MONSTERS IN THE SHADOWS
Chapter Two
The squeeze of fingers around her neck jolted forensic specialist Abby Sciuto straight up, gasping, grabbing at invisible hands.
"It is ok, Abby, you are in the hospital," Ziva's soft voice said near her ear. "You are safe."
Abby's eyes scanned the room wildly as Ziva's words sunk in. "Wh…what hap..pened?" she croaked.
Ziva scooted her chair closer to the bed. "You were attacked, Abby. Kidnapped by that scu…." she censored herself, "by your ex-boyfriend."
Tears welled in Abby's eyes, and one escaped down her cheek. She put a hand to her throat, only able to imagine the bruising that must ring around it. "What did… did he…?"
This was never easy, Ziva thought with a grimace. That something like this happened to a friend-HER friend-made it even worse. She looked at their clasped hands as she cleared her throat. "What do you remember? All we know is what we saw on the garage video cameras when you were….taken."
Abby started to cry. "I'm not… n-n-not sure," she rasped as she wiped her bruised cheek, cringing with pain. "It's all fuzzy…." Her eyes pleaded with her friend.
"Oh! I am sorry, would you like some water? It may help your throat." Ziva held the cup as Abby sipped. "With your injuries, it is not surprising things are a bit…. Fuzzy, yes? It will come back in time." She smoothed a lock of Abby's hair back. "I am going to call McGee and let him and the Director know you are awake. The doctor, too." Stroking Abby's lesser-bruised cheek she said, "I will not be far, just outside the door if you need me." With a final squeeze of her friend's hand, she walked out of the room, phone already in hand.
*NCIS**NCIS**NCIS**NCIS**NCIS*
Ziva had only just left the room, but already Abby was feeling scared. She reached up for the cord and turned on the light, the sharp pain making her scrunch her eyes shut. Opening them slowly she realized that the light only created more shadows, more dark places where someone could hide. Oh God, she hated feeling like this-it just wasn't her.
Shadows began shimmering, and she just knew there was someone dancing between the dark spots around the room. Her breathing got faster, and Abby began to hyperventilate. The beeping of the monitors brought Ziva and the doctor rushing in.
It truly bothered the (some would say) hardened Mossad officer to see her friend so panicked. "It is ok, Abby. You are ok. No one will hurt you while I am here." She could see her words sink in as Abby began to calm, her breathing returning slowly back to normal. "I am just as deadly with a hairpin as I am with a paper clip," she said, hoping to make Abby relax. It worked, as Abby gave a small, relieved smile. "McGee and the Director are on their way," Ziva said. "They shall be here soon."
"Tony?" Abby asked hopeful. If her big brother Tony were here, everything would be ok.
Tact had never been Ziva's best trait, but she tried. "He is, uh…." she stalled, "he is interrogating the man that did this to you. Perhaps when he is finished, he shall come up."
Another tear slipped down Abby's cheek. She hoped Tony got here soon - he would chase away the monsters in the shadows.
*NCIS**NCIS**NCIS**NCIS**NCIS*
Tony stood in the observation room observing the scumbag that hurt their Abby. The only problem was, he didn't look like a scumbag. Dressed in a perfectly tailored gray Armani suit, pale blue shirt, and royal blue tie, he looked more like he belonged on Capitol Hill. Which instantly made Tony suspicious. What was a slick dude like this doing, dating Abby? They were complete polar opposites.
Jenny Shephard joined him in observation. "So, this is the 'scumbag'?" Tony's eyes never left the view in the window, silently taking this guy's measure. "Yep. He doesn't look like a kidnapping, torturing, psycho."
Jenny looked at Tony out of the corner of her eye, a small smile playing on her lips. "Neither did Ted Bundy or Sam Berkowitz."
"True," Tony agreed.
"Actually," Jenny began, "he kind of looks like you, Tony," she teased.
Giving the director a dirty look, Tony smoothed his lapels and adjusted his sleeves. No wonder the jerk looked familiar, he thought uncomfortably. "Pffff," he scoffed. "Who wears that color shirt with that tie, anyway?"
Turning her back to the window, Jenny studied Tony. "Can you be objective about this interrogation, Tony? If it were anyone other than Abby, I wouldn't ask."
Tony straightened his tie, checked his hair in the mirrored window. "Not a problem," he said, detached. He opens the door to leave observation and turns back for a moment. "I'll handle it just like Gibbs would," the door quietly closing behind him.
"That's what I'm afraid of," Jenny worries, looking back to the interrogation room.