The final chapter!
One week later…
Tony walked into Abby's completely empty lab. Well, it wasn't really a lab anymore, since there was absolutely no equipment in the room. The room's only occupants were the computer bank in the main lab and a desk in Abby's private office, both of which were devoid of the customary electronics. Vance had put a rush job on the contractors in order to have the room completely ready for the machines in just a week.
Yet, the death metal was blaring loudly from a CD player stationed on top of Abby's desk while the Goth was hard at work, taping out where her new soldiers would stand. She looked up as Tony walked in.
"TONNNYYYY!" she squealed, sprinting toward her friend.
"Abby! ABBY! No! NO! Stop! Sit! Stay!" Tony panicked frantically, bracing himself for impact as Abby came closer and closer.
Just before colliding with him, Abby came to a full-stop and gently draped her arms around Tony, giving a very gentle hug. She pulled away grinning smugly at the surprised look on Tony's face.
"I'm so glad you're here! Do you want to hear about Paris? Of course you do! I visited the catacombs, which, by the way, were completely unbelievable. I'd bet there was about a hundred undiagnosed murders in all those bones. How did the police manage without Mass Specs and AFIS scanners? Then I took the stairs all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower—statistically, more people are killed in elevators each year than in stairwells, and I was not going to die in Paris—it doesn't even make my top ten. Oooo! And the pastries—they were to die for! I could have sat there all day in the cafés dog-watching—they have the cutest little dogs in Paris! I need to take vacations more often! I came home just in time though: look at my new lab!" Abby skipped around the room as she recounted her vacation.
"Vance promised me brand new, top-of-the-line equipment, the newest-of-the-new, the best-of-the-best! I think Gibbs had something to do with that, but that's beside the point…all new soldiers just for me! Speaking of our silver fox, he came by yesterday with a Chocoholic's Choice cupcake—I ate it before McGee could steal it. Our resident thief was right though: it was life changing! And since my whole CD collection was, like, totally destroyed, Ziva brought me the newest Brainmatter CD yesterday. That's what you're listening to now—isn't it great? Then Mr. MIT came by yesterday with Bert 2.0!" she continued, pausing to pet the hippo which was perched on the empty computer bank. "He had to have it special ordered and put a rush job on the delivery so it'd be here with my new equipment." She paused to take a breath, coming to rest in front of Tony.
"So…what's new with you?"
Tony reached out and ran his thumb along the fading cut on Abby's forehead, the muscles in his jaw tightening as the movement caused his arm to twinge slightly.
"I'm so sorry Abby," Tony apologized, shaking his head sadly. "That and the concussion…I should have protected you better."
"That's bullshit Anthony DiNozzo," she stated firmly, noting the surprised expression on Tony's face. It was not like her to use such strong language; the day of the incident was an exception since someone she loved dearly had been in danger. And by 'loved' she meant cares for deeply as a friend', not I spend the rest of my life with you. "I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. This was not your fault," she paused, a sad expression crossing her features as she remembered the explosion. "How many times do I have to tell you not to apologize?"
"At least once more Miss Swan," Tony quoted with a smile. Abby struggled to remain serious for a long moment, before giving in, her smile as wide as Tony's own.
"So what brings you to the Lab of Abby on your day off? It is Saturday you know…" Abby inquired.
"I brought you this," Tony pulled an extra-large Caf-Pow! from behind his back.
Abby shrieked and ran behind the computer bank, ducking for cover.
"What? It's just a Caf-Pow!" Tony continued hurriedly, confused by Abby's reaction.
"Don't you remember what happened the last time you brought me one of those? Two idiots kidnapped us and blew up my lab!"
"Yeah, but Abby, there are two main differences. One, it's from me, not Gibbs. Two, it's to apologize, not to congratulate. I'm sorry your lab was destroyed and you got hurt in the process." He clarified, lowering his head and speaking to the floor.
Abby peeked her head over the computer bank, her eyes darting back and forth as she waited for…whatever she was waiting for. When nothing happened, Abby took a deep breath before darting over to where Tony stood.
"You're not Superman, Tony," she reminded him, eagerly plucking the Caf-Pow! from his grasp. "You can't catch bullets, absorb explosions into your back or grow Adamantium claws between your knuckles."
"Is that so?" Tony questioned. "I always knew there was a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking."
"Tony! This is serious!" Abby cried, swatting his good arm.
Tony's smile dropped immediately. "I'm sorry Abs. Please continue."
"As I was saying, you managed to rescue me, like, a billion times. Well, that's an exaggeration—it was like five. But still, that's a lot in one day. And then you had to go and get yourself beat-up on top of that! Those bruises," she pointed to his jaw and cheek, "just weren't enough, were they? You had to go mouth off to Summers and add broken and cracked ribs to the list?"
"Symmetry, Abs. Two broken, two cracked. That's what makes the world go round," Tony quipped. "And it would have been a lot worse if I'd've gone with Ziva last Saturday," he added seriously. "I charmed her out of it—well, I think Ducky spoke to her on my behalf. Anyway, she asked McGee; the poor Probie's still not walking straight!"
