I thought that I'd give something a little more challenging a go. Instead of a lateral timeline, I'm going to go for a more sophisticated structure.

And, if you are reading my other story currently going, this isn't going to override that one. I think that I can keep two stories going at once.

Summary: After a tragedy, the team disbands and each makes their own way in the world. They lose contact with the people they once trusted with their lives and move on to find that the world is just as dark as they had feared. They meet again, in a twisted form of reunion; corrupted by secrets, scarred by pain, gnarled by age, haunted by skeletons and shattered by grief. Forced to work together once more, long buried pains are revealed and regrets are given a chance to been undone, against the back drop of a sinister plot.

Prologue

Jimmy Palmer watched the second, more awkward, bout of goodbyes. Abby had already done hers, throwing her arms around each in turn and burying her face in their black clad shoulders, clinging to them like a limpet fastens on to its rock. He had watched her walk away, rubbing her damp cheeks vigorously.

He leaned against the stone and, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, surveyed the group. Nobody was making eye contact; the ground was much easier to look at than their colleagues' faces. The gravel could not remind them of what they had lost and what that loss meant.

'So, uh, I guess this is it,' McGee said, drumming up a weak smile.

Tony nodded wordlessly. It wasn't that he didn't want to say anything; he just couldn't think of anything appropriate.

'I'm going to miss you,' McGee tried again, desperate to at least have a proper goodbye.

After nine years as a team, they definitely deserved that much. He had worked with Tony for almost eleven years. Surely, surely they could come up with words to express that time spent relying on each other.

'Yeah,' Tony agreed lamely.

Ziva unfolded her arms from across her chest, shifting restlessly from foot to foot. 'Uh, guys,' she began. 'I'm sorry but I have to-'

'Never say you're sorry,' Tony interjected quickly, pouncing on the opportunity to bring Gibbs into the conversation.

McGee stiffened and his gaze shifted nervously between his two co-workers.

Ziva smiled feebly. 'I have to go,' she finished apologetically.

Tony nodded. 'Ok.' He raised one arm, as if to give her a half hug, and then lowered it to shake her hand. Ziva held out the same hand to be shaken so instead she opted for an awkward pat on the shoulder.

'Bye,' she said flatly.

Tony hesitated before repeating her words straight back to her. The meaning that had flooded every exchange they had ever had was absent. The final goodbye was void of any worth.

Ziva and McGee managed to pass the planning stages of a farewell gesture and shook hands formally. 'Bye,' he muttered. She nodded sadly and turned to walk away.

She considered turning back and waving once more, getting one final look at the team, but decided that they had probably moved on to saying goodbye to each other so she kept walking, moving away from her family of nine years.

She passed Jimmy on her retreat and raised a hand in a pathetic offer of a wave. Jimmy smiled and waved back. She nodded and lowered her head again, staring at the gravel crunching beneath her feet.

Jimmy watched her go before turning back to the two remaining members of the team. He watched them shake hands and exchange a couple of empty sentiments before parting ways; McGee heading towards a coffee shop across the road, Tony heading down the gravel path to his car parked by the entrance.

Tony nodded curtly at Jimmy as he passed, following Ziva's footsteps. Jimmy returned the gesture, adding a smile. He respected Tony and did not condemn his choice, although Jimmy could not quite understand his motives.

Then, Tony had gone and Jimmy was left alone, shivering in the cold. He pushed his glasses back up his nose and rubbed his hands together, watching his breath swirl in front of his face.

Vance walked past, the only one so far not to acknowledge Jimmy. His attention was occupied by an obviously tense phone call. Jimmy wished that he had Abby's skill of lip reading so he could know what was making Vance so virile. Jimmy watched Vance disappear into the distance, the grating sound of gravel beneath shoes fading in a rapid diminuendo.

'Mr Palmer.'

Jimmy turned around, a smile already on his face. 'Dr Mallard,' he replied. 'I'm sorry for your...'

Ducky nodded, cutting Jimmy off. 'Where are you going now, Jimmy?' he asked.

Jimmy turned back around and shrugged. Ducky stepped up beside him and stared in the same direction as his assistant. They stood in comfortable silence, shoulder to shoulder, amiable friends giving each other dumb comfort.

'I should probably get back to Breena,' Jimmy answered at length.

'Ah,' Ducky said knowingly. 'And how is wedding coming on?'

Jimmy smiled animated for the first time that day. 'It's all coming together. We've booked a day and we're sending out the invitations tomorrow.'

'You will make a fine husband, Jimmy,' Ducky told him.

Jimmy nodded. 'Thank you, Dr Mallard.' He smiled at the older man and left, heading in the same direction as Ziva and Tony had done. But they weren't going to end up in the same place, Jimmy noted. In truth, they were all going in completely different directions. 'Never the twain shall meet,' he quoted, murmuring to himself.

Ducky sighed as the last of his colleagues hurried off into the cold. He pulled a pair of gloves out of his deep coat pockets and pulled them on; grateful for the warmth they brought his hands at least. He was the last one left now. They had all gone their separate ways, following the call of other parts of their life.

Ducky had seen many friends claimed by love, work, family and numerous other factors. It was only right, he guessed, that they should move on and follow their hearts to where they wanted to end up. It was just a shame that they had forgotten where they had come from and who they had come with. The future was not the only important thing to consider. He hoped that Gibbs's team would remember that.

He took a few steps forward, leaving the square block of stone which Jimmy had been leaning on. He scanned the horizon, seeking out someone else who had come. Gibbs had touched many people in his life but so few were still alive to honour his touch.

A great man like Gibbs deserved a greater send off than seven people standing silently and respectfully around a grave.

Ooh, Gibbs died. Any good? Review?