"Hey, Ducky," Tim said as he entered autopsy.

"Hello, Timo- Good Lord! What did you do to your hand?"

"I uh... I got into a fight with a mirror." Tim wouldn't look up. He kept his eyes glued to his hand.

Ducky grabbed some bandages, "I take it the mirror won?"

"More of a tie, I guess."

Ducky patted his hand on one of the autopsy tables, "Come, sit. I'll bandage it for you."

Tim sat down and Ducky carefully took hold of his hand to check the damage, "You're going to need stitches, Timothy."

"After work. I just need something to tie me over until then."

"That I can do." Ducky wet some paper towels and grabbed a stool to sit on, then returned to Tim's side, "Would you like to tell me why you decided to get into a fight with a mirror?" He asked as he began to clean around Tim's cuts.

"Uh, it's a long story." Tim winced in pain as Ducky worked on him.

"Sorry, Timothy, my patients usually don't respond to my touch."

Tim let out a small laugh, "It's alright, Ducky."

Ducky glanced up at Tim and noticed the sadness in his eyes, "You know that no one blames you for what happened? Well, besides yourself of course."

For the first time since entering autopsy, Tim looked Ducky in the eyes, "Not hiding it too well, am I?"

Ducky smiled, "A for effort, my boy."


Gibbs was still sitting at his desk when Tony returned to the bullpen. Ziva had already left to go home.

"How is he?" Gibbs asked.

"Let's just say I hope you don't plan on looking at yourself in the bathroom anytime soon."

Tony noticed Gibbs furrowed eyebrows, "Let me rephrase."

"Good idea," Gibbs agreed.

"His fist connected with the bathroom mirror. Bathroom mirror is now shattered to pieces, and McGee is down with Ducky getting his hand wrapped up."

Gibbs wasn't sure how to reply, so he didn't. He couldn't blame Tim. Heck, he had done almost the exact same thing the day before. Except, it was a half built boat instead of a mirror, and a hammer instead of his hand.

Tony returned to his desk and Gibbs got up to leave.

Gibbs waswalking by Tony's desk, headed to the elevator, when Tony stopped him.

"Boss?"

"Yeah?"

"I..." Tony shook his head, "Never mind."

"No, come on. What is it?"

Tony sighed and leaned forward in his chair, "I can't really speak for Abby's state of mind, but by how Tim is reacting... it can't be good."

Gibbs nodded for Tony to continue.

"What if we're too late? What if Abby's too far gone?"

"She's strong," Gibbs replied, "We'll find her before it gets to that point."

"But, what if she's already at that point?"

Gibbs gave Tony his annoyed look, "Do your job and find her, DiNozzo! I'll be back at eight."

"Yes, Boss." Tony quickly got back to work as Gibbs angrily exited the building.


Three more days passed. Three more times of Tim and Abby talking on the phone. Three more times of Tim having to listen as Abby got beat up by Joe.

Tim barely slept at all anymore. Every time he would close his eyes he could hear Abby's cries for help. He could hear her screaming and begging for the pain to stop.

She had even begun to call out to Tim as she was being hurt. She would cry out his name, asking him to help her. That was the worst. He didn't even have to close his eyes to hear that. It seemed to be on repeat in his head.

Guilt plagued him. He was the reason she was being hurt. He might as well have been the one throwing the punches, kicking her, cutting her, screaming at her... torturing her.

During those three days, the first beating lasted five minutes. The second day was ten minutes, and the third day was eighteen.

Tim looked horrible. He was barely eating, so he looked painfully thin. He wasn't sleeping, so underneath his eyes were dark and baggy. He never smiled. Tony would try to make him, but it wouldn't work. Tony couldn't even seem to annoy Tim. No, Tim was in lost in his own little world now. The only time he spoke was when he talked to Abby, or when he was asked a direct question. He seemed to be going downhill just as quickly as Abby.


Abby was lying down in the back of the room. She was covered in bruises. There wasn't one spot on her arms that didn't have a bruise or a cut... or both. Her legs were the same way, as was her back... However, it was her mind that seemed to have the most damage.

'I bet they've stopped looking for me,' She thought, 'Only Tim is still looking for me... No, they all care. They're my family. Family? They're not family. They're just people I work with that pretend they like me so they'll get what they want. Did they do this to me? No! Stop that! That's ridiculous. You love Ducky, and Ziva, and Tony, and Gibbs. Gibbs doesn't care! Ducky doesn't care! Ziva doesn't care! Tony doesn't care! Yes they do!... No!... Yes!'

She couldn't stop it. She knew it was wrong to think of them that way, but she couldn't stop. It was as though her brain was messed up. Like she now had a defect. The worst part is that she realized it, but she couldn't make it go away.

Joe entered the room. "It's time," He said in a cheerful voice. He got out his phone and called Tim's number.

Tim answered and didn't say a word.

"Your three minutes begin now." He laid the phone down beside Abby.

"Timmy," She whispered. She didn't have the strength to talk any louder.

"Hi, Abby," He replied.

"Don't talk," Abby said before Tim could get another word out. She didn't sound angry or upset, just tired.

"Wha-"

"I just... I just want to hear you breathe. It... It'll be like when I would... listen to your heart beat."

Tim couldn't help the tears that fell from his eyes. He no longer cared if the rest of the team was watching, "Okay, Abby."

She closed her eyes and listened closely at every breath that Tim took. Tim did the same thing with her.


"Thank you," Abby said when she knew that the three minutes were almost up.

Joe took the phone back, "Time is a valuable thing, Timothy. Goodbye."

Tim hung up.

"Did you get a clue, McGee?" Ziva asked.

Tim nodded, "Time is a valuable thing."

There was a moment of silence, then Tim suddenly stood up and threw his monitor on the floor, causing the other agents to jump in surprise.

"McGee!" Gibbs exclaimed.

"This is so stupid!" Tim yelled as his eyes danced around the room, never focusing on anything, "Those ridiculous clues that mean nothing! Forcing me to listen to him slowly kill Abby! All of this is insane! I'm so sick of it! I can't!... I can't keep doing this! I-" Tim suddenly stopped. He sat down to begin to look something up, but remembered his monitor was lying on the ground.

"Move," He said to Tony as he made his way to his desk.

"Why?"

"Just move!"

Tony got up and out of the way, making an 'I'm so confused' face at Ziva. She shrugged, not having any idea what might be going on in his head either.

"What are you doing?" Gibbs asked.

Tim didn't reply. He just kept typing.

"McGee, What are you doing?" Gibbs repeated, more demanding this time.

"I think I know where she is."


Now that's a cliffhanger :) haha

I just have to say that you guys are the best reviewers! I'm not just saying that to get more reviews, I mean it. You all make me happy when I'm sad, and happier when I'm already happy :D Thank you all so much!