Chapter 2

Abby stood in her lab and looked around the room, her brow creased into a frown as she caught sight of her reflection in the glass door. What was the matter with her? She wondered to herself angrily. It wasn't like her to feel so out of sorts, but it felt as if she didn't fit into her own skin today and she just couldn't figure out what was causing it.

Abby spun round and headed to her computer, she had samples to process and reports to type up for his lord and master she thought crossly as she sat at her chair in front of her computer station.

"Lord and Master?" she spoke to herself out loud, wondering why she had suddenly thought of Gibbs like that, it wasn't as if he had done anything to upset her. Not unless you counted cosying up with the limp carrot top yesterday she thought angrily. Abby paused in mid action as she reached for the keyboard. Was that it? Was it the red head? Abby spun her chair round in a circle, leaning back and enjoying the ride. How cool was that? She thought in excitement, for the first time ever she was jealous of someone, she was jealous of the woman making eyes at her Gibbs. Abby closed her eyes and spun her chair until it reached a dizzying speed and laughed out loud at the idea that she was jealous.

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Gibbs walked into Abby's lab to find her spinning in her chair with her eyes closed and laugher escaping uncontrollably from her mouth. Gibbs grinned at the opportunity it presented him with. He walked quietly, his shoes making no noise on the floor. He timed his steps so that he arrived at her chair as she spun away from him. His hands quickly reached out and stopped the chair with a suddenness that had Abby screeching in alarm as the momentum of the spin caused her body to shoot out of the chair, and straight into Gibbs's waiting arms.

"Hey!" Abby cried out as she regained her breath "you scared me!" she told Gibbs sternly, her eyes belying her tone as they twinkled with laughter.

"Nothing scares you" Gibbs murmured, moving his arm around Abby slightly and gently lowering her back into her seat.

"Things do" Abby retorted, spinning her chair again just to annoy Gibbs, watching under her lashes as his lips pursed slightly before his foot came up and halted the chair again. Gibbs raised his eyebrows in disbelief at her comment but otherwise ignored it.

"What has you so happy anyway?" he asked, continuing before she had chance to answer "perhaps the fact that you have no work to do?" he demanded.

Abby stood up, and skipped away to her CD player to change the disc.

"Nope, I have plenty to do thank you, because I have a total slave driver for a boss" she threw at him over her shoulder "But I had an epiphany and was enjoying it, thank you for asking" she told him with a grin as she hit the play button and music came crashing out of the speakers, causing Gibbs to wince as he crossed to stand next to her, his hand reaching out and hitting the off button.

"Gibbs!" Abby cried, reaching over to turn it back on, but finding Gibbs's hand locked over the controls. Abby glared at him, her tongue shooting out before she crossed back to her chair, spinning it gently as she sat down, halting it as it came back round to face Gibbs.

"Do you want to here about my revelation?" Abby asked in excitement. Gibbs crossed over to Abby and stood looking down at her.

"No. But I do want do know what revelation you had on the sample Liz gave you." He informed Abby, his face a blank mask.

Abby narrowed her eyes at Gibbs for a moment before she pushed her chair away from the computer station and over to a print out on the table behind her.

"You are so not fun" she muttered at him as she handed over the sheet of paper. "It wasn't a match with the perp or the victim" she told him, her demeanour once more taking on her usual excitement that she had for everything she did. Abby pushed her chair down to the far end of the table, nearly running Gibbs over in the process. When she reached her destination she reachedout and pulled over the large evidence bag that held a heavy brass fire poker in it. "Whoever the victim hit it wasn't the guy serving life in Leavenworth" Abby told Gibbs solemnly. "I checked the sample against CODIS but nothing came up" Abby told Gibbs, jumping up to stand next to him. "Looks like Liz was right" Abby said as she stared down at the bag in her hands. Gibbs stared at Abby and the bag for a moment.

"Perhaps" was all he said before turning around and leaving the room, the print out in his hands.

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Gibbs returned upstairs and threw the printout onto Liz's desk as he passed it, heading towards his own.

"Full run down" he demanded as he sat at his own desk, his eyes impaling Liz as she scanned what Abby had given them. He noticed the small smile that Liz hid quickly and narrowed his eyes slightly at her reaction.

Liz bent over her computer screen and turned her head slightly as the large plasma screen above Gibbs sprang to life with a split screen image. Satisfied that the presentation she had compiled earlier was ready she crossed to stand beside Gibbs's desk, the screen remote control in her hand.

Tony turned his chair to face the screen and got himself comfortable with his feet on the edge of his desk, however as he turned to view the images on the screen he caught the scowl Gibbs was directing at him and quickly sat upright. McGee stood and crossed to stand beside Liz, so as to get a good view of the screen.

"Probie shift your big head" Tony called out, annoyed that the younger agent was blocking his view. Before McGee had chance to react though Gibbs stood and glared at DiNozzo.

"How about you shift you butt instead?" Gibbs asked Tony. He watched as Tony opened his mouth to argue but on catching sight of Gibbs's face shut it quickly, making himself look like a fish floundering out of water. Gibbs sat down and turned his chair to face the screen so that none of the other agents could see his grin.

Liz waited for Tony before starting, watching silently as he sauntered up to stand the other side of her and lean against Gibbs's computer screen.

"This had better be good" he muttered to Liz as he waited for her to begin.

"Shut up DiNozzo or go home" Gibbs growled without turning around, feeling rather than seeing Tony straighten up and glare at the other two agents as if it was all their fault.

