Disclaimer: Well I certainly don't own them. If I did, they'd have a lot more fun. Everybody you recognize from the shows belongs to the suits; everyone you don't belongs to me. This story is written hopefully for the entertainment of fans, certainly not for any money; therefore no copyright infringement is intended. Like anyone would pay me for my writing.

Date: May 2006.

Acknowledgments: To Stacy aka slash_girl for the beta. Thanks again for all the help.


"Beer?" Franks asked reaching into the #10 washtub, filled with ice and brown long necks of Coronas, that stood in the shadow of his dilapidated pick-up. "Walk from town gets thirsty real fast this time of year.'

"Yeah, thanks," Gibbs replied, dropping his duffle bag onto the golden sand. Nodding his thanks for the beer, Gibbs took a long pull of cold brew, sighing in satisfaction as the cold beverage slid easily down his parched throat.

"Nice place you've got here," Gibbs offered.

"Suits me," Franks, his voice rough with cigarette smoke.

Motioning the younger man to the shady veranda of the small wood cabin, the two men sat down, sipping beers and talking.

"Staying long?"

"As long as I'm welcomed."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Means I took a leaf out of your book, Boss. Finished up the case, handed Jen—"

"Jen?"

"Jen Shepard, the NCIS Director. She said she called you, when I was in the comma."

"Oh yeah, the redhead, nice tits and ass, but not worth the effort of going after. That one's got ball breaker written all over her. She'd have to be to get a directorship."

"She is at that."

"So go on."

"Handed in my paperwork for retirement. I've got more than enough time in, for a decent pension. Handed DiNozzo my sidearm and badge. Threw some stuff in a bag and here I am. Ducky's going to look after my place until I decide exactly what I'm going to do with it. Don't need a place in Virginia any more if I'm retired."

"Ducky? Who the hell, or rather what the hell, is a ducky?"

"Donald Mallard, ME. He joined NIS or rather NCIS, as the powers that be had just changed the agency's name; about 6 months after you left. He came over from Scotland Yard. Man's good, probably the best I've ever seen and you know that I thought that Robinson was good, Ducky's twice, hell, three times, the ME, that he was.'

"Answer me something, Jethro."

"I'll try, Mike."

"Why now? You could have left a year ago when you lost that agent, that would have been reason enough to retire then."

"Wasn't the right time. If I learned anything from you, it was to listen to what my gut; it said get out now, so I did."

"Leave anyone or anything behind you?"

"Just my house and the latest boat I was building, but neither of those things are irreplaceable."

"TC told me you were pretty hot and heavy with the jock on your team. What about him?"

"DiNozzo you mean? Fuck buddies. Boy gets laid more often then I change my socks, he won't miss me. I'll bet there was someone new in his bed by nightfall. It was a useful arrangement for the both us, but there was nothing deeper then scratching an itch."

"That's not what TC said. Said that he thought that this time it was really going to work for you. Said the kid was broken hearted after you left."

"So, he'll get over it."

"Sure you will?"

"Mike, even though I've got back the memories of the 15 years between now and when Shannon and Kelly died, the pain is new again. The wound is a raw as it was the first time I looked down at my little girl's grave and realized it was all over. All of my hopes and dreams were gone with her smile. It took me a long time and a whole lot of Johnny Walker Red to bottle it up, so that it wasn't a searing, burning hole in the middle of my chest. I realized something again after I signed the last set of divorce papers. That I only ever really wanted to spend the rest of my life with one person and that was Shannon and the only person I ever really loved was Kelly."

"Shit."

"Yeah, shit."


Sitting back into the comfort of the hand made chairs, both men silently drank their beers, watching the shadows lengthen as the day passed slowly by, each deep in the silence that had driven them so far from home.

The End