8:00a.m. That Morning

The whole Navy Yard had been quiet for the last week. Many people had developed theories but the most common seemed to be the simple time of the season. It was that strange period between November and December when people were too busy to commit petty crimes and were really spending their time gearing up for the outlandish crimes. McGee yawned at his computer, the monotony of the day already threatening to bore him to tears as he slogged through the bits and pieces of another cold-case that Gibbs' team had been assigned. He knew life was being cruel when he found himself wishing for some dry paperwork to fill out in place of re-working tired and tried evidence. Had he really only been at work for forty-five minutes? DiNozzo had sauntered in just as reluctantly as McGee had managed. He took his time removing his jacket and arranging his desk; his fiddling only stopped when he caught his reflection in the lenses of his sunglasses. He smiled broadly at himself.

"Damn Tony!" he beamed to no one in particular.

"Damn indeed Tony. How can you look like that when you've just awoken? "Ziva huffed as she hurried to her desk before it got any later.

"Or so close to breakfast?" McGee added.

"Oh har har Probie, come up with that all by yourself?" Tony defended as he shot a paper ball at Tim's head.

"Children…" Gibbs warned as he caught the ball while getting to his desk.

"Boss there has got to be something to do today besides sifting through all this crap," Tony whined as he lay back in his chair.

"Already outta paperwork DiNozzo?" Gibbs responded dryly.

"Two days ago."

"Damn, kid must be bored," Gibbs mused. He sighed as he mimicked Tony and leaned back in his chair too.

"I know you guys want something to do about as badly as I do, but maybe this break will help us refine our tools for being better agents," he read from a memo from the director that he'd just spotted on his oddly immaculate desk.

"What?" DiNozzo quipped.

"Is this a note for a labor store?" Ziva asked, eyes slightly enlarged in terror. Workshops were dreaded things at any workplace. DiNozzo sat and worked 'labor store' around in his mouth for a while.

"No it's not a workshop. The director must be as bored as we." They continued much in this manner for the rest of the morning. All took an extended lunch and begrudgingly returned to the office. There they repaired another old case and prepared the evidence for Abby to retest. Ziva, McGee, and DiNozzo offered to walk the evidence to the lab as it would give them a chance to get out of their seats for something other than dawdling to the head and back. Gibbs smirked inwardly and told them to divide the load so they wouldn't strain themselves. The three bounced gleefully to the elevators like a stampede of giddy foals… or elephants.

"Abby!" Ziva shouted over the music as soon as the elevator doors opened.

"We've presents!" McGee added. They trailed into the lab and found everything in place except for the lab's mistress.

"I wonder where…"

"Hey guys! What can I do for you?" Abby chirped as she emerged from her office. She cleared her throat for a moment when no one answered her.

"We brought some more evidence to re-evaluate," Ziva answered softly, her eyes never leaving the young woman's body. She took a step toward her examination table but stopped when she noticed that her three friends were not moving with her.

"What? Is there something in my teeth?" Abby asked as she felt their stares boring into her. The three shook themselves out of their stupor.

"No, no you just don't usually wear green and this might be the most color we've ever seen on you at one time," DiNozzo lied smoothly. Abby smiled widely.

"Thanks Tony! I picked it up at a swap meet not too long ago and I just finished making it much cooler," she boasted when she turned to show that she had "Bedazzled" an open mouthed "Dia de los Muertos" style skull with NCIS in the mouth over the back of the track jacket.

"That's very creative Abby," Ziva smiled as she patted her back. She felt the slightest flinch from the girl and though slightly startled, did not react in a distracting way. Ziva made a mental note to ask the goth about that later.

"So what did you bring me?" McGee took her through the evidence. Every so often his eyes would dart to her face and he would think a little harder on what could have possibly made her look so, dead. They chatted for another ten minutes before the three field agents reluctantly decided to go back to Gibbs.

"Go keep Gibbs company. He doesn't like to be alone," Abby pushed when they complained about the dullness and quietness of the office.

"Tony I just know that you can take your creative little mind and make it more interesting up there for a few more hours."

"This might be beyond my powers Abs." She handed him a whoopee cushion and a small water pistol from her locker.

"Use wisely," she said with enough seriousness to force smiles on their faces. Horns appeared on DiNozzo's head as he raced back to the elevators.

"Man I hope this water gun is ready for action!" He yelled. Ziva's eyes grew.

"Abby what have you done?" she laughed as she moved towards the elevators as well.

