Gibbs: They lost respect for their leader. Their unit fell apart.

--

"Seen it happen more than once."

Ducky set the glass of scotch in front of his friend and took a seat. "Makes you more cautious, I'd imagine?"

"I know the kind of leader I need to be Duck."

"I'm sure you do…perhaps from the fallen examples of others?"

"And from the good ones." He added before taking a sip of his drink. "So what warranted the night cap Duck?"

"Cant a friend just invite another friend over for a drink?"

"Well yeah, but I'm not just another friend."

Ducky managed a smile. "True."

Gibbs only stared in response.

"Well to be honest Jethro…I thought you might like the company…"

"Me?"

"It has been quite the year…and we haven't had a good chat in a while. Felt like it was time."

"Time?"

He gave him a tired smile. "I'm not wrong am I Jethro?"

"I don't think that's possible Duck."

"Well alright then…" He lifted his glass gracefully before taking a sip and putting his feet up.

Gibbs thought back to their original point of discussion. "Think I could lead 'em better Duck?"

"Do you?"

"I don't second guess."

"So that's not what you're doing now?"

"Doesn't hurt to have a second opinion…"

Ducky nodded towards him. "You're a good man Jethro…deep inside you know what is wrong and right…that is the kind of leader they deserve, and that is the kind of leader you are to them…"

"Could've lost any one of them in Africa…"

"But you didn't."

"Hell, I could've lost all of 'em."

"But you didn't."

"No," he finished his drink. "I didn't."

Ducky refilled it. "Do you ever think about Jenny?"

Gibbs took a sip quickly. "Every day."

"I thought of her briefly during this fiasco…I wondered how she might have responded to the whole endeavor…"

"She would've been behind us."

Ducky agreed. "No doubt…in fact, I'd imagine she would've been right there with you."

"Ha! Yeah…she never could let go of the field work…"

Silence fell after some quiet laughter.

"To Jenny…" Gibbs simply lifted his glass.

"To Caitlin…." Ducky seconded the gesture before his friend concluded finally…

"To sacrifice…"