Tony, Ziva and McGee all returned to the squad room leaving Gibbs to talk to the new Director. Abby had been sitting at McGee's desk talking with Ducky when the three entered the room; it was clear Abby had been crying by the smudges of her makeup and the worn tissue she had been playing with between her hands. She heard the footsteps of three coming down the stairs above her and immediately stood from the chair, "You can sit there, Abbs. I don't care." McGee told her walking up to her.
"No. No, I think I am going to head out for the night." She new of the plan since earlier that day. Of Ziva and Tony leaving in the morning, of McGee moving to a different unit. She didn't want to deal with the pain of having to tell them goodbye after just having to tell it to Jenny.
"Well, where are you off to, Abby?" Tony asked as she passed him.
"I don't know. Not home. Maybe I'll grab a drink."
"I could go for a drink, anyone else?" Ziva asked grabbing her jacket then joining Abby at the elevator.
"You know? I could catch up with old Jack Daniels." Tony said grabbing his things.
"Guess that means I'm going too." McGee said walking to his friends, "What about you Ducky?"
"You kids go. I am just going to call it a night." And he waved to them as they left.
The group walked into the bar and right up to the counter, "Hi. I need a shot of rum." Abby said before even sitting down.
"Make it a round." McGee said.
The four tossed it back quick then ordered actual drinks, "Whiskey, I don't care what kind but, your going to have to keep them coming." Tony said.
"Mint Mojito, a large one, please." Ziva said.
"White Russian." McGee told the man.
"You know what I want." Abby said and the man grinned; this was her normal bar and she did always order the same thing.
The four walked to a near by booth and sunk into seats.
"I don't know what I am going to do, not seeing you guys everyday. We just lost Jenny and now it's like I'm loosing everyone else." Abby was complaining, almost finished with her first drink.
Ziva reached her hand across the table to Abby, "I will call as often as I can. And you will still have Gibbs, McGee." She pointed to their friend just across the table.
"Don't leave out Ducky and Palmer." McGee added to the list.
"And I promise to send you cool post cards that I find." DiNozzo threw in, "Just keep in mind, Abbs. This isn't forever." Tony told her giving his best smile. What the group didn't know is that this bar had become more of a home to him. He found himself here almost every night since Jenny died.
"I'll tell you all one thing, I'm not liking this new Director, not one bit!" Abby told them and tossed back the last drops of alcohol, "I need another. McGee, move it." She ordered him not realizing how bossy she sounded, "Please." She added with a cheesy grin.
Abby came back with another round for everyone even though the only person who needed another was Tony.
"Abby, what is that?" Tony asked her pointing to the orange drink she had been holding.
"It's a little something called a Trick or Treat. It's a mix of Rums, and orange juice. It's normally a Halloween thing but, I'm all Halloween all the time." She pointed out before taking in a large drink.
Ziva spoke something in a foreign language that both Abby and McGee sort of remembered from back in there high school years, "Spanish?" Tim asked her.
"I am sorry. I have been told I mix my languages when I drink. I simply said I am going to miss all of you while I am away. You all have become a weird form of a family to me." She clung to the empty glass in her hand.
Tony put his arm over her shoulder; "It's been fun having you here, Ziva. My ship is sure gonna be missing something with out my geek, goth and ninja aboard." He downed the drink Abby had just brought back and left to get another.
"I am worried about him." Ziva announced the moment Tony stood.
"Me too." Abby confessed.
"He is not doing well and with no one to talk to on that ship…" Ziva didn't need to finish the thought; they all knew where it was going.
A good two hours had passed them. They had talked about not only Jenny but also Kate and Cassidy. They got out things they wished they could have still told them, things they wished they could have done. Abby was now on her forth Trick or Treat drink and was leaning on McGee, not to the point she didn't have her wits about her. Ziva was on her fifth Mojito and speaking in fluent Spanish and what they thought to be Arabic. Tony, well, they lost count of how many drinks Tony had but it was enough to get him rambling about Kate and Cassidy again. McGee was only just getting to the second White Russian Abby had bought back for him and he was doing just fine sitting back and consoling her when she needed it.
"I'm going to get another! Who wants another!?" Tony said rather loudly standing up but Ziva pulled him back.
"I think we should just be going. You and I have a flight to catch in the morning and I have things I will need to pack." She told him.
"Not like I need to pack anything! Don't need nothing when your stuck in the middle of the damn ocean!" Tony told her.
Ziva didn't know really what to say. McGee looked at all his friends, his closest friends and wished there was something more he could do.
Tony finally agreed to leave and they all paid their tabs. Abby stumbled a little on the walk out so McGee out of instinct put an arm over her. "I think I am driving everyone back home." He told them and received various looks before leaving the bar.
"I am the only one sober enough to be driving." He said and Tony opened his mouth to argue, "I'm not having it tonight, Tony. Just get in my car and shut up." He told him point blank.
