"You're back! That's good, I need your help, typing with one arm is SO hard! I mean, I can do it, I can do anything, 'Neither snow nor rain nor broken arm will keep this scientist from her appointed rounds', but typing would go a lot faster if you did it, please, Gibbs? Please?" Grinning, he sat at her desk and copied her dictation.

"Abby, I picked up something for you."

"What'd'ya get me?" He held up the little bottle of painkillers. "No, Gibbs, I don't need 'em."

"For me, Abbs?"

"No, I'm not drugging myself."

"Not drugging yourself?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Caffeine doesn't count."

"Abby, just swallow 2 pills and I'll stop."

"…What else?"

"What do you mean, 'what else?'"

"I mean if I take painkillers, what will you do?"

"I should not have to bargain with you over this."

"So don't." She grinned cheekily.

"Abby, you need this."

"No, I don't."

"Abby, I can tell how much it hurts when someone knocks your cast. Your arm is still healing. Do I need to bring Ducky up here to give you a medical opinion? I will." She was half grinning, half biting her lip. "Don't make me do this…" He warned, reaching slowly for the phone. "I don't want to have to do this…" She reached over, trying to get the phone away from him. She lost her balance, and nearly fell. Gibbs just managed to catch her, but accidentally grabbed her cast and she screamed in pain. He quickly scooped her into his arms and hit the elevator button with his foot.

"No, Gibbs…" She whimpered.

"Abby, you screamed. Ducky is checking you out and that's final." He settled her carefully on an autopsy table as Ducky gently probed her arm.

"Really, Abigail. If you need help, just ask. Isn't that what you always say?"

"Gibbs is helping me, Ducky. We need to go back to work."

"No, you need to take some medicine. Did the hospital prescribe anything?"

"The script's still in my car, Duck. Didn't get a chance to fill it."

"Then take some of the pills Jethro picked up for you, Abby. It won't help you to be in pain." She emitted a small whimper-sigh, and swallowed the meds she was given. Gibbs rubbed her shoulder and kissed her head as a sort of truce, gently guiding her back to the elevator. As soon the doors slid closed, she curled up in the corner.

"Again, Abbs?" He asked, sinking down beside her.

"I like the elevator, Gibbs."

"Do we need to move your lab in here?"

"No, no, I'm coming, I've got this." He gave her a hand up and caught her in a hug so she wouldn't trip. "Thanks." She whispered.

"It's not a problem." They entered the lab slowly.

"Thank you, Gibbs. For everything. For- for coming back, for helping, for putting up with me-" Tears began streaming down her face, leaving streaks of black eye makeup. He held her close as she shook, clinging to his shirt. He easily lifted her feet off the floor and carried her back to the elevator. He blindly smacked at the button panel, quickly flipping the shut-off switch and resting her on his lap.

"It's ok, Abby. It's alright. Let it out."

"S-sorry, Gibbs. I ju-just really m-m-missed you."

"I know, sweetheart. I'm so sorry." They stayed in the elevator for a while, Gibbs estimated half an hour. Apparently people got annoyed at having to use the stairs and Jen called his cell, half-worried and half-annoyed.

"Gibbs, why is no-one other than you allowed to use the elevator?"

"Not a good time, Jen." He flipped his phone shut and ignored the ringing that continued. Abby snatched it and turned the noise off, before sliding it to the far end of the small space and curling tighter into him. A few minutes later, Jen's voice came over the Public Announcement System.

"Special Agent Gibbs, if you do not restart this elevator in sixty seconds, we are calling the fire department!" Still sniffling and slightly red-eyed, Abby reached for the control. He grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"This is our time. When the fire chief pulls us out, I'll do the talking, then we'll go home." She nodded. "Jen has nothing to be mad about, Ducky can vouch for us." They sat for a few more minutes, until the elevator started up and opened at the nearest floor. Abby began to giggle, saying that it was like a horror movie. She stifled the giggles when Gibbs glared at her. The doors opened with a cheery 'ding' and the pair looked at all the people gathered around them.

"Are you Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Abigail Scuito?" A fireman asked.

"Yes, we are. What seems to be the problem? Tim, nice hacking, very fast." Gibbs helped Abby to her feet, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Sir, we need to speak with you both separately."

"Sorry, Abby needs to get home. We have to get a prescription filled, you know how it is." Jen stepped forward, livid. "Madame Director, I sincerely apologize for monopolizing your lift for such an extended period of time. If you'll excuse us." Gibbs maneuvered them around the crowd, then lightly set his foot in front of hers and caught his girl before she fell. She looked at him, confused, and he quickly signed 'I will tell you later, follow my lead." She nodded.

