Chapter Four
Abby braced herself against the bathroom sink as Gibbs gently dabbed solvent solution on her head. She hadn't said a word since they arrived at his hotel room, just obeyed his commands as he gentle tested her arm and ribs to see if they were broken.
"You don't seem to have concussion but you will hurt for a few days" was all Gibbs said as he cleared up the mess he had made.
"Nothing new there" Abby whispered under her breath as she turned to gather her things together. She heard him stop his movements and slowly stand in front of her. Abby made as if she hadn't said anything, putting her shoes back on and readjusting her dress.
"Anyway thanks for your help, I'll be out of your way now." She made to move around him, not looking at him but calculating now many steps it would be to the door.
"Susie, why you doing this? Your a beautiful, articulate and intelligent girl. You got beat up pretty bad this time, don't you think you should stop, next time you might not be so lucky". Gibbs was trying really hard not to patronise her, to make her listen to how worried he was about her line of work.
All Abby could hear was the disappointment in his voice. How dare he question her way of life. It wasn't like he actually knew her, what she had to do to get by and make her life better.
"Look AGENT GIBBS, thanks for all your help but that does not now give you the right to question what I do! I appreciate everything but you don't know me." With that she rushed past him and had reached his door when she heard him.
"I'm sorry Susie that was out of order."
She turned round to face him, back resting against the door. She seemed to contemplate him for a long while as if trying to work out if he was being serious, whether he was generally concerned enough to actually apologising. The master of tells in her took in the way he was standing, the way his hands were open and the look in his eyes. Slowly a smirk crossed her face.
" Don't apologies its a sign of weakness."
Gibbs returned the smile at the sound of his own words.
"My old man told me that once."
" He must have been a wise man then. Look Susie, take my card, if you ever need anything just call me. At least it gives me piece of mind that if you do need help you will call."
Abby took the card from his out stretched hand and turned to leave, stopping when she had the door handle in her hand. "Its Abby, my name. Abby."
The clock said 7 am when Abby finally reached her apartment door. She quietly turned the keys in the lock and tip-toed to her room so as not to wake her room-mates. Once the door was closed she stood in front of her mirror and slowly undressed herself. As the dress peeled away she could make out the first signs of bruising on her collar bone and her arm ached when she tried to lift it up. She was glad that Gibbs had checked her over, a trip to the emergency room was not something that she could afford at the moment epically as she would not be able to work for a few weeks until the bruising had gone down.
She reached for her pajamas and made her way to the bathroom. All she could think of was going to bed and sleeping for a few hours before school when the crying started. She stood in the door way, her head leaning against the door frame before turning back around and entering her bedroom once more.