Leroy Jethro Gibbs drifted aimlessly, his thoughts a jumble. The fact that it had happened was hard enough to swallow; the fact that it had happened when his attention had been engaged elsewhere just compounded things. He'd been in MTAC for a few hours – overseeing a complex op in lieu of the Director. He'd left the team to file paperwork on a case that they'd supposedly wrapped up that morning Only they'd picked up the wrong perp. The fall guy. The stooge. Leaving the real perp on the streets to go after Ducky.

He'd been attacked as he'd stepped into his Morgan. On NCIS property no less. And it was only the quick actions of an agent who happened to be going to his car at the same time that had saved Ducky's life. And ended the perp's.

It had been a long struggle, but Ducky had made it. Three long days and nights at the hospital had taken its toll on Gibbs, and he hadn't left his old friend's side until the old friend himself was awake long enough to tell him to go home and get some rest because he was disturbing his. So Gibbs had gone. But not home.

Only now that the medical examiner was in the clear did he allow himself to feel the real fear of what might have been if Ducky had been lost as well.

And it paralysed him.

Bright lights drew his gaze upwards, and he almost chuckled.

Rock Bottom.

It seemed to be the perfect expression of how he was feeling, and without much thought beyond the fact that he felt he might fancy a strong drink, he opened the door and went inside. Satisfied that there was nobody he knew, he settled himself at the bar and ordered a drink.

One. And then two. And then three. And four. Five.

He thought of Ducky. Of their friendship. He thought of McGee, of Ziva. Even of Tony. He tried not to let his thoughts dwell on his past – but invariably they settled where he knew they would. On the emptiness.

He ordered his sixth drink and sent it down the hatch smoothly. So smoothly that he couldn't feel the burn anymore.

"Don't you think you've had enough?"

He lifted his head from his glass and stared at the bartender, fully intending to state his case and tell the barman exactly what he thought about him thinking anything, let alone whether he' had enough to drink. Because he hadn't, and he sure as hell had no intention of stopping.

The barman, however, wasn't looking at him. Gibbs' eyes focused slowly on the mirror behind the bar and the flash of red hair that shook as the owner vehemently shook her head.

"No .. I haven't. I've barely begun."

The voice was strong and definite, and Gibbs turned to look at its owner. She, in turn, looked sideways at him, rolling her eyes dramatically when the barman stalked off mumbling curses about drunk women under his breath.

"How rude" she slurred.

Gibbs stared into his glass and saw the bottom drawing closer. A situation that needed to be remedied. He signalled to the bartender who sighed and filled up his glass again.

It didn't slip past Gibbs that it wasn't a full measure.

"You know what else is rude?" asked his neighbour.

He looked at her questioningly, admiring how her red hair curled over her shoulders

"Coming home after a week away to find your husband in an empty ICU hospital bed with the head nurse. That's rude" she stated, throwing back the last of her drink and slamming her glass down. "Give me another drink" she said to the bartender.

When he stared at her she opened her bag and placed her car keys on the table.

"I promise I won't drive. Now give me another drink."

The barman faltered for a second and then refilled her glass.

"This is the last one, lady" he said. "Make it last."

"Ever been married?" she asked him as he filled up her glass. "I don't recommend it."

"Me neither" Gibbs added.

"You too, huh? I walked into Bethesda this evening. Dressed to the nines" she said, indicating her attire. "Thinking I would surprise my husband with dinner. Well ... it seems he'd already skipped to dessert."

"I can do you one better" Gibbs said. "I came home from a six month float in the Med and and found one of my ex wives in bed with another man."

"One of your ex wives?" she asked - looking at him with her green eyes slightly out of focus. "How many have you had?"

Gibbs shrugged.

"A few."

"Define a few."

"Three" he answered, staring back into his glass.

"Three? You're braver than I am." She replied in awe, turning in her seat, angling herself towards him. "I was married to the same man for fifteen years."

She shook her head as if to berate herself, and then turned back to Gibbs.

"Did you ever betray one of your many significant others?" she asked, turning slightly more towards him and crossing one long leg over the other.

He arched an eyebrow and ignored the comment about his many wives.

"No. Have you?"

"Have you ever wanted to?" she asked, ignoring his question and leaning her face on her hand.

Gibbs felt a sudden unbidden urge to touch her. So instead he asked the bartender for a double.

"Have you?" he countered as he waited.

She leant forward slightly.

"Not until now" she said, completely mesmerised by his blue eyes. "You have pretty eyes."

Gibbs looked down almost self-consciously.

"I bet women tell you that all the time" she said, taking a long swallow from her drink and scrunching up her face. "You watered it down" she spat at the bartender in disgust.

Gibbs looked at her for a moment. Then he reached for her glass and dumped half of his bourbon into her glass.

"That was sweet" she said. "Not necessarily sanitary ..."

She trailed off, captured by the blue again.

"I sleep naked" she said suddenly, her words a little slurred.

Gibbs let out a small laugh.

"Is there an invitation in there somewhere?"

"Do you want there to be?"

She smiled lazily and before he could help himself he reached forward and tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear.

She regarded him suspiciously for a moment.

"You don't have some weird hair fetish do you?" she asked as she tried to ignore the feeling his fingers had left on her skin.

"I've always liked red hair on women" was all he said.

"Known many redheads?" she asked.

"A few" he said with a small smile.

When he went back to his drink and didn't say anything further she got to her feet. "I have to go to bed. I'd like to say it's been a pleasure .. but you haven't really ..."

She trailed off as she thought better of what she had been about to say. When he persisted in remaining silent she fumbled in her purse, pulled out a large handful of notes and threw them on the bar.

"For both our tabs" she said to the barman. "And nothing for you – because you're just mean! I'll see you around" she said to Gibbs, stumbling slightly as she turned and walked out.

Gibbs remained on the bar stool arguing with himself about whether he should follow her. Just to make sure she got back to wherever she was heading. Of course. He downed the rest of his drink and stood up, signalling to the bartender that he was leaving. He didn't miss the look of relief that passed across the young man's face. He made it outside in time to see her rounding the corner. His mind made up, he followed. If she was going to walk alone at midnight, then the gentleman in him was going to make sure she got home in one piece. It seemed the only decent thing to do.

She wandered slowly and unsteadily along the pavement, ignoring looks from numerous men that she passed. Gibbs hung back, not wanting to alert her to his presence. She stopped fifteen minutes later. Outside a smart hotel that Gibbs would never have aspired to had he been in the market for a room.

The redhead paused on the steps.

"So .. " she said, turning around and a flashing a brilliant smile at him. "Since you've been staring at my ass for the last fifteen minutes .. wanna come up and stare at it for real?"

He stared at her. Amused that she had known he was there the whole time, and a little shocked to discover that he was tempted by her invitation.

"I can sweeten the deal" she said alluringly "There's bourbon in the bar. In my room" she qualified.

Gibbs contemplated the situation. It was late, he had had rather a lot to drink, what she was offering he wanted. But taking advantage of a woman who had just found that her husband was cheating on her was not the sort of thing he did.

"You have until the elevator door closes to make up your mind" she said as she tossed him a look over her shoulder and walked into the hotel.