A/N: Come on you guys, please review? I was two reviews away last chapter, but I decided that my loyal reviewers should be rewarded. Once again- I have a set number in my head, and this time, I want it reached. ::gives a Gibbs glare:: Don't you want them to find Abby? Because I can just stop posting, if you really want... Yeah, until you guys can convince me that you want more, I think I'll just stop posting. To those of you who really do review, I'm incredibly sorry- email me and perhaps I'll send you guys the next chapter...

"DiNozzo, pull me up a map of D.C. – now! I want every damn tree labelled on it!" Gibbs barked as he searched the bullpen for Kate. "And where the hell is Kate?"

"Dunno boss... About the map- isn't that more of Abby's area of expertise?"

"Don't you think if Abby was here to do it that I'd ask her to in a heartbeat?"

"So why don't you just call her in? Where is she?" Tony wondered what could possibly be keeping Abby from basking in her element.

"Well, Tony, that's what we've got to figure out. And we've only got twenty four hours before they hurt her..." Gibbs had decided not to worry his partners by verbalizing his secret fear that they had already done something to hurt her. But he was sure of one thing- he would not sleep until he had found Abby and she was sleeping peacefully in her bed with him guarding the door with his gun.

"Wait- Abby's gone? Why? And who exactly are 'they'?"

Just then, Kate walked in- feeling stupid for trying to avoid Tony. "What's this about 'they's?"

Gibbs sighed- this was not a conversation he wanted to have with Abby's best friend and her substitute younger brother. "Well, the 'they' is the terrorist and someone else, and they've kidnapped Abby. According to Ari, we only have twenty four hours to find her unhurt." Gibbs wasn't quite ready to finish off the threat- that would mean accepting the fact that Abby could die as truth- and he just couldn't face that yet.

Kate's face paled. "The terrorist has Abby? A- Are you sure Gibbs? I- I mean are you really sure? Couldn't he have been lying? O- Or something?" She had at least a vague idea of what Abby was going through. Hell, Ari had gotten to her twice- and both times he had proved to her, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he was a fucking sick bastard. She didn't want her best friend to experience the same thing she had. Oh, how Kate wished that Ari had come for her again; anything to make sure he didn't do anything to Abby.

"Regrettably Kate, there's no doubt in my mind that he has her."

Tony looked from a very determined and grim faced Gibbs to an almost in tears Kate and made an attempt to get himself back into her good graces. "But all you have to go off of is your gut, right?"

Kate gave him a grateful smile, though he noticed that her eyes lacked their customary sparkle which he had grown used to seeing.

"No Tony, I talked to her."

"You talked to her? I- Is she okay? Did he hurt her? Where the hell is she Gibbs?" Kate's eyes silently pleaded for answers from him.

"Sh, Kate- she's fine. I don't know where she is though..." He thought bitterly about Ari's last words...

"Do not forget- all you know is that we are still within the vicinity of Washington, D.C. and, as Abigail has told you, there are trees."

"As if I could forget?" he muttered to himself.

"What?" Tony gave his boss an odd look.

"Nothing, I was just... thinking out loud." Gibbs wasn't going to tell Tony and Kate what about; there was no sense in worrying them.

Kate looked at Gibbs thoughtfully. "Hey Gibbs?"

"Yes Kate?" She had been awfully quiet for awhile.

"Well, you mentioned a 'someone else', didn't you? I don't suppose you could tell me what this guy or girl looks like? Or even what they sound like? Maybe I could give you more information... or something?" Kate didn't particularly want to revisit her last abduction by a terrorist, but if it would get Abby back...

"Kate, I can do better than that... I can you give you his full name, all previous and current employments, his girlfriend, a complete background, what he looks like, his current address, and many other things besides." This was probably going to be the hardest part...

"Boss, I'm not even going to ask how you figured out all of that information about a complete stranger."

"Well DiNozzo, that's just it; he's not a stranger- to any of us. And especially not to Abby." Gibbs watched his fellow agents' faces to see if he should continue his explanation.

Just as he was about to elaborate on his words, realization dawned in Kate's eyes. "Oh my God Gibbs, please tell me you're joking." She looked at him pleadingly. He wanted to tell her that this was all just a sick joke. Hell, he wanted someone to tell him that... But it was a lie; this was horrifyingly real. "But he... He- He helped her. He helped us! He helped you..." She was babbling incoherently, but she didn't care. The idea of the terrorist going after Abby and kidnapping her was plausible, but him? No way!

"Yes Kate, he did. Or so it would appear. And at some point or another we all trusted him, but does that really matter?" Gibbs could tell that Kate felt as guilty as he did for being so unobservant.

"Wait... You guys are talking about McGee, aren't you?" Tony had finally clued in on their conversation. At Gibbs' slow nod, his brow furrowed thoughtfully. "So what you're saying is that McGee kidnapped Abby and took her to the terrorist?" Gibbs nodded again. "And you think that McGee's working for the terrorist?" He nodded again. "You're crazy! And how did you get all of this anyways?"

"Phone call from Ari- he has Abby. She tells me to pull up the results from the bullet found in Carol's body- it came from McGee's bullet. Following logic- McGee killed Carol, Abby found out about it; McGee decided that he had to get rid of her." Tony raised a sceptical eyebrow. "You got a better reason for Abby telling me to pull up those specific results? She knew that even if I didn't figure it out, one of us would."

"Uh-huh... And you're sure that that was the message? I mean, come on boss, McGee's not exactly the brightest apple on the tree."

"Stop it, okay? Just- Just... Stop it!" Kate suddenly burst out as she stood up trembling. Tony could tell that she was close to tears and his initial reaction was to apologize, until he saw that she wasn't even looking at him.

Tony and Gibbs exchanged concerned looks. "Kate, what's wrong?" asked Tony. He had forgotten until just now that Kate probably knew exactly what Abby was going through, and he didn't want Kate to have to live through it again.

"What is Abby? Just another tedious case that we have to solve? Is that all it was with Ducky and me when we were held hostage in autopsy too? Or when he kidnapped me?" Suddenly Kate couldn't take it anymore; she started to sob and ran embarrassedly from her colleagues.

Tony glared at Gibbs before running off after Kate in the hopes of being some sort of source of comfort.

"No Kate..." whispered Gibbs softly. "No one's ever been 'just a case'."

Oh- a quick question for you guys. Do you want me to post another fic that I have? It's another evil McGee one, though he's not a terrorist. I don't know if I want to post it, so I decided to get your opinions. If I have at least 6 people say I should, then I will, otherwise, I won't. And this one is completely finished, so I'm not writing as I post... But that doesn't mean you'll get it all in one chunk. I think I'll post maybe- ah- one chapter a day? Or maybe every other day...