Leon: Was probably the best way for it to end…

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"Do you agree?"

Gibbs had been trying to focus on anything else but the psychiatrist in front of him. He had been involved in enough shootings to know how these mandatory sessions would go. "Doesn't matter what I think."

The woman leaned over her desk. "Agent Gibbs, I realize you want this to be over with quickly; but I will not sign off unless you force yourself to have a discussion."

"There's nothing to discuss."

"You were forced to shoot a member of your team."

He shook his head. "She was not a member of my team."

She flipped open a file and read over a few details. "I apologize. A co-worker."

"She killed two men."

"One of which was a member of your team at one time?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"How did that make you feel?"

He sat up straight. "Him being on my team? Or her killing him?"

"Both."

"This is a waste of time. You know damn well how it made me feel."

She leaned back in her chair and set down her pen. "Angry?"

"In a word."

She picked up her pen. "And shooting her…did it make the anger subside?"

"Not one bit."

"And why is that?"

He pointed towards himself. "Because I was wrong."

"About Agent Langer?" she watched him nod regrettably. "You do realize you are not omniscient Agent Gibbs?"

He almost smiled. "No excuse. I failed then…and here we are."

"You do not hold Lee responsible for any of this?"

He contemplated his response for a few moments. "Some."

"But you mostly blame yourself?"

He once again gestured at himself. "I figure this out sooner, Langer would still be alive. And so would she."

"You don't know that for sure."

"The hell I don't." He stood up. "Now I'm not gonna sit here and let you tell me what I do and do not know. I have work to do."

"Not until I okay this evaluation." She motioned towards the papers sitting to her left. "So I suggest you take a seat."

He glared for a few moments before eventually sitting down. "What is it that you want to hear?"

"That you're coping with this."

He gave her a trying smile. "I'm coping with this. Now can I go?"

"How?"

He pointed. "Through the door."

She managed a smile. "How are you coping Agent Gibbs?"

He lowered his head and sighed. "Like I always do."

"Avoidance?"

"No."

"Alcohol?"

"No."

"Building a boat?"

He shook his head a final time. "With my team."

She shot him a questioning glance that in itself asked him to elaborate.

"They need a leader." He stood up finally and pointed at the papers to her left. "I cope by doing what I do best. So let me do it."

She examined his expression and manner more so than his words. Something told her that this wasn't any ordinary shooting, but that Leroy Jethro Gibbs wasn't any ordinary Agent. And so she signed them; allowing him to do what he did best.

Lead.