Disclaimer: Not mine..

Thanks to ncislove for taking the time to beta

Thanks to you all for taking the time to read and review, cookies for all...

R&R! Enjoy!

-

29

"What is taking them so long to come up here?" A very impatient Tony walked from one side of the lab to the other.

While Ducky had arrived 15 minutes earlier, Abby and Gibbs were nowhere to be seen.

"DiNozzo" Tobias said with his usual way of pronouncing Tony's name. "Give them a few minutes they had one hell of a time."

Tony was about to open his mouth for a retorted when the couple entered the overcrowded lab.

Anthony's hand immediately moved to the coffee cup on the workbench.

"Your coffee boss." Tony outstretched his arm while the two walked by him.

"Thanks Tony."

-

As soon as the smell reached Abby's nose she felt sick. She tensed in Gibbs arm before she broke free of his embrace and ran to the lady's bathroom.

All eyes followed her out of the room.

Ducky looked to Gibbs a smile visible on the man's face.

"Jethro you might have a problem the upcoming weeks."

He rose questioning his eyebrows while he walked closer to the doorframe to follow his fiancée.

"Abby seems to have a problem with the smell of coffee."

Gibbs shrugged. "It's not the first time I have to go through this." He finished the sentence when he was already outside the lab again.

-

Abby stood in front of the mirror staring at her reflection, glad about the fact that she could control her body at least to a point.

Somehow she had managed to breathe the sickness away instead of following the urge of eating backwards.

-

Oh come on baby your daddy's back, could you please get used to the smell of coffee.

-

A soft knock became audible. Shortly after that the door opened.

She smiled softly when she saw Jethro's reflection next to hers.

"You ok?"

She nodded.

"Just a minor difference of opinion between your child, your coffee and my stomach, that's all."

"It'll pass, Shannon had the same problem."

She smiled. "Really?" Surprised he shared that information with her.

He nodded and walked closer to her.

As soon as he was behind her she leant her body cautiously to his front.

"You better go ahead to drink your coffee."

"Sure?"

She nodded.

"I'm there in a minute."

He kissed the back of her head and left her alone.

-

Sure enough Abby entered the lab.

"Sorry guys."

They just smiled knowingly.

She went to her workbench, where she came to a halt in front of her keyboard.

Jethro at once moved behind her, embracing her with one arm.

His other held the paper cup in a way that all openings were closed, only a faint smell was in the air but it seemed to be ok.

"Pull up the last address of the list and its supposing dead owner."

She did as told. Smiling sheepishly and more than glad she would hear his orders again.

The picture of his former host appeared on the plasma.

Tobias moved closer to the couple and so did the others.

All eyes fixed on the picture.

-

Gibbs was the one who spoke up.

"Your dead factory owner is pretty alive, and developed a rather expensive taste in clothes for a 'dead' person, compared to this."

Gibbs pointed to the picture.

"What kind of clothes?" Abby asked excited.

"Suits." Jethro answered plain and simple.

All attendees watched Abby's fingers flew over the keyboard while she began to speak.

-

"I found fibres on the evidence of almost every case including yours" she said while glancing shortly back over her shoulder.

"I looked through every Database I could think of and finally found the matching fabric only used for expensive made-to-measure suits."

Her fingers continued with her task.

"It is a custom-built for a tailor here in DC."

She pulled up his homepage.

"If I can compare his suits with the fibres I have we can link him to the other crime scenes as well."

-

Gibbs nodded while a loud growling noise came from Abby's stomach, which caused everyone to smile.

"Sorry, I think I'm hungry, actually for the first time in weeks."

Mike took a few steps closer to Abby.

"I guess the only one who doesn't need to be here is me, so Abs, what do you want to eat."

She beamed at Jethro's friend.

"Thanks Mike, hmm a peanut butter sandwich and a cheeseburger with fries." She paused. "Oh and a caffeine-free caf!pow and for dessert, chocolate chip ice-cream with strawberry-sauce."

Jethro looked at her. "Abby you hate strawberries!"

She looked at him innocently. "I know that but your baby doesn't."

They just laughed.

-

Franks shook his head and with a smile he patted Gibbs' shoulder before he turned and walked towards the door.

"I will accompany you Mike; we haven't had the pleasure for a little chat in a while." Ducky said.

The two left them alone.

-

"Any idea where you have been held, boss?" Tony asked.

Gibbs shook his head. "I was unconsciousness during arrival and departure."

He turned away from Abs a bit and emptied the rest of his lukewarm coffee at once.

-

"Abs, can you look into the list of employees?"

"No."

"But I can," Tobias said.

"With pictures?"

The FBI agent nodded his yes towards Jethro while he used the offered keyboard to access the FBI Server.

-

The three team members stood behind the little group, watching them with a smile.

They were relieved that Gibbs was back, but still full of questions about the last couple of weeks.

In due time, they would find out what they needed to know, or better what Gibbs was willing to share with them.

-

Jethro let Tobias show him picture after picture until he stopped the FBI-Agent.

"This fellow still works for him. Do you have his background?"

Fornell nodded.

"Shortly became the owner of his own factory building and a rather big house."

"What a coincidence." Gibbs said to his friend.

He turned around. "Tony, we need a search authorisation for the two buildings and a warrant of arrest for both of them."

Tony nodded and was about to leave, "Wait, where are my gun and my badge?"

Anthony had his mouth for an answer already open when Leon Vance stepped into the lab.

"Right here."

The director held both items in his outstretched hand.

Gibbs took them with a small nod, without breaking the body contact to his fiancée.

"Good to have you back Gibbs."

Jethro eyed him, not sure if he should believe the said words.

"When you are done with the case I'd like to see you in my office."

Gibbs nodded.

Leon turned and was gone again.

I can't say I missed you

-

Not long after the director left Ducky and Mike re-entered the lab with enough food for everybody.

-

Tony stepped back into the lab from Abby's office were he had placed the call to the legal-department.

"We'll have the warrants within an hour, boss." Tony said to Gibbs while they were all together on their way to the break room.

Gibbs just nodded with a lopsided smile, his arm around Abby's waist.

-

They entered the vacated room, sat down and ate and chatted about everything but a serious topic.

At some point Jethro had even asked how the relationship between Tony and Ziva was developing, the two had shared a smile before Tony answered. "Perfect."

Now Abby's head rested on Gibbs shoulder, their eyes were closed while they listened to the conversations of the others until the Agent of the 'law section' of the agency arrived with the needed warrants.

The young blond Agent handed Tony the sheets of paper and left again.

"Time to go." Gibbs said quietly.

With a soft sigh Abby sat up and looked into his eyes.

Her jade-green 'windows of her soul' were watery again.

Seeing that, Gibbs began to sign.

~I'm ok Abs~ She just nodded.

Despite the fact that everybody else was staring at the couple, Gibbs bent down and tenderly kissed Abby's lips before he turned towards the door.

-

Before they could leave Abby's voice became audible once more.

"Hey guys." She got the full attention.

"I swear to god if he comes back home with one scratch more than he already has, I'm going to forget my good manners."

"Don't worry Abs, we're going to bring him home safely" Tony told the woman opposite of him.

"You better." Now a small smile was visible at the corners of her lips.

-

TBC...

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