It had been twenty years since the senior agent has stepped foot in NCIS HQ. He remembered his last case like it was yesterday. The extreme father who went to great lengths to avenge his son's death, Harper Dearing. He could still feel the heat of the explosion on his face and vowed from that day on if he couldn't prevent his team from being safe he couldn't do his job anymore.
Now it was time to come back and see what had become of his life after the Marines.
"My last report." He shot into Vances office like usual. No knock, no pre-warning phone call, nothing. Pure Gibbs style.
"Last report?" Vance questioned, he picked up the file but was soon distracted by the piece of paper shoved on top of it. "Resignation?" Leon was shocked to say the least. Gibbs would've been the last on his list of Agents that he thought would resign from the attack Dearing put on the agency.
"Shocked?" Gibbs smirked. Sitting down on the chair by the conference table.
Vance smirked. The letter gave him notice of two days. "Not much notice." He stood up; walked over to the glass cabinet and poured two glasses of bourbon.
"Celebrating already, Leon?" He laughed and accepted the shot of bourbon.
"It's 5 oclock somewhere right?" Leon sipped the shot and leaned against his desk.
"Sound like something Mike Franks would say." Gibbs smirked on his memory.
"So this is all to do with Harper Dearing?" Vance placed the glass down and picked up the resignation letter again.
"Thought it was about time." He poured the last of the bourbon down his throat and welcomed the burn. He placed the glass on the table was a bang and stood up.
Vance put out his hand and Gibbs gladly accepted the shake. "It's been interesting but you are one of the best Agents the Agency has ever had."
"Hell Leon, never thought you were one for goodbyes." Both men laughed and Gibbs went to exit.
"Any chance I could change your mind?" Vance looked over to the doorway.
"Not this time." He nodded and slammed the door behind him.
The Director laughed. "Now I won't need to worry about people storming into my office."
"Wouldn't get your hopes up." Vance heard Gibbs from behind the door.
The ding of the elevator doors opening brought him back to the present. He stepped foot into what use to be his second home. The Squad room which was formally stained with orange walls was now a bluey green colour. He smirked and then noticed the trademark sun lights that were still there but his eyes couldn't go past the walls the blocked his view of his former desk area. He stepped closer and peered over the breakers.
He couldn't believe what he saw.
"Hey Boss." Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo had his feet up resting on his desk and hands behind his head looking directly at Gibbs
"Gibbs." Gibbs head snapped to the left. Ziva David or also known as Special Agent Ziva David was sitting in her chair leaning on her elbows on her desk.
Gibbs jerked his head up to where he thought McGee would be sitting but it was to his surprise again that McGee wasn't there.
"Behind you." He heard the oh too familiar sound of his favourite scientist and immediately swung around. To find Abby Scuito standing before him in her usual attire and Jimmy Palmer behind her with his trademark round glasses.
"I think we better start explaining or he might have a heart attack." McGee popped up from under his desk. It wasn't that he was hiding, it was that many times in the 11 years working with Gibbs he was found to be under his desk fixing his computer, so that's where he was until he heard everyone talking.
Everyone smirked but the joke was only there for a split second and the smiled were gone. The one person who wasn't here was the one person who wasn't at NCIS HQ when the bomb went off but was the one person to suffer the last blow he could take. Doctor Donald Mallard.
"Your desk is waiting." Ziva prompted and all the three Agents stood and watched as their now old boss walked through and sat at his old chair. Well not the exact old chair was it looked exactly the same.
You couldn't wipe the small smile of his face. He looked up to find all five sets of eyes on him and he did his famous Gibbs stare at all five of them.
"I think he still thinks this is a dream." DiNozzo stated from behind Ziva in the middle of the bull pen.
"If it was you wouldn't have grey hair, DiNozzo." Gibbs smirked at the former Agent's reaction.
Tony's face fell as he run a hand through his now salt and pepper hair. "Come from all the years working under you." He shot back trying to reclaim so self-esteem.
Gibbs looked at Tim who knew the command and slapped Tony upside the head.
"Ow." He whined and patted the thin spot of hair on the back of his head. "Haven't had one of those in 20 years. Would've preferred it coming from the boss though." He glared at Tim and slapped his friend upside the head as well.
"So you do know what today was." To other people that would've been taken as a question but to the five people in front of him it was a statement.
"Of course." Ziva answered.
"No one will ever forgot this day. The day Ducky was laid to rest and you left for the very last time. How could we forget?" Abby added solemnly.
"Wasn't expecting you all to be here. I thought we usually –"
"Met at the grave. Yes but I suppose everyone had the same idea without anyone informing anyone else." Tim cut in.
It was true. Every year for the past twenty years they all met up at Ducky's grave around 0900 but this year, this year it was different. Somehow twenty years just meant something more.
One by one each member of the former Gibbs team walked into NCIS. The security guards were getting suspicious downstairs but knew better than to question the agents that hadn't seen for a long time, some twenty years some only 2 years.
Of course Ziva was first along with Tony because everyone knew they would get together somewhere along the line. Next was McGee who surprisingly did not walk in with Abby but left her on the second floor to walk through her old lab. Then came Palmer who still actually worked for NCIS but over in Florida, where Breena and him moved to only five years ago. They were sure that was going to be the last of the team but when they had almost given up wishing the elevator doors dinged and their faithful leader stepped foot into memory lane.
