I was not sure how this was going to go, but I am really pleased with how the ending turned out. If you're really tired, you may want to hold back on reading this chapter - Abby is not in a calm mood! So gear up - she's high on caffeine!
Thanks to those who's ideas helped inspire the last chapter and this chapter. After this one, we'll be back at the office for a bit, so Tim and Tony will be back in the picture for those who have been requesting their involvement!
Thank you to all the reviewers. You have been so patient. This week has been busy, with two psychology media analysis outlines (on NCIS!) due, having to critique an essay for a fellow student, doing school, preparing for a church youth group I'm helping lead (who wants to cover foam stars with tin foil - one of those "never again - at least until I forget how bad it was!" projects!). Okay, that was an Abby moment. Refocusing. Thanks to Hippiechic81, sherryola, KrisShannon, DS2010, spacekitten2700 - your reviews were an exciting part of my week! Grumpy Alchemist - thank you for your comment and welcome to the reviewers list! NaughtyAngelBrat, thank you for your comments - they were appreciated! Welcome to you as well! (P.S. I totally think that your username could be a nickname for Abby in this story! I love it!)
Too long of a note, as usual. Let's move on, as usual. Enjoy, as I hope is usual!
...
Ziva had never tried a caffeine tablet before in her life.
She promptly decided to never do so again.
"I feel like I'm vibrating," she complained.
"Yeah! Isn't it AWESOME?!" Abby cheered.
How does she live like this?!
"I have to do something." Ziva felt like she chattered the statement.
"I want a Caf-Pow!" Abby commented for what seemed to be the hundredth time just that morning.
"I know. I'll dig you out!" Ziva exclaimed. Abby went to the door to the landing and opened it. A wall of snow met them.
"How?"
"I'll figure it out." Ziva did not want to be trapped anymore. She was starting to feel claustrophobic. Soon she was taking a giant spaghetti pot and shoveling snow from the doorway out of the window. It worked. After an hour of frenzied working, which Abby assisted with a mop bucket, the landing was free of snow. Abby swept off the last bit, then turned to Ziva.
"Let's go!"
"Go where?"
Both girls froze at the stern question. They turned slowly and there he was - Gibbs. He motioned for them to head back into the apartment. They obeyed - Abby doing so very sadly. She could see her caffeine dreams fading away as he eyed her suspiciously.
"Who dug you out?" he asked, knocking the snow off his boots as his girls did the same.
"We did!" Abby answered cheerfully. He glared at her and she seemed to shrink back a little bit, but she bravely continued, "We were going to go to the corner store and get Caf-Pows!"
What - she's already vibrating! And Ziva - her hands are shaking! What have they been into?
"How much?" he demanded.
"How much what?" Abby shot back quickly.
"Caffeine."
"Well, I haven't had any Caf-Pow! yet," Abby hedged around the question. "I think that I might be a bit low."
"You mean high, Abigail. Ziva?"
She hesitated, confused as to why their boss was annoyed but willing to stay out of trouble. "Yes?"
"What have you been drinking?"
"I just had one coffee." Why is he asking? OH! Because we're ... but he might get upset ... but I need to answer. "But..." She hesitated again.
"But what, David? Spit it out!" Gibbs stated, frustrated with the lack of immediate answers.
Will I have to call Ducky?
"Abby had some ..." Ziva paused as Abby began to make silent begging motions for her not to continue.
"Something you care to explain, Abs?" Gibbs questioned.
"Uh, not exactly," Abby mumbled.
"It was caffeine tablets," Ziva stated.
Gibbs was under no illusion as to who owned said tablets, nor as to who would have taken some first.
"ABBY!"
"Yeah?" she muttered, dropping her head.
"Did you save those caffeine tablets AFTER I told you to throw them out?" Gibbs demanded of Abby, who was backing up and looking at him with wide, innocent eyes.
"Umm, maybe I forgot?" she suggested hopefully.
Oh, Abby, are you trying to get us into trouble? Ziva wondered.
Nice try, Abs - you didn't forget! Don't smile at her. She could give herself a heart attack if she keeps doing this. Be stern. Gibbs glared.
"Then maybe I need to 'remind' you."
One look at his stern gaze had Abby scrambling. "I'll go get rid of it now, Gibbs, sir."
"Bring them to me."
Abby slowly carried the packet over to him. It did not escape his or Ziva's notice that she kept as far away from him as possible as she handed him the package. Apparently she was not eager to be "reminded". Gibbs stifled a smile as he stuffed the package into his pocket, to be burnt in his fireplace at home. That junk was not necessary. Now a little coffee? That was fine. Hey, he even brought Abby Caf-Pows! as rewards. But caffeine tablets, of which he was sure she had taken far above the recommended usage? That was crossing a line, even for him.
Goodbye, my dear caffeine lifesavers, goodbye!
Abby wiped a single tear out the corner of her eye, oblivious to the strange look that Ziva and Gibbs exchanged.
"How many?" Gibbs mouthed to Ziva. She shrugged. He switched to holding up fingers.
One?
She shook her head.
Two?
She looked uncertain.
Three?
She shrugged.
Four?
She gave him a half-smile. "Probably," she mouthed.
"What about you?" he asked Ziva.
"One. But, Gibbs? Why would she ... I feel horrible!"
