A/N As with most of my stories this seemed to grow and grow once I got started. I hope you like.

Betrayal

Chapter 1

It was a warm Friday night the week after Memorial Day and the two men sitting in the car had their windows open trying to catch what little breeze there was. It was almost midnight and the man in the driver's seat was turning over the night watch to his fellow agent who had just slipped into the passenger seat about ten minutes before. They were exchanging small talk before the driver, Agent Melvin Oaks, took off for the night. They were parked across the street from the home of the Director of NCIS, Jenny Shepard. Melvin had been on the Director's security detail for almost two years and until about six months ago he enjoyed the assignment. Not so much anymore.

Just before he said good night to his replacement, Agent Bob Sparks, Melvin saw a taxi coming down the street towards them. When it stopped in front of the Director's house he knew his night had just gotten a lot more complicated.

"Uh-oh. Is that Agent Gibbs?"

"Yes. Damn. This is not good."

"Should we call her and let her know?"

"No! You sit right here and don't say a word. I'll handle it. Do. Not. Call. Her."

"Yes sir."

Special Agent Jethro Gibbs got out of the cab and looked over at them. Melvin made a decision in that instant that was destined to change their lives forever. He got out of the car and motioned for Gibbs to come to the car. Gibbs had already started that way to say hello and goodnight so he wasn't concerned that Melvin seemed to want to talk to him.

"Hey, Gibbs you're back early. Thought you were gone until Sunday."

"Yeah, we wrapped up a little early so I thought I'd surprise her. Everything okay?"

Melvin had known Jethro for almost ten years and he liked him; respected him as an agent and a friend. What he was about to do was probably the most difficult thing he'd ever done. He reached for Gibbs' arm and pulled him to the other side of the car.

"Hey, Melvin what's going on. The Director okay?"

"Gibbs there's something you need to know and I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this."

Jethro was now mightily confused. If something had happened he should have already been notified.

"What the hell are you not saying, Mel?"

Melvin took a deep breath and hoped he wasn't making a mistake.

"She's not in there alone, Jethro."

It took a moment for him to process what he'd heard. The quiet tone of Melvin's voice and his use of Gibbs' given name threw him for a loop. He studied the man's face and understood very clearly what he'd been told. Jethro felt like Melvin had punched him in the chest. He took a deep breath and looked up at the night sky.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"I mean you sure about why the person is there?"

Melvin hesitated a moment then took his phone out, found what he needed and showed Jethro a picture of his wife welcoming a man at the front door. The guy obviously wasn't selling anything and Jenny was obviously happy to see him. Jethro closed his eyes. He felt the rage building right along with the pain of knowing something he thought was going to last forever was suddenly over.

"How long?"

"Just about every time you're gone for the last six months."

"Who?"

"Some jackass lobbyist. Name's Waters."

Gibbs stood very still and waited for his mind to stop spinning. His first instinct was to go in the house and roust the two of them and deal with it. Then he took another breath and knew that wasn't what he wanted to do. What he really wanted was to turn back the clock to this morning when he decided to let DiNozzo handle the last details of their case so he could hop on a chopper from the Enterprise and get home two days early. But if anyone knew about not being able to turn back time it was Jethro.

Still not ready to accept what was plainly true he looked at Melvin and asked, "You're sure? I mean about what's goin' on."

"Well, he comes in the evening and doesn't leave until the next morning usually. I really can't believe she's so careless about it. It's not like she doesn't know we're out here. He parks down the block but I've run his tag. I know who he is if you want to know."

"Not especially."

"I'm sorry Jethro. I've wanted to tell you for a while but I just didn't know how."

"It's okay Melvin. Your job is to protect the Director not manage our marriage."

"What do you want to do?"

"Want? To go in there and beat the shit out of the guy but I don't think I'll do that. Can you give me a lift to my house?"

"Sure."

Agent Sparks saw them approaching the car so he got out and without even looking at Gibbs, he got in his own car and pretended he wasn't there. Melvin and Jethro got in Melvin's car and started for Jethro's house.

"Anything I can do?"

"No. I'd just as soon she not know I'm back. I'll deal with it later. Can you make sure Sparks doesn't say anything?"

"Of course."

Jethro stared out the window not quite believing what had happened. He'd been so happy just twenty minutes ago and now his whole world had imploded. He was having trouble thinking clearly and he was grateful that Melvin was the one who'd been there tonight. If it had been any other agent on the detail they would probably be processing a crime scene about now.

They pulled into Gibbs' driveway and Jethro sat in the car for a long minute without moving. Finally he gathered himself and opened his door. Before he got out he turned back to Melvin and thanked him.

"I'm glad you were there tonight. I doubt anyone else would have had the guts to tell me and if I'd walked in on them it wouldn't have been good. You did exactly the right thing Melvin. If you get any blowback from her let me know. Just remind her that your job is to protect her and that's exactly what you did tonight."

"Goodnight Gibbs. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too."

Jethro stood in his kitchen for a few minutes deciding exactly what he was going to do. He wasn't thinking or feeling; there would be time for those things later, now he was just reacting. If he thought or felt too much right now he wouldn't be able to move much less do anything. Tonight he was just going on gut instinct and that had very rarely failed him. He started a pot of coffee then got a tablet and pen out of drawer and sat down at the dining table. He wrote five short notes, one each to his team members, one to Abby and one to the Director of NCIS. That was how he thought of her, as the Director, his boss; not his wife. He also wrote a more formal, business note and put it in the envelop with her letter. He put each note in an envelope with the recipient's name on the outside.

Next Gibbs went upstairs to pack the few clothes he had there. Since he and Jenny had been married four years ago he'd pretty much moved into the Georgetown house and kept his only for its basement and its memories. Tonight he would gather up a few of those memories and leave the rest behind.

