A huge 'thank you' to finlaure for taking the time to beta.
Thank you all! Really!
I'm sorry for my lack of replying right now. I will get around to it. :)
A/N: I think another apology is in order. I realize, the following last chapters will fall flat in comparison to the previous chapters. I do hope you like them anyway.
Let me know what storyline do you want to read more about in the sequel? PM me or leave it in your review ;)
Enjoy (anyway) !
...When Gibbs was sure she was comfortable he lowered his arm to rest on her shoulder, massage her tense muscles he could reach that way, causing her to sigh in contentment.
Finally resting comfortable sleep came fast...
-24-
She was back at court again, wearing the same mint-green ensemble and the annoying heels again. But this time it was like she was watching herself from a distance.
Her "watching self" stood at the level of the stairs a little higher, away from the level the accident had happened.
'That color doesn't suit me.'
The Goth watched herself run up the stairs, trying to bypass the lone fellow occupying the staircase. Abby could see the gentleman place his foot into her step while lifting his arm as if to hold her from falling but in truth it was a push that sent her sailing backwards down the steps.
Why on earth didn't she realize it then?
She focused on the fellows face, trying to remember every detail of it. Back in front of her inner eyes familiar features appeared, finally triggering a memory in the back of her mind.
Oh my god, of course.
Abby's eyes flew open from the little nap, jolting into a sitting position; she accidentally knocked her head into Gibbs' stomach, therewith causing an 'hmpf' like sound leaving his lips.
Tony failed to suppress the smile which earned him a head slap from the woman sitting next to him, though not as hard as Gibbs would have slapped.
"Why is suddenly everybody slapping me?"
Ziva just smiled and Tim answered. "Maybe because you deserve it."
Abby didn't even look toward the bickering three.
"Sorry." She moved off Gibbs' lap and kneeled down on the sofa instead, facing him.
"Gibbs, god you were right, you know, your gut is scary. I wonder why you always seem to know. Maybe you are psychic after all, maybe we should make some test sometime."
"Abs slow down please." He looked at her face. "I was right with what?"
"The court house incident wasn't an accident after all."
She looked at him and added without giving him the chance to say something.
"I think I know who is behind this."
Tony slid to the edge of the couch, Ziva did the same. Gibbs and Tim only focused on her without much movement.
"Who?"
She jumped to her feet and walked back and forth between the couch and the coffee-table.
Finally she spoke up again.
"I need to make a phone call."
Jethro only shook his head.
"Oh right, dead. Okay you need…" She stopped in the middle of the sentence and turned toward Tony. "You are going to make a phone call."
Giving Tony not a chance to say something Gibbs spoke up. Amusement clearly audible in his voice.
"Since when are you the one giving the orders Abs?"
She turned around. "Since I'm tired of being dead."
To get back to topic Tony spoke up. "Who am I going to call Abby?"
Not answering right away she took McGee's laptop off his lap, sat back down next to Gibbs, who looked at the screen without saying anything while Abby typed away on the keyboard.
She pointed to the notepad and pencil on the table. "Gibbs could you…?" Before she could finish her question she had both items in her hand.
"Thanks."
The scientist scribbled the information she needed on the piece of paper.
Not long after getting on her feet she handed Tim's PC back to him and the note to Tony.
"You call this number," Abby pointed to the first line of the note which was filled with digits. "Ask for this man" she pointed to the second line before she let her arm drop to her side, "whom you are going to ask nicely to send this file to your email address, with the photos, they are important."
Before the agent got to his feet he glanced toward his boss, who gave him a small nod in agreement.
Gibbs had learned a long time ago to trust Abby and her instincts he saw no reason why he should not then.
Pacing. Something Gibbs had watched the most energetic woman he has ever met do for the last couple of days. Back and forth in the living room, up and down the stairs, back and forth in front of the bed they were sleeping in.
Abby even had cut back on the caffeine and sugar on her own free will. Everything to decrease the need for movement.
Now, here in the much bigger room , Abby used the extra space for some more pacing, while slurping the first Caf!Pow since her brainwave hit nine days ago. Nine days in which Abby had to stay 'dead' for her own safety.
It is safe to say she hadn't been a 'happy-bat' about that fact.
Gibbs leaned back against the backrest of the chair and crossed his ankles while watching Abby place the cup onto the corner of the desk that dominated the room they were currently waiting in.
Her black hair was slightly wavy and left open to cover the art work on her neck.
The buttoned black blazer covered the skull on the back of her white blouse, while the equally black pants covered the normally unhidden long legs. In fact the pants weren't supposed to hide her legs but the bulky boots she was wearing.
The scientist's eyes wandered to the frame on the wall, which due to its reflective properties, could be used as a mirror that moment.
"Abs, you look great, no need to be nervous."
Her eyes wandered to him.
"I'm not nervous, I'm edgy. I just want it to be over."
"Understandable."
Thirty-two hours, it had taken thirty-two hours until the file finally entered Tony's mail-account…
Thirty-two hours in which ongoing Abby had tried to find something to do which would let her focus on something else for the time being.
It had been dinnertime when Gibbs and Tony arrived back at the house with enough pizza to feed an army and a file-folder.
The very file Abby anxiously had waited for.
While the rest had begun to eat the food, Abby had only taken one bite before sitting down on the couch, looking through the file in her hand in search for the pictures she desperately needed to see.
Not much later Abby had found what she had been looking for unaware that Gibbs was looking over her shoulder onto the pictures as well.
"That is him." His voice so close by her ear had caused her to gasp in surprise.
"Damn Gibbs, I told you not to sneak up on me, and why do you sound so sure?"
"I saw him enter the court house and leave not much later after your 'accident'."
"How?"
"Surveillance camera."
The scientist had turned her head a little more to look him in the eye.
"You watched the camera footage of the courthouse, when?"
"Right after the 'accident', my gut."
Abby had looked at him for a long moment before she had spoken again.
"Can we go now?"
"No." Gibbs had taken the file from her hand, had closed the folder and rounded the couch to place the paperwork onto the table, before he had taken her hand and had pulled her to her feet to guide her to the others for some food.
Only when she had been sitting on the chair next to him, with a slice of pizza in her hand he had spoken up again...
"So far we have no evidence to back this theory up, so we are staying here."
...
Checking her reflection one last time she stepped closer towards Gibbs.
"Do you think it works?"
Gibbs rose to his feet, and pulled her into an embrace.
"We have enough substantial evidence as it is, thanks to your input, so don't worry we get him."
"Yeah we get the wannabe criminal mastermind, but can we link him to the actual criminal mastermind?"
"Well I hope your rise of the dead will do just that."
Kissing her forehead his cell began to ring.
A few seconds later he finished the call again.
"They are all in position, no one will leave the building."
"Okay."
About fifteen minutes later the door opened and a familiar sight came into view.
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