"Oh Tony, remember I can kill you without anyone finding your body!" she yelled after him. Tim turned to follow but stopped himself before he chickened out completely.

"Please don't be upset, but are you ok?" he asked gently. Abby looked at him with blank eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be…oh the makeup! Is it too much? A little overkill for work, huh?" she asked a smile resting on her lips. McGee really wanted to believe her. For now he decided to play along, knowing that she would let him know later when they were away from the prying eyes of friends and co-workers.

"Oh it's makeup. Very convincing," he drawled rather sarcastically. He could see that she was gearing up to explode at him but he watched the fire die just as quickly. She replaced her smile with a smirk and turned to the evidence table.

"I'm going to pretend to work now." With this, McGee nodded, gently rubbed her back, and went back to the office "pit."

Present Time

Tim sighed for the millionth time as he wove through the tight one-way streets of Sarah's college campus. He wondered why that little conversation in the lab this morning, or rather yesterday morning, felt like it had happened weeks ago. Nothing was adding up and his investigator's brain wanted to search for the clues, but his realistic brain just wanted the truth, quickly.

Sarah spotted his car from the door to her dorm and she walked lightly out to meet him.

"Hey Tim," she said weakly as she hopped into the car. The cold air trailed her inside, and for a moment he wondered if the cold was coming from her or the wind. Absently, he turned the heat up. He gently patted her knee and turned the car back toward Abby's apartment. The ride back was quiet and tense. The walk upstairs was no different and with each step Tim found himself dreading this conversation more and more. What could she possibly be so upset about? Why was his baby sister hurting so much? Why couldn't he do his job as big brother and help her?

"We have to stay quiet; Abby is asleep," he whispered as he unlocked Abby's door. Sarah nodded and followed him into the warmth. She smiled as she sat on the couch and tucked her feet under her.

"It still shocks me when I come in here. The door is so normal," she chattered nervously. Tim nodded.

"How many times have you been over here?" he asked, his investigator's brain starting to turn on.

"Tim, I didn't come here to be interrogated. I came here to clear Abby in your eyes. Everything is my fault."

"Don't say that, I'm sure that whatever happened…"

"No really, Abby is the victim here." Tim swallowed hard. How could they both be protecting each other so fiercely? When had he fallen so far out of the sphere? He closed his eyes and settled into the corner of the couch.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked, confused by her brother's reaction. Where she thought he would question her more, he simply gave up.

"A lot is wrong here Sarah, but I don't know where to start. My sister is sitting here telling me that my girlfriend, at least I think she's my girlfriend, is a victim; she is saying the same about you. You look like you're not doing well and I'm worried. My girlfriend was stabbed tonight and is refusing actual medical care and for some reason I can't make her go to the hospital. Oh, and most importantly, I still have no idea what the fuck is going on." He really wanted to get worked up but the argument earlier had just taken the bite right out of him.

"I'm so, so sorry Timmy…what do you mean she didn't go to the hospital?" Sarah's eyes widened and she started to move off of the couch and towards Abby's room.

"It's ok, leave her to rest." Sarah turned to look at him as if he'd grown another head.

"The cut was shallow and she didn't lose much blood. We had a friend give her a few stitches and she is going to see another professional tomorrow."

"You're lying."

"What?"

"Look at me and tell me what happened again." She hissed; torn between panic and anger. Tim looked at the floor in front of him.

"Sarah it's under control. Please sit back down here and tell me what has been going on. I can't take the suspense any more." She took another step towards Abby's room and stopped.

"Can I just see if she's ok?" she whispered.

"Just be quiet." He responded just as quietly. Sarah slowly opened Abby's door and moved to look at the woman who had helped her so much over the semester. The woman she had tormented all semester. In the half light from the hallway she looked too young to be out of high school and too old for her own good. Sarah stared at her until she was sure that the woman was breathing. She was afraid to touch her but knew that if she didn't she wouldn't be able to calm herself and talk to Tim. Gently, she felt her forehead to check for fever and was relieved when her temperature felt normal. She returned to the living room as quietly as she'd left and sat in the other corner of the couch.

"Ok?" Tim asked.

"Me or Abby?"

"Both."

"Just peachy." More silence. He looked at the clock and wanted to punch it. How dare it read 3:15 in the morning.

"I suppose I could start at the beginning." Tim turned to look at his sister and made himself as comfortable as possible.

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Wow, another chapter. This is a miracle in my book.