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'NCIS' Season 17 Episode 8: Gibbs leaving out of the blue had fans wondering about the new mess he could be in

In tonight's episode, before ensuing investigation on the Navy musician's murder, Gibbs informs the team that he has a friend emergency at hand and must leave immediately.

This article contains spoilers for season 17, episode 8: 'Musical Chairs'.

So... Agent Gibbs pulled something extremely very unlike him and just got up and left on tonight's episode of 'NCIS' season 17. No information beforehand, no explanation at the time, nothing. Gibbs just announced he had to leave, and he left, following which Ducky just casually leaves it looming out there that "Gibbs doesn't leave." Of course, we found out some bit of what he had been up to all this while, as the team went about solving a case of 'Musical Chairs', but before all of that, fans had a few possible speculations on what Gibbs was up to, that could have been absolutely stellar for the plot.

In tonight's episode 8 of season 17, before ensuing investigation on the Navy musician's murder, Gibbs informs the team that he has a friend emergency at hand and must leave immediately. He appoints McGee as the lead on this case, and even though the team is left confused and significantly distracted trying to speculate what fresh new mess Gibbs has managed to get himself into,  he doesn't budge. Without his badge or money, or even cell phone for that matter, Gibbs leaves, leaving everybody else in suspense as this has never happened before.

Luckily, right at the end of the episode, Gibbs finally returns from his secret mission and goes back straight to Sloane, to help her with issues regarding her biological daughter Faith, whom she is trying to reconnect with. But before that could happen, fans jumped at the opportunity to figure out what exactly he might have been doing. The first and most common speculation was Gibbs seeking out Ziva, once again.

Really, the desperation to see Ziva back on the screen has been real, as one fan shared on Twitter: "gibbs being so secretive about why he was gone, even with jack....makes me think it actually has to do with a certain ninja, a very special agent, and their little mini ninja....call it a gut feeling."

For other fans, it was the almost unsettling manner in which Gibbs left. Like seriously, who walks the earth in today's times without their cell phone or wallet? That's 21st-century survival strategy 101! Worried sick about their favorite team-lead, another fan tweeted: "I can understand leaving the phone behind. Maybe even the badge. (It's Gibbs, he's gone off the books before, plus he may know want to be noticed as a Govt. agent.) But his wallet? No money & no ID?" For the rest, however, it was Gibbs' return to Sloane and the heart-to-heart talk they shared that managed to hit all the right feels. Fans believe that "Gibbs and Jack would make the perfect couple. I love the trust and care they have for one another."

'NCIS' season 17 airs on Tuesdays at 9pm only on CBS.