Three days pass before they catch the guy. McGee and Ziva are wrecked, they've been out in the field the whole time, getting next to no sleep in cheap, dirty motels along the way. Gibbs was unbearable the whole time, spurned on by the desire to catch the bastard who not only kidnapped and murdered a little girl but also tried to kill his best agent. Without Tony in action to take the brunt of Gibbs' moods, Ziva and McGee suffer his wrath. Reports can wait; once they catch their man boarding a plane to Chicago and bring him back to DC, they get the hell out of the office, heading straight to their respective homes for the relief of hot showers and un-lumpy beds and no Gibbs to invade their personal space and yell at them.
For his part, Gibbs becomes normal again (or normal enough by his standards) once their guy is glowering in the local lock-up. He heads down to see his favourite scientist, although he has an ulterior motive.
Abby grins up at him from her desk as he turns the heavy metal down, wincing at the assault on his eardrums. She hugs him and he asks about Tony. Abby explains that both she and Ducky have been buried in work from both his and other NCIS teams. She hasn't been able to visit him since he was discharged, but he sounded okay from the phone conversations.
They are interrupted by a ringing phone; Gibbs'. It's the director, demanding to know exactly who gave him the authority to shut down a whole airport. He shoots Abby a look, holding the squealing phone out away from his ear. She gives him a fingerwave and he heads up to Shepard's office.
Desk cleared, reports filed, Caff-Pow cup empty and machines put to bed, Abby grabs her coat and heads to her car, savouring the fresh air sweeping over her as she leaves the building. It's a Friday and the night is young. She has big plans.
Tony sits in the same spot on the couch, flicking between infomercials and the weather channel. He hasn't bothered with the pain pills and he winces as he shifts slightly. The antibiotics he has taken, but only because he's kind of scared of Abby. He hears a lock turn and the door swings open. He doesn't look; he knows it's either Gibbs or Abby. They're not the only two with a key to his apartment, but they are the only ones who would actually use it without knocking.
His bet's on Abby. And not only because she told him she'd try and drop by if she got the tests finished when she rang in the morning, but because he knows it won't be Gibbs. The man hasn't used the key in years, not since the few times he stayed over when Tony was recovering from the pneumonic plague.
Tony doesn't blame him for not coming. Gibbs is probably tired from doing actual police work, not sitting on his ass for the last three days. Even if he's not tired, a skeleton of a boat is a helluva lot more interesting than visiting him, Tony decides. Cases involving children always hit close to home for the bossman. They can't save them all, but they could've saved the little girl this time if not for Tony.
He wouldn't want to visit himself either.
Abby calls his name even though the television is practically beside the door. She kicks off her boots and tumbles over the back of the couch, head popping up to greet him with a smile. He smiles back, hiding the wince from his jostled arm. She digs into her bag, pulling out two tubs of ice-cream and a zombie DVD, ducking into the kitchen for spoons. While she's there she checks his pills, presenting him two on the palm of her hand.
"No ice-cream until you take the meds."
He scowls but takes the pills, crunching them with his molars and looking disgusted at the taste.
"Good." She beams, presenting him with his favourite triple-chocolate chip and slips the disc into the player. She grabs her ice-cream, snuggling into his good side. His body is stiff but he relaxes, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer. Her warmth spreads through him.
They stay in that position and watch the movie. Abby is proud when she even gets him to laugh a few times, although she wonders if it is only to humour her. The movie ends and she turns the DVD player off with the remote. The screen flicks back to the normal channels. The late news is on and she freezes as she listens, watching the mouth of the news anchor move as he reports that the killer of eight-year-old Amy White has been apprehended. She feels Tony tense behind her as the blonde, freckled face of the little girl fills the screen. A clip of Amy's mother is next, the young woman crying openly as the reporter discusses the tragedy of the crime.
It's too much for Tony and he pushes Abby off his lap, barely making it to the bathroom before the ice-cream and pills make a reappearance. He retches until there's nothing left and he's empty. Abby stands behind him, rubbing his back and frenetically apologizing for not switching it off sooner. He pulls himself up and reaches for the mouthwash, grimacing at his reflection in the mirror. His skin is pale and clammy and there are dark hollows under his eyes.
"I'm just gonna go to bed Abs," he tells her, running his index finger under her chin as he passes her in the doorway. She nods, apologizing again and he stops, turning back.
"Abby –"
He holds his good arm out. She needs no further invitation, scurrying closer for a hug. He holds her tightly, ignoring the slivers of pain zigzagging up his arm. There are tears lingering in his eyes, not from the injury, and he bites his lip to keep them from falling.
"You want to stay?" He tilts his head toward the king-sized bed and she nods silently, slipping off her skirt and sweater so she's only wearing her panties, knee-socks and undershirt. Tony maneuvers his arm out of the tee-shirt, wearing only long sweatpants. They climb in on opposite sides. Abby nestles into his warmth and scent, rubbing her fingers over his stubbly chin. She could go home, but she'd rather be here. After seeing him, she'd only worry if he was okay.
He's anything but okay, but at least they are together.
TBC