NCIS : Gibbs/Ducky : I Told Them

I TOLD THEM

Ashleigh Anpilova

The sixth part of the Discovering series.

This is Fornell's, for-his-eyes only, report.

An established relationship story.

Written: April 2007. Word count: 440.

I've been telling them for years that they should tell the team about them.

But did they listen?

No.

Well, guess it's a bit late now. The team knows. Not quite in the way I had in mind, but they know.

Doubt if any of the kids, as Gibbs calls them, will be bothered, not really. I've been around all of them enough to have picked up things. I keep telling Gibbs that I'm as good an agent as he is; he never listens.

I'd only dropped in to remind Gibbs that he 'owed' me a bottle of bourbon, and to grab a cup of coffee. When I saw he wasn't at his desk, I thought I'd take the chance to check my emails; he still hadn't password protected his computer.

I heard DiNozzo telling Abby about Ducky's mom having died, and that him, McGee and Ziva were going down to Autopsy to pay their respects. So I thought I'd tag along. I like Ducky; even if his stories irritate me sometimes. I don't know how Gibbs has put up with them over the years.

Actually, I do. The same way as Ducky has put up with Gibbs's idiosyncrasies, and all his women. I couldn't have done, I wouldn't have done. Don't know anyone else who could have done. But then I couldn't live with all the stories either; so I guess they're even.

Part of me feels I should have stopped everyone from going down to see Ducky. That I should of known that as Gibbs was down there, Ducky didn't need anyone else. But I never for a moment thought . . .

Oh, well. It's a bit late now. What's done is done.

Gibbs wasn't bothered. But then he never was. He told me that once.

But Ducky was. I could see that. I could see it by the look of fear in his eyes, and by the way he tried to pull himself out of Gibbs's arms. He didn't succeed though. Gibbs just held him; stared everyone down, and then made his calm announcement. He dared anyone to say anything; he especially dared Director Shepard to say something.

She didn't.

It was Abby who did. She sorted it all, at least for that moment. She simply went to Ducky and hugged him herself, and told him how sorry she was about his mom. She acted as if she hasn't seen him being kissed by Gibbs. Acted as if Gibbs hadn't said what he said.

Now it's down to Gibbs. He's the only one who can make it really right for Ducky.

I told them they should have told them.

LINKS TO ALL THE STORIES IN THE DISCOVERING SERIES

What Have I Done?

Disturbed

He Always Does

I Know How He Felt

Surprised

I Told Them

Maybe I Should

They're Everything

The Last Day