They had just finished a harrowing case. The kind that didn't leave a second for thinking of anything other than the next step, the next piece of information, the kind that barely left a few hours for sleeping never mind anything else. It explained why she had forgotten, when normally she would have had to fight to bury the thought of it for days before. At least that fight would have left her prepared for today, and there was no way she would have reacted as she did.

All she had wanted was to go home, soak in a bath for ages and crawl into bed. Not see anyone or speak to anyone for at least 48 hours. Unfortunately, there were still some reports to be finished, so she wearily logged onto her computer, knowing the others were similarly occupied and equally exhausted.

So, when the reminder popped up on her screen, she was completely unprepared. Memory washed over her like ice, and suddenly she was there again. The bullpen, her team, everything receded as she lived through the moment again and again. The sick feeling as she discovered the truth from his own mouth, the sharp report, the blossoming crimson patch, the shock in his eyes fading to nothingness. The anger, the pain, the numbness that had coursed through her then, filled her again.

She didn't know that a tiny gasp had escaped her. She didn't realize that Tony's head whipped up sharply at the sound, that he saw the blood drain from her face. She didn't hear him call out to her worriedly, or notice that this got Gibbs' and McGee's attention.

Gibbs took one look at her pallor and was on his feet, commanding McGee to get Ducky, and at her side within seconds. He took in the reminder on her screen, just the date, nothing more, but he realized what it meant.