**Ice Queen/Meltdown**

**April 23, 2003 -- NCIS Headquarters**

Tony sank down into his desk chair and sighed heavily, dropping his head into his hands. They had just gotten back from their failed op in Cadiz, and he wasn't exactly feeling 100%. He didn't even see the blur of black and white until it was nearly on him, turning his chair just in time to catch it.

"Tony, you're home!" Abby cried, jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly.

"Yup. Sure am." He said, forcing a bright grin for the Forensic Scientist.

She pulled back slightly at the sound of his strained voice and frowned, looking him over closely. "You didn't get him, did you?"

Gibbs walked into the squad room and sat down at his desk, taking a sip of his cup of coffee. "Nope."

"Viv made sure of that." Tony grumbled, wrapping his arm around Abby's back when she perched herself on his lap.

"Well, that answers my next question then." The Goth said, looking over at the redhead's former desk. "Cleared her out fast."

"Had Dobbs clear out her desk." Gibbs said, glancing over at his agent. "Tony, you look like shit. Go home and get some sleep."

"I'm fine, Boss." He argued half-heartedly.

"Abby."

The Scientist reached up behind the Italian's head and slapped him, smirking when he jerked forward slightly. "Always listen to the Bossman, Tony."

He rubbed the back of his head, glaring at the woman on his lap playfully. "I'm fine! Just a little tired, that's all."

Abby cocked an eyebrow at him and shook her head. "Everyone gets sick, Tony. Except Gibbs. There's nothing wrong with admitting it, especially after the trip you guys just got back from."

"I'm not sick." Tony explained, frowning when his body let him down, releasing a deep-seated cough. "Okay, so I have a little cough. I'm fine though."

"DiNozzo. Home. Medicine. Am I gonna have to get Ducky involved?" Gibbs asked, fixing the younger man with a stern look.

"No..." He whined, nudging Abby gently off his lap.

"Abs." Gibbs said, motioning her over to him. Pulling a $20 out of his wallet, he handed it to her before signing. *Take him home, make sure he takes his meds. Buy some dinner for the two of you...something healthy, Abby. No pizza or Chinese.*

*Of course!* She grinned at him, leaning down and letting him kiss her cheek. "Come on, T. I'll drive you home. We can pick up some dinner on the way."

"Abby..." He said, resting his head on his desk. "I don't need a babysitter. Come on, Gibbs! Don't you trust me?"

"Nope."

Tony frowned at the simple response, watching as the older man started on his paperwork.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked. "Go. Home. I'm not tellin' you again. You wanna be on desk duty for the next week?"

"Y...you wouldn't do that to me, Boss!"

Gibbs shrugged, looking back down at his paperwork, smirking to himself when Tony sighed and stood up, letting Abby help him into his jacket.

"Come on, Tony-boy! It'll be fun! We can watch a movie, eat some dinner..."

"Goody." He said, giving the silver-haired man a defeated look as the Goth pulled him out of the building.

**Later That Night -- Tony's Apartment**

"This is the worst movie ever." Abby complained as she elbowed Tony in the side. "I mean seriously. It's just a bad movie. Not even funny."

"It's not a bad movie." He argued, his voice slightly hoarse from coughing. "If you'd just give it a chance, then..."

"Give it a chance? Tony, it's almost over! It's a bad movie!"

Tony coughed deeply, rubbing his throat as if to alleviate the pain. "Evil Dead is a classic."

She snorted, pushing herself off the couch and heading into the kitchen to pick up his medicine. "Yeah. Classic crap."

"You...have no idea what you're talking about."

She shrugged, returning to the couch and sitting next to him again. "Maybe not. But I do know it's time for your medicine."

"I'm not taking that stuff. I'm fine."

"Yeah...'Fine' is your middle name." The Goth pushed the bottle into his hand and smiled sweetly at him. "Drink up."

"Abby, I swear to you, I am nothing more than a little jet lagged. I'll be good as new in the morning."

She frowned, looking up at him with her puppy-dog eyes. "You would really have me get in trouble with Gibbs because you didn't wanna take a sip of some medicine?"

Tony sighed, looking down at the bottle. "Just so you know, I'm doing this under duress." He tipped the bottle back and took a long drink before re-capping it.

"Aw, you want a safe word?"

"Very funny. Think I need one? You're the one into the bondage and stuff." He chuckled, coughing once again as he set the bottle on the table.

"You saying you wanna be tied up, T? I think that can be arranged."

"Re-he-eally?" He smirked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

She grinned. "Yeah. But...you still owe me dinner and I don't tie boys up on the first date without dinner first."

"Good thing we've had our first date already then, huh?"

Abby punched his shoulder gently, smiling when he cried out playfully. "I'm not sure that counted as a date."

"Well, then why'd you tie me to your headboard?" He smirked.

She leaned close to him and whispered in his ear, her breath tickling his neck. "Because you liked it."

He smiled, turning on her quickly and pinning her to the couch, her head resting against the pillows. "I did like it. But next time...it'll be your turn to get tied up."

She leaned up, kissing his lips quickly, surprising him into moving back. She chuckled, patting his knee. "There won't be a next time unless you take all your medicine, Tonyboy."

Standing up, she walked into the bedroom, glancing over her shoulder as she reached the door, winking at him. "You coming? I'm tired."

Tony stood up quickly, following after her before turning around halfway and going back to the living room, picking up the bottle of cough medicine.

**Bete Noire**

**March 2, 2004 -- Abby's Lab**

"Abby?"

Tony stepped into the Goth's lab quietly, frowning when he realized all the machines were turned off and Abby was no where to be found.

She had come to her lab as soon as everything calmed down, choosing to stay there instead of taking Tony up on his offer to go to the hospital and pick up Gibbs. He had tried to talk to her, to reassure her that she wasn't to blame for what had happened to Kate, Ducky, and Gerald, but she wouldn't listen to him.

Turning around, he headed back to the elevator, intent on finding his friend. He was fairly sure where she had gone, so after stopping by his desk to grab his backpack, he took off, driving toward Rock Creek Park.

He arrived there about a half an hour later, parking his car at the bottom of the hill. She had told him about the autopsy nightmares she had been having, trying to explain to him that it was irrational for her to be afraid of a place that she had been to hundreds, no thousands, of times over the past 3 years. He had attempted to discourage her train of thought, telling her about nightmares he had as a child, which ultimately didn't make her feel any better.

Starting up the small hill, he smiled when he saw her sitting on top of the climbing dome in the center of the playground. She had told him about this place once before, mentioning that it had reminded her of a park near her childhood home in New Orleans.

"Abs?"

He could see her sigh heavily, not bothering to turn back to look at him.

"Hey Tony." Her voice sounded defeated as she hung her head, pulling her knees close to her chest while trying to maintain her balance.

Tony climbed up and sat next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to him, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

"It's not your fault, Abs."

"You said that earlier."

"I meant it too." He took her chin in his hand, forcing her to look up at him. "And I'll say it as many times as I have to until you get it through your stubborn head. It. Was. Not. Your. Fault."

She relaxed against him, resting her head comfortably on his shoulder. "She shouldn't have been down there. Gerald wouldn't have gotten shot..."

"You don't know that. Look at me." He grabbed her shoulders and held her at arm's length, tipping her chin so she was looking into his eyes. "No one blames you, Abby. You can't let this get to you, okay? We all wish it hadn't happened, but this isn't the third grade, and there aren't any take-backs. What's done is done."

The Goth closed her eyes, nodding her head slowly. "Thanks, Tony."

He smiled, pulling her back against his side. "No problem. Now, what do you say we get out of the cold and go grab some dinner? I'm buying."

"Sure."