"Sir, we need to speak with you." One of the firemen insisted. Gibbs began to sign as he talked.

"I'm sorry, but Abby here is deaf, and as you can see, her arm is broken. She is effectively mute. I can tell you the story at some later time." Jen glared, but didn't refute his point, and the team stayed silent. Abby grinned and tugged his hand. "Home?" He was still speaking and signing simultaneously. She nodded. He kissed her head and they walked to the parking lot uninterrupted. Her smile began to falter as they neared the car. He drove home quickly and they sat on the sawhorse-bench.

"What was that? At NCIS, I mean. Why did you trip me? Why did you tell them I was deaf?" She spoke softly.

"To get out of there sooner and not let them upset you. I didn't think you wanted to tell everyone why you were breaking down in a broken-down elevator."

"Thanks."

"I'm gonna run to the pharmacy, get your prescription."

"Okay." She sighed.

"Are you gonna stay here, or do you want to come?"

"I'll stay."

"Be safe." He looked her in the eyes. She stared back solemnly.

Abby sighed as she heard his car drive away. She trudged upstairs, pouring a coffee mug of bourbon on her way to Gibbs' bedroom. She sipped at the liquor while sitting on his bed, not caring that she was probably getting drunk. She finished the cup and lay back, breathing in the scent of gunpowder, sawdust, and Old Spice that she had missed so much. She managed to set the mug on his bedside table before blacking out, but whether it was from booze, exhaustion, or emotion, she couldn't tell. She woke to the sound of Gibbs and Jen arguing.

"-need to know, Jethro!"

"She's fine, she'll be back working tomorrow."

"Working like she did today?"

"I don't know, but your attitude is not helping!"

"Well I can't afford to coddle every one of my employees who gets homesick!"

"Will you just let me handle this? You don't know how badly she's been hurt!"

"Do you?"

"No, Jen! This is far worse than I expected, and my gut tells me there's more coming!"

"Your famous gut!"

"Hey! You may see Abigail Scuito as the eccentric lab scientist, but Abby is a strong young woman who needs our help!"

"She would have asked!"

"No, dammit! Abby sees asking for help the same way I see apologizing! She's trying to tough it out, but you need to be more understanding!"

"I'm not the one who left!" Abby didn't know what was said then, she was sobbing too hard to be able to hear their conversation when it wasn't being shouted. The quieted house carried her muffled cries to the pair's ears, and Abby felt the bed sink as someone sat near her head. A callused hand stroked her hair, and she faintly heard the clicking of high-heeled shoes pacing the floor.

"Abby, I-"

"Not now, Jen." Gibbs gently pulled her onto his lap, and though she was slightly embarrassed at having her boss watching, she curled into him. She continued crying, she couldn't stop. She occasionally had trouble breathing, but he rubbed her back and let her take as long as she needed to calm down. She heard Jen leave the room and shut the door to give them some privacy, then pace outside the closed door. Gibbs didn't try to console her, or explain anything; he simply sat in that quiet way of his. What was said was said, and it couldn't be taken back. She eventually slowed her breathing and opened the bedroom door, letting Jen in. She kept her head down, ashamed of her emotional state.

"Abby, I'm sorry. I didn't know you could hear that."

"Bull."

"Excuse me?"

"Saying that is like accidentally shooting an innocent bystander. It happened, what is there to talk about?" Her voice was a dull monotone, still thick from crying.

"Gibbs?" Asked Jen. Abby glanced up to see her face was uncertain.

"Abbs, how much bourbon did you drink?"

"A mugful."

"When?"

"When you left. Drank it pretty fast."

"Why?"

"Dunno. Wasn't thinking, wanted to sleep, be close to you. Pick your favorite." She heard Gibbs sigh, then Jen's heels clicked away, the front door opened and shut, and a car drove off.

"Abby, what started this?"

"You."

"I know, I left, but everyone else picked up the pieces and moved on."

"Pieces, Gibbs? I wasn't broken into pieces, I'm shattered. The team just lost their leader, but I lost you. I lost your silver hair, your smile, the way you kiss my cheek when I do a good job…" She fiddled with her interlaced fingers. He put his hands over hers to stop the nervous movement.

"Abby. Is it really that hard to work with me not there?"

"Yes."

"Do you think you'll be able to handle it once your arm heals?"
"No." She sighed. Gibbs didn't reply, just nodded and left the room. Slightly embarrassed, she retreated to the guest room.

"Abby, I have your meds, and I want you to take them when you need to. The doctor prescribed them for a reason."

"Okay."

"I'm going downstairs."

"Okay." She followed him, and fell asleep on the floor to the quiet sounds of woodwork.