"This is bad."

Abby had been drumming her fingers against the metal autopsy table, dark painted fingernails clicking loudly with every tap. It was to much noise for Tony first thing in the morning, though he hadn't quite had the energy to tell her to stop.

"I'm inclined to agree," Ducky says, sitting his freshly filled teacup on the table, "Though if that's what Jennifer thinks is best, I'm not going to stand in her way."

"Ducky!" Abby says, clearly exasperated with his sentiment, "Gibbs is what's best for her."

The older man raises an eyebrow at her, "Forgive me, I didn't realize you were in the business of deciding what's best for people."

Tony snickers at Ducky's sarcasm, earning a less than friendly glare from Abby.

"Do you people have no sense of romanticism?" She exclaims, shaking her head.

"Perhaps not, but I have sense of realism. Romance is not all that goes into this predicament with Jennifer leaving." Ducky counters.

"I thought that you would want two of your oldest friends to be happy with one another, since they clearly were prior to this FBI mess. And you," she says, pointing a finger at Tony, "Not everyone gets to live happily ever after with a hot Mossad ninja. Don't you people want Jenny and Gibbs to have their happily ever after?"

To her credit, Tony thinks, she certainly made her point. Both he and Ducky are wearing matching looks of sheepishness. For someone so bubbly, Abby could be scary when she wanted to be.

"Director gives her decision on Monday, Abs. We really don't have much time to get her to change her mind." Tony says.

"I thought I had her," Abby says, voice significantly drearier than before, "When I went to her office, I thought I made her realize that a job is a job, but Gibbs is one of a kind."

"Should've sent Ziva in," Tony comments, "They're close."

"Ziva isn't the pinnacle emotional availability, to be fair." Ducky remarks, finishing off the last bit of his tea.

Tony goes to protest, but decides it's better to keep that to himself, lest he risk her getting upset with him for divulging aspects of their personal relationship.

"Should have talked to Gibbs instead of Jenny," Tony says, "He'll listen to you."

In an instant, Abby perks up, a bright smile overtaking her features and she looks almost ready to burst from excitement.

"Tony, you're a genius. I bet I can convince him not to let her go without more of a fight."

She bounces out of autopsy as soon as the statement escapes her lips, platforms clacking against tiles as she hastily speeds away.

"God help Jethro." Ducky says.

Tony nods, "Amen."

He hadn't expected to find Abby sitting at his desk when he first arrived, her arms crossed across her chest and a stubborn scowl on her face. It was still early, to early for his team to have arrived, and he can't fathom why Abby would be there so early. Then again, not much makes sense these days.

"Mornin'." He greets with only the slightest bit of trepidation

She skates over the pleasantries entirely and gives him her best glare, "What the hell are you doing?"

It doesn't take him long to realize what's she's talking about.

"Lecture Jen again, this is her problem." It's a bit harsh and he knows it . Even in the midst of his frustration, he knows that Abby is acting with the best intentions.

"I can't believe you're just letting her walk away and into the arms of the FBI. Have you lost your mind?" She exclaims, standing up from his desk.

He's never been more grateful for an empty bullpen than he was in that moment, because the octave his voice reaches isn't anywhere near what would be consider a proper volume for being inside.

"She wants to leave! I can't stop her. Christ Abby, she wants it, she's gonna take it. It's always came down to the job for her. So that's it, there's no more fighting to be done."

"There's always more fighting to be done, Gibbs."

"Job trumps relationships to her. I could sweep her off her feet and then some, but the positions she wants to achieve will always be the priority in her life. Not fair for you to accuse me of loosing all sense of a relationship."

He expects her to storm off, or perhaps snap back at him for yelling. It wasn't often he dared to raise his voice at her. Despite what he may openly deny, she was his favorite, and she always looked at him with hurt whenever he was even the slightest bit mean to her.

But, much to his surprise, she held her ground.

"Did you tell her you wanted her to stay?" She questions.

The question throws him for a moment, "It doesn't matter what I want, it never has."

"I'm not asking what she wants, I'm asking you. Did you tell her you wanted her to stay?"

He knows he should be straightforward with her, but something in his head becomes a perfect cocktail of confusion every time she asks the question.

"She's stubborn," he says, "I can't make her change her mind. Back in Paris or now."

Abby rolls her eyes, "You're evading the question Gibbs, and I can stand here all day and wait for you to answer. Did you tell her?"

He runs a hand over his face in frustration, pinching his lip between his teeth as he does. Everything was to much. Jenny leaving, Abby prodding him, the headache forming with every word that came out of her mouth.

"No," he finally relents, "No, I didn't tell her I wanted her to stay."

"But you do, don't you?" She asks.

"Yeah. I want her to stay."

Abby shakes her head and sighs, "I just want to see you happy Gibbs, and you seemed to be pretty happy with her, and she with you. I just," she pauses, "I just hope she realizes there's more to life than climbing the work ladder of hierarchy."

He sighs, "That's what Jen is built for; working herself to the bone. She's the best at what she does."

There a glum look overcasting Abby's features, and she reaches out to rub his arm supportively, "I think your guys Locus Amoenuses are closer than either of you realize."

At her words, he pulls her into a hug. If he was certain about anything in life, it was that Abby would always be around to fight for him when he wouldn't fight for himself. Or Jenny, for that matter.

"Maybe, Abs. Maybe."

At the top of the catwalk, Jenny stands frozen in place, just out of view from the two people below her. The emptiness of the bullpen allowed for every word they spoke to echo through the room and to her. And though the voices were feint, she could still piece together the jigsaw of words coming towards her.

He wanted her to stay.

It was such a simple sentiment, but one he hadn't dare say to her. Upon hearing it, everything seemed to fall into place for her. He wants her to stay.

And suddenly she did too.

A/n: A slightly shorter chapter, but the next one will be the last next to the epilogue, so stay tuned friends. The end is nearing soon.

Please RR!

- Ali