Just a little add on chapter now that everything has been resolved (yay!) Just pure silliness :)

xxxxx

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was beside himself. He had thought he would have begun to develop some kind of a bond with his new team members, but every day found it was getting worse, not better. He had tried talking with the powers that be, but had been told, in no uncertain terms, to keep out of it. Salary negotiations were between employees and upper management and he had to leave it alone. He had also complained to Vance. If he had to have a new team, he at least wanted to be able to choose one himself, but his complaints fell on deaf ears. He swore the man was taking pleasure in his misery. It was getting so bad that he was having a hard time getting out of bed each morning.

"I...I ha...have that in...informa...ma...tion y...you wanted Sir...I me...mean, Gibbs..."

"Just leave it on my desk, Don," Gibbs replied with a heavy sigh. He had quickly learned that asking the young man to give a report was about as excruciating as getting his teeth pulled, one by one, without benefit of Novocaine. It just wasn't worth it. Don was eager to please, but his intense fear and lack of social skills were not the makings of a good field agent. Computer skills weren't everything. He missed McGee more and more each day. Don placed the papers on Gibbs' desk and slunk away without another word.

"So, I saw Tony last night," Ziva stated, as she came up to Gibbs' desk.

"Yeah?" Gibbs brightened at the mention of his ex senior field agent's name. "How's DiNozzo doing?"

"He is not doing well. He does nothing but watch DVDs all day long and eat pizza." Ziva was clearly disturbed by Tony's behavior. "I don't even think he ever leaves his apartment."

"Damn." Gibbs wasn't at all happy to hear that. It sounded like Tony had sunk into a depression. "Did he mention anything about his negotiations?"

Ziva shook her head. "He did not want to talk about it."

Gibbs rubbed his temples wearily. He missed DiNozzo more than he could have imagined. His ability to lighten things up, even under the most trying circumstances, was especially missed. He sure as hell could use a laugh or two. He would have to try to make the time to go visit Tony one of these days. It was just hard to do so. His paperwork was falling more and more behind and there just weren't enough hours in the day. "Hey, Ziva? Do you mind going down to the lab to see if Gabby has anything?"

"Of course, Gibbs." She had come to realize that Gibbs now avoided going down to the lab unless it was absolutely necessary that he do so.

"Thanks." He wasn't particularly fond of going to the lab these days. Gabby had decorated the lab with all kinds of cute little stuffed animals in pastel colors and had a penchant for listening to country music. Gibbs knew Abby would be appalled by what this girl had done to her lab and he found it painful to even go down there. She even had a Barbie doll dressed in a pink jumpsuit, sitting in a matching pink corvette and Ziva had informed him that she despised Caf Pows and only drank milk.

"Good morning, Jethro."

"Good morning, Ducky," Gibbs replied then he looked up in amazement to see his old friend smiling at him. It really was Ducky! "Ducky? It's really you! How are you? What are you doing here? Are you back to work?"

"Indeed I am, Jethro. It is very good to see you, though you are looking a bit weary. Have you been getting enough rest?"

"I'm pretty sure I'll be sleeping a bit easier now that you're back, Duck," Gibbs replied with a smile. Truthfully, Birdy had been the least offensive of all the new team members, but he was definitely no Ducky and Gibbs was overjoyed to have his old friend back with him.

"Gibbs? I'm sorry to interrupt, but you are needed down in the lab," Ziva said as she happily embraced Ducky. "It's so good to have you back, Ducky."

"Good to see you as well, my dear."

"I'll be back soon," Gibbs said to Ducky as he headed towards the elevator, the familiar feeling of dread beginning to form in the pit of his stomach. He just could not warm up to Gabby. There was just something very odd about her. Not that Abby wasn't odd too, but it was just very different. This girl was more creepy than odd. Maybe he wasn't being fair though. He supposed he needed to try a little bit harder. He didn't really want to though. What he really wanted was to get Abby back. The elevator doors opened and Gibbs made his way into Gabby's lab. The first thing he saw was Barbie's pink corvette upside down on the floor and the unfortunate decapitated Barbie lying beside it. Unsure what to make of it and deciding ignorance was bliss, Gibbs called out for Gabby.

