Chapter 4

A/N: These reviews make me smile. I love how everyone is convinced Gibbs is gonna murder Mikel. Rating changed to M for language; some mentions of sexual acts in the end of this chapter.

Gotta keep running. Don't stop. She had no idea where she was going but she knew if she stopped, she'd die. The pavement beneath her feet was slippery, but still she ran. He was chasing her. She just knew it. She darted down an alley and ran straight into a chain-linked fence.

He loomed behind her, his fingers closing around her throat, "I found you, Abby."

She woke with a start, her heart hammering in her chest. The dream had seemed so real. She sighed, looking over at the digital clock. 4:30. She'd only slept for a couple hours but she felt ready to start the day. She knew it was because of all her caffeine intake, and knew if she tried hard enough, she could sleep a few more hours.

Her phone blinked, indicating a voicemail. The color drained from her face. Mikel could trace her phone. She should've shut it off. She grabbed for her phone, flipping it open.

3:00 Missed call (30): Mikel M.

3:05 New Text (25): When I get my hands on you, you're gonna wish you hadn't ignored me

He must have fallen asleep. She silenced the device, slipping it into her back pocket as she stood from the bed. She shouldn't have come here. She should've handled this by herself, broken it off with him, kicked him out, gotten a restraining order. She needed to fix this.

She made her way into the hallway, carefully shutting the door behind her. The house was silent, and she held her breath as she passed the Director's room, listening intently in case she was awake. She barely made out the low, steady breathing through the door. She let out an inaudible sigh. She didn't know why she was so worried. She was a grown woman, not some child trying to sneak out of the house. Where was the railing? Ok, so she was trying to sneak out of the house, but she had good intentions. And it wasn't like she thought of the Director as a parental figure. Sure, she looked up to her and respected her but the only inclination she had towards the redhead was romantic.

As she made her way down the stairs, her phone buzzed again. Her heart leapt into her throat. She made it the front door and then pulled it out, checking it.

4:36 New Text (26): Where the fuck are you, Abby?

She paused by the door, her thoughts going wild. If she didn't reply, he'd just get angrier, but if she did reply, that would just be feeding the fire, and he'd be angry she hadn't replied earlier. She couldn't explain away over three hours, not when a quick pinging of her phone could show where she was. What was she supposed to do?

"Where ya going, Abbs?" Gibbs' voice came from behind her.

She jumped, startled, nearly dropping her phone as she turned around to face him. He leaned against the railing, looking like he hadn't slept at all. And he probably hadn't.

She looked up at him guiltily, "Gibbs, you scared me! What are you still doing here?"

He stepped towards her and held out his hand. She sighed and handed him her phone. He barely glanced at it before he closed it; she knew that he's already figured out what she was going to do; he always knew what was going on, so why would this be any different?

"Bed."

"Gibbs…"

"C'mon." He nudged her with a hand on her back.

Reluctantly, she walked back up the stairs and into the guest room, feeling like a scolded child. She knew she was disappointing Gibbs, could feel it in the way he walked. She knew that the majority of the agency saw their relationship as a father/daughter one, but she couldn't imagine it like that. She cherished every kiss, every hug, every birthday dinner too much for her feelings to be strictly platonic. And even if Gibbs didn't feel the same way, she would do what she did with Jen and just be happy with the relationship she had. There was no point in acting on these feelings because she knew they wouldn't be reciprocated.

When she climbed back into bed, she was confused when he took up the spot beside her.

"Gibbs?"

He placed her phone on the bedside table, "Hm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Just gonna lay here for a bit," she felt him run a hand through her hair, "that ok with you?"

She suspected it was because he wanted to watch over her in case she tried to leave again, or maybe it was just because he wanted to, but she smiled softly, relaxing on the bed, "Yeah."

When he drew her into his arms, she sighed softly, unconsciously shifting closer. They'd hugged before, sure, but this felt more intimate.

"Close your eyes, Abbs. Not going anywhere." She believed him.

She thought back to the time Ari had tried to shoot her in her lab, the way he'd held her then.

I'll keep you safe, Abby. I promise.

He always would, she knew that. She focused on his heartbeat, letting the rhythmic sound slowly lull her back to sleep.

The sound of the door opening pulled her into semi-consciousness. She let out a low groan in displeasure, snuggling into Gibbs, his right arm trapped beneath her as she buried her head into the pillow; she knew he wouldn't be joining her again, but she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep.

Jen's voice was quiet, mindful of her.

"Jethro?"

"I'm awake."

"Tony's on the phone."

She felt him shift slightly, reaching for the phone, "Yeah, Gibbs." She couldn't quite make out what Tony was saying, but Gibbs slowly pulled his other arm from under her, "Yeah, be there soon, DiNozzo." He hung up, sighing softly. She blinked, the light coming through the window making her squint, as she sat up.

"Gibbs?"

He turned to her, stroking her cheek softly, "They picked up Mawher."

A wave of dread suddenly overtook her. He was at NCIS? They had nothing to hold him on, and he was going to be let out. He was going to find her.

"Good," she managed to get out, but it didn't feel good at all.

She waited until Gibbs and Jenny had left the room before grabbing her phone from the nightstand. She made the bed and sat on it before opening her phone, knowing what she was going to find.

5:00 Missed Call (35): Mikel M

5:01 New Text (30): You're dead when I get my fucking hands on you, Abby.

5:20 Missed Call (40): Mikel M

5:21 New Text (33): You called your friends on me? How many of them are you sleeping with, Abby?

