Episode filler and tag for "The Meat Puzzle."

I had forgotten what a both delightfully funny and yet thoroughly creepy episode this one was!

"Strong, Silent Types"

He always knew it was bad when he got a call in the middle of the night. But the call had never come from Agent McGee before.

"Probie, this better be life-alteringly urgent," Tony answered groggily. After spending the day babysitting Mrs. Mallard and her horde of Corgis, and the evening throwing back a few too many beers with his frat brother, and Kate's new boyfriend, Steve, he had practically passed out as soon as his head had hit the pillow. Which now seemed like such a short time ago.

"Ducky's missing."

The simple two-word statement was enough to render a previously dazed DiNozzo wide awake. But how can Ducky be missing? He was under protection detail. Kate was….

He felt his stomach drop before asking, "Is Kate ok?"

"She's fine, Tony." The older agent let out the breath he'd been holding in relief while McGee continued. "Well, except for beating herself up."

"I don't understand. How did this happen?" Tony was already getting dressed and grabbing his work gear as he spoke.

"Apparently Kate went outside to check on Mrs. Mallard and someone came through the other door and grabbed him. She feels terrible. Kate saw a van driving away but she was too late. Boss wants us at the house getting tire tracks and any other evidence we can."

After his day spent with Mrs. Mallard, Tony of all people understood how difficult it could be to keep track of an elderly woman with dementia. Still, Kate being Kate, knowing there was nothing she could have done still would provide little comfort, particularly concerning the endangerment of someone she knew. And someone they all cared about.

And he hesitated to even consider how Gibbs must be feeling right about now.

"I'm on my way, McGee."

When Tony arrived at the Mallard house, dawn was just starting to break. As he got out of the car, he noticed a lone seated figure on the front steps and knew immediately it was his boss. Gibbs was doing something very rare – nothing. As Tony approached, he wondered if the other man even realized he was there.

As if reading his thoughts, the Lead Agent looked up and caught the younger man's eyes. Fortunately, Tony had learned to read his boss fairly well without the need for conversation. As expected, he saw storm clouds of worry, guilt, remorse, and something that he was reasonably confident could be classified as rage.

Tony was feeling his own share of guilt. He'd been so eager to get out of there the evening before, but now found himself wondering why he didn't offer to stay and help Kate on the protection detail. He knew firsthand what a handful Ducky's mother was to keep track of. Protecting both of them was a two-person job, and if he'd thought of it sooner instead of how anxious he was to meet up with Steve and exchange more stories about his partner…

But they didn't have time for him to dwell on his remorse. Gibbs was closer to Ducky than any of them, and right now he knew his boss was relying on him to help them get the answers they needed to find his friend.

DiNozzo responded with the only words that came to mind under the current circumstances. "We'll find him, Boss." Then, knowing better than to expect a verbal response, he continued on into the house to find his colleagues and begin processing whatever evidence could be found.

Gibbs, however, lingered on the front steps trying to process the familiar feeling his agent's words had invoked. Suddenly the memory struck him. It had been when Tony himself had been missing last year that his friend, with his soothing tone and refined accent, had offered very similar words of comfort. "You'll find him, Jethro."

Awww, Duck. I'll find you, too. You just hang on 'til I get there.

It didn't take Tony long to locate Kate once he'd entered the house. Or, perhaps more accurately, it didn't take him long to locate Mrs. Mallard, and subsequently locate Kate, who was currently being berated by the older woman.

"Now, listen here, Missy. I don't know what naughty scheme you and Donald have cooked up, but you tell my son to quit playing games and come home this instant!"

With a persecuted sigh, Kate repeated for probably the twentieth time, "Mrs. Mallard, as I told you, I'm a federal agent. There is absolutely nothing going on between myself and your son. We work together. I'm trying to find him for you, along with my other coworkers. But, please, we need you to help us by staying right here, and keeping the dogs…"

When she saw Tony, Mrs. Mallard's eyes became wide and she exclaimed, "Gigolo!"

Kate turned around and regarded Tony with an expression of disbelief as he replied with his most charming of smiles, "Yes, hello, Mrs. Mallard. You remember me, I see. And you've met my friend, Kate. That naughty girl. Listen, Mrs. Mallard, I will look for your son for you, but I need you to keep an eye on this one for me while I look, okay? Cause she's a sneaky one, alright. Can you do that, ma'am?" He knew it was mean. He also knew it would help keep Kate's mind occupied.

"DiNozzo!"

"I knew it! I knew she couldn't be trusted. I won't allow her out of my sight!" Mrs. Mallard declared as she glowered at the younger woman.

Kate attempted her most innocent smile but warned Tony under her breath as he was making his escape, "I will get you for this, DiNozzo."

