Here's the next chapter, and I just wanted to say a huge thanks to my reviewers so far:

Jebeth (x3), joytiger (x3), HappeeGoLuckee, wolfdemontsuki, DS2010(x2), DarkFlameInfernal, keembur (x2), The Greek me, MISSTV, Lady Lola, galaxia1983,(x2) gibbstony, tansysam.

Thank you all,

As always, unbeta'd and not mine.

Jess x

Chapter 4

The elevator doors opened to the dawn of a brand new working week in Washington D.C. NCIS staff from the Directors office to the cybercrimes unit in the sub-basement all were about to arrive, and one Supervisory Special Agent made his way to his desk, glad for the few minutes reprieve he would get for being in this early. Waltzing in the bullpen, his feet froze and his fingers tightened their grip on the ever present coffee cup.

"What are you doing here, DiNozzo?"

The question apparently didn't even warrant his focus to move from the computer screen in front of him.

"Umm... It's Monday, a work day isn't it Boss, or did I miss something over the weekend?"

"Cut it with the smart-ass crap DiNozzo, don't you have a job with Fornell now?"

Tony glanced up at his boss, rolled his eyes and murmured 'And why am I not surprised'

"Since you obviously know everything Boss, then you should know that it was only a job application, I don't even know if there is a job there for me. And even if I do get a job there, I will still have to give Vance two weeks notice, so sorry Boss, but you are still stuck with me for a while yet."

Gibbs just grunted and went back to whatever he was pretending to do with the files on his desk.

Over the next twenty minutes, the elevator doors opened and closed, feet shuffled every which way, people thumped up and down the stairs to see Cynthia outside the Director's office, computer noise built up and email pings annoyed Gibbs until McGee and Ziva arrived and he had something to focus on.

"McGee, Director wants you to update something on all our computers, Ziva book both the gym and the range for training today and testing tomorrow. We're off rotation and it's time for requalifying. DiNozzo, you have 6 months worth of agency-wide cold cases to summarise today, and have new leads on each of them by tomorrow, on your own."

Directing a glare towards his two less experienced agents at that last comment, Gibbs turned to the elevator and ignored a spluttering DiNozzo in favour of more coffee.

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Gibbs walks into the basement clutching a Caff-Pow for his favourite Goth. Turning the corner, he balks at the obvious turmoil his 'daughter' is facing. The usual ground shaking bass beats were missing, only to be replaced with the tuneless whine of violins and cellos, broadcasting the melody of a broken soul.

He walks into her lab, bracing himself for a hug as he stands by her. Glancing up from her computer, Abby gives him her hardest glare, snatches the drink from him and tosses it into the bin beside her door.

"Go away."

Gibbs looks at her bewildered, thinking back on what he could have done to upset her.

"Go away, Agent Gibbs, I know you aren't here for a case and won't be for at least three days, so I don't want to see you and I don't want to talk to you either, so just get signing and any other loopholes you thought of out of your head. It's not going to happen. I will talk to you about work, as a work colleague as you are technically one of my bosses, but that is as far as it goes. After what you've done, I can't stand to face you."

Abby turns back to her computer and studiously ignores the Special Agent, making a mental note to catch up with Tony at lunch time to see how he is coping.

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As soon as Gibbs heads out the door for coffee, Tony glares at the empty desk and sighs before resigning himself to his fate. He gets up from his desk, pulls some files out of Gibbs filing cabinets before saving himself some time and emailing all the other team leaders. Feeling the inquiring stares of his teammates, only one comment is made.

"Guess I won't be getting any lunch today, aye Probie."

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The doors to the elevator slid open to reveal the cold metal expanse of Autopsy. Ducky and his assistant Jimmy Palmer glanced up from the 'Y' incision they were making to find the sad eyes of Abby making their way around the room.

"My dear Abigail, what has you so upset. Bring a chair closer over here and talk to me while we work."

Following the doctors' suggestion, Abby tried to figure out what was bothering her the most, and how much Ducky already knew, or had guessed.

"Ducky, do you know what happened in Gibbs' basement on Friday night?"

