Down in the squadroom, Tim McGee's phone began to ring.

"Special Agent McGee," he answered, still preoccupied by the search he was running on their dead Petty Officer's life. As Abby would say, something felt hinky.

"Hello Agent McGee, this is Cynthia from the director's office. Is Special Agent Gibbs there?"

McGee's eyes flickered over to his boss's desk. "I'm sorry, he's not. I believe he was just called down to Autopsy and the lab. Can I take a message?"

"No thank you Agent McGee, the director just wanted to know where he was. Thank you."

"Bye," Tim said, feeling a little confused. He hoped Gibbs hadn't ticked off the director again, especially not after what she'd gone through last week.

"What ya got for me Abs?" Gibbs asked, walking into the lab with a Caf-Pow! in hand.

"Gibbs!" Abby threw her arms around him for a quick hug. "How's the director?"

Gibbs sighed. "I've been gone all day Abs."

"Well, I just wanted to see how she was. I mean, she seemed fine when I went up this morning, a little quiet maybe, but fine. But you know, facial expressions can hide a lot. Maybe she's breaking down on the inside and just really, really good at hiding it -"

"Abs!" Gibbs interrupted, handing her the drink. "Focus."

"Right." Abby closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Focusing. Okay, Petty Officer Jason Durington. Twenty-three, about your height, really cute. Or at least," Abby sighed disappointedly, "he was. But that's not what you wanted to know. Umm...I tested all the samples you brought me against everything I got from Ducky. No matches. But there was something curious in the results from his tox screen." She clicked a couple keys on her computer and pulled up the sample. "See this Gibbs?" She pointed to the tallest spike. "That is curious."

Gibbs peered closely at the screen. "Well, what is it?"

Abby spun around to face him. "I have no idea. And it's bugging me. So I'm having Major Mass Spec analyze it. When his mission is complete, I should be able to tell you everything you want to know about whatever it is."

Good work, Gibbs signed, turning to go.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!" Abby called and he turned around. Thank-you for the Caf-Pow! she signed back.

Gibbs smiled and headed for the elevator.

"Boss, the director's office called. She was looking for you," McGee announced the minutes Gibbs set foot back in the bullpen.

Gibbs turned and looked up at the catwalk, trying to determine whether or not 'looking for you' was to be interpreted as 'come and see me'. He sighed for the team's benefit.

"Better go see what she wants. She signs the paychecks."

He was just about to barge into the director's office again when Cynthia stopped him. "She's not there Special Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs whirled around and fixed Cynthia with a stare. Cynthia didn't like him very much but neither was she easily intimidated by him. "What? Then where is she?"

She smiled. "I said she's not there. She's gone home for the day."

Gibbs turned on his heel and headed for the elevator, hand already on his cell, when Cynthia called for him again. "Agent Gibbs." He turned back around to see her waving a slip of yellow paper. "She left a message for you."

He strode over and grabbed the paper. "Thanks." And then he was gone again, leaving Cynthia to shake her head and wonder about him yet again.

Gibbs took the elevator downstairs to buy time to read the note without being watched by the other members of his team.

Jethro, very tired, decided to go home. I'll be at my place, see you when you're done for the day. And yes, my security detail promised not to budge until you show up. Love, Jenny.

Gibbs sighed and folded the note back up, tucking it into his pocket. There was a whole lot more to this than what she'd written. Jen never just went home early because she was tired. Yes, this was extenuating circumstances, but still unusual. He glanced at his watch. Just after 1700. The case wasn't going anywhere until Ducky finished the autopsy and Abby's babies started spitting out information that they could use. Might just be a good time to call it a day. Not just because he wished she hadn't left without him, but he really didn't want to be that far away from her right now. Call it overprotective, but she's his wife.

When the elevator reached the first floor, Gibbs punched the button for the fifth. Finally back where he'd started, Gibbs made his announcement to the team. He went to his desk and grabbed his gun and his coat. Assuming that Abby found something, they all reached for their bags. Gibbs looked up.

"What are you doing?"

Tony and Ziva looked at him. "Waiting to be told to 'gear up'?"

"Nah," Gibbs shook his head. "Chase leads tomorrow. We can't do anymore until we hear from Ducky and Abby. Let's call it day." He glanced at their stunned faces and almost smiled. "But back here at 0700. If you are even five seconds late, I don't want to see you."

