Tim and Abby were lying on the couch in their living room. Abby's head was resting on Tim's chest while she traced her fingers along the lines of his hands. Tim knew she was thinking. Abby always played with her hands when she was in deep thought, recently however she began to trace his while she thought.
"What are you thinking about Abs?" Tim asked softly, not wanting to wake up Caitlin who was asleep in the rocking chair across the room.
Abby sighed. "Things." She responded simply.
"What kind of things?" Tim asked curiously. Abby turned away from him and ignored the question. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"
"Tim shut up." Abby snapped. "I'm going to bed."
"I'll be up…" Tim began to call after her.
"Don't. Sleep down here." Abby advised.
Tim sighed in defeat. "Caitlin… I know you're awake."
Caitlin sat up in the chair. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop." Caitlin said softly.
"Don't worry about it Katie." Tim said through a yawn. "You should probably head up to your room. Would you check on Stace for me?"
Caitlin nodded before running up the stairs. She pressed the blue button outside her door before opening it. She saw her younger sister sitting on her bed curled up with her laptop, fast asleep. Caitlin made her way back into the hallway and was about to go into her room when she heard a soft sobbing coming from her parent's bedroom.
She carefully snuck around the door frame and saw her mother's shaking figure curled in the middle of her parent's bed. Caitlin stood there wide-eyed for a moment before running back down the stairs, nearly slipping on the wood because of her socks.
"Caitlin it's almost midnight you need to…" Tim began.
"Mom's crying." Caitlin said quietly.
"Is she okay?" Tim asked setting down the blanket he was holding.
"I have no idea…" Caitlin said as she watched her dad run up the stairs skipping every-other step.
Tim knocked gently on the doorframe. "Abby?" he asked quietly.
"Go away!" Abby cried before burying her face in her pillow.
Tim gave her a moment alone by going into his closet to change into his pajamas. He then returned to their bedroom and sat down next to Abby on their bed. "Abby I'm here…" He said softly as he ran his fingers through her hair. Abby pushed his hands away and edged her way out of the bed.
"Abs… don't go I will." Tim said softly.
Abby shook her head. "I'm already up… just leave me alone." Abby said as she grabbed her keys and wallet from the dresser.
Tim put his face in his hands. This is going to be a long five months…
Abby slowly made her way through Gibbs' house until she made it to the slightly open door to his basement. She pushed the door open. "Gibbs?" She asked softly.
Gibbs looked up. "Abby." He said, successfully hiding the surprise in his voice.
"Can I come in?" She asked timidly.
"I keep telling you this Abby, you're already in aren't you?" Gibbs said as he picked up a chisel. Abby shrugged before making her way down the stairs and sitting on a wooden stool. "What's wrong Abby?"
"Why does something have to be wrong?" Abby tried so sound innocent.
Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "Abby it's one in the morning." He pointed out.
"So that means something's wrong?" She asked as she played with her fingernails.
Gibbs sighed and set down his tool before moving to sit on the stool next to Abby. "Did Tim do something?" Abby shook her head. "Caitlin or Stacey?" Once again, her head indicated a no. "Then you're going to have to tell me what's wrong."
"I feel… uneasy." Abby admitted. "Like something's wrong."
Gibbs sighed. "You really should talk to Mcgee about this stuff Abby…"
Abby shook her head. "I can't tell him."
"Abby…"
"I think… I think I might be losing the baby." Abby admitted softly.
Gibbs stood up immediately, thankful that for the first time in his life he hadn't been drinking while working on his boat. "Come on Abby we're going to the hospital, now."
Abby nodded as Gibbs helped her off the stool and up the stairs. Twenty minutes later he was helping her out of his car at the hospital. As soon as she was sitting down he ran to the receptionist. "I called about twenty minutes ago, Abigail Mcgee is here."
"Yes… they have an ultrasound ready to go." The receptionist informed him. "I'll page an ultrasound technician she should be down…"
"I'm right here." Gibbs looked up and was surprised to see a familiar face.
"Jeanne?" Gibbs said keeping his voice even.
"Agent Gibbs." She addressed him. "Where's Abby?" She asked very straightforwardly. "If there is something wrong with her pregnancy, every minute counts."
Gibbs nodded before directing her to Abby. "Hello Abby my name is…"
"Jeanne Benoit." Abby cut her off.
