Leroy Jethro Gibbs: Vampire Hunter

Written for the NFA Supernatural Challenge, Death Fic Challenge, and Vengeance Challenge

Chapter 6 of 6

Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing, yadda, yadda; see previous chapter.

Epilogue

Tim stepped off the elevator into the bullpen and cautiously glanced around. The area where his team sat was empty, and the rest of the agents on the floor seemed subdued. He understood that the loss of a lead agent had affected them all, and they in turn understood that none of them had been affected as much as Gibbs' team. Unable to stand the pitying looks he was receiving, Tim dropped his stuff off at his desk and returned to the elevator, headed for the basement.

He walked into autopsy and was surprised to find it empty. He stared at the wall of morgue doors, wondering which held what he was looking for. Soon his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Timothy. What are you doing down here so early?"

He turned to face the M.E.

"Hey, Ducky. I…I wanted to…"

"Say goodbye to Jethro?"

"Well…yes, but I didn't know where…where he is."

Ducky gave him a regretful look. "I'm sorry, lad, but he is no longer here. I released him to the funeral home last night, and no doubt he is in Stillwater by now. I understand that the service will be the day after tomorrow."

"Stillwater? Why won't he be buried…with his wife and daughter?"

"It was part of his final request: he wanted to go home. And he won't be buried. He requested cremation."

"Oh." Tim took a moment to study the older man's face and felt a blush of shame. "I'm sorry, Ducky. I know this has to be hard for you, and I-."

"It's all right, Timothy. I do understand. Jethro was…one of a kind. He impacted many people during his lifetime, and we all handle his passing differently." Tim could only nod in agreement. "But I trust that we will all honor him in our own way."

"Yeah…yes, we will. Thanks, Ducky." He headed back to the elevator and stepped through the metal doors, not noticing the strange expression on the medical examiner's face.

When he got back to the bullpen, Ziva was at her desk. She looked up at him with a guarded expression in her eyes.

"The Director would like to see you in his office as soon as possible. Tony is with him already."

Doesn't waste time, now does he? Tim thought bitterly.

"OK. Anything else I need to know?"

"The funeral is the day after tomorrow. We have been given leave to go."

"Yeah, Ducky told me. Will you…are you OK, Ziva?"

"Honestly? No. But I will manage. Thank you for your concern, McGee. You had better go. Director Vance seemed very anxious to talk to you."

"Right."

He walked up the stairs and made his way to the Director's office. Vance's secretary let him in the door without comment and once inside he saw Tony standing in front of Vance's desk. The older agent nodded at him before returning his attention to Vance as the Director started to speak.

"Agent McGee, first let me offer my condolences. I know how much Agent Gibbs meant to his team, and this is a terrible loss for us all."

"Yes, Director. Thank you."

"Unfortunately this agency cannot stop operations because of such a loss. We need to decide what to do with you and the rest of Gibbs' team."

"We're still a team," Tim blurted out before he could stop himself and flushed slightly. "Sorry, Director, I spoke out of turn."

"Quite understandable, Agent McGee. Agent DiNozzo has expressed the same sentiment."

Tim glanced at Tony, but he did not return the gaze.

"Since Agent DiNozzo is the most experienced, he would be in line to be the new team leader. However, you have many years of experience as well, and are, I feel, deserving of your own team. This would of course require a transfer-."

"With all due respect, sir, no thank you."

"Agent McGee?"

"I…I do not feel that I am ready at this time, and I would prefer to stay in my current position."

"Even if you did stay here, you would not stay in your current position. You would take over the senior agent position vacated by Agent DiNozzo."

"I've done it before, Director."

"Yes, I know. You realize you are turning down an excellent career advancement opportunity?"

"I do, sir, but there are some things that are more important. We've been a team for a long time. You cannot deny that we are an effective team, even if we…bend the rules from time to time. I feel that it would be a disservice to the agency to remove such an asset."

Vance stared at him for a moment before smiling. "Interesting. Agent DiNozzo once again expressed the same opinion, as did Agent David. I will take it under advisement. You are both dismissed."

"Thank you, sir," they replied in unison and left the office.

When they had returned to their desks, Tony turned to Tim.

"Were you serious? You'd turn down your own team to-?"

"As I told the Director, some things are more important. We have work to do."

Tony grinned. "That we do, Probie."

Tim shook his head and managed a smile. It was almost comforting that at least some things would never change.

XXX

Tim unlocked the door to his apartment and stepped inside before re-locking the door. He managed a weak smile at the irony. The worst things he had to fear wouldn't be stopped by a simple lock, but old habits die hard.

Not bothering to turn on the lights, he dropped his bag by his writing desk, lowered himself into his favorite chair, and leaned back before closing his eyes. It had been one hell of a day, and it looked like it wasn't going to get much better in the near future. There were so many things to which he had to adjust: the loss of Gibbs, his new position on the team, and the thing he had never expected, his new unofficial job passed on to him by his former team leader. It was a lot to take in, but he would manage, as he always had. He thought about his own father and the secrets he had kept. He only hoped he could be as successful in keeping them. While he understood the danger that was out there, he also remembered what it was like to be innocent, to not know about the existence of vampires, and he had to admit he still wished for that. He vowed that no one else would lose that innocence if he could help it.

"A worthy goal, if I do say so myself."

Startled, Tim turned towards the familiar voice and let out a short huff of laughter.

"I really hate when you do that, Mike." The vampire stood in the shadows but he was still recognizable. He grinned as another voice broke the awkward silence.

"I always hated it, too."

Tim stared, unbelieving, as another figure emerged from the darkness.

"B-boss?"

"Not anymore."

Gibbs stepped closer and Tim almost fell out of his chair trying to back away. The man's ice-blue eyes briefly flipped to black. His normally ruddy complexion was now marble-white, and a half smile revealed the tips of his fangs.

"But…how…Ducky said he sent you…your body to the funeral home. How-?"

"Funny thing about that. Turns out Ducky already did know about vampires. It wasn't all that hard to persuade him to help cover for me, really."

"But you said…you wrote that you never wanted to be one. Why-?"

"I figured, I still have a job to do. Now I'll just be working the night-shift…for a few years, at least. Turns out Mike finally made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"B-but-."

"Thank you, Tim, for what you did. You were able to put together the pieces I couldn't. You fought the good fight, and from what I understand you're going to continue. You and the rest of my team. So, again, thank you."

"No…no problem."

Gibbs smirked, now looking slightly more human. "I doubt that. You did good, McGee."

"Wait. You were there, weren't you? You're the one who threw the stake." Gibbs just gave him one of his trademark lop-sided grins and nodded.

"T-thanks."

"I help when I can, and for as long as you need me, understood?" Tim nodded. "Guess I'll be seeing you around. Next time I'll knock, though. The surprise entry was Mike's idea."

"Sure, Probie, blame me," Mike said with fake annoyance in his voice. Gibbs gave one final smirk and left.

Tim finally managed to get over most of his shock and was able to voice the question he wanted, no, needed to ask the old vampire.

"How could you do that, Mike? He told you several times not to give him that choice. So why did you do it, to Gibbs, of all people?"

"It's very simple, kid," said Mike with a feral grin. "Some people are just too interesting to die."

THE END

The final line is credit to Seth Grahame-Smith (from Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter). No infringement intended, but I just couldn't resist.

Thanks for reading!