Then he headed for the elevator and was gone.

The team stood there, mouths hanging open.

"Do you think he is...sick?" Ziva ventured.

"No, no way." Tony shook his head. "Germs are afraid to attack the boss. It would be like Chuck Norris getting a cold. It simply doesn't happen."

McGee was finding the turn of events to be disturbing as well. "Gibbs never leaves at five o'clock. I don't think I've ever heard him say 'call it a day'. Is that even a phrase in Gibbs vocabulary?"

Tony had the solution. "Let's go see Abby. If something was off with Gibbs, she would've noticed."

Several elevator dings later, the group spilled out of the elevator and entered Abby's sanctuary. She turned around. "Hey guys." Then she did a double take. "Wait, all of you? And where's Gibbs? What's going on?"

They all started talking at once but they weren't making any sense. FWEET! Abby's whistle pierced the air. "Hold it. Stop. One at a time. McGee," she pointed a finger at his chest and glared at him. "Where is Gibbs?"

"Well, he ah...he went home."

"Home. Home. Are you serious?" Abby's eyes were wide. "Gibbs doesn't go home. Not before ten o'clock most nights but even those are rare." She fixed her eyes on Tony. "Why did he go home?"

"That's just it Abbs, we have no idea."

"What do you mean? Didn't he say anything?"

"Yes," Ziva added, "he said to call it a morning."

"Day," all three of them corrected at once.

Ziva flapped her hand in the air. "Whatever."

"Wow," Abby sat back in her chair. "This must be serious."

"That's why we're here Abby," Tony finally got to the point. "He was down here, right? You talked to him. Was he acting weird?"

Abby shook her head. "No. He was just his normal, lovable, Gibbs self."

Tony and Ziva exchanged glances. Only Abby could call Gibbs lovable, mean it and get away with it.

"But..." Abby added, "come to think of it, he was acting a little strange at lunch yesterday. He was all spacy and ignoring me, though I know he wasn't doing it on purpose." She snapped her fingers as if the light came on. "I bet this has something to do with the director."

"The director?" Ziva raised her eyebrows. "What do Gibbs and the director have to do with one another?"

"Don't you get it?" Abby was getting excited. "Gibbs is probably concerned about the director. He probably went over to her house to see how she's doing. Oh," she clasped her hands together, "that's so romantic."

The rest of the team was pretty sure Abby had gone off her proverbial rocker, but Tony still thought the idea was at least worthy of consideration.

"Come on," he grinned, "we all know the director and Gibbs had a thing going on when they were partners back in Paris. Those feelings probably don't die, right?" He held up his hand. "I vote for a little covert spying mission, who's with me?"

McGee shook his head. "Not me. I don't want to be within five hundred miles of you when Gibbs catches you."

Tony shot McGee a disgusted look. "Who says we're gonna get caught, McScaredy-Pants?"

McGee gave the senior field agent a knowing look. "Because he's Gibbs, remember Tony? He knows everything. Even the things we're thinking."

There was an eerie silence in the lab while the four of them remembered moments when Gibbs did seem to have super secret mind reading powers.

Ziva finally shook her head. "As much as your plan intrigues me Tony, I do not want to get fired. Plus, if you are out all night spying, you won't be at work on time and then you might be fired."

Tony made a face at Ziva. "Fine then, party pooper. Well, not every night I'm off at five. I'm outta here folks!" And he headed for the elevator without a backwards glance.

Ziva rolled her eyes at her partner's back. "I suppose I shall be leaving as well. Goodnight Abby, McGee."

"Bye Ziva," they chorused.

Abby pinned McGee to the spot with her eyes. "No way you're deserting me too McGee." She pushed a button on her remote and instantly the doors to the lab were locked and sealed.

"Great. So now what?" he grumbled.

"Don't look so down McGee. Look on the bright side, you get to spend time with me!"

"Well couldn't we at least do something fun?" Tim braved asking.

Abby was not amused. "Evidence is fun McGee! And we're going to have this all ready and waiting for Gibbs when he gets in tomorrow. Now, help me figure out our mystery substance."

McGee sighed and turned to the computers. There was just no arguing with Abby.