"Where's Kate, Jenny and Tali?" His lips curled up into a faint smile remembering the people behind those names chosen for the next generation of team Gibbs.
"Jen and Tali are with their grandfather for the day but will be with us tonight for dinner at our place." Ziva smiled. "Tony's father." She clarified.
Gibbs smirked. It was good to know someone's father had come around.
"Kate is with my brother enjoying the day playing with Rex our new German Sheppard." Abby grinned. "And both Rex and Kate will be coming over tonight." Abby looked over to Ziva for conformation.
"Of course. Spot is going mad by himself." The Israeli sighed. Their now 3 year old Golden Retriever was still as playful as a puppy only ten times as big and with a nine and seven year old chasing him around the house it just made the whole situation worse. Not to mention that Tony didn't help one bit, if anything he encouraged the girls with humorous commentary.
Jethro was still taking everything in. Everyone had slowly divided back to their desks. Abby sitting on Tim's and Jimmy leaning against Tony's. Everyone was just happy sitting in silence for a while until Ziva suddenly burst up and ran to the bathroom. All eyes were on Tony because he didn't move a muscle.
"Oh right we are having another baby." He grinning from ear to ear. "But I will let Ziva tell you once she gets back." He smirked knowing he would definitely get a punch or an elbow to the gut for giving all the big news away.
Not long after Ziva returned with a half smile across her face. "I guess its obvious but I'm pregnant. Again." She glared at Tony which caused everyone to chuckle.
"Ever thought about chopping it off." Abby blurted out and got a sharp yelp from Tony in reply.
"That would not only be a bad operation for him but a terrible outcome for me." Everyone smirked. Twenty years ago speaking about a relationship between two agents on Gibbs' team was blasphemy but today this conversation was just plain normal.
They spent over an hour just sitting in the office watching old Agents walk by and loving the shock horror on their faces thinking the team was back and some newbies just plain confused by the different people sitting in those desks.
Towards 0900 an all too familiar face walked out of MTAC across the catwalk upstairs heading for his office but stopped when he saw the agents that filled team Fields chairs. He smiled as his eyes met the one man he was the most surprised to see back in his old spot.
He couldn't pass this opportunity up even though there was a stack of folder with reports in them that needed to be read and signed. Plus the fact that if he didn't get them all done by tonight there would be another reason on SecNav's list to fire him and for a new wannabe to step up. Sure he had to be one of the longest Directors in NCIS history that had stayed at the top in the big chair but no one had come along yet that could keep this Agency running smoothly for this long.
"Anyone ever told you not to touch or dirty other people's property DiNozzo." Vance walked in past Tony who was now sitting up straight with both his feet on the ground.
"Wow." Tony's brows furrowed and tapped his head a few times.
"What?" McGee looked at his friend slightly concerned.
"What is it like to have multiple Déjà vus come flashing back through your mind at once?" Tim just rolled his eyes and looked back over to where Vance was now standing in front of Gibbs desk.
"You finally changed your mind?" Vance smiled.
Gibbs chuckled. "No, not here to get my job back." He laughed some more. That was one of the last things he wanted. "Agency is fine without me."
Vance smiled. The Agency sure was but some of the new Agents could use a few tips from the man sitting in front of him now.
"Came back to remember." He nodded and looked around at his team.
Leon nodded and stood back to take in the site before him. All of the best Agents and workers he had ever had were now all together again. Well bar one but this was what the gathering was all about. To come back and remember.
"What have you done with the new team that these places now belong to?" He was curious. Fields team was meant to be on call today. After all it was a Tuesday.
Abby smiled. "They got the call." Everyone chuckled and popped their heads over when the sound of the elevator door opened.
"Speaking of which. We have over stayed our welcome." McGee got up and everyone else followed.
"You are always welcome in this office." Senior Agent George Field, Betty James and Kyle Whiteland stepped into the bullpen. Each of them knew exactly who all these people were but not all of team Gibbs knew them. After all team Gibbs was the famous one not them.
"Fields." McGee and him shook hands as they passed eachother.
Gibbs stood from his seat and met Fields at the corner of their desk. "Your chair height needs fixing." Gibbs smirked and stepped aside for Fields to move in. If Gibbs didn't have the reputation he did Fields would've just thought he was a old man with bad humour but even though he was about half a foot taller than Gibbs he still felt intimidated by the old man.
"Suits me fine." He smiled and offered a hand to Jethro. "Nice to finally meet the man who made this Agency one to be remembered."
Every one of team Gibbs chuckled at that. "Just doing my job." Was the older man's simple reply and accepted the man's handshake.
"Did it well." As the former team filed out the new team stood and watched.
"We will never forget." Came a female voice.
Just as the elevator doors opened they all turned around to see the entire floor staring at them. Vance was half way up the stairs when he heard the comment and stopped. After all there was no need for him to say goodbye to the group. He would be seeing them in about eight hours for drinks at the bar.
"Sempri Fi" They said in unison. It may have been corny but that's all they needed to say and that's what everyone expected. Nothing more nothing less. They were still the best team this Agency had to offer, Fields team was up there but they still have a few years off being respected as much at Gibbs team was.
Jethro was the last to enter the elevator and just did his trade mark smirk at everyone and stepped into the elevator just at the doors closed behind him.