Chapter two. Wasn't sure what direction to take with this one tbh. It's a wee bit shorter than the last one and kind of focuses more on Tony and Ziva than the case. But I promise the next one will move the case along a bit. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and followed. Hope you enjoy,
Abby Sciuto always worked hard. In fact, she often spent entire days rampantly rushing around from machine to machine in her lab as she did her duty for her team. It was a caf-pow fueled, chemistry themed blur that consumed most of her time. And she loved every second of it. Usually. There were times when her job kind of sucked. Like seriously sucked. Whether it was the time she had to run ballistics on the bullet that killed her best friend, or that dreadful week where she seemed to get Tony in more and more trouble as he was almost perfectly framed for murder. She got him out of it in the end, but only after she nearly had a nervous breakdown. On this particular Monday afternoon, she wasn't being pushed for time per say, but she was feeling the all-too familiar worry and stress that could only mean her friends were in trouble. Running blood and urine samples was bread and butter stuff for the forensic scientist, but running them from all three of your closest co-workers certainly cranked the tension up a notch or two.
Major Maspec started alerting her of the fact it had ran its last test on its last sample. It belonged to Ziva, and Abby found herself actually praying that it was clean. She knew that super Gibbs would show up any second so she had to-
''What ya got, Abs?''
Oh. Here's the bossman now. Abby guessed it was time to break some news. Mostly bad news in this instance. But first she wanted some information of her own.
''Gibbs,'' She began in a stern tone, ''what's happening? Like, honestly I'm happy to run these little High School grade tests, but when they're on your three best friends and give scary results…I think I'm owed an explanation.'' She didn't even try and hide the anxiety in her features.
He held her gaze with his own version of a worried look. ''You might not like it.'' He said gently, adopting his rare diplomatic tone.
''Yeah, well I don't think you're gonna like the results of this little mystery experiment so-''
''Abs.'' He interrupted with a tired sigh. ''Just tell me what you've got, and I'll tell you what I've got.''
That sounded like a fair deal. She turned to her computer and read the newly received results of Ziva's test. She was extremely relived at what she saw, but couldn't find any excitement within her after her previous findings on Tony and McGee.
''Huh.'' She started in a somewhat flat tone. ''That's something I guess.''
''What's something?'' Gibbs asked, clearly his patience was wearing thin.
''Ziva's clean. There are no signs of any foreign body or toxin in her system whatsoever.'' She explained with a furrowed brow.
Gibbs seemed almost surprised to hear that news, but clearly wanted more from her. ''What about the other two?'' He asked in an uncharacteristically soft voice.
Abby sighed. ''I was afraid you might ask that.'' A sentence that must have had Gibbs exploding with concern on the inside but, on the outside, had him simply raise his eyebrows in expectation of further elaboration. ''Tony and Timmy both had an unknown mixture of substances in their bloodstream. I don't know what it is, but it's definitely not good.''
That brought about a slight narrowing of the eyes from her leader. ''And you're sure Ziva's clear?'' He asked.
''That's what it says.''
He nodded slightly. ''Any idea what effects they might suffer from?''
She considered that for a second. ''Not right now, but I can work on it.''
''Okay.'' He then turned to leave but was abruptly stopped by the hand on his shoulder. When he was forcibly span back round, he met a stern glare from the Gothic forensic scientist.
''That was what I have.'' She began, returning to her more fierce tone. ''Have you forgotten our deal? What is going on, Gibbs?''
His responding sigh was both heavy and telling. He was clearly hoping to avoid this conversation. ''Not much. Got a call from the leader of a cell we busted last week. Told me my three agents were being used to test out a new chemical weapon of some kind.''
A shocked gasp escaped her mouth before she could help it. This was bad. Like really, really bad. ''Oh my god! They're not…you know…''
''They said it wasn't a fatal dose.'' He reassured her calmly.
She still had to sit down on her stool as all these new developments hit her like a freight train. ''But...like, why?''
''Don't know.''
So many questions were bouncing around inside her hyperactive mind. Who is this terrorist guy? Why was he doing this? How badly affected were her friends going to be by this poison?
''How come Ziva's clean if he said all three were being…experimented on?'' That was the first question she actually managed to voice to her boss.
''Don't know.''
Again? Really? He must know something. Anything to calm her heart rate down a little bit.
''Could this stuff be contagious? How the hell did it even get into their bloodstreams?'' The stare she then received was one she recognized from the Gibbs book of faces as the you gotta answer these questions yourself stare. ''I'll find out. I'll find out everything I can about this…thing hurting our boys and you'll kick this anonymous caller's ass.''
He nodded as he slipped his game face back on. ''Good plan.'' And with that he was out of the lab and marching off to fight another war.
Abby just hoped this whole hinky situation wasn't as terrible as it seemed. Her friends were in trouble…again. But she couldn't panic. They needed her best work, and she needed a lot of Caf-pow. She wouldn't let them down by having the nervous breakdown she was undoubtedly on the brink of. This chemical puzzle could be solved. She was going to do just that: solve it. This guy wanted to mess with Team Gibbs? Well he may just have underestimated a key member of them.
...
