Abby dreaded going to work on Friday. She wasn't sure what time Hollis would arrive, but she knew it would be at some point during the day. She had been feeling a bit better, a bit more relaxed after the night she broke down crying in bed with Gibbs.

They met Tony in the parking lot and rode up to the bullpen together – Gibbs standing slightly in front, a slight smirk on his face while Abby and Tony chatted happily over the newest episode of their favorite reality show.

"She was a total bitch, I'm glad she was voted off." Abby huffed.

"Oh, I know." Tony agreed before he and Abby stepped off the elevator behind Gibbs. Gibbs was the first to spot Hollis as she stood in front of the plasma beside Fornell. McGee sat at his desk eyeing her cautiously and grimaced when he saw Gibbs, Abby and Tony exit the elevator. "Speaking of bitch…" Tony muttered under his breath.

Abby heard him and gave him a curious look before Hollis' voice carried over.

"Jethro," Hollis sounded relieved. "I'm so glad you're okay. I wish Tobias had called and filled me in earlier. I would've come to visit you in the hospital."

Gibbs froze momentarily when Hollis pulled him into an awkward hug. "Uh, thanks. I'm fine."

Tony grabbed Abby's hand. Behind them the elevator dinged again, and Tony was relieved to see Ziva step out. If anything, he knew Ziva could would take on Hollis if need be.

Gibbs stepped around Hollis and went to his desk, shooting a look to Fornell in the process. Fornell easily read the look on his face as a 'a little warning before her arrival would've been appreciated'. Fornell had been busy.

"Abby." Hollis greeted her coolly.

"Hollis." Abby returned the greeting and moved towards Gibbs' desk. Much to the delight of everyone except Hollis, Abby leaned across Gibbs desk to kiss him before walking towards the back elevator, a little extra swing in her step. Tony struggled to keep from saying one of several inappropriate comments that popped into his brain, and instead tossed his bag behind his desk and headed after Abby – Ziva and McGee not far behind.

Hollis waited until the team had rounded the corner. "Physically, you might be okay, but I know you won't be fine until whoever did this is locked up or six feet under. I'm here to help."

Gibbs nodded. He hated to think that she was right, but he knew she was. He would go to the end of the earth to find whoever did this to him and Abby. If it had just been about him, it was one thing, but since Abby had been hurt too… he couldn't lose her because of a beef that someone had with him.

Hollis moved closer and perched on the edge of his desk. "My old team will be here within the hour and then we can call up your people and get started. Don't worry. We'll get this bastard."

---

Tony, Ziva, McGee and Abby rode the elevator to the lab in silence. It wasn't until they stepped into the lab that Abby turned to them. "Did you see how she hugged him? Okay, so I'm all about hugging, but her… hugging him..? I just..." Abby sighed.

Tony pulled her into a tight hug and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You just hate her, we all do. She's a bitch."

"I could always…"

Ziva was cut off by McGee, Abby and Tony. "No!"

"Well, she's caused so much trouble…" Ziva defended herself.

Abby pulled away from Tony and hugged Ziva. "I know. And I'm thankful that I've got you as a friend and not an enemy. As much as I don't like her, she's here to help solve the case. The faster the case is solved, the faster we can get back to our lives."

The four hung out in Abby's lab until her phone rang and Gibbs asked them to return to the bull pen. They stepped out of the elevator and rounded the corner as a group. Mann's team was already assembled, and Abby wondered why Fornell was still hanging around, although she figured he was helping 'as a friend' rather than as an FBI representative. Hollis made introductions, vaguely pointing to everyone on Gibbs team.

"I've got the paper work. I think Ziva and Tony can pair up to work with the bank statements. McGee you can work with them on the paper trail from the bank. I've got Johns and Harper who will take a deeper look into Sharif's contacts; they did the paperwork for it the first time around when we were after Sharif. Abby," Hollis turned to look directly at Abby. "I think since you were involved in the crash, you should be removed from the case. We'll bring in my forensic specialist Conner McFayle to work in the lab."

Tony was fairly sure he heard Abby's jaw hitting the floor, and Gibbs cringed. They had spoken of combining teams, and that Hollis would be in charge out in the field until he was cleared, but there had been no mention of taking Abby out of the lab.

Abby was unsure of what to say. Normally she would have some smart-ass reply to whip out, but she had been caught so off guard that breathing was difficult let alone forming a snappy come-back. "But I… it's my lab."

"I know, but really, you shouldn't be working a case you were involved in." Hollis explained. "Gibbs shouldn't either, but…" Hollis rolled her eyes towards Gibbs.

Gibbs frowned and walked over to Abby, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I won't be in the field, you can still come to work, and be with me up here. I'll make sure nothing happens to your lab." The last little bit was directed towards Hollis.

"I assure you, Mr. McFayle is top notch in the field. He knows what he's doing."

Abby didn't want to hear anymore, so she turned away. "I'm getting my things."

"Is this really necessary?" Gibbs asked Hollis. Before she had a chance to answer he was off after Abby, catching up to her and slipping into the elevator as the doors shut. "Abby…"

"It's her case, Gibbs. I know. I don't like it, but what can I do? It's not like you can make her change her mind." Abby was hurt and angry, but she knew that blaming it all on Gibbs wasn't going to solve anything. Hollis was running the case now, and as much as she disliked it, there wasn't anything she could do. If Jenny was still alive she would've retreated to her office and they could've exchanged stories dealing with their mutual dislike of Hollis, but Abby was certain Vance wouldn't enjoy hearing such things.

"You can be up in the office with me, Abbs. Keep me company." Gibbs crowded her into the elevator corner. "You can still look over everything and tell me what you think. We'll figure this case out and then things can go back to normal, okay?"

"I don't know if I want to spend the day here. I don't want to watch her fawning all over you each day." Abby stepped to the side and moved back to the center of the elevator.

"Fawning over me? Abby, come on..."

"The way she looks at you… It makes me want to hurl. You're an attractive guy, Gibbs. Women look at you, it doesn't bother me, but the look on her face… it's not just admiration of your looks. She wants you still and she thinks she can still have you."

"Abby!" Gibbs grabbed her hand as the elevator dinged and pulled her out into the hallway. "Who do I love?"

"Me." Abby voice was small.

"That wasn't very convincing, but yes. I love you. You! Not her. She can't have me. I know that, you know that. And if you think she still wants me, she'll soon find out that she can't have me. Understood?" When Abby nodded, his body relaxed and he leaned forward for a soft kiss. Normally they left the PDA out of the office, but Gibbs figured that everyone already knew about them, and this was an emergency situation.

----

TBC…