Many thanks to my beta Mirth. All mistooks and spleling misteaks are mine, because I think I knew better

A snapshot/short scene

They walked into the elevator in silence, the younger man slumping against the rear wall, his backpack sliding from his shoulder to land on the floor with a soft thud. The older man pressed the button to take them to the garage, he waited for the doors to close and the elevator to descend before flipping the emergency switch, bringing the car to a shuddering stop.

He turned to look at the younger man, defeat and despair rolling off the man in waves, filling the small space with its insidious darkness."Wasn't your fault, DiNozzo," he said firmly.

DiNozzo lifted his head, eyes bloodshot from exhaustion, face pale and drawn. "No, Boss. Not my fault," he agreed quietly, lying. He lowered his head, avoiding the piercing gaze of the older man.

Gibbs stepped forward and grasped DiNozzo's chin firmly, gently bringing his head up. "Liar," he growled, watching DiNozzo's face as it darkened with shame and embarrassment. "You couldn't save her, she panicked," he stated, leaving no room for argument.

Dinozzo tried though. "I should have done something, Boss. I could …."

"You could have broken cover and died along side her, leaving her kids unprotected, to die too," Gibbs snapped back. "You saved their lives, DiNozzo. You tried to save hers. You did good," Gibbs praised gently, his hand released DiNozzo's chin and moved to the back of the younger man's head, stroking it softly. "Atta boy."

DiNozzo raised his head and stared at him, hope flaring in his eyes, just for a moment, before self doubt and recriminations dulled its edge, but failed to crush it completely. Gibbs nodded and broke the gaze, moving across the car he flipped the switch, the elevator descending once again.

It was a start, but Gibbs knew DiNozzo would carry the unwarranted guilt with him, tucking the perceived fault behind the thin veil of the clowns mask. Hidden from others, as it inevitably wrapped itself round DiNozzo's soul, trying to destroy from the inside out.

Others in the past, who should have seen, should have known, had allowed this destructive behaviour to grow unheeded, uncaring of the damage wrought. Gibbs cared. Taking years to undo the damage, to identify the cause, to recognize the signs.

He'd cook up some steaks tonight and make DiNozzo bring the beers, would sit though the inane chatter, until the movie references started to flit around what happened. A dead parent, surviving children, a guilt-ridden cop, then Gibbs would make his move.

He wouldn't be able to wrestle the guilt from the young man's heart, but he could balance it out, make DiNozzo acknowledge the success of two young children saved, safe in the arms of a loving father, their mother's murderer dead and cold on one of Ducky's slabs.

Courtesy of DiNozzo.