**Chapter One -- Here In Your Arms**

**June 7, 2010 -- Tony's Apartment**

"Oh...God..." Abby cried, her body shaking as she collapsed on top of her lover, both of their bodies covered in sweat. "Jesus...what a way to start a Monday."

Tony chuckled, pulling the sheet up over their cooling bodies. "You know...for being a God-fearing Catholic, you sure do curse Him a lot."

She buried her face in the crook of his neck as her body relaxed against him. "Not cursing. Praising."

"For what? Orgasms?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and flipped them over, nipping lightly at her collarbone.

"For amazing sex with the man I love." She smiled, running her hands through his disheveled hair. "And for orgasms."

"Hmm..." He leaned up and looked into her eyes, a playful grin on his face. "I know I could go for another this morning."

Abby chuckled, kissing him as she pushed up on his chest. "I bet you could, Sex Machine. But you're gonna have to..."

"Have to what?" Tony asked, sitting up in time to see the smile fade from the Goth's face as she ran into the bathroom. "Abby? You alright?"

He rolled out of the bed and followed her into the bathroom, pulling her hair back as she gripped the toilet bowl. "Told you. You shouldn't have had those oysters at dinner. Never in a month without an R."

She leaned back against him when she was done, reaching for the wet washcloth he handed her. "Yeah, I know. I've learned my lesson."

He kissed her temple and helped her to stand up. "You okay now? Or do you want me to call Gibbs and tell him you're sick?"

"No, I'm fine." She assured him, leaning over the sink to brush her teeth. "I'll go see Ducky later if I'm still not feeling well."

"Okay..." The Italian conceded. "You promise?"

Abby smirked at him through the mirror. "I promise. Now start the shower, we're already running late because you decided to..." She was interrupted when Tony pressed a kiss to her lips.

"You liked it. Get over here, missy."

She giggled as he pulled her into the shower with him, lathering up her sponge and washing her back. "Have I ever told you how much I like group showers?" He whispered, pulling the showerhead down and rinsing off her back.

"Just every time we have one." The Goth smirked, stealing the showerhead back and rinsing the shampoo out of her hair. "Although..." She whispered, pressing herself against his chest as she kissed him. "Usually they end with us in a compromising position."

Tony growled playfully, his hands finding her hips easily. "I'm sure we could...work something out."

"We're late, remember?" She chuckled, kissing the tip of his nose and pulling away from him, stepping out of the shower and wrapping herself in a towel.

"You..." He said, turning the water off and joining her. "You are evil."

"I try." She smirked again, dropping the towel as she walked over to her dresser and pulled out her outfit for the day. "Coffee on the way?"

"Yeah, I guess." He whined, digging through the closet for his suit. "You owe me tonight though."

"I'll make good, pinky promise."

She giggled quietly to herself when she heard him sigh loudly, finally settling on a suit. Dressing quickly, she headed back into the bathroom to pull her hair up into her standard pigtails, smiling when she felt him wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.

"Love you." He murmured, lowering his lips to her shoulder.

"Love you too, T. Now come on. Before you make us even later."

**NCIS Headquarters**

Pulling up beside her lover in the parking garage, Abby threw the hearse into park and climbed out of the vehicle. She swallowed hard, her stomach turning as she caught the scent of the breakfast burrito in Tony's hand. It was all she could do to keep from getting sick, though she managed to force a smile for his benefit.

"You alright, Abs?" He asked, slipping flawlessly into 'work mode'. They weren't actively hiding their relationship, it was more a fear of Gibbs finding them being inappropriate at work that worried them.

"I'm...fine." She smiled, stepping into the elevator with him, thankful she only had to ride one floor before she got to her lab. "I'll see you later, okay?" She said, leaning up and pecking him on the lips quickly before stepping off the elevator.

Tony smiled at her as the elevator doors closed behind her, shrugging as he opened up his burrito and took a bite. When the doors opened again on his floor, he stepped off, wiping his hands with a napkin and straightening his suit.

"Good morning!" He grinned, dropping his backpack behind his desk and sitting down.

"You are in a good mood this morning, Tony. Your date night went well, I take it?" Ziva questioned, smiling at her partner.

She was glad that he was in better spirits than he was a mere 6 months earlier. He even looked better, more well rested, although she suspected that was due to having sex on a regular basis more than anything else. She knew that she had made the right choice, and seeing him smile was proof enough for her.

"It was great. Abs had some bad oysters though, she got sick this morning." He mentioned offhandedly, sorting through the paperwork on his desk.

Ziva looked up at him curiously. "Is she okay?"

"Oh yeah," He waved her off. "She's fine. Just a little food poisoning. She said she'd have Ducky check her out later if she felt sick again."

"Haven't you told her about your oyster rule, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, walking into the bullpen with his coffee in hand.

"I did, Boss. She didn't believe me."

"Don't blame her, I wouldn't have either." He smirked slightly, pulling some files from his filing cabinet. "Ziva, take these down to Abby."

Tony frowned slightly, going back to his paperwork. He watched as the Israeli picked up the files from Gibbs' desk and headed for the elevator before he spoke up again.

"So, Boss..." He started, standing up and walking over to Gibbs' desk. "I was wondering if, you know, Abby and I would be able to take off this weekend."

Gibbs simply looked up at the younger man and Tony immediately started walking backwards toward his desk.

"You know, Gibbs? Nevermind, 'cause I know that..."

"How's the hole comin', DiNozzo?" He asked, shifting his gaze back to the files in his hand.

The Senior Agent nearly tripped over his trashcan as he reclaimed his seat. "It's deep, Boss. Shutting up now."

**Abby's Lab**

Ziva stepped out of the elevator and headed for the door to the lab when she heard soft crying coming from the bathroom. Slipping the files under her arm, she opened the bathroom door and saw Abby standing at the sink, rinsing her mouth out.

"Abby, are you alright?" She asked, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder gently.

"I'm fine, just food poisoning." The Goth explained, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Yes, Tony mentioned that you got sick this morning. Bad oysters, yes?"

"Mhmm."

Ziva frowned, seeing the distant look in her friend's eyes.

