?"

"Honestly, Duck. I just want this to go as low profile as possible."

"That means you won't tell them. Is there any way I can change your mind?"

"Right now? No." Tony said softly. He heard the ding of the elevator and saw Gibbs, Ziva and McGee entering.

"Talk to you later, Duck." Tony said closing off the phone.

Gibbs saw Tony walk up to him.

"Personal calls on office hours?"

"Not really, just talking to Duck. Hmm. Boss?" Tony called him as Gibbs somehow sprinted away from him. "Can I speak to you for a second?"

"Please?" Tony said softly.

Unfortunately Gibb's cell phone started ringing.

"We've got a case. Grab your gears! DiNozzo, you're still on desk duty. Finish reviewing the cold cases. We'll talk when we get back."

"And here, take this. Desk duty doesn't mean you don't get to eat, DiNozzo." Gibbs told him handing him a brown bag inside with a sandwich.

"Thanks, boss." Tony said surprised. Abby's message to Tim went to Gibbs. 'Just my luck'. He thought.

"Don't get used to it." 'Harsh!' Tony thought. But he remembered quickly why he needed to talk to Gibbs and stopped him from entering the elevator.

"Ten seconds, boss. I need to leave earlier today, I just wanted to clear it with you."

"Why do you need to leave early, DiNozzo?"

"Helping Duck on something he asked me." Tony knew he shouldn't have said that but those were the first words that came out of his head.

"I'll call Duck on my way. If he really needs you, then you can go." The lack of Gibbs' trust, even if right now Tony was lying, hurt him deeper than he would ever admit. But at least Ducky would cover for him and that was at least better than nothing.

Author's Note: A huge thank you for all your reviews! I hope you liked this chapter. Any comments and ideas are welcome. I sort of have a timeline of what will happen, which I think will be pretty awesome if you're into poor Tony getting sick and hurt. Please read and review! Currently using my lunch break to post this! Hoping this makes your Monday a little brighter!