CHAPTER FIVE:

"What happened here?" Ducky asked when he was called into the lab. He was terrified when they had told him to bring a body bag, until he had been re-assured him that it was Jason Turner finally fulfilling Ducky's wish to know the weight of his liver.

"This is bad." Abby said when all others returned to the squad-room.

"It was self-defence. The camera's tell that and the forensic evidence will easily support that." Gibbs tried wanting to wrap the woman in a hug if she was not busy pacing.

"Not that. We need to talk." Abby said grabbing his arm and dragging him back to the elevator. She closed the doors, pushed the button and then hit the 'emergency stop' when it was between floors.

"What is it, Abs?" He asked worried.

"I think that Jason abused Paige." She said timidly. "Or whoever else was there after Jason took her."

"What?" He said then angrily punched the emergency phone off the wall of the elevator.

"I don't know for sure. But I really do think it." Abby said and then tackle-hugged Gibbs. "I can barely think, it's just tearing me apart."

"It's okay. He's dead now with good reason. We just have to see from Paige now." He said rubbing her back, pushing the anger back slightly.

"So, how are we going to find out?" Abby asked not pulling away from his comforting embrace.

"See if she'll let Ducky examine her."

"Baby, Uncle Ducky is going to check where you're hurt." Abby said as they led the girl into the elevator, ignoring the phone, laying broken on the floor.

"No!" She screamed and backed away from Gibbs and Abby.

"Paige, someone has to. So either Uncle Ducky can or we'll have to take you to the hospital." Gibbs tried calmly.

"I'm fine." She lied.

"No you're not. You said he hurt you. And I believe that he did." Abby said.

"I lied." She tried.

"Well, you are going to see a doctor until I am sure." Abby countered, hating that she had to be so rough to her clearly hurting child. "You decide which one."

"Fine. I'll see Uncle Ducky." Paige finally said and they could tell she was not happy at all.

"Good. Thank you."

"What are we going to do if he did something to her?" Abby asked as they sat alone in the lab.

"Well, he's dead so there's nothing we can do about that. And we could get Paige into counselling or something. We don't even know if he did anything." Gibbs said. "And look into who this other person is that you said she mentioned."

"Sorry, I thought you would be in autopsy with Paige." Kate interrupted.

"She's mad at us, and feels comfortable enough with Ducky." Abby explained. "What do you need?"

"I just wanted to leave this report here for you." Kate said quietly knowing that she had interrupted something serious.

"Thanks." Abby said tonelessly.

"Is everything okay?"

"Honestly? Part of my lab is closed off as a crime scene, my daughter is in autopsy being tested to see if her biological father molested her, and I can't touch all this evidence to prove that Jason's death was self-defence." Abby started, ignoring Gibbs' signs to calm down. "Gotta say, I've been better."

"So, how did you know this bastard anyway?" Tony asked.

"We lived in the same neighborhood for a while. We practically grew up together but I never knew about him having a child. Or about Abby." McGee explained.

"Never anything?"

"No. He never said anything. And even when Abby was telling me today about Paige and Jason, she never said his name and so I still didn't know."

"Well?" Abby asked when Ducky finally walked into her lab.

"I'm sorry." He said genuinely.

"No." Abby said in denial.

"Yes. I'm afraid that there were definite signs of abuse." He said and they could tell it was affecting him too, and that he had most likely delayed the delivery of the news.

"How bad, Duck?" Gibbs asked still holding Abby close.

"Non-penetrative, but was likely leading up to it. Have convinced her to let me take her to a doctor friend of mine. She refused to go the hospital, but my friend is qualified and won't terrify her. But I wanted to make sure that was okay with you two first."

"That's fine, Ducky." Abby said hugging the older man in the way that she did to many people. "If that's the only way she'll go then I'm fine with that."

"I'm afraid that isn't perfect in my eyes." Gibbs interjected.

"What?" Abby asked, letting go of Ducky.

"I'm going too. We're not talking about him taking Paige to the dentist." He said.

"I know that. But if she feels comfortable enough to go with Ducky then what's the problem?" Abby asked. Gibbs recognized that look and knew he could very easily cross the line with her at any second.

"Her parents should be with her too, is all I am saying." Gibbs tried.

"Who said we weren't gonna be there?" Abby asked.

"I'm confused." Gibbs said rubbing his temples. This was all getting too much for him.

"Me too, I must say." Ducky added.

"Let me talk to Paige. Don't worry." Abby said and the hurt was still so evident on her face. But she was definitely in shock too, Ducky concluded. And he knew that as soon as Abby left the lab that Gibbs was going to throw the nearest object into something that would break it.

"Baby-girl." Abby said when she silently entered autopsy. The little girl was sitting on an autopsy table with her legs dangling off the side. She didn't look up as her mother got up and sat next to her. "Talk to me, Paige."

"No."

"Why not?" Abby asked knowing that it had to happen, and angering her would prevent her from closing up and acting like nothing was wrong.

"You made me see Uncle Ducky. Now he's taking me to another man to embarrass me. I didn't want any of this." She said getting louder at the end.

"I know that. And I never wanted any of this to happen to you. I tried to do everything to keep you from getting hurt." Abby said looking down too, matching her daughter's demeanour.

"I know."

"And I would have taken your place without hesitation if I could. What he did to you is absolutely horrible and I can't believe it happened." Abby said sadly.

"Yeah."

"And I regret every day of that man ever being in my life but if he wasn't then I wouldn't have you and that would be worst than anything."

"What do you mean?" Paige asked looking up at Abby. Abby could tell that she had been crying earlier, her green eyes now red and bloodshot.

"It's a really complicated story that Dad and I will explain to you one day." Abby promised.

"I just really don't want to talk about it, Duck." Gibbs said after Ducky had tried to get him to express himself about the new information. "Would I have still shot him if I knew? Definitely. But I would have made him suffer first. Very badly." He said coldly. Abby was going to be pissed about the test-tube rack, that once held many test-tubes, which was now shattered all over her floor. But she would understand.

"Okay, when you are ready to talk about it... " Ducky offered, giving the ex-Marine a pat on the shoulder.

"I know, Duck. Thank you."

"What do you want to talk about?" Ducky asked.

"Anything else." He said simply.

"How much does everyone know about you and Abby?" Ducky asked and a smile scarily crept onto Gibbs' face.

"Not much."

**FLASHBACK**

"JT, what brings you to these parts?" McGee asked when he opened his apartment door to his old friend.

"You know me." He simply said entering the apartment.

"It's a girl, isn't it?" McGee asked as the response to the comment.

"See, I knew you knew me." Jason laughed.

"What's this one's name?"

"I honestly can't remember."

"You never change do you, JT?" McGee said laughing.

"You really do know me, Timothy." He teased.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Abby asked before she slammed the door on Jason.

"You can't ask a question then shut the person out." She heard muffled from the other side of the door.

"Go away!" She yelled and Paige started to cry.

"I'm here to see my daughter." He tried, and the door swung open.

"Your daughter? I'm sorry, I don't know what illusion you are under but unless you've impregnated some other poor soul, you don't have a daughter." She yelled and Paige continued to cry.

"You're upsetting her. I only want to help."

"I needed your help when I got kicked out. I needed you when I went into labor five weeks early, thanks to you, while I was still working to support myself and a baby. Now I don't need you." She said about to slam the door again.

"Abby, I am sorry for what I did to you but I just want to be a good dad." He tried.

"Even if I gave you the chance, you being a good dad is not really possible." Abby finally said locking the door on his before he could say anything else.

**END OF FLASHBACK**