Anthony DiNozzo took a deep breath as he walked through the door to his apartment turning the lock behind him. Tony wasn't worried about burglars and unlike Gibbs , he had plenty of things to hide. Rolling his neck wearily across his shoulders with a heavy sigh he shrugged and allowed his jacket to fall to the floor in a puddle at his feet, his right hand immediately going for his immaculately snug tie.

Home now. Safe, in and out and breath. His inner litany continued, muscles loosening seemingly in tandem with the slipping of the firm stylized knot at his throat.

Shuffling further into his abode Tony slipped his shoes from his feet while continuing the lazy strip of his clothes as he made his way about the room and finally slipping the blinds closed.

What he was about to do was dangerous, daring even, but they were off for the weekend. The Team wasn't on call and even the almighty Gibbs perhaps would take a rest for two days…or perhaps not. Tony thought to himself with a rueful shake of his head. NCIS was Gibbs wife number one and he knew no other way to live, or so it seemed. Taking in a deep breath he slipped his boxers down his hard won toned legs, stepped forward and kicked out of them with practiced ease.

Breath in, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…, He began to count silently, his eyes falling shut as the tension between his shoulder blades eased his entire consciousness, while focusing inward as he breathed in and out.

Center, find it, Center. Where are you now? Anthony continued to coach himself, hearing the words in the soft murmur of his late mother's voice. A voice he'd loved, a voice he'd lost, a voice that perhaps was the only voice he fully had ever trusted with his entire being.

Tony continued to breathe, his heart rate slowing, and his breath growing steady. Soon, it would be soon now.

75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, down Tony. Just go down, baby boy. Let go and trust in yourself. You know what to do. Once more his mother's voice twirled through the swirling chaos of his mind. The words calming it and slowing it at the same time.

With a shuddering exhalation shoulders dropped, and then it happened. Dropping lightly to his hands and knees Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo shifted and changed.

Where a man once stood an American short hair yawned widely stretching its forepaws before itself. Bright, intelligent tourmaline eyes glowed mischievously from a silver furred face. Two strips of black fur stretched from the corners of the wide eyes ran to the edges of his kitty face almost as though he were wearing eyeliner. Turning a careful circle he arched his back upwards this time his half tiger half cow like silver and black patterned fur rippling over a compact feline muscle culture.

A cat this time, huh? Tony thought to himself as he padded silently through his apartment. Everything seemed so much larger when he was this way. The entertainment center became a virtual rock wall. The couch an obstacle to be leapt over, and his much loved 52" HDTV a black hole that in feline form disturbed him ,its flat opaque dark screen seeming to reflect the inner desolation that curled within the far reaches of his mind, if one were to be honest.

Even with all the apprehension of his smaller form he found himself restless. He wanted to go out. It had been ages since he'd been out in any kind of his alternate forms. His cat was the most publicly acceptable and easiest to be overlooked as ordinary. With a decisive flick of his long two-toned tail he jumped out his window onto a stair well and made his way to the alley. It took some careful pouncing and precise claw work to get down.

Boy, that was tiresome, he thought to himself as he made his way out the alley and over the empty street, prancing easily across the soft manicured grass that lined the sidewalk in front of his apartment complex.

Everything was so much simpler when one was a cat, Tony thought to himself. Just one tilt of his green eyed furry head would send even the sternest of fellow's cooing just to get a pet of his exotic looking pelt. There was an easy calming effect to himself when this form came out to play and Tony always found himself in an exploring and inquisitive mood.

Life was good, he purred quietly to himself, while rounding the corner at the end of his complex in a tranquil frolic.

A soft baying brought him abruptly out of his reverie.

A Dog! Shit, shit, shit, shit! He chanted to himself while breaking out in an all out run.

In his absentminded wanderings, Tony had brought himself to the dog park that he ran through on his many jogs in human form.

Great job, DiNozzo, now you're going to have to find a tree. You KNOW what trees do to you in this form! The NCIS agent hissed to himself while picking up speed as the soft baying became loud insistent barking with interwoven growls slipping between the cacophony.

This is just not my day, Tony sighed as his heart beat quickly within his chest. The Dog had caught his scent and he couldn't shake him.

Tree damnit, I need a fucking tree!

He swerved right, then left, but couldn't locate any of the trees he saw on his everyday jog, just more and more grass. The animal was gaining and he could practically feel the heated breath dodging his wildly flickering tail. The dog was a large one. Fast too. Tony knew the only advantage he'd had was the warning bark and a long head start.

Tree! Finally, salvation. Tony thought and his heart surged as his tourmaline feline gaze fell upon the tall, strong oak tree.

One leap became two, three, four, and then he was scrambling and clawing frantically into the lower reaches of the tree , making his way to the top branches that offered safety. Once he safely ensconced within the branches his feline nature was unable to resist teasing the baying quadruped grounded at the trees base.

Thank god dogs can't climb trees, he thought to himself even as his tail flicked teasingly from his perch within the strong old tree, Cats totally rule.

"Jethro? JETHRO, GET BACK HERE!" a familiar voice bellowed.

Tony froze as his heart constricted painfully within his chest. Sure enough the now lithe figure of one Timothy McGee came pelting through the dog park with an empty leashed collar swinging from his right hand.

Perfect, just, perfect. Tony intoned and turned to try and slip away before his probie lifted his head and spotted the object of the usually well-behaved retired police dog's behavior. It was a futile effort and the single movement threw him into heart stopping vertigo. His claws slipped unbidden from his paws holding tight to the branch on which he perched and despite all effort, a strangled pathetic mew slipped from his throat. People thought cats were just dumb for getting stuck up trees without realizing they were simply acrophobic, which is a matter that is quite hard to remember when one is being chased by a set of rapid claws with teeth.

Breathe, just breath, in and out and maybe, just maybe he didn't hear you. Tony prayed and thought that with all the baying Jethro was doing it was a viable possibility. Tony continued pressing himself close to his chosen perch concealing himself even as his lithe body began to tremble, another mew working its way up his throat.

No, damn it! I'm not just a cat; I'm a man, for god's sakes. Tony spat at himself, but it was a futile argument he'd had with himself before and he knew that when shifted his other form's behavior more often than not overrode his base human nature.

"Well, hello there," a soft crooning voice reached his flickering ears. Tim had seen him and from the looks of it he looked sympathetic.

Fuck, spotted, this is not good, Tony thought to himself even as Tim started to reach up to pluck him from the branches.

Tony went to scatter, but Tim quietly whispered comfort, his voice a soft tone Tony'd never heard before murmuring stay. He felt his limbs lock up , feline eyes wide when a strange compulsion overcame him and he allowed Tim to cradle him into his chest.