The Italian jumped off the top of the structure and reached his hand up, offering to help the younger woman down. "I believe I owe you a movie as well, if I remember correctly."

"It's alright, we don't have to go tonight." She said, allowing him to wrap his jacket around her shoulders as they walked back to his car.

"Nonsense." He chuckled, placing a hand at the small of her back. "I haven't helped corrupt you yet this month. I do believe we have yet to see Eurotrip."

"Maybe another night, T. I just wanna grab a pizza and curl up on the couch with you. I think there's a Magnum marathon on tonight."

"Oh really?" He smirked, helping her into the car. "I think I'm gonna take you up on that one."

**Dead Man Talking**

**April 25, 2004 -- Abby's Lab**

"Come on, Hotshot." Tony said, taking a bite from his apple as he headed for the door.

McGee hesitated, looking back to Abby.

"Need a place to stay?" She asked, smiling at him.

He started to nod as Tony reached the door and turned around. "McGee!" He shouted, pointing out the lab door.

The younger man rushed out the door, missing the look that Abby shot at Tony, silently warning the Italian to leave him alone.

The two men stepped onto the elevator and as soon as the doors closed, the older man flipped the emergency stop.

"You'd better keep your hands to yourself." He said, taking a step closer to McGee, chuckling when he backed up nervously. "She's got two bedrooms, and just so you know, I have a key."

"Wh...why are you telling me?"

"Just a warning. I don't wanna be forced to hurt you if I drop by to check in."

McGee flushed, his hands fidgeting nervously. "I...I didn't do anything last time. It was all Abby's idea!"

Tony glared at him, realizing how Gibbs must have felt only a few years earlier when Tony used a similar excuse in this very same elevator. "Oh re-he-he-heally?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow at the sandy-haired man. "I bet Abby has a different story."

He watched as the borrowed agent visibly gulped. "Ah, don't worry about it, McGeek. She already told me all about you two." He leaned toward him and whispered in his ear. "Pretty hinky if you ask me."

"The hinky stuff was all her idea!"

"Ha!" Tony shouted, pumping his fist in the air as he turned the elevator back on.

McGee frowned. "She...she didn't tell you anything, did she?"

He smirked. "A well-trained NCIS agent is good at extracting information."

**Two Days Later -- Bullpen**

"Reminds me of the Crying Game."

McGee looked at the Goth curiously. "Don't know it."

"It was such a cool flick." Abby said, swinging her feet as she sat on the edge of Gibbs' desk.

Tony groaned, holding an ice pack to his head. "Abby, could you pick some other movie. Please."

"Oh! Um...Victor, Victoria?"

Tony looked up at her, trying to remember the premise of the film. "That was a girl pretending to be a guy pretending to be a girl?"

"Right."

"Yeah. That one's okay." He nodded, dropping his gaze back to the desk in front of him.

"I don't know...turning your plumbing inside out is kind of..."

"Hinky?" McGee offered.

"No, it's way beyond hinky..." She trailed, shuddering at the thought.

Kate grinned, looking over at the Italian. "Speaking of way beyond hinky, Tony..."

"Okay, all right, give it to me, Kate, I can take it."

"Okay." Kate took a few steps to Tony's desk and leaning her arms on it. "What was it like, tonguing a guy?"

Everyone was silent for a second, waiting for his response, when he dropped the ice pack onto his desk. "Forget it." He mumbled, standing up. "I can't take it." Grabbing his jacket, he headed for the elevator, pushing the down button.

"Tony, wait!" Abby called, excusing herself from the rest of the group and joining her friend as he stepped onto the elevator. "Hey."

"Come to make fun of me some more?" He pouted, watching the floor numbers above the door light up one by one.

The Goth reached over and flipped the emergency switch on the elevator, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked up at him. "No, actually, I didn't."

"Then what is it, Abby? I know I screwed up, okay? I don't need you to rub it in."

"You didn't know, Tony. Hell, no one did. That's how he got away with it."

The Italian attempted to reach around her and flip the switch back, anxious to go home and forget the day ever happened. "Don't you have some date with McRomance?"

"I can cancel. He'll be at my place when I get back. You need a friend tonight, what d'ya say? We'll go get a drink." She looked up at him with her puppy dog eyes, her dark lips forming a grin.

He thought about it for a second before shaking his head. "I don't think so, Abs."

She frowned, worrying the inside of her cheek as she thought of another reason for him to hang out with her. "I won't mention it again, ever ever." She promised.

Cocking his eyebrow at her, he reached for the emergency switch again, this time succeeding. She pouted, stepping back and standing shoulder to shoulder with him as the elevator moved toward the parking garage. Tony stepped out when the car reached it's destination, walking toward his Mustang.

"Tony! Wait!" Abby called, running after him. She jumped in front of him, blocking the door with her body.

He groaned, dropping his head back and staring at the ceiling of the garage. "Abby, come on. I really don't wanna deal with this tonight."

"Please please please!" She begged. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Abs. But I just don't feel like hangin' out tonight."

"I'll buy pizza and beer. It's just one night, T."

He rolled his eyes and looked at her, his eyes showing her how tired he was. "Fine." He conceded, taking her by the shoulders and moving her away from the car. "Get in."

**Later That Night -- Tony's Apartment**

"That was awesome." Abby grinned, leaning against Tony's chest as he pulled the blankets up around them.

"You know, you'd think I'd get sick of hearing that...but it never gets old." He smirked, wincing dramatically when she punched him gently in the shoulder.

"You're too cocky for your own good." She relaxed against him, running her hand through his hair.

He moaned lightly, tilting his head into her hand. "But you still love me."

"Yeah yeah. You know, you should have been a masseuse. Your massages are killer."

"What about my illustrious public service career?"

The Goth scoffed, pulling his hair gently. "Illustrious? Big word."

He chuckled as he poked her in the side, wrapping his arms around her tightly. They rested against the pillows silently for a moment before Abby finally spoke up again.

"You know...this whole thing with McGee..."

He sighed. "Abby...really? We don't have to do this. Please, don't ruin a perfectly good night."

The younger woman crawled on top of him, straddling his chest as she placed a finger against his lips. "Please let me finish."

"You've got me kinda distracted." Tony joked, putting his hands on her hips. "Haven't seen you in this position in over 4 years."

She punched him again, narrowing her eyes at him playfully. "I know that I've been wrapped up in this McGee thing. But...while he makes me happy, I don't wanna lose you. You're my best friend."

"You're not gonna lose me, Abbygirl." He smiled, rubbing circles on her hips with his thumbs. "Especially not when you're like this. You may end up getting more of me than you bargained for if you're not careful."

"You're the one who should be more careful, Tonyboy. I almost lost you today. You shouldn't have gone over there and you know it." She leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, moving herself off his chest and relaxing against his side again. "I love you. But if you scare me like that ever again, so help me God..."

"I know I know. You'll kill me and leave no forensic evidence."

**Missing**

**May 4, 2004 -- Abby's Lab**

Tony sat on the prep table in the middle on the lab, watching as Abby paced nervously in front of him.

"Abs, relax, please. I'm a trained professional."

"We're not talking about skateboarding, Tony! You're going to tail a suspect with no backup!"

He hopped down and stepped in her way, gripping her shoulders gently. "I. Will. Be. Fine." He said, smiling at her. "Besides, I like doing surveillance. Stakeouts are the best, but I'll take what I can get."

"I don't have a good feeling about this, Tony." She said, looking up at him with her bright green eyes. "Like, my gut is all twisted."

He waved a hand at her, leaning against the table again. "That's just the bad Chinese we had last night. I had the same problem this morning."

Abby rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm serious, Tony."

"So am I. That Chinese was horrible. Remind me never to go to Golden Star again."

