The Aftermath
Life sucks.
At least that was the conclusion that Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo had come to. Now just as things were starting to go his way again, Tony's world was thrown back into disarray. His boss, his mentor, the man he thought of like a father (because God knows, Gibbs was the only real father Tony ever had) has quite. He is walking out the door with his arm swung over Ducky's shoulder in defeat. Tony is crestfallen. He knows the director wants Gibbs' Sig and Badge, but he can't give it to her. Instead he locks them in his desk drawer until Gibbs comes back. Tony knows he has to, knows that Tony can't lead the team without him.
Tony is finally getting the hang of being a team leader at least that's what Tim thinks. So is McGee now that he is no longer Probie. Tim knows that Tony is a great team leader (no, not as good as Gibbs, but no one ever will be), but he can't let DiNozzo know how he feels. So instead he picks and makes fun of Tony's style until he can see the look of hurt in the mans eyes. He knows he shouldn't, but every has to handle their pain in their own way.
Abby can't believe that Gibbs is gone. Every day she pulls his picture up on her computer and has a conversation with it. She loves Tony, thinks he is doing a great job, but come on, he's just not Gibbs. Tony knows what Abby is feeling and secretly he agrees with her. He tries to fill the void left in Abby's heart, but with is own still broken its hart. She misses Gibbs so much that at least twice a day she thinks of going to Mexico and making him come home with her. No, she isn't in love with him, her crush died years ago, but she misses the man that loved her like a daughter.
Ziva is resentful. She knows that Gibbs wouldn't have left her in charge, but did he have to leave Tony? She wishes she could change the way she feels about the other agent, but he can't. She knows that her father wouldn't approve, but you can't tell your soul who to love and who not to. She knows that Tony doesn't feel the same way. If he did he wouldn't have told her about being uncover, right? She sometimes thinks of going back to Israel, but there is nothing there for her. Here, she feels she has a family.
Ducky is tired. He has never felt this way before. His friend, his best friend, is gone. He is probably this minute lying on the beach drinking beer and fishing. Ducky is angry. He can't believe that Gibbs could just quit like that. He doesn't understand how someone so strong, can suddenly become so weak. He wishes that Gibbs had died in the bomb, and then instantly feels guilty for thinking that way. Inside he feels there is an internal war waging and he is not sure which side is winning.
Michelle Lee and Jimmy Palmer feel like the are caught in a storm. They know they aren't really a part of the teams pain, and yet the hurt ozzing from the rest of the team brings them down too. Jimmy can't stand to see his mentor, Ducky so sad and angry. He wishes there was something he could do to make it better. He knows that once the shock has worn off things will go back to the way they were, well almost. Agent Lee feels like she is trapped in a nightmare. She can't believe the Director would put her with what was surely the worst team in the entire agency. They don't know a thing about proper crime scene procedures. Then it hits her. That is actually why the director put her there. Now, she just has to make them listen.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs is indeed lying on the beach with a fishing pole in one hand and a Corona in the other when the girl from the cantina comes up. She hands him a satellite phone and a letter and then walks away. As soon as he reads it, he smiles and walks back to the house. Soon he comes back out with just the little bag of stuff he brought to Mexico with him. He is going home, his family needs him.