(A/N) Okay, so here's Chapter 2, finally. School has gone back now, so updates will be very sporadic. Just know that I have already written several chapters, its just a matter of typing them and getting them on the site.

I apologize in advance for any mistakes. It hasn't been edited by anyone except me.

Oh, and also, if anyone happens to have any information on Abby's family, it would greatly appreciated if you could tell me, as I need it for further chapters.

Thankyou so much to those who reviewed Ch.1. Just as before, please please please leave a comment so I can make it better!

Disclaimer: Trust me, if I owned NCIS Kate would still be alive, Abby would get some decent storylines and it would be out on DVD already!

"Abby? Abby are you alright?"

The sound penetrated through the thick fog of unconsciousness, and Abby slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that she was on the floor by her computer in her lab. The next thing she noticed was the presence of someone familiar- McGee. He was kneeling beside her, one hand on her shoulder, gently shaking her.

"Are you alright?" he repeated, and Abby noticed the concern in his voice.

Abby thought, trying to remember how she ended up on the floor. It had been late, she talked to Gibbs, she'd had those awful dreams and then…

Abby struggled to get up, but almost fell on her way up.

"Hey there! What happened, Abs?" McGee asked, steadying her. Abby didn't respond, unsure herself. She turned away from McGee, and found herself face to face with the photo's, still on her screen. She drew in a raspy breath, but tried to stay calm. She could feel herself starting to shake. She was vaguely aware of McGee's voice talking, and she managed to discern the words 'Samples', 'Gibbs' and 'ASAP'. But she payed the no heed, focussing solely on those photo's, and just what they meant.

She was pulled out of her trance-like state by McGee's hands on her shoulders, and suddenly she was looking into his grey eyes. She heard his voice clearly this time; a little sterner than before, but still concerned.

"Abby, what's goin-" he stopped, his face showing even more worry. "My God, you're shaking. What's wrong?"

Abby took a deep breath. "N-Nothing. I'm fine McGee." Her voice was carefree, and she tried to flash one of those smiles she knew could melt McGee, but to no avail. Trying a different approach, she wriggled out of his grasp, and turned to the samples he had brought down.

"So Gibb wants these analysed? Tell him they'll be ready in about an hour."

Abby snapped on a pair of latex gloves, and started up a few of her machines. Avoiding eye contact with McGee, she picked up a test tube half filled with soil and begun her work. She was however, still keenly aware of McGee's eyes upon her.

Are you sure you're alright? You really don't look so good."

"I'm fine McGee" Abby growled, starting to get a little annoyed. "Now you'd better get back upstairs before a Gibbs catches you goofing off. I don't think he'd be very happy."

McGee hesitated a moment before he turning and leaving- stopping again at the door, as though he was going to say something, but though better of it. Once he was gone, Abby was finally able, though sir seemed to be having difficulty reaching her lungs. She worked quickly, her breaths coming more like gasps. The samples took little more than twenty minutes to analyse, and once she had recorded her results, she set to work on her computer, installing programs she had created for a situation just like this. Glancing at the time, she saw that she only had another twenty minutes before Gibbs came looking for the results. She left a note for McGee and Gibbs, grabbed her jacket and left. There was no point putting Tony's name on the note- he hadn't shown up to work in almost two weeks and a half and there was little chance of him showing up today. As Abby fled down the corridors, she hoped she wouldn't run into anyone she knew. She desperately didn't want to get anyone else involved in what she was going to do. She couldn't lose anyone else.

McGee stepped out of the elevator, and walked into the bullpen. The whole way up, he had been thinking about Abby. He was concerned for her. She really didn't look so good, and McGee could have sworn she had been wearing the same clothes yesterday. Of course, Abby wasn't the only one who was a mess. Gibbs had clearly spent all night at work as well. Everyone was still recovering from Kate's death. It was hard. One day she's smiling, laughing, and insulting Tony, and the next she's lying down in autopsy, getting cut open by a weeping Ducky. To McGee it really made no sense. How can a being be so full of life, and then in a single instant, lose it all? How is that possible? McGee tried not to think of it. He preferred to believe that Kate was just on holidays; that any day now she would walk through those doors and get back to work. At least that way he could continue working. He couldn't fall apart- unlike some people.

Tony hadn't been to work since the day they'd killed Ari. After Kate died they had worked so hard- day and night for five days- to find the bastard that killed her. They never had time to grieve. But now Ari was dead. Gunshot wound to the forehead, put there by Gibbs himself almost two weeks ago. As soon as the bastard hit the floor, Tony had announced he was taking his three weeks bereavement leave. And no one had seen hide nor hair of him since. McGee imagined he was either wallowing in self pity, or… well that was the only likely situation. McGee knew that because that was what he secretly wanted to be doing himself. He wished he could just accept Kate's death- and take his leave, and do the wallowing thing. But no- he had to stay at work. He had to take care of Gibbs (who was a wreck) and Abby.

Not that he was doing a great job of that.

McGee's thoughts returned to the lab rat. What could be wrong with her? At first he thought she had just fallen asleep on the floor, but upon further reflection, she looked like she hadn't lain down voluntarily. She'd looked as though she collapsed, or maybe fallen. And then there was that look on her face. It came upon when she'd looked at her computer screen. It was a look he had seen only once before; on the face of Tony when he had come out onto that rooftop. It was a look of horror, despair, and something else…

Darkness.

McGee was interrupted from his thoughts by Gibbs' voice.

"Did you get those samples down to Abby?" he asked coldly.

"Yeh, she said she'd be about an hour with them." McGee said in an equally unfeeling voice. There had been sort of an unspoken agreement between the two agents since Kate. No emotion could be exhibited to or around each other. They spoke when they needed to, and never about anything other than the case they were working on. Call it Rule #13. One thing McGee had always been afraid to do was break one of Gibbs' rules, but at the moment his concern for Abby completely overrode all his other fears. She was all that mattered to them now.

"Boss," he said, a little tentatively.

"What McGee?" Gibbs barked back, peeved over the complete disregard of the rule. It frightened McGee, but not enough to put him off.

"I think something's wrong with Abby." Gibbs looked up, a look of alarm on his face. "When I went down there to drop off those samples, she was on the floor." He continued.

Gibbs' face relaxed a little. "She's barely slept in weeks McGee. I told her to sleep there."

McGee had hoped it wouldn't come to having to contradict Gibbs. In fact, he had hoped that he would never have to contradict Gibbs. The thought frightened him more than he ever would have expected. But he had to, he knew he did.

"But…Boss?" he said, trying to sound as polite as possible, and ignoring the dagger-looks he received. "It wasn't like she'd lain down. More like she fell down. And when I woke up she seemed terrified. And Boss-"

"I get it McGee!" Gibbs barked, cutting him off. For a second there was silence, and McGee assumed that to be the end of the discussion. He quietly turned back to his computer, afraid to push any further, and began on his report.

"I'll talk to her when I go collect the samples."

McGee breathed a sigh, and began typing away confidently. He knew that if anyone could get Abby to talk, it would be Gibbs.

Forty five minutes later, Gibbs stood up without a word, and McGee knew he was headed to the lab. He was confidant in his belief that the situation would sort itself out. He worked for barely five minutes before his phone rang

"Agent McGee" he answered.

"McGee, get your ass down now." Gibbs' rough voice sounded on the other end. McGee held his breath, hoping it was something to do with the case."

"Abby's gone"

No such luck.