He yelped when her fist connected with his shoulder, making him jerk back slightly. "What was that for?"

"Not taking this seriously. It's dangerous, and you don't even realize the risk!"

"Abby." The Italian held his hand out to her, gathering her up against his chest in a hug when she accepted it. "I promise everything will be fine. Okay?" He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and pulled back a little, tipping her chin up so she was looking him in the eye. "We'll go out on Saturday, okay? I'll take you to that new club you've been wanting to go to."

"Okay." She sighed, pressing her nose into the hollow of his throat. "I just worry, that's all."

"I know you do, and that's why I love you." He grinned, releasing her from the embrace. "Now, are you gonna gimme back my cell phone, or am I gonna have to go without GPS?"

Reluctantly, the Goth took the small device out of her back pocket and dropped it into his hand. "I just wanted to make sure you came and saw me before you did anything drastic."

"You mean you wanted to try and talk me out of it." Tony said, cocking an eyebrow at her. He leaned over and pecked her on the cheek before turning away. "Gotta go, Abs. I'll see you when I get back, alright?"

"Yeah." She said, watching as he stepped into the elevator. Sighing, she picked up Bert and gave him a good squeeze. "This stomachache is definitely not just bad Chinese."

**20 Hours Later**

"Abby!" Gibbs called, walking into the darkened lab and looking around for the scientist. "Abs?"

He crossed the large open lab and stepped into her office, finding her passed out from exhaustion at her desk. The younger woman had been up without any sleep since Tony had been down to inform her that he was going to tail their suspect, and he had to admit that he was happy to see her sleeping, even if he did have to wake her up.

"Abby." He whispered, pulling her pigtail gently. "Wake up."

The Goth sat straight up, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. "I'm up! Did you find him?"

"Not yet. I need you to get me maps of the sewers near the bar. Can you do that?"

She nodded, looking up at the older man hopefully. "Is that where he is? I mean...are you guys gonna be able to find him?"

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her temple. "We'll find him, Abs. Now, come on." He nudged her shoulder, setting a Caf-Pow! down in front of her.

Abby turned back to her computer and typed quickly, blinking back the nervous tears that were building behind her eyes. "Got it." She mumbled, pulling the sheet of paper off the printer and handing it to him.

Gibbs signed a quick 'thank you' to her before turning and walking away. Standing up, she followed him until he reached the door, stopping right on his heels when he turned and looked at her. "What's up, Abs?"

"Just...bring him back safe, okay?"

Gibbs kissed her cheek and gave her a reassuring grin. "We'll be back soon, okay?"

She sighed, watching as the older man exited the lab with the map she had given him. Saying a silent prayer, she wrapped her arms around herself and resigned herself to waiting patiently for any more news of her best friend.

**1830 Hours -- Abby's Lab**

Tony pushed himself off the wall of the elevator when the doors slid open, walking into the lab. He sighed heavily as he leaned against the wall, watching his friend as she worked at her computer.

"Oh, hey T." She said, flashing him a small smile over her shoulder before turning back to her computer.

He glanced at her, confused as to how she was managing to keep herself calm when she was so distraught before he left. "Hey." He mumbled. "So, uh...I don't get a hug or anything? I did just spend almost 24 hours in a sewer."

"Of course." She grinned, pulling herself away from her computer and skipping over to him and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Welcome back."

The Italian frowned, watching her move back to her computer. "You know, you're acting like I went on vacation rather than having been kidnapped by some crazy woman."

Abby turned around and leaned against the workbench, cocking an eyebrow at her. "Gibbs told me you were okay already. He called while you were getting patched up at the hospital."

"Oh." He said, turning toward the door.

"Tony..." She said, starting to move toward him when he spun around.

"I'm goin' home." He snapped, spinning back around and stepping onto the elevator before the Goth had an opportunity to respond.

**2100 Hours -- Tony's Apartment**

The brunette groaned when he heard the knock on the door, pausing the movie he was watching and standing up, taking a swig of his beer. He made his way over to the door and opened it, leaning against the frame in his pajama pants.

"Hey."

The younger woman looked up at him through her bangs, frowning slightly. "Hey. I'm sorry about..."

"Don't."

"Tony, let me talk. I just want to apologize..."

"I said don't, Abby. I don't wanna hear it, okay? I get it. You don't care, or whatever your reason is...it doesn't matter. Just...we'll see each other on Monday and everything will be back to normal."

Abby nearly stumbled back at the force of his words, feeling her resolve crumble. "I *do* care, Tony. I probably care more than I should!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think it's supposed to mean, T? You're always going off and practically begging for trouble, not taking anyone else into consideration! I *told* you that I had a bad feeling about this, but you went off and did it anyway, brushing me off like I don't rate!"

"I was doing my job, Abby. I don't get to cherry pick the assignments."

She stopped trying to hold back her tears, raising her voice slightly. "But you don't have to volunteer! It...it's like you go looking for trouble! Like you can't get enough! What the fuck are you trying to prove?"

Tony slammed his hand against the open door loudly. "Everyone has someone to give a shit if something happens. I clearly don't. You and Gibbs proved that today."

The Goth reached out and punched him hard in the chest. "If you think that I don't care about you, then you're dumber than you look, DiNozzo."

Before he could say anything else, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing in the doorway to his apartment alone.

**Good Wives Club**

**October 7, 2004 -- Abby's Lab**

Tony stepped off the elevator and walked into the lab, cringing slightly at the loud music. He made his way across the large room as quickly as possible without allowing the forensic specialist to see him and reached into her office to turn off the stereo.

"Hey!"

He snickered at the younger woman as she narrowed her eyes at him, planting her hands on her hips firmly.

"Minimize all noise..." He quoted, reading the small pamphlet that had been found with both the women that had been kept locked away by the troubled pastor. "At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet."

"I can't believe you're still toting this thing around!" Abby cried, snatching the small booklet out of his hand. "You can't seriously be that misogynistic."

"It's enlightening, you know, to see that you're offended by it." He noted, hopping up so he was sitting on her empty prep table.

She looked up from the book and smirked. "Ooh, 'enlightening'. Big word, Tonyboy." She paused. "So, who is she?"

He cocked an eyebrow at the Goth as she leaned against the workbench across from him.. "Who's who?"

"The girl you're trying to impress with your big words." She smirked, shaking the booklet. "Think she'll be the perfect housewife you're lookin' for?"

Leaning across the small space, he grabbed the booklet back from her and winked. "She'd be a better housewife than you, I'm sure."

"Oh really?" Abby laughed, rolling her eyes at him. "What's your proof?"

"Well, for starters, you never cook for me."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "That's not true. I've cooked for you plenty of times. When you're sick, when we have movie night, for your birthday...I could go on."

He thought about it for a second before conceding. "Alright, I'm not sure cans of soup and spaghetti count, but I'll give you that one anyway. How about this. You clean up my apartment, which is nice, but you always forget the bathroom."

The Goth pointed a finger at him accusingly. "Because it's always a pigsty. I don't wanna even think about touching it."

"Do I need to mention the attitude?"

"It had better be your attitude you're talkin' about, DiNozzo."

The Italian straightened up immediately at the sound of Gibbs' voice. "Of course, Boss. I'd never think of talkin' to Abby that way."

"You're a pig."

"You love me all the same." He said, laughing when she rolled her eyes at him.

"Thought I told you to go home an hour ago." Gibbs said, standing next to Abby and pressing a kiss to her head. "How long's he been down here?"

The raven-haired woman shrugged. "Not sure. Probably about 15 minutes?"

"Home. Now, DiNozzo."

The younger man grumbled and hopped off the prep table, reaching for it when he realized his balance was a little off. Gibbs sighed and ran a hand over his face before turning to the Goth.

