I do not own NCIS, but I wish I owned McGee…sigh. Why are all the good guys out there either taken or gay?

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Chapter Twenty-Five

Forensics Expert Abigail Sciuto was woken up by Ziva David. It was earlier than she was used to. Had she actually slept? That was shocking, she didn't expect herself to sleep, but she did. She rolled over to wake McGee and he was gone.

"Ziva" Abby voiced, "Where's Tim?" She was weirded out, didn't McGee say he wouldn't leave her? He had, and he had lied.

"He's waiting for me to take you to him, dawg" Ziva responded, but Abby knew something was wrong. Ziva was using slang, and really bad slang at that.

It was then that Abby saw her hands. "What happened to my hands?" She felt strange, "They were unrecognizable a few hours ago." They seemed perfectly fine at that time with perfectly sewn stitches all around her wrists,

"Well I transplanted them for you, Abby" Ducky spoke as he joined them. "You done asked me to. Don't you remember?" Ok, what was going on? Ducky had always called her Abigail, never Abby, and what had happened to his cute accent? And since when could hands be transplanted? And to whom did the hands belong?

"Ducky is the best hand transplanted in the area," Tony responded as he too joined them, "You know Duck, I was actually thinking of getting my boobs done." Wait What? Tony wanted his boobs done? What alternate universe had she woken up in?

"Where is Tim?" Abby asked again, she was getting more and more weirded out by the second.

"Well he's done right through there," Ducky voiced, pointing to a scary looking wooden door.

"But you'll need this foshizzle." Ziva continued ash she handed Abby a scalpel, there was the slang again, but Abby ignored it, she just wanted to find McGee.

"Good Luck!" Tony added as he cupped his chest, "So doc, about my boobs." Abby opened the door and they were gone.

The room was dark and silent and absolutely terrifying but Abby entered anyway. McGee was in there and she had to find him, she had to see him, no matter what the cost. Suddenly the door shut behind her, plunging the room into darkness. She could feel the restraints around her wrists again, holding her against the wall. She could feel all of her wounds reopening, she was bleeding all over again. She could feel him staring in the darkness.

"Where's Tim, you son of a bitch?" She yelled, more fearful than forceful. She didn't know if she could go through all of it again. She held the scalpel to her own throat, just as before and she couldn't pull it away. There was no music to break the stale air.

"Hello to you too, Abby" Dylan oozed charisma and gentleness, but Abby knew the truth, he was a rapist! "Tim is dead" A light nearly blinded Abby and then she saw him.

McGee was slumped over dead in the corner. He didn't even look like McGee anymore, but she knew under all of the blood and gore that it was her Timmy.

"And you're next" The dreaded sound of a zipper, "Welcome to Hell, Abby"

Abby screamed and then she finally realized, "This is all a nightmare!" She yelled as loud as she could, he couldn't hurt her anymore.

Xxx NCIS xxx

Special Agent Timothy McGee held Abby as she flailed, screaming in her sleep. He knew it was because of the drugs and their effects. She was so vocal that Tony and Gibbs and a few of the doctors ran in.

"This is all a nightmare!" Abby screamed before she bolted upright, fully awake and in tears. She looked around at all of the people in her room and broke down. Her terrors were clearly not over.

McGee touched her shoulder gently, but she did not respond. Something in the dream must have set her off. She had started tossing and turning and flailing and then she said his name a few times. She screamed and then woke up. She was really shaken after her abduction, but McGee didn't blame her, he knew he would be too.

"Gibbs" She finally choked out through her sobs. He rushed to her at once without even so much as an objection, "I want to talk to Gibbs" She got out clearly.

"You heard her" Tony Voiced, "Are your names Gibbs? No? I didn't think so, so get out!" It was the fastest way he knew to get everyone out. He didn't care if he sounded like a jerk-off, Abby wanted Gibbs and it got the job done.

"McGee" Gibbs voiced as soon as everyone else was gone, McGee was looking pained and confused and out of place. Gibbs know she wanted him out, even though they had talked about her and McGee earlier. "Go get coffee with DiNozzo and Ziva. I'll come and get you later."

McGee didn't want to leave, "Boss, I-"

Gibbs cut him off, "It wasn't a request, now get outta here."

So McGee followed Tony out of Abby's room and down to the cafeteria. He hated to be away from Abby again but Gibbs was serious. What had scared Abby so bad? Then McGee remembered their conversation before she fell asleep. Could there really be someone else? Could there really be a man to go with Reagan Mask?

McGee got a crappy coffee with Tony and sat down at the table with Ziva who was taking her break. They all seemed drained but at least their poison oak was gone. It had been a tough week on all of them. McGee knew he had to ask, "Was there any evidence of anyone else there with Abby?" he asked just as the thought came to him.

"The Agents in Florida are handling the crime scene," Ziva responded, "but the only person found there was the Regent masked woman."

