She didn't cry. Not since the dream. She usually never cried, but that dream - seeing Tony's face, and the blood – somehow that was enough to make her cry. But not since then. Not since… Cate. She had no tears. No screams, no cries, no words. There was nothing, because without Cate, she couldn't feel anything.

There was a new girl now. Ziva, her name was. She tried to be part of the team; part of the family. She never could be. She couldn't replace Cate. But she tried.

A dropped test tube. Shattered glass. A cut finger. A drop of blood. She stared at it, slowly making it's way down her finger. As thought it were not part of her; she felt nothing.

A tissue pressed against the cut, and she awakens from the daze to see the new girl holding her hand, looking concerned.

"Don't touch me."

The voice is cold. Hard. Unfeeling. The hand doesn't let go.

"I said DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Angry now, she pulls away.

"I just want to help you."

Ziva tries to re-claim the injured finger.

"I don't want your help! I don't want anything to do with you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!"

She falls to her knees.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! Oh God, Caitie, I love you! I love you… I'm so sorry… I love you…."

There on the floor of the NCIS Forensic lab, she cried. She cried and she sobbed and she screamed, and Ziva held her.

She could never be Cate, but she made Abby feel again. And that was enough.