"Take him home. Make sure he gets some rest. Took a pretty big lump on the head today."

She saluted him playfully with the wrong hand. "Yes sir!" She smirked, snatching the small pamphlet out of Tony's hand again and tossing it in the trash can. "You won't be needing that, Tonyboy."

**45 Minutes Later -- Tony's Apartment**

After having made a quick pit stop at the grocery store, they arrived at Tony's apartment and parked the car on the street out front. They headed upstairs and the Italian unlocked the door, allowing Abby to enter the dark apartment ahead of him.

"On the couch with you." She ordered, leading him into the living room. She pushed him onto the couch and handed him the remote for the TV, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his cheek before walking into the kitchen.

"What are you gonna do?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at her.

She smirked, leaning over the kitchen counter. "I'm gonna show you what a real housewife does."

"Oh really?" He growled, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Get your mind outta the gutter. Would you like a beer?"

"Would I like a beer...what?" He chided, playing along with her little game.

"Would you like a beer, honey? Dear?" She walked over to him and held the opened bottle out. "Or would you prefer Master?"

He looked up at her and smirked before wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her down on his lap. "I like the sound of that. Master. Hmm, you're not being a smart ass, are you?"

"Of course not. You want me to call you Master tonight, so be it. I want you to realize that this isn't really what you want."

"An obedient woman that hangs on my every word? Why wouldn't I want that?" Tony grinned. "Nice touch with the mini apron by the way. Its very housewifey of you."

She rolled her eyes, elbowing him gently before she shifted on his lap. "An obedient woman that hangs on your every word would drive you crazy, Tony. You like arguing too much. There's no way you'd survive in a relationship if she went along with everything you said. Take me,
for example."

"You?"

"Uh huh. We've been friends for a long time now and you know why?"

"I'm sure you're gettin' ready to tell me." Tony smirked, taking a sip of his beer.

"That's right. I've been able to stick around so long because I know you're full of shit and I have no problem calling you on it."

"You know I was just joking earlier, right Abs? I'm sure you'll make a great wife. It'll be a lucky guy who finally reels you in."

She chuckled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Eh, I probably won't ever get married."

Pulling back, he eyed her curiously. "Why not?"

The Goth shrugged. "Just...I don't know. Guess it was just something I decided on not doing a long time ago."

"Your parents weren't happy?"

"Oh, yeah. They were the happiest married couple I've ever seen. I may be biased though, I was just a kid."

"So, what's the problem?" He asked, running his hand over her arm.

"When I was a little girl I used to think about my wedding. I know what you're thinking, alright? Abby, having a typical childhood?" She chuckled quietly. "Well, after my parents died..."

Tony kissed her forehead. "You don't have to talk...if you're uncomfortable."

"No, you asked, so I'll tell you." Abby paused and took a deep breath. "After they died, I guess I couldn't imagine getting married without them there. So I just put it out of my mind."

"Your brother got married, right? I mean, I'm sure he'd give you away."

"It's not even about that. I know Bradley would be more than happy to give me away. In fact, I'm pretty sure it bugs him that I'm not married already." She smiled. "It's just a milestone that I don't wanna do because they won't be there to see it."

The Italian slipped his hand into hers and squeezed gently, unable to form a response to her admission. He knew that her parents were a weak point for her, and she tended to avoid conversations about them whenever possible.

Her quiet sniffle jarred him from his thoughts and when she pulled away from him, he released her. "You alright?" He asked, immediately cursing himself for asking.

"Yeah, I just gotta start dinner." She said, turning away from him and heading into the kitchen.

He sighed, dropping his head back against the couch momentarily before setting his beer on the coffee table and following his friend. Standing in the doorway, he watched her for a second, seeing the way her hands were shaking as she filled up a pot with water before setting it on the stove.

"Abby..."

"Please don't, T." She said, not turning to face him as she dropped some salt into the water. "I'm fine, okay? I just wanna make dinner."

He nodded, crossing the kitchen and meeting her at the stove, wrapping his arms around her from behind to pull her back against his chest. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, letting her know silently that he was there.

**Chained**

**December 14, 2004 -- Squad Room**

"Abby? Everything okay?" McGee asked, hurrying down the stairs from MTAC at the sight of the distraught Goth perched on his desk. He had just ended a call with the Deputy Secretary of State, and needless to say it hadn't gone very well.

"No!" Abby cried, jumping off his desk and launching herself into his arms.

He held her close to him, running a reassuring hand over her back. "What happened?"

"We lost him." She mumbled. He was barely able to make out her words as her face remained buried in his chest, the few tears she was allowing to fall making his shirt damp.

"We...lost him? How?"

"H...his GPS signal disappeared, then he found the truck and trailer that Gibbs decided to stash for him, then he got into a car accident! Someone stopped to help, but I guess Tony took off with the creep, stealing the guy's motorcycle. I...there's no way for me to track him, Tim! What...what if..."

"Abby, Abby. Stop." Pulling her away from him, he cupped her face in her hands. "Tony knows what he's doing. He'll be just fine, okay?"

"P...promise?"

McGee closed his eyes briefly, inhaling a deep breath. "Yes. He's got Kate and Gibbs out there looking for him, and he knows how to take care of himself." He pulled her against him again, giving her a tight hug. "Everything will turn out fine, Abs. Let's just...try to keep calm, huh?"

She whimpered quietly, nodding against him. Pulling back, she wiped her eyes and forced a smile. "Thanks, Timmy. I...Gibbs wants me to figure where they're headed. Better go do that."

The young agent frowned slightly when she turned and hurried off to the elevator, wishing there was something more he could tell her. Rolling his eyes, he caught sight of the MTAC controller waving him back up toward the large room, letting him know that the Deputy Secretary of State was back on the line.

Pulling the bottle of TUMS out of his pocket, he popped a few more into his mouth and headed upstairs, knowing that once she found out that Tony was missing, things were only going to get worse.

**The Next Day -- 1700 Hours**

McGee glanced up at the sound of the elevators dinging, a quiet sigh of relief escaping him as Tony stepped out of the car. Though he'd never say as much out loud, he had been concerned about the older man and was glad to see that he was back.

"Welcome back, Tony." He said dumbly, inwardly cursing at his greeting. He'd made it sound as though the man had just returned from a pleasant vacation and he wasn't surprised when he didn't receive a response.

Stalking over to his desk, Tony dropped into his seat, his jaw clenched as Gibbs followed.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs said quietly, his voice firm. Tony gave no indication that he'd heard, but it didn't deter the older man. "Tony."

"What?" His voice was harsh and his gaze remained focused on the computer screen.

"Go home, Tony."

"I'm fine. Need to finish this report."

"Not a discussion. Go home. It can wait."

The Italian pulled his drawer open and pulled out his gun and badge before slamming it shut loudly and stomping off toward the elevator. McGee looked over to Gibbs, hoping for an explanation.

"Don't ask, McGee." He said, not even looking up from his paperwork. Sighing heavily, he closed the file and slipped it into his desk drawer, exchanging it for his service weapon. "I'm goin' home. You go too."

"Th...thanks, Boss."

The silver haired man nodded, pulling his jacket on and heading toward the elevator to tell Abby that everything was okay. When he stepped off the elevator in the basement of the building, he walked into the oddly quiet lab and approached the Goth.

"Abby."

She immediately jumped up and crushed him in a hug, her eyes puffy and red, though she wasn't currently crying.

"Gibbs! Is he okay? Where is he?"

"He'll be alright. I sent him home, came down to tell you the same."

She smiled, pulling away from him and grabbing her purse and jacket quickly. "Good. I'll go make him a nice dinner and we'll relax and watch..."

Gibbs shook his head, resting a finger against her lips. "Go to *your* home."

