Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
A/N: Okay, sorry yall, I fixed this chapter. I have this whole story written out and I just cut and paste what I want as a chapter and I forgot to do that with this one. And, with the log-in problems on the site recently I haven't been able to do anything about it. So now, finally, I can save what's left of my literary dignity, LOL. Enjoy!
Kate gasped and clapped her hands to her mouth, tears welling instantly. Tony's eyes widened in shock and he fell backward to the ground. Gibbs slowly sat down and clasped his hand on McGee's shoulder.
"That's what's been causing the pain in her side the past two weeks," McGee relayed. "It's in her lower intestine and it's about the size of an orange. She.." McGee faltered, a single tear falling down his cheek, "...she's getting a biopsy right now."
If there was ever a time for a man to cry, it was now. When the one you love was sick with potentially something as deadly as cancer. McGee quickly wiped away the stray tear, and Tony patted his knee in reassurance. Gibbs slowly stood back up and sat in the chair next to the bed, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his head in his hands. Tony, too, stood up walked a round to the other side of the hospital bed, sitting on the end. Kate remained on the floor next to McGee, occasionally reaching out and squeezing his hand. All they could do was wait until Abby got back. They sat in silence, only broken here and there from sniffs from Kate, for what felt like an eternity until the door swung open and Abby was wheeled back into the room. When Abby gazed upon the faces of her four beloved friends, she smiled for the first time since the news was broken to her and McGee.
"My family is here," Abby said, trying desperately to sound happy, but McGee would hear the tears in her voice. She stood up from the wheelchair, and walked over to her bed, sitting down amidst her boys.
Before anyone could do or say anything to Abby, the doctor spoke, "We will get the results from your biopsy in two to three days. I want to reassure you all, that if it is cancerous, it will more than likely be at a stage where chemotherapy will be successful. If it is benign, all we will need to do is just a minor surgery to remove the tumor. We will call you when the results come in Abby."
She nodded slightly and replied, "Thanks doc."
As soon as the door was closed, Kate beat everyone to Abby--though she was easily sitting the farthest away from her--and hugged her tightly.
"Kate, I'm okay," Abby said, hugging her back. When Kate let go, Tony was next. He reached around Abby and embraced her. Abby leaned back into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. She stood up threw her arms around Gibbs' neck. He held her as a father would, kissing her on the temple.
As McGee got his embrace in, Abby said to everyone, "Guys, I'm going to be okay. Now, all of you...out. I need to change."
McGee reluctantly released her, kissed her forhead, and followed the rest of the team out into the waiting room.
Abby wobbled slightly and collapsed onto her bed. She breathed a shuddering sigh and wiped away the tears what fell down her cheeks. She shook her head roughly as if she was trying to banish the overpowering feeling of helplessness and terror from her mind.
"Come on Abby," she scolded herself. "Brave face."
Breathing a sigh of relief to be back in her normal black attire, Abby walked out of her room with an intentional bounce in her step. She could see Gibbs and the others standing around near the waiting room seats. Gibbs noticed her out of the corner of his eye and moved to her side and walked with her with hs arm around her shoulders.
"Abs, McGee is going to take you home," Gibbs told her. She snapped her head toward his and her jaw droppped.
"What? I can still work, I have so much stuff I need to do," she protested.
"It will get done in time, you need to be at home today."
Home was the last place Abby needed to be. At home, she was alone with herself, with her thoughts. Her fear. She turned to protest once again, but Gibbs threw her his famous glare. She couldn't stand up to that no matter how much she wanted to try. She sighed resignated and nodded her head.
"I call you sometime today," Kate whispered as she hugged her best friend once again.
"Me too," Tony added.
"Thanks guys," Abby replied.
She walked over to McGee, took his outstretched hand and they made their way out to the parking lot. As they walked toward McGee's car, Abby was acting like her normal self. She would swing McGee's arm and sometimes twirl herself under it as if they were dancing. He gave many a sideways glance in her direction, trying to find amusment in her antics, but his heavy heart kept it away.
"What are you doing?" McGee said sadly. Abby skipped and then leaped right in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.
"I'm trying to make you smile, Timmy!" Abby said, in her matter of fact tone she always had in her lab. "I'm going to be fine! Smile for me?"
"Ah, I'm sorry Abby..."
"Smile!" She said, poking him a little.
His face split into the widest, cheesiest, sarcastic grin McGee could manage. "There."
"Much better," she said, throwing her arms around his neck.
