Thanks again to my wonderful beta reader Kristen, and to everyone who left me a review or put my story on alert. Thanks to Talleigh for spotting my Spanish error in the first chapter; I knew I should have taken Spanish… Apologies for the slow updates; I'm in the middle of exam season, but they'll be over soon and I can update more often!

Chapter 3

Not for the first time, Gibbs debated whether to continue sitting at his desk or go home. In theory he could take time off after Jenny's death. In practice he didn't think it was a good idea for him to be left completely alone.

He had hoped against all hope that Jenny was still alive, but knew that he was wrong. His gut told him that she was dead. On the other hand, mysterious unannounced visits from Jenny's tw – doppelganger – usually meant that something was going on. He made a mental note to talk to Ducky at some point.

He glanced at his watch. 0700. His team – his old team – would have been arriving by now, laughing and joking. Instead he had three files in front of him, and three empty desks. Ziva would be heading towards the airport, as would Tony. And McGee was probably lurking around the cyber crime unit already.

He had read through the personnel files for the fifth time that morning when Vance appeared.

"Thought you'd like a few days to get used to your new people," the Director offered. "Your team will be attending a seminar on communication skills today. It starts at 9. Tomorrow is a teamwork seminar. After that, you can start working cases again."

Gibbs was tempted to punch something. He hated seminars. Something about being told what to do by a guy who had never been in the situation he was talking about. He couldn't exactly go home at this point, now that Leon knew he was in the building. But he hadn't been told not to bait him.

"I'll send my team along," he offered indifferently.

"You too, Gibbs," Vance warned. "By the way, I've been looking for a file. The system upstairs is a little confusing. You wouldn't happen to know of another place where personnel files are stored?"

Gibbs considered this. The sooner Leon hung himself the better, in his opinion. Not knowing exactly what was going on though, he wasn't sure what to do. His gut told him to tell the truth. "To the best of my knowledge, all personnel files are kept in the cabinets in Jen – in your office, as well as being on the computer system."

"I'm looking for Jenny's one. I need to alter her status. I managed to change the computerized version, but I need to do the one on paper as well."

"They're filed alphabetically. Try asking Cynthia. She might know if the file was moved."

"I asked," came the reply. "She was very unhelpful. I might need to start searching for a new assistant."

Gibbs was carefully to keep his face neutral. There was a chance he could get his team back, but he didn't think he could keep Cynthia in her job. "Perhaps it was misfiled?" he offered.

"Possibly." Vance headed towards the stairs. "Do not miss the seminars, Gibbs," he warned.

Gibbs added another mental note to his list. Although his gut told him it would be a bad idea to search for the missing file himself, he wondered what was so important about it that Leon was hunting for it.

Ziva David was sitting on a very uncomfortable chair at the airport when her flight was announced. She sighed. She desperately missed Jenny, and knew that when she reached Tel Aviv she would not be allowed to mourn. She didn't want to return to Mossad, not now. She had been enjoying her job, liked Tony and McGee, and even Gibbs for that matter. Going home would be… different. And she didn't want to go.

"Penny for your thoughts," came a very familiar voice next to her. She turned, angry that she had been thinking so deeply that she hadn't noticed someone approaching. Her anger rapidly turned to shock.

"What are you doing here?!"

Gibbs poured himself another bourbon. He was glad for the tranquility of his basement. Two days and two seminars had driven him crazy. He had turned his thoughts inwards during the talks, realizing how much he missed Jenny. What he would do for one more chance to see her. To hold her. To tell her how he felt.

Vance had been livid a few hours ago. Apparently Ziva had not boarded her flight, was not in Israel, and seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth. The Director had only turned to Gibbs when he discovered that the security tapes had been wiped clean after Ziva had entered the airport. Abby had initially bore the brunt of Vance's anger as she had been unable to retrieve anything from the tapes. He had only let up after the FBI had given him the same result. That in turn had led to Gibbs being questioned. No, he didn't know where she was. No, she hadn't said anything about not obeying her orders. Yes, he would call the minute she got in touch with him.

Gibbs had not mentioned his strong suspicions that a conversation in his basement a short time ago might have led to her disappearance. He knew that Ziva could take care of herself, and was prepared to bet that a brief phone call in a few days would pacify Mossad. A similar call to NCIS was not likely to occur any time soon.

Hearing a noise, he looked up to see Ducky coming down the stairs.

"Jethro," his friend greeted him. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine Duck." He didn't mention that he could do without the check-up.

"I have bought you some food. You don't seem to be eating properly."

"New Director tell you that?"

"Young Abigail mentioned that you haven't been looking well recently."

Gibbs groaned quietly. He knew that he wasn't looking after himself as well as normal, but what did people expect? Coffee was about the only thing he could keep down, coffee and bourbon. And as much as he was tempted to drink the lonely nights away, he needed his wits about him at the moment.

"Here," Ducky placed a paper bag on the side and proceeded to remove some takeout cartons from it. "From that Chinese place I know you frequent."

Gibbs took a carton, sniffed it gingerly and decided to give it a go.

"What do you think of your new team?" Ducky asked.

"Useless."

"They have to observe an autopsy later this week. I'd like to know a little more about them than 'useless'."

He considered his options. Ducky was clearly not going to go away any time soon. If he kept quiet, the stories would led to him thinking about Jenny again. If he talked, he might feel a bit better for a short while.

"What about the tall gentleman?" Ducky prompted. "Black hair, moustache, beard, glasses. Abigail adores him."

"Thomas Hughes." Maybe a conversation with Ducky would do him some good. "Been an Agent Afloat for the last four years. Never worked a proper crime scene. Seems to have a problem with authority."

"It doesn't seem like a good idea for a federal agent to have authority issues."

"Duck, I'm getting these guys as a punishment. It wouldn't work if they were wonderful."

Ducky turned his gaze from his food to his friend. "Why are you being punished?" he queried.

"Haven't got a clue. Hughes is sarcastic, pessimistic and dismal."

"He must have some good qualities. And your gut has something to say on everything."

"Jenny's… next of kin is involved somehow. Smart, intelligent, not going to buy any bull that some hick cop tries to pull on us."

"How do you know she's involved?"

"Showed up here after the funeral. Said she wanted Leon to hang himself."

"I hope she didn't mean literally."

The two men glanced at each other, momentarily perturbed.

"Two probies," Gibbs continued. "Charlotte Richards. Twenties. Tall, blonde, clearly here to flirt, not to do any work."

"You thought the same about DiNozzo when you first met him."

"He could investigate as well. This one is always giggling on her phone. The word 'bimbo' was made for her."

"Maybe she'll grow on you in time."

"Mark Koppi. Early thirties. Used to be an accountant. Very 'by the book'. Shorter than the others, floppy brown hair, pierced ears."

"What do you have against pierced ears?"

"Duck, women pierce their ears. Men don't."

"I debated having it done once."

Gibbs stared at him in shock.

"I was a young man then, at Edinburgh. One night after an exceptional amount of alcohol was consumed, Rosemunda –"

"I really don't want to know."

Ducky smiled. "Enjoyed your food?"

Gibbs was surprised to discover that he had managed to eat something. "I miss her," he admitted.

Ducky stood up. "She went down fighting Jethro." He paused. "Regrettably I have to go home to mother now. If you like, I could come back tomorrow, after you have the chance to, erm, 'test-drive' your team in the field."

Gibbs allowed a rare smile to show. "Thanks."