"All Good Things...(Chapters 9, 10, & 11)"
Chapter Nine---
Abby sat in her lab, alone, staring at her desk phone. Vance had notified everyone, a while earlier, that word had been recieved that the team had made it out of Iran--but other than that no one knew anything else.
"Come on Gibbs, come on." Abby muttered under her breath--sounding quite flustered.
The last 3 or 4 hours that she had been waiting for Gibbs' call, she had convinced herself that he was just running a little late. She kept on telling herself that he was probably searching high and low, wherever they were at that moment, for a telephone that he could use to call her.
"Damnit Gibbs," she muttered angrily, looking down at her watch. "What's taking so long."
Suddenly, from behind, she heard footsteps--someone had entered her lab. She spun around in her chair quickly to see who it was, praying that it wasn't Director Vance.
"Oh, Ducky." She said with a chuckle. "You startled me."
Abby got up and walked out into the main area of the lab to meet him.
"For a second there I thought you were-" she started to say as she approached the aging M.E.
"Abby," Ducky began, slowly, his eyes moist with emotion and sadness. "The Director thought it might be best if you heard it from me."
"Heard what Ducky?" Abby asked, tilting her head to one side--slightly.
Ducky drew in a deep breath, and then let it out slowly.
"Abigail, there's something-" Ducky's breath caught in his throat momentarily as he tried to speak.
"Ducky what's wrong?" she asked, then suddenly. "Oh my gosh--who got hurt!?" she asked hurriedly, stepping closer to Ducky.
"Abby--Gibbs-" Ducky tried to say again.
"UH!" Abby scoffed. "That man. He always has to be the *Hero*." Abby said shaking her head, as she turned and headed for the door.
"I'm gonna go get the number of *Wherever* they're staying, call him, and give him a piece of my mind." she threatened.
Ducky moved quickly, and caught Abby by the arm as she stood in the doorway.
"Abby--he didn't make it." Ducky croaked, his voice cracking.
Abby stood, totally stunned, at the words that had just come from Ducky's mouth.
Her eyes glazed over with moisture--emotion welling up inside of her from deep within.
"What?" she breathed, unable to say anything else.
"He's--He's dead Abby." Ducky repeated.
"No--he-he can't be." she said, tears running down her cheeks. "No--no it's just not possible. It's just--Not." she cried, as she ran from the lab.
Ducky just stood there in the doorway of the lab watching Abby as she ran, almost full speed, up the stairs. He knew exactly how she felt--EXACTLY.
Chapter Ten---
Everyone, from NCIS and the like, gathered at Arlington Cemetery for the funeral of their beloved Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
Tony walked up and took his turn at the podium that had been set up for those who wanted to to give speeches on Gibbs' behalf.
"Jethro Gibbs-" Tony started, swallowing hard a knot that had formed in his throat. "Was a brave man--one of the best I've ever known."
In the audience and crowd of onlookers, there was not a dry eye among those who were members of NCIS and the team (also some of them were friends that Gibbs had acquired over the years).
Abby, Ducky, Jimmy, Ziva, Mike Franks, Director Vance, Hollis Mann, Tobias Fornell, and a few others who were really close to Gibbs stood at the front of the crowd of onlookers and others listening as Tony gave his speech--his was to be the last of the speeches. (F.Y.I. McGee could not make it to the actual funeral because he was laid up in the hospital recovering from his wounds, but because the funeral was being televised he was watching it on TV).
Finally...
Tony turned, at the podium, to face Gibbs' coffin. "And so I say-" Tony continued, as he stared at the coffin. "You were more than just a boss or a co-worker," Tony said, tears running down his cheeks. "You were *My* friend." he said, finishing his speech, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions.
He walked down from the podium and walked over to stand directly in front of the coffin--where he stood silently still for a few seconds before proceeding.
Tony stepped forward, his hands crossed over each other respectfully, and stared down into the coffin at the lifeless face of his former boss and friend.
"Semper Fi." Tony whispered to the old man.
After Tony finished saying his final goodbye he turned and walked over to the side--so as to be out of the way.
At his signal the others began to make their way, one at a time, to say their final goodbyes as well.
Mike Franks was the first in line. He had traveled all the way from his little place in Mexico just for this occasion--and he wouldn't have missed it for the world.
