Abby sat on the floor in the corner of her lab, Bert squeezed tight to her chest. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. Tony could not have the plague. Who gets the plague anymore? She had been on video link with Autopsy when Gibbs had gotten the news that only Tony had been effected. It had somehow been easier to take when the possibility was that they all COULD have had it, than it had been when they found out that Tony did, indeed, have it.
Abby had had to be professional. She had had to do her job, when Gibbs and the rest had been there, but now. Now they were gone. The evidence had been processed. The perpetrator probably caught by now. Gibbs and Faith having left for her offices more than 20 minutes ago.
Now Abby needed to sit on the floor in a corner of her lab. Her mind was going 90 miles a minute. She flashed back on the time when she and Tony had first met. This skinny, handsome kid Gibbs had brought down to the lab for her to met. She remembered thinking he would not last a week under Gibbs' instruction. Her hearing Tony ask Gibbs if she was 'for real' when Tony and Gibbs had left the lab and were just outside her doors. She had, in particular, remembered the expression he had worn. She thought he was making fun of her. The expression being one of amusement and open curiosity. What she had not heard, she found out later, was Tony telling Gibbs he had never met an actual Goth. Just those dressed up for Halloween and that she really seemed like a sweet, fun person. The friendship had developed slowly. She became used to his goofy, endearing manner and he became used to her demonstration of affection through her monstrous hugs. She remembered him tensing up the first time she had hugged him. It had taken her by surprise. She had backed off immediately, hurt and angry. Then one day he confided in her. He had never received a lot of hugs as a child. After his mother had died, he hadn't gotten any. She made it her personal mission right then, that day, to make sure she hugged him, at least once a day, much more if she could.
Abby hugged Bert tight again and he responded in his usual manner. She pulled her legs up to her chest and cried even harder. She had been crying since they had all left. She had surprised herself by being able to hold it together as long as she had. She had always thought of Tony as her safe place. He was always there, ready, willing and able to say or do whatever was needed to make her feel better. He had special way with her. Their friendship was weird, unconventional and completely wonderful and special and she would not change anything about it. She knew whatever happened out in the field, out on a case, that she could always depend on him to come back. He had been hurt on cases, many times, more then she had wanted to even remember or count. She kept telling herself that his luck would run out at some point. It had to. She knew that he was already a 'statistical anomaly.' She couldn't imagine, she had told Gibbs once in a conversation in her lab, how he kept coming out of the trouble he seemed to attract to himself like a magnet.
"Well," Abby said standing. She wiped her eyes and she clutched Bert to her chest with the other. "...thanks you guys." She said to Major MassSpec and her other assorted lab equipment. "You came through for Tony and I when we needed you to. But now," She said, struggling to get into her coat as she held on to Bert. "...I need to be here for Tony. I need to be his safe place. I need to be his rock. He needs both of us and we will not come back until we have completed our mission. Right, Bert?" Abby looked down at Bert and gave him another affectionate squeeze. "That's right." Abby said as she started to leave. She then turned and saluted just as the lab doors slid closed behind her.
THE END
Story Notes:
The black in the title refers to Abby's Gothic attire. I may not have the name correct for the Agent who went with Gibbs and made the arrest. I am not sure.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Abby's reaction to the plague. #3 in the "Blue" series, though they do not have to be read in order.
Chapter End Notes:
The black in the title refers to Abby's Gothic attire. I may not have the name correct for the Agent who went with Gibbs and made the arrest. I am not sure.