"Abby…" Ziva started, making eye contact with the Goth through the mirror. "Have you considered the possibility that you may be…"

"Considered it, dismissed it. Please don't bring it up again."

"Would it be such a horrible thing if you were?" She questioned. "You and Tony…"

"He doesn't. Trust me." Abby sighed, looking away from the Israeli. "He's great with Jack, but he's always told me he doesn't want kids."

"It is something he would get over, Abby. He loves you."

She shook her head, dropping her eyes to the floor. "Its not that simple, Ziva."

"What is so 'not simple' about it, Abby? He loves you, I see it in his eyes every day. Why do you think he would not embrace a child?"

Abby sighed, looking away from her friend. "It's complicated."

"I really *hate* when people use that word. You do not have to spare my feelings, Abby. If you do not wish to talk about this, just tell me. Do not attempt to beat around the lawn." Ziva said, turning toward the door.

"Beat around the bush." She mumbled. "You want an answer, Zee? He's selfish." Turning back toward the mirror, she sighed again. "He's selfish, and he's not ready to put that part of himself aside yet. I don't know that he ever will be. I mean, he's one of the most generous people I've ever met, but not about stuff like this. He...I don't know. He just isn't interested in having a family."

Ziva placed her hand on the scientist's shoulder. "Perhaps, if it is bothering you, you should speak to him about it. If you would like, I can be there with you."

"No." She said firmly, pulling away from her touch. "You can't say anything to him about this. Promise me."

The Israeli eyed her momentarily before she nodded curtly. "Very well." She said quietly. "If you need anything...well, you know where to find me."

Dropping her hand to Abby's shoulder again, she squeezed reassuringly before she headed for the door.

"Abby..." Ziva hesitated slightly at the door. "Tony loves you. The two of you will work this out." She said softly before she left the bathroom.

Sighing heavily, the Goth leaned against the sink, looking at herself in the mirror momentarily before pulling out her phone and calling Gibbs.

"Whatcha got for me, Abs?" He answered, surprising her with the fact that he checked his caller ID.

"Um...nothing, actually. Just letting you know that I'm not feeling well. I think I'm gonna head home for the day."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before his response finally came. "Okay. You get some rest, Abby. Feel better."

"Th..." She was interrupted by the sound of a dial tone, and she snapped the phone shut between her fingers. Walking out of the bathroom, she made a quick pit stop at her lab to grab her purse before she turned off the lights and headed home.

**Bullpen**

"Is Abby okay, Boss?" Tony asked. His ears perked up when he heard his Goth's name, and he was instantly concerned. "Did she get sick again?"

"She's goin' home. Just said she wasn't feeling well." The older man looked up at Tony and eyed him carefully. "She's fine, DiNozzo. She can take care of herself."

"I...I know that, Boss." He said incrediously, rolling his eyes. "I'm not allowed to worry about her?"

Gibbs simply nodded, going back to his paperwork.

The Italian pulled out his cell phone and texted Abby, asking her to text him back when she got home, letting him know how she was feeling. Putting the phone away after he sent the message, he frowned, going back to the pile of work on his desk grudgingly.

After about an hour of checking his phone every 5 minutes for a text from his girl, Tony started getting antsy. He was worried about her, and while he knew that she was most likely at home in bed, he needed to know for sure.

"Uh, Boss?" He spoke up, noticing the silver-haired man walking back to his desk from yet another coffee run. "I'm not feeling so hot."

"You look fine to me, DiNozzo."

"Yeah, but...my stomach's doin' that flippy thing...I think Abby got me sick."

"What were you doing that makes you think she got you sick?" McGee spoke up, looking curiously over at the older man.

Tony smirked. "Wouldn't you love to know, McVirgin."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, taking another sip of his coffee. "Thought she had food poisoning. Last time I checked, that wasn't contagious."

"Well, yeah, but...I don't know for sure that it was food poisoning. Coulda been the flu. Swine Flu. Oh, wow, Boss. I should really head home, in case it is. Wouldn't wanna get you guys sick."

"Nice try, DiNozzo." The older man said, turning back to his computer screen.

"I'm serious, Boss. I think I'm gonna puke." He whined, holding his arm over his stomach.

Gibbs simply stared at him, as if he was waiting for the younger man to vomit in his trash can.

"Okay!" Tony conceded, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not gonna puke. But I really don't feel good, and I do think that Abby got me sick!"

"But like Gibbs said, food poisoning isn't contagious, Tony. She couldn't have gotten you sick." McGee pointed out.

He turned and narrowed his eyes at the younger man. "I know what he said. And *I* said that I wasn't sure if it was food poisoning." He looked back to Gibbs, hopeful that he would finally give in and let him go home. "I mean, she's still sick, right? So, it could be something more serious."

Ziva smirked as she watched Tony beg to be allowed to go home. She watched with amusement as Gibbs simply shrugged, giving the other man a small smirk.

"Come on, man! I'm not feeling good over here! Who do I need to plead my case to?"

The silver-haired agent shook his head at the younger man, knowing that he was only going to be a nuisance until he got his way. "Go. Go home, DiNozzo. Take care of Abby. You both had better be in tomorrow."

He jumped up and grabbed his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder before taking his Sig out of the desk drawer. "Thanks, Boss."

He headed for the elevator, only to be stopped in his tracks by Gibbs calling his name again.

"On time tomorrow."

"Got it, Boss."

**20 Minutes Later -- Tony's Apartment**

He pulled up outside of the brick apartment building and parked the car, grabbing the small bag off of his passenger seat. Heading upstairs, he unlocked his apartment door and slipped off his shoes, dropping his service weapon and keys on top of the table that sat near the door.

"Abby? You home, baby?" He called, walking into the kitchen and setting the bag down on the counter.

He moved to the cabinet to pull down a bowl when he heard his girl retching in the bathroom. Setting the dish down, he entered the bathroom, kneeling next to her on the ground.

"Hey..." He said, pulling her hair back and rubbing her back lightly. "You alright?"

The Goth whimpered as she heaved again, gripping the toilet bowl tightly.

"I'm here, sweetheart." He whispered.

When she finished, she sat back on her heels, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'm fine, T. You're supposed to be at work."

"Gibbs let me come home to take care of you." Tony pressed a kiss to her temple and stood up, getting her a damp washcloth. "I got you a surprise, if you're up for it."

