Just a random ficlet I wrote after watching Hiatus II. A little short, but I might have some new stuff up over the holidays. Jibbs. Sorta...

'Semper Fi!'

With one last look at his team, and at me, Leroy Jethro Gibbs steps into the elevator with Ducky and leaves us. The doors close and we are all still. No-one wants to break the silence.

In the end it is Abby. After everything, Gibbs in a coma, Gibbs not remembering us, it is just too much for the poor girl to bear. She lets out a sob, her knuckles pressed to her dark lips. McGee goes to her and folds her into his embrace, and then she is crying into his chest. The probationary agent has a blank look about him. As if he cannot believe that his boss is really gone. He's not the only one.

DiNozzo is still standing where Gibbs gave him his badge, seemingly rooted to the spot.

'My team.' He whispers. 'My team.' Ziva seems to be the only one unaffected by all this. Classic Ziva. She watches DiNozzo, amused.

'My team.' He whispers again. Then he turns his gaze to me.

'Director?' I blink at him. 'Is it really my team?'

'Yes.' I hear myself say. 'Your team.' Then my throat swells shut. 'Excuse me.' I manage to say before turning away from them and walking quickly back to my office. As I walk past Cynthia's desk, she stands and looks after me questioningly. 'Ma'am?' I don't answer her and she knows better than to follow me.

Once inside my semi-soundproof office, I allow myself to breakdown a little. Leaning against my desk, I cry for the first time in a long time, for a reason I don't understand.

Why am I crying? This shouldn't affect me so. Jethro can't stay away from the agency forever.

Or so I tell myself. Its what I want to believe. What I need to believe.

Suddenly I am angry. How could he do this? How could he just leave like that?

I pick up the glass he had been drinking from. It's empty now. Nothing inside. I hurl the glass at the wall. The wall are brick and it shatters onto the carpet. The silence presses on my eardrums.

I make myself move, make myself cross the room and pick up the shards of glass.

As I drop the shards into the wastebasket I notice I have cut the pad of my thumb. I squeeze it until a bubble of blood appears. It hurts, but not as much as everything else.

I take a tissue for my thumb and stroll to the window, surveying the navy yard below me.

I remember working here, as an agent. As Jethro's partner.

He loved working in the field. Catching dirt-bags, making a difference. He was always so passionate. In his work. With me.

I loved him. And I think he loved me. Of course, with Jethro Gibbs, It's always hard to tell.

For those months before everything fell apart…we were so happy. I would have married him then, had he asked me. But we would have divorced, because we both had dangerous tempers. We would have destroyed each other. I would have ended up like Diane, bitter and vengeful.

Maybe I did destroy him. When I left him I definitely destroyed a part of myself.

A part that I know I will never have back.

I stand there a while, the moonlight on my face. A noise startles me and I turn around.

It is Ducky, back from driving Jethro.

He looks at me with sad eyes, his fedora in his hands.

'Where will he go?' I ask.

A beat.

'Mexico.'

Mexico. He's going to Mexico. How original.

'Is he- will he come back?'

Ducky sits down heavily on my couch. He takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes. He looks old. Looks his age for once.

'I couldn't say, Jennifer.' He sighs 'He seemed so…decided.

I go to sit beside him on the couch.

'He'll come back.' Ducky hears the tremor in my voice and reaches for me. 'He'll come back.' I repeat into his shoulder. I squeeze my eyes shut to stop the tears but they fall unfettered.

After some time, I hear Ducky speak again, his voice soft.

'You love him. Don't you Jennifer?'

I smile through my tears, and surprisingly, I don't think twice before answering. 'Never stopped.'

Ducky strokes my hair. 'He loves you too.'

I sit up and look him in the eye. 'How…?'

Ducky smiles. 'I know him too, my dear, and I know you.' Ducky sighs again. 'Jethro is like that. He loves Shannon, God rest her soul, and the others, and you.'

I smile. 'That's Jethro in a nutshell. Always faithful.'

Ducky smiles too, his hand stroking my back. 'Yes he is a loyal old dog.'

We sit in comfortable silence for a while, my head rests on Ducky's shoulder and he absently strokes my back. Eventually, Ducky pulls away from me, stands up and stretches.

'I had better be getting home before Mother starts to wonder where I've got to.'

I stand and hug him goodbye, and he kisses my cheek. 'Thank you Ducky, for everything.'

He strokes my cheek and smiles. And then Ducky leaves and I am alone again.

I sit at my desk and pour myself another bourbon.

Jethro will come back. He said it himself.

I sip my bourbon. Semper Fi.

Please R&R!