A/N: Okay, okay you guys win. I'll keep posting. But what about my other evil McGee story? It'll be called The Rest is Up to You, in case you're interested, but so far only one person has said they want it. If I post it will it get read? Oh, and- just so that you know- it may have to be rated R, but I guess I could do a PG-13 version. Hm...
Charmed-angel4: I know, I know- poor Abby. Especially now that you get to find out what's going on with her. Can you give me your email? Because when you put it in the review, it didn't say where at. I'm glad you like my fic!
jtbwriter: I have a feeling that Tony will be quite supportive of Kate... ::ahem:: Yeah, and Gibbs is really more of the person who needs someone to tell him that it's okay to beupset. As for the GPS thing, I'm surprised... You figured something out. Only, it's not quite what you think...
DryMartini: Wow, I'm proud of myself... Is this seriously your favourite NCIS fic? I feel special! I think that- just for you- I'm actually going to post the other one, okay? Your reviews make my day!
cheezmunky: Sh- the next scene is a very Tate scene, okay? ::grins:: Just for you! Well, okay, not just you, but... And yes, McGee's a dweeb. ::glares:: Sorry, I'm over it.
Abby looked up at him incredulously. "You don't really expect me to eat this, do you?" He nodded. "What do you take me for? An unsuspecting child? Do I look like a child to you?" She crossed her arms and glared at him.
"Like that? Yes, you do..." He saw her glare as more of a pout, which reminded him of his younger sister. "And I don't like children..."
"So I gathered. You don't much like me, Tony, Kate, Gibbs or even Ducky..." She paused thoughtfully. "Do you like anything?"
He ignored her and held out the sandwich again. "Eat," he ordered.
She clamped her jaw shut and shook her head stubbornly.
He sighed and set the sandwich down on the paper plate. "Gibbs is going to shoot me if he comes and you look like you haven't eaten the entire time you've been here."
"Gibbs isn't coming." Abby hoped that- for once in his life- Gibbs would actually take the advice of someone else, even though it was probably the opposite of what he wanted to do.
"You know he is..."
"Well then, if he does, don't you think he's probably going to shoot you either way?"
"Abby, would you just eat the damn sandwich? If not for us, then at least do it for Gibbs?"
Abby shook her head. She hoped that if she made it out of here alive or if she saw Gibbs before she died, that he would be proud of her for acting as stubborn as he often did.
"Do I have to get Ari in here?" He had now resorted to threatening her; not that he wouldn't carry them out.
She shrugged. "He'll have no better luck; I'll only make him mad, and you appear to be his scapegoat for the next twenty four hours." Abby had discovered that she really had a knack for pissing off Ari and it amused her to no end.
"Boss, she's still not eating..."
Abby felt immediate gratification in the evident aggravation of Ari's tone. "Let her starve herself then. Gibbs won't be able to blame us for her frailty. Give the sandwich to the Dobermans."
"I am not frail!" Abby yelled angrily. Then she shuddered- the Dobermans. She had tried to coax them lovingly onto her side in case she got the chance to escape. Of course, she had come away with a gnarled hand that still bled if she wasn't careful. Not that anyone had bothered to even make an attempt to stem the flow of blood or anything. She half-hoped that Gibbs would come while she was still alive; she would love to see Ari at Gibbs' mercy. And no wonder- after everything the team had gone through because of him.
"Abigail, there will be no more comments from you until after you have eaten."
"Don't call me Abigail!" She was damned if she was going to let a guy with manicured nails boss her around. Hell, she didn't even have manicured nails.
Ari stormed into the room Abby was being held in, brandishing a knife. He came up behind her and carefully held the sharp end against her neck. "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear? The only way you may keep you gag off is if you eat the sandwich and refrain from comments."
"You do realize that you can't hurt me, right?" She intended to use his every word against him for as long as she could. "I mean, what if Gibbs shows up within the twenty four hour time limit? You wouldn't want him to think that you weren't keeping your end of the bargain, would you?" Abby squirmed in her chair- as well as she could with rope tying her chest to the back of the chair, her hands tied behind her back and her feet tied to the legs of the chair. The blade of Ari's knife wasn't quite touching her skin, but she could feel the prickle of its presence.
"Gibbs won't be here within the twenty four hours... We've arranged for a sort of 'wild goose chase', as it were. But perhaps you're right... Why waste such precious blood?" He pulled the knife away from her throat and set in on the table in plain sight. "However, when the allotted twenty four hours are over- rest assured- I shall have my fun." He stood and took the knife from the table. At the door to the only other room in the small log cabin- besides the bathroom- Ari paused and looked at her, an odd gleam in his eye. "Take a look around you Abigail... Even if he does make it here in time, you'll never escape together. One or both of you would die in the process." He gave her a triumphant half grin and half smirk. "I'll let you in on one last secret before you die. Gibbs believes that once I have him, you'll be free to leave. But I have no intentions of releasing you. Enjoy your stay." And with that, Ari walked into his room and shut the door, leaving Abby to her thoughts.
Abby sighed. She had already come to terms with the fact that she would die in this cabin. For the most part, she had even lived a happy life; not a perfect one, of course, and there were many things that she regretted but- all in all- she was as ready as she was ever going to be. But they were using her to get to Gibbs. Gibbs, who would probably never be able to have the same assurance as she did in the face of death itself. Knowing Gibbs, he would dwell on every cold case, regret just about every emotion, wish he knew something about everything and attack himself for 'being too late'. Abby couldn't bear the last thought. This was her fault- if only she had been smarter...
"Abby!"
She shook herself as she noticed the sandwich in her face again. She looked at it sceptically. "You've poisoned it, haven't you?"
"Well, I thought about it, but I decided that it was better to stick with the timeline. Besides, Ari promised me that I could have my fun too."
"You sick bastard! No wonder no one liked you. Hell, not even Ducky liked you! At least I gave you a chance!"
"As I knew you would. Perhaps one of these days you'll learn that you can't trust anyone. Well, only if Gibbs provides some miraculous means of escape, of course."
"What do you mean you knew I would?" Abby had never thought that she was that transparent.
"I watched you day in and day out for almost four years Abby. I knew what kinds of men you dated. And yet, I was also aware of your feelings for Gibbs- long before you were. In fact, I would say that I know you almost knew you as well as I know myself."
Abby was horrified- with him and herself. "Y- You watched me?"
"Yes. It was rather boring, but I did learn at least one thing. You really are a lot like me."
Abby wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I hope to hell that I am nothing like you. I hope I never become anything like you..."
"Think what you will..."
"Oh, I plan to..." He shoved part of the sandwich into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then grinned and spat it onto his face. "That one was for the team- as a way of acknowledging that they were right about you, and I was wrong... Very wrong..."