"What kind of surprise?" She asked, letting her lover help her up. "And how did you manage to con Gibbs into letting you come home just to take care of me?"

She started brushing her teeth when Tony darted into the bedroom, coming back a few seconds later with a pair of her sweatpants and one of his well-worn t-shirts. "You don't worry about that." He smiled, kissing her neck. "Change into these, then meet me in the living room."

He walked out into the kitchen and pulled out the container of soup that was sitting on the countertop, pouring some of it into a bowl. Grabbing a spoon and some saltines, he went into the living room and set the food down on the coffee table before turning on the TV.

"Is that what I think it is?" Abby asked, padding into the living room wearing the pajamas Tony had picked out for her.

He smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist. "If you think its the chicken noodle soup you love from that little sandwich shop on the corner, then yes, it is what you think it is."

"Aww, thanks, baby. You didn't have to get me anything." She leaned up and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too." He smirked, leading her to the couch. He sat down and pulled her down next to him, arranging their bodies so she was resting against him while she ate. "I thought we'd watch one of our classics, Evil Dead."

"Mmm..." She nodded, taking a bite of her soup. "Sounds good to me."

Tony started the movie, relaxing against the couch while Abby ate her lunch. "How is it?"

"Very good." She smiled, finishing off the bowl. "I feel a little better already."

"Good." He took her bowl and set it on the table, pulling her back down against his chest as he ran a hand through her hair. "C'mere." He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close to him as he shifted on the couch, laying down and stretching his body across the dark leather.

"I think I might fall asleep." Abby smirked, leaning her head back to kiss him before settling her head against his arm.

He grinned, pulling her back against his chest. "That's okay, baby. You'll feel better after you sleep."

He rubbed his hand over her arm and leaned down, burying his nose in her neck, smiling to himself when he felt her body relax and her breathing deepen. He followed suit only a few minutes later, happy to fall asleep holding his girl close to him.

**Chapter Two -- Someone Like You**

**June 15, 2010 -- Abby's Lab**

Stepping off the elevator in the lab, Tony couldn't help the slight frown tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched his girl move around the large lab slowly, shutting down the various machines as she went, her heavy soled boots clunking loudly against the floor.

It had been a long day in an even longer week and he could tell that the long hours were taking their toll on her body, as not even the copious amounts of Caf-Pow! they'd been supplying her with had been enough to keep her from dragging. Leaning against the door frame, he studied her for a moment, noting the way that even her pigtails seemed less perky than usual.

Pushing off the wall, he made his way over to her, wrapping his arms around her thin waist as he pulled her back to his chest. She jumped, startled by the pair of strong arms that gripped her waist, though she relaxed after a second.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people," she scolded gently as she settled back into his embrace.

"But it's so much fun to make you jump," he teased, dropping a kiss to her shoulder.

She smiled and turned herself around in his arms, resting her cheek against his chest. "You coming home tonight?"

He sighed, wishing he could tell her yes. "I can't, baby. You know how Gibbs gets about this stuff. No sleep until the job is done."

"Yeah, I know."

The cell phone attached to his belt started vibrating a second later, making them both groan.

"Well, there goes my plans for sneaking you out of here in my purse." Abby joked, looking up at him as he pulled the phone off his hip.

"DiNozzo." He answered, listening to the caller speak as he rubbed the Goth's back gently. "Uh huh. I'm on my way up, Ziva."

"Got a lead?"

"Yup." He ducked his head and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I gotta go."

"Okay." She frowned. "I'll see you when I see you, I guess."

"Get some rest, hon. Enough for both of us." He smirked, stepping into the elevator.

"I'll try. Be careful."

She watched as the elevator doors closed, frowning when he was gone. She finished turning off her machines and picked up her purse, turning the lights off before taking the elevator down to the parking garage.

**Bullpen**

"Where were you, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, watching the younger man as he pulled the gun from his desk drawer.

"Just telling Abby goodnight. Wanted to let her know I'd be here late."

The older man nodded. "Local LEOs called in the BOLO on Jennings. Let's go, Ziva's getting the car."

He strapped his gun to his belt and grabbed his cap, pulling it on as he followed Gibbs to the elevator. When the two men got downstairs, Gibbs took over the driver's seat while Tony climbed into the back. Ziva moved toward the passenger seat, choosing at the last minute to join Tony in the back of the sedan.

"How is Abby doing?" She asked quietly, clicking her seatbelt.

Tony eyed her curiously. "She's fine. Just tired, she's been working long days all week."

"She does not seem to be taking the long hours as well as she usually does. Is she still sick?" She asked,

"She's not sick anymore, but when she was it really took it out of her. She's still playing catch up."

The Israeli simply nodded, noting the concerned tone in his voice. He was worried about the Goth, and she had a feeling he was questioning whether or not she was really just sick.

"DiNozzo..." Gibbs barked as he skidded to a stop in front of the bar. "Go in. Get eyes on the suspect. Do NOT engage until I give you the all clear."

"Got it boss." Tony nodded as he threw the car door open, stepping out into the warm June night. Straightening his shirt, he made his way into the bar. Dressed in jeans and a button up, he blended in fairly well, walking up to the bartender and ordering a water. He caught sight of their suspect a moment later, sitting at a booth near the back of the bar.

Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed Gibbs' number and waited for him to answer.

"I got him, he's in a booth in back corner, near the emergency exit."

"Don't spook him, we can't get around the back like we thought, the alley's blocked off. Looking for another way around." Gibbs said, hanging up the phone.

He sat at the bar, his shoulders slumped casually as he sipped his water. Though his back was to the door, he could see Jennings from the corner of his eye and he didn't miss the way the man fidgeted slightly at the sound of the door being pushed open.

Turning slightly on the stool, Tony clenched his jaw in irritation as he spotted the pretty Rookie cop that he recognized from Baltimore. Something about the petite blonde had rubbed him wrong from the moment he'd identified himself to her at the crime scene. The very crime scene that she'd nearly contaminated. That alone had not sat well with him, and he'd made both Gibbs and Vance aware of his distrust of the young woman.

