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She woke when Gibbs picked her up off the floor, carrying her to the guest room. She tried to walk by herself, but he just held onto her tighter, not even acknowledging that she was conscious.

"Gibbs! …Gibbs, I'm up! …C'mon, I've gotta be too heavy for you to carry up two whole flights of stairs. …Gibbs. …Really, I broke my arm, not my leg. …I can be silent, too." The only response she got was a smile at the end. "…Alright, you win, you can be quiet longer than I can. …Can I get down, now?" He gently set her on the bed and kissed her forehead before leaving. Huffing impatiently, she changed into her pajamas and climbed under the covers. She wasn't a little kid, she was mature enough to make her own choices. But, you got drunk, her brain chided. I can get drunk if I want to, she retorted. Is getting drunk your solution to Gibbs leaving? She asked herself. I don't know. Groaning, she pulled the pillow from under her head and squashed it over her face. This was just so confusing. She wanted Gibbs to stay, but she also wanted him to be happy, and he was obviously happy with Mike Franks in Mexico. He cared about her, of course, he was here taking care of her. She grimaced at the idea of having to be taken care of. Would she be alright to go back to work if he left again? She didn't know. True, she had been missing Gibbs nonstop ever since he stormed out of MTAC, but maybe if she just tried a little harder, like the Director wanted. She wrestled the idea over for a while, until deciding it couldn't be decided. She padded barefoot to the master bedroom, knocking softly before entering. Gibbs was asleep, in a white shirt and under the blankets. She smiled, he looked so much more peaceful than he usually did while awake. She climbed on the bed, sitting cross-legged next to her boss while he slept, and began humming a nonsense tune under her breath.

Gibbs awoke to pale sunlight filtering into his room through the window, and one young woman sleeping on his bed. He grinned and shifted her under the covers, kissing her forehead. He lay there for a while, thinking. He remembered waking in the middle of the night because Kelly had a nightmare, or thought there was a monster in her room. Unfortunately, the monsters plaguing this girl weren't as easily banished. Gibbs knew she still feared him leaving, and likely always would. He doubted he would be able to, though. Relaxing on the beach was fine for a few months, but he couldn't keep up the casual banter with Mike forever. He always felt the need to move. Mike said it would pass with time, but Gibbs wasn't sure he wanted it to. Being back at NCIS put a fresh breath in his lungs, and seeing how beaten Abby was made him sick, even when –especially when- she pretended everything was ok. Gibbs wished she didn't have to pretend. He wished he had never left. He couldn't bear to leave again. A few minutes later, his alarm clock went off with a shrill tone. He quickly hit the button, but Abby shot up, still mostly asleep.

"Hmm?!"

"Shhh, Abbs, time to get up for work."

"Okay." She blinked a bit, then went to get ready. Gibbs quickly showered and got dressed. At work, Gibbs put the little bottle of pills on her desk, but she immediately moved them to a drawer.

"Abby."

"I'll take them when I need to, Gibbs."

"Oh, you will?"

"Yes. I promise."

"I'll hold you to it."

"Morning, Abby."

"Hi, Timmy!" She gave him a large hug that he hesitatingly returned.

"How's your arm?"

"Oh, Tim, it's awful." She sighed dramatically. "Gibbs and Ducky are drugging me."

"I, um, don't know if-"

"Relax, Timothy." Ducky interjected from the camera-telephone. "Abigail has not been taking her medication, as she knows she aught to be." He wagged a finger, while Abby stuck out her tongue.

"See? I don't need meds, but they're making me."

"Abby, would you rather I slipped then into your Caf-POW! when I pick up your cup?" Gibbs offered, warningly. "Or, I'm sure Ducky wouldn't mind giving them to you intra-venously…" Abby groaned, while Tim looked very confused and bewildered.

"Um…"

"Don't worry about it, McGee." Gibbs said, sending the younger man upstairs.

"Bye, Timmy." She waved, aware that it made her seem juvenile, especially in her plaid miniskirt with her toes pointed inwards. She felt a little, well, little. Gibbs, Ducky, and Jenny kept treating her like a kid. Having to take medicine she didn't want while staying in the lab all day was kind of reminiscent of time-out and punishments. She knew Ducky cared about everyone, but she was special in his heart, and found it sweet that Gibbs thought of her like Kelly, but Abby wasn't sure of Jen's angle, and really wanted to be treated like an adult.