Oh My God. It's been a week. I totally fail I know but I forgot totally well and truly forgot. Sorry sorry sorry. Sorry again, I make you wait a week then give you a funeral. I got distracted by college work and Farscape. =[ Sorry again! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Nineteen.

"Trouble is her only friend and he's back again
Makes her body older than it really is
And she says it's high time she went away
No ones got much to say in this town
Trouble is the only way is down, down, down."

Abby slowly walked behind Gibbs, Tony, Jimmy Palmer and Jared McGee as they carried a casket on their shoulders. She allowed the tears to spill down her cheeks as she realised she would never be able to hear his voice again, never be able to hug him again, never have somebody to talk computer speak with. She was alone.

Sarah McGee walked besides Abby; the two were holding hands as they had become incredibly close since Tim and Abby got engaged. Sarah had assisted in most aspects of the wedding although she had declined being a bridesmaid, saying that was for the brides' friends and family. Now Sarah was remembering all the wonderful things her brother had done for her. He had offered to give up his job at NCIS to protect her. Tears full of memory splashed down Sarah's cheeks.

"As strong as you were
Tender you go
I'm watching you breathing
For the last time
A song for your heart
But when it is quiet
I know what it means
And I'll carry you home
I'll carry you home."

Tony wriggled slightly under the coffin; it was not heavy for him. Nothing he could not handle anyway. The knowledge of what lay inside the coffin was penetrating his mind. He was trying to push the last few weeks from memory. The pain everybody endured not knowing, and then having all of their hopes crushed. Tony would never wish to admit it, but he had loved Tim, he loved him like his brother. He treated him as a younger brother and he would remember him as his younger brother. Tony formed the link in his mind and smiled knowing he had had the best brother in the world.

Looking across the coffin Gibbs saw how Tony smiled to himself, and Gibbs acknowledged the fat his team were closer than he thought. He, himself, considered them his extended family, his illegitimate children, his beloved Jenny and his brother or Uncle Ducky. They all had their places; Tony would be the eldest, then Ziva, Tim and Abby. He was surprised sometimes at how much he did care for them; he had been surprised at how hard Tim's death had hit him. He turned once more to face ahead of himself and sighed trying to contain the grief of losing a child.

"If she had wings she would fly away
And another day god will give her some
Trouble is the only way is down, down, down."

Ziva shifted Ben to her other hip as she followed at the back of the funeral procession. She was lagging behind somewhat, not wishing to watch Tim being put under ground. She believed it was her fault; she had been there and was raised in Israel. She should have known something would happen and she should have gotten Tim out quicker or noticed there was a bomb or… she recalled the day. There would have been no way she could have noticed a bomb until it went off, she had not been looking for or expecting a bomb. She knew there was nothing she could have done, yet she still couldn't bring herself to follow the procession. She walked towards a bench and sat down; she placed Ben on the ground and allowed herself the time to reflect on her memories of Timothy McGee, he who had been the first to accept her and the last to judge. A true friend.

"As strong as you were
Tender you go
I'm watching you breathing for the last time
A song for your heart
But when it is quiet
I know what it means
I'll carry you home
I'll carry you home."

The old man pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket as he watched the four men lowering the coffin on to the chassis. Tears were threatening to spill out of his eyes, he had been to his fair amount of funerals in his lifetime yet they never got easier. He stared around the crowd and found the girl he was looking for; he made his way towards her. She looked so lost and Ducky felt he should be comforting her she had after all lost her husband. He reached Abby and pulled her in to a hug, and she fell limply against him, his heart broke for the child and a tear finally escaped his eye. A tear for those left behind.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs rejoined the crowd and instantly grabbed the hand of his lover. She squeezed his hand tightly as more tears spilt over her cheeks. The guilt over what she had done consumed her, she had faked her death and come back and this man had left the world, he had left his wife and he had left his family. He had had no choice. She stared around the crowd she looked at all of Tim's relatives. All she saw was people. Normal people who have lost their Son, Brother, Cousin, Nephew all because he had joined the same career as she had. She took a deep breath to control her thoughts and felt as Gibbs released his hold on her hand and wrapped it around her shoulders; it was a normal mundane gesture. Though she knew it meant one thing. Forgiveness.

"And they're all born pretty
in New York City tonight
and someone's little girl
was taken from the world tonight
under the Stars and Stripes."

"As strong as you were
Tender you go
I'm watching you breathing for the last time
A song for your heart
But when it is quiet
I know what it means
And I'll carry you home."

Abby stared around at her friends and family. She watched as they worked through the grief. She watched as they worked through the guilt. And she watched as they tried to let go. She turned to Ducky, who was gripping her left hand tightly, and then to Sarah who was gripping her other hand just as tightly. She squeezed them back. She would be OK. She had to be ok. She had her family, all of them. She felt the breeze rush through her hair and she felt stronger, she felt as though Tim was holding her up, keeping her strong. Protecting her always. Loving her always. Like she would love him always. She felt her final tears glide down her cheeks. She didn't wipe them away, she let them fall, proud to have been able to know and love the man she had lost.

"As strong as you were
Tender you go
I'm watching you breathing for the last time
A song for your heart
But when it is quiet
I know what it means
And I'll carry you home

I'll carry you home."