The pair made their way through the now open door and descended the cool, dark stairwell with ease, their footsteps echoing. As they reached the level for Abby's lab, they repeated the process on the door with the carbon dioxide and Gibbs kicked the door open. Gibbs led the way into the darkened lab. Almost immediately, Gibbs noticed Abby sitting against the other side of the glass door. Anyone else looking for her would have missed her completely. Her raven black hair and black clothes camouflaged her against the dark backdrop of the lab. He walked up to the door and knocked against it twice, making Abby jump out of her skin. He smiled as she shot up into the air. She spun around and came face to face with Gibbs.
"Not nice," she signed. Gibbs shrugged.
"You need some help?" he signed back. He was rewarded with a, "well duh!"
Gibbs turned to Ziva. "Help me with this," he ordered.
She stepped forward, and the pair dug their fingers into the edge of the door and began pulling hard. With a little help from Abby on the other side, a gap just big enough for Abby to fit through appeared. Abby slipped through as Gibbs and Ziva held it open for her. As soon as she was clear, they let go of the door, letting it snap back into place.
"Do you know how long I've been stuck in there, Gibbs? And without a Caff-Pow." Abby ripped off her lab coat, knowing she wouldn't be needing it anytime soon.
"We've all had our own problems Abs," he explained as he watched her reach for her previously unreachable, half-finished, caffeinated drink sitting by the computer. She sipped as if it was her first drink since a long spell on a desert island.
"You're telling me! My computers don't work, none of my equipment works, not even my CD player works, I've been bored out of my skull! I had plans this evening Gibbs."
"I know the feeling," Gibbs replied vaguely.
"Where's everyone else?" Abby asked, noticing the absence of Tony and McGee.
"They're around," Gibbs replied.
"Around?" The forensic scientist in her needed more than an unclear "around".
"Give me a chance Abs, we came for you first."
"Really?" she asked excitedly, her eyes widening like a child's. "I knew you loved me the most, bossman!"
Gibbs laughed. "Come on." Gibbs placed an arm gently over Abby's shoulders to guide her out of the lab. "Next stop, Ducky's Morgue."
"Are you having as much fun as I am, Gibbs?" Abby asked as they exited the lab.
"You call this fun?"
"I love the dark, it's so creepy."
"I should have known you would like this, Abby," Ziva interjected. Abby sent her a look, telling her she was thankful for her help in escaping her "prison" but wasn't thankful for her comments. Although Abby had become accustomed to Ziva's presence, and was slightly nicer, there were still times when Ziva's comments towards Abby were not appreciated.
"I don't know if DiNozzo or McGee are okay and we're having to break down every single door we come across with a fire extinguisher, how can you call this fun?" Gibbs asked Abby as Ziva re-opened the door to the stairs. It was only one floor down to the morgue but that still meant at least two more locked doors to defeat.
"Easy, Gibbs," Abby smiled at Gibbs. "This-is-fun." She spoke slowly and clearly.
"Well look who's turned into a comedienne." Ziva spoke as she held the door open for Gibbs and Abby and closed the door behind herself, bring up the rear of the trio as they descended the few steps needed to reach the morgue and Ducky.