Sarah and Abby Cover for Each Other

You may have to read my other story 'Abby Covers for Sarah' for this to make sense.

Chapter One

It was one week after the ill fated, impromptu party at Tim and Abby's place. Sarah was still on suspension from school and was being dragged (in her opinion) to the NCIS everyday by Tim. Much to their disgust (mostly Abby's), Sarah AND Abby were still grounded for another three weeks.

Abby just couldn't fathom where Tim was coming from with this. She could get why Sarah was grounded, she was only seventeen and in their care. She had to do as she was told. But Abby was, well, a lot older and she shouldn't have to be treated like a kid should she?

Well, Tim spanked her on a pretty regular basis, so I guess some would say that was being treated like a kid, but she could process that and move on quite quickly. It didn't really upset her life. This grounding thing though was like being trapped. Being caged! It was destroying her free spirit! It was the pits!

Sarah was upstairs feeling equally sorry for herself. Doing her homework day after day, nothing but homework all day long while Tim watched her like a jail warden was driving her crazy. If she was really lucky Tim went out on a call with the others and she got sent down to Abby's lab. Then she got to sit THERE and do homework all day while ABBY watched her. The atmosphere down there used to be fun but not anymore. She was missing her friends.

Then came the call that Sarah didn't know whether to be happy or miserable about. Another investigation call out.

"Get your gear." Gibbs had said as usual.

"Down to Abby Sarah." Tim had said as usual.

"OH God Tim! Please don't make me go down there again." Sarah pleaded.

" I Don't blame her Probie." Tony said under his breath.

"I also do not blame her McGee. It is bad down there." Ziva said adding her bit .

Tim had to smile. He knew her reasons for not wanting to visit Abby's lab. He had ignored it as much as he could but it was getting to everyone. The fact was that Abby was in mourning, for her freedom. While she was carrying on this private protest she insisted on playing dirge music so loud that nearly everyone had given up going to the lab at all unless it was unavoidable. Even Gibbs!

Gibbs stuck his head out of the elevator in frustration "I SAID GET…YOUR….GEAR!!!!" They all bustled towards the elevator, Tim speaking as he gathered his gear.

"Alright , you can stay here while we're gone. Don't move from here except to go to the head. Ya here? No cell and no playing games on the computers. I'll talk to Abby when we get back.

"Thankyou, thankyou thankyou Timmy! She ran after him and gave him a hug.

When they'd been gone about half an hour Sarah started to get bored. She was also feeling kinda guilty about being mean about going to Abby's lab. She could phone her. Tim said no cell . He didn't say anything about using the office phone.

Picking up Tim's phone she hit the speed dial for Abby's lab.

"Hey Abs!" she said loudly so Abby could here her over the depressing din.

"Hey sweetie, how come Tim's letting you use the phone?"

"Well he's NOT exactly." Sarah said sheepishly.

"How so Mini McGee?"

"Well they all got called out on a case. Tim said I could stay here til he got back." Sarah said

"OOOHH, Sarah! Time off for good behaviour, well done."

"How ya feelin?" Sarah asked

"Pretty miserable. Actually, better now I can have a break from this stuff." Abby said while switching to her normal music. Not much point being miserable if Tim wasn't there to notice.

Sarah giggled. "Do you think he knows what your doing?"

"Doing what?" she answered innocently. She was really thinking 'Probably, but I'm counting on the fact that with enough pressure from everyone else being sick of it he'd cave.'

"Abby! I know what you're up to and Tim probably does too." she said perceptively.

"Don't know what you're talking about. Better go and get some of this work done. See ya hun" and she hung up leaving Sarah wondering what she could do next.

Just as she was about to give up and get on with her homework again, her cell phone started ringing in Tim's desk. Shit! What should she do? Hell she knew what she was going to do, checking the caller id to make sure it wasn't Tim checking up on her , she answered it.

"Hey! Sarah here!"

"Oh God!! You have no idea how much I want to get out of here. This place really blows!"

"Really!....... Oh ….No ….I can't… .Yeh but if they catch me…..No I'm already in enough trouble as it is. I don't know maybe a couple of hours. I guess so……Ok. I'll meet you down at the mall in about ten minutes." Sarah hung up her cell and switched it off. Popping it in her back pack without thinking.

At the same time though Abby was organizing her own quick getaway. Her friend Carol had rung her and asked if she wanted to meet her for coffee. There was no way in hell she was going to tell her friend that she was grounded. Well she probably would tell her, but only after she'd broken out and gone to meet her anyway. So anyway, the timing couldn't have been better. All the team were out on the case. Sarah was upstairs doing her homework and she could duck out for an hour or so and Tim would never know….. perfect!

Sarah had already left NCIS and was heading into the mall as Abby was just leaving the NCIS building .Neither of them noticed the other leave.

Sarah and her friends greeted each other like they'd been separated for a year. It felt sooo good to taste freedom. She didn't think she could have stayed cooped up one more day. Linking arms she and her friends walked towards the food court.

Abby met Carol at the entrance to the mall and after they exchanged greetings they decided to head to the food court too as Abby new she didn't have much time. While Carol was choosing her coffee, Abby went to get a cafpow from the vendor.

Sarah and her friends had all chosen their food and drinks and were about to sit down at te other end of the food court when it happened. A boy with a hoodie pulled down over his face, grabbed Sarah's back pack and took off like lightening and ran out of the exit before Sarah or her friends could even think about catching him. Sarah screamed.

Abby's hair stood up on the back of her neck and she spun around in shock at the sight and sound of Sarah obviously distressed. She ran to her immediately and threw her arms around her neck. "What's happened? Sarah tell me, what's happened?" Abby pleaded.

"My bag…my back pack he stole it"… Sarah managed to get out between sobs.

"It's alright Hun we'll buy a new back pack. It doesn't matter."…Abby crooned "….but"

"It's not alright Abby, you don't understand. My cell phone was in the bag. I took it from Tim's desk and I forgot to put it back. He's gonna know I took it." Sarah cried.

"Shit!" Abby said the enormity of the situation just hitting her. "What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be at NCIS doing your work?"

"Aren't you?" Sarah said snippily.

"We're gonna have to tell Tim the truth." Abby said.

"Which is what Abs? That you found me here after I snuck out because you snuck out too to the same place?"

"Don't forget that you stole your cell phone OUT OF HIS DRAW?"

"Technically it's not stealing if IT BELONGS TO YOU!" Sarah said just as loudly putting on a bit of a show now for her friends.

"Right!" Abby said pointing to Sarah "YOU WATCH YOUR TONE! Actually just be quiet while I figure this mess out. "

You people… she said pointing to Sarah's friends " better run along to wherever your supposed to be before I get the NCIS people, remember the ones from the party at my house, to come and arrest all your asses!"

They fled! Carol was just standing there with her mouth open wondering how a simple cup of coffee had turned into such chaos. "I know there must be a pretty amusing story that goes with all this and I'm not going anywhere until I here it. And don't you dare leave anything out."

They sat down at the table and began there sad tale. Only when it was recounted it didn't sound that sad to Carol, as a matter of fact she was laughing so hard she almost fell off her chair…literally. When she was finally able to get herself under control she looked at them seriously and said "I know !!!"

"What?" they both said at once with a ray of hope for a solution.

"You two are in some deep shit!" she said bursting out laughing again. "I'm really sorry I have to go." And she walked away shaking her head and still laughing.

TBC

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