He couldn't not smile whenever she touched him. He hugged her back tightly, trying to convey his thoughts and feelings through his arms. He helped Abby into the car and he walked around to the driver's seat. They drove in silence, which was odd. McGee kept stealing glances to his right and saw Abby smiling somewhat half-heartedly while the rest of her body resonated turmoil.
Abby sighed lightly in the seat, staring out the window. A bitter struggle was occuring in her mind. Not like her usual "do I sleep or do I work" struggle that she always experienced. She wanted to be scared. She knew it sounded weird, but she did. But the obligation of remaining strong for McGee's and everyone else's sake overpowered it. Her outlook would determine how the others would see her situation. If she remained scared and worried on it to excess, the other's would lose faith in her recovery. If she remained optimistic and positive, she wouldnt have to see the look of despair on her friend's faces again when in the hospital room. She couldn't let them feel that way. So, she put on her happiest looking face and began living in the optimistc persona.
McGee drove into Abby's driveway and opened her door for her. She smiled graciously at him and skipped her way to her back door. McGee trailed behind, making observations on her. Abby was always a happy, jovial person...despite the goth. If anyone else were to watch her, she would seem normal. McGee knew her better...he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was definitely wrong.
They made their way into Abby's house via her back door, and Abby threw her things onto the couch nearest to the door. McGee closed and locked the door behind them and then turned back to her, placing his hand on the small of her back.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
On cue, her stomache grumbled. Abby looked at the clock on her wall...1:15pm. It had been several hours since her last meal...her Caf-Pow from that morning. She was very hungry indeed.
"Starved."
"Well then," McGee said, clapping his hands, "You go and lie down on your bed and I'll make something up for you."
"Bed?" Abby said, half whining.
"Yes," McGee whispered, placing a finger on her lips to silence her. "Gibbs' orders. Besides, you've got your TV and Plastic Death in your CD player, you should be set."
"Fine." Abby mumbled through her closed mouth and McGee's finger. She turned and walked back to her room.
Chuckling, McGee turned and went into her kitchen. By the looks of it, Abby was long overdue for a run to the local supermarket. He made a mental note to buy food for her on his way back here from work. He searched through her barren cabinents and found a single can of tomato soup in the back. He checked the date on it...it was still edible. He opened the can and poured it into a saucepan. As it heated, he found the reminants of a loaf of Wonder Bread and took out two pieces. He collected all the ingredients neccesary to created the world's only compliment to tomato soup...a grilled cheese sandwich. Besides, those were the only things he knew how to make.
Abby, after closing her bedroom door behind her, began to rummage through her chest of drawers looking for something comfortable to put on. She grinned and pulled out her favorite pair of pajama pants--black with white skull and crossbones- and changed into them. She then immeditely, almost on auto-pilot, to leave the room and head to her coffin, but she stopped herself. Normally, she loved to lie down in it, it was comforting in a way. However, her current circumstances and possible impending death didn't make her too keen to intentionally get into a coffin. So she turned back around, and flopped on to her bed, and clutched her plush teddy bear.
She startled slightly when there was a sudden thunk at her door.
"Um...Abby?" she heard McGee say. "Door please!"
Abby smiled to herself as she rolled back off her bed, walked to her door, and opened it to see McGee standing there with a full plate balanced on a full bowl in one hand and a glass of water in the other. Abby relieved him of the glass and grabbed a large hardcover book from the floor to use as a tray.
McGee sat on the end of Abby's bed and watched her wolf down her meal. His mind was racing.Cancer...no it was just a tumor. We havent heard anything yet. He couldn't help it, he sighed solemnly. Abby looked up, steaming spoon in midair, and scowled.
"Tim, stop it," she said sternly, replacing her spoon. "I am going to be okay."
"Yeah," he replied, running his hand through his short hair. "I know, I'm sorry."
There was an awkward silence as Abby resumed the slurping of her soup. McGee sneaked a quick glance at his watch. "Hey, are you going to be okay here today?"
"Why? You're going to be here aren't you?" she asked, letting more panic into her voice than she wanted. She really didn't want to be left alone.
"Gibbs needs me to come back to work some cases Abs. I'll come back as soon as we get off, promise," McGee replied. He walked over to her and leaning in, he kissed her softly and comfortingly. They separated and he headed for her door.
"McGee, bring my hippo home would you?"
"Sure Abs. Get some sleep," McGee smiled. She nodded in reply.
When he left, Abby sighed sadly. She placed her empty bowl and plate down on the floor, curled up under her comforter and held her bear close. Her insides were squirming. What was going to happen to her? To McGee, if the worst did happen? She stared at her wall, willing sleep to come, to help her escape her nightmarish reality. She didn't want to be alone...she really didn't want to be alone.
To be continued...