A/N: So I tried really hard to figure out a different greeting than my usual "Hey" or "Hi" or "Hello." But sorry, I failed. So you'll just need to learn to appreciate "Hey!" ; )

This weeks chapter is short, I know, but I'm buying myself some time. I've gotten to a point in the story where I'm working out a crapload of details about the current plot and the future plots, and plus, well, I need to end it where I ended it. : ) You'll hate me for it, but hey, it's what makes you love me too, right?

I know some of you think you've got a handle on where this is going, but trust me, you'll be surprised. Like, in a few short chapters. Two, maybe three chapters. Can't wait to "see" the "look" on your "faces". It's gonna be fantastic.

I'd love to hear what your favorite lines are. I love hearing about that. Today's chapter isn't as poetic as others have been in the past, but… I don't know. You'll just have to see for yourself.

… I tried really hard to figure out a different salutation, but it sounds like you'll just have to stick with this:

Enjoy!

He walked into work the next morning, grinning with his new found joy. He carried with him four coffees, Jamaican, no sugar, no cream for Gibbs, hazelnut for McGee, White Chocolate Mocha for Levin, and his favorite caramel with soy milk and six packets of sugar. Tony nearly danced a jig as he placed the coffee on everyone's desk, ignoring the wide, crazed eyes of Levin as he walked in.

Abby walked in from the back silently, a huge smile on her red lips. Without a word, she embraced Tony. She pulled back several moments later, still smiling wordlessly.

"Why aren't you squealing, Abs?" Tony asked, laughing.

"I'm too happy to squeal,"

"You're never too happy to squeal,"

"You're right," Abby agreed and let out a high-pitched squeal, jumping up and down, turning in place.

"You caught up on the case?" Tony said when she was done, finishing placing Gibbs' coffee on his desk.

"Yep. Read your reports, like, three times each,"

"How long have you been up?"

"Only a couple hours,"

"Gotta cut down on that caffine, Abby," Tony chided with a grin as he sat down.

"Not yet. Not until Ziva is back here, sitting in her desk," Abby turned slowly towards Ziva's old desk, eyes dancing. "You think he'd mind if I start to--"

"Abby," Tony said, looking up at her.

"Fine," She mocked hurt. "Not until you find her. Then I'm kicking Levin's big butt back to San Diego,"

"He's from San Diego?" Tony said, starting up his computer.

"Didn't you read his file when he joined the team?"

Tony shrugged. "Didn't really feel like it,"

"Ah," Abby said with understanding. She sat on the edge of Tony's desk.

"You processed the evidence yet?"

"Yep. Finished half-an-hour ago. Well, processing, yes. Still running the bullets from your SIG against the ones in our shooter, and the bullets from our shooter to the ones in Ziva's wall. And our shooter's prints and DNA and blood work,"

"You're pretty busy," he commented.

"I'm big on multi-tasking," she said, swinging her combat-booted legs back and forth.

"I know," he agreed.

"You find Ziva yet?" Abby asked, unable to hold it in any longer.

"Nah," Tony said, his smile fading just a hint.

"She'll find you, won't she?"

Tony glanced across at Ziva's old desk. "She always did,"

Abby looked at Tony thoughtfully. "She'll be proud of you, you know,"

"For what?"

"For changing," she spoke almost slyly, as if she knew something he didn't, as if she had a sweet secret in her pocket.

"Changing?" Tony repeated skeptically.

"Tony, over the past few months you've grown up more than you have in the past thirty-seven years,"

Tony chuckled a little. "I doubt it,"

Abby eyed him. "You just wait and see,"

"I always have," He said, grinning.

Three hours later, the entire team was in, sitting and waiting. Tony had been staring at his cell phone and work phone, both sitting side by side, and e-mail Inbox open and ready, waiting for any sign of Ziva. McGee and Levin were working on IDing the shooter, but they hadn't gotten anywhere, and Gibbs had disappeared, as usual.

Tony tapped his fingers lightly on his desk, staring at the three pieces of technology before him, all silent and blank.

"Tap… tap… tap…" he murmured along with his fingers.

"Tony," McGee called.

"Tap… tap… tap…"

"Tony," McGee called again. Tony continued to ignore him. McGee grabbed a sheet of paper and crumpled it up, throwing it at him, jolting Tony out of his trance.

"Yes, McIrritation?"

"Hey, I'm not the one who's being irritation... Irritated. Whatever. Just cut out the tapping, please,"

Tony swiveled towards Tim. "But I'm bored. She hasn't called, she hasn't emailed, nothing,"

McGee stared at Tony for a moment. "How's your basketball team?"

"Just fine," he insisted.

"You missed practice last night,"

"I forgot,"

"Those kids were counting on you, Tony,"

"I know,"

"And you left them waiting at the park for how long until they figured that you weren't coming?"

Tony sighed and stood impatiently. "If you had bothered to ask, McGee, I got someone to cover for me,"

"Who?"

"Not important," he said quickly, swiveling back to his normal position.

"You didn't," McGee said, staring at him.

"Didn't what?"

"You didn't get Abby to cover for you, did you?"

Tony shook his head. "Not Abby. And how do you know it's not one of my buddies from college?"

McGee gave him a look. "Who?"

Tony sighed. "Palmer,"

"Palmer? You let Palmer cover for you?"

"Palmer is perfectly capable. I just gave him a list of things to tell the kids to do," McGee looked at him skeptically. "What? What could he have done?"

"Ruined the minds of those kids,"

"They'll be fine," Tony said, glaring. It was then that his work phone rang. He picked it up at the speed of light. "Special Agent DiNozzo,"

"Tony?"