When Abbey didn't answer, Gibbs glanced around the room. "Having a party? This mean you solved the case?"
None of the men moved, each finding a way to avoid eye contact.
Frowning at even Ducky's evasion Gibbs turned back to Abbey who smothered a sniffle.
His eyes widened and brow creased. "You crying, Abs?" He put the drinks down on the computer bench and reached for her shoulders, "What's wrong?"
"Oh, Gibbs!" She flung her arms around his neck, burrowing her face in his shoulder.
"Hey...it's okay." He soothed, returning the hug, "Whatever it is, it's okay." He gave her a squeeze and tried to pull back a fraction, his eyes tracking her face, "Abbey...talk to me. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong." She shook her head, squeezing a hand between them to wipe at her face, "Well, not really. There's actually a lot wrong, but it's better now than it was for a really long time." She tightened the hug again, "At least I think so. I mean I hope."
His mouth opened slightly and he stood silently waiting for her explanation but she only continued to hold him.
Gibbs looked to the side, a muscle tensing in his cheek as an alert popped on the computer screen. He nodded to the monitor, redirecting Abbey's attention, "You got a match."
She pulled back, glancing at the screen only briefly, "Of course it's a match…" She looked away as the tears began to build again.
Gibbs' bent his neck, trying to search her face. "What matched?" He looked at the papers next to her keyboard, "Something about Grayson?"
"No…" She shook her head, stepping back, giving him space but not looking at him as she wiped her eyes.
He watched her for a beat, then huffed, turning to the others, "Someone tell me what is going on!"
Ducky released a stilted cough and Tim and Tony shuffled next to one another.
"Heyyyy Boss…" Tony finally looked up with a forced smile, "How was Germany?"
"Cold." He snapped, taking a moment to match looks with each person in the room who now seemed to be staring at him with unusual interest.
"What is this?" He rolled his neck, landing on Ducky, "Intervention? I tried to go back to sleep. Couldn't." He shrugged, "It's time for work; I'll sleep tonight."
Ducky chuckled and placed a hand on his friend's arm, "I'm going to do you a favor and not hold you to that."
Gibbs' eyes narrowed and he tilted his head, silently questioning the doctor. Not finding any answers he turned his attention back to DiNozzo and McGee, "The two of you standing around better mean you've at least got something..."
"Technically…" Tim tried before loosing his nerve and choking back the rest of his response.
"Boss… ... ...Gibbs..." Tony took a deep breath, "We think we have some information on our fake Grayson. But that's not really important right now."
Gibbs hardened, "Not important? A Marine is dead. We had a serious security breach with an impostor almost making it to a deployed post." He shook his head, "What could be more important than that?" He stepped back so he could include McGee in his glare, "And why is my team standing around looking at one another when we still don't know who it is in the brig?"
He turned back to Abbey, "Well?"
Before Abbey had a chance to speak Gibbs' periphery picked up a movement coming from the other room. He clenched his jaw, waiting as the newcomer cautiously stepped into the lab.
"It's because of me." She squared her shoulders, lifting her chin and looking him in the eye.
Gibbs stilled, eyes tightening as he surveyed the woman in front of him. He tensed and visibly had to force his gaze away from her face to read her name plate and service ribbons.
After a long, still minute he inhaled through his nose, tensing his eyes, "Do you drive a blue impala?"
Her head pulled back and she blinked, "I...I do."
He tightened his lips, and released a snort of air through his nose.
"Duck." He turned on his heel and breezed out of the room, a single finger beckoning the other man to follow him.
Ducky sighed but tossed the young woman an encouraging smile as he hustled to catch up.
Once the elevator doors slid shut behind them and they were alone, Gibbs wasted no time hitting the stop switch, spinning on his heel with a blazing glare, "What is she doing here?"
Ducky blinked. "Jethro...I…"
Gibbs leaned into the shorter man's space, "I tell you I think I'm on the brink of hallucinations and you start talking to me about the importance of sleep and 200,000 redheads...next thing I know she" He pointed to the door, "Is standing in the middle of Abbey's lab. Who is she and what is going on?"
Ducky's shoulders stooped, "Jethro, please believe me when I insist that I did not know she would be here when I spoke with you this morning." He shook his head, "In fact I met the Captain only this morning."
"You know how I feel about coincidences, Duck." Gibbs' voice lacked the patience he normally spared for the other man.
"I do." In contrast, Ducky's voice was firm and stable, "And in this case you are partially correct."
Gibbs shook his head, "Duck…."
Ducky held up his hands, "Believe it or not it is a coincidence that the Captain is here so soon after you voiced your concerns to me this morning." He took a deep breath, "What is not a coincidence is her familiarity."
Gibbs' eyes narrowed, silently pressing for more.
In response Ducky lightly tapped his friend's arms with an encouraging smile before he flipped the switch, "Let us return to the lab."
He stepped into the hall as the elevator doors opened, turning back to see Gibbs staring after him "Jethro, after all we've been through, if you've never trusted me before, trust me now when I insist that you want to hear what the young woman has to say for yourself."