In Fate's Hands
The dumber people think you are, the more surprised they are when you kill them.
Disclaimer: I do not own. All aspects of NCIS belong to Donald P. Bellisario.
In Fate's Hands
Chapter Two
Like walking on glass, afraid it might shatter.
"What did you say to him Gibbs?"
"I didn't say anything," he defended.
"That's your problem then, isn't it? You didn't say anything. People don't realize that sometimes what you don't say is worse than what you do."
"Abby," Gibbs interrupted. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you Gibbs. You're a bastard."
"Been told that before."
"Well it's true. Let me take a wild guess at how things were last night after you left. You went home like normal, got ready for bed like normal, went downstairs to work on your boat a bit like normal."
"What's your point."
"It wasn't normal Gibbs!" she shouted. "He was leaving for six months and you act like everything was fine. It wasn't fine!"
"What difference does it make? Its not like it mattered."
"Is that what you think?" she asked accusingly. "You think that what you had was worthless, that it meant nothing?"
"It was worthless, and it did mean nothing!" he shouted.
"You're an idiot Gibbs. When it comes to solving crimes and finding the bad guys, you're brilliant. But when it comes to life, you're an absolute idiot."
"Am I?" he asked. "No, I saw things exactly as they were. I knew what we had was just a fling. I knew he slept with women while we were together. I would be naïve to believe otherwise. I didn't let it bother me. Because it didn't matter. It didn't matter what I felt. And you know what, now it's over. I'm free. I can live without him."
"Can you?" Abby replied.
-
"Hey Abbs," Tony greeted, sitting down in front of his laptop.
"Tony!" she shrieked in return. "I miss you so much!" It had only been a week, but it felt like much longer.
"I miss you to Abby," he chuckled. "What's up?"
"It's boring here without you," she complained.
"That can't be true. You've got Gibbs." He pondered this thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, I'd hate to be you." This was a lie. Both knew it. Both knew that Tony would give just about anything to be in her shoes. To be loved. By Gibbs.
"Hey DiNozzo," a voice said, entering the room.
"Who's the hottie?" Abby asked, catching a glimpse of him on the screen.
"That's Ian. Ian, meet Abby," Tony introduced.
"I had a friend in high school named Ian."
"Really, what high school did you go to?"
"Brackish Point. But I'm pretty sure you're not him. He was a totally fruit."
Tony turned and gave Ian a funny look, then turned back to Abby.
"You and your gay men Abby," he said, shaking his head.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're like a gay magnet," Tony said.
"I have no problem with that. I love gay men. They have amazing style. Well except this one guy I used to work with. His boyfriend used to be a marine. Neither of them had any since of style whatsoever." Abby shuttered at the thought.
Tony gave her a look and stuck out his tongue. "So I hear the new meat has arrived," he changed the subject.
"Monday," Abby said with distain. "We've got a senior field agent that was honorably discharged from the Navy. He's more cold than Gibbs."
"Really? I didn't think that was possible."
"It is. They kinda hate each other. I caught Gibbs trying to strangle him in the bathrooms yesterday."
"What were you doin' in the men's bathroom, eh?" Ian as he changed out of his uniform and into PT gear.
"Who says it was in the men's bathroom?" Abby retorted with a mischievous grin.
"What about the rest?" Tony said, smiling.
"New probie is totally green-"
"So was McGee," Tony pointed out.
"Yes, but McGee was likeable."
"No he wasn't."
"Be nice. Besides, this guy follows Gibbs around like his little lap dog. Kinda like you used to."
Tony made a face and growled.
"Kidding. The chick is the worst. I swear she's like a reincarnate of Vivian Blackadder. Totally obsessive"
"That can only mean trouble."
Abby nodded, then got distracted by something out of range of the camera.
"Hiya Bossman," she greeted happily.
"What'd you have for me Abbs," Gibbs said handing her a Caf Pow.
"Tony's on," she said, pointing at the computer, then walking off the screen.
A moment later Gibbs' face had taken up most of the screen. "DiNozzo," he greeted dispassionately.
"Little close there aren't ya boss?"
"Not your boss," Gibbs reminded him. Then he turned to Abby. "Did you find anything on that fingerprint?"
"I tried my best. It would have been a perfect print, but the idiot who lifted it totally screwed it up. Who lifted it?" The, answering her own question, she said, "Probie," just as Gibbs said the same.
"That bad huh?" Tony asked.
"I swear, this is the third time in two days," Abby said, leaning into the view of the camera. "Its like he's trying to sabotage the case."
"What's the case?"
"You're not being paid to work our cases DiNozzo," Gibbs pointed out.
"I know, but anything's more interesting than what's going on here. I've got a Lieutenant who got one of the enlisted pregnant, a Senior Chief who got a bad mix of opioids and alcohol, and three petty officers who started a bar fight. It's boring here."
"Hate to be you," Abby said.
"Abby, get back to work," Gibbs ordered.
"On what?" she asked. "I've got a fingerprint that can't be salvaged, a cotton swab labeled 'Bridges saliva,' but only contains saltwater, a cigarette that was never smoked, and five mislabeled evidence bags."
"Try," Gibbs ordered, walking out of the lab.
"What crawled up his ass and died?" Tony asked. Then, before she could reply, he asked, "Mislabeled?"
"Two of them aren't what the evidence log says they are and none of them have the proper criteria filled out."
"Did these people receive any training?" Tony asked.
"Clearly not. Gibbs' right though, I should go. I can at least try to salvage something."
"Bye Abbs, talk to you later."
"Bye," she said. With that the screen went blank.
Tony then spun around to face Ian with a grin on his face.
"What's with the look?" Ian asked, pulling his left shoe on.
"You know exactly what."
"I don't know what you're talkin' about."
"You went to Brackish Point."
"I'm sure a lot of people did."
"How many of them were named Ian and were friend with Abby?"
Ian dropped his head, knowing there was no beating around the truth.
"Okay, now you know. What you gonna do about it?" he asked.
"Nothing. Don't ask, don't tell. It's none of my business and personally, it doesn't bother me."
"I knew it," Ian smirked.
"Knew what?"
"Tell me about this Gibbs guy," he changed the subject.
"Not much to tell. He was my boss when I worked at NCIS, DC. Ex-Marine. No I don't like the look you're giving me."
"Not that it's any o' my business sir, but it's him, in't it," Ian said.
"Who's what? You lost me."
"Gibbs. He's ya lova. Don't deny it," he added as Tony went to open his mouth.
"That obvious?" he asked.
"Yea. Ya kinda lit up when you saw him. Way I see it, you two had a pretty big fight before ya left."
"Nah, Gibbs' is always like that."
"I ain't talkin' 'bout him. Talking 'bout you. You were so tense when he was there. Like walking on glass, 'fraid it might shatter."
"I guess you could say that."
"What happened?"
"Nothing much. He just made it clear how he felt about me," Tony said nostalgically, climbing into his bed. As he turned off the light and drifted to sleep, he couldn't help but wish. Wishes lead to dreams, and dreams lead to waking up in pain.
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