Can't get what happened yesterday out of my mind. My prayers go out to everyone affected by this unspeakable tragedy.
xxxxx
They were only babies.
The silent thought kept echoing through Gibbs' mind as he watched the scenes unfolding on the plasma screen…reporters from multiple news outlets detailing the unspeakable horror of what had happened that day. Innocent children…babies at the very beginning of their lives…taken in the most horrific way imaginable. It was unfathomable to him how someone could do this. And it wasn't only the children…it was the teachers and other adults who had died trying to protect them. He shuddered inwardly at the thought of what had taken place inside the walls of the school. He didn't even want to imagine what the first responders had seen upon entering the classrooms where the violence had occurred.
The fact that Christmas was eleven days away only served to enhance the tragedy. He knew the families of these children would have been in the midst of holiday preparations. Santa Claus, Christmas trees with sparkling lights, the anticipation of gifts and time spent with loved ones. His heart broke as he imagined the pain of those who had bought gifts, never to be opened by the intended recipients. Other families may have been celebrating Hanukah or preparing for Kwanzaa. All of this had been brutally ripped away with no warning. How the hell did these families get through the holidays now? Whatever they celebrated…even if they celebrated nothing at all…How did they get through each minute, each hour?
"Boss?" Gibbs came out of his thoughts and turned his attention to DiNozzo , who was looking at him with obvious concern in his eyes. A quick scan of the bullpen area showed Ziva and McGee with similar expressions on their faces.
"What is it, Tony?" Gibbs asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft.
"I…uh…we were just wondering if you were okay," Tony replied.
Was he okay? No…not really. Was anyone really okay after having heard about this? Although it wasn't the same, Gibbs had some idea of what these people were going through. He knew the pain of having loved ones taken suddenly and violently from him. His only consolation was that his wife and daughter, hopefully, had not even really known what hit them. His thoughts of the horrors this madman had inflicted were unbearable to him. He was trying very hard not to let his mind go there.
"I'm fine," Gibbs answered automatically. He saw his three agents exchange glances and repeated himself. "Really, I'm fine. It's late. Go home." There was no crucial case, no reason for them to still be there at this hour. He watched as they exchanged glances again, then as a group, headed toward the elevator.
After the elevator doors had closed, Gibbs again turned his attention toward the plasma. It was now showing scenes of people gathered in churches, mourning together and praying for the victims and their families. He could feel his eyes begin to fill and a single tear trickled down his cheek. He knew the eyes of the nation were now sharply focused on this New England town, along with the thoughts and prayers of millions of people. He hoped, in the days to come, this would bring these families some measure of comfort and that they would eventually be able to find peace.