A/N: This was originally written to follow 'Let Your Fingers Do the Talking' but that does not need to be read before this for this one to be understood. I've been wanting to do an Abby/Gibbs friendship piece muliti-chap for some time now, so I'm finally giving it a go. Okay so if you're enjoying the fic and feel so inclined, do tell me what you thought. In any case, enjoy! -pj

"Abby," Gibbs said in that tone that meant he really didn't have time for one of her characteristic caffeine-included tangents.

"You don't need to know that. Right," she turned back to her computer and typed a few keys, "so anyway, I ran the prints you found on the condom wrapper-"

"Uh-oh, unopened," everyone glanced back to see Tony holding up an evidence bag containing a small foil square, "well, getting murdered does tend to dampen the mood a bit."

He looked up and saw four sets of eyes staring at him, the cobalt blue pair boring into his head with patented exasperation.

Tony dropped the bag back onto the table with a muttered, "sorry Boss."

"Anyway, I ran the prints through AFIS," Abby continued, smiling at Tony's antics, "and I got a hit."

She sat back and crossed her arms in satisfaction as Gibbs, McGee and Ziva leaned in closer to read the name flashing at the bottom of the screen.

"Roy Carlton." Ziva murmured.

"That's the same last name as the victim," McGee observed, "A relative?"

"What were a male relative's fingerprints doing on a condom at our female victim's house?" Ziva wrinkled her nose.

"That is so Deliverance," Tony muttered. At that moment a shrill ringing filled the lab and Abby's reached for her cell phone.

"Address Abs?" Gibbs prompted.

"Yeah. Right," she distractedly pulled up the information on the fingerprint while frowning at her caller id. "504…that's New Orleans," she said to herself and glanced up. "McGee could you…" she indicated he should print the information on the screen and he nodded, taking over at the keyboard.

Abby stepped away from the group, ignoring the pointed stare Gibbs was sending in her direction, "This is Abby."

"Tony, take Ziva and check out Roy Carlton," Gibbs ordered, handing the printed sheet of paper to his senior field agent. A few feet away Abby's tone change and a whispered 'oh my god' had him glancing in her direction.

"McGee, you talk to the victim's CO. Find out what she was working on, classified or not."

"…okay. No, I understand…"

Gibbs wasn't the only one who'd picked up on the sudden change in Abby and the team didn't immediately move after receiving instructions. Ziva glanced at her other teammates, but all the men had their gazes planted firmly on Abby's back.

"…thank you. I mean, thank you for calling not…yeah…"

She was talking even quieter than before but with the only noise in the room being the gentle whirr of Major Mass-spec and the ticking clock on the far wall, they heard her soft, gravely voice with ease.

"…Okay…I'll be there."

She hung up her phone and stood still for several seconds with her back to the team.

"Gibbs?"

He was already standing beside her, but if he hadn't been the shock and anguish expressed in that single syllable would have been enough to have him across the room in seconds.

"Abby?" He asked, concern hidden somewhere in his carefully neutral voice.

She wasn't looking at him, but if it was possible her face was even more pale than usual and her wide, blank eyes were moving about like she was trying to comprehend something that just didn't make sense.

"I…I think I need to sit down," as if to prove her point she swayed slightly in her three inch platforms and Gibbs reflexively grabbed her upper arms as Tony quickly wheeled over a chair.

"Abs?"

Ziva, McGee and Tony were gathered as well, worry plastered across all their faces as they waited for an explanation but Abby suddenly seemed uncomfortable with all the attention.

"Don't you three have work?" Gibbs said, his voice quiet and his eyes never leaving Abby's face. Although it came out as a question, the three agents knew it was not.

"Boss…" Tony protested weakly. He'd never seen Abby like his and he was afraid to admit how much it worried him.

"Now, DiNozzo," Gibbs glanced up, his tone leaving no room for argument and his expression telling Tony he'd take care of it. Whatever it turned out to be.

After brief hesitation Tony nodded and turned to leave the lab, followed slowly by Ziva and, after giving his friend a quick squeeze on her shoulder, McGee also made his way out.

Even when they were gone Abby didn't relax fully and Gibbs raised his hand, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"Who was on the phone Abby?" He asked softly.

Abby took a deep breath, "That was All Saint's Hospital in New Orleans," she said haltingly, her voice thick with un-shed tears. Gibbs felt his stomach clench with foreboding but waited for her to finish before jumping to conclusions. She swallowed hard, her hands clamped together tightly in her lap, "my brother. He…there was a car accident. There was a...drunk driver."

Gibbs resisted the immediate urge to pull her up into his arms, knowing what was coming even before she'd finished. He dropped his hand to cover hers, squeezing gently.

"Gibbs…he's gone," she finally looked up, her green eyes shining in the soft light of her lab, "they want me to come identify the…the body."

She shook her head slightly in disbelief and then lunged forward, wrapping her arms securely around his neck and pressing her face to his shoulder. Gibbs stood and pulled her close, hugging her tightly. Her body shook with silent sobs and he could feel the warm tears soaking through to his skin but he didn't speak, merely stroked the back of her head and rocked her soothingly, his gut twisting with pain of loss that he knew too well.

TBC