Athors note: glad your enjoying it and leaving feedback, as to any discrepencies in the attackers actionsall will be revealed in time as to what happened.

Chapter 5

Gibbs drove back to Abby's apartment building like a manic, it was as if his subconscious was trying to drive away from the feelings that he had had in Abby's hospital room. The analytical agent said time was of an essence when processing a crime scene out in the open.

Gibbs pulled up behind the NCIS van and walked towards the three agents working the area

"DiNozzo what have you got?" he called out, his voice and demeanour screaming repressed rage at his team. Tony swallowed and walked towards Gibbs

"Hey Boss, how is Abby?" Tony dared to ask, concern covering his face for the resident Goth of the team

"She will be a lot bloody better when we catch the bastard, so what have you got DiNozzo?" Gibbs growled taking his frustration and anger out on the younger man.

"Um well, we have a gun that we believe may have been the attackers, there are skid marks accelerating away from the scene, and drag marks in the grass leading away from Abby's car" Tony informed him then paused to weigh his next words carefully

"Has Abby made a statement yet boss?" Tony dared ask, his body turning slightly away from Gibbs as if ready to flee at the potential violence in the older man.

"No" Gibbs snarled "Kate, get over to the hospital and get a statement from Abby" he called out. Kate paused looking up at Gibbs, noticing how bad he looked, but the pause was for too long

"NOW! Agent Todd" he hissed at her through gritted teeth.

"Yes Gibbs" she said hurrying to her car and driving off towards the hospital.

McGee tried his best to become invisible but in the mood Gibbs was in he would have found an ant in a sand dune.

"McGee have you spoken to the neighbours yet?" Gibbs demanded from the youngest agent.

"Umm no boss we…" he started to stammer at the fury emanating form his boss.

"Well then do it!" Gibbs sneered at him; McGee looked desperately at Tony and then headed for the apartment building.

Tony took a deep breath

"Boss, I know your worried about Abby, we all are" he started nearly changing his mind at the look Gibbs threw him

"But we are doing our best here; we hadn't spoken to the neighbours because we wanted to get the scene cleared away before …" He said only to be cut off mid sentence

"When you're in charge DiNozzo you can decide what gets done and when, but until then shut up or leave" Gibbs informed him coldly, so coldly that Tony looked closely at his boss, and friend. Gibbs was a bastard at times, there was no denying that, but this was different, this was personal to Gibbs, and it was driving him slowly crazy. Tony nodded and moved towards the van and the evidence they had gathered so far.

…………………………………

Kate walked into the hospital and made her way to Abby's room, she was relieved to find the younger woman asleep, as it gave her time to asses her injuries privately, and it gave her the time she needed to calm herself at seeing the extent of the hurt Abby had suffered. After a few minutes Kate decided that Abby was in a much needed deep sleep and so left the room silently, she never saw her friends eyes open in relief that she had left.

Kate made her way to the nurses' station, and flashed her badge to the nurse on duty.

"I need all of Miss Sciuto's clothing and personal possessions as evidence" she informed the middle aged woman "and can you tell me if a scrape was taken from under her fingernails?" she added as the woman moved to a locker behind the desk. She took out a large evidence bag that bore Abby's name on it and contained her clothes and possessions

"Yes we knew you would need these" the nurse said kindly, "they were all put in here as soon as they were removed, and yes I believe that a scrape was taken but I will have to check with the doctor as to its whereabouts" she said, picking up the phone. After a few moments she smiled and turned back to Kate

"They have been stored in our lab, I will just go and get them for you, they took a scrape from each of her fingers, they also put her rings into a specimen bottle, it seems they had blood on them, that might not have been Miss Sciuto's" she said stepping around the desk and then disappearing down the hall.

Kate put Abby's things in her NCIS back pack and then headed back to Abby's room to wait for her to awaken.

……………………………………

Abby heard the door open slowly and watched as Kate's head appeared around the door, a small smile breaking out on the older woman's face at seeing her friend awake.

"Hey Abby" Kate said softly "Can't say I like the new look" she teased her friend. Abby smiled slightly trying not to pull her mouth too much

"Yeah Ducky said the same thing" she told Kate, "Is Gibbs here?" she asked not hearing the almost desperate quality in her own voice

Kate shook her head, having caught the nuance

"No Hon. He's at the crime… he's at your apartment building" she said mentally kicking herself for the slip up in words. Abby nodded softly, her eyes misting over slightly

"Yeah the Crime Scene" she said quietly turning away.

Kate paused and then moved to take Abby's hand

"It's ok to be angry, it's ok to be sad, it's ok to be scared but it's not ok to shut your friends out" she told her best friend gently, brushing Abby's hair away form her face, the way a mother might a sick child. Abby smiled slightly at her friends caring words and attitude

"Yeah I know" she said softly "So? you here to interrogate me?" she joked feebly, trying to sound like the same old Abby, convinced she would never be that woman again.

Kate nodded slowly

"Yes Abby, I need to take your statement" she confirmed, hating the look of fear and pain that crossed her friends face at her words.