Disclaimer: Nothing in this chapter is mine...except for "Michael". He's all mine D

After Tony sent McGee and Ziva home to sleep, he remained alone at his desk gazing at the face of Kara Monaghan. He did his best work at night, he'd always said, but now it was much more than that. Tony was worried...worried, confused, and scared as hell. What were they missing? Tony readjusted his goose neck lamp closer to the desk, and he hunched over in his chair, gazing deeply into the photograph, desperately searching for any sort of resolution in her eyes. Hell...Ducky was able to do it...why not him?

"What is it about your story that's stumping us, sweetheart?" Tony asked her smiling face. "What haven't we figured out?"

Frustrated, and very sleepy, Tony kicked himself away from his desk. He propped his feet up on the corner of his desk, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his face. Nothing about this whole situation made sense. All he knew was that Abby had been kidnapped by two men who told NCIS to re-evaluate the Garrett case...which resulted in no new evidence that could lead them to save her. Tony also knew that he had physically and emotionally ill since the kidnapper's phone call...Abby's screams still echoing in his head.

Tony loved Abby...she was more family to him than he ever had growing up. When Tony first joined NCIS, fresh from the Philadelphia police force, he would never, ever admit it, but he was a tiny bit scared of Gibbs. In fact, he scared the crap out of him. Besides...he was a probie. Stan had just left Gibbs' team to go on to bigger and better things, leaving Tony to endure the awkward "fitting in" stage and the constant ridicule that came with the Probie title. Despite Tony's excellent skill of fronting his emotions, his past childhood and adolescent experiences made it difficult for his psyche to endure the constant abuse without a form of separation.

That was Abby.

Tony had taken about all he could stand one Friday afternoon within his first three months, and he calmly made his way to elevator, where he then proceeded to kick the walls and door mecilessly to vent his anger and frustration as he traveled downwards. He was so focused on his emotions that he never noticed the intensifying pain in his big toe; nor that the elevator doors had opened with Abby at the threshold, eyebrows raised and fighting the giggles.

When Tony noticed Abby grinning at him, he froze mid-kick and grinned sheepishly. "Hi," he said quietly.

Abby cocked her head to the side. "Bad day?"

Tony shrugged and flashed his lopsided grin. "Does it show?"

"Come on!" Abby cried, grabbing his hand and pulling him from the elevator and into her lab. She sat Tony down in her rolling chair in front of her computer, which was busy scanning through some information. "Sit up," she commanded in her playful tone. "Feet up in the chair."

Tony chucked lightly as he pulled his legs up under him so that he was sitting indian style in the small seat. Abby then walked to his back and began pushing the chair around the large table in the middle of the room as if it were a wheelchair.

"Okay you," she said, playfully tousling his hair. "Spill. What's wong."

Tony sighed. He wasn't one to really divulge his feelings, but there was something about Abby that just made him feel...comfortable. Like he could tell her anything and it would never leave her lab and reach anyone else's ears.

"Is Gibbs always like that?"

"How so? Quiet? Brooding? Like he could kill you instantly without a second thought...with his pinky?" Abby replied as she rounded a corner.

Tony laughed. "Yeah, exactly! And what's with Michael? Damn prick thinks he can kick me around like some puppy. Sure, I haven't gotten completely up to speed on everything around here yet, but he doesn't have to rub it in my face every damn second he gets chance!" Tony was half-yelling, venting out his aggression.

Abby sighed. "Ah...the squadroom hierarchy." Abby stopped pushing and draped her arms around Tony's neck from behind. "Listen to me Tony. Face it, you're a Probie. And with that comes being the butt of Michael's jokes, schlepping for Gibbs, and the constant criticism. They'll see what a great agent you are eventually. But...there is a bright side to this."

"And what could that possibly be?" Tony muttered.

"One day, you're going to be Gibbs' senior agent. Which means one day there's going to be a new Probie around here," Abby replied with a mischievious glint in her eye.

Tony's eyes brightened and soon had the same mischievious glint. "Yeah..."

"Which means you can torture him the way Michael's torturing you. It's just a rite of passage. Just wait, and you'll be able to transfer your anger to the next unsuspecting newbie."

Tony leaned his against against hers quickly and smiled. He got up from the chair and faced Abby.

"Thanks Abby," he said earnestly. "Ya know, you're not all bad for a goth."

Abby smiled sarcastically and punched his arm playfully, "Damn straight I'm not. Hey, wanna grab a beer tonight? I know this great bar around the corner. Come down on your way out?"

"Yeah, that sounds fun."

Tony had drifted off to sleep, but awoke several hours later, nearly falling out of his chair. Ziva had come into the squadroom and the sound of her stuff slamming against her desk startled Tony awake.

Ziva laughed slightly. "You didn't go home last night?"

"No...was trying to get a little farther," Tony replied groggily. "What time is it?"

"It's 0600," Ziva replied, pulling a chair over to Tony's desk and sitting.

"Where's McGee?" Tony asked, standing and stretching out his stiff joints.

Ziva shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think he's here yet."

"I hope he had a chance to sleep last night," Tony muttered quietly as he picked up the phone and dialed McGee's apartment phone. The phone rang though to the answering machine. "Hmm...he's not home. Guess he's on his way here." Tony clicked the line dead, then dialed McGee's cell number. It rang twice before the line picked up.

"McGee," Tony said. "Good, you're on your way."

"I'm sorry, Agent McGee can't come to the phone right now," a strange voice answered. Tony immediately recognized his voice as Abby's kidnapper. "He's a little indisposed."

"You bastard...what did you do with him?!"