*hands out tissues*

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Soon she heard Tony's heavy footsteps up the stairs as he called her name. "Abby…"

Abby was struggling against the pain to sit up when Tony pushed the door open. The expression on his face told her everything she needed to know before he was even able to open his mouth.

"I'm so sorry, Abbs."

The tears welled up in her eyes as Tony sat beside her and pulled her into a gentle hug. "What hap…happened?"

"They aren't really sure, he was fine one minute and seized the next, and they just…" Tony was fighting his own tears. "They just couldn't bring him back."

"I… he's gone?"

Tony nodded, "Yeah. He's gone. I…" Tony held her tighter as a soft sob escaped her lips. "I'm so sorry."

"I… he… he can't be gone. He can't leave me again. It has to be a mistake. Tony, it has to be!"

Tony rocked her softly as she cried, sobbed against his chest.

This wasn't supposed to happen, she thought

This was Gibbs.

The strongest person she knew.

This was supposed to be her happy ending.

Gibbs' happy ending.

Their happy ending.

Together.

It had taken them so long to get there and now, just six months in… it wasn't supposed to fall apart like this.

Tony and Abby sat together the rest of the night. The following day went by in a blur. She had heard that sometimes it felt as though life went by in a blur when a loved one dies, but she didn't think it was true. She remembered every sad moment of the first days after Kate died. But now, she couldn't remember a single detail. She remembered going to bed, so happy that he had woken up briefly, signed her name, signed his love, and after that... she remembered nothing.

She spent the day sitting between both Tony and Jack on the sofa, as the rest of the team sat around, no one really saying anything, mostly just sitting, occasionally dabbing a tissue to the corner of their eye.

No one quite believing that Leroy, Gibbs, Boss was truly gone. There were no words to say, so none were said.

Ducky made sure that they ate at some point, making sure Abby had had enough to both eat and drink so that she didn't become dehydrated. Abby closed her eyes to try and erase the sadness she saw in Ducky's eyes, but she failed miserably.

No one left Gibbs' house that day, everyone finding a comfortable position to sleep when they found themselves unable to keep their eyes open any longer.

As part of his will, Gibbs was set to be buried beside Shannon and Kelly. All the arrangements had been made long ago, and Abby was grateful that she didn't have to do anything besides show up – though she wasn't sure she wanted to attend. If he was lowered into the ground then he was really gone. Otherwise she could almost make herself believe it was just another temporary hiatus to Mexico.

Maybe she'd pack up and go to Mexico. If he could run away, so could she.

The morning of the funeral went by in a blur, Abby hardly remembered Ziva pulling a black dress from her closet and helping her to dress and brush her hair, nor did she remember Tony holding her hand throughout the entire service, guiding her back to his car and driving silently back to the house.

After the funeral most everyone from NCIS as well as those that Gibbs knew from the FBI stopped by the house, sharing their condolences, many bringing food and flowers. Abby wanted neither. She just wanted people to leave, to leave her alone and let her fall away to nothing. She was about to make a quick exit, she wanted to be alone, down in the basement where is smelled of sawdust and bourbon and comfort - It smelled of Gibbs, but a familiar voice broke through the shield Abby had erected.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." A female figure stood before Jack. "He was the only man I ever really loved. I never should've walked away. Had he stayed with me, well… I think we'd be in a very different place right now."

Abby felt the bile rise in her throat, as the blond woman turned to reveal one Hollis Mann. "Get out!"

"I'm here to pay my respects to Jethro. This doesn't involve you."

"The hell it doesn't. He was my…" Yeah, what exactly was he? "He was mine. Get out of my house."Abby shoved Hollis towards the door.

"Abby, she's just come to pay her respects." Jackson tried to sooth.

Abby pushed his hands away. "You have no idea who this woman is. She had him and she walked away. She didn't love him, so she just walked away."

"Abby." Tony grabbed her shoulders, careful not to grip too hard to irritate the residual bruising from the accident.

"No. No, Tony. Get her out."

"Shhh. Come on, Abbs."

Abby tried to wriggle free from his grasp, but the lingering pain lessened her struggles. "No. Let go."

"Abby! Listen to me. You have to listen to me!"

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TBC…

*ducks from flying objects* Don't give up on this story quite yet….