"Actually it's Jeanne Peterson now, I got married last year." She corrected her. "Alright I'd like to perform an ultrasound to see what's going on."Abby nodded despite her uncomforting past with the woman next to her. "Have you been feeling any pain?" She asked as she pushed Abby to the ultrasound in a wheelchair.
"Yes. This morning I began cramping but I thought it was just the baby growing." Abby admitted. "I started getting nauseated this evening and the cramping got worse."
Jeanne nodded as she helped Abby onto the examination Table. "Alright can you please pull your shirt up?" She requested and Abby immediately obliged. "This might be a bit cold…" She warned as she put on the ultrasound gel and began examining. She was quiet for several moments before she spoke up. "I have good news, and bad news."
"Good news?" Abby asked, fearing the bad news.
"You have a perfectly healthy baby." Jeanne informed her quietly.
Gibbs looked at her curiously. "Then what's the bad news?"
"It appears you were carrying twins Abby… One of them has no heartbeat." Jeanne said regretfully.
Abby bit her lip and grasped onto Gibbs' hand. "What… what does that mean for the surviving twin?" Abby asked trying to keep the tears in her eyes.
"Well you're about fifteen weeks along correct?" Jeanne asked as she carefully wiped off the ultrasound gel. Abby nodded. "Well… assuming that there are no further complications with this pregnancy you should be able to carry both twins until birth even though the deceased fetus won't be developing."
"Abby… I should call Tim." Gibbs said quietly.
Abby shook her head. "I don't want him to know Gibbs."
Jeanne looked at the two of them. "Abby it's going to be hard emotionally for you during this pregnancy. It's important that…"
"No." Abby insisted. "The cramping should go away and the baby and I should be fine right?"
"Well… yes." Jeanne replied.
"I don't want Tim to know." Abby replied. "What can I do to ensure my OBGYN doesn't bring it up while he's in the room?"
Jeanne looked at her eyes wide. "You'd have to talk to your doctor…"
Abby nodded. "When can I go home?"
"You just need to fill out these papers." Jeanne said uncomfortably.
Gibbs looked at Abby. "Abby you have to tell him."
Abby shook her head. "For once… something can go right for him. He deserves to be happy."
"You deserve the support… and when he finds out…" Gibbs began.
"He's not going to find out." Abby assured him.
"What happens when you give birth to…" Gibbs began.
"SHUT UP!" Abby snapped at him before handing the papers back to Jeanne. "Take me home." She said a few moments later.
Gibbs nodded and helped her into the wheelchair.
"Abby you really should…" Gibbs tried one last time as he pulled up in front of her house.
Abby shook her head. "I'll be fine Gibbs… but you need to promise me you won't tell Tim."
"Abby…you're carrying a…"
Abby opened her door and slammed it shut before he could continue. She made her way up the front porch and through the front door.
"Abby?" Tim asked in surprise.
"Yeah I live here…" Abby replied.
"I just kind of thought you'd come in through the garage… you did take your car." He pointed out.
"I'm tired. I asked Gibbs to drive me home." Abby covered quickly.
Tim gave her a glance of disbelief. "It's six Abs..."
"I couldn't fall asleep…" Abby lied.
"Abby you were falling asleep all day yesterday." Tim pointed out.
"What is this? Why are you interrogating me?" Abby asked realizing her emotions were slipping.
Tim sighed. "I'm sorry Abs…"
"Look I'm going to go to bed." She said as she tried not to wince.
"Should I tell Gibbs you're not coming in today?" Tim asked as she headed for the stairs.
Abby stopped and gripped onto the stair handrail. "No… he knows."
Tim could tell something was wrong. "Abby what's wrong?"
Abby shook her head. "Nothing… I'm fine." She lied through her teeth.
"Abby you're not fine…" Tim said quietly as he moved toward her.
Abby shook her head. "I'm fine Tim." She insisted.
"Abby we should take you to the hospital…" Tim said gently.
Abby shook her head. "No Tim… It's fine… I'm fine."
"Abby!" Tim protested.
"I'm fine… everything is fine." Abby insisted. "I'm going to go to bed…"
Tim looked at her, sensing she wasn't telling him something. "Abby."
"MCGEE!" Abby snapped angrily. "I just need… to be alone." She said before making her way up the stairs and slamming the bedroom door behind her.
Abby sat down in the middle of her bed and pulled her shirt up pressing her hands to her hard bump. "It's okay baby… I'm going to take good care of you…" She promised softly before curling into a fetal position and falling asleep.
