Tim walked into the conference room with Stan Burley, having just left the Bullpen and the Intelligence floor, leaving behind a devastated staff. There were no words of comfort that Tim could offer anyone.

"Tim, what's wrong? Is it Sarah?" DiNozzo blurted out. "Your mom?"

"No, um...the Director… was caught in the explosion. She was thrown by it, into the worktop of the kitchen. She had um… been making a sandwich. A knife fell and... and…" Tim was losing the ability to speak.

"The knife stabbed her, hitting her stomach and kidney," Stan continued, looking at Gibbs, while McGee focused on the view out of the window. "She got to Bethesda, they operated, but she had lost too much blood, they had to resuscitate seven times. Gibbs, she didn't make it off the table," Stan watched as his mentor paled, his knees giving out. Stan moved to catch him before he fell all the way to the floor.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." Gibbs babbled. Stan wrapped his arms around Gibbs, the tears coming fast. DiNozzo moved to Tim, taking his probie in his arms. All four men cried, their grief filling the air, none of them having any words to speak.

Deputy Director Jerome Craig sat at his desk, the tears falling from his face on to the paper of the open report he had been reading. He called his wife, knowing Tanya would be just as upset as he was. Tanya had known Jenny for more than fifteen years, and Jenny had been a guest at their wedding.

"Tanya," Jerome began.

"What's happened? Is it one of the teams?" Tanya knew her husband very well. He may not show it, but he cared very deeply about the teams under his command, the CTOC and the MCRT being his top two. Tanya had never been able to have children, and they had decided not to adopt, as their lifestyle of moving around due to Jeromes job would not be the best way to raise a child. Tanya focused her time and effort into charities in the cities they had lived in, and offered her services as a babysitter to those agents and NCIS employees with children, while Jerome did his best to keep them safe.

"No. Tanya, there is no easy way to say this, so, I'm sorry, baby, but Jenny Shepard died today."

"Oh, God, no!" Tanya screamed, the tears starting immediately. These would be just one set of tears that would be cried this day.

Ricardo Balboa sat at his desk, in shock over the news he had just heard. He knew he had to tell his team what had just happened in Washington DC.

"Everyone, listen up," Ric looked at his team, watching as every head turned to face him. "There was a threat against the lives of Director Shepard and Deputy Director Vance. The threat came from Michael DeLa Tour." Kei and Amanda looked livid, Ric felt the same way. "He went after Tim, as well as his mom and sister. He didn't hurt any of them, but Director Shepard was targeted by an RPG. She survived the initial attack, but suffered internal injuries from the impact of the explosion. I'm sorry to have to tell you that Jenny Shepard did not survive the surgery."

"That son of a bitch," Kei screamed.

"Tell me that traitor is dead?!" Amanda Ryan demanded. If he wasn't, she was going after him.

"He was shot to death trying to confront Tim."

"Still too good for him," Sunaina Sato said with venom in her voice.

Xander was in shock over the news, Lucille and Nikki were both crying. Like Tim, the two women had been assigned to the Navy Yard for several years, and had interacted with the Director more than anyone else other than Ric.

"At this time, Deputy Director Craig has asked that we continue in our roles as best we can. There will be a funeral in Washington, as well as a memorial at the Navy Yard. Of course, we will honour her here as well." Ric would make sure that Jenny Shepard would not be forgotten.

"Hetty."

"Owen, you sound terrible." Hetty Lange sat at her desk in the OSP in Los Angeles.

"I've got some bad news, Hetty." Owen Grainger found the words hard to speak.

"Owen, what has happened?"

"This has not been made public yet, but the President will let the public know soon. Director Shepard was the target of an assassin in Washington. He was shot and killed, but it was too late. He missed her, but the explosion from an RPG caused considerable damage. She died on the operating table. Most of the details are still unknown at this point." Owen Grainger had kept a personal distance from Jenny Shepard. He believed that you couldn't be hurt if you didn't get to know them. He now knew this was a lie.

"Oh, no," Hetty said. Henrietta Lange had worked for many years with Jenny Shepard, having worked as the Head of Operations at the Alliance Base in Paris with her. She was a firm believer that Jenny Shepard would have been the first female Secretary of the Navy when Philip Davenport retired. "Do you need me to do anything, Owen?"

"Let your team know. The funeral will be in Washington, and each NCIS office will be allowed their own memorial ceremony for her. Other than that, Acting Director Vance has asked that we continue the mission. To keep this country safe." Owen Grainger knew that saying. To keep this country safe had been a favourite of Jenny Shepards.

"Of course. If you need anything…" Hetty had once tried to kill Owen Grainger, but that didn't mean she had no respect for him. Also, that had been many years ago.

"Thank you, Hetty. Please inform your team." With that, Owen ended the call, having many more calls to make, all of which would be the same as this one.

Hetty put the phone down, in shock over these events. She stood up and moved over to where here senior four agents sat. "Mr Callen, could you gather everyone, please."

