Not really happy with this one. Scenes in my mind keep changing. I do doubt The Director would leave at this time; but she does. She had to go away for a little bit.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

It had been a little over an hour since they had brought Kate back. Trying to tell Abby, Ducky or even Palmer to go home had failed. They were all staying. Then again, he would have been more surprised if any of them had actually agreed to go home. He had received a phone call from McGee with an update and all seemed to be going well. He had talked to Mike Towers and although Gibbs thought that maybe Mike was suspecting something the man had agreed to talk to Kate later when she was feeling better.

For once Gibbs actually felt tired and a bit exhausted. Yet, he had no desire to sleep. He couldn't get any work done though. He had tried but he couldn't really focus. No sleep and no work. He had no idea what to do at that point. He had even tried surfing the net but that had been a disaster. He had played a little with the card games on the computer. That got boring pretty fast. He decided to check his emails. As he went through the list of mails he had received he noticed that yet again, there was nothing of value there.

The elevator made a noise and Gibbs looked up to see Dinozzo and McGee walking in.

"Didn't I tell you guys to go home?" Again, he would have been more shocked if they had not come back to work.

"Yeah but we decided to wait and see how Kate is doing." McGee flopped down in his chair but quickly sat up straight determined to no let Gibbs see just how tired he was.

Tony seated himself behind his desk and right away started working on his computer.

"She won't be awake for another few hours." Gibbs took a sip of the coffee that had been next to him.

"We know." McGee opened the drawer and put his gun and badge inside.

Gibbs noticed that Tony was now staring at him. "Got something to say Dinozzo?"

Tony looked back down at his computer and said nothing.

"Jethro?"

Gibbs looked up and saw Jenny coming down the stairs. He would have thought she would have come down and talked to him sooner than this. "What happened?"

He sighed deeply. "The man that abducted Kate is dead. Kate was injured but will be fine. You can talk to her later if you wish."

Jenny frowned at that. "Why can't I talk to her now?"

Gibbs was glad her back was to the two younger agents' at that time. There was no way she would have missed Tony's slight movement and shudder.

"She is resting." Before Jenny had a chance to say anything else he went on. "Why don't you go home, Jen?"

How could he even suggest such a thing? "If one of my agent's is injured then….."

"Kate will be fine. I am staying here and so are several others. No reason for you to do it also." Sure Jenny was the boss but she wasn't as close to Kate as the rest of them were. Besides she didn't know Kate's secret so getting Jenny home was a priority.

"You sure she will be fine?" There was something missing with this picture. Something did not feel right.

Gibbs picked up the receiver and dialed. He waited and soon heard a familiar voice. "Ducky, could you tell The Director that Kate will be fine? She doesn't seem to believe me."

Soon she was handed the receiver. "Ducky?"

"There really is no need to worry my dear. A few hours rest and she will be as good as new."

She looked towards Gibbs who gave her a tight and quirky smile. "She is resting now?"

"Yes, I gave her a sedative. You couldn't wake her up even if you tried."

"Ok, thank you Ducky." She put the receiver down. "Fine, I'll go home but if anything happens or changes…."

"You will be the first one I call." He added knowing what she was going to say. He watched as she walked away and then back upstairs. One problem solved.

'''''''''''''''''''

"Abigail, here is a cup of tea for you."

"Thanks Ducky." Abby smiled as she took the cup from Ducky. She shifted slightly as she began to drink not taking her eyes of the still form before her.

Ducky seated himself on a chair next to Abby. "She isn't going to move for hours."

"I know. Still is weird. Knowing she isn't dead and yet there she is." She took another sip of tea.

Ducky fully understood what she was talking about. "Well you can imagine the shock I had the last time 'she died'. I had forgotten everything she had told me that moment."

Abby patted his back with one of her hands. "That is totally understandable. I would have done the same thing."

"No, somehow my dear I think you of all people would have remembered." He smiled at her as he drank his tea.

She couldn't lie to him. "Maybe but I bet Tony or Tim would have forgotten. Gibbs, maybe not but that's because to him Kate is special."

Ducky looked back at her. "You noticed?"

"Oh yeah, they so got the hot's for each other." Abby let out a small laugh and soon Ducky joined it.

''''''''''''''''''''

"Dinozzo!"

Tony's head jerked up and he saw Gibbs standing in front of him.

"Come with me." Gibbs started to walk away but Tony made no effort to move. Without turning Gibbs spoke again. "This isn't a request, Dinozzo."

Tony reluctantly got up and followed him. He really wasn't in the mood. He knew he shouldn't have punched Gibbs but he hadn't been able to control himself.

Inside the elevator the doors soon closed and Gibbs hit the emergency switch. He turned to face Tony. He didn't say anything but just waited. He waited for Tony to start talking. Knowing the younger man as he did it wouldn't take long at all.