"But Gibbs...he needs a friend tonight!"

"Not tonight, Abs. Trust me, he needs some time to himself. Now, are you gonna go home, or do I need to put a sitter on you?"

The Goth hung her head slightly. "No. I'll go home."

He tipped her chin up and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Y'know I wouldn't tell you to leave him be if it wasn't for the best, Abs. You can see him tomorrow, after everything's had a chance to settle."

She nodded and he turned away from her, walking back to the elevator and heading home.

**3 Hours Later**

Abby released a sigh as she stepped onto the elevator in Tony's apartment building. Pressing the button for the 4th floor, she shifted the hot pizza from one hand to the next and waited for the doors to open.

She stepped off the elevator and down the hallway to his door, pulling her spare key out and unlocking it quietly. She frowned when she saw the lights turned off and toed her shoes off before walking into the kitchen, setting the pizza down on the counter.

"Tony?" She called quietly, poking her head into the living room to see if he was on the couch. "T?"

The Goth continued down the hallway, pushing the door to his bedroom open quietly, relaxing a little when she saw him sprawled out on his bed, clad only in a pair of boxers.

She stepped into the bedroom quietly, her bare feet silent against the thick, carpeted floor in the room. She almost hated to wake him but after going for nearly twenty-four hours without any contact with her friend, she needed to know for sure that he was okay.

She made her way over to the bed slowly, dropping to a crouch beside him. He looked troubled, even in his sleep and the very sight of him was enough to make her frown.

Reaching out, she laid her hand on his shoulder, a quiet gasp escaping her as he flinched away from the touch.

She had no time to process to situation before she found herself sprawled out on her back, pinned under his weight, the cold metal barrel of his gun pressing against her neck.

She could feel his body trembling against hers as his wild eyes searched her face frantically, his gaze slightly unfocused. Her eyes filled with tears as she went stiff beneath him, her voice caught in her throat despite the urge to cry out, begging him to release her. A strangled sob tore from her suddenly, and almost immediately she felt her friend's weight leave her body.

"Abby...oh my God." He said, putting the safety back on his weapon and tossing it gently onto the bed before reaching out to her. She pulled away, moving back until she was leaning against the wall.

"I...I..." She tried, looking back and forth between the older man and the door, unable to move out of fear that she would set him off again. "I should go."

"Abs..." He whispered, not moving from his place next to the bed, afraid that he would spook her. "I'm so sorry. I..."

She held her hand up and shook her head, looking toward the door again. "I'm going."

He nodded and held his hands up, silently telling her that he wasn't gonna stop her from leaving. She stood shakily a moment later and left the room quickly, her eyes never leaving him until she was out of his sight.

Tony dropped his head into his hands when he heard the door slam shut behind her, picking up one of his shoes that he was sitting next to and flinging it against the wall as hard as he could manage. "Fuck!" He cried, grasping his hair tightly. "God. Fucking. Damn it."

He sighed and dropped his head back against the bed, glancing toward the door. He knew she wasn't coming back, not tonight. He cursed himself again, angry that he had attacked her the way he had. He couldn't remember having ever touched a woman with the outright intent to hurt them, not even a suspect, and he hadn't wanted to hurt Abby either, after he realized who she was.

Being in that house with at least one of the two men having murdered people in his past, needless to say it put him a little on edge. He froze, looking toward the door when he heard the front door to his apartment opening again.

"Abby?" He called, not wanting to move from his place on the floor. He sighed in relief when she appeared at the doorway to his room, her cheeks damp from the tears she had been crying.

"I..."

"No, no, no." He said, standing up slowly, making each move deliberate so as to not make her run off. He could tell that she was jumpy and nervous, even from across the room in the dark. "I'm sorry, Abby. So, so sorry."

"I know." She barely managed, nodding at him as he approached slowly. Rushing forward, she crushed herself to his chest, needing the reassurance that he was alright as much as she knew he needed the same from her. "I...I shouldn't have just barged in. Gibbs told me not to come, that you needed some time to yourself, but I thought that maybe all you really needed was to know that everything was still the same, that maybe...you needed a friend."

The Italian smiled, leaning down and kissing her forehead as her rambling stopped. "Thanks. I didn't mean to hurt you...if I did."

Abby shook her head vehemently. "I'm fine." Releasing him from her hug, she smiled up at him. "Now you go get comfy on the couch and I'll bring you some pizza."

Taking his hand in hers, she led him out to the living room and nudged him toward the couch before leaving for the kitchen to grab the pizza. She returned a few minutes later with two plates and a couple of beers, handing Tony his before sitting down next to him on the couch.

"Thanks." He said, turning his head to look at her. "Oh...Abby..." He swore quietly, setting his plate and beer down before pushing her hair away from her neck. Ghosting his fingers over the red and purple bruise that lay there, he closed his eyes tightly and turned away. "I'm sorry. I...fuck."

Releasing a shuddery breath, he pulled away from her, pushing himself to his feet. "I should... You should probably go." He said after a moment, swallowing hard.

"Tony...this is nothing. I shouldn't have snuck up on you. It's not your fault."

"I could have fucking killed you!"

"You were startled! It's understandable, T! Please don't do this!" She pleaded, the tears filling her eyes again. Pushing herself off the couch, she dropped her pizza and beer to the coffee table before she reached for him, flinching when he pulled away. "Please, Tony."

He ran his fingers through his hair, unable to bring himself to look at her, though it didn't matter. The sight of the bruise had already been burned into his mind.

"You shouldn't have come." He said after a long moment, his voice hoarse as he finally turned back to her, pulling her against his trembling body. "I could have killed you." He repeated.

She said nothing, tightening her arms around his body as she pressed her face against his bare chest, taking comfort in the warmth of his body.

"I almost lost you today, Tony." She managed. "I had to come see for myself that you were okay."

They held each other closely for a few minutes before the Italian pulled away, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. "I'm gonna go to bed. Th...thanks for the pizza."

"Tony, wait." Abby said, reaching for his hand. Grasping it in hers gently, she laced their fingers together and offered him a weak smile. "Can I...I mean, do you mind if I stay? I...I can sleep on the couch, if you want, I just...I wanna know you're okay tonight."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders again, pulling her against him and kissing her temple. "Sure thing, hon. You...here. C'mon."

The Goth allowed him to lead her into the bedroom, sitting her on the edge of his bed before turning toward his dresser and pulling out a t-shirt.

"You go ahead and sleep in here, okay? I'll...I'll crash on the couch." Picking up his gun from the bed, he dropped it into the nightstand and closed the drawer.

"T...you sleep in the bed. Your back always gets messed up on the couch." Abby whined, pulling her button-up off and tossing it into his laundry hamper.

"It's not a discussion, missy." He said, offering her a half smile. Standing up, he headed out of the room, pausing at the doorway and looking back at her. "Sleep good, alright?"

She nodded, tugging his NCIS shirt down. "You too."

**0300 Hours**

Shifting in the large bed, Abby rolled over onto her stomach, blinking sleepily. The clock beside the bed flashed 0300 though it didn't feel like she'd been asleep for very long at all.

Pushing herself up, she groaned quietly, swiping at her tired eyes when she heard the first quiet moan.

Frowning darkly, she kicked the covers off of her body, shivering as the chilly air hit her bare legs.

She made her way to the doorway quietly, pulling the door open slowly before she peered out into the dark hallway. "Tony?"

She heard it again, the same soft moan. Concerned for her friend, she slipped out into the hallway, padding down to the living room quietly. "T?"

Rounding the corner and stepping into the living room, she frowned again, seeing her friend tossing and turning on the large leather couch. He was clearly having a nightmare of sorts, but after what had happened earlier, she had to admit that she was hesitant to wake him up.