After about two solid minutes of a bright light being shined in each of his eyes, Tony was starting to grow agitated. Never mind that the light belonged to his long term friend and trusted physician, Ducky. Never mind that he was only being examined out of concern and love. Never mind that a bad guy had just…infected him? Or maybe poisoned him? Wait, why was he being examined again? He knew he was sat on one of the autopsy tables, because his butt was getting cold. But, other than that, he felt very uneducated on why he was there.
''Hey Duckman, why exactly are you interested in my eyes again?'' His own voice sounded unfamiliar to him. It was almost a slur and he found himself wondering if he was actually making any sense. Maybe he wasn't. Maybe that was why the doctor still hadn't told him the answer to that question. He was sure he'd asked it at least once before.
Ducky made a worried face and turned a glance at Ziva with a raised eyebrow. Ziva was here? That would explain why he felt that unnerving pressure in his chest he continuously felt in her presence recently. He couldn't even remember why that was. His memory was all over the place, in fact, and this whole thing felt like some sort of strangely realistic dream. But that was definitely his partner standing over Ducky's left shoulder. And that was definitely his partner's impatient, yet somehow concerned, glare being aimed in his direction. What had he done now?
''Anthony, my dear boy.'' The elderly ME started, in a tone that somehow suited the expression on Ziva's face. ''I am examining you for the same reason as ten minutes ago. You are clearly not entirely with us. I need to make sure there is nothing suggesting that this could be long term.''
That sounded worrying. So he might not wake up from this hazy dream state? He didn't like the sound of that one bit. Judging by the widening of his Israeli colleague's eyes, she wasn't too keen on the idea either. He met the deep, brown eyes of said Israeli, and was suddenly brought back to a night…sometime before then. A night of love and sweat and release. A night where they allowed themselves to be open and honest with each other, in their words and their actions. He knew this was a real memory and not a fabrication. Your mind can't even begin to fantasize about a night that perfect. For one or two precious seconds, his mind cleared and he felt like he was back on earth again. But then his partner's voice interrupted the sensation.
''Well, Ducky? Are there any signs of permanent damage?'' Her thick voice was laced with concern. She sounded, and looked, like she was dreading the potentially bad answer to her question.
The Brit sighed heavily as he seemingly looked for the best way to word his response. That couldn't be good. ''Not that I can see. But it can be hard to tell at this early stage. This terrorist suggested it might get worse as the days pass. I fear the hospital might be a more suitable location for our poisoned friends.''
''We took them there earlier.'' Ziva said with a frustrated sigh. ''There were no signs of any internal damage to either of them. The doctor said to bring them back if their symptoms appeared to worsen.''
''Well, have they?''
Ziva looked at Tony again after receiving Ducky's inquiry. Her partner seemed to be losing more and more of his mind. He was talking less, but didn't seem sleepy anymore. His gaze seemed to just float around without any real focus. He looked like he was in a constant state of daydreaming. Like he was lost in his own head. In fact, the only time he seemed to be aware of his own existence was when she managed to lock her eyes to his. Whenever that happened, he stopped looking confused and scared and his stare turned longing and sad. As if he was ashamed of himself but wasn't sure why.
''Yes.'' She eventually replied through a tight throat. ''I mean just look at him, Ducky. He is losing his mind.'' Her voice wavered as her worry started to bulldoze through her composure.
''Hey!'' Tony jumped in with a indignant tone. ''I am right here, you know. You guys think it's cool to just talk about me behind my back?''
Ziva's brow furrowed. ''We are right in front of your face, Tony.'' She explained in a somewhat motherly voice.
He seemed to have genuinely forgotten that was the case. His eyes went distant as he seemed to reconsider his entire viewpoint on the situation. ''Oh yeah.'' He said slowly. ''You're right there.'' He pointed in there general direction. ''And I'm right here.'' He added as his finger now aimed downwards, gesturing towards his feet. ''In autopsy.''
Ziva met Ducky's gaze as they both expressed their sympathetic terror through their eyes.
''I'm in autopsy.'' DiNozzo repeated again. ''But…'' He added raising his hand as if he'd just had a small breakthrough on a case. Ziva supposed it might just have felt that way in his head. ''But I need to be upstairs. Because the boss needs me. We gotta catch a…terrorist?''
He looked up to Ziva for confirmation. It arrived in the shape of a small nod.
''Terrorist. I gotta help get this bad-guy, terrorist person.'' He rambled on slowly. ''So I can't be in autopsy with you guys right in front of me, I need to be upstairs with a computer right in front of me.'' He concluded with a clap of his hands. ''Let's go, Ziva.''
Before her brain could catch up with his new found power of obvious deduction, he had jumped to his feet and shot off in the direction of the elevator. She rolled her eyes and turned to Ducky to offer both her gratitude and her apologies in the form of a gentle squeeze of the old man's shoulder. He tilted his head with a warning glare.
''You better keep an eye on him. How is McGee doing?''
She felt a stab of guilt as she realized that she'd completely forgotten about McGee until this point. ''He was worse than Tony last time I saw him. He could barely move and seemed terrified of everyone.''
