Two Days Later

Bishop hugged her parents goodbye at Tulsa International Airport on Monday afternoon. She missed them already, but she wanted to go back to DC, back to her friends at work. She had no idea that Quinn had been sent to look for her, or that Gibbs had fired her. She hadn't spoken about anything to do with work since she had left DC the week before.

"Have a safe flight, honey," said Barbara. "Don't forget to at least send us a message when you land."

"Don't worry mum. I'll be home by five and I'll call as soon as I get off the plane," said Bishop. "I love you guys."

"We love you too Ellie," said Andrew. "Don't be a stranger. Come and visit us soon."

"Of course, dad." Bishop hugged them again, then stepped away, heading for the gate her flight was leaving from. Gibbs was waiting for her, having booked a seat on the same flight.

"How are your parents?" Gibbs asked once they were seated next to each other on the plane. "I'll bet they didn't want you to leave."

"No, they don't," said Bishop. "But they understand that I'm an adult and that I don't live in Claremore anymore. They understand that I have a job in DC and that the team is my second family. As long as I keep in touch and visit lots, they're okay."

"They care about you."

"Yeah, they do." Bishop smiled. "Gibbs, I never did thank you for finding me. Thank you so very much."

"I never leave a man, or woman for that matter, behind. Are you feeling any better about that?"

"Yes. I saw a doctor this morning, and my head is fine. He said to take it easy for another couple of days, but I'm okay to go back to work when I'm ready. Which I am," she added, seeing Gibbs' look.

"Well, you can come back tomorrow. I guarantee that the team will be glad to see you. Especially Torres. He's been very worried about you."

"Really?"

"Yes. He calls you his new best friend."

Bishop laughed. "Of course he does. I missed him the most actually. I don't know what it is about him, but he has that personality that makes everyone want to spend time with him."

Four hours later, the plane touched down in DC. Bishop and Gibbs were off the plane and out of the airport in no time, having only a small carry on bag each. Bishop took her phone out and turned it on, ready to call her parents and let them know she was home.

"Call from the car," said Gibbs. "McGee is picking us up now."

Bishop looked up and found her teammate standing next to a car, a giant smile lighting up his face.

"Welcome home," he said to Bishop as he engulfed her in a hug.

"I've only been gone a few days."

"But, for almost two of those days, nobody knew where you were, and we were all worried about you."

Bishop smiled. "Thank you," she said as she climbed into the back of the car. "It is nice to be back home."

Tuesday morning came slowly for Bishop. She couldn't wait to go back to work and see her friends. When she finally arrived at her desk, however, she noticed that something had changed.

"Hi, Nick," she said distractedly as she tried to figure out what was different.

"You okay, Ellie?" Nick asked as he put his belongings on his desk and looked over.

"Yeah. Did something change while I was gone?"

"Uh, Gibbs didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Quinn is gone. Gibbs fired her."

"What? Why?"

"Because she's a danger and a liability. His words, not mine."

"I don't understand."

"Don't understand what, Bishop?" Gibbs asked as he walked in.

"You fired Quinn?"

"I did. I can't have an agent on my team that doesn't want to listen and follow the rules. I can't have you partnered with someone that only cares about getting herself drunk."

"I'm confused. I know what happened in Philly, but I don't think that was worth being fired over, especially weeks down the track."

"Bishop, I sent Quinn to find you on Friday. She chose to go and drink from the moment she landed in Oklahoma. I only found you because she didn't do her job."

Bishop frowned, hurt. She had liked Quinn, and she felt that this wasn't fair. "Are you serious?"

"Sorry." Gibbs knew that this was hurting Bishop.

"Don't be." Bishop shrugged. "If she was only pretending to care, to like me, so be it. It's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. So, what work are we doing today?"