Disclaimer: see chapter one
McGee sat hunched over in the hospital waiting room, rocking back and forth, and wringing his hands nervously. His mind was racing. What had happened to his Abby?His Abby. The doctor's preliminary diagnosis was appendicitus, but there were taking a full examination to find a definitive answer.
"McGee," he heard Gibbs say. McGee looked up to see his boss walking toward him with two large cups of coffee. Gibbs handed him one of the cups and then sat down in the chair next to him. "I just got off with Kate and DiNozzo."
Taking a small sip from his coffee, McGee whispered, "Thanks, Boss. Are they coming down?"
"Kate's on her way, and DiNozzo will come when he gets a chance. Any word on Abs?"
McGee shook his head. "They think its appendicitus, but they're doing more tests." He sighed deeply, taking another drink.
Gibbs looked over at his young agent who was visibly shaken and scared. Gibbs placed a reassuring hand on McGee's shoulder and said, "She's going to be okay, Tim. If it is, it'll just be a short operation, and she'll be as good as new."
McGee startled a bit upon hearing his boss use his first name. Only Kate and Abby called him Tim. Abby...
They fell into silence for quite a while, both taking tiny sips from their cups of coffee. She'll be okay. She'll be good as new. Gibb's words of encouragement echoed in his mind, but a terrifying thought broke through.
"Boss," McGee said, staring at the lineolium floor. "What if it's something else? Something worse?"
Before Gibbs could answer, both men heard Kate running down the hall toward them.
"Where is she? What's going on?" She asked as she got to them. Poor Kate looked so frightened. Of course, it was understandable. Abby was her best friend, after all.
"We haven't heard anything yet, Kate," McGee said. "They're still working on her."
Approximately 10 minutes after Kate ran in, Tony arrived. However, the three of them were still unable to give any more information on Abby's condition other than "they're still working on her". They sat together for at least a half hour. McGee had been asked to recount what happened in the lab several times, and he was quite frankly sick of it. He just wanted to know what was wrong with her.
Gibbs knew that being here was important to his team and for Abby's sake, but work still needed to be done. They had at least 2 unsolved cases, so he spent some of the time allocating jobs to his team. McGee only paid attention when he heard his name come up. He'd get the notes from Tony or Kate later.
"Timothy McGee?"
The four agents' heads snapped up at the sound of his name. They saw a doctor standing in the middle of the room, looking around the room. "Timothy McGee?"
"Here, doctor!" McGee called, standing up quickly. The doctor walked over to the group, who all then stood up.
"Are all of you here for Abby Sciuto?" the doctor asked.
"Yes," Kate replied.
"Okay, we have ruled out appendicitus, we are running a few more tests," the doctor said.
"Wait, you still don't know whats wrong with her?" McGee asked.
"Not as of yet," he replied calmly, "but we will know soon. She can have visitors right now, but only one at a time. I'll update you as soon as we learn something definitive."
"Thank you doctor," Gibbs said.
"Hey Probie, go on in and see her first," Tony said. "She'll want to see you."
"Okay, if we hear anything in there, I'll come tell you guys."
"Tell Abby we're all here for her!" Kate called as McGee left.
McGee followed the doctor to Abby's hospital door. He rapped softly on the door as he pushed it open, not sure of how she was going to look. He breathed a sigh of relief to see her sitting up on her hospital bed, sitting indian style, and watching TV. She looked better than she did in her lab, her color was coming back, but she still had this odd look about her. He couldn't quite place it.
When Abby saw McGee step quietly into her room, she immediately said, "Dear God,please tell me you have something black for me to put on."
That was it. She was a girl who liked her goth, and she was sitting in a white and beige room wearing a white paper gown with blue pinstripes. She definitely sounded as uncomfortable as she looked.
Grinning slightly at the thought, McGee said, "Nope, sorry Abs."
Her face fell. "A Caf-Pow?" she asked desperately.
McGee chuckled and shook his head.
"You're of no use to me then," Abby said, going back to looking at the TV.
McGee shrugged. "Okay then, I'll see you later Abby." He turned and walked back to the door and placed his hand on the handle.
"Get back here Timmy!" Abby said, grinning from ear to ear. McGee laughed to himself, he loved it when they played this game. He turned back to her, then crossed to her bed.
He sat on the edge of her bed and held her hand in his. "How are you doing?"
"They gave me some stuff for the pain, and I'm doing a bit better. I'm a little nervous though," she replied.
He squeezed her hand comfortingly. "There's no need to be Abs."
He leaned forward and drew her into his arms. Abby nuzzled her head the crook of his neck and sighed deeply. McGee petted her hair, and continued the embrace. He was greatful that he was able to...that she was okay.
"Don't scare me like that again," McGee whispered.
Abby giggled a little bit and replied, "I'll try not to."
They were startled by a sharp knock at her door and they broke apart. Abby's doctor walked into the room with her chart and a large envelope in his hand.
"Miss Sciuto, Agent McGee," the doctor started. There was a tone to his speech that, for some reason, set McGee on edge, "We have learned what caused your pain this morning."
As Abby and McGee listened to the doctor, Abby gasped and began to cry. Shocked, McGee held Abby as she heard her fate, with tears in his own eyes. They were disbelieving, but when the doctor showed them Abby's X-rays, there was no denying it. Abby doubled over, terrified and weeping, and all McGee could do was just hold her. The doctor told them that another test needed to be performed on Abby, and he guided her to the wheelchair in her room. McGee desperately wanted to join her, but the doctor told him to stay, that they'd be back as soon as possible. As the doctor wheeled his Abby out of the room, McGee slid down the side of the bed and collasped to the floor in shock, tears threatening to fall.
As Gibbs, Kate, and Tony sat in the waiting room anxiously, Kate gasped aloud. They all turned to see Abby, visibly crying, being wheeled away from her room. Gibbs was the first one to run to the doctor to ask what was going on, but the doctor said that Abby was needing to get to her examination done as soon as possible and to speak to McGee. Gibbs walked along with Abby for a few more feet for reassurance, and kissed the top of her head as they had to part.
"Boss, what's going on?" Tony asked, walked to meet Gibbs, who just blew past him on the way to Abby's room. Tony and Kate shared a worried look and hurriedly followed him.
The three agents burst into the room to find the Probie leaning against the bed on the floor, staring blankly into space with his face ashen.
"Tim?" Kate asked, falling to his side and grabbing his arm. "What is it? What's wrong with Abby?"
Both men squatted down to McGee's level as he replied hollowly, "It's bad news."
"What?" Both Gibbs and Tony said in unison.
McGee swallowed the large lump in his throat. "She's got a tumor"
To be continued...