Around half an hour later the team arrived back at the bullpen. They'd had a particularly awful day working a murder case around a building site where someone had dismembered and then made the body parts into cement bricks. Tired and frustrated all they wanted to do was go home but Dinozzo knew Gibbs would expect them to write their report first. He headed to his desk to try and get the report written up as soon as possible so he could head home for the night. As Gibbs stepped out of the elevator he started to feel hinkey; his famous gut telling him something wasn't right. Shrugging it off and blaming it on too many late night calls Gibbs told the team gruffly to go home.

" You sure boss? We can write these up first." Dinozzo asked.

"Just get out of here before I change my mind." Gibbs replied. Ziva, Tony and McGee didn't wait for confirmation they just grabbed their coats and scattered.

Gibbs sat down heavily at his desk. There was no reason for him to rush home; his boat and bourbon would still be there in an hour. Running his fingers through his silver hair he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Checking his pockets he ticked off an inventory in his head. Badge;check. Gun;check. Handcuffs; check. Looking around he saw his red hoody was there too: nothing seemed out of place. After shaking his head he decided to go and say night to Ducky on his way out.

Ducky was working on a corpse with his black light headlamp on illuminating the darkened room as he looked for clues. 'You and I young chap are going to get better acquainted. Who did this to you hmm?' He mused to himself.

"You still talking to them Duck? One of these days they're going to talk back." Gibbs commented making Ducky jump slightly.

" I know you love your silent sneaky walk but do you have to do it around me old friend? Would you like a drink? I may have a bottle hidden away."

"Yeah sure. Not got anywhere else I gotta be."

Ducky looked as if he was going to say something but then changed his mind busying himself with pouring out some scotch. Gibbs made a face at the amber liquid but swallowed it down anyway with a grimace.

"You alright Duck?" Gibbs asked noticing Ducky pottering around unable to stay still for a second.

"Yes Jethro. Just thinking about this case. Alas I think it's time to head home."

"Okay. Maybe I'll just go and check that Abs has made it back to her flat and not that futon again."

Duck bristled. "Oh don't worry about that. I sent her home hours ago. Just go home and sleep. "

"Alright. I'm surprised she didn't let me know.."

"You're not her keeper Jethro" Ducky lightly stated. "She can look after herself"

"Like with Mikail?" Gibbs retorted. Looking at Ducky he could see the conversation was heading down the wrong track and so he left and went home.

Across town Dinozzo was just pulling up to the resident vampires house. He wanted to drop off some DVDs to Abby that they had been talking about the day before. Getting out of his car he saw a removal van in the front of her apartment. Bit of a strange time of day to move he thought to himself. Taking the stairs two at a time he ran up to Abby's apartment and knocked on the door. No one replied to his knock but he realised the door was slightly ajar. Grabbing his gun in his hand he pulled himself flush against the wall before entering slowly. Looking around on high alert he checked all the corners of the room and found that the room was empty. Not just empty of people though; completely empty. The photos Abby had put up were no longer there; just marks on the walls showing where they once had been. What the hell?? Hearing a sniffle he reached for his gun. "Abs… Is that you?!?" Abby managed a small yes and Tony relaxed immediately pulling Abby into his arms.

"What's wrong? Who hurt you? Tell me!" Demanded Tony.

"Nothing. I just need to get away." Tony stepped back looking at her tear soaked face and it all clicked into place.

"You're leaving?! What the hell Abs? Were you even going to say goodbye?"

"Tony.. I was going to call you when I'm settled in. Not going to leave my brother behind am I?" She teased. Back when Tony and Abby started there were a few sparks but they quickly turned into a sibling rivalry of sorts and though they loved each other it was not in a romantic way.

"But why Abs?" Tony gently asked.

" I just can't do it anymore."

"Does Gibbs know?"

"No and you can't tell him."

"But why? He is going to be crushed without his favourite girl."

"I can't talk about it now but please don't say anything and trust that when I am ready I will talk to you."

Abby pulled herself up off the floor and grabbed the last box. "Come on. You can walk me out." Seeing that he wasn't going to get any more information Tony walked her out as she stepped into the removal van and pulled away.

Next time: Gibbs realises