Time for me to dump some of my old fics I never got around to publishing!
I'm pretty sure this is the first fanfic I ever wrote. I therefore couldn't bring myself to edit it. Reviews are nonetheless encouraged. Really, though, it's very old and not even tangentially related to anything happening on the show right now.
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS. I just don't. Swear to god.
It all started with a lighthearted joke from Tony.
He'd sauntered down to Abby's lab with a Caf-Pow and a grin, listening to her blasting music and expecting (hoping?) to see her dancing around the lab, balancing in a headstand, rollerblading, spinning in circles, balancing specimen jars, something that was wacky and zany and normal Abby.
Quiet, though, was now the new normal. You might think nothing was wrong, but she was never doing anything quirky, just standing at her computer. She was a little slow to react when someone offered her a Caf-Pow, her eyes didn't always have the right sparkle, sometimes when she turned to see who was coming there was a misery in her expression that said someone was coming who she didn't want to see. That look always vanished when she saw Tony, but still—he worried.
"So, Abby," he said, smiling at her excited reaction to everyone's favorite bright-red overly-caffeinated beverage, "what's wrong with the world's happiest Goth?"
"What?" she said, overly innocent. "Oh, Tony, there's nothing wrong."
"Abby," he said, moving to look her in the eye, "what is it?" He simply couldn't resist adding, "What, are you pining over McGeek?" She shook her head mutely.
"So what is it then? Missing your 'silver-haired fox'?"
"You'd better not let Gibbs hear you call him that." There was a strange edge to her voice. "He's just Gibbs, or the bossman, or boss, or, or… that's just stupid, Tony. Of course I was only joking with McGee about Gibbs. Did it really bother him that much?"
Tony stared at her, confused. Why was she reacting like that to a simple joke?
"Abby, seriously, what's wrong?" he asked. "Something isn't right. You're not acting the same way anymore. Just tell me."
"I can't." She barely whispered it.
" Did… did someone hurt you, something—you know I'd do anything to protect you, Abby. I—even if you can't tell me, you know Gibbs won't let anything happen to you—"
"Oh, yeah," she said with a strange, bitter chuckle. "Gibbs is definitely the right person to help me with this. It won't be strange or unpleasant or miserable at all."
Abby wasn't supposed to be like this. This wasn't Abby.
"You think you want to know what's bothering me, Tony? Believe me, this is not the sort of thing you want to know!"
"I… Abby, I…"
"Gibbs! You tell me to talk to Gibbs! That's just hi-frickin-larious, Tony. You want to know what's bothering me? I'm an idiot who fell in love with Leroy Jethro Gibbs! Is that enough of a reason, Tony? Are you happy now?"
"I… Abby, why didn't you tell anyone?"
"No one would get it. I'm too young, I'm not a redhead, I'm weird and ditzy and Goth and annoying and I'm sure he still loves Shannon or maybe he's in love with Lt. Colonel Mann or Holly Snow or maybe Jen still, or, or—It isn't me, Tony! It isn't me, okay? I'm not good enough! I'm just little Abby! I'll always be just—just—" She grabbed her jacket and ran out of her lab.
Tony stood still. He was afraid he had just found out why Abby had those scars on her wrists.