Sleepless in Washington

The squad room was quiet for the time of night; most of the agents had already left for home while others were on break during a case. Others were on a case but his team was here. Gibbs looked up from his paperwork to gaze upon his team. With his head back and mouth slightly open Tony was fast asleep and snoring softly. Ziva had her head resting on her hand apparently falling asleep while at her computer, one hand still resting on the keyboard. Gibbs shifted his gaze towards his third agent to find much of the same.

McGee had his head down on his desk resting on his arms clearly out cold. Gibbs would never let anyone know outside this room that he actually felt sorry for his team. They had been working non-stop until the case was closed now for three days straight without any sleep. It was no surprise to him that all three of his agents were out cold at their desks. For once Gibbs didn't concern himself with waking any of them, the paperwork could wait.

Smiling at the sight he stood up from his desk quietly and made his way to the elevator. He backtracked for a moment when he made a startling realization that his coffee was still on his desk. Coffee in hand Gibbs proceeded to the elevator and down to the lab to check on Abby.

When he arrived in the lab Gibbs walked in as silently as possible. Looking around he found Abby not at her desk, instead laying on the floor under the counter on her futon, her Caf-Pow sitting next to her and Bert in her arms. Crouching down next to her Gibbs placed the forgotten blanket back over her shoulders before leaning down to give her a light kiss on the cheek.

"Night Abs," Gibbs whispered in her ear.

"Night Gibbs," Abby returned tiredly before falling back to sleep.

Gibbs turned and walked from the lab, closing the door behind him gently before pushing the button on the elevator. He had one more person to visit before returning to the bullpen. When the elevator arrived he stepped on and pushed the button for the basement. His eyes slipped closed as he felt the elevator descend, a true testament of his fatigue.

He opened his eyes as the elevator came to a halt, a resounding ding bouncing off the steel walls. Gibbs disembarked the elevator and walked towards the familiar sliding doors already knowing what to expect. As he neared the doors a hissing filled his ears as they slid open allowing him to enter. The first thing he saw when entering Autopsy was Ducky's assistant, Jimmy Palmer, laying on an empty autopsy table sound asleep. He couldn't help but laugh at how many times he had done the same after a trying case.

Turning away from Jimmy he walked to Ducky's desk. As he expected Ducky had been in a similar state as the rest of his team. Glasses askew the old medical examiner had his head down on his desk resting on crossed arms. A pen rested in his right hand hovering over a half completed autopsy report, most likely the same one started before succumbing to his exhaustion.

As gently as possible Gibbs lifted the pen out of Ducky's hand and set it aside, regretting it immediately once he received a response. To his surprise the only response he got was Ducky retracting his hand and tucking it under his left to better pillow his head. Chuckling slightly Gibbs continued, carefully sliding Ducky's glasses off from where they rested awkwardly on his face and setting them on the shelf. Ducky never stirred or even muttered, it was one example of how exhausted the ME was. Counting back Gibbs could only remember a few times Ducky had fallen asleep on his desk like this, the last being after Kate had been killed.

Walking away from Ducky, Gibbs noticed a slight chill cross Jimmy's body. Still wearing his scrubs Jimmy was shivering from the frigid temperature of Autopsy. Gibbs walked back to a storage cabinet where he knew Ducky stored blankets for this reason and grabbed one. Quietly he laid it out over the young assistant before continuing his walk from the room.

The doors hissed once more as they slid open and closed behind him. Pushing the button again Gibbs prepared for his return to the squad room where he hoped to complete his work. Stepping into the elevator he pushed the corresponding button and waited as the elevator ascended, his eyes once again slipping closed with the movement.

Once he arrived he stepped out and walked back to his desk. After taking a seat he looked at the case report he had begun and began pondering what to do next. What the hell,he thought to himself as he closed the file. He decided, for once without his team looking he would do something he needed to do three days ago. Something that all of his team was in the process of. Leaning back in his chair Gibbs put his head back and crossed his arms in his lap as he let his eyes slip closed. "Good night," he muttered to no one as he fell into a much-needed sleep.

Disclaimer: NCIS is property of Donald P. Bellisario and CBS, I don't own anything.