Chapter 1: Not so Good Morning

I hadn't bothered to put my pigtails in today. No make-up on my face either. I just got out of my coffin bed this morning and threw on some clothes. For some reason, today my black pumps felt extra heavy. I didn't bother to put them on until I absolutely needed to.

Thankfully, my friends/co-workers weren't in the squad room yet. Don't get me wrong they're like a second family to me. It's just that I didn't want them to badger me about my "non-abby" mood. I didn't feel like jumping around or even putting on some music today.

My feet dragged across the little space from the elevator doors to my lab. Slowly I shut the door and my body plopped into my desk chair. As my head start to feel heavy, I placed it in my arms on the evidence table. Before I knew it, I was asleep.

Briefcase in hand, I walked into the squad room. Ziva and Tony were at each other's throats with their usual bickering. I rolled my eyes and sat at my desk. After about five minutes of paperwork I looked up in wonder. Usually Abby would be clomping over to my desk to give us her latest report on the evidence on a case we were investigating. Well if there was a case. We had just been assigned one yesterday. A petty officer Dett had been kidnapped along with some important files he had to guard.

"What's wrong Probie?" Senior Agent DiNozzo asked me, ignoring Ziva's witty jab at him moments ago. I blinked at him, not really listening. His voice sounded so distant. I shook my head.

"Something's not right Tony." I sighed. Tony laid back in his chair with a smug look on his face.

"It's because Abby isn't here for you to gawk at right?" I gave him a look filled with daggers. I looked back at the elevator. Where was she? Ziva, obviously noticing what Tony couldn't, walking over and patted my shoulder.

"Maybe she found something that needed more racking." She suggested.

"Cracking, Ziva." Tony corrected her, standing between us now.

"Maybe your right." I couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. WIthout a thought of what I was doing, I glided over to the elevator. I could feel my partners' eyes on my back. I didn't care though. I didn't even care if Gibbs would yell at me for not being ready to investigate. All I could think about was Abby.

"DiNozzo! Where's McGee?" I hollered at him. He was reading one of his magazines, practically drooling over a picture of a girl in a green knit two-piece. As I sat down at my desk and sipped my coffee he was already looming over my desk. I glared at my senior field agent, waiting for a response. He looked particularly fidgety. He better have a good answer.

"Boss" he started. "McGee was worried 'bout Abs. She hadn't come up with an evidence report this morning. We tried to tell him that she could still be working on it. He just left for her lab a few minutes ago." Taking another sip of my coffee, I sighed. That boy had it bad. It was so obvious even Tony could realize it. I chuckled inwardly as I looked at DiNozzo's face. His eyes were shut tight and his face was scrunched up. Clearly expecting to be head slapped. Ignoring him, I slipped my attention to Ziva.

"David, what do you got on our missing petty officer?" She picked up her notepad to read.
"He has a sister, Michelle Dett, who lives in Norfolk with their father; Michael Dett. He was honorably discharged Marine who got wounded in Combat in Vietnam. Mother, Diane Dett, died two years ago. Michael Junior's fiance, Madeline Swan, is a nurse at the hospital on base. She reported him missing yesterday after coming home to seeing his car in the driveway with blood on her open front door and porch."

"Nice work Ziva." a hint of a smile came across her face but was replaced with a blank poker face. I got up and head slapped DiNozzo. "What was that for?" he complained. "For reading magazines on the job."

I was in my lab. Everything was in it's place. I looked over to the metal evidence table. There was a box on it. Great evidence! On the label it did not say the kidnapped vic's name. Instead... I saw HIS name on it. In Palmer's scribble of handwriting he wrote "McGee, Timothy". I stepped back and gasped. What the hell was going on?

"Abby" his sweet murmured.

"McGee?" I looked behind me to see only my table of computers blinking lists of possible suspects.

"Abs" his voice came again. I walked closer to the screen as one monitor beeped. It exhibited a certain type of knife. Someone hurt Tim. HER Timmy!

"Abby please." his voice began to falter. I bowed my head. There in my hand was the exact same knife as the one on the monitor screen. The only difference was that there's blood on it. Timmy's blood. Oh my God! I checked the handle for prints. It took only a few seconds to find the identity. A picture of...ME popped up. What! This couldn't be true.

"Abby look at me!" pain was visible in his voice. Why would I hurt Tim? NO! I wouldn't. Suddenly I was in the autopsy room. On one of the metal beds was a clean white sheet over a body. Curious, I crept to the corpse's side and took off the sheet half way. In front of my eyes revealed a sleeping-looking McGee. The only difference was that he was abnormally pale. This is freaking me out! Gathering up my courage, I searched down to his chest where evidently there was a big stab wound. It looked like it could pool a river of blood. I whimpered and put out my hand to touch him. The stab was centered right where his heart should be beating.

"Abs snap out of it! Please look at me baby!" he out. I diverged my eyes to look back at his face. I saw tears streaming down his colorless face.

"Tim! McGee! NO! Timmy" I screamed. My face felt wet. I don't remember crying. Unexpectedly a smooth, warm tingly feeling swept the teardrops away.

"Baby open your eyes. I'm here Abby. Wake up." his breath tickled my ears. Wait. How could he be talking if he's dead? This can't be real! I fluttered my eyes open to see McGee. He closed his eyes while letting out a quivering sigh. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was just a dream! Thank God! Without warning I wrapped my arms around his neck. I began to cry again.

"Shh it's okay. It was just a nightmare. Every thing's okay Abby. I'm here." he reassured me. Oh McGee!

I was kneeling on the ground, holding her gently. Out of nowhere, her arms wrapped around my neck with such strength, it was take an army to pry her off. It must've been some nightmare for her to be crying. She had me worried. I saw her there, looking so peaceful as she slept. Ah the look on her face, brought back memories. About to tiptoe out I heard her gasp. It wasn't an 'oh you surprised me' gasp. It was more like a 'I'm going to scream' kind.

I remember turning around. The peaceful trance on her face was stolen by a horrific one. Like the ones you see in movies when someone finds another person dead. When did I start thinking like Tony? That thought was immediately pushed aside by others. What if it was about the case? What if she was in danger and that's why she's having the nightmare? I strode towards her, shaking her shoulders as gently as I could. She wouldn't wake up.

Her expressions kept on changing from horrified to confused to horrified again. THAT wasn't good. I couldn't stand seeing Abby look so scared. I gathered her into my arms, trying to wake her. That didn't seem to be helping. Abs started to whimper and cry. It made me want to too. I had to be strong. I brushed the tears from her lovely pale skin and pleaded over and over. She screamed. Not just that but MY name. Was I the one that was hurting her? After more pleading and begging she finally awoken. Where we are right now.

"Tim" Abby sniffled. I smoothed her hair, rocking her back and forth.
"Yeah Abs?" I said, trying to sound unnerved.
"Um...why are you here?" I looked down at her. Her spring grass colored eyes fused with some red from crying. That's when I realized she wasn't wearing her usual make-up. Her wavy, ebony hair weren't in their usual pigtails either. I cleared my throat.
"Uh I was wondering if you got anything off of Dett's computer." I replied.
"Oh" was all she said as she sat up, taking one of her elastics of her wrists and into her hair. Within moments she looked more like Abby. I couldn't help but smile. That's my girl.