Summary: What if Fornell had gone to Norfolk with Gibbs in Twilight instead of the team.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Jethro looked around his basement and remembered Tobias being there just drinking and having a laugh they arguments, a small slime crossed his face as he remembered one night after a punch up with Tobias he came down to the basement with a bottle of bourbon and acted as nothing had happened. He slid down the wall and tears filled his eyes as he remembered why Tobias would never be there again.
Three days earlier
A car pulled up into to the dark ally Jethro and Tobias got out and slammed the doors shut. They both looked up and down the empty ally looking for the traitor that Jethro wanted so badly to put in a box. After a couple of minutes of searching Gibbs turned to Fornell.
"Where the hell is he Tobias" Gibbs all but screamed
"Your man said he's here Jethro" Fornell said in a calm voice
"Do you reckon Ari somehow deflected the trace?" Gibbs asked in a calmer voice than he used before.
Tobias never got to answer as a bullet flew past theirs heads and smashed into the windshield of the car. Both men ran and took refuge behind the car and started firing back
"Tobias you take the end of the ally we don't know how many bad guys they are, take out as many as you can, call me if you need back up." Gibbs whispered while putting a new clip into his sig.
"Ok. Be careful Jethro just remember Ari wants you dead as much as you want him dead." With those parting words Fornell was gone
The next events all happened so fast. Jethro takes a shot at Ari he misses. Jethro sees a body at the end of the ally he rushes forward ignoring the feeling of dread that fills his gut Jethro almost stop's breathing as his gut his proved right. It's Tobias he's dead shot between the eyes. Jethro just stands there shaking and staring not believing what just happened. It seems like forever before he pulls himself together and calls it in.
Tobias might have been a bastard but he was respected by everyone at the FBI Jethro knew everyone at the Hoover building blamed him for Tobias's death especially his team Ron Sacks and Courtney Krieger. When they heard what happened Ron blew up and took a swing at Jethro hitting square in the jaw knocking him to the floor he went to land more punches but Tony and McGee grabbed him and dragged him away. Courtney informed him in a cold deadly voice that it was his fault that their boss was dead and they would stop at nothing to make him pay for it.
The Director of the FBI was ordered by the bureau to drop it. They had cleared Jethro of any wrong doing claiming that it was Tobias's fault for telling Jethro where to find Ari. Jethro knew that had to hurt the Director not only had he lost his best agent but also a dear friend.
Jethro didn't need anyone to tell him it was his fault he already knew that Tobias was dead because he pushed Tobias to tell him where Ari was he used their friendship to manipulate the other man made him go against everything he believed in, made him risk his job just so Jethro could go on a revenge trip. What made it that little bit worse was that Ari wasn't even dead. Jethro doubted it would make it any easier if he had killed him, maybe it would maybe Tobias would still be alive, maybe his team would still have a boss, maybe his daughter would still have a dad. Emily.
He went round to her house the day it happened to break the bad news to Dianne and Emily. When she opened the door she knew straight away that Tobias was dead. Jethro didn't tell her that it was his fault that Tobias was dead she would find soon enough he couldn't handle her knowing right now. Dianne agreed to let Jethro be there when she told Emily she knew Jethro was close with her little girl. Tobias used to take her down to his basement to help him build his boat, although it used to agitate her, she had gotten used to hearing stories about 'uncle Jet'.
Jethro knew when they found out the truth neither Dianne nor Emily would ever forgive him he didn't blame them he would never forgive himself. Never.
When she saw him the energetic six year old jump into her 'uncle Jet's' arms and giggled when he spun her around. Jethro and Dianne sat her down. Emily on Jethro's knee while Dianne gripped both of her hands gently. Jethro watched while Dianne had to tell Emily that her father the man who she worshipped had gone to heaven and was never coming back.
Emily started to shake her head it couldn't be true she looked at Jethro with tears in eyes and spoke words in a broken hearted voice that made Jethro's heart shatter "No it's not true it cant be, uncle Jet tell mommy she's wrong, daddy's not gone, he wouldn't leave me he loves me. Uncle Jet! Tell her she is wrong!" Jethro stared her straight in the eyes as he saw her heart breaking he saw something else he saw the sparkle leave her eyes, her innocence disappear Jethro knew they would never return. "Uncle Jet please" she sobbed Jethro unable to say anything pulled her into her chest and wrapped his arms around her trying to protect her from the pain knowing he couldn't. Jethro felt Dianne go around him and put her arms around him and Emily as they cried together.
Back in the basement
Tears rolled down Jethro's face as he again remembered just how his friend's life ended.
Back in the ally
Jethro had finally got him the man he despised he pointed his gun at Ari without even thinking he fired. At the last second Ari dove out of the way and the bullet that was meant for Ari buried itself in Tobias's forehead.
Back in the basement
Jethro brought his knee's up to is chest and sobbed uncontrollable.
He had killed an innocent man.
He had killed his friend.
All for nothing.