God, he really was delusional. She clutched her phone in her hand, knowing she had to show Gibbs and Jen, and headed towards the kitchen. She moved slowly down the stairs, knowing that if she tried to move too fast she'd end up hurting herself. Ducky had said to take it easy. She heard Gibbs and Jen talking quietly and paused in the doorway to the front room, listening.

"Have you slept, Jethro?"

"I'm fine. Just need some coffee."

"I'll take that as a no."

She could imagine Gibbs smirking, and she stepped closer until she could see them in the kitchen, watching him step closer to Jenny. And then he kissed her, soft and warm, and she was kissing back, and it was like all the air in the room suddenly left; she felt lightheaded; hurt and betrayed; but everything made sense then.

The night at the bar, Gibbs was meeting with Jenny; he'd gotten here so fast last night because he'd only been 15 minutes away, probably driving home from a late night rendezvous; the reason Gibbs hadn't left last night was because Jenny had wanted him to stay; he'd heard her go down the stairs because he'd been in Jenny's room. Jenny had only let her in because Gibbs would want her to; she'd only let her stay over because Gibbs wanted her to; the reason she knew his phone was ringing was because he'd left it in her room. Why hadn't she thought of that before?

That was all this was. Their stupid sense of duty and righteousness. They didn't really care; it was only because she mentioned Rule 28. They just wanted to look good in front of each other. Tears started to well up in her eyes. She knew that wasn't true…right? That wasn't who they were.

No one will ever love you like I do, Abby. If they say they do, they're just playing you. Besides, who will ever understand you the way I do?

Mikel was right.

No, her mind protested, he was wrong.

Her phone slipped from her hand and cluttered to the floor.

They sprung apart as if burned; they were both smiling softly, like they found it comical. And maybe they did. She was the butt of some unknown joke, fate playing a trick on her once again. And that made sense. Get with an abusive asshole only for the two people she had a crush on to be in a relationship with each other. God, she was so stupid.

The people who love you won't ever hurt you like this, Abigail, Ducky had said.

Gibbs' voice sounded far away, concerned, "Abbs?" He was next to her in four strides, Jen only a few behind, grasping her shoulders gently, "What's wrong?" She staggered back from them, tears falling freely, "Abby, what is it?"

She had the fleeting idea to dart for the door and hope she made it out; in her mind's eye, she could see how far she'd get before they caught up with her. The thought of running away made her shudder; she'd done enough running. She saw the gears turning in their heads; it clicked for Jen first, "We should've told you."

He understood after a few seconds, "I'm sorry, Abbs. Didn't think."

And why would they? They had no reason to hide their relationship in the privacy of each other, but they had no reason to tell her anything. They didn't get it. They thought it was because she was trying to figure a way out of this abusive relationship, that she didn't want to see their displays of affection. But that was on her. She never let on to how she felt, so why would they assume differently? But then why would she when she knew they'd never feel the same.

"Talk to us, Abby," Jen requested softly, and she sounded guilty. Whether she really was or not, she wasn't sure.

God, she hated not knowing when anyone was playing her.

She looked up at them, tried to force a smile, "It scares me when you break your own rules, Gibbs. I'm fine. Just took me by surprise."

They were going to call her bluff any second, she knew it. She was disappointed when they merely exchanged a look and accepted her response without a word. But she understood. They needed to get to HQ, and this was wasting time.

She entered the observation room behind Jen. Kate and Ziva greeted her with smiles. Mikel sat with his back to the two-way mirror, Tony and Timmy sitting opposite of him.

"I've been here for hours! Either charge me or let me go!"

She jumped when the interrogation door opened; Jen's hand moved to her back, steadying her, and she found herself relaxing back into her. Gibbs entered the room, indicating to Tony and Timmy to leave. They gathered the files they had and left the room, shutting the door behind them. When they entered the observation room a couple seconds later, she barely looked at them, her entire focus on the two-way mirror.

Gibbs sat down across from him; there was something dark in his eyes, gone in an instant. It scared her.

"Oh great, it's you again," Mikel sneered.

"Do you know the prison sentence for assaulting a government employee?"

"What?"

"The prison sentence for assaulting a government employee," Gibbs repeated.

"Is that bitch saying that I assaulted her?"

Gibbs' eye twitched, just barely, "Answer the question."

"Do you know she likes it rough?" She felt her face heat up with embarrassment, "Do you know how she likes to be tied up before we fuck? How much she loves it when I pull her hair?" Mikel was smirking, she could hear it in his voice. He stood from the table, pacing, "Do you want a detailed list of all the different ways I've gotten her to cum?"

The dark look was back in Gibbs' eyes, "Answer –"

"You think that it's assault when I get rough with my girlfriend? She's mine. I love her and can do whatever I want to her." Mikel interrupted.

"Beating her senseless to where she can't walk upright isn't rough sex."

"She likes it!" No, she didn't.

"She like being choked too?"

"Yeah, she does." Stop lying.

"Making her doubt herself isn't love."

"That's on her, not me!"

"Bugging her phone isn't love."

"I was worried about her!"

"Doesn't seem like it. Sit down."

"Is she here? Is she watching?" She wanted to look away.

Gibbs stood slowly, and she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up; the cold fury in his eyes scared her, "Sit. Down."

"The slut has probably fucked every person in this building –"

When asked about it later, no one in the observation room saw Gibbs move. Whether it was his sniper training or his protectiveness, she wasn't sure. She just knew one moment he was on one side of the table and the next, the glass had cracked under the weight of Gibbs grabbing Mikel and slamming his body up against the two-way mirror. Hard.

A/N: Review please!