Everyone sobered up a little by the blast of cold air that hit them as they walked through the parking lot, everyone except Tony that is. McGee decided to take Ziva home first; she was the one who had to pack the most plus she lived the farthest out. Abby quickly fell asleep with her head leaning on McGee's arm (it was a good thing he could drive with one hand). Tony had become less of an ass in the car and took Ziva into his arms when he noticed the sad look wearing on her face. Tim pulled to a stop at Ziva's place and got out to hug his friend goodbye.
"Tony. Why don't you just stay here? We are both going to the air port in the morning anyways." Ziva pressed on.
"I guess. We'll be up in a few hours regardless."
"I'm gonna wake Abbs up." Tim said walking around his car.
"Probie, don't. I want to tell her bye but saying goodbye to her is just going to be too sad, even for me. I rather just leave and send her a post card saying sorry." Tony told him and he understood what he meant. He hugged the pair goodbye, made them promise to keep in touch as often as they could, and most importantly, told them to stay safe.
Tim waved goodbye to his friends as he drove away with Abby now leaning on the car window. He stole a few glances at her knowing better than anyone just how hard she was taking this. McGee made himself a promise; he would take her out to lunch at least once a week, more if they had the time, even dinner once or twice. Tim would not make her loose any more friendships than she already was. As he turned a corner, Abby shifted in her sleep and found herself gripping Tim's arm yet again. The ride to her house seemed shorter than normal and he woke her up as softly as he could.
"Abbs, your home." He told her rubbing her arm.
She didn't jump like normal, she just lifted her head up, and "So soon" she asked and looked in the back seat, "I-I didn't get to tell them goodbye." McGee watched, as her eye's overflowed with tears.
"I know, Abby. But, they could bare to say goodbye, could you image our Tony crying! Cause he would of!" Tim hugged her and tried to cheer her up.
He shut the car off and walked around the car to help her, "Come on, I'll walk you up." He told her pulling her to her feet.
They stood on the stoup for a moment, neither one really knowing what to do. Abby flung her arms around him, not crying this time, just seeking a hug.
McGee pulled back so he could see her face, "Hey, Monday at noon, you and me, lunch. I'll meet you in your lab." He told her and kissed her on the cheek. He was trying to make this as easy on them as he could.
Abby didn't say anything else, she wanted to but like earlier that week, she choked up. She gave him a weak smile and shut the door. He waited a moment, knowing there was so much more he could have told her, that he should have told her but he just walked down the steps and to his car. Abby was just on the other side of the door, she didn't want him to leave, she needed him more than ever, "McGee!" she called opening her door, hoping his car was still there.
He looked up in time to see her jump the last four steps and skid to a stop in front of him, "Did you forget something?" he asked peeking into his car.
"Yes." She told him with confidence to back it up, or maybe that was the rum at work.
He kept his head in the car, now leaning to see if there was anything on the floor, "Abbs, I don't see anything in—" She cut him off my tapping his back.
When he looked at her with a question on his face, she answered him the best she knew how, "You know how the other day, I was telling everyone what I really thought of them, how awesome they were and everything. Then I got to you and I just couldn't say anything, I felt over whelmed, there was just so much I could have said to you," Abby paused for a moment to rearrange her thought, "That I should tell you."
Tim didn't say anything; he didn't really know what he could have said so Abby went on, "Timmy, you are my best friend. The best. You are a fantastic writer who knows his way around the cyber world better than anyone I know. You might be Elf Lord but you are the best one there could be. You keep me grounded when I need it and you are always there with a Caf-Pow or a No-Caf-Pow depending on the week…I guess, I'm just trying to say I-I love you, a lot. And I have waited too long to say it and it sucks that it took loosing such a good friend to admit that to you. You just never know when it will be too late to tell someone." Abby finally stopped to breath and left Tim there stunned.
She was his best friend too. He would trust her with his life and he loved her too. He just didn't know if she meant it like he did. He didn't want to say the wrong thing but apparently saying nothing was just as bad, "Well, I'm sorry I just blurted all that but I had to tell you. Lunch Monday then?" She asked him seeming even sadder and started to walk away when McGee finally snapped out of it.
He grabbed her by the arm, spinning her back to face him, "Do you mean that, Abby? I wouldn't be upset if you just drank a little too much and that's where all this is coming from."
She stared at him, eyes filling with tears; this was too much to be going to in one night, she thought and then, she wasn't thinking anymore. Tim was done wasting time. It didn't matter at that moment if Abby really meant what she said because he meant it; he loved her and never stopped. He leaned down and pressed his lips tightly to hers and Abby instantly felt a relief when she wrapped her arms around him. Tim only stopped when he felt a raindrop hit the back of his neck.
"I meant it, Tim." She said over the clap of thunder above them.
He kissed her again as storm clouds burst; rain pouring down on them and lightning adding to the scene. They were done hiding it, they needed to take the risk, life was too short for them not to.