This took a little longer than expected, but I had some serious writer's block. Enjoy!

It had already been a full day and Ziva and Tim hadn't had any luck tracking down a single smuggler. Tony and Ziva had been texting each other information as the make-shift 'partners' hadn't spoken to others once they had left the plane – trying to keep anyone from putting the four of them together.

Abby and Tony sat on the one full-sized bed the small motel contained. Ziva and Tim were staying at a hotel several streets over to further separate themselves. The motel lacked anything of substance – the decorations were stereotypical landscapes and bad modern art, as if an owner of a Motel 8 in America had gotten bored and decided to move to the Middle East. Tony was flipping through the half-dozen or so television channels, complaining about a lack of good movies. Abby was stretched out on the bed, her arms behind her head over top of the flat pillow.

"I mean, it's a hotel. And Afghanistan has come so far, right? I mean, given that we're here? So why can't they have on a good Tom Cruise movie? Ya know, from before he was crazy." Tony was shaking his head, still flipping through the stations as if a movie were going to miraculously appear following his complaints.

He glanced back at Abby who was lost in thought, ignoring Tony's lamenting.

"Abbs?"

"Hmm?"

"Earth to Abby. Come in, Ms. Scuito." Tony scooted back next to her on the bed.

Abby blinked at him a few times, suddenly aware of his presence. "Oh, I'm sorry, Tony."

"We'll find him." Tony reassured her, well aware of what was going on in her mind.

She nodded, disappearing back into her own thoughts. Tony glanced over at the clock, which glowed brightly that it was already past one am.

"Hey, Abs, I know you're probably just as jet-lagged as I am but we really should try to sleep."

Abby followed his gaze to the clock. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Tomorrow. We'll save Gibbs tomorrow." Tony squeezed her shoulder with a reassuring touch before heading off to the bathroom.

~*~*~NCIS~*~*~NCIS~*~*~

Abby woke suddenly, her face wet with tears.

"Abby? What's wrong?" Tony was awake next to her, leaning on his elbow towards her.

She could still feel Hendricks over top of her – his weight crushing her as he thrust into her. But Gibbs had been there too. Instead of lying unconscious on the floor, he had been tied to a chair and was being beaten by a still-alive Carter who was forcing him to watch. Gibbs had been unhindered from talking to her, however, and she could hear his voice, echoing as he tried to bargain for her safety, promising them his life for her own.

"Abbs? Abby?" Tony was still watching her with a concerned expression.

She let out a deep sigh, "I'm..I'm okay."

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a very Gibbs-like look of disbelief.

"Just a bad dream. That's all." Abby continued, trying to convince him that it wasn't anything she needed to discuss. The last thing she needed right now was for a recommendation that she needed to see another psychiatrist from NCIS.

Tony adjusted himself so that he sat up further. "Do you wanna talk-"

"No."

His expression grew into one of concern. "You sure?"

"It was just creepy, that's all." Abby tried to think of things that most people would find creepy. "Spiders…everywhere. And…um, giant bats."

"Abbs, you love those things."

Crap. "Um, yes, but these… these all had the face of… um, Justin Bieber." There that was better.

Tony nodded cautiously. "Okay, Abby." He slid back down to the bed. "Do you want me to stay up with you for a bit?"

Abby shook her head, "No, no, I'm fine now. The images have been purged from my brain."

"Okay. Well, wake me if it happens again." Tony rolled over on to his side, allowing Abby to turn away as well.

Silently Abby let the remaining tears stream down her cheeks, wishing that it were Gibbs next to her, holding her tightly and promising her the memories would all go away soon.

~*~*NCIS~*~*~NCIS~*~*~

It wasn't until after eleven am that Tony received a text from Ziva saying that they had finally received a break, having found a low-ranking lackey in the smuggling ring who knew how to get them in to see the boss about expanding the business. They were expecting to have the address by noon, and all of them were hoping it was the same address where Gibbs was being held.

Abby paced around the small motel room until Tony finally came to report that they had an address which Ziva was going to check out to look for suspicious activity. They hoped to confirm that it was the headquarters, where Gibbs likely would be.

"Abbs, we should go over some basics." Tony sat next to her with his gun in hand.

"I know how to shoot, Tony."

"That's not what I mean."

Abby shrugged, her mind still on Gibbs, not caring how she got there so long as he came back out with her.

"Stay behind me, got it? I'll always go first into a room or a hallway or whatever. Gibbs will kill me if something happens to you and I don't take that notion lightly."

Abby was still silent, nodding along as he went through the basic procedure – waiting for his go ahead, always pointing a gun before entering any room or unknown place, never pointing the gun at his back… the common sense things she knew.

His monologue was interrupted by a phone call from Ziva.

"Zee? What's up?" They had only agreed to call if something was wrong.

Abby could hear Ziva's voice through the phone, clear in the silent room.

"I do not think this will work. We will be able to get in, but I do not know how far we will make it. Especially you and Abby."

"So new plan?"

"I do not see how we can make up a new plan at this point."

Abby's breath caught in her throat. They couldn't give up – she would save Gibbs no matter what it meant. Her mind reeled, trying to think of how they could possibly finish what they'd started.

She grabbed the phone out of Tony's hand, "Ziva, I'll do it!"

"Abby, we cannot-"

"No, I have an idea."

Tony was looking at Abby with a weary expression, and she could tell by Ziva's silence she too was concerned.

"Just…just hear me out, okay? I think I know how we can do this." Abby began to explain her plan, determined to talk them in to it. At this point it didn't matter what happened to her – so long as Gibbs was safe. That was the important thing.