Thanks again for the reviews, everyone.

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Chapter 3: Shock

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Gibbs headed up to see Morrow, leaving McGee, Abby and Kate to comfort one another as best they could. The Director regarded him carefully, worried by Gibbs' drawn, tired features. For the first time since they'd met, the former Marine actually looked a little lost.

"What do you have, Gibbs?" The other man asked, disconcerted. "Any leads on DiNozzo?"

"The car was untampered with. Abby thinks he ran over a tack that caused the tyre to blow. There's no sign of any kind of foul play. Dental and DNA concur that the body is…" Gibbs' voice tailed off, unable to speak the name.

"I'm so sorry, Jethro," said Morrow wholeheartedly. "I know what Tony meant to you."

"Thank you, sir," said Gibbs, tonelessly.

"All of you have a week's compassionate leave; Abby and Ducky too. And in your case, it's compulsory."

"Understood, sir." Gibbs wasn't arguing. That was never a good thing.

"I'll deal with the paperwork and make the necessary calls to Tony's family; you go home and try to get some rest. You look exhausted."

"With your permission, sir, that is my duty. As DiNozzo's supervisor, I would prefer to make the call myself."

"Very well, Gibbs, but you will leave directly afterwards. I will have security inform me when you go; don't think you can get away with staying in the office."

"I wasn't planning to, sir. There's only one call to make; it shouldn't take long." He turned to leave.

"Oh, and Gibbs?" He hesitated.

"Don't sand your boat away to nothing."

/\/\/\

The bullpen was almost silent. The whole building had heard the news by now; Tony had been known by all. Everyone liked Tony; the entire secretarial pool were crying together in the ladies' room while the security guards planned how to break the news to the night shift. Tony had always had a way of making people feel appreciated and valued, even if everyone else looked right through them.

The other members of his team received countless sympathetic glances and murmured condolences as they sat, staring glumly at his desk. Abby sat beside Kate in sisterly support, their arms around each other, both with eyes red-rimmed from crying. McGee didn't look much better.

"I keep expecting him to walk in," he said softly.

"With that dumb grin on his face, saying it was all just some big prank to annoy us," Kate continued with a weak smile. All three of them looked up, hope on their features, as the elevator chimed its arrival. But it was only Ducky.

"Caitlyn, Abigail, Timothy," he said tiredly. He didn't comment on their obvious disappointment; the elderly ME could guess what was going through their minds. "I have done everything I can for Anthony. Where is Jethro?"

"Still with the Director," replied Kate, as steadily as she could.

"I want to see him," said Abby, suddenly.

"Abby, my dear, are you sure? The fire caused considerable damage to the body; it's not a pleasant sight even to those of us who are used to these things."

"I don't care. Like Gibbs says, never believe someone is dead until you've seen the body. And I don't; not yet, not Tony…" She began to cry again; McGee moved to her other side to help Kate comfort her as best he could.

Gibbs marched down from the Director's office, his features haggard. He pulled out his chair and dropped into it with a grunt.

"Morrow's given us all a week off," he said shortly. "None of you are coming back into the building until Tuesday morning."

"Abby wishes to visit Anthony, Jethro," said Ducky. "I think perhaps we should go with her."

"Fine; but you leave immediately afterwards." He pulled out his keyboard and began to log himself into his computer. It was Kate who voiced the question they were all thinking.

"You're not coming?"

"No, Kate; I have a phone call to make."

/\/\/\

Gently, and with the greatest respect, Ducky pulled open the steel drawer to reveal the sheet wrapped body of their friend and teammate.

"Oh, Anthony," he sighed. "Such a waste. You had so much life about you, so much left to give us. To end like this…"

"It's not fair," choked Abby, virtually held up by Kate and McGee's supporting arms. "How could you do this to us, Tony? How could you leave us? I thought you were my friend!"

"He had no choice, Abby." Kate's voice trembled uncontrollably as a tear slipped down her cheek. "Tony would never put us through this if he could avoid it."

"I… I didn't really mind him calling me Probie," managed McGee. "I know he didn't mean anything by it."

There was a long silence, broken only by Abby's gentle sobs.

"Timothy," said Ducky eventually, "would you mind driving Abigail and Caitlyn home? I don't think any of you should be alone tonight."

"But what about you, Ducky?" McGee asked anxiously. "And Gibbs?"

"I will take care of Jethro. You three just try to get some rest."

/\/\/\

Gibbs slammed the phone down with a curse; now he understood why Tony had given him a number for his father only on the condition that he never, ever called it under any circumstances. He'd been on hold for over an hour, shunted back and forth between various PAs and dogsbodies without getting close to actually speaking to DiNozzo Senior.

It was no good; he was getting nowhere. Laboriously, Gibbs worked on his computer for a few minutes and then picked up the phone again.

"Fornell."

"Tobias, I need a favour."

"Sounds ominous. What have you done this time?"

"DiNozzo was killed in an RTA late last night." There was a long pause.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Jethro. What can I do?"

"I'm having trouble contacting his family. I want you to come out to New York with me; might need an FBI badge just to get through the door."

"OK. I'll meet you at Dulles in …two hours?"

"Flight leaves in… an hour and fifty four minutes. Step on it."

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I know I don't have Gibbs reacting quite how he did in Kill Ari, but in the circumstances I think it's believable. Let me know if you disagree.