He was almost out the door, but was compelled to quickly turn around and tease with a wink, "Now, Kate. Don't get your knickers in a twist," in reference to her first encounter with Mrs. Mallard earlier that day. But he was gone before Kate could get in an appropriately snarky reply.

Suddenly, the older woman took on a puzzled expression. "I'm sorry, my dear. Who did you say you were again?"

He found McGee trying to get fingerprints off the door, but the young agent soon determined there were none to be found. It came as no surprise to either of them.

"Tony?" the probie agent whispered uncertainly when he saw his more experienced teammate. "You don't think Ducky's….dead…do you?"

Ever since Tony had offered the rare words of praise to the probie agent a few weeks prior for standing up to the Deputy Secretary of State, his relationship with McGee had become somewhat warmer. Of course, he had his boss to thank for having planted that suggestion. The younger man had even become somewhat of a co-conspirator a few days ago when Tony had learned that Kate was dating his fraternity brother. He could have sworn McGee had been enjoying the situation almost as much as he was.

Now he was looking to Tony for some words of comfort, and while DiNozzo himself feared the worst about their colleague and friend, for the second time in the past hour, he found himself offering up words of assurance he wished he actually felt. "No, Probie, of course I don't think Ducky's dead. We're gonna find him."

Then, glancing out the window to where their boss stood, he grabbed the younger man's shoulders and offered an admonishment. "Listen! You make sure you don't let Gibbs hear you saying stuff like that, you hear? Or I'll head slap you into next year myself."

The Probie silently nodded his understanding. In spite of the threat, he felt an odd sort of comfort at Tony's words. He knew the other man had been in a lot of tight spots himself, and if he thought things were going to be okay, then maybe they really were. Besides, he had to admit that Tony had a knack for lightening up the toughest of situations, a talent he was on occasion learning to appreciate. Especially since he himself tended towards being a "glass half empty" kind of guy.

"Good," Tony replied to the affirmative gesture. "Let's go get those tire tracks. That might be the one thing here that'll help us find Ducky."

In a surprisingly Gibbs-like tone, DiNozzo entered the lab with a clipped, "What've you got, Abs?" He even came bearing a Caf-Pow.

It was the second time the forensic scientist had recently noted how similar her friend became to the older man during moments of stress. The first had been a few weeks ago when Tony had barked at his teammates with an uncharacteristic intensity for questioning Gibbs' instincts on the Karen Wilkerson case. She was beginning to wonder if the behavior was intentionally modeled after the older man, or if Tony had simply begun subconsciously absorbing some of the traits and mannerisms of the mentor he so looked up to. However, given the urgency of their current predicament, Abby decided to keep those observations to herself. For now.

Just about to tell him she hadn't yet matched the tire tracks, his colleague was stunned when the match appeared on her screen just at the moment DiNozzo had asked the question. Yet another striking similarity to the Lead Agent.

"Wow, Tony. I just got a match. You have impeccable timing."

With a smile and a tone of voice that could charm the scales off a rattlesnake, he responded, "I get that a lot."

Okay, maybe he wasn't exactly like his more outwardly humble superior.

Still smiling, Abby offered the information that could provide their first real break in determining their beloved colleague's location. "They're Uniroyal Laredos. Standard on Chevy Express cargo vans."

It was something. And right now it was about all they had.

"Thanks, Abs," he offered with an affectionate peck on the cheek. Another behavior that left the perky Goth shaking her head in amusement.

But Tony didn't notice because the moment he'd received the lead, he had rushed out of the lab to bring his boss their very first piece of good news of the morning.

Tony's good news had been the first of many small breaks that had ultimately led them to their coworker. And just in time, too.

A weak, shaken, but alive and grateful Ducky had been transported to the hospital by ambulance. He'd lost quite a bit of blood, but they had been assured that their friend would ultimately be fine. Tony knew that Gibbs wanted to go with his friend, but they had an obligation to process the scene and take in Mary Hanlan first.

Once Ms. Hanlan's brief but memorable statement had been taken, reports had been wrapped up, and his teammates had left for the evening, Tony had asked Gibbs if he was going to the hospital.

In return, he got a predictably silent answer. It was that face. The one that told him he'd just asked a colossally stupid question. Well, of course Gibbs was on his way to the hospital. And without a word, Tony had gathered up his things and followed him.

Now, they were seated side-by-side in the waiting room of Bethesda, doing what you do in a hospital waiting room. Waiting. Together.

Well, this is different, Tony thought. The location, of course, was unfortunately quite familiar to both men. It was just that he was most used to being on the other side of the double doors, though once or twice he'd been seated in this room waiting for Gibbs, who'd been the one on the other side. But he didn't think he could recall a time that they'd both been sitting there in that room at the same time.

