Working with Gibbs (a NCIS story)

Chapter 39: ...no title, just FEELS

Previously...
Gibbs! A letter came for you a little while ago.  Someone came and dropped it off" Tony replied, pointing to the table.  Gibbs went back and grabbed the letter and opened it.
Grace noticed a change in Gibbs' demeanor as he read the letter.  He finally looked up after he got done reading. 
"Tony, Mackenzie, thanks for watching the kids...have a good night..." he said and headed downstairs, the letter still in his hands.
"Is everything okay?" Mackenzie asked
"I'm going to find out.  Thanks again, guys.  Talk to you all tomorrow" Grace replied.  She saw them out and then went downstairs.  Strangely enough, he was just standing by his workbench.  "Jethro? What's wrong?" She asked.
"I don't want to talk about it" he replied.
"Normally I'd leave it at that...but not this time.  Come on, talk to me...please" she persisted.  He looked at her for a moment, then sighed and handed her the letter. 
'Gunnery sgt. Leroy Jethro Gibbs,
This letter is to inform you that due to the continuing threat, you are being redeployed.  You have 48 hours to get your affairs in order, and to report to the address below.'
Grace looked at the letter over and over again, thinking that it'd somehow be a dream...but the more she looked at it, the more real it became. 
"No...no...they can't do this" she said, unable to say much else. 
"Unfortunately, they can..." he replied softly.  She moved to the stairs and sat down on the bottom step.  He followed her shortly after and sat next to her.
"We just came home with our twin children...after being scared that our son may not make it...and now I'm going to be alone raising the kids by myself" she said, choking on her emotions. 
"You won't be alone...you'll have the rest of our family..."
"But it won't be the same, Jethro...it won't be you...the kids need their father during this time..."
"I know that...but this is something that is out of my hands...I have to go..."
"I know you do...but..." she trailed off.
"But what?" He asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"I don't want to lose you...I can't..." she finally said, the tears finally falling from her eyes.  He held her close and she buried her face into his shoulder.  At that point, it was like a switch flipped and she started sobbing. 
"Shh...it'll be okay..." he said softly.  He just held her close, comforting her the best he could.  Finally, she calmed down a little.  "You won't lose me, no matter what" he told her.
"How...how can you be so sure?"
"Because no matter what happens, I'll always be with you, no matter what" he replied.  She finally looked up at him, and he wiped the tears away that were still on her face.  "This won't be goodbye, you know that, right?" He asked, and she nodded. 
"It'll be see you later."
-the next night-
She watched as he packed in silence.  She didn't trust her voice or her actions right now, so she just sat and watched.  They told the team earlier that day what was going on and that she was taking over as team lead until he returned.
"Well, this is it" he finally said, and she nodded silently.  "I'm going to go say goodbye to the twins, then I'll be back for you" she nodded again.  He walked out of the room and she could hear him in the next room talking to the kids.  After a few minutes, he came back.  "Come here" he said quietly and she stood and walked over to him.  He took her into his arms. 
"I love you, Gibbs...so much..." she said quietly as the tears started coming back again. 
"I love you too...more than I can even say" he replied, wiping the tears away.  He kept his hands on her face and kissed her.  She responded eagerly, both of them secretly afraid this would be the last time they saw each other.  They finally pulled away from each other.  "See you later"
"See you later, Gibbs"
A/N: ok...I'm gonna go cry now...