"Of course," G was confused by Hettys demand, but did it anyway.

"Hetty, everything good?" Sam Hanna knew something was up with his boss.

"No, Mr Hanna, there is nothing good, right now." G, Sam, Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks knew something very, very bad had happened. Hetty climbed one of the many staircases in the OSP, this was so everyone could see her. She watched as everyone gathered on the open plan floor, as well as the balcony and staircases. Once there was silence, Hetty told them news she wished never had to deliver again. "What I am about to tell you has not been made public, but it will be. Until then, you will tell no one what I am about to tell you. Earlier today, Director Shepard was the target of an assassin. While he did not kill her, he had caused an explosion which resulted in internal damage. Director Shepard died on the operating table." The silence inside the OSP was deafening.

Abigail Borin sat at her desk, and cried. She wasn't NCIS but had worked for Jenny Shepard under joint NCIS/CGIS operations. Borin had even been offered a job with NCIS by the Director. Borin admired Jenny Shepard more than any other woman other than the President and her own mother.

Jenny Shepard, in Borins eyes, had been one of the best agency directors the United States had even seen. She looked after her agents, cared more about the law and seeing justice done than about public perception and politics. Borin had never worked with Acting Director Vance, but knew the man had some very big, and very high heeled, shoes to fill.

Paula Cassidy looked out onto the floor of SpecOps. She remembered the last time she had spoken with the Director in person. It had been in her office on the Navy Yard. Paula had had two separate meetings, or rather, interviews with her for the position of Head of Special Operations. This meeting was to tell her if she had gotten the job.

Flashback

"Paula, come in, sit down, I'll be a moment." Paula moved to sit on the sofa, knowing the Director preferred sitting there during one on one meetings. She watched as the Director signed several pieces of paper, before closing the file. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, thank you, Director." Paula knew she hated being called Madam Director, and just about tolerated Ma'am.

"If you had a choice, who would replace you as the leader of MCRT, Pentagon?" Jen asked.

"Rick Hall." There was no hesitation in her voice.

"Excellent. His promotion is practically a given, and he will get the position of Team Lead of an MCRT, but I was thinking of giving him command of the second MCRT attached to the Navy Yard. Think he could still do a good job?" Jen asked.

"Yes, Ma'am, absolutely." Paula was very happy that, Rick deserved the promotion.

"Good, because you won't be able to provide much assistance, Agent Cassidy, or should I say SAC Cassidy," Jen said, smiling widely at the woman across from her.

"I got the job?" Paula asked in disbelief.

"You got the job, Paula. Leon, Jerome, Owen, SECNAV and myself are in complete agreement, for a change, on this one. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Director. What about Tim?" Paula asked, hoping she hadn't taken his job.

"Tim never wanted the job, temporarily or not. He will be very happy to give it up. But I have to warn you." Jen felt it only fair on the woman.

"About what?" Jen asked, worriedly.

"Tim has done an amazing job down there. Too good, actually. Leon wants to keep him there."

"How amazing are we talking, Director?" Paula was worried she would not be able to match Tim successes.

"Productivity is up by twelve percent, and job satisfaction up by nine."

"What the hell has Tim been doing down there? He's only been there two months." Paula was shocked at those numbers.

"Buying muffins, and working the late shifts, according to the reports. This has made him more approachable as well as in touch with analysts and technicians who work the later shifts." Jen was wondering if Paula would adopt a similar style.

"Well, I can see working different shift patterns would help, definitely fits in with the "If I can do it, you can do it" approach Tim has. Let me guess, he got them muffins because they were working late. Well, later than usual." Paula said, having stayed in touch with Tim over the last three and a half years, mostly by email and Team Leader teleconferences.

"That's the one. You going to follow in his footsteps?" Jen was curious how Agent Cassidy would operate at Camp Pendleton.

"I'm not sure yet. I'll be their third boss in as many months. Plus, this is a permanent move. I'll give it some thought, though." Paula would have to give it some serious thought if she wanted to keep those figures as high as they were.

"Tell me, where do you see Tim McGee in five years?" Jen threw this at Paula Cassidy.

"Excuse me?" Paula was shocked at this question.

"Don't worry, I'm not looking for gossip. But, you are one of several people who will remember that young man who sat across from Gibbs, who would stammer and struggle to stand up for himself." Jen had a hard time seeing that McGee with the one she had spoken to several days previously via teleconference.

"After having spoken to Tim over the past three years, and knowing what he has done and what he can do, I'd say in five years he could be one of the youngest Deputy Directors in NCIS history." Paula said, not sugarcoating the truth from her boss.

"Glad we are on the same page." Jen admitted.

End Flashback.

Paula stood up for her desk, feeling the tears forming in her eyes. As she looked out, seeing Cameron Madden and Karl Livingstone having a joke over something, more than likely their latest attempts to get each other a partner. She hated giving out bad news, but this was one of the worst she had ever had to give.