Despite the fact that she'd been declared off limits by his director, Tony couldn't ignore the way his gut twisted uncomfortable as she scanned the bar, worrying her lower lip nervously.

He watched her carefully as she walked up to the bar and ordered a drink, taking a seat just a few stools down from him. She checked her watch, she was clearly waiting for someone, but he took the opportunity to talk to her and get some of his questions answered.

"Officer Miller, surprised to see you here." Tony smiled, sliding onto the stool next to her. "You come to DC often?"

"Oh, Agent...DiNozzo. No, I'm just meeting a friend." She explained, thanking the bartender when he brought her drink.

He noticed how she scanned the bar nervously, as if looking for her missing companion. "It's Tony. They running late?"

"Annabelle." She smiled, taking a sip of her drink. "He should be here any minute."

"Oh, too bad." He grinned, leaning closer to her. "I'd be more than willing to keep you company if he doesn't show up."

"Thanks, but you don't have to." She said, watching as his glass was refilled with water. "On duty tonight, huh?"

"Nah. This is my...usual hangout."

"Ah." Annabelle nodded, glancing toward the door again. "Not a big drinker, I see."

Tony looked down at his glass before looking up at the young woman again. "Watching my figure."

She looked him over, her full lips curving into a smirk that he didn't like. "Yeah, I can tell."

He frowned, his dislike of her growing with each passing second. "So..." He said, his voice sharper than he'd intended. "Who's the lucky guy?"

She didn't answer at first, eyeing him suspiciously. "Doesn't matter. He's obviously not coming."

"Or maybe...he's already here."

"You...what?"

Tony's eyes flickered involuntarily toward the booth that Jennings was occupying. The young woman followed his gaze, her eyes narrowing angrily when she recognized Jennings.

"You sonofabitch! Off duty, huh? You got somethin' you want to say to me, Agent DiNozzo, then say it!" She snapped. "I told you after your snide little accusations at the scene that I had nothing to hide!"

The sound of her shrill voice carried and it was all he could do to keep from slapping her as Jennings jumped up, bolting.

"Fuck!" He cursed, following the suspect as he ran toward the back door of the bar. "NCIS! Freeze!"

Jennings shoved the emergency exit open, pulling the weapon from his waistband before he turned, opening fire as Tony spilled out into the alley behind him. The Senior Agent cursed loudly, feeling his ankle twist beneath him as he attempted to duck out of the way. His Sig fell from his hand as he hit the ground hard, the cement tearing at his palms as he attempted to break his fall.

He reached for his weapon as Jennings neared the blocked end of the alley.

"Federal Agent! Stop and lower your weapon!" Tony ordered.

The frantic man paid his warning no mind as he fired again, his shots going wild as he searched for an escape route. A strangled cry escaped from Tony's throat as a bullet grazed his upper arm, tearing the flesh before it lodged in the wall behind him.

Tony's fingers closed around the end of the gun before he pulled the trigger, managing three shots before the man pulled himself over the ledge of the building via the fire escape. A second later, Gibbs and Ziva burst through the emergency exit of a neighboring building, their weapons drawn as they scanned the alleyway quickly.

"He's gone. Took off up the fire escape." Tony groaned, holding his arm where the bullet grazed him.

"Damnit, DiNozzo!" Gibbs shouted, walking over to the younger man and pulling him up by his good arm.

The dark-haired man shrugged away from the assistance, slumping against the nearby brick wall when he realized he couldn't hold his weight on his ankle. "Shit." He cursed under his breath, bending his knee slightly.

"Are you alright, Tony?" Ziva questioned, slipping her gun back into its holster and looking over her partner carefully.

He gritted his teeth, just as mad at himself for losing the suspect as Gibbs seemed to be. "I'm fine." He ground out, continuing to hold his arm as the bleeding stopped.

Gibbs walked over and pulled the younger man's arm over his shoulders, hoisting him off the hurt ankle. "C'mon." He motioned for Ziva to follow him as he pulled Tony back through the bar and down the street to the sedan, putting him into the passenger seat and closing the door. "What the hell happened, DiNozzo? You shoulda called us in for backup."

"It happened too fast, Boss. The rookie from Baltimore was there." He groaned as the car went over a bump, jarring his ankle. "Said she was waiting for someone. Seemed like too much of a coincidence, so I called her on it. She yelled, said my name, Jennings bolted. I didn't have time to call it in."

The silver-haired man only grunted in response, pulling up outside of the emergency room just a few blocks away from the bar.

"Boss, I'm fine. I don't need to go to the hospital." Tony whined as Gibbs climbed out and came around to his side of the car.

"You're not getting a choice." He said firmly, pulling the younger man out of the car and helping him into the emergency room.

**0330 Hours -- NCIS Headquarters**

"Upstairs, DiNozzo. The Director wants to talk to us." Gibbs said, leading his Senior Agent up the stairs to the Director's office. "Ziva, check on the BOLO again then go home. Tell McGee to go too. Be back here at 07."

"Nah, Boss. I'm good with staying down here." Tony slurred, allowing the older man to lead him despite his brain telling him to lay down and go to sleep.

He rolled his eyes as they entered the large office, sitting the Italian in one of the chairs at the conference table.

"Agent DiNozzo."

"That's me." He said, trying to focus his eyes on the man sitting at the other end of the table.

Vance looked over at Gibbs, who simply shrugged his shoulders. "You know why you're here?"

"Well, I'm guessing its for somethin' big, 'cause if it wasn't, Gibbs would've dealt with it himself."

"You disobeyed a direct order, DiNozzo. I told you to leave Officer Miller alone."

Tony nodded before raising a finger and touching his nose. "That...yeah. That wasn't really my fault."

The older man raised an eyebrow. "It wasn't your fault?"

"Nope."

He turned to Gibbs and glared at him. "What the hell is wrong with your Agent?" He growled. "Get him under control!"

The silver-haired agent smirked. "Tony and painkillers don't exactly get along, Leon."

Vance turned back to face the younger man, trying to maintain his professionalism. "We can't just go aroung accusing people based on a 'feeling' or 'gut instinct'."

"It works for him." Tony said, looking at Gibbs. "And I learned from the best."

Gibbs smirked, watching how the director rolled his eyes.

