CHAPTER 7

Abby was in her lab going over the scant evidence from the latest crime scene for the third time. She had stopped locking the lab doors when she was inside so she didn't immediately see Gibbs when he came in.

When she did notice him, she immediately tensed up and gave him a wary look.

"Abby?"

Abby looked at him without speaking, whatever he wanted to say, he could say it without any help or encouragement from her.

"I need you to come down to the crime scene"

Abby hesitated, this was both unexpected and unusual; exactly the kind of thing Curtis had warned her about. Her senses on alert she said

"Why? I don't do crime scenes, that's what your team is for"

She caught Gibbs eye and held his gaze.

"The forensics on this one are sparse and I'd appreciate your help in checking we haven't missed anything"

Gibbs had maintained eye contact and Abby could detect no signs of falsehood. She agreed to go with a sigh of annoyance.

"Meet me out front, I just need to call ahead and tell them we're coming"

As Gibbs left the lab, Abby stared after him suspiciously, since when did Gibbs explain what he was doing? She let the thought fester as she went through her convoluted routine of making her lab 'safe', a complex arrangement of things that no-one coming into the lab could avoid and Abby would spot instantly if they were moved and therefore her sanctuary violated.

On the drive to the crime scene Abby avoided looking anywhere other than out of the side window, she was as tense as a coiled spring, the atmosphere in the car was heavy, Gibbs was clearly as uncomfortable as she was and that made Abby more suspicious, Gibbs didn't do uncomfortable, in the same way that he didn't do explanations. Things didn't add up, she was sure he hadn't lied to her, she would have known, but something was definitely not right.

Abby jumped out of the car almost before it stopped moving, she couldn't stand another second of the oppressive silence, then she stopped, this didn't look anything like the crime scene photos she had examined earlier.

"Doesn't look much like the crime scene, why isn't it taped off?"

When Gibbs didn't answer Abby became more wary, a tiny part of her was aware something was going on and welcomed it, another small part believed this was related to the case, a much larger part though was screaming at her that this was a trap, a setup, the exact thing Curtis had warned her about, she wanted to run but Gibbs didn't give her the chance, he ushered her resolutely through the door.

Abby's heart skipped a beat then started hammering painfully against her chest when she saw Fornell, her fight or flight instincts were kicking in, her blood pressure so high she could hear nothing over the roaring in her ears. She struggled against her mounting panic, trying desperately to appear calm and in control on the chance, however diminishing, that this was work related.

"I didn't realise the FBI had an interest in this case" she managed to say.

The way Fornell ignored her put her even more off balance, Fornell ignoring her was as unusual as Gibbs explaining things.

"Through here" Fornell said as he opened another door. Abby, feeling like she was walking to the executioners block; walked through.

Her eyes immediately went to the pathetic drowned rat of a girl opposite her, she turned round, looking for either Gibbs or Fornell to give her an explanation but neither was to be seen.

"Hi, my name is Sara and you and I need to talk"

What the fuck? Who the hell is this? What is going on here? I need to get out of here; I need to talk to Curtis.

Abby couldn't breathe, it took her a few minutes to be able to speak, and when she did it was aggressive, flight was out of the question; she had to fight. "What is this?" she demanded.

"I want to talk to you about this man and what's he doing to you"

Abby barely glanced at the photo Sara was holding, she knew who it would show.

"He's not doing anything to me that would be any of your business" Abby crossed her arms to stop herself reaching out and tearing this girl apart.

"He destroyed my life and he'll do the same to you if you let him"

The roaring in Abby's ears became louder, her heart rate fast and furious; she wanted to scream, to flee, to lash out. It took every ounce of her will power but she took one deep breath after another till her vision cleared. She ignored what was in front of her.

Everything this girl says is lies, lies designed to hurt me, to hurt Curtis, to destroy my happiness, she's part of the vendetta against me, I can't listen to her, I just have to focus on Curtis, I can get through this.

"He does things for you that you are perfectly capable of doing yourself. He takes all the small decisions out of your hands, telling you that you shouldn't have to be worrying about what to have for dinner or what movie to watch"

Abby was aware the girl was talking but she didn't hear a word of what she said, she was focusing on breathing, focusing on Curtis.

"He's told you that your friends are holding you back, using you to get themselves ahead. You've stopped seeing anyone socially but right now you think that's your decision. You don't any of your old activities, your choices in food, music, movies, everything have changed at his suggestions"

Something in the girl's words made Abby lose focus, she had a very vivid flash back of bowling with the nuns, it was over in a second and she turned an icy glare on Sara.

"When he has you completely isolated he will start making you doubt your ability to do your job, when he has achieved that, he'll leave, just up and go without a word, leaving you with nothing and nobody"

Suddenly Abby was terrified, he blood turned to icy and she wanted to throw up.

"You have no idea what you are talking about" Abby tried to sound dismissive, but her voice didn't sound like her own.

"Yes, I do. The man you know as Curtis was in my life for 2 years and he did to me exactly what he's doing to you. If it wasn't for my Godfather I'd be dead by now or worse"

Abby stared at the girl, she knew without a doubt this girl was telling the truth, she couldn't move, she felt rooted to the stop, she had to say something, do something but before she could summon the strength the girl spoke again

"My Godfather never gave up on me, the same way Gibbs will never give up on you. Please, please let us help you before it is too late"

The mention of Gibbs made the awful clarity and certainty of a moment ago vanish, Curtis had been right, Gibbs was trying to sabotage her, he was behind the whole thing. Rage flooded her veins, making her blood boil; before she knew what she was doing she had moved towards the girl and was shaking her, hard

"I might have known Gibbs was behind this, he can't stand to see someone else making me happy. Curtis is the best things that ever happened to me and I will not let you, Gibbs or anyone else take that away" Abby knew she was screaming but she had no desire to stop then she felt herself being lifted off her feet, pulled away from the girl. She fought like a crazed animal, trying to bit and scratch whoever had hold of her, she struggled and twisted until she was free, she spun to face her captor finding herself face to face with Gibbs who at that moment was her worst enemy.

"Curtis was right about you! You disgust me, I hate you" she could barely get the words out her rage making her inarticulate. She fled the room, the building, running as fast as she could, her anger and fear flooding her body with endorphins.

If anyone called out or came after her she neither heard nor saw them.