Abby drove back to NCIS as fast as she could. But as she drove, fears began creeping into her heart, along with the tears that slid down her cheeks.
She had just taken Tony and Ziva's child out without telling anyone and to top it off, said child had been kidnapped during their time out.
How are we gonna get her back? Abby kept asking herself. Because they had to get her back, for else Abby would never be able to forgive herself.
Her other fear was also completely justified. Being unable to prevent someone's kid from being kidnapped was bad. Really bad. But what if it was a fully trained assassin's child? Abby didn't even want to think of what Ziva would do to her.
Tony probably wouldn't be that bad. Sure, he would be furious at her, but he didn't have the tendency to… well, act like Ziva.
Abby made it back to NCIS in record time. Gibbs himself would've been proud.
She went into her lab at first, sure that she could not just go marching into the bullpen and declare that Rachel had been kidnapped.
No, that just didn't feel right. So she went back to her lab, her heart aching at the thought that she should have been there with Rachel.
She picked up her phone and called just about the one person whom she believed could help her now.
McGee.
He picked up on the first ring, much to Abby's relief.
"Hey, McGee," Abby said into the phone, her voice shaky and upset.
"Abby," he greeted her. Then he turned serious. "What's wrong?"
Oh, great, Abby thought to herself. That was sure to get the team's attention too.
"I have a problem. Like, a big one."
"I'll be right there." McGee hung up the phone before Abby could tell him to come alone. Now all she could do was wait and hope he would.
A minute later McGee stepped into her lab.
"McGee, thank God you're here. Ziva's gonna kill me. You have to-" she stopped mid-sentence when said person stepped through her lab door. The whole team was there. Great.
Now it made no difference. She could have just went to the bullpen as well.
Ziva arched an eyebrow at the forensic scientist. "What should I kill you for?" she asked, her tone amused.
Abby's eyes wandered around the room quickly. She looked like a trapped animal looking for a way out, searching for an escape route. But the team was blocking the only exit.
"Abs, what's wrong?" Gibbs asked, concern evident in his voice. He stepped forward a little. Abby backed away, her eyes panicky.
"Where's Rachel?" Tony suddenly asked, causing shivers to run down Abby's spine. The others looked around too at his question, but saw no hint of the little girl.
She had to tell them. Abby knew she had to, but how? How on Earth could she tell them that she let Rachel be kidnapped right before her eyes?
"Well, that's the problem…" the Goth started. She trailed off when she saw Ziva's eyes visibly darken. "She… she was…" Abby couldn't bring herself to say the word out aloud.
"Where is she?" Ziva asked, her voice cold. Abby flinched. It was a tone she might use with someone she was interrogating, but not with her friend.
The Goth looked down at her toes. Tears started to well up in her eyes. "She was kidnapped," she whispered ever so quietly, the first of many tears to come escaping her eye and rolling down her cheek.
They all heard her words. Abby didn't dare look at the faces of her coworkers. Her family.
"How did it happen?" Gibbs demanded. Abby could tell he was forcing himself to be calm.
She couldn't look into his icy blue eyes, afraid of what she might find there, so she spoke to his toes instead. "I took her out to buy ice-cream."
She dared to take a look at their faces.
McGee was shocked.
Gibbs was furious, but she could not determine wether it was directed at her or the people who had taken Rachel.
Tony's face was very pale, but his eyes were flaring with anger.
And Ziva… her face was completely blank. It was creepy. Only her eyes showed the mixture of emotions she actually felt. Abby could see she wanted to do something to her. Something utterly unpleasant. Tony's hand was on Ziva's arm, holding her back.
"We were walking back from the shop to my car," Abby continued, her voice trembling, tears flowing openly. "A green van pulled up beside us. They grabbed Rachel and…" she suddenly found she couldn't go on. It felt like something was blocking her throat and not letting the words come out. She just stood there, giving the impression of a person who doesn't know what to do.
McGee was the first to approach her. He pulled her into a his arms. Abby entwined her hands around him, as if being afraid he might slip away if she let go.
"It's not your fault, Abs. it would've happened anyway." He stroked her back awkwardly with one hand. She just kept crying on his shoulder.
"Yes it is," a sharp voice suddenly rang through the lab. It belonged to Tony. "If you would not have taken her out, none of this would've happened. We could've left her with Jenny or Ducky, but no, we trusted you."
Abby was stunned. She wouldn't have believed Tony could say something like that to her. His words cut straight into her heart, only increasing the pain and guilt she already felt.
"What did they look like?" Gibbs asked, his voice uptight. "The people who took her."
Abby pushed McGee away and tried to wipe her tears, but gave up soon, seeing as she made no progress. "I saw two men, but third one must've been driving the car," she said. "I didn't see their faces, they had ski masks on."
"That is really helpful," Ziva snapped. Abby couldn't look at her. Instead she just went to her computer. She connected her cell phone to it and downloaded the image of the green van.
"But I have a license plate," she said triumphantly, after having zoomed in the picture a little. The number was clearly readable.
She immediately started the search from the database as to who owned it and put out a BOLO.
Please review, they really motivate me to write quicker. Otherwise I think you don't even want me to continue.