Do I need to call Ducky? Gibbs wondered. One thing he knew for sure, he was not leaving the girls alone.
"Go get ready."
"For what?" Abby piped up, sensing adventure in the near future. Gibbs suppressed the urge to grin at her puppy-dog-eagerness. This was not meant as a reward for dousing herself in caffeine, even though he knew that Abby would probably inexplicably connect the two facts. He would clarify.
"Since you two are incapable of taking care of yourselves, I'll do it," he scolded. Ziva winced.
Oh, great. Just when we start to make progress, she'll be offended thinking that I don't trust her, when I'm actually meaning to scold Abby.
He quickly amended his words
"Abby, what kind of host feeds their guests caffeine alone?"
"It wasn't just caffeine, Gibbs! I had lots of sugary treats too!"
Not working.
"ABBY! Don't you have any good food here?" He stalked into the kitchen and took a quick inventory.
Apparently she doesn't.
"Giiiiibbbbbbsss! Caffeine and sugar are two of the basic food groups! I am a perfect hostess, right, Ziva?"
"In other ways," Ziva offered diplomatically.
"Abs, you're smart. You know better," Gibbs scolded as he tried to help Abby get her coat on, which she was fumbling with excessively.
"Was she drinking?" he whispered into Ziva's ear. Abby was acting drunk.
"Only coffee and soda, which she mixed with the tablets..."
"Okay, I've got the picture."
Just thinking of that much caffeine makes me lightheaded!
"You got some bottled water?" Gibbs asked Abby. She nodded. "I have a bunch in my panty - but Gibbs! Caf-Pows! are much better for quenching thirst."
"I bet they are," he muttered. "C'mon, girls, you head down to the car. I'll grab some water for both of you and lock up."
"Where are we going?" Ziva questioned.
"A little cafe down the street - Caroline's Cafe. Nice sandwiches and such. She's open - I checked on my way past."
"But Caroline's doesn't serve Caf-Pow!" Abby lamented loudly. Gibbs just rolled his eyes and sent her down to the parking lot, watching to be sure that they got down the stairs safely. He did not need to worry. Ziva was keeping a close eye on her new friend, protecting her from slipping on the ice.
Gibbs headed to the pantry and retrieved two water bottles. He headed back, fully intending to rush down after his girls, but something caught his eye - two envelopes, lying on the table. One had a tiny, neat address - the other was inscribed with a thick black markers. But both were labelled to Santa Claus. He smiled at the childish tradition. Abby must have been some hyped to convince Ziva to join in on the game. He slipped both letters into his coat.
Perhaps some dreams could be made to come true this year.
But first, to prevent one of his nightmares.
Gibbs hastily locked the apartment, then hurried to the car - just in time to swipe the Caf-Pow! from a delighted Abby seated next to a perturbed Ziva.
"HEY! That was MINE!" Abby protested loudly.
"Nope. It was going to be for you, but then I discovered that you decided to drug yourself with caffeine, despite my telling you not too after you did so only a couple months ago!" Gibbs pulled the drink away from Abby's outreached hands.
This kid has a problem!
"I'm fine. I want it!" Abby whined, rather like a toddler. Unfortunately, although some caffeine could stimulate and power her genius, too much hampered her thinking process.
"Not happening. Now buckle up. We're leaving."
"NO!"
Gibbs jaw tightened. He understood that Abby was not thinking rationally at the moment, but her defiance was grating on his nerves - his very fragile nerves. There were a few options of what he could do. He decided on the least damaging. He stepped out of the car, took the lid off the drink, and, ignoring Abby who was now chasing him as if her life depended upon it - as it likely did in her jumbled thinking - emptied the sugar-and-caffeine laden drink onto a snow bank. Abby immediately let out a wail.
"GIIIBBBSS!"
"ABBY!" he replied in a stern tone, trying not to laugh as she tried to gather the soda-laced snow into a pile in her mittens. An idea came to him.
Unconventional, but maybe it will work in this bizarre situation.
"Abs," he said softly, leaning in next to her ear as he turned her toward the car, where Ziva was watching, horrified yet curious. "You'd better start behaving or all Santa will be bringing you this year is a switch. Do you understand?"
Abby's eyes grew wide and she nodded hastily. She had not grown up in the South without understanding that particular threat better than she desired.
"I'll be good," she mumbled, looking over her shoulder sadly at the red snow. She let out a wistful sigh, but she got into the car.
"No sugar at the cafe, just some good old fashioned cooking," Gibbs warned as they parked.
"Mmm!" Ziva was smiling. That sounded wonderful to her. Maybe a hot chicken dish and macaroni and cheese - sort of a makeshift schnitzel and noodles.
"I want a sandwich," Abby announced.
"A sandwich? Why that? Caroline's serves a lot of good meals - I know. I've been here before with Tony during a stakeout," Ziva said, recognizing the small establishment.
"Because sandwiches come with chips," Abby explained. "And chips are salty ... so ..."
"So, what?" Ziva waited.
"So, I'll need soda too!"
...
I just fell in love with that ending! Fellow writers, surely you understand the satisfaction that comes with the perfect ending phrase for a chapter/story - well, this was that! It felt very Abbyish!
Any ideas for the next chapter with Tim and Tony? I have saved some previous ideas, but if anyone has any requests, let me know!
Please leave a review! See you in the next chapter! :) Love to you all!