Chapter 2 is up! More memories in this chapter, but also we get to the very, very sad part. I nearly cried while writing this, and I'm sorry if I make you cry! But enjoy!
McGee sighed, remembering how he had been saddened to learn that Abby was not interested in dating him again, but he was okay with just being good friends with her. With a grimace he remembered the downs in the relationship, like when he had asked where their relationship was going, and Abby said he was insecure. But there were many highs that he smiled at, like her hugs around his neck from behind. He loved Abby; there was no way she could die. Not like Kate; not like Jenny.
And high up above or down below
Tony's fists clenched when he thought of Mikel Mawher. He had tried to kill Abby more than once, and then almost got her killed because of his stupidity. Tony also blamed himself for that one; NCIS had focused on Mikel, not knowing a more dangerous man was out there trying to kill Abby. He understood why Mikel was too in love with Abby to let it go, but there was a certain point that a sane person would reach and understand that it was time to move on. Obviously Mikel was not sane, otherwise he would've known that he should've stepped back before Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his team got involved.
When you're too in love to let it go
Ziva looked over at McGee, and then leaned back, closing her eyes. She half-smiled when she thought of Abby's face a few days before, when Ziva allowed her to help her dress Ziva for her first and tentative date with Tony. In fact, Ziva didn't know if it was a date or not, since they were just going to a bar to watch a sports game and have a few drinks. Abby automatically told her that she was considering it a date, and therefore would need to help Ziva with her wardrobe. Ziva had let her, and Abby was ecstatic at Ziva's apartment, going through her drawers and closet, tossing out clothes she thought suitable and muttering at the ones she didn't. It was very amusing to watch, and Ziva had laughed at the time.
But if you never try you'll never know
Ducky slowly walked back to the waiting room, not able to discover anything about his Abigail's condition. With a groan, he lowered himself into a chair next to Gibbs. Ducky shook his head at Gibbs, letting him know that he didn't find anything out. Gibbs got up and started pacing again, and Ducky let his mind wander to the many occasions where Abby had made him laugh. For instance, when she was rollerblades, gliding around the NCIS building, when she thought she was in her own lab but really she was in autopsy, when she attempted to overcome her autopsy fear by sleeping on a table in autopsy, and many more. She was a happy Goth, something that Ducky found very refreshing.
Just what you're worth
Tony looked over at McGee, and remembered how many times he had considered Tim to be his half-brother, at least. He had saved Tony from falling off of that parking structure, and had come to get him when Tony had been released from prison. Tony had tried to help McGee, one way by coming to his apartment the night he was accused of not identifying himself and shooting an undercover cop making a drug bust, even though it had turned out later that McGee had been right. Sure, the two of them had been in more fights than anyone could count, especially on stakeouts, but it made them a good team.
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
Hours passed, and finally the doctor came out, stripping off his bloodied scrubs. Everyone seemed to hold their breath, knowing all of that blood was Abby's. The doctor walked up to them, and said, "Family of Miss Sciuto?"
"That's us." Tony stated, standing up along with Gibbs, Ziva, McGee and Ducky. The doctor didn't question them as he said,
"I'm sorry, but Miss Sciuto didn't make it. I warned Agent McGee that it was a dangerous wound, and she bled out on the table about a half hour ago…" The rest of the doctor's words fell on deaf ears, as all five of them froze.
Ziva was the first to react, a sob breaking through her tortured façade. She covered her mouth with her hands, and Tony pulled her into a hug, tears slipping down his cheeks. McGee just looked like a confused, lost puppy dog. Tony held out his other arm, and Ziva pulled him into the hug, still sobbing.
"Not Abby…" Tony mumbled, and Ducky could feel the tears streaming down his face.
"Jethro," Ducky said bleakly, and when Gibbs looked at him, he said, "I, I can't do the, the autopsy, I just can't,"
"It's alright, Duck. You don't have to." He said hollowly, and strode into the ER, just going on instinct to find the room where Abby's body was lying.
Tears stream down on your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
He finally found it, and when he barged into the room, he saw a white sheet covering a body. Gibbs stopped short and sucked in a breath of air, struggling to hold his tears back. Slowly he made his feet move until he was standing right next to the bed.
Carefully he reached out and took a hold of her hand. He could see the tattoos on her fingers, and he knew this was Abby, not some random person. His hands shook as he collapsed onto the chair that he had pulled from across the room.
"You said I couldn't replace Shannon and Kelly with my ex-wives, Abby, but I can't replace you either." He whispered, and bowed his head, letting the misery and horror and agony take over in the form of tears and sobs.
Tears stream down on your face
And on your face I...
An hour passed before Gibbs walked out of Abby's room, his eyes fiery and furious. He saw his team all sitting in the chairs, looking completely lost, and the fire was doused for a moment as Gibbs hesitated, and then walked up to McGee. "Where's the man who shot her, Tim?"
"Uh, Metro took him into custody." He said dully, and Gibbs nodded, starting towards the doors.
"We're going with you, boss," Tony said, standing up and still holding Ziva's hand. Gibbs looked at him, and nodded, striding away.
Within a half hour, they were at Metro's lockup, and heard alarms blaring. They got out to see a man running, being chased by a few cops. "Boss, that's the guy," McGee breathed, and all four of them took off after the guy, their guns out.
As if on cue, the four agents raised their guns, took aim and fired twice or three times each. Every single bullet pierced the man's skin, a few in the back, the legs, the head and a few in the arms.
Tony, Ziva and McGee kept running to secure the man with Metro, but Gibbs slowed down and stood there, his gun slack in his hand. He thought taking down the man who had murdered his Abby would bring him some sort of peace, but he should've known better. Killing Pedro Hernandez hadn't helped his grief then, why should killing this piece of trash help his grief now?
A Metro cop came to take his statement and his gun, and he gave both to them without any emotion. And when he went home that night and worked furiously on his new boat, with his two bottles of bourbon, his emotions poured out, in the form of tears, cursing and bellowing Abby's name out in pure misery.
Abby's funeral was a few days later. Those few days were filled of no Gibbs, red eyes on everyone and many people offering their condolences to the team. Ducky was withdrawn, with no more stories. McGee never spoke geek anymore, just a straight up explanation if needed. Tony, well, he was just a lot worse than when Kate died, or when Jenny died, or when Jeanne left. He kept muttering, "It can't get any worse."
The day of Abby's funeral dawned sunny, but many white clouds. It was as if the weather didn't know there was a funeral that day. Gibbs was lying on his bed as the sun rose, the only difference between night and day, as sleep never came. Abby was always in his thoughts, and he could almost feel the hugs she gave him.
His face screwed up and he could feel the hot tears streaming down his face. There was only one other time he felt the way he felt now, when he had shot and killed the bastard who killed Shannon and Kelly. He managed to get to his feet and he stumbled down to his basement, blindly grabbing his gun.
Gibbs wondered why it had taken him that long. He sat there on his half-built boat, the gun's barrel aiming at his face. Sure, he'd had guns in his face before, but this time it was different. It felt like he was back on that beach, sitting on the rocks, a different gun aimed in his face.
Well, slight cliff-hanger there! Only one more chapter to go, and please don't hate me for writing this! I was listening to Fix You, and I kept wondering what would happen to the team if they lost Abby, and this fic was born. Thanks so much for reading, and adios for now!