The tension in the lab was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
All the occupants stood silently waiting for someone to say something, but no one spoke.
Finally Gibbs had enough. He sighed before saying. " Well I guess its time for you to know what's going on since you'll be finding soon. Abs you know what happen upstairs?"
Abby nodded her head but didn't say anything.
"What happen upstairs Jethro?" Ducky asked confused. He didn't know what had gone on upstairs. Since no one had been to autopsy since jimmy left because of a family emergency and Jethro had walked in telling him to follow him.
Gibbs looked all of them, he knew that what he was about to say would hurt Abby and Ducky most since they saw Tony as part of their family.
He looked at Ziva. She still hadn't looked up from the spot on the floor. He knew that he made a mistake in choosing her over Tony he still mad it but there was no going back. He didn't know what was going through her head but he knew that she as hurting to but right now he didn't give a damn.
Ziva could feel Gibbs eyes on her nut didn't want to see the anger in his eyes that she saw when he came in.
Ducky, Abby, and Mcgee looked at expectedly at Gibbs.
He sighed and decides to be blunt
"Tony is being reassigned to L.A team. "
Silence followed his statement.
He waited for the words to sink in and saw when they had finally registered what he had said. He knew Abby was going to be the first to react and he wasn't disappointed.
"What?' she whispered because she couldn't believe it and wont believe it because its not true. She looked around the room suspiciously.
Everyone looked at her weirdly.
"What are you looking for Abs?" Mcgee asked her looking around confusedly as well. Everyone else was confused too.
Abby ignored him and kept looking around.
Having had enough Gibbs sigh irritated. "Abs what the hell are you looking for?' he snapped at her.
She jumped at Gibbs harsh voice and looked at him wide eye. He had never spoken to he like that. Mcgee, Ducky, and Ziva looked at him shocked too.
Dropping his head in shame and took a deep breath and looked up at his team.
"Sorry Abs." he said as he looked at Abby in the eyes to show her that he was sincere.
Abby nodded her hear and gave him a small smile.
"So, Abby what were you looking for?" Mcgee asked her again once he knew it was safe.
"Oh I was looking for Tony!" Abby told them and looked around the lab again.
"Tony. Umm why?"
" Because this got a be one of his jokes. He made me a promise that he wouldn't leave ever again after he came back from being Agent Afloat. And he wont break a his promise." She declared.
Both Ziva and Gibbs cringed at this. Abby was going to hate them when she finds out that they were the ones who send Tony away.
"Abby, it's not a joke." Gibbs told her. "He really is being transfer to another team?"
" Why?" Abby whispered so lowly that he almost didn't hear her.
That was the question he was dreading because he didn't know how to tell them that he was sending Tony away. He looked at Ducky and Mcgee and saw that they were both waiting for his response as well they might have not question him out loud but were doing silently. He looked away.
"Jethro why is young Anthony being transfer? I mean wasn't he suppose to be your successor?" Ducky asked him softly.
Gibbs snapped his head and stared at Ducky as he realized that Tony was going to be the one to run the team when he finally retired and now that wasn't going to happen because he had send away.
He nodded his head, running his hand over his face frustrated.
"Then why Gibbs is he being transferred to L.A?" Abby asked desperately. She wanted to know why her big brother was being taken away from her again.
"Because I can't work with him anymore and I do not trust him." Ziva answered before Gibbs could response.
Ziva had been listening to Abby and Gibbs talk bit had stayed quite and just watched the scene unfolded. She knew that Gibbs was having trouble explaining why Tony was being reassigned so suddenly. So decided to save him the trouble, as it was her fault that he was in this predicament. She ay least owe him that much.
Everyone snapped their head and stared at her in shock. She just nervously gulped but otherwise stayed stone-faced and was waiting for their reactions.
She saw Abby narrow her eyes at her and took a step in her direction with anger radiating off her. She had to be strong because she was losing the people that had been like a family to her more then her own family.
Looking back at Ducky she could see the disappointment on his face. Mcgee was staring her a disbelieving face and Gibbs was blank as always.
Looking back at Abby who was just about two steps from her, she wanted to step back from her but knew that she couldn't show any weaknesses and locked eyes with Abby waiting for her say something, anything as the tension grew,
Next thing she knew her left cheek was stinging from the slap Abby had given her. Lifting her hand to her cheek and watch Abby who was still glaring at her. She couldn't say anything to her.
Abby shook her head, turned and headed to he office. They watched her go; just as she disappeared she reappeared with her purse and headed for the elevator.
"Abigail where are going dear?" Ducky was the first to break the silence that had fallen since Ziva's revelation.
Without turning she said. "Tony's."
" I'm coming with you then." He said and followed her without glancing at Ziva or Gibbs.
"Me too." Mcgee said to and hurried after the other two to the elevator.
Gibbs and Ziva both watch them as the elevator doors close and just stood there not knowing what to do.
Sighing he walked past Ziva and headed to the elevator as well.
"Go home." He told Ziva as he headed to the closed doors.
Standing there alone she finally let her guard down and single tear rolled down her cheek. Wiping it away she to headed the same way everyone else had gone.
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