Chapter 4 (Day 2 )

I got a joke for you, Abby signed. Gibbs looked at her. What's red and smells like blue paint? He continued to stare at her, without offering an answer. Red paint. She might as well have said nothing because Gibbs barely blinked. Get it? Nothing. It really is funnier if you have a sense of humor.

"How is everyone tonight?" Nurse Arnett asked.

"I could use a decent coffee."

"I miss Caf-Pows!."

"I could go get you one," said the nurse.

Abby's mouth dropped open and her hand slowly went to her chest. "You would do that for me?" she asked sweetly.

"There's a machine in the cafeteria."

"How am I just now finding out about this?!"

"And yet, you're the only public building in the city without a damn Starbucks."

"We should make DiNozzo pick us up."

"That's just mean, Gibbs!"

Later that night, Abby had what she would later describe as "the weirdest dream!" She had just arrived in her lab one morning, doing her usual routine. She turned on machines, started her music, filed what she hadn't done the night before, and settled Bert in for the long day. She was checking her email when she heard a voice whisper her name.

"Morning, Abby."

She jumped up out of her chair, frightened by the sudden voice. Turning around, ready to tackle whoever was sneaking up on her, she saw Tony. "God, Tony! Don't do that! You know I hate that!"

He just laughed and held out her Caf-Pow!. "Peace offering?" She eyed him and the drink suspiciously before taking it from his hand and downing a big gulp. She could already feel the caffeine working its magic. "Might wanna slow down on that. Don't know if I will be able to get another before lunch today."

"Its alright. I'm sure Gibbs will bring me one."

Tony cocked his head to the side. "Gibbs?" She nodded enthusiastically. "Alright," he shrugged. "Catch ya later, Abbs."

It was after lunch time and Abby still hadn't seen Gibbs or anyone else from the team, so she decided to head up there herself. She got off the elevator and headed over to her favorite team's area. She saw McGee sitting at Tony's desk. "Hey, McGee," she said walking over to Gibbs' desk. "What are you doing over there?"

"Working," he said eyeing her. "What are you doing over there?"

"Waiting for Gibbs. I haven't seen him yet today. Where is everyone?" She started spinning around in the chair.

"Let's see," he said leaning back in his chair. "Ziva called a few minutes ago saying she was stuck in traffic. Tony should be back in a few minutes. And Palmer is probably in autopsy again."

Abby stopped the chair. It was making it hard for her to concentrate on what McGee was saying. "Palmer is always in autopsy."

"I know. He should just transfer down there. He seems way more interested in that than being a field agent anyway. He'd probably be more useful, too."

Abby's face scrunched up into confusion. "What are you talking about?"

McGee stood up from the desk and walked over to Abby. Walking around the desk she was at, he sat on top of it. "What are you talking about?" He sounded as confused as she looked.

"Jimmy works in autopsy with Ducky. He always has. And where is Gibbs? You didn't mention him."

"Who's Gibbs?"

"That's what I was wondering earlier," Tony said appearing out of nowhere. He set his coffee down on the desk. "I left your drink on your desk, Abbs." He turned his attention towards McGee. "Where are Probie and Ziva?"

"Well, Ziva got stuck in traffic-".

"Knowing her she probably caused the accident."

"And Palmer is-".

"Here!" he said racing to McGee's desk. "I'm here. Sorry. Ducky got this body and I was checking it out with him. Well, not 'checking' it out in a sick perverted way, just looking it over, in an educationally fascinating way. It really is truly spectacular what the human body can tell us even after they're dead. I remember this one body -- oww!" Jimmy was suddenly cut off by Tony smacking him on the back of the head. "Sorry, Boss," he said and started typing away at the computer.

"Abby, are you ok?" asked McGee. She sat in Gibbs' chair with her mouth hanging wide open. She didn't understand what she was witnessing. Everything was different and she didn't know why. It must have been Gibbs' mysterious absence. If he was absent. Tony and McGee didn't seem to know who she was talking about when she asked for him.

She decided to try one more time. "Where is Gibbs?"

She was met with the same confused faces as before. "Who is that?" McGee asked, looking at Tony.

Tony shrugged. "I don't know. She mentioned something about a 'Gibbs' this morning. I thought he was another agent, but I thought I knew all of them here. Who is this guy, Abbs? Not another boyfriend, is it? I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact you and Palmer here were ever a couple."

"No!" shouted Abby. "How could you forget Gibbs? He's the boss. Your boss. You're his team! This is his desk!"

Tony slowly shook his head. "No, this is my desk, my team," he said slowly. "Are you feeling alright? You look a tad pale."

"More so than usual," McGee chimed in.

Abby couldn't take this anymore. She would show them proof. "Come on! I'll take you to his house!" She stood too quickly from her chair and felt dizzy. She closed her eyes. It felt as if she were floating through air. She must have fell, because she landed hard on her back with a nasty thump!

She heard a soft cry out to her. Abby!

It was like it was trying to reach through a dense fog to her ears. Abby?

It sounded like Gibbs, but she couldn't be sure. I need some help in here!

Her eyes started fluttering open, but she was not met with the bright light she had been in sitting in the bullpen. It was semi-dark. And there was a figure hovering over her. "Abby, are you with me?"

"Gibbs?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Are you hurt?" She opened her eyes and saw him looking down at her. It was then she realized she was lying on the floor. "I need some help!" he screamed again, forcing the words out of his, now severely, sore throat.

"I think I'm fine. What happened?"

"You fell out of bed."

"I did?"

"I guess that nurse isn't coming. We could be dying in here for all she knows," he mumbled. "Let's get you back up."

Abby fully realized who she was talking to. "Gibbs! You're alive!"

"Barely," he muttered.

"Oh my!" said Nurse Arnett from the doorway. "What happened here?" She rushed over to Abby and Gibbs.

"She fell out of bed."

"What's all this blood from?"

Abby looked down and saw she and Gibbs' both had some blood on them. "Is that from me?" she asked shocked.

"No," said Gibbs straightening out his arm to get a better look at it. It began to gush. He had pulled the IV out when he heard the fall and saw Abby lying on the floor. Nurse Arnett got Abby back in bed and checked over. She then patched up Gibbs' arm and reinserted his IV.

"Are you sure you're not hurt?" Gibbs asked once the nurse left.

"Yeah," she said. "It's just…" she trailed off.

"Just what?"

"Its just…I just had the weirdest dream!"