"Reagan, Ziva" Tony responded dully, "Reagan, like the president." They were all dead tired. "Where are you going with this, McSleep Deprived?" that wasn't a very good McNickname.

What did he have to lose? "Abby thinks there was a man there and I'm not sure what to think," McGee explained, "I mean Reagan mask was a woman but she was wearing a mask and using a voice changer so maybe with the drugs-" he stopped himself, he knew how stupid it sounded. "Abby is just really flustered and I have no idea how to handle it all" He admitted.

Tony leaned in to answer but stopped, "Gibbs alert!" He voiced looking shocked, "He looks pissed and he's heading this way."

If Gibbs was there, who was with Abby? No one was. She was alone.

McGee hopped up to head back, "Sitdown!" Gibbs barked, all one word, he was livid, white hot angry. "She's with the doctor!" McGee sat, he knew he was in shooting range and that scared him. What exactly had made Gibbs so angry? "Ziva, he voiced, the ire still in his voice, "I want you outside of Abby's room until I say otherwise." She understood. "Tony, call Florida NCIS and have them send all of their evidence from the crime scene." He'd learned his lesson last time with Ziva and Florida NCIS.

"On it Boss!" Tony responded as he flipped open his phone and headed for the elevator.

"McGee" Gibbs voiced, McGee waited, hopefully Gibbs would give him some answers. Of Course he didn't. "You don't leave that hospital room for anything. Do you understand me?" What had happened? "I told the staff and they won't give you any trouble." What had happened? "They'll even set up a bed for you" that was not what McGee wanted to know. What had happened to Abby that she needed a doctor? "She'll tell you when she's ready, McGee," He sure hoped so, "Now go" McGee didn't need to be told twice.

Xxx NCIS xxx

Special Agent Ziva David watched as McGee headed her way. He looked flustered, had Gibbs told him something that he hadn't told her and Tony? She would see if she could skunk it out. No, that wasn't the right word. What was? Whatever!

"The doctor is still in with Abby" She voiced, making sure McGee knew to wait. He stood next to her and waited, his mind awhirl with all of the horrible possibilities.

"Ziva?" McGee began, totally drained, "I don't know what to do," He admitted, "I don't know what I can do to help Abby the best way that I can." He sighed, "Part of me wants to stay and protect her forever and the other part of me wants to leave and keep her safe from all of the Thom E. Gemcity obsessed nuts!" He had a valid point, "What do I do?" That was the million dollar question, wasn't it?

Ziva was silent for a little while. When she finally did speak it was slow, she was thinking out every word. "McGee," she began, "When I was in Somalia so many things happened." She wouldn't go into any more details but McGee knew, he had seen her and had heard the rest from Tony. "Bad things." She added, he knew that much, "I had terrifying nightmares that I thought would never go away."

"Did they?" McGee asked

"Not all of them" Ziva answered truthfully, "But it does help to have someone there to scare them away." McGee knew she was talking about Tony, even though she wouldn't say his name. "Someone I knew would love me no matter what and who believes in me no matter what happened in Somalia." Was she talking about Tony? Really? Well to be fair, he had changed since Jean, "The only thing you can do right, McGee, is to be there." How very fortune cookie of her, "Protect her from the night terrors and the flashbacks." She knew he would bring up his book, "So you wrote a book, about all of us, you didn't tell them to come after you or Abby personally."

McGee knew she was right, "Thanks Ziva" He voiced as the door to Abby's room opened and two female doctors exited. McGee entered the room, unsure of what he'd find.

Almost as soon as he entered the room, Abby had attached herself to him. "Tim" she voiced as she practically squeezed all of the air out of him. "I just want this all to be over." He held her tight and carried her back to the bed, he knew she couldn't leave yet, though he didn't know why.

"I know Abs," he voiced, "Me too," he went on, "But I will be here no matter what happens. Wild Horses couldn't drag me away." He knew she loved that song and hoped he could convince her.

One of the machines in the room beeped quite loudly for several minutes. McGee knew not to mess with it, he wasn't going to let go of Abby anyway. He didn't even know which one it was. A nurse came in a few minutes later and had to reinsert Abby's IV.

Abby had been NPO, or nothing by mouth, for the past few days to make sure that there was no permanent damage to her insides after Reagan Mask's blade happy escapades. The IV was how she had been getting her nutrients. Abby wished it could be filled with Caf-pow but that wasn't really nutrients, so it was just clear Amino acids and vitamins in liquid form, nothing exciting at all.

A few minutes later the IV was reinserted and Abby was cuddling into McGee, he had his arms around her protectively. His mind was still racing, what had changed Gibbs' outlook so fast? What had caused all of the extra guards? What had her nightmare been about?

