If anyone who came into the forensics lab didn't know Abby personally, they wouldn't know where to find her. Only Ducky, Jimmy, or a member of Team Gibbs would know to look for her curled up in a corner, clutching a Caf-Pow! in one hand and Bert the Hippo in another.

But that is where she was now, her thick black mascara trailing down her cheeks. Vance had come in while she working and listening to her music. He had shouted to get her attention, and she had quickly turned it off to listen. He calmly and carefully explained that someone on Gibbs' team had gotten shot and was rushed to the hospital. Before he could finish his last sentence, she was a worried mess, asking a flurry of questions.

"Miss Scuito, I understand that you want to be at the hospital for your friend and coworker. I appreciate that. But I need you to stay here and just quickly process the gun and see if you can find a match. Then you can go, ok? We need to catch this bastard."

"Yes sir, but who is it? Who got hurt?" she cried. Vance absently noted that this was the first time she had sincerely called him sir. He felt sorry for the forensic scientist, but he could not stay and comfort her.

"Agent McGee."

The following few moments went by in a blur for the goth. She froze, unsure of what she heard. Then it took her a minute to absorb what she was hearing. Vance apologized and excused himself. He had a wife at home, so he knew that look on Abby Sciuto's face: I just need to be alone.

Then she screamed. Or, at least she tried to, but it really came out as a strangled cry. Tears flooded down her face. She grabbed Bert and the Caf-Pow! that she had been drinking.

The one McGee brought her just that morning.

She paced the room, shaking her head. McGee couldn't be hurt! In all the years that he had worked at NCIS, he had miraculously never been shot, or hurt enough to cause worry. He just didn't get rushed to the hospital- that was Tony's area of expertise.

And maybe she was dreaming. It was an ungodly time of day. She was probably just overtired. She would wake up, and everything would be okay!

But she knew that wasn't true. So here she sat, waiting for the gun to be delivered by someone. As she was standing up, a probie walked in, looking nervous and shaky at the idea of holding a gun that had shot another agent.

"Here is the gun, Miss Scuito," he said. "I'm really s-sorry about agent McGee."

Abby's head snapped up to stare at him.

"Sorry? Sorry!? You are acting like he's dead! He isn't dead! He is going to be fine! He can't be anything but fine!" she shouted hysterically. The young agent hurried out, and she put her face in her hands.

"Woah, Abby. It's not his fault. If you remember, I used to be that green."

The Lab Rat turned around. There was her Timmy, propped up against her evidence table. He wore a MIT t-shirt and jeans with his leather jacket, and he looked tired, but calm.

"No. No no no no," Abby said. "You can't be here."

His face made that sad look he wore whenever she said something that hurt his feelings. She automatically regretted it.

"Why not? You imagined me here. Besides, you saw Kate when she died."

"When she died, Timmy! You're not dead!" Abby yelled, fresh tears erupting. Imaginary-McGee went over to her.

"Abby," he said softly. "Abby, it's ok."

Since he was using a familiar line, she decided to also. "No, McGee, it's not."

"I'm not going to die," he said earnestly.

"You don't know that! You can't tell me more than what I know."

His soft expressive green eyes looked at her. Her heart fluttered.

"So why didn't you imagine me as a goth like Kate?" he grinned.

"I-I don't know." she giggled. But then she frowned and sniffled again.

"You're changing the subject,"

"And you talk to imaginary people," Timmy observed.

She walked around him to her computer. "I need to process this," she said. "We'll catch the SOB who did this to you."

"Thanks," he said. "I really am glad." The figment of her imagination said sadly.

"You would work just as hard and worry twice as much if it had happened to someone else," she told him. "But you need to stay. I would miss you too much, McGee." Even more tears leaked out.

"Hey, hey," he calmed her. "I would miss you too. Remember how we met?"

She smiled. "I went over this with Kate when she died."

He continued. "We heard each other's voices over a radio, and Tony introduced us. I got a tattoo for the occasion and everything." She giggled, even more tears coming out.

"I love you, Timmy," she whispered.

"I know, I know," he rolled his eyes. "Like puppies."

"No, I mean I love you."

-BEEP!-

Abby looked up. She was alone. Her computer beeped again.

"Oh, I have you now," Abby muttered. "Nobody messes with my McGee."