Liz levelled a calm look at Tony and then began to speak.

"This is Henry Walker, 15 years ago he was a lieutenant stationed at Norfolk. The woman is Claire Holt also a lieutenant at Norfolk. Henry was accused and convicted of her murder. At the time the murder took place the pair had been dating for 6 months, according to her friends though she wanted to end it but Walker was taking it badly." Liz halted as a new image appeared on the screen, this time of Clair Holt lying on a bed, blood covering her and the walls and furniture, it was obvious form the scene that a vicious struggle had ensued before her death. A large metal object was clutched in her hand.

"Walker was found at the scene, covered in her blood. His prints were also found on the murder weapon." Liz pressed the button on the control and the image zoomed into the metal object in her hand; the poker that Abby had in the lab.

"This poker was found in her hands, the blood found on it was found to match that of Walker, analysis at the time showed that it was the same blood type as Walker, O negative. Walker also had a fresh cut to his forehead, which he claimed he had received earlier that evening when he tripped up a flight of concrete stairs." As she said that she hit the button and an image of Walkers head appeared depicting the cut.

Liz continued "It was supposed at the trial that Walker and Holt argued about the break up, at which point Walker became so enraged he took grabbed a kitchen knife, followed her into the bedroom and proceeded to attack her. She used the poker from her fireplace in the bedroom to fight him off, landing a blow to his head. Walker was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life."

Liz switched of the screen and returned briefly to her desk to retrieve the paper from report from Abby, passing it first to Tony, who scanned it and passed it to McGee.

"I had a call from Walker two days ago, asking me to look into his conviction, certain that DNA evidence would clear him." Liz paused and took the report back from McGee. "And it appears it does" she concluded.

Gibbs turned to look at Liz for a moment but said nothing.

"So who does the blood belong to?" Tony wondered aloud.

"That's what you're going to find out" Gibbs retorted standing up and levelling a look at Liz "Before we jump to any conclusions" he added on for her benefit, noting the two spots of colour that appeared on her cheeks.

"What are you going to do boss?" Tony asked heading back to his desk after grapping the folder of the case from Liz's desk, grinning at her scowl.

"Going for coffee" was Gibbs's reply as he walked away.

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Gibbs waited impatiently in the queue annoyed at the slowness of the counter staff today; his mind mulling over the information that Liz had given him in the presentation and in her written report. On the face of it she was right, it did appear as if Walker might be innocent, it was certainly clear from the DNA evidence that Holt had used the poker to strike someone else with. And yet Gibbs had this gut feeling that there was more to the case then met the eye. The question was what?

Gibbs didn't notice the woman sitting in the corner stand up and cross towards him, until she was along side him.

"Agent Gibbs?" Rose Stellar queried timidly as she placed a hand on his arm "I thought it was you" she continued smiling up at him. Gibbs looked down at the woman and smiled slightly at her.

"Ms Stella" Gibbs returned politely, wishing the counter staff would hurry up so that he could get his coffee, Abby's Caf Pow and get back to work.

"Could I buy you a coffee Agent Gibbs?" Rose asked softly, motioning to the counter

"That's not necessary" Gibbs replied, his mind wanting to return to the case, annoyed at the interruption.

"Please, as a thank you" Rose continued "it's the least I could do" she said as they finally reached the counter and the front of the queue.

Gibbs looked at the counter with a small degree of longing and briefly nodded, before giving his order to the young woman waiting to serve him. He listened absently as Rose ordered a tall skinny latte and had to stop himself from shuddering in distaste at her choice in coffee.

Gibbs waited as the coffees were poured and then he carried them both over to a free table at the front of the coffee shop. He waited as Rose sat down before taking his own seat.

"Oh dear I forgot to get a sweetener" Rose murmured making a move to rise, but Gibbs waved her down.

"How many?" he asked as he stood again, wishing he had refused her offer.

"Just the one please, I prefer my coffee sweet but I need to watch my figure" Rose said carefully smoothing her already perfect and revealing blouse.

Gibbs just nodded and left to get a sweeter and spoon, leaving Rose at the table with the coffee's.

When Gibbs returned Rose smiled at him and pushed his coffee towards him with a smile.

"I know you must be a busy man but I really did want to thank you for what you did yesterday" she said smiling at Gibbs. "I have been having problems with Dave for a long time now" she told him with a sad smile "But yesterday was the worst" she finished. Gibbs nodded and took a swallow of his coffee.

"Did you make a statement?" Gibbs asked always the investigator.

"Yes, and I am taking out a restraining order on him" Rose informed Gibbs watching as he took another drink of coffee, a smile on her face.

"Good" Gibbs said, looking over at the queue, noticing that it was empty and wondering if he could make a quick goodbye, get Abby her Caf Pow and himself another coffee before the queue returned.

He turned back to Rose to see her look at her watch and frown.

"Oh my, I must get back to the office" she muttered, looking up at Gibbs "I'm so sorry to cut this short but I didn't realise the time" she told him standing and getting her back and coat.

"That's fine" Gibbs replied trying to hide his relief, finishing his coffee and standing too, waiting politely as Rose, gathered the two cups up and took them over to the counter.

"Again thank you, Agent Gibbs" Rose said, taking his arm and standing on tip toe to kiss his cheek, before hurrying from the coffee shop.

Gibbs stood there for a moment bemused by the whole experience before shrugging it off and heading to the counter for more coffee and a Caf Pow, relieved that finally he could get back to work.