A/N: I really do love Mary. Honest. I don't want her to seem like a mega bitch, but I wanted Abby to have some little bit in this chapter. And, as much as I love Mary, I love Abby more. Because, seriously? Who could possibly be cooler than a happy goth who bowls with nuns and practically mainlines caffeine? Exactly.

Jenny rounded everyone into Ducky's lab.

Abby was concerned. No one had been down to see her for quite some time, when Jenny sent Palmer down to tell her she needed to go see Ducky. She sat atop one of the tables in autopsy, literally twiddling her thumbs, shifting her eyes back and forth between Tony and McGee, while Jenny talked quietly with Ducky. Ziva, Mary and Marshall were discussing what could possibly be done about Gibbs.

"Alright, everyone," Ducky began. "Please, be quiet for a few moments while the director and I attempt to make some sense of everything that is happening. As you all know, except perhaps you Abigail, Gibbs has decided to not press charges against our murderer."

"One of those dumb-ass decisions that make me hate interagency co-operation." Mary muttered under her breath.

"Hey!" Abby shrieked protective of her Caf-Pow provider. "Don't you dare talk about Gibbs like that! You don't even know him! I bet he had a gosh darn good reason to do what he did. And I'd teach you a lesson if the nuns weren't counting on me to bowl a 200 tomorrow."

"Abby," Jenny said, gently. "Please don't attack US Marshalls. I know you hate paperwork; you don't want to bring that upon yourself."

"Ducky. Could you please continue with whatever explanation you may have?" Ziva prodded.

"Very well, as some of you know, our dear Jethro has an assorted past with women. He has been divorced three times, but married four times." Ducky obliged.

"Before he joined NCIS, we all know Gibbs was a Marine sniper. He was married to a woman named Shannon, and they had a daughter, Kelly." Jenny continued.

"Gibbs had a kid?" Tony said quietly.

"Yes, Anthony, he did. And while he was serving in Operation Desert Storm, Shannon witnessed the murder of a marine on their base. She was set to testify, and was placed in protective custody. Unfortunately, she, and their then eight year old daughter were killed when a sniper took out the driver of their car." Ducky finished sadly.

"NIS Agent Mike Franks was in charge of the investigation and identified the sniper as a Mexican drug dealer. He was never found and it was suspected that he fled to Mexico." Jenny added.

"Well, you stopped looking for him, right?" Tony asked. "'Cause that's not something the boss would just leave undone. I mean, Franks and him have this weird give and take thing going on so I'd bet my life that he knows who killed his wife and daughter. And I'd bet McGee's life that the sucker is deader than a doorknob, and probably has been for close to a decade."

"Hey!" McGee was mildly offended.

"Don't take any offense McPokerchip. It's either you or Ziva over here, but you went to MIT and she was raised to be an assassin. Kinda a no brainer."

"How can you joke at a time like this, Tony?" Ziva asked.

"Everything makes so much sense now." Mary was shocked. "Why he always asked about their relationship, why he wanted to know where Booth was and went there by himself. Marshall -"

"I know, Mare," Marshall said. "I don't want to push it either. So we're not going to."

"I propose a pact," Ziva interjected. "No one outside of this room will ever know that Booth killed Luring, or that Gibbs most likely killed his family's murderer. Upon pain of death, swear it."

Everyone agreed. Abby, however, blubbered her concurrence. "Why are none of you losers crying?" she sputtered. "That was freakin' beautiful."

"After Franks let it slip who the bastard was, I found him. He was hiding out in Columbia. Bullet through the head." Gibbs shook his head. "That was nearly ten years ago now, and I still think about them every day. I just couldn't put you in jail for the same thing I did so many years ago."

Booth was amazed at the similarities between himself and Gibbs. It was astounding. As Gibbs was getting up to leave, he asked him one final question. "Do you ever learn to love again?"

Gibbs smiled, as his mind immediately brought Jenny to its forefront. "You learn how to love, Booth. But, you never get back the part of your heart that's buried with that woman there."

"I'd do anything for you. I'd die for you; I'd kill for you…"

-Seeley Booth, to Temperance Brennan
'Bones', Season 5 Episode 6 "The Tough Man in the Tender Chicken"

A/N: And another one is done! (And ended with the quote that pretty much inspired this whole thing...) Thanks to everyone who has been reading this, especially Nurse M whose almost religious reviews I can't reply to! It's so great to have someone who reviews all the time!

I hope that you all liked this, please tell me what you think. Again thanks for reading, and please review! Have a glorious New Year!