Sighing heavily, she remembered that he had left his weapon in the nightstand and she made her way over to the other side of the couch, kneeling down next to his head.

"Tony. Honey, wake up. It's Abby." She whispered, reaching up slowly to touch his shoulder.

He flinched, his eyes opening wide as he clutched at the pillow that was under his head. "Abs?" He asked, sitting up when he saw the worried look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"You were having a nightmare, T." She said, taking a seat next to him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Nodding, he pulled her close to him again and kissed her cheek. "Better now that you're here." He smiled, relaxing a little when she rested her head on his chest.

"Can we go back to bed now, T?" Abby asked, looking up at him. "I'll keep the monsters away."

He smacked her lightly on her thigh before standing and offering his hand to her. "C'mon. You're gonna get those circles under your eyes if you don't get some more sleep."

She slipped her hand in his, smiling when he tugged her to her feet. Wrapping an arm around his waist, the pair made their way into the bedroom, both exhausted.

"You sure you're okay?" Abby asked again, crawling into the bed, watching as he made his way around to the other side before joining her.

"I'm alright." He responded with a quiet sigh, pulling her against his chest. Leaning down, he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, waiting patiently while she settled against him. "I *am* sorry, you know. For earlier, I mean."

"And I told you that you didn't have to be. You were startled."

"I was freaked out. I didn't...last night, in that fucking cabin..." He shivered slightly at the thought, his arms tightening around her.

"It's okay." She whispered quietly, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair slowly. "You're safe now, Tony."

Pressing his face against her neck, he breathed in her scent, taking comfort in the feeling of her warm body pressed against his.

"Just relax, T."

Nodding slightly, he shifted just a bit, nuzzling her neck with his nose as he closed his eyes, willing sleep to come. He could feel his body relaxing, the tension leaving his aching muscles as he allowed her fingers to soothe him before he finally drifted off.

**The Bone Yard**

All three of the agents watched as Fornell made his way to the elevator nonchalantly, smiling at them as if they hadn't thought he had killed himself in his jail cell.

"Quit staring. Get back down to the gym, we still have close combat training to finish." Gibbs snapped, turning and heading for the other elevator.

Tony and McGee both groaned as Kate grinned, anxious for the opportunity to kick McGee's ass again. "C'mon, boys. Not afraid of a little friendly competition, are you?"

"Of course not, Katie. I'm more than willing to bet that you can kick Probie's ass again. Say...20?"

Kate chuckled. "Sounds good. Abby's betting on you beating Gibbs, even though I told her he already beat you once."

"That's 'cause she's my girl." Smirking, the Italian stood up and leaned over the younger woman's desk, his voice dropping to a whisper. "She knows that I'm good at pinning."

"That's disgusting, DiNozzo." She chided, pushing his shoulder back.

He chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "I can't help that it's what I'm good at."

Rolling her eyes, Kate pushed herself up from her desk and headed for the elevator. Tony followed after her, clapping McGee on the shoulder as he passed. "C'mon, Probie. Time for a workout."

By the time they got changed and stepped out of the locker room, the only other person occupying the gym was Gibbs. It was late, and despite the long day they had, it was clear that their boss wasn't going to allow a reprieve on their 'training'.

Tony immediately started pulling on the boxing gloves, almost excited to get back in the ring despite getting laid out by the older man the day before. "Ready for round two, Boss?"

"No round two, DiNozzo. You're with Kate."

"But...but Gibbs..." He hesitated, watching her smirk at him as she stretched.

The older agent smirked at the Italian before he climbed into the ring, ignoring the stuttered protests.

Turning back to his female partner, Tony couldn't help but cringe at the almost feral grin on Kate's face.

"What's the matter, DiNozzo? You aren't afraid to wrestle with a girl, are you?"

"Girl? I don't see any girls in here."

Kate narrowed her eyes at Tony before she moved her hands to her hips. "That so, Tony?"

"I uh... I just... I didn't..."

"Save it. It'll just make kicking your ass all that more enjoyable."

Swallowing hard, Tony glanced back into the ring where Gibbs was quietly coaching McGee before he turned back to Kate, giving his most confident smile. "Let's do this then."

They barely made it to the mat before they started circling each other, looking for an opening to take advantage of. Tony let up first, getting cocky when he saw that Kate was getting frustrated.

"What's the matter, Katie? Can't..."

He was stopped mid sentence when Kate lunged for his leg, pulling it out from under him and watching as he fell flat on his back.

He groaned, his breath knocked out of him as he hit the mat. Recovering quickly, he hooked his leg behind her knee and flipped her onto her back, managing to grab one of her wrists as he pushed himself up.

The Italian rose to his knees before Kate's free arm flew up and hit him on the shoulder, knocking him back on his heels. Lunging forward, he grabbed her other wrist and pinned her to the ground, straddling her hips to prevent her from moving.

"Haha! Thought you were gonna get me. Looks like Abs is gonna get her money after all!" He taunted, his eyes going wide when his partner lifted her leg and kneed him.

Tony fell forward, releasing Kate's wrists just in time for her to push him away, accidentally scratching him right above his eye.

"Fuck!" He cried, reaching his hand up to cover the bleeding mark on his eyebrow. "Damn Kate, haven't you heard of nail clippers?"

She giggled, rolling her eyes as she knelt next to him and pulled his hand away from his face. "There's barely a mark, Tony. And it's already stopped bleeding."

The older man glared at her and pushed himself to his feet, pouting as he headed for the elevator. Once inside, he pressed the button for Abby's lab and leaned against the cool metal wall, hoping that she hadn't gone home yet.

"Hey Tony. Thought you guys would've gone home by now." Abby smiled, walking out of her office. As she got closer, she frowned, seeing the small cut above his eye. "What happened?"

"Oh, you know. Gibbs thought it'd be a good idea to finish our close combat training."

"Yeah, I heard." The Goth chuckled quietly, pulling him over to a stool and sitting him down on it. "How'd this happen? There's nothin' sharp in the ring."

He scoffed, reaching up to touch the cut on his forehead only to have Abby slap his hand away. "Yeah, well, it was apparently my turn to get the beat down from Kate."

She barely managed to stifle her laughter as she cleaned the small cut with some antiseptic on a cotton ball. "Aww...you couldn't take her?"

"You know, I try to be a gentleman, and what do I get? A kick to the nuts."

"Poor baby." Abby cooed, cupping his cheek in her hand as she leaned in to kiss his forehead. "You know better than to hold back with Kate though. You were there when she kicked Timmy."

"I just wanna know what the hell her brothers did to her as a kid to make her so damn angry."

She cocked an eyebrow at him, leaning back against the counter. "You just don't understand, Tony 'Only Child' DiNozzo. Older brothers are a pain in the ass. There's plenty of times I wanted to kick BB in the nuts." She smirked, looking toward the ceiling thoughtfully. "Once when I actually went through with it too."

"Oh yeah? How'd that work out for you?"

"Not too well. He spray painted all my stuffed animals pink for payback. Mama made me throw 'em away. So I dressed his GI Joes in dresses I got from Britty's Barbies. Needless to say we both ended up gettin' spanked. It wasn't pretty."

"I bet." He chuckled, cringing when his head throbbed. "Got any aspirin, Abs?"

She nodded and reached behind her monitor to grab the small bottle of pills she kept there. Handing him two, she offered her Caf-Pow! to him, watching as he took a sip to wash the pills down, wincing at the strong taste.

"How the fuck do you drink that stuff?" He asked, trying to get the taste out of his mouth.

The Goth shrugged, taking a sip for herself before setting the large cup back on the counter next to her computer. "I don't think about it, really. My taste buds are probably burned out after all the years eating Cajun cooking at home."

