They didn't have a case, so Gibbs spent most of Monday morning worrying why Abby hadn't come into work, and making Tony, Ziva, and McGee pay for their stunt Friday afternoon. He had decided that they needed to spend the day with the new recruits. They would spend the day participating in mindless classroom lectures and activities. He had decided that his agents would have annoying tasks to perform for every day that they didn't have a case. He just hoped that he would have a couple of days of fun with it.

It was shortly after lunch when Director Sheppard asked to see Gibbs in her office. He could see the envelope on her desk as he entered and didn't pay any mind to it before he says "you wanted to see me Director?"

"Jethro, we need to talk about Abby?"

Immediately thinking that his agents had gotten to her he replies "no we don't" as he makes his way back to leave her office.

"Jethro, where are you going? I called you up here because we need to talk about Abby's replacement."

"Abby's what?" He turns back around making his way back towards her.

She hands him Abby's resignation letter, and as his eyes make contact with the page and begin reading, he feels the sadness take him over. "Well?" she asks. Lost in the page he ignores her.

"Jethro!"

"What?"

"I take it you didn't know about this then?"

"No Jen, I didn't. This says effective in two weeks; do you know why she isn't here today?"

Jen hands him the other page sitting on her desk. "She filed for two weeks vacation starting today."

"So she's not planning on coming back at all" he says more to himself and not expecting an answer.

"I've scheduled a replacement for now, but we're going to have to review applications soon Jethro."

With that he just turned and walked out of her office and back to his desk. Elbows on his desk and his face in his hands his thoughts begin to consume him. He knows that she left because of him and what had happened between the two of them, and suddenly the thought of not having her here at all overwhelms him. He reaches for his coffee and heads to Ducky.

"Duck, you got a sec?"

"Sure Jethro, what's on you mind?"

"Abbs"

"Yes, I figured you'd be down to see me today"

"She resigned today Duck"

"I know"

"You know" he says confusingly. Ducky looks for the words to tell him how, but simply says "what did you expect Jethro, and to be honest, I'd like to know why you let it happen?"

"I didn't just sit back and let it happen, Duck, I didn't know it was happening at all"

"Good God man you certainly did. Did you expect her to stay here and around you after you shut her out? It didn't have to happen this way. If you weren't man enough to admit to yourself that you love her, you could've at least remained as friends. She would've lived with that, she was prepared to live with that."

"I'm not. I was fine before I knew how she felt, but now that I know, I can't just be her friend." He pauses and takes a deep breath before he says "it's the same Duck, the way I love her is the same way I loved Shannon."

"So because you love her, you cannot be friends. That makes no sense at all Jethro."

"You don't understand. Shannon was the best thing that ever happened to me, and she died, she left me and it was hell. I can't go through that again Duck.

"The Leroy Jethro Gibbs that I know takes bigger risks everyday." He says as he slaps the back of his head. "You're a foolish man. It's a mute point anyway I'm afraid. Seems as if you'll have to live with you decision."

Gibbs phone rings as his eyes hold an empty stare with Ducky's. "Gibbs" he answers. "When" was his only reply. He hangs up and dials Tony immediately. "Mower landed in D.C. an hour ago. Find him. Now." He looks at Ducky as he dials Abby's number. "She's not answering" he says. "She won't, she's not there" Ducky replies. Gibbs slams his phone down, "where is she?"

"I told you she left. When she called this morning she said that she moved back home. She's with her parents until she finds a new apartment."

He was relived that Mower couldn't get to her for now, but his heart fell when he realized how "gone" she really was.

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