Tony hated these moments. Gibbs just staring at him and Tony knew Gibbs wouldn't say anything until he did. And it always worked. "About me hitting you….. That was out of line."

That was fast. Gibbs just shook his head. "I don't care about that."

Tony's eyebrows rose a bit. "Does it hurt?" That was a stupid question.

Gibbs wanted to smack him. Does it hurt?" "What do you think?"

"Right." His eyes averted his boss for a moment before returning to look at him again. "I get it that Kate asked, no told you to shoot her but when you did…. It was like seeing something that one never, ever thought would happen. The boss taking shoots at one of his own. I just lost it. You always had our backs and when you shot Kate it was like all that didn't matter anymore. That we didn't matter" He sighed as he ran a hand threw his hair. "I really can't explain it."

"You just did." Gibbs offered him.

Tony nodded. Glad that Gibbs had understood what he had been trying to say. However, Gibbs always did have a knack for understanding when it really mattered. Well, most of the time. "Are we good?"

Gibbs took a step closer to Tony. "If you still have problems with all this then come to me. Don't go to Kate with it. She's been through enough."

"No, no problems." He was feeling better than before. "So, are we good?"

"Yeah." Gibbs hit the emergency switch. When the doors opened he stepped out missing the small smile that was appearing on Tony's lips.

Tim waited as they two men came back into the bullpen. He waited and noticed there seemed to be less tension now. Whatever Gibbs had said in the elevator seemed to have worked. Tony was once again seating himself behind his desk and he seemed to be a lot more relaxed. Then all of a sudden Tim couldn't help but let out a yawn.

Gibbs saw Tim yawning and decided enough was enough. They needed to get some sleep. "McGee, go and get some rest."

He should have known Gibbs would have seen that. "No boss, I'll stay here."

Gibbs sighed as he walked over to Tim's desk. "You can use one of the conference rooms and get some sleep. Kate wouldn't have wanted you to be up all night just waiting for her to wake up." He turned slightly to look at Tony. "That means the both of you. Don't make me order you."

Tim and Tony exchanged glances. Both realizing their boss had a point. Also realizing that they were incredible tired so really no point in resisting anymore. Besides they knew better then to argue with Gibbs when he had that look on his face.

"Ok, boss. You win." Tony was the first one to reply.

Yeah, Tony was on better terms with Gibbs. You could hear it in his voice. "Will do, boss."

As Tony gathered some things he wanted to say one last thing. Fiddling with the papers he looked over at Gibbs. "Look, about what happened….."

"Let it go, Dinozzo." There was a wave of hand in the air as Gibbs walked back to his desk.

'''''''''''''''''''''

Abby yawned as she stretched her whole body.

"Why don't you go to your lab and get some rest? As soon as Caitlin wakes up I will call you." Ducky knew there was no point in asking her to go home. He had done it once and failed.

Sleep sounded really good right now. "I am going to hold you to that!" She pointed at him with a finger before getting up. As she did she looked over his shoulder and really smiled.

Ducky turned to see what she was looking at. There Jimmy had fallen asleep on a chair with his upper body on the desk. Ducky walked over and took a blanket that was next to him. He carefully draped it over his assistant.

Abby waved as she quietly headed back to her lab. Funny how she and Palmer were tired but Ducky did not seem tired at all. She hummed a little as she waited for the elevator. As the doors were opened she saw a familiar face.

"Gibbs! I was just on my way to my lab. Ducky convinced me to get some sleep." She stepped inside the elevator ad he walked out.

Once outside he turned in a fast move to face her. "That's good. McGee and Dinozzo are doing the same somewhere in the building. Kate wouldn't have wanted everyone to wait up all night."

Abby should have figured it would take something Gibbs said for the boys to get some much needed sleep. "Jimmy fell asleep in there but Ducky is still awake." She pressed a button.

Gibbs nodded as he turned to walk away. He didn't have to go far as Ducky came out from autopsy.

"Jethro, shouldn't you be at home resting?"

"What about you Duck?"

They both stopped and looked at each other. Both soon broke out in a small laugh as they both knew the other well enough to know that had been a stupid question.

Ducky gestured to the small sofa and both men took a seat.

Gibbs leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "I heard you sent Abby back to her lab to get some sleep. I sent Tony and Tim to do the same somewhere."

"That's good. I think they are convinced now that Caitlin will still be here when they wake up." He leaned is own head back and closed his eyes as well.

"Someone is with your mother?" Gibbs knew he didn't really have to ask. If anyone was good at taking care of what was needed it was Ducky.

"Yes, I was rather fortunate to have someone be with her." He shifted to make himself more comfortable.

"Good." Gibbs really should get up but right now it felt good to just sit and relax a bit.

"Did The Director go home?"

"Yeah, thanks to you."

"That's good. Do you think we should tell her at some point?"

"I don't see why we have to."

There was silence as no one said anything more. Soon some light snoring could be heard through the corridor.