"She graduated at the top of her academy class, on the fast track to being promoted to Homicide."

Tony scoffed. "She's only getting a promotion because she's got a nice rack."

"The Baltimore PD's hiring and promoting practices aren't any of our business. What *is* my concern is the fact that you managed to make a mockery of this agency by accusing their Golden Girl of murder when all she's guilty of is fraternization with her superior." He closed Tony's file and stood up from the table. "I'm placing you on a week-long suspension with desk duty to follow until your ankle is healed."

Tony's jaw dropped as he looked between his boss and the Director, stunned. "C'mon! Gibbs, you're not really gonna let him do that, are you?"

"Can't have you in the field with a fractured ankle, DiNozzo." Gibbs noted, standing up and patting the Agent's shoulder.

"But Boss! What am I gonna do?" He pouted. "You know I don't handle being a desk jockey well!"

He shot the young man a warning look and turned toward the door, taking a sip of his coffee.

Tony sighed heavily and stood, following behind Gibbs closely. "On your six, Boss." He stepped behind his desk when they got downstairs, pulling one of the files off the stack on his desk.

"Go home, DiNozzo."

The Italian looked up, cocking an eyebrow at his boss as he tried to focus on him. "Nah, I need to finish this first. I still got the rest of today."

He started working on the files, getting about halfway through the pile before he fell asleep on his desk. Gibbs allowed the younger man to sleep, having known he wasn't going to last long with the medication he had been given at the hospital.

**0630 Hours -- Abby's Lab**

She slipped into the dark lab, her hands shaking slightly as she she made her way into the office to deposit her belongings. Dropping her jacket onto the back of her chair, she shoved her purse into the bottom desk drawer before she headed back out to the main lab, ignoring the uncomfortable twinge in the pit of her stomach.

She hadn't slept well the night before, the results from the home pregnancy test she'd taken after work weighing heavily on her mind. She walked over to her supply closet and picked up a syringe, pulling on a pair of gloves and sitting on the floor in the small room to draw some blood.

After a few tries, she finally got enough to run a test with, disposing of the gloves and the syringe in her biohazard trash can.

"It's not that hard when I'm drawing someone else's blood." She muttered, putting on a bandage. She prepped the blood and started the test, pacing across the lab signing to herself in a vain attempt to remain calm.

"Abs?"

She spun around, tensing when she saw Tony standing in the doorway, his ankle wrapped in a brace. "I'm fine." He grunted, reading the question on her face before she spoke it. Walking over to his girl, he placed a hand on her shoulder, cocking an eyebrow when she flinched away from him. "What's goin' on?"

"I'm...stressed. That's all."

"You're stressed? Try getting shot at and fracturing your ankle within 5 minutes of each other, then getting suspended for a week plus desk duty."

Abby's eyes widened as she looked up at him, watching as he limped into the room. "When did this happen?"

The Italian sighed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned against the wall. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine."

"You always say that." She muttered.

"What was that?" He snapped, taking a step toward her.

They both started talking over one another in rapid-fire, their individual stress levels finally reaching their breaking points. It wasn't the first time they had argued like this, and it only seemed to be getting increasingly commonplace the longer they were together.

"You're not listening to me!" They shouted simultaneously, staring at each other in shocked silence when they heard a chuckle from the doorway.

"A lover's quarrel, yes?" Ziva smirked, walking into the lab. "Sounds like you both need to relax for a moment."

"Thanks for the counseling, Zee, but I think we've got it." Tony spat, turning back to Abby as they continued to stare each other down.

The beeping of her computer made them all turn to look. "You gonna check it?" He asked, his shoulders tensing slightly as he saw the tears that were forming in the raven-haired woman's eyes.

She made her way over to the computer and brought up the results, taking in a sharp breath when she saw the 'positive' flashing on the screen.

"What's that for?"

She quickly blinked and cleared the screen before turning back to him. "It's nothing. Just something for another case."

Tony walked up behind her and whispered in her ear, low enough so that Ziva couldn't hear them. "Bring it back up." She pressed a few keys and walked away, letting him stand there and analyze the screen. "Pregnancy test?" He asked. "Who's case?"

The throbbing pain in his ankle prevented him from noticing the terrified look that Abby had on her face as she turned to Ziva, or the twitch in her leg that accompanied her desire to run from the room.

"It is mine." The Israeli spoke up, giving Abby a look that asked her to relax. "I...I asked Abby to keep the test quiet until she told me the results, but I suppose that since you have already seen them, you are bound to find out eventually."

The older man whipped around, looking at his partner. "Wow...you're pregnant?" He questioned, looking between the two women. "Um...congratulations. I mean, if it's somethin' you're happy about."

Ziva nodded. "It is not the best of times, but you must make do with what you are given." The not-so-subtle message was meant for Abby, and noting the way that the Scientist swiped at the stray tear that fell down her cheek, she knew that she understood it.

Tony nodded, smiling at his ex-lover. "Congrats, Zee." He stepped over to her and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek before turning back to Abby. "I'm gonna crash on the futon."

The Goth nodded, avoiding eye contact with her lover as he brushed past her, their bitter argument still fresh in both of their minds.

Ziva watched as her injured partner made his way into Abby's office slowly, his limp less pronounced than earlier thanks to the medicine he'd been given at the hospital. She watched as he dropped down onto the futon, struggling to find a comfortable position before he settled in, closing his eyes against the early morning light.

"Maybe this isn't gonna work between us." Abby frowned, reclaiming her seat in front of the computer screen still blinking rapidly with the positive pregnancy test result. "I mean, we've had fights before, but we've fought more in the last 6 months than in the last 11 years! Maybe...we should go back to being just friends."

"Abby!" The shorter woman scolded, moving to stand in front of her friend. "You know that Tony would be crushed if he even THOUGHT you were saying things like that."

She closed her eyes, fighting the tears that were welling up in them. "I'm not so sure."

"No one said relationships were easy. You both love each other and...if you think about it, being friends for so long provides you with an advantage. You already know everything about each other. Everything WILL work out, Abby." Ziva sighed softly. "You just need to talk to him."

"I...I can't, Ziva." Glancing over her shoulder, she bit down hard on her lower lip. "He...he's not going to take it well."