"I won't contest that one. It's the only explanation as to why you still drink that crap. And you call Gibbs' coffee swill."

"Funny, DiNozzo." She teased, punching him playfully in the shoulder. "Very funny."

"Well, I'm a funny guy, Abby. You know that."

Abby rolled her eyes and reached up to put a small band-aid on his cut. "I plead the fifth. There. All better." She smiled, leaning forward to kiss the bandage.

"I've got another 'boo-boo' for you to kiss...if you're interested."

She reached out and smacked him on the chest. "Nice try, Tony."

"It was worth a shot." The Italian shrugged, accepting the compact she offered him and groaning when he saw the newly covered cut. "Damn. I was supposed to go out on a date tonight. What am I supposed to tell her?"

"The truth? That you let your *female* partner kick your ass in close combat training." She smirked, turning to her computer and powering it down.

"Cute. I'm sure she'll wanna sleep with me then."

She shrugged. "Well, you could always cancel and we could get takeout and watch a movie."

"See? I knew you'd be interested in kissing my other 'boo-boo'."

"Yeah, unless you're planning on takin' me out to Cafe Atlantico, there won't be any more 'boo-boo' kissing tonight."

He pretended to pout, sticking out his bottom lip and giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

"That never works on me, DiNozzo, and you know it." The Goth smirked again, walking over to her Mass Spectrometer and turning it off.

Pushing himself off of the stool, he walked over to her and rested his hands on her hips, pressing himself against her back. "Never say never, Abby-girl."

She turned around, allowing the older man to crowd her back against the machine as her voice dropped to a whisper. "You should be careful what you wish for, T."

"Oh really?"

"Hey Abs, I was hoping..." McGee stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of his girlfriend pinned against her Mass Spec, her face only inches away from Tony's as his hands rested on her hips. Turning around, he left just as quickly as he had entered, leaving the pair alone in the lab.

"Oops."

Abby reached up and pushed him away from her. "That's all you can say? 'Oops'?" She cried, taking off into the hallway, calling McGee's name.

Frowning deeply, he leaned against the prep table as he watched her follow after her boyfriend, trying to explain the situation to him. She would be successful, of course, reassuring the junior agent that there was no threat from the Italian, then they would go about their evening as if nothing had happened. He dropped his head back and released a heavy sigh as he stared at the ceiling.

It had been nearly a year since Abby hooked up with McGee, and he had been lucky to pry her away for one night a month so they could talk and watch a movie like they used to. He couldn't help but wonder if they were ever going to be able to get back to where they were before. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he pushed away from the prep table and headed for the elevator, intent on heading home for the night.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow." He told himself, taking one last look at the lab before the heavy metal doors blocked it from his sight. "Tomorrow."

**Twilight**

**May 22, 2005 -- Abby's Lab**

"That was a stupid move, DiNozzo."

He scoffed, shaking his head as they laid on the floor of her lab, his head resting on her stuffed hippo that farted every time he made a move. "You're startin' to sound like Gibbs, you know?"

"Well!" Abby cried, glancing over at him quickly before refocusing her glare at the ceiling panels. "It was. You take too many risks."

"Part of the job." He said simply, shifting again and rolling his eyes when the hippo farted. "You know, I'm beginning to regret gettin' this for you."

"Blasphemy! I love Bert!"

Turning his head to the side, the toy released another of its farts as he looked her over carefully. "What's really the problem, Abs? The fact that I almost got blown up saving McGee and Kate? Or somethin' else?"

The Goth shook her head, not looking at the older man that laid next to her. "I..."

She was interrupted by Gibbs walking into the lab and standing over them. "Evidence, Abby?"

*Saved by the gruff Marine* She thought, thanking God silently for stopping the conversation before it became too awkward. "Don't have a lot, Gibbs."

The Italian found he was only half-listening as she went through the little evidence they had from the scene as he stared at the ceiling, trying to process what his best friend was feeling. It certainly hadn't been the first time in the past 4 years that he had been hurt, but he couldn't help but wonder what was going through her head.

"C'mon, DiNozzo. We got work to do."

"On your six, Boss!" Pushing himself up from his prone position on the floor with little more than a quiet groan, he tossed Bert to his owner and gave her one of his famous DiNozzo grins. "Lunch?"

She nodded, giving him what he knew to be a forced smile. "You got it, Tony-boy."

He paused in the doorway, leaning against the frame and turning back, pointing an accusing finger at her. "I will figure you out one day."

"Oh yeah?"

"DiNozzo!"

He jumped, cocking an eyebrow at Abby before turning and jumping into the elevator beside his boss. It would have to wait until later, but he would get to the bottom of what was bugging her.

**That Night -- 2230 Hours -- Tony's Apartment**

Tony watched her from his end of the couch, a million questions running through his mind as Evil Dead 2 played on his TV. It was one of his favorite movies, but he couldn't bring himself to watch it when he needed to work out what was going on with his friend.

"Tryin' to see through my clothes, T?" Abby asked, continuing to watch the screen.

"Sorry." He mumbled, returning his focus to the movie for a few seconds before regarding her again. Reaching for the remote, he paused the movie and turned to face her. "Talk to me, Abs."

She shrugged, pulling the warm quilt from his bed tighter around her body. "Nothin' to talk about."

Cocking an eyebrow at her, he lifted his leg onto the couch and poked her with his toe. "When was the last time we sat this far apart on a movie night, Sciuto? Don't tell me nothing's wrong."

The Goth pulled her eyes away from the TV and made a move to stand up when he stopped her with a gentle hand on her wrist. "I'm serious. Don't run away, talk to me."

"I can't do this anymore. I can't sit around and watch you go out to scenes only to have you come back hurt." She sighed, covering her face with her hands. "I can't get close if you're not gonna be more careful."

He stared at her silently for a moment, surprised by her words. The knowledge that she didn't like him being hurt wasn't a surprise so much as the fact that she was pulling away because of it. He was snapped from his daze when she stood up and dropped the blanket to the couch, making her way toward the door.

Jumping up, he reached out and groaned quietly as he took ahold of her hand, squeezing it gently. "Don't go,"

She turned back to him, a deep frown set on her face. "You're back still bothering you?"

"Nothin' I can't handle." He said, mentally kicking himself for letting her see that he was in pain. "I'll be better if you stay though."

Abby closed her eyes briefly before nodding, taking the hand that he had laced with hers and pulling him down the hallway toward his bedroom.

"You're all about the extremes, aren't you?" He teased, following her willingly. "All or nothin', huh?"

Reaching up, she cuffed him on the back of the head. "I'm not completely over bein' mad at you yet."

"But you're takin' me to bed anyway?" He smirked deviously. "Have I told you I'm a fan of angry make-up sex?"

"You can have some with your hand when I'm gone. Until then, keep it in your pants, Tiger."

She pushed him forward gently and walked over to his nightstand drawer, digging through it for some massage oil. "Shirt off, on your stomach, eyes closed."

"Mmm...who knew it would take me gettin' blown up to have you go all dominatrix on me?"

"Oh..." The Goth leaned over his body, whispering into his ear. "You like bein' tied up?"

"Only by beautiful women."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm..." He said, laying down on the bed, pillowing his head on his arms. "Want me to put my hands up for you?"

"Not gonna tie you up. Not tonight anyway." She said, straddling his hips and resting her hands on his shoulders.

She started massaging his upper back, reveling in the small moans and whimpers he released.

"You know, Tony...I meant it when I said I can't deal with this. It kills me everytime you get hurt."

He barely heard her words as his eyes fluttered shut. "'S good, Abs."

She sighed quietly, knowing that she wasn't going to get through to him. Her hands continued to massage his back absently until he tugged her off of his back and against his chest, wrapping his arms around her slim waist.