"Abby" He spoke gently, "I'm sorry that all of this happened." He knew better than to ask about her nightmare, Gibbs was right, she would tell him when she was ready.

"Tim" Abby responded "Why does it sound like you're about to leave?" it was an honest question. She did feel as if that was what he was saying.

"I'm not leaving" McGee responded truthfully as he stroked her shoulder, the only real place she wasn't injured. "I'm not leaving unless I take you with me." he went on, "You can't get rid of me that easily." he joked.

"Good" Abby responded, still afraid to tell him what she had told Gibbs, about what had happened in the dark when Reagan mask wasn't around. She was afraid McGee would take back everything that he had said, "I'm Glad".

Then they fell into silence again. The silence that McGee could not stand. "I know you'll have nightmares," He voiced, "But just remember I will always be right here to fight your demons, awake or asleep" He kissed a spot on her forehead where there were no stitches and felt Abby flinch away, just slightly. She was really quite spooked if just a simple kiss on the forehead seemed to make her shudder. McGee understood. "I'll always be right here." he repeated.

Abby didn't like that she shrugged away from even McGee. She knew that the events in Florida had messed her up, but she did not want to lose McGee. "Thanks Tim" she voiced. It would take time but she would be normal again, she would be Abby again.

Xxx NCIS xxx

Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo had arrived at Abby's hospital room. He joined Ziva in the guard. He'd called Florida NCIS and they said they would send up the evidence. Palmer was ready to work on it once again, with the help of a temp lab tech. Tony had gone to the hospital room per Gibbs' order. He didn't even know where Gibbs was but he didn't argue. At least he got to spend some time with Ziva, even if it was outside of a hospital room without privacy.

Xxx NCIS xxx

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs met Ducky outside the hospital on one of the benches facing the grounds. He had to talk to him about certain things, away from certain ears.

"Jethro" Ducky began as he sat, "I know what you are going to ask and the answer is I do not know. Abby's recovery depends on several factors that could change with every passing minute." He paused, he didn't mean for it to sound that dramatic, "She'll live of course, but her mind could never be the same." He sipped his tea, "He hands are a complete mystery and her face and torso will most likely scar." Ducky was actually staying on topic, he was obviously just as flustered as Gibbs. "What I can tell you is that she had been through absolute hell and that only time will tell."

"And Tim?" Gibbs asked looking straight ahead at the gardens. He had to make sure that McGee would not become him, feel the pain that he felt everyday.

"He's quite overwhelmed" Ducky voiced, "First she's kidnapped, tortured and nearly killed and now she's having night terrors. He's taking it as expected, but nothing is really expected in these situations" Ducky voiced his opinions, "Time will tell but I do not think he will turn into you." That was what Gibbs wanted to know, wasn't it?

"Thanks Duck" Gibbs voiced as he stood from the bench, "Keep me posted. I do not want to lose a forensics scientist, or an agent." Ducky knew that rang true for him too. "Hopefully I'll catch this bastard before we do" he finished his coffee and tossed it away before he tread to the parking lot and to his car. He would not let that bastard that did all of that to Abby get away, he didn't even want to let him live.

Xxx NCIS xxx

Forensics expert Abigail Sciuto was having the nightmare again.

"Hello Again Abby" Dylan Schmoozed "Welcome to Hell" Again the sound of a zipper. Abby was tempted to scream but didn't. she knew she was in control.

"You can't hurt me." She voiced, reinforcing the fact that she knew was true. "Timmy, are you there?"

Then McGee appeared and took her no longer broken hand and they were outside on a beautiful spring day watching the clouds with nothing to scare her or make her scream. It was the perfect dream date. Even Jethro showed up and they all played fetch on the grass of the park. The laughter never seemed to end and McGee never left her side.

Xxx NCIS xxx

Forensics Expert Abigail Sciuto awoke to McGee staring at her, the smile plastered on his face. Abby wanted to know what had made him so happy, but first she wanted to show him that she was on the road to recovery, so she kissed him on the cheek, not quite ready for lip contact yet. She knew that that could lead to more frightening things, not frightening with McGee but she still couldn't face it.

McGee was happy with what he could get. Just a simple kiss on the cheek meant she was at least making some sort of progress in the right direction. He kept his eyes on hers for just a few seconds more before blinking, he didn't want to see her disappear again, just like every other time he blinked. He could feel her warmth next to him so he knew she was still there. Still the goofy smile had not disappeared from his face.

"What are you so happy about today, Tim?" she asked, his happiness infectious and spreading to her too. She used to love that about being with him and she still did. That was a good sign.

McGee was silent for just a few more seconds. Taking all of Abby in over and over and over again, stitches and scars and tattoos and all. "Good morning" He voiced, kissing that same spot on her forehead, "Congratulations on sleeping all the way through the night."

Yeah, she knew she was making progress. She would be normal again, or at least as normal as she was. What is normal anyway?