"You cannot possibly know that."

"But I do. Tony has a temper, Zee. He isn't...he won't like this."

"He loves you, Abby. And it is obvious to EVERYONE, even if you cannot always see it."

"Yeah... But sometimes loving someone isn't enough."

**Chapter Three -- Fallin' Apart**

**1300 Hours -- Abby's Lab**

Tony groaned as the pain in his ankle started flaring up again, waking him. Pushing himself up to a sitting position, he pulled the bottle of painkillers out of his pocket and pulled two out, swallowing them one at a time.

He made a feeble attempt to stand up, clutching the edge of Abby's desk and clenching his jaw in pain. Once he was up he limped into the main lab quietly, smiling when he saw his Goth working on her computer.

"Hey baby." He cooed, leaning down to give her a kiss. He frowned when she pulled away, walking to the other side of the room. "Great. What'd I do this time?"

Abby flinched at the sharp tone in his voice, watching as he plopped down on her stool. "I don't understand you sometimes, Tony. I mean, just because you went to sleep, I should forget about what happened?"

"Woah woah. What are we talking about?"

"You didn't call me!" She cried, throwing her hands up. "You got hurt, hurt enough to go to the hospital, and no one bothered to call me!"

"Abs..."

She held her hand up, shaking her head. "Don't 'Abs' me, DiNozzo." Tony closed his mouth, knowing that he was in real trouble when she called him by his last name. "I can't believe you didn't call."

"Sorry, I had more pressing matters to deal with, like my grazed arm and my fractured ankle!" He shouted, standing up and walking toward her despite the pain. He backed her up against the brick wall and leaned down, his voice husky as he whispered in her ear. "I didn't know that no one called you."

She tried to pull away but he held her in place, his hands pinning her hips to the wall gently. "Tony, let me go."

"No."

She struggled again, angry tears beginning to prick at her eyes. His hands became firmer, pressing her against the wall as he kissed her roughly.

"What the hell are you doin', DiNozzo?"

Tony broke the kiss and stared into Abby's eyes, not turning back to face Gibbs as he stood in the doorway. "Nothin' Boss. I was just leaving."

Releasing Abby from his grip, he turned and stalked out of the room, not forgetting the angry look in her eyes when he finally broke their kiss. He didn't even acknowledge the older man as he brushed past, stepping onto the elevator and heading for the parking garage.

"What was that about, Abby?" Gibbs asked, watching the young woman carefully as she attempted to hide her tears. "Did he hurt you? 'Cause so help me..."

"I'm fine, Gibbs. He didn't hurt me. More the other way around, I think."

He stood in the doorway silently, knowing that he didn't need to poke and prod with Abby. If she wanted to talk to him, she would do it on her own time. She hesitated, feeling the silver-haired man's eyes burning into her skin despite the fact that she had her back to him.

"I'm just stressed out and I took it out on Tony. I shouldn't have."

"Yeah, you're probably right." He cocked his head to the side and shrugged, studying her. Something was off, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was. He walked over and wrapped his arms around her.

"I don't know if we're gonna work out."

"Well, no. Not if you're gonna start keepin' secrets from each other."

She pulled back from him and looked into his ice blue eyes. He knew that she was hiding something from Tony, she just didn't know how he figured it out. "Thanks, Gibbs."

**Later That Night -- Tony's Apartment**

Dropping the remote onto the couch next to him, Tony sighed, leaning his head back and taking another drink of his beer. He finished it off, setting the empty bottle on the coffee table next to the five others he had polished off since he had come home 6 hours earlier. He groaned when he reached for yet another bottle and realized the flimsy cardboard container was empty, deciding that going to the kitchen for another 6 pack was too much of an effort.

He made a concerted effort to relax against the couch cushions, drifting off to sleep when he heard the sound of keys jangling as the door swung open.

"Figured you'd go to your place t'night." He slurred, his eyes remaining closed as he listened to the door closing and her boots crossing the wood floor into the living room.

"I should've figured you'd be drunk when I got here." She spat, immediately regretting it. She had come home with the intention of apologizing for what had happened earlier, and after the conversation she had with Gibbs, she had also decided that she needed to tell him about the baby. "Sorry. We need to talk."

"Why?" He mumbled, his eyes still closed. "So we can have another fight?"

Abby frowned. She had noticed the empty bottles on the table when she walked in, but looking closer in an effort to avoid his closed eyes, she noticed the bottle of Vicodin that was also sitting on the table. "Tony!"

"Wha?" He asked, jerking his head off the cushion and opening his eyes.

"You shouldn't be drinking and taking painkillers at the same time." She scolded. "You know better than that."

"Oh. That." He dropped his head back to the cushion and closed his eyes. "Why do you care? Aren't you thinkin' of endin' this anyway?"

Her jaw dropped as she stared at her lover's nonchalant approach toward their relationship. "Wh...what would make you think that?"

"I..." He started, pointing at his own chest with a finger. "Am a trained invest'gator."

Abby rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips.

"Okay...you don't haveta get all d'fensive. Hands on the hips and all I bet." He mumbled. "Just get it over with, huh?"

"Tony, I...I didn't come to break..."

He cut her off by raising his hand up in the same fashion she had earlier. "You didn't deny it. So just do it so we can both move on." He tensed slightly, feeling the space next to him dip as she knelt next to him, reaching over and taking his hand in hers gently.

"I'm sorry."

It was only two words, but they were the last two words he had expected to hear from her that night. His eyes popped open and he forced himself upright, looking into the bright green eyes of the Goth sitting next to him. Before he could open his mouth to speak, his stomach lurched and he jumped up, running toward the bathroom despite his hurt ankle.

Abby followed him, kneeling at his side as he retched into the toilet. She helped him sit back against the wall when he finished, moving toward the sink to get his toothbrush when he grabbed her hand suddenly.

"Ziva's right, y'know."

"About what?" She asked, kneeling next to him again.

"You don't...you don't know how hard it was to hear you say it wouldn't work between us, Abs. I can't...I know I haven't been...I just...I love you. And I don't want to lose you. I don't think I could take it if I did."