"Gibbs!" It wasn't Gabby, but Abby who came flying out at him like a bat out of hell and threw herself into his arms. "I missed you so much. What's up with all these toys, Gibbs? It looks like my lab was taken over by a bunch of girl scouts. And where are all my CDs? I can't stand listening to this country crap."

"Its so good to see you, Abs," Gibbs said, returning her embrace. "I have your CDs up in my desk. I was going to bring them to your apartment, but now, I don't have to." Two down, two to go. Could he even dare to hope that DiNozzo and McGee might return as well?

"Its great to be back," Abby stated happily.

"I'll let you get settled," Gibbs said. "When I come back, I'll bring your CDs and the biggest Caf Pow you've ever seen."

"I'll hold you to that, bossman."

Gibbs headed back up to the bullpen and realized that he had not yet seen Ramirez that morning. His lateness was becoming a chronic problem. "Where the hell is Ramirez?" Gibbs asked, looking around for some sign of Tony's obnoxious replacement.

"I have no idea, boss, but maybe I can help you out instead?"

"DiNozzo?" Gibbs swung around and was so ecstatic to see his senior field agent that he pulled Tony into a hug.

"Hugs, boss?" Tony asked, clearly surprised but pleased by the gesture. "No head slaps?"

Gibbs grinned and smacked Tony on top of his head. "How's that, DiNozzo?"

"I missed you too, boss" Tony said, grinning back at Gibbs.

"Get to work, DiNozzo." Gibbs directed a mock growl at his agent who just smiled and headed to his desk.

"You've got it, boss," Tony said as he settled back at his desk, quickly feeling as if he had never even left. His attention was quickly drawn to McGee's replacement and he went over to his desk to introduce himself. "Hi, I'm Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, Gibbs' senior field agent, and you are?"

"His name is Donald McPherson. It is good to have you back, Tony," Ziva said.

"Nice to meet ya, Donny."

"You need to call him Donald or Don."

"Huh?"

"He does not like the nickname, Donny, Tony," Ziva explained, smiling at Tony as she walked back to her desk.

"How do you know that if he doesn't say anything?" Tony asked Ziva before looking back at Donald. "That true, Donny?" he asked the young man who just stared back at him silently. "Uh...Can you answer me?" He asked the question slower and louder but still got no response.

"Ooookay..." This guy was more than just a little bit weird. Shaking his head in bewilderment, Tony walked over to Gibbs. "Hey, boss? What's the deal with Mc-Mute?"

"He needs to get used to you, DiNozzo," Gibbs replied, smiling in spite of himself. "You're probably scaring him. He's a tad on the timid side."

"I'm scaring him? Come on, boss. You can't be serious." Tony looked back at Gibbs incredulously. "How does he question witnesses or interrogate suspects?"

Gibbs shrugged. "He doesn't really do those things."

"He doesn't?" Tony looked away from Gibbs, back at Donald and then back at Gibbs again. "Is this a joke? Am I on Candid Camera?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Nope."

"And you're okay with Mc-Silent Partner?" Tony asked, still trying to wrap his head around the situation.

"Don't really have a choice, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, lowering his voice.

"Oh...okay, gotcha, boss. Donald it is then." Mumbling to himself under his breath, Tony headed back to his desk. "Never thought I would miss McGee so much..."

"Awww, Tony. I didn't think you cared..."

"McGoo!" Tony looked up, obviously happy to see the young agent.

"Are you back to work, McGee?" Gibbs asked, almost afraid to hope that he had his entire team back intact.

McGee nodded. "Yep, ready and rarin' to go, boss."

"It's good to have you back, Probie," Tony said, patting McGee's shoulder.

"Welcome back, Tim." Gibbs shook the young agent's hand and looked over at McGee's desk. "Where's Don?" he asked Ziva. He couldn't help but feel a little bad about the other agent. It wasn't his fault he was so ill suited to be a field agent. He would be much better off in a strictly computer type job.

"He left as soon as McGee showed up," Ziva replied.

Oh well, he would catch up with him later. Gibbs smiled as Abby came up from downstairs and gave Tim, then Tony one of her patented Abby hugs. The important thing was that the contract situations had been resolved and he now had his entire team back. Gibbs was a very happy man, indeed.