When Tony woke again the room was full with all the members of Team Gibbs. “Hey.”
“Hey, Tony.” Abby said, she had got into the bed with him and was lying on her side, giving him plenty of room to move in the bed.
“You know…Jenny …was…sick?” Tony asked Gibbs.
“What…sick?” Abby asked. She, Ziva and Tim stared at Tony in shock.
“What was wrong?” Tim asked.
Gibbs was surprised by the question and it took him a few seconds before he nodded his head. “How did you find out?”
“She…told…me.” Tony replied.
“When?” Gibbs asked. He didn’t think Tony knew anything. Gibbs was sure Tony would have questioned him or Ducky as soon as Tony found out.
“Hard…to…explain.” Tony said.
“You have seen her since you have been here?” Ducky asked for clarification.
Tony nodded.
Ducky turned to the others and explained. “It is not unusual for these types of things to happen. People claim to see all sorts of things. Especially if a person’s heart stops or if they are in a coma.” Ducky looked down at Tony. “Both of those instances apply in Tony’s case.” Ducky turned back to the rest of the team. “Nobody has an explanation as to how or what happens. But patients wake up with similar claims all the time.”
“So, what was it like?” Ziva asked.
“She was real…touched her…talked…to her.” Tony said, trying to describe the encounter.
Nobody said anything for a moment, until Tony spoke again. “Said …had ALS. Said …only had…6 months.“
“ALS?” Ziva asked.
Gibbs nodded. “Lou Gehrig’s Disease, right Ducky?”
“Right, Jethro.” Ducky replied.
@@@@@
Tony was back at work several weeks later. He was on desk duty and it was driving him crazy.
Abby had hugged him almost unconscious since he had been back. She had loved that he had tugged on her pony tail when he had woken up. When she had heard he had tried to say goodbye it everyone, it terrified her. She could not stand the thought of losing him, not having him in her life. She just wanted to make sure he knew how much he meant to her.
Tony entered the lab and stood quietly behind Abby, watching her for a few moments.
Abby turned and smiled. "What do you need, DiNozzo?"
Tony went over to her and put his arms around her. "Just this." He said, hugging her tightly.
Abby sighed, slipped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "You're okay?"
Tony nodded and Abby felt it. She hugged him tighter.
"I'm much better. I'm healed, for the most part. I had a doctor's appointment today. He said I should be ready for active duty in another week." Tony stated.
Abby moved one hand and laid it on his chest. "I...we almost lost you." She said, tears streaming down he face.
"Almost only counts in horse shoes."
Abby slapped him gently on the chest. "You don't play horse shoes and this is not funny."
Tony kissed her cheek and kept his arms around her waist. "No, it's not."
"What you said to everybody out there...." Abby started.
"They wouldn't let me say anything." Tony replied. "They wouldn't let me finish."
"You have a lot of people in your life who care a great deal about you." Abby said smiling.
Tony smiled and nodded.
"You talked to everybody, except me." Abby pouted.
"I didn't talk to Gibbs." Tony replied.
"Good thing, you would probably have a concussion from the head slap he gave you."
Tony nodded.
Abby backed away from him, holding his hand instead.
Tony looked at her. "My Goth girl...."
Abby squeezed his hand.
"I don't know how we became friends. It sure didn't look that way when we first met." Tony stated. "I actually asked Gibbs if you were for real when I got back out in the hall with him. I just...I had never met a real Goth. The only ones I knew about were the ones who 'dressed' Goth for Halloween."
Tony smiled at Abby as she wiped away her tears. She put her arms around him again.
"I just saw a guy who was in DESPERATE need of a hug." Abby said simply. "Once I got past the smart-ass, that is." She then clarified.
"I wasn't that big of a smart-ass."
Abby nodded. "Enormous."
"Part of my charm."
"Yes, it is." Abby said, looking up at him expectantly.
"What?"
Abby nodded and smiled.
"Oh, come on. You'll start blubbering. I'll start blubbering." Tony stated. "It won't be pretty."
"I almost lost you. I've earned a good blubber." Abby tightened his grip around Tony's waist, encouraging him.
Tony sighed. "Like I said...when we first met I had no idea you would become someone so important to me. I had no idea we would become my best friends, or that I would come to love you so much. I love you, Abby, I know I tell you that a lot. You saved my life when Vance exiled me to Agent Afloat. I...your letters and postcards were a lifeline to me. I heard from everybody else, too. But those contacts were sporadic. I knew I could count on you for regular correspondence. I was so....alone out there sometimes. I know...on a ship of 5,000 people. But I was so alone. I was the odd man out. I was the enemy, the big bad cop there to spoil everybody's fun." Tony smiled sown at Abby and kissed her cheek. "You were my little ray of Gothic sunshine."
Abby grinned.
"When I had the plague, and Charles, Chuck, the crazy lab guy. I still haven't apologized enough for him. You worked so hard then, hours of work, to help me, to find answers. You wouldn't give up. I...I never properly thanked you for that."
Abby looked up at him. "You have thanked me a million times over Tony. The cute little gifts you get me. Just little things you think I might like. The caf-pows, the flowers, the weekend-long movie marathons, those things mean the most. We don't need to make grand gestures to each other.
Tony smiled to her. "I...I have never been so totally accepted by anyone before. I...most people would have just run away, hearing what I have been through. Learning of my past, they would have labeled me damaged goods or unstable. They would have decided that I was not worth their time. I...you know everything there is to know about me and you're...you're still here. You're still my friend. You didn't walk, run, away screaming."
Abby looked at Tony, tears streaming down her face. She touched his cheek. "When I look at you, I don't see 'damaged goods.' You are not damaged goods. When I look at you I see a man who overcame a hell of a lot as a child. I see a man who is generous to a fault. Who is selfless, but sometimes not in a good way. I want you to remember that. I see a man with a very good heart and a forgiving nature. I see past all that 'bad' stuff because I have seen your potential. I know the person you try to hide from the rest of the world. That person deserves to be let out more."
Tony shook his head and smiled. "I can't. He's the one who buys the Gucci shoes and the Louis Vitton shirts."
Abby laughed and stepped back from him. "I love that incredible sense of humor. And I love you, Tony, so much." She took his hand and squeezed it tightly before letting go.
TBC
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