Ducky stiffened and looked up at her before answering.

"No I do not, but just by your demeanour it has to do with Jethro and our young Anthony, correct?"

"Yeah Ducky. Tony went around there, took pizza and coffee, tried to talk to Gibbs, and apologise for bringing up Shannon and Kelly. From what I got, out of him, they got to the fact that Tony wasn't appreciative about how much he knows of Bossman, so he just blurted out how much he cares. He just blurted out how much he was in love with his boss."

Palmer suddenly stood up straight at the news, which wasn't a good thing, as now there is a new scalpel slice down the victims' leg. Try as she might, Abby couldn't help but laugh at the Autopsy Gremlins reaction.

"Oh my gosh Jimmy, I know you aren't an investigator, but don't tell me that you didn't see that one coming. Even Tobias saw that one coming, asks me to keep him regularly updated with any new developments on that front."

Loosening up his posture, Jimmy seemed to get more interested in the story, not wanting to be beaten by a FBI nut, who doesn't interact with them on a daily basis like he does.

"And what was Agent Gibbs' reaction to this news?"

At Palmers question, Abby's face dropped, her body slumped and her shoulder shook with sobs.

"That the horrible bit guys. He yelled and he screamed, he kicked Tony out of his house, if he could have he would have kicked Tony out of our team, our family. Just because he isn't 'normal'. Apparently it's fine for me to be gay, because nothing I do is normal, and according to Gibbs, walking in on me and Sarah on my couch is no different to seeing how I dress everyday."

By now, Ducky had paused the autopsy, removed his gloves and was standing behind his surrogate granddaughter, enveloping her in his arms. His assistant on the other hand, was standing there, blade no longer in hand since it cluttered to the floor, his jaw had dropped opened and he was just staring wide-eyed at his friend. Apparently, he hadn't known or guessed about Abby, either.

"Oh my dear, do I even want to know Anthony's reaction, or how they are both dealing with it all being back at work today. I do know that Jethro was never one to hide his personal gripes at home."

Looking solemnly up at her mentor, Abby steeled herself for saying the words.

"Let's just say that Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs is no longer allowed in my lab or my company, he walked out of the bullpen at 8am this morning and hasn't been back. Tony has 14 times more work to do in the next two days than the team have combined in the last month, that is on top of requalifying. And Fornell received a job application on his desk yesterday morning."

The stunned silence followed her to the elevator doors.

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Tobias Fornell sat back in his fancy leather chair, and looked out at the desks of the people who worked directly under him. Where could he find room for the new applicant? There wasn't strictly a position available. Watts was going on 8 months parental leave, but I wasn't going to replace her as such, just get a TAD. Well, if he knew those boys as well as he did, then Gibbs wouldn't leave DiNutso here for long, but while he was here, maybe he could get Sacks' replacement up to par. DiNutso. Damn, he was going to have to start calling him by his real name since there was no way he was letting this agent go with out a fight. Hmm, maybe I can call him Probie. Oh yeah, that'll definitely work.

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Back in the bullpen, Tony DiNozzo was flicking through the pages of a cold case that one of the lower down cases had. Already making new notes on questions to ask and new leads to follow up, he was actually annoyed when his computer 'ping'ed with the notification of a new email. Ziva and McGee looked on with intrigue, the confusion as in the next ten minutes, Tony started a celebration dance, printed two things of his computer, did another dance, filled in a form out of his filing cabinet, and did the dance again before running up the stairs to Director Vance's office.

Needless to say, they were even more confused when he came out even happier than when he went in but carrying a cardboard box, and minus his official badge and gun Ziva noticed. The box was promptly filled with Tony's personal effects before he split the file of cold case in two, one for each of his colleagues.

"Dinner, my place at seven if you want all the goss."

That was all that was heard as their, what looked like no ex-team leaders, voice echoed as he bounced down the stairs, spreading the invitation to Abby, Ducky and the Autopsy Gremlin on his way out of the building.

Ok, sorry guys it's almost late, but it's still Friday for another 30 minutes, so enjoy! Hope you like how the work relationship turned out.

Thanks again to all my reviewers.

Jess x