"You were a damn good man, and a damn good agent, Probie-" Mike whispered to the man in the coffin, and then a thin smile crossed his lips. "I mean--Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs."
Hollis Man was next in line behind Mike Franks.
"Goodbye Jethro," she whispered softly, leaning in close. "I'm sure gonna miss you."
Director Leon Vance just gave a nod as he walked slowly by the coffin, and then it was Tobias Fornell's turn to say goodbye.
There were tears in Fornell's eyes as he stopped in front of the coffin. "Jethro Gibbs," he said. "You were the *best* friend I ever had." "Hell, you may have been my only *real* friend."
Once Fornell had moved on past the coffin it was Ziva's turn to say her final goodbye(s).
As she stood there memories of the times that they had had since they'd known each other flooded her mind and her heart; and tears streamed down her cheeks. She leaned in close.
"Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."
Ziva wiped some tears from her cheeks as she turned and walked over to stand beside Tony.
Ducky and Jimmy were next in line to say goodbye. They had decided to take their turns together. Jimmy was too sad to really say anything, but Ducky, characteristically enough, made his feelings known through one of his stories.
Then it was Abby's turn to say goodbye. She stepped up close to the coffin, wearing the exact same outfit that she had worn to Kate's funeral years before, and gently laid a black rose in the coffin next to him.
"Goodbye Gibbs," she said softly, as tears streaked down her cheeks making her mascara start to run.
She then leaned closer, and just as Gibbs had done to her all those years, she placed a gentle, sweet kiss on his cheek.
Once everyone had had their turns saying goodbye, and they all stood next to each other side by side--the firing squad began *their* salute.
The squads' leader moved himself into a position just off to the side of his men.
"Ready! Aim! Fire!" the squad leader bellowed the orders loud enough for the whole procession to hear.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Abby flinched at the first and second volleys of gun fire issued overhead--her eyes moist with sadness.
They performed the same actions repeatedly until they had finished their *21 Gun Salute*.
Once the firing squad was finished the bugler stepped up and began playing taps as a squadron of planes flew in a *Man-Down Formation* overhead.
The weekend passed painfully slow, and Monday eventually brought the team back together at NCIS. McGee called from the hospital earlier and told Tony that they wee finally releasing him and that he would be there just as soon as he made one little stop.
Things at NCIS were dreary and somber as everyone still struggled with the fact that Gibbs would never step off of the elevator and walk into the squad room ever again.
Down in Autopsy Ducky stood looking down on a vacant slab, a glass of Scotch in one hand and the other hand in his trouser pocket.
He took a sip of scotch and swallowed it as memories of the times that he and Gibbs had shared over the years ran through his mind.
"Ah Jethro," the aging M.E. said quietly. "The times we had." a thin smile crossed his lips as he downed another gulp of his scotch.
A sound from behind made Ducky spin on his heel to face the automatic door on the other side of the room. As he stood there staring at the door he drew in a long breath, and then let it back out before turning back around.
"Expecting someone Duck?" a familiar voice said from behind.
Ducky spun back around to the slab, and could swear he saw Gibbs sitting on top of the slab staring back at him.
"N-no. Of course not." Ducky replied, with a smile, as he took another sip of scotch.
"I guess I just keep hoping that I will hear you come through those doors--again." Ducky laughed.
Gibbs laughed too--or at least Ducky thought he did.
"I would offer you a glass," Ducky said, holding up his glass to Gibbs. "But I know how you prefer your whiskey to practically anything else."
He thought he saw Gibbs smile at him.
"You're right Duck."
Suddenly Gibbs jumped down off of the slab and laid his hand on Ducky's shoulder--and to Ducky it felt so real.
"Well Ducky, I guess I'd better be going," Gibbs said with a smile.
Ducky nodded--for what it was worth.
Gibbs walked towards the automatic door leading out of autopsy and stopped right in front of it.
"Oh and Duck," Gibbs called from the door. "Look in on Abby every now and then will ya." Gibbs said.
And then--he was gone.
A tear rolled down the aging M.E.s cheek as he nodded.
"You have my word." Ducky whispered.
Meanwhile at Gibbs' house Ziva sat down in the basement staring at the unfinished boat. She knew she really shouldn't be there, but she was. She had swiped the keys to the house from Tony's desk. Tony had been the one who had volunteered to hang on to Gibbs' personal effects.