Tony knew he'd done the right thing by coming here to offer his boss support. It's just that now that they were here, he didn't know what he was supposed to do. One peculiarity he'd learned over time about Gibbs was that, unlike himself, talking about how he was feeling did not make the older man feel better. Or, at least Tony didn't think it did. Since the other man had never actually done such a thing to his knowledge, maybe that couldn't be proven for certain. But DiNozzo knew without a doubt that if he tried to get his boss talking, it would earn him a head slap at best. At worst, it might actually make his boss angry.

So they just sat there, with Tony occasionally sparing a glance to his right to check on his companion. Finally, a nurse came over to them. "Were you here for Mr. Mallard?"

Gibbs answered immediately, flashing his NCIS badge. "Doctor Mallard, and yes, I'm his coworker. He was injured on a case. Can we see him yet?"

"We gave Mr. Mallard a blood transfusion and we've finally got him in a room. I have to ask you to limit your visits, though, as he is very tired. If he's feeling better tomorrow, we should be able to release him, though."

Tony spoke the first words since they'd arrived. "You go, Boss. I'll wait here."

Gibbs started to follow the nurse to find out the location of Ducky's room when he suddenly remembered the ME's third visitor in the waiting room.

Jimmy Palmer had been seated very quietly several seats down from them. Other than a quick nod of acknowledgement, they hadn't spoken to Ducky's young assistant, who was obviously too uncomfortable to even come over and sit next to them. Now, however, Gibbs stopped and said, "Palmer?"

"Uh, me? Oh, no, Agent Gibbs, I think Doctor Mallard would rather see you. Could you just let him know I was here and, uh, just tell him I'm looking forward to seeing him when he gets back to work please? And I hope he feels better soon."

Gibbs smiled very slightly and nodded to his friend's awkward assistant before turning to follow the nurse.

Palmer stood up and prepared to leave when he was stopped by Tony's voice.

"Jimmy Palmer. You know, I forgot you were sitting over there." DiNozzo was watching the man he'd secretly nicknamed the "autopsy gremlin" curiously. Over a year ago, he'd sat in this very room after Ari Haswari had shot Ducky's last assistant, Gerald, and vowed to get to know the ME's next assistant better than he'd known the previous one. For the first time, it occurred to him that he'd failed miserably so far.

It was just that Palmer was so odd. He still hadn't managed to really fit in with the rest of them, though he'd seemed to take quite a liking to Abby, something that Tony knew irked McGee more than just a little. He was nervous, sometimes stammered, but unlike the Probie, when nervous he just started talking and you didn't really know what inappropriate things were going to come out. Sort of like me, Tony now realized. Except a lot more awkward.

"That's ok, Agent DiNozzo. People forget about me all the time! It's sort of a special talent of mine, you could say," Jimmy offered with a nervous laugh. Palmer had heard lots of things about Tony DiNozzo, and while he hadn't spent much time around him, he was sort of in awe of the other man, as he was of Agent Gibbs.

Tony gave him a strange look, unsure of whether it would be considered polite or rude to laugh in response to the other man's assertion of invisibility. Instead, he quickly changed the subject. "You know that was a pretty incredible discovery you made about Vincent Hanlan's teeth being superglued to that body. It was a big break. I'm sure it'll make Ducky proud."

"Do you think so? I'm learning so much from Doctor Mallard."

Obviously, Ducky's opinion was of great importance to his assistant. It was clear Jimmy Palmer looked up to the elder ME. Though they'd been together a shorter period of time, Tony realized it wasn't unlike his own relationship with Gibbs.

Leaning in conspiratorially, Tony asked, "What's it like, listening to Ducky's stories all day?"

"Oh, it's fascinating," Palmer replied. Tony could tell he was serious. Yes, the other man was definitely a little odd. But there was something about him he really liked.

"Uh-huh." There was an uncomfortable silence, so Tony offered, " Well, it was really nice that you came and waited here 'til they put Ducky in a room and everything. I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"I hope so, Agent DiNozzo. Sometimes I can't tell if he's pleased with me or annoyed with me though."

That was something Tony knew all about. He'd never forget his first few months on the job trying to adjust to Gibbs. Come to think of it, adjusting to Gibbs had taken a couple of years.

"I know what you mean. I've been with NCIS three years now, and I'm just now starting to name some of Gibbs' facial expressions."

"Really?"

As if right on cue, Gibbs arrived back in the waiting room and shot Tony a look.

"See what I mean, Palmer? He doesn't actually speak; he says it all in a look. The problem is figuring out what they all mean. This one, for instance," he said, nodding towards his boss.

"Yeah?"

"That either means 'thanks for being here' or 'what are you still doing here? Get your butt home and don't even think about being late tomorrow.'"

"I see," Palmer replied in total confusion.

"Exactly," Tony said, getting up to join the Lead Agent. Slapping Palmer on the knee, he added, "See you tomorrow, autopsy gremlin."

Jimmy sat in the waiting room and watched the two men leave together, noticing that neither of them uttered a single word.