Abby's gaze met Tony's and he could see the internal debate about whether to swat him again him or not. The nots apparently won for she grabbed a brown box from the top of her lab table. "This is for you to thank you for saving my life. I don't think I can ever repay the favor."
"Aw, Abby! You didn't have to…" Tony fumbled.
Abby shrugged, handing him the package. "Just open it."
Tony pulled off the lid and stared in shock at its contents.
"No way!" he pulled out a DVD case from the box, laughing excitedly. "Abby! Do you know what this is?"
"Yup! Magnum, P.I. Season Eight. Digitally restored with cast interviews, commentary, blooper reels, deleted scenes and the Director's cut of "A Girl Named Sue" and both "Resolutions" episodes I believe. You might want to check out the inside…" she hinted.
Tony opened the front cover of the DVD case, whistling when he saw the signature.
"Abs! This is Tom Selleck's autograph! How did you…?" Tony trailed off, unable to find the words to express his excitement.
"I know a guy," Abby grinned.
"Abby! I don't know what to say!"
"I'd tell you to say thank you, but you've done more than enough for me already." She paused for a moment, considering what had just happened. "Wow! I've found one thing that leaves you speechless."
"Well, thank you Abby." Tony told her, but she was no longer listening.
"Ooh!" she squealed, looking over Tony's shoulder. "They're here!"
Tony turned to see delivery men entering the lab, bearing massively large boxes that could only be Abby's new equipment.
"Wanna help me unpack my new babies?" Abby asked hopefully.
"Sure, Abby." Tony tore his eyes away from Magnum and left it on the computer table next to Bert 2.0.
Abby unpacked the first box, pulling out her AFIS fingerprint scanner. She looked at it for a long time before pulling it close to her chest, hugging the machine and rocking it from side to side. "The Queen of the Land returns!" she cried happily.
"Here," she tossed Tony a camera. "Get a picture for me, will ya?"
"Caf-Pow! on three. One, two…"
And so the afternoon went: unpacking, assembling, snapping and arranging. The last item unpacked was Abby's Mass Spectrometer. She grabbed the camera from Tony and fiddled with it for a few seconds. She placed it on top of the gas chromatograph, the front flashing.
"What's it doing?" Tony questioned.
"Get in the picture," Abby motioned. "Quick!"
Tony hurried to the other side of the Major and squatted down, smiling widely.
The flash went off. Abby got up quickly, snatching the camera and snapping one of Tony alone next to the machine.
"Future Facebook profile picture?" she grinned evilly, turning the camera so Tony could see.
Tony glanced at the picture, a horrified expression dawning on his face. He had a slightly aloof expression on his face, and, with the wide grin and one arm draped around the Major, he looked completely at home in Abby's lab. In fact, he looked geeky, a cross between Palmer and Chip.
"Abigail Scuito," he warned. "If you show that picture to anyone, so help me—"
"I wonder what your future girlfriends would say about your inner geek?"
"Abby! I will forcefully abduct that—"
"I could Photoshop some coke bottle glasses on you. Maybe a pocket protector and some second-hand plaid—"
"Abs! Don't you dare!" Tony threatened, starting for the camera.
Abby squealed and ran out of the lab, yelling about what else she would add to his picture.
Tony pressed his arm tightly against his side before taking off after her. That picture was too damaging to his carefully constructed frat boy image!
The agents in evidence lock-up observed as a woman in a lab coat, spider web tattoos, high ponytails and six inch platform military boots ran past, holding up a camera and shrieking. As they continued to watch, they saw a tall, handsome Italian man, who looked like he'd lost a pretty bad fight, pursue her up the stairs and into the squad room, yelling at the woman to stop and hand over the camera. The agents realized who these two worked for and returned to their work without saying a word. It was not worth the confrontation with Agent Gibbs.
Vance observed Tony and Abby's antics from his perch outside his office. He opened his mouth to reprimand their childish behavior, before closing it again without saying a word. The two had just foiled a major bank heist, and if this was how they chose to act on their day off, so be it. He'd let it slide this time.
Maybe he wasn't such a hard-ass after all, Vance grinned to himself as he headed back into his office.
At least where Team Gibbs was concerned…
And so, that is the end of 24 Hours of Summers! I hope you had as much fun reading it as I had writing it!
I can't believe the incredible support I received for this story—the reviews, story alerts, and favorites were unbelievable! Special thanks to everyone who continued to read this story or subscribed to it in some manner. You are amazing!
I hope the ending was satisfying. Let me know what you think of the ending or the whole story in general. Reviews are the Caf-Pow! to my Abby, the sawdust to my Gibbs, the computers to my McGee, the toothpicks to my Vance, the English tea to my Ducky, the weapons collection to my Ziva, and the Armani suit and Zegna shoes to my Tony!
Until the next story!
Always,
usa123