Jet was at work. Carly was laid out on his couch, feverish and cold all at the same time. She hated having the flu. The only reason she was there and not at her place was because Jethro wouldn't drive her. She couldn't drive herself and he had been called in because the FBI was trying to take over a case. She curled up into the blanket and fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gibbs walked up the stairs to the director's office, bypassing everyone and saying nothing. He had been called in and had to leave Carly at home sick. To say he was upset would be underestimating the situation. He walked straight past Cynthia and into Jen's office. He stopped still when he saw her on the phone. Giving her a look that said she should hang it up or he would, she ended the call.

"Agent Gibbs." She began.

"Director Shepard." Gibbs said, slightly mocking and definitely impatient. "What is this I hear about the FBI taking over the Cook case?"

"They have jurisdiction, Jethro." Jen told him.

"That's bullshit. This is a Marine who died while on a Marine base. How the hell is it the FBI's jurisdiction?"

"I have been ordered to turn this case over to them, Agent Gibbs and you will comply with those orders as well."

Clamping his mouth shut so tight, the Director could almost hear his teeth creak, he turned and left her office.

~~~~~~~

"DiNozzo!" He barked, down in the bullpen.

"Yeah, boss." DiNozzo replied.

"With me." Gibbs told him and they entered the elevator. As the elevator started moving, he reached over and hit the stop button. "The evidence in the Cook case, have you made copies of it?"

"That's automatically done now, Gibbs." Tony told him.

"Turn over the originals to the FBI." Gibbs told him and saw Tony looking shocked. "According to the Director, they have jurisdiction on this case. We'll work from what we have. Now get on that. I'm going to see Abby." Gibbs told him and hit the button to start the elevator back.

The doors opened on the same floor and Tony stepped out. Fornell tried to run over, but Gibbs had the doors closed before he reached them. Gibbs stepped out into Abby's lab. The absence of Carly's presence was noticeable in how Abby worked these days. She had her music lower and it seemed to Gibbs that she was missing her friend.

"She'll be ok, Abs." He told her as he approached her chair.

"I know. It's just the flu Gibbs." Abby said and looked up at him. "It's just with everything that's gone on, the only break she's managed to catch lately is you." At the look he gave her, she smiled. "And working here, but she's had a lot of stuff happen since she started and you've been there for her."

Gibbs decided the best way to end this line of conversation was to ignore it. "The evidence in the Cook case Abs, where is it?"

Abby shot him a knowing look and said, "Boxed up for the feds, bossman. The Director ordered me to cease and desist half an hour ago."

Gibbs expression darkened and she told him quietly, "Don't worry. I already had what I needed to run the tests."

With a quick smile, Gibbs took the evidence box, signed off on it and turned to walk out. "Good work, Abby."

Smiling to his back she turned back to her computer. He didn't fool her one bit.