History has a way of creeping back into your life
LETTERS FROM AFAR
NCIS Forensic Lab
Abby couldn't help but smile as she read the letter. The door sliding open caught her off guard so she rushed to put the letter away as Tony walked in.
"Hey Abbs. Word is you found something?" He said.
"Uh, yea." She said, standing up and walking to her workstation computer. She typed in a bunch of keys.
"I got a ballistic match on the bullet Duckey and Palmer pulled from Lt Rodriguez body. It matches the bullet we pull from Ensign Barnes. It's the same killer." She said, pulling up two bullets on the screen, showing they rifling matched.
"Do we have any lead on the gun?" Tony asked.
"No, but if you can find it you can find your killer." She said.
"Thanks a bunch, Abby" Tony said as he went to walk away but something caught his eye.
"Getting letters now?" He went to reach for the envelope but Abby rushed over and slapped his hand.
"Don't touch that!" She said.
"Seriously? What was that about?" Tony said, looking at Abby like she was crazier then she already was.
"It's something personal." She said her face serious.
"Sorry. I didn't know." Tony said.
"It's ok. I didn't mean to hit you. Hug to make it better?" She said, throwing her arms wide.
"How could I ever refuse" He said, pulling her to him as she squeezed him.
They separated and Tony went to turn away but before he exited the lab she called out to him.
"Tony" She said, her voice monotone.
"Yea, Abbs?" He said as he turned around.
She walked up to him. "I'll tell you but you have to promise me you won't get mad." She said, fiddling with her hands and looking all around.
"When could I ever get mad at you?" He said, grinning.
"Just promise me Tony." She said.
"Ok, Abbs. I promise." He said, dropping the cheeriness and showing he was serious to her.
She held her hand up with her pinkie sticking out. Wordlessly he grabbed her pinkie with his.
She walked back over to the desk and grabbed the letter.
"The letter was from Ziva. I've been writing her for the past year and a half now." She said.
"I see." Tony said, trying very hard to mask his feelings at this revelation, and failing.
"I didn't want you to know because I didn't want you to be upset, especially when things finally started to get back to normal with you." Abby said, the shame in her voice evident.
"It's ok, Abby. I understand." Tony said, taking Abby's hand into his.
"So…how is she?" Tony had to force the words out.
"She's good. She is an elementary school teacher. She loves it. She is married to a Telecom manager and they have two kids." Abby said.
She reached into her drawer and pulled out a picture. In it was Ziva and her husband sitting underneath a tree. In his lap was a young girl who was about 3 years old and she was holding a young boy a year younger.
"That is Ben, her husband. Their children are Talia and Anthony." She said. She had delayed a few moments before she told him the boy's name.
"I'm glad she is happy." Tony said, more for himself then for Abby.
Deep down inside he truly was. The last year for them was one of the hardest in his life. The Harper Dearing Case, her father's death, their manhunt for Bodnar. Tony couldn't think of a single thing he wanted for her then to be happy. If it lost him a woman that he deeply, truly loved…then so be it.
"What have you told her?" Tony said, finally taking his eyes away from hers and looking back to Abby.
"Everything. I told her how you took her leaving hard but you came back from it. I told you how good of friends you and Tim became. I told her about Zoe too. She said she was truly grateful that you found someone." Abby said.
"Thanks for telling me that, Abbs. It means a lot to me." Tony said.
He turned and went to leave when Abby called out to him again.
"Do…do you want me to tell her that you know now?" She asked.
Tony smiled. "That is up to you, Abby. But if you do. Tell her I said that I am glad she is at peace now." Tony said.
Abby smiled. "I will."
Tony turned and stepped into the elevator. As it went up to the Bullpen he couldn't help but smile. She was OK…and that is all that mattered to him
Don't forget to check out the companion piece Tales from the Mission focusing on NCIS Los Angeles