She dropped her eyes, unable to look at him. He reached over and took her hand in his, squeezing it lightly. "I just want you to be happy. That's all I've ever wanted. If...if I can't do that for you, then so be it." He reached over and tipped her chin up, searching her eyes. "But I'd like to try again."

The Goth nodded, wrapping her arms around him as she buried her head in his shoulder. The tears she had been holding in all day finally came out when she felt him trembling under her fingers. "I'm so sorry, T. I...I didn't mean to hurt you." She crawled into his lap, allowing him to bury his nose in her hair and hold her closely. "Forgive me?"

Tony pulled back slightly and cupped her face in his hands, leaning forward to kiss her deeply. "Yes. I love you. And I know we've had a rough start, but it'll get better, right?" He smiled momentarily before nudging her off his lap and pulling himself up, barely making it to the toilet before vomiting again.

"C'mon, baby. Back to the couch." Abby said, helping him stand up when he was done. He brushed his teeth quickly and rinsed his mouth out before heading back into the living room. She met him there, holding a thermometer in her hand.

"Oh no no no." He groaned, looking at the thermometer. "No way."

"Come on. You might be running a fever, Tony. I need to know."

"'M fine. Besides...can't do a cheek swab without gaggin'. Wha' makes you think I can do that?"

"Well, you could cooperate, or..." She smirked, knowing what his reaction would be before she even said it. "There's always *another* place I could take your temp. It's really more accurate that way anyhow."

Tony immediately balked, his eyes wide. "Nah, really...that's alright, Abs. I'm good. Really."

"Ah, come on, you big baby. You'd hardly feel it anyway. This little tiny thing?" She held up the thermometer. "It's not like its some giant dil..."

He clapped his hand over her mouth quickly and he could feel her lips forming a smile under his hand. "You're enjoying this."

The raven-haired woman nodded, her pigtails bouncing up and down.

He pouted, pulling his hand away from her mouth and crossing his arms over his chest. "You think me being sick is funny."

"Aww, Pooh Bear, I don't think it's funny, you know that. I was just trying to make you smile." She helped him lean back against the pillow, making sure he was comfortable before joining him, pulling a dark red chenille blanket over both of them as she rested against his chest. "Sorry."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, their legs intertwining. "I forgive you." He smiled, kissing her before relaxing against the pillow. "No more painkillers."

"Whatever you say, T." She grinned, burying her face in his chest. "So, when you get up in a few hours and you're in pain, begging me for them, I'm gonna give 'em to you, okay?"

Tony growled playfully, feeling his chest vibrate against her cheek. She giggled, making him smile. Abby always managed to bring a smile to his face, even in the most dire of situations. Looking back, he realized it had always been that way, ever since he had first met her in New Orleans over 11 years earlier. He wanted to headslap himself for being so stupid, for not realizing what he had until it was almost too late.

"I love you, Sunshine."

"Don't call me that, Pooh Bear."

"Then don't call me *that*. Deal?"

"Deal."

They fell silent, enjoying the closeness as they subconsciously started breathing in sync.

"You think I'm fat?"

Abby pulled her head back from his chest and raised an eyebrow at him, stunned by the sudden outburst. "Since when did you become such a girl?" She smirked, kissing him.

He poked her side playfully, returning the kiss before answering. "That Balto rookie called me fat. Well, not straight out 'fat', but she implied that she thought I was. I don't think I'm that out of shape, do you?"

"I think I keep you in pretty good shape." She grinned, returning her head to his chest. "Besides, I love your body just the way it is."

They laid together for awhile, holding each other close under the warm blanket, the apartment darkening as the sun set completely outside.

She could feel her lover's breathing begin to deepen, a sure sign that he was giving into sleep. Pulling away, she glanced down at him, ignoring the painful ache in her chest. This was the most peaceful he'd looked in days.

"Tony," she said quietly. "Come on, baby. Your back is gonna kill you tomorrow if we sleep out here."

The Italian groaned quietly as he forced his eyes open, accepting her hand and allowing her to pull him to his feet. She wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him before they made their way into the bedroom slowly.

She helped him into the bed and smiled as he burrowed under the sheets, slipping back to sleep easily.

"Whatcha waitin' for?" He mumbled sleepily, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her down onto the bed with him. "Stay with me."

Abby curled up against his chest and closed her eyes, focusing on breathing in his scent. "I'm not goin' anywhere."

**0245 Hours**

Abby stared at the ceiling, listening to her lover breathing deeply as he slept, his arm wrapped around her waist and his nose buried in her neck. She closed her eyes and sighed, angry at herself for not telling him about the baby like she had intended.

She jumped slightly when Tony groaned, shifting his weight as he swung his legs off the bed. "Damn ankle." He muttered, searching for his Vicodin bottle.

The Goth crawled up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and dropping a kiss to his shoulder before climbing out of their bed. She went into the kitchen and grabbed his pill bottle and a glass of water before heading back into the bedroom.

"Here you go, T." She smiled, shaking two pills into his hand and holding out the glass of water.

"Thanks, baby." He swallowed his medicine and leaned back against the pillows.

"How's your ankle?"

"Hurts." He said simply, pulling her close to him, noticing how she tensed slightly. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah..." She hesitated, relaxing against him. "We're okay, right?"

Tony pulled back and looked down at her comfortingly. "Better than okay, Sunshine." He kissed her gently, running his hand over her back.

She pressed her lips to his before she pulled away, her green eyes searching his. "I love you Tony," she said quietly, her fingers resting lightly against his bare chest.

"I know," he responded as he reached for her hand, linking their fingers together. "I love you too. Are you sure everything's okay?"

She should have told him then. He was giving her the opportunity and yet, as she opened her mouth, she found herself unable to speak, her fear winning out over what she knew was the right thing to do. She forced a smile before she returned her head to his chest, blinking against the tears that threatened to spill. "Just tired, I think," she said softly, her voice wavering ever so slightly. "I didn't sleep well last night, with you not being here."

"I'm sorry."

She said nothing, snuggling closer to him as he tugged the blankets up higher. Sighing softly, she closed her eyes, allowing the feeling of his fingers rubbing her back gently to relax her.

Tony could feel his girl relaxing against his touch, smiling to himself when he felt her breathing begin to deepen. Glancing down, he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head before he shifted just slightly.