Her answer brought another worried expression to the doctor's kind face. ''You know where to find me if anything further develops. I strongly suggest that someone supervises young Anthony tonight. I fear he might end up physically wandering just as far as his mind seems be.''
Ziva nodded in reassurance. She had, of course, already signed herself up for Tony-watching duty tonight. She presumed, with Abby working so hard to find information on this apparent chemical weapon, that she would be taking care of McGee in her lab for the next unknown number of days.
''Hey, you coming?'' Tony's voice actually startled her out of her thoughts. He was waiting in the doorway with an expectant expression.
Without saying a word, she made her way over to him and they fell into stride as they left the cold air of autopsy and entered the elevator. The doors closed and their ascent began. Ziva couldn't help but recollect their previous elevator experiences over the best part of a decade that they worked together. The heated argument regarding orders and pretending that almost led to her spilling her guts to Tony about her feelings for him. The slow, silent arrival back to the bullpen after he'd led a mission to rescue her from Somalia. The day Mike Franks died, and he grounded her with his embrace as she almost gave up on the job she previously loved so much. That awful day the previous year, when NCIS was bombed and she and Tony found themselves trapped in a stationary elevator for hours on end. He got her through all those low points. He held her hand and helped her back to her feet after she'd suffered all the emotional sucker punches the world threw at her. Surely she had to do the same for him now. She owed him that much. He was struggling. He was suffering. She could see it in his eyes. She could feel it in his tense silence and heavy breathing. He needed someone to help him through this, and it had to be her. She would not entrust anyone else to do it. She cared for him too much to leave this task in someone else's hands.
She hadn't realized she'd hit the emergency stop button until the lights dimmed and Tony was looking around in a confused manner. His gaze settled on her face after she reached for his hand and held it in hers. When he met her eyes, that sad and longing look returned to his face.
''I'm sorry, Ziva.'' He whispered in an ashamed tone.
Her brow furrowed at his unexpected apology. ''What for?'' She dared to ask. If this was about their night time activities two weeks before, then she was starting to regret stopping the elevator.
''I just feel like I've let you down, you know?'' He explained to her with raw honesty. ''Like I'm causing you trouble. You look worried about me and…usually that means I'm being a complete idiot.''
Oh, so he just feels guilty about his current state of mind? That was a far safer topic. She could easily reassure him in this instance because, quite frankly, he was being ridiculous. There was no way he had let her down. He'd never let her down. She was actually just thinking about how often she had let him down, before his forgiveness and loyalty always shined through to save her. Her heart squeezed with love for this man. His mind was all over the place, but he still found it within himself to look out for her. What had she done to deserve this man as her partner? He certainly deserved better than what she'd offered him in recent months. Whoever was playing with her best friend's head may just find one of her bullets lodged in theirs before the week was out.
''You have never let me down, Tony.'' She reassured him in a soft tone. ''Someone is playing with your mind. I know you're confused right now, but I want you to remember that I am with you. That I will always be here if you need me. That no matter what your brain is telling you, I will never feel disappointed in you. We will get through this, Tony, I promise.''
Tears were now forming in his eyes as he clearly fought to hold back an oncoming burst of emotion. ''I just feel so lost, Ziva.'' He told her thickly. The break in his voice completely broke her heart and the backs of her eyes began to burn with her own impending tears. ''The only time anything makes sense is when I look at you. Without seeing you there…I don't think I'd be able to function at all.''
She knew he needed her comfort right then. In fact, she knew she needed his as well. She moved closer and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. She buried her face into his neck as he sniffed back against his oncoming sobs. His touch always grounded her. It always made her feel safe and loved. She hoped- well more like prayed- that hers had the same effect on him in that moment. She knew she loved him, and she now knew he needed her love to keep him afloat and stop him sinking into the demented abyss he was currently treading above.
''I am with you.'' She whispered against him. ''I am always with you. Please know that, Tony. Please remember that.''
He breathed in deeply a few times before pulling away from the hug. He nodded once as he acknowledged her pleas, before running a hand through her curls, an affectionate look replacing the confusion that had been marring his features all day.
''I'm just glad you're okay.'' He told her in a hushed tone. ''I'm so glad you don't have to go through this because…I'm not sure I'd be able to help you. And that would only drive me even more crazy.''
God, he was killing her. How can he always be so selfless? That was one thing this terrorist would never take away from Tony. He would always have a heart of gold. You could contaminate his bloodstream with whatever you like, but he would always be the incredible partner and friend she'd known for over eight years.
She squeezed his hand once in supportive reassurance. ''Well, failing to expose me to this weapon will be this man's biggest mistake.'' Her voice was now much sterner as her eyes darkened into ninja mode.
Her bad-ass sequence had just been activated. Tony loved both sides of his partner, and right then he needed both. She was the only one carrying the Team Gibbs torch, and he'd never had more faith in her to take this son of a bitch down at their boss' side. She hit the emergency stop button again and their journey upwards restarted. Not managing to poison Ziva's mind was a mistake all right. Harming her friends was an even bigger one.
It was show time.
I know it didn't really move the story along, but I thought a bit of Tiva intimacy was needed to set the tone for the rest of the chapters. Again, if it sucked, don't be afraid to let me know. I can always try and up my game.