"Sleep, Abs." He mumbled, pressing his nose into the back of her neck, pulling their bodies flush.

She did so, knowing better than to try and argue with him when he was half asleep himself. His grip was tight on her hips and she knew he wasn't planning on letting her go.

Abby jerked awake a few hours later, sweat covering her forehead, making her bangs stick to her skin. Her breathing was heavy, and as her eyes adjusted to the dark room, she finally managed to relax.

"Abby?"

She jumped slightly at the sound of Tony's voice, his cool hand resting gently on her heated back as he rubbed his eyes. "You okay?"

"I just..." The Goth hesitated, not sure if she wanted to tell him about the nightmare that had woken her up. That she had seen him with blood and sweat on his face as he laid on a rooftop somewhere. She didn't know if he would believe her. "It was just a bete noire. Nothing to worry about, I'm fine."

He chuckled quietly, pulling her back down against his chest. "I'll keep the monsters away, huh? Go back to sleep."

As he held her against his chest, she found herself sneaking glances at him, making sure the blood she had seen wasn't real. Sighing quietly when she felt his breathing deepen, she stared at the ceiling, knowing she wasn't going to get any sleep for the rest of the night.

**Under Covers**

**November 8, 2005**

Abby could feel the tears pricking her eyes as she paced the lab, her phone clutched in her hand. She'd lost contact with Gibbs and McGee almost fifteen minutes ago and she felt herself growing more anxious with each passing second.

"Why the hell haven't they called me back, Chip?" She asked angrily, though she found she really didn't want an answer from her assistant.

"I'm sure everything's fine. Probably technical difficulties." Chip explained, watching her closely.

She stopped pacing and faced him, her eyes narrowed angrily. "Technical difficulties, Chip? We don't have technical..."

Her rant was interrupted by the phone ringing impatiently in her hand. She answered it quickly, turning away from her infuriating assistant. "Oh my God! Is he okay?"

"They're fine, Abby. We got them both out of the hotel and we're headed to the hospital right now with Tony." McGee said, hearing her as she moved around the lab, gathering her things.

"I'm on my way." She said, snapping her phone shut as she headed out of the lab.

**20 Minutes Later**

The Goth rushed into the emergency room at the hospital and headed for the nurse's station when McGee came over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Abby, we're over here."

She followed him over to where Ziva and Gibbs were sitting, waiting for Tony to come out. "Where is he, Gibbs?"

"Gettin' patched up. Should be out any minute." Gibbs replied, patting the seat next to him. "Sit, Abs. You pacing isn't gonna make him come out any faster."

"You cut me off the comm, Gibbs." She stated, sitting down in the empty chair.

He nodded. "Yep."

Abby frowned at him. "Why? You know, I wouldn't be so freaked right now if I had known what was going on!"

Dropping his arm around the Goth's shoulders, Gibbs pulled her against his side, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "I couldn't let you listen in, Abs. Not when we were unsure of what we'd find." He said quietly.

Despite the fact that she'd figured as much, Gibbs' confirmation of just how bad the situation could have been was enough to nearly make Abby sick.

"He...he's okay though, right?" She asked, hating the way her voice wavered as a fresh round of tears stung her eyes.

"He's gonna be fine. A little banged up, but he'll be alright. DiNozzo's got a hard head."

She laughed lightly, swiping at the stray tear that slid down her cheek.

"Don't cry for me, Argentina."

Her head jerked up at the sound of his voice, slurred slightly with the painkillers the doctor had given him. His face was covered in dark blue and purple bruises and his arm was wrapped closely to his chest with a brace.

"Tony!" She cried, jumping up and hugging him gently, taking care to not make his injuries worse.

"Hey, Abby-girl." He choked out, his bruised ribs sore despite her gentle hug. He pressed his lips to her cheek, kissing her as he wrapped his good arm around her shoulders, feeling her shaking lightly against him. "It's okay, babe. I'm fine, just a little bruised up."

"I didn't know what happened!" She whimpered, burying her face in his bloody shirt. "I was so scared."

"I know you were. But I'm okay, see? Nothing that won't be fixed in a few days."

"C'mon, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, standing up. "Time to go home."

Tony shook his head, pulling away from the Goth. "Need to go write up my report, Boss."

"That's what tomorrow's for."

"I'm already fuzzy, if I don't write it up now, I'll forget everything."

The older man contemplated the request for a moment before conceding. "Let's go."

**4 Hours Later -- NCIS Headquarters**

"All ready to go, Tony?" Abby asked, bouncing into the squad room off the elevator. She had gone back to his apartment after leaving the hospital, picking up his prescriptions and getting everything ready for him to come home.

He signed his name at the bottom of the freshly printed report and smiled up at the Goth. "Just about." He closed the file and opened his desk drawer, grabbing his weapon. "Where are my keys?"

"Right here, Agent DiNozzo." Chip said, stepping over to his desk. "I pulled your car around to the front of the building for you."

Tony narrowed his eyes at the creepy lab assistant. "You *drove* my car?"

"I took extra special care, everything's fine, I promise."

"Better be." He mumbled, trying to stand up but losing his balance and falling back into his chair.

"Slow down, Tony." Ziva cautioned. "You still have the painkillers in your body. Perhaps I should drive you home."

"Uh, no." Abby said, cocking an eyebrow at the Israeli.

Ziva looked confused. "Why not? I thought it would be a nice gesture."

"Maybe he wants to live?"

"Abby..." Gibbs warned, narrowing his eyes slightly at the scientist.

"Sorry Gibbs." She mumbled, turning back to the Italian. "C'mon, T. I've got a surprise for you."

Tony grinned, allowing Abby to help him stand up. "A surprise, huh?"

They walked toward the elevator as Tony tried to guess what the surprise was, leaving Abby giggling.

Ziva turned toward Gibbs as the pair stepped into the elevator, the doors closing behind them. "They are close, yes?"

He nodded. "They've known each other for a few years."

**Tony's Apartment**

"Keep your eyes closed!" Abby chided, leading him into his apartment. She pulled him through the living room to the hallway and walking into the bedroom. "Okay, now you can open your eyes."

"Wow, Abs. It's my bedroom. Big surprise." He joked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Ha ha." She said, rolling her eyes. "Get ready for bed, I'll be right back."

He shook his head, chuckling to himself as she left the room before he stood up and pulled off his clothes, leaving him in a pair of boxers as he climbed into the warm bed. Abby re-entered the room a few minutes later, carrying a box of pizza and a six-pack of beer, with Terminator tucked under her arm.

"Here's the real surprise!" She beamed, sitting the pizza and beer on the bed before turning back to the TV and putting the movie into the DVD player.

She bounced back over to the bed and curled up under the blankets, slipping under his good arm easily as he bit into a piece of the pizza. "Thanks, Abs." He murmured, his mouth full.

"One condition for all this, T."

"Anything." He smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she took a drink of her beer.

She pulled back and looked up at him, cupping his cheek in her palm. "No more blind undercover ops."

"I had no choice, Abs! It had to be done."

"This time. Next time...lemme make this easy for you. I'll hurt you if you pull a stunt like this again. Putting yourself in danger..." She stopped, her voice cracking slightly.

Tony set his pizza and her beer aside and pulled her back against him tightly. "I'm sorry, babe." He whispered, running his hand through her hair.

"I know you are."

He continued to hold her close to him until her breathing started to deepen, signaling her sleepiness. He imagined that she had to be exhausted, knowing how worked up she tended to get about these things. Scooting down deeper into the blankets, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, resting her head against his chest.

Staring up at the ceiling, he could feel his eyes getting heavy as he thought about when they had become so close. Who knew that a one night stand over five years earlier could turn into one of the closest friendships either of them had ever experienced?