Chapter 9

Abby had not been happy since she came to her most recent revelation. Her silver fox was no longer her silver fox. He was forever tarnished in her eyes. She could not understand how he could be two such different people. The man she had come to know and love in her lab. And then the cantankerous, mean, old slave driver that she was being told existed just up 4 floors from her.

But now, she realized, Tony had been right when he had told her how Gibbs acted. She had thought that Tony was just upset and was exaggerating Gibbs' actions because he didn't like Gibbs' punishment. She had no clue the man acted just as much the ass when everything was going well.

She had not talked to Tony since he had left. And now she didn't imagine he would want to hear from her. But, she felt she owed him something. Tony had thought of her in all this. He had sent Ducky and Palmer to break the news to her so that she would not hear it first through the rumor mill.

She finally understood why Tony had not called her. He was giving her time to deal with it all. And, in all honesty, he probably thought he had lost her friendship. She had to let him know that that was not the case.

"Hello!" Tony said, grabbing up the phone. He was in a towel drying his hair and he was running on time for once.

Tony always tried to get to the office earlier then anyone else. But, since he had made Sally his SFA, she seemed to take initiative. She was making it just as he pulled into the parking lot, or she would come into the office just minutes later. It didn't really give him time to prepare for the day. Not that there was much to do. He made the coffee. He checked to make sure their breakroom was cleaned. He had set up a schedule for them all to take care it. Clean the fridge out on occasion, clean off the counters, etc. He found his time as filled with those mundane tasks as he did working cases. He kept a stack of cold cases handy, just in case nothing came in that day. But, they usually were working an active case. Actually, they tried to work a couple cases, taking on a cold case or two. If there was time to devote to the 'old-school sleuthing,' as Tony called it.

Harley had shown up two days after Sally and BJ. He caught up quickly with the paperwork and took the initiative showing himself around the place one morning when he had arrived early and not one was in the bullpen yet. He loved the set up and he was anxious to do some training and to workout in their full-equipped gym.

They all seemed to have accepted their leader. And they all were still getting to know one another. Tony had facilitated things as much as he could. He had invited them and their friends and family over to his house for a barbeque. The evening had gone well. Sally brought a new boyfriend. Harley brought a girl he had met by the pool in his apartment complex. BJ came alone. And Tony invited the next door neighbor who would have invited herself anyway, had he not extended the invite. She had talked to the realtor at length when she discovered the house was finally being rented. And she nearly wet herself when she finally met him. She quickly babbled an excuse to leave and rapidly fled the scene of the social awkwardness. And, ever since that moment, she had been trying to find a way to talk to him again and not make a complete and utter ass of herself. She thought she might have a chance if she was in with a group of people. So, when she saw Tony was preparing food, she had inquired, and he had told her about his barbeque. She offered to help him out. She told him she would bring her world famous potato salad. Tony smiled and nodded. She showed up. And actually, the potato salad was pretty damn good.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

"Hello!" Tony said. He had not looked at the number before he picked up the phone. He had no idea who was calling him. And he was about to hang up until he finally heard a voice.

"Team Leader, Anthony DiNozzo."

"Forensic Scientist, Abby Sciuto."

There was a long pause, Tony was beginning to think that she might have just hung up. "I didn't see it."

Tony sighed. "I'm not sure you were supposed to."

Another pause. "What does that mean?"

"You've known him longer than any of the rest of us. Well, except Ducky."

"Meaning I've had the blinders on for years." Abby finally admitted.

"Well, at least they are off now." Tony responded.

"Yeah, my silver fox is forever tarnished." She sighed.

"Better to see the real man behind the illusion."

"Which movie is that a quote from?"

Tony didn't answer. He hadn't used that approach with his team. He still used the information he gleaned. He just never voiced his love of movies to them. He was not quite sure why. Well, no that wasn't right. He did know why. McGee and David had accused him of being unable of having an original thought. They had jokingly, or maybe not so jokingly, said he got all his investigative skills from the movies he watched. Tony had not appreciated the slam to his intelligence or his investigative skills. He did, after all, have a photographic memory. And there were other talents he possessed that, in no way, shape, or form, had ANYTHING to do with the fact he loved movies. Abby's question just started a small pick at the old scab.

"What?" Abby had no idea what she had said wrong. It was a game that they used to play all the time when they had movie marathon night.

"McGee and David…"

"Yeah, those two. All they do these days is come to me and Ducky and Jimmy and complain about Gibbs." Abby said. "I turned the lights off, locked the door and worked by lamplight a couple days this week because of them. They would not leave me alone. Gibbs sends them out of the bullpen and they end up in my lab. They get in my way and they touch things. I don't like them touching things."

Tony could not help but laugh.

"Don't laugh Major Mass Spec has not worked at all right since Ziva was down there pushing his buttons."

Tony chuckled again.

Neither spoke for a moment to two.

"I have not right to ask, Tony. But, I just…I'm gong to. Ducky and Jimmy made me…. They opened my eyes to some things I couldn't see. That I didn't want to see. I could not understand. And still don't understand how someone I loved so much could treat other people I love so badly." She sighed. "I will never feel the same about Gibbs. And, I treated you badly in all this. And I take all the blame for that. I just…I am sorry. That's all I can offer is my sincerest apology. I hope you can forgive me."

"I have a lot…."

"I know, moving, your own team, a new house." Abby paused. "I'll wait Tony, you're worth it.

TBC

END NOTES: It was time to tackle Abby. But, I didn't want to wrap it all up nice and pretty. I love those angsty jagged edges.