Since Jethro didn't spend much time at his house these days the clothes he had there were mostly jeans or shorts and tee shirts and sweatshirts and a few pairs of underwear. He threw those in a duffle bag along with a pair of boots and some clean socks he found in a drawer.

Next he went to the closet and pulled a small box off the shelf and added it to the duffle then headed to the basement. He took his sniper rifle from under the workbench, disassembled it and put it in its carrying case. Then he took another small box from the drawer and a hand spade form the shelf and headed upstairs with both of them and the rifle case. Using a flashlight, he found the spot he was looking for in the flower bed and carefully dug up Kelly's treasure box. He put it in a plastic bag and went back in the house.

He went back to the basement and got a sleeping bag and air mattress from the storage room. After thinking for a few minutes he decided to take some tools. He found a sturdy wooden crate and loaded most of his good tools in it along with some work gloves and an extra flashlight and batteries. He looked around and decided that was all he needed.

There wasn't really any food in the house so he didn't bother with a cooler, he simply poured the fresh coffee into a thermos, rinsed the pot and turned off the lights. Jethro made two trips outside stowing his gear in his truck. Then he stood in the house and took some deep breaths. Glancing into the living room he went to the mantle and retrieved a picture of Shannon and Kelly and a couple of books. He grabbed his pillow and a blanket from the couch and took a last look around.

Jethro closed his eyes and listened carefully. This was the place where he could still hear his child's voice most clearly. Tonight though he didn't hear her. He heard that little voice that lived in his head saying, 'it's time to go Gibbs". And that's what he did. He locked the door, got in his truck and drove away.

Even though it was almost two in the morning Jethro headed to Ducky's house. When he was almost there he pulled out his phone and called his oldest, most trusted friend.

"Hello, Dr. Mallard here."

"Duck, sorry to wake you. I need to see you."

"What's happened Jethro? Are you alright?"

"I'll be there in about ten minutes."

"Fine. I'll put on the coffee."

Jethro closed his phone and sighed. This next part would be painful for both of them and he hated hurting his friend this way.

Ducky was watching for him and had the door open before Jethro got out of the truck. He was relieved to see he wasn't physically injured but that worried Ducky almost more than a bullet wound would have.

Jethro followed Ducky to the kitchen without a word. Ducky didn't ask anything; he knew Gibbs would talk when he was ready and not before. It didn't take as long as he'd expected.

"I'm leaving tonight Duck. Don't know for how long but probably for a while. When I got home tonight I learned that Jenny has been having an affair with some guy for the last six months or so. Had him at the house anytime I was gone. He was there tonight."

"Oh dear. What did you do?"

"Nothin'. Melvin waylaid me outside and told me what's been goin' on."

At that point Jethro produced the letters and placed them on the table in front of Ducky.

"I'd like you to give these to my team on Monday. And this one to the Director. It's my resignation and a personal note. I'm sorry to involve you in this Duck but I don't want to see anyone right now."

"Jethro are you sure this is what you want? Maybe you should take some time and think this through. Talk to Jennifer and come to some sort of understanding."

"Not going to happen. She's been cheating on me and I can't abide that. That's the one thing we could never come back from and she knows it. Obviously I can't work for her now and she sure as hell won't resign. No choice here Duck."

Ducky looked at his friend and knew in his soul Jethro was right. He saw the pain and sadness on Gibbs' face and also the fury that was just below the surface.

"Where will you go?"

"Not sure. Got no plan. Just goin' drive until I figure stuff out. Maybe I should have seen this but I didn't, Duck. When Melvin told me there was someone in the house with Jenny I felt like he'd stabbed me in the heart."

Jethro covered his face with his hands and Ducky saw him cry for only the second time in all the years he'd know him. Only Jackson's death had reduced Jethro to tears as far as Ducky had ever known. He sat quietly and let Jethro gather himself.

"What can I do to help you Jethro?"

Wiping his eyes, Jethro pointed to the letters. "Just deliver those and make sure my team knows I had no choice in this. Not really. They'll figure it out eventually or hear it I'm sure. I don't want any of their careers to suffer and I've made that clear in the Director's letter. I'm leaving you my phone so tell Tim not to try and ping it to locate me. I'll be in touch with you. I'm sorry to lay all this on you my friend. I know you wanted us to work."

Jethro laid his phone on the table then took it back and removed the battery and SIM card. He closed his eyes and took some deep breathes to try and calm himself.

"I did Jethro and I'm shocked at her behavior. I'm very sorry. You know I love you Jethro and I want you to be happy. I hope this is the right move for you. What about your career? You love what you're doing."

"I do but I can't see it anymore. I'll be okay. I need to go Duck. I love you. You have been like a father to me and my best friend and I'll miss seeing you every day. I gotta go."

Jethro got up to leave because he knew if he didn't go soon he might not be able to at all. He hugged Ducky and held on for a long time.

"Don't be too hard on her Duck."

"Does she know you're home?"

"No. She's not expecting me until Sunday. Another reason I want to leave now; I want to be away from here when she realizes I'm not coming home. I just don't want to see her. Maybe that's the coward's way out but I just can't do it. I thought….well it doesn't matter now what I thought. It's over."

Gibbs moved toward the door and Ducky followed. Jethro gave him one last, quick hug and went to his truck. He didn't look back.

A stop at a gas station for fuel and some snacks and then Jethro was on his way. He was very glad he'd made the difficult decision last year to trade in his old truck for a new one. This one had an extended cab and a covered bed and was much more comfortable and reliable than his old friend. Jethro sipped on his coffee and ate a bag of donuts as he headed out of DC. Final destination to be determined.

TBC