Earlier she had walked around and explored the rest of the house getting a feel of the person that Gibbs was outside of NCIS. Now she was in the basement. She had been down here other times before--like the time she killed Ari to protect Gibbs after Ari murdered Kate. Then there was the time that the Iranian mercenary had tried to frame her--she had made the phone call to Mexico and asked Gibbs to save her, and he had.
Ziva raised her hand up and wiped some tears from her eyes. She turned on the stool she was sitting on to look at the spot where she'd shot Ari down years before.
"You shot Ari--right there."
"Hunh!" Ziva gave a startled cry at the voice she heard--or thought she heard. She looked up and there standing on the stairs was Gibbs--or at least she thought she saw him standing there.
Ziva nodded, not taking her eyes off of the man that she thought she was seeing.
"Saved my life Ziva." Gibbs said with a smile. "Thanks."
"Y-you're welcome." she replied, hoarsely.
Ziva swallowed hard.
"You never finished your boat." Ziva said, moving towards the boat slowly.
"Nope." Gibbs replied from the stairs. "I was gonna name it *Friendship*--yeah I thought that would be a fitting name." he said.
"Hey Ziva," Gibbs called down to her.
Ziva turned back and looked up at Gibbs.
"Keep an eye on Tony for me, okay." he said with a smile. And then he was gone.
Ziva nodded.
At Arlington Cemetery McGee hobbled up, on crutches, to stand directly in front of Gibbs' grave. He drew in a long breath and then let it back out.
---------DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE---------
They were back in Iran taking cover behind the ruins adjacent to the airstrip.
McGee clutched his leg in agony at the pain shooting up and down it.
"I don't wanna die." he said, in agony.
Gibbs turned and knelt down beside McGee putting both of his hands around the young agent's face.
"You're not gonna die." he said. "I promise." Gibbs whispered into his ear.
---------END OF DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE---------
A tear rolled down McGee's cheek as he stood looking down at Gibbs' grave.
"You're a good agent Tim." a voice said from beside McGee.
McGee looked up and could swear that Gibbs was standing right there beside him.
"B-Boss." McGee stammered.
"Not any more kid." Gibbs said, with a smile.
Tears were streaming down McGee's cheeks by now.
"I won't forget anything that I learned from you." McGee said. "And I won't forget you."
Gibbs smiled at the young special agent standing there on crutches.
"I know you won't." Gibbs said quietly. "And a piece of advice--don't let DiNozzo get to you."
McGee couldn't help but utter a chuckle at that last remark.
"I won't." he said quietly.
Abby sat in the elevator at NCIS. She had hit the *stop* switch just like Gibbs always used to.
Tears stained her cheeks as she sat with her knees pulled all the way up to her chest.
"I miss you Gibbs." she whispered.
"I know Abs." a soft voice said.
Abby felt a familiar arm inch its way around her shoulder. She looked up and saw him.
"Gibbs," she started to say, but Gibbs put a finger to her lips silencing her.
He pulled her close and held there firmly.
"I will always be with you Abs." he said softly. "Always."
Abby couldn't stand it any longer.
"You weren't supposed to die Gibbs." she said, angrily, looking him in the eyes.
The two sat in silence staring at each other for a long moment.
"Abby, I need you to do something for me." Gibbs said quietly.
Abby's anger abated and she settled back against the wall and Gibbs' arm.
"I need you to be strong." he said. "Can you do that?"
At first she did not answer, but then after a few seconds she answered.
"Y-yes," she said with a sniffle.
"That's my girl." Gibbs said softly, planting a gentle kiss against her temple.
"Tony's gonna need someone to lean on--and that's you." he explained. "Its gonna be hard for him--at least for awhile anyway."
Abby nodded at Gibbs.
"So I need you to be strong."
Tears streaked down Abby's cheeks once again. Gibbs reached over with his free hand and wiped several away for her. He then leaned over and whispered something in her ear.
"I love you, Abs." he whispered softly in her ear.
Then he was gone.
The relationship between Gibbs and Abby had always been sort of that of a father and daughter type deal.
.........To Be Continued.........
Author's Chapter Notes:
The news of Gibbs' death is delivered to everyone at NCIS. Each member of the team deals with the loss of their friend, co-worker, and boss in different ways.