AN: Almost afraid to tell you who I am, 'cuz y'all will lynch me for leaving this story DIW. Oh Hell. It's.. cheezmunky. shields her face with her arms Sorry it's been so long. SOMEBODY gave up on it. Not naming anyone cough Emmy, Livi, Star, Ash, and Krys(cough) I love you guys:D But where are your twisted little butts? Or heads, whatever. I can't tell the difference. insert cheeky grin for the Kate comment Ha! Now you'll HAVE to email me. If it is only to cuss me out. I'm recruiting more people. I didn't realize what a large project this is. :( Okay, Jennifer Paris Morgan and Abby, this chapter is dedicated to you. And yes, Jenni, the last crappie of NAO was dedicated to you too. Love ya! Oh, Ashes, Kelly, Megan, Vanessa, and everyone else who's emailed me lately, I WILL get back to you. Just takes me a while. My journal's due for an update. And Jenni, Kelly, I have a BRILLIANT idea! Ask me. Hehe. Okay, Read on! And SOMEBODY REPLY AND HELP ME!
Oh, and Happy B-day Charmed Angel! Yours is only 4 days before mine. I'll be sweet 16 on January 13th. Weeee! (God, I'm getting old. Decisions suck! That's the name of a song I wrote. :D) Jeez, Julie. I just got your review. That was fast! Luv ya! Oops, story...

"Hey Abbs." Tony said as he entered the lab.

"Hey, Tony. What's up?"

Her question was directed at why he was in the lab, but it's simplicity encompassed many of her thoughts. Out of everyone, Kate's death toll was affecting Tony the harshest. His jokes were empty, and his easy grins were half-hearted and hard to come by. Even the omnipresent twinkle in his eye was missing; gone with Kate's
corpse.

"I came for the lab workup on Jonas Quinn and his killer. JAG's here for it."

"I could've taken it, Tony. You didn't have to come." Abby gently said as she watched Tony sign the chain of evidence form.

"I just thought I'd see how her evidence is going. Do Balboa and them have any suspects yet?" he hopefully asked.

"It's, um. Tony, I'm sorry. I don't have much to work with. Balboa doesn't even have a crime scene yet. The bullet's still running through IBIS and her stomach contents are still in the system. I'll let you know if we get a hit." She promised.

"When, Abby. Not if. Never if." Tony almost looked like he was going to cry, but with the blink of his eyes, the vulnerability vanished, replaced by a hard, empty shell.

"Well, Abbs. I'd better get this up to the bullpen before the legal weenie gets lost trying to come down here." He half joked.

"Yeah." Abby gave an equally hollow laugh as she watched her friend leave her lab.

"God, help him." she whispered.

Tony set the evidence box and evidence slip down on a desk in front of the legal aide.

"Here you go lieutenant. Everything you need to show the jury that the bastard should rot in Hell. Or prison. Only the innocent seem to die these days.."

"Yeah. Life's a bitch, isn't it? Thanks, boys. I'll bring this back around in a few hours."

"No problem, ma'am."

The young, blonde sailor sauntered off to the elevator, but Tony immediately sat down to start on his paperwork. He didn't even watch her leave. Gibbs frowned. He didn't like what he was seeing. It was a reflection of himself. But Tony's workaholic attitude stemmed from a deeper sense of loss than a divorce. He'd lost his best friend. A friend, who it seemed, meant more to him than he'd ever let on. Gibbs would rather have to put up with the younger man's incessant jokes and bantering than the eerie solemnity he was witness to now. He finally spoke up.

"DiNozzo, I'm going for coffee. Wanna join me?"

Tony barely glanced up, but Gibbs stomach clenched at the look in Tony's eyes. His vibrant personality had been rapidly receding, but nothing had prepared him for that look. There was no visible trace of the old Tony left.

"No thanks, Boss. I need to finish up this report for the Forsythe case."

"Mmhmm." was all Gibbs said, and he wasn't even sure Tony heard him as he stepped into the elevator. His finger hovered over the lobby button for a moment, but his subconscious drifted it over to the first basement, and Gibbs soon found himself in the lab.
The only sound in the lab was the clacking of the keyboard as Abby typed furiously at her computer.

"Abby, where's the music?"

He heard her sniffle before she replied. "I forgot to change the CD." she mumbled.

Gibbs crossed the room to her and gently settled his hands on her shoulders. "Abbs, what is it?" he whispered.

She slowly wheeled her chair around and he saw how puffy her eyes were. Her mascara had run all the way down her neck.

"Abby..."

At her name, the girl broke down sobbing. Gibbs silently pulled her into his arms, and deftly kissed the top of her head.

"I know you miss her."

Abby hiccupped into his shirt as she shook her head. "I'm not crying for Kate. I'm crying for Tony. He's as dead inside as she is. I've lost two friends. Kate's body is gone, but Tony- He's torn in every sense of the word, and I can't bring him back!"

"He's just grieving, Abby. It's only been two weeks."

Abby sharply pulled back to look him in the eyes. "He's not grieving, Gibbs. Tony's in my lab to check on Kate's case every day. Sometimes six and seven times. 'How's the bullet?' 'Does Balboa have any leads yet?' 'Can you run any more tests on the hay?' He's obsessed and he's slipping away. We have to help him. We have to do...something! We can't just sit here and watch.." Abby trailed off, sobbing into him as he tried to restrain himself from crying too.

"We'll help him, Abby. I'll pull some strings with the director and get our case back. We won't let Tony do this alone. We'll get him back, Abby."
At that point Gibbs' voice cracked.

"Whatever it takes."