Author's Note: This is my second fic, my first being Requiem. Spoilers for NCIS:LA Ep. 1:21 "Found." Major pairing here is Gibbs/Callen, other pairings may include Tim/Abby, Tim/Eric, Abby/Eric, to be determined as the story develops. Not slash, not romantic, but friends and fellow agents helping each other deal with a tragic loss.
It was late Wednesday afternoon at the navy yard in Washington, DC, where Special Agent Gibbs and his team were wrapping up the paperwork on their latest case. It had been fairly simple, as cases went, and considering they were not on rotation for the coming weekend, all of them were both hoping the rest of the week would be quiet and looking forward to the weekend. In the midst of their banter as they filled out various forms, Gibbs phone rang.
"Yeah, Gibbs."
"Hey, Gunny." Gibbs knew the voice on the other end of the line, but the tone told him something wasn't right.
"Callen. What's going on?" he said, concern creeping into his voice.
"I really don't know how to say this..." Callen's voice trailed off, adding to Gibbs concern for his friend.
"Just say it. Can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on."
"We, uh... we found Dom." Callen managed to get the words out, but Gibbs waited to reply, knowing his friend well enough to know there was more coming. "He was being held at an old theatre here in LA. We got him out... well, almost. There... was a shootout. He died in the crossfire," his voice breaking as he forced the last words out.
"Callen, I'm sorry." It was a rare moment, in which Leroy Jethro Gibbs found himself at a loss for words.
"I just... I..." Callen searched for words, finding none.
"Sounds like you could use a friend. Is the service set?"
"No, not yet," Callen replied softly, trying desperately to keep himself together. "Probably in the next couple of days."
"I'll be there as soon as I can," Gibbs said simply. He decided not to mention that McGee and Abby would probably be joining him, knowing they would both want to join him in paying their respects to the fallen agent, and knowing full well the relationships they'd built with their LA counterparts.
"Thanks, Jethro."
Gibbs clipped his phone shut, and started towards the stairs to speak with Director Vance. He was sure the director already knew, and while he had no intention of taking no for an answer, he knew he would need his approval to take time off to go to LA alone, much less with Tim and Abby in tow. His team looked on as he mounted the stairs, but said nothing. They knew something had happened, but also knew, from years of experience, it would be far better to wait until Gibbs was ready to tell them, rather than to pry.
"I take it you've heard," Vance said as Gibbs walked into his office, with much less edge in his voice than the field agent was accustomed to.
"Just got off the phone with Callen," he replied.
"Can I further assume that you'll be joining me in LA for Agent Vail's Service?" Vance replied, the look in his eyes matching the tone of his voice.
"That you can, Leon. Callen's practically family."
"I figured as much. Cynthia's working on the flight arrangements," he added. "This never gets any easier," he sighed. "Anyone else on your team know yet?"
"No, but I'm about to go tell McGee and Abby. Figure both of them will want to be there too."
"I'll see to it." Gibbs nodded his understanding, and turned to leave. Just be for reaching the door, he turned back to Vance.
"Leon?" Vance looked up, a questioning look on his face. "I appreciate this."
"It's the least I can do, Jethro," he replied.
"McGee, with me," Gibbs called out as he reached the bottom of the stairs, immediately heading for the elevator, with a somewhat confused Tim McGee on his six. Tim considered asking his boss what was going on, but nearly six years working with the man told him that when he was ready, he'd tell him what was going on. He also thought better of asking where they were headed at the moment, instead looking over to the elevator panel, noticing he had selected the floor where Abby's lab was located, leaving them to ride down in a rather uncomfortable silence.
The doors opened, and without waiting for a cue, he followed his boss into Abby's lab.
"Gibbs!" she said as he walked in. "This is unusual. I mean, unusual for you, considering the case is wrapped up and I don't have anything for you, and usually the only time you come down here is when I'm working on evidence for you, in which case I'd have something for you, well, usually, because sometimes you come down before I've had a chance to find anything to give you-"
"Abs," he said quietly, putting a finger to the bubbly goth's lips to silence her.
"Sorry, Gibbs. Hi, Timmy," she said, noticing at last that Gibbs hadn't come alone, and now wondering why he'd brought McGee along.
Gibbs turned and closed the door, which piqued the curiosity of both of them, before beginning to speak. "Abby, you probably want to sit down before I tell you this." She sat, obediently, and Tim moved next to her, his gut telling him she was going to want him nearby. Gibbs let out a sigh before speaking again.
"I got a call from Agent Callen in L.A. a few minutes ago. They found Agent Vail, but there was a shootout during the rescue. He was caught in the crossfire. He didn't make it." A gasp escaped Abby's lips, tears forming in her eyes as Tim put an arm around her, as much to comfort her as to steady himself. Gibbs put an arm on her shoulder before continuing. "I'm sorry, Abby."
"When is the service?" Abby asked, holding back tears.
"Hasn't been set yet, probably in the next couple of days." He could see the emotion just below the surface, knowing full well Abby cared deeply about her friends, and had already anticipated her next question.
"Can I go with you?" she asked, looking at Gibbs hopefully, as her tears streaked makeup down her face.
"I've already talked to Director Vance. Both of you will be coming along, if you like," he said, looking at McGee, who thus far hadn't said a word.
"Thanks, Boss. That was going to be my next question," Tim replied, silently grateful that Gibbs had learned a lot about him in the six years they'd spent working together.
Gibbs let out another sigh before continuing. "Go home, get packed, meet me back here tomorrow. I'll call you as soon as the flight is set." He gave Abby another hug before turning to head back upstairs.
"Boss?" Tim said quietly, causing Gibbs to turn back around to face him. "Uh, if it's ok... I'd like to stay down here with Abby for a bit."
"Take as much time as you need, Tim," Gibbs replied, before continuing to the elevator. He still had to inform the rest of his team. As the elevator doors slid closed, his mind went back to the loss of Kate Todd. Kate. A fine agent, a good friend, who'd given her life to save a teammate. As the elevator made its ascent to the bullpen, Gibbs remembered what they had all gone through after her death, and found himself growing anxious to get to Los Angeles. If he knew Callen as well as he thought he did, he knew the younger man was going to need someone to help him through this.