This is somewhat of a preface. You'll know soon enough what happened here, or who or what leads up to this moment. Just sort of a 'grabbing' entrance for the story. Tell me what you think? R&R

And no, I don't own NCIS.

.vengence.

Gibbs let the doors from Vance's office click together gently from behind him. For a split second, the man found himself unable to move. He let his back dig into the office doors, his head lowered. He didn't care if Vance's assistant gawked at the scene. Nor did he respond when she asked if he was alright. He didn't need to answer. He didn't want to...

Because truthfully, Leroy Jethro Gibbs was not okay. Not by a long shot.

Slowly he found himself heading for Abby's lab. The elevator seemed like it had just kept on going, as if on purpose, so that he could gather his thoughts, or enough strength to at least face her. Nothing he came up with seemed to satisfy what she would need to hear. She would need reassurance, a miracle...a promise that Timothy McGee was still alive. But there was no way Gibbs could give her that.

With the oh-so-common ding of his arrival, he took a step into the hallway, pausing to breathe before stepping into her sinister and silent lab.

He didn't knock, or bring any attention to himself as he entered (which was the usual), only to find her pouring her mind into the computer.

Her fingers shook when she guided the mouse, and then replaced the cursor with the keyboard. She had been scrambling through the evidence, picking and clicking through every file and folder-any piece of the hardware would be dissected by her hands. His frown worsened.

Facing Abigail was going to become very unpleasant. He just knew it. His dearest Sciuto had always been one to show her feelings explicitly with him, and the team. And each time the life of an agent was on the line, or had crossed it, it took a piece of her with it-which, in turn, took bits of him as well. Her emotions somehow easily overwhelmed him, but he wouldn't chastised her. She had a right to feel that way, but that meant he would have to deal with the reality of the situation, and be the strong threshold she would need. Right now, he wasn't so sure he could handle the truth.

"I'll find him Gibbs," Her voice was hoarse, deep from crying.

"Trust me, I'll find that son of a bitch, and-then we'll get him." The clicking and keystrokes seemed to have echoed throughout the lab now.

"Abbs," He softly spoke, nearing her side.

"No, Gibbs! Don't say it. Just-don't say anything. I've got work to do," She had hissed, still strumming away-her physical attention hadn't once left her work. Gibbs sighed, feeling the remorse further grow within himself, as he began to peer up at the plasma before him.

And there it was; that damn video gloating on both of her screens.

"I'm gonna get him, even if that means spending all night-all weak down here to tear this video frame from fucking frame until I find something-anything that will lead me to him. Then, I'll burn his ass."

That hurt. Her whole demeanor changed from sweet, bubbly, always optimistic Abby, to a heart broken, vengeful Abigail. Seeing her so angry, so emotionally stolen wasn't fair. Not for anyone.

The thundering punches on the keyboard worried him. She was breaking inside, and for once, Gibbs wasn't sure he would be able to fix her. Was she irreparable?

Noticing a few droplets splash onto the desk, one landing on her palm, Gibbs stepped in and buried her in his embrace.

"No Gibbs! NO!" Abby howled, "I can't! I don't have time for hugs. Not now. Timmy's...And that piece of shit is still out there!" She fumed, but Gibbs didn't let go, and despite her opposition, she never moved. In fact, Gibbs had noticed his little girl digging herself even further into him.

"We'll find him Gibbs, we will!" She warned through sobs. "We have to..."

"I know Abby," Jethro soothed, and rested a kiss on the scientists' forehead.

"His ass is mine."