Caitlin had woken up when her mom slammed her bedroom door. She got out of bed and made her way down the stairs.
"Hey Caitlin." Tim greeted her.
"Is mom alright?" Caitlin asked as she grabbed a box of cereal from the cupboard above the refrigerator.
"Don't worry about it Caitlin." Tim instructed his daughter.
"Well is she taking me to talk to my school counselor about going back today?" Caitlin asked as she searched around the fridge for a gallon of milk.
"That's today?" Tim asked. "Uh… I don't think she'll be up to it… But I'll leave work early… When's Stace's? I keep forgetting."
"Two hours before mine…" Caitlin replied with a smirk.
"Alright… Yours is at…?" Tim asked as he began to get Anastasia's breakfast ready.
"Ten…" Caitlin replied with another smirk.
"You mean Stace's is at eight?" Tim asked as he eyed the clock that was nearing six-thirty.
"Yup." Caitlin replied as she watched her dad run up the stairs.
Tim pressed the button outside her room multiple times before going in. He saw his daughter still fast asleep. Tim gently began to shake her awake.
Go away. Anastasia signed at him as she hid her face in her pillow.
Tim pulled her face out and had her look at him. We have to leave to be at your school in forty-five minutes.
Anastasia groaned but got up anyway. I've got breakfast downstairs waiting… so just get ready to go. Tim signed before heading back downstairs.
"Caitlin we've got to leave in forty-five minutes so get ready." Tim said as he re-entered the kitchen.
Caitlin's eyes widened and she quickly scarfed down the rest of her cereal before running up the stairs to get ready.
Tim pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Gibbs' number. "Mcgee where are you?" Gibbs' voice came through the phone.
"Abby's not coming into work today… and she locked herself in her bedroom. Caitlin and Anastasia both have appointments with their school counselors this morning so I'm not going to be in until this afternoon." Tim explained.
"Alright Mcgee." Gibbs said, sounding like he wanted to add something.
"Gibbs? Do you know what's going on with Abby?" Tim asked.
"Mcgee you know I'm not going to tell you anything she won't tell you herself." Gibbs replied, hiding the regret from his voice.
Tim sighed before hanging up the phone. What are we doing?
"Sorry I'm late Gibbs." Tim said as he put his badge in his desk drawer.
"It's fine Tim." Gibbs replied without thinking much about it.
"Oh so he can show up five hours late and it's fine. But I show up twenty minutes late and I'm stuck on paperwork duty?" Tony asked in disbelief.
"DiNozzo you want paperwork duty again tomorrow?" Gibbs asked sharply.
Tony looked at him curiously but decided it would be better to just keep working.
It was nearing five o'clock when Tim's phone interrupted the silence in the bullpen that had been present for nearly four hours. "Mcgee." Tim said into his desk phone not taking his eyes away from his computer.
"Timmy?" Abby's voice came through the phone, along with a few sobs.
"Abby what's wrong?" Tim asked, and at this Gibbs looked up his eyes wide.
"It hurts Timmy…It really hurts." Abby said through her tears.
"What hurts?" He asked as he began to search his desk area for his keys.
"Timmy…" Abby replied before she let out a moan.
"Alright Abby hang tight I'm on my way." Tim said slamming his phone down.
"Is she alright?"Gibbs asked immediately.
"I don't know… She says she's in pain but she won't say why." Tim said as he found his badge and SIG and grabbed his jacket.
Gibbs sighed. "Don't worry about coming in tomorrow Tim." Gibbs said as he watched his agent head toward the elevator.
"Gibbs what aren't you telling me?" Tim asked obviously frustrated.
Gibbs sighed. "I can't tell you Tim… but Abby needs you."
Tim rolled his eyes. "If she's not okay…" He said under his breath.
"She'll be fine Tim." Gibbs assured him.
"I have to go." Tim said as the elevator arrived. "I'll call you to let you know if we're coming in tomorrow." He said right before the doors slid shut.
Tim took in a deep breath before sliding down to the elevator floor. Abby…Please let Abby and the baby be okay. Please…
Author's Note: Alright… this is a bit shorter than I wanted but my spacebar is breaking… so I have to hit it ridiculously hard in order for it to work :P So I cut this a little short. I'm going to try and get it fixed this weekend so you shouldn't take too long for another update. Thanks so much to my reviewers! Please Review!