"So Probie what were you just thinking about?" asked Mike , seeing the look that had washed over his protégés face, at being told to sit down.

"Nothing much," muttered Gibbs, embarrassed by the memory of those earlier days and the trouble he had caused his boss; also and not wanting to give Mike any ideas.

"Well seems to me as that's not much of an answer Probie," Mike stated not accepting the mumbled response.

"Look please Boss, I don't feel like talking right now," begged Gibbs, "I'm tired, I'm not in the mood, I can't do this now."

"You know we are going to have to talk about it though don't you," responded Mike, his tone easing a bit as he could see the weariness in the man in front of him.

"Sure Mike, but now I just need some time to process everything that's happened," agreed Gibbs, "look the spare rooms yours and there are sheets in the closet in there." With that he stood and was about to make his way down to the basement, to the comfort of his boat and his bourbon.

"Where'd you think you are going Probie?" questioned Mike seeing the direction the younger man was heading in.

"Er, the basement Boss," said Gibbs a little unsure of where this conversation was now heading.

"I'm only agreeing to put this conversation on hold 'cos you said you were real tired and needed to process what was going on in that thick skull of yours," warned Mike, "It was not so you could get down to that damn boat and wash your thoughts and actions away in Bourbon and saw dust. I suggest if you are that tired you get yourself to bed, not fall asleep under your boat or on this old sofa, so that when you awake in the morning your mood and your attitude will be better and me and you can resume with a civil and polite conversation about what's been going on since you left me in Mexico."

"You're sending me to bed?" asked Gibbs somewhat astonished, "Mike it's only 10pm, I'm not a child."

"No you're not, but you've not been acting like the man your daddy, the Corps and me helped raise and mould either," answered Mike, "I would suggest you start doing as you are told and the quicker you do the quicker I can help you sort this mess of yours out."

Gibbs had no response to that. Mike was right he was tired and he would probably have fallen asleep under the boat given the chance to disappear to the basement. What Mike had said about his Dad and the Corps had hit home too. His old man had been a stickler as far as respect, good manners and owning your own mistakes was concerned. His dad wouldn't have tolerated what was going on now, nor would the Corps and it seemed that Mike certainly wasn't about to start. Somewhat dejectedly he made his way upstairs into the room that he hardly ever used and certainly hadn't since he'd returned from Mexico. It had held too many reminders of Shannon and Kelly.

As he laid his head on the pillow, a lone tear trickled down his tired and weary face. "Sorry girls, I've let you down too," and with that he fell asleep holding the picture of the two of them that he had taken on their last fishing trip to the sea, tears still falling.

An hour later Mike peered into to the bedroom, Gibbs was asleep. It was a fitful sleep but at least he was getting a little rest. The moonlight shone in through the window where Gibbs hadn't bothered to pull the drapes too and glinted off of the glass on the frame Gibbs clung to like a drowning man with a life-raft.

Getting a little closer and taking care not to wake the Probie, Mike gently eased the frame from where it was nestled rather uncomfortably under Gibbs chin. Turning it to him to look at the picture he saw the laughing faces of Shannon and Kelly beaming back at him. "Aw hell Probie, I should'a seen this coming in Mexico, I let you down boy, won't happen again," he promised.

Laying the frame back onto the bed at the side of the sleeping younger man, Mike covered his friend in a blanket from the armchair in the room and carefully made his way quietly out of the room and back down the stairs. Grabbing himself another beer he picked up the phone and dialed the Director.

Reaching over to pick up the phone from her night table Jenny could see that Gibbs landline was calling her. Still half asleep she picked up the phone wondering what it was that had happened at this time of night.

"Jethro?" she answered.

"No Mike Franks, Director Shepherd," answered the gravelly voice on the other end of the line.

"Is he ok, you haven't killed him have you?" she asked slightly worried at what she had unleashed when she made that earlier call to Mexico.

"Relax Director he's sleeping" laughed Mike.

"How did you get him to do that?" asked Jenny curious as to whether there was a technique she could use with Gibbs in the future.

"Gave him no other real choice," answered Mike, "but I'm not ringing to swap night time routines for your agents with you, I need you to give me until next Monday with him before you start with the punishment you have planned."

"Sure I guess we can sort that," she agreed.

"And I'm gonna need to be able to call on your other agents and staff too," he continued.

"You will leave me someone to run the agency with won't you?" she asked.

"Sure thing Jenny, now can I start with DiNozzo?" he enquired.

"Ah that will be a bit more tricky," she hesitated, "Tony's involved in something for me."

"Gibbs know that?" queried Mike.

"No, it was something that started whilst he was away and I don't want him involved in it yet, he has too much else to deal with Mike."

"He ain't gonna like that when he finds out Director," commented Mike.

"We'll deal with that when we have to Mike, he is not to know yet understand?" she ordered.

"Yes Ma'am," drawled Mike, "well I'd better start with McGee then. Can you have him come over to the house tomorrow around 1300, tell him to bring those cold case files you have Probie doing as punishment detail and one of those laptop do-dahs."

"Sure Mike, I will, can I go back to sleep myself now?" she asked.

"Sure thing sweetheart, sweet dreams," he chuckled.

Putting the phone back onto the nightstand Jenny worried about what she had created by bringing Mike over. She'd cope with the weird late night conversations with the gruff old dinosaur as long as he could sort Gibbs out.