"I love you, Abs," he whispered. "I'll try to do better. I promise."

At his side, a single tear slid down the Goth's cheek slowly before she slipped into a restless sleep, plagued with dreams of angry words and broken hearts.

**Chapter Four -- If You Only Knew**

**Two Days Later -- Tony's Apartment**

Abby groaned as she stepped out of the stairwell and walked down the hall to the apartment. She had been swamped all day at work and the team had been out on a case, leaving her without the Caf-Pow! that Gibbs usually brought her.

The elevator was down for repairs when she entered the building, leaving her to walk up the stairs to the fifth floor apartment. She had wanted nothing more than to relax with Tony, maybe watch a movie, spend a lazy night in bed together, something she realized they hadn't done in almost a week.

Needless to say, her night wasn't starting well.

Unlocking the door, she stepped inside and dropped her keys and purse on the end table, not bothering to take her boots off as she plopped down on the couch.

"Abs?" Tony called, stepping into the living room and frowning at his lover sprawled haphazardly across the couch. "I have a surprise for you."

"Don't really feel like a surprise tonight, T. Sorry." She mumbled, her arm draped over her eyes.

"Come on." He took her hand and pulled her up, covering her eyes as he led her to the dining room. "Ta-da!" He beamed, pulling his hand away.

Their table was covered in candles of different shapes and sizes, providing the only light in the small alcove just off the kitchen. There were two plates, filled with what looked like a lasagna, complete with a salad and garlic bread.

"Takeout again?" She asked, looking over the table.

Tony frowned, wrapping his arms around her waist and dropping a kiss to her temple. "No, grumpy, I cooked this. And I did it without burning the place down." He stated proudly.

She turned in his arms and looked up at him. "You're not supposed to be up on your ankle, mister."

"I know, but...I felt like doing something romantic for my girl after her long day at work. Is that a crime?"

Abby softened a little, resting her cheek against his chest. "No. It's not." Smiling, she pulled away from him and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a Red Bull out of the refrigerator.

Closing the door, Abby leaned against it with a quiet sigh when she spotted the pans piled in the sink. "Tony!" Slamming the drink onto the counter, she crossed the room angrily. "You have got to be kidding me." She growled under her breath.

"What?" He asked, walking in to find her hovering over the sink, scrubbing the baking pan. "Abs...I was gonna do the dishes after dinner."

"It's a mess in here, T! This stuff isn't gonna come off if you don't wash 'em right away!"

He groaned, leaning against the counter next to her. "You really couldn't let this go, could you? It's always something."

"Well?!" She cried. "How hard is it to clean up your mess? I mean, Jesus, Tony! You know as well as I do that these would be sitting here tomorrow for me anyway!"

Tony looked over at her, dumbfounded by her outburst. "Abby..."

She turned and looked at him, her eyes narrowed angrily. "No. You've been sitting at home all day for the past two days, and I'm still the one that does all the housework. You haven't done anything!"

"You think I wanna be stuck here all day?!" He roared, pushing himself off the counter. "I *want* to go to work. Unfortunately, I can't. You wanna bitch to someone about that? Go talk to Gibbs." He stepped into the living room and sat on the couch, turning to look at their pictures on the fireplace mantle.

The Goth finished scrubbing the dish clean and frowned, looking into the living room as her lover pouted on the couch. Walking into the dining room, she blew out the candles and picked up the dinner plates, carrying them in to him.

"T?" She asked quietly, standing next to the couch.

He didn't bother to look over at her, instead choosing to study the pictures. "What, Abby? Come to tell me what a horrible dinner I made?"

Sitting down next to him, she placed the plates on the coffee table. "No." She reached over and touched his cheek, turning his face toward her. "I'm sorry, baby. I just didn't have a very good day."

"That's the problem. We rarely have good days anymore." He dropped his head back against the couch cushion, looking over at the pictures again. "What happened to us? We were happy, remember?"

Abby moved to stand up when her eyes started to water, not wanting her lover to see her tears.

"Abby, wait." He said, reaching for her hand.

"What, T? You want me to say you're right? That we *were* happy?"

"That's not what I want, baby. I didn't mean..." He sighed, running a hand over his tired face.

The Goth sank back down on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder. "Its not supposed to be this hard, is it?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't know that I'm the one to ask. I haven't exactly had a ton of experience in the relationship department." He paused, lifting her head off his shoulder and cupping her cheeks in his hands. "But I know that I don't wanna lose you, Abby."

She turned her cheek into his hand, closing her eyes as the tears she had been holding back slid down her face.

"Don't cry, Sunshine. Please." He whispered, pulling her close to him. "We can work this out."

"What if we can't, T?" She asked, her voice breaking as she gripped his shirt in her fingers.

He ignored the painful ache in his chest as he rubbed her back. It had been a rough few weeks, sure, but he never imagined that she was feeling like this.

"We will." He promised. "After everything we've been through just to get here, we can't give up."

She wrapped herself around him, burying her face in his shirt until her tears had finally subsided. "'M sorry, T."

"Don't be." He gently pulled her pigtails down and cupped her face in his hands again, pressing a kiss to her lips. "I love you so much."

Abby simply nodded, not trusting her voice. She reciprocated the kiss, feeling him running his fingers through her hair. He moved his hands down her back, pulling her closer to him as he laid her down on the couch. He covered her body with his, dropping light kisses to her jaw and neck as his hands moved lower, slipping under the thin fabric of her shirt.

"Tony." She whimpered, pushing her palms against his chest. "Tony...stop."

"What?" He asked, leaning back off of her. "Am I hurting you?"

"No, just...not tonight, baby."

Tony stammered. "Wh...what? Y...you don't want me to make love to you?"

"It's not that...I just don't feel like it. I'm not in the mood."

"Fine." He said, pushing himself off the couch and heading into the kitchen, grabbing a beer out of the fridge.

"Don't pout, Tony. It's one night." Abby said, sitting up. "Come on."

He took a pull from his beer and walked back into the living room, standing in front of the couch. "I thought we were good."

Abby dropped her head back against the couch and sighed. "You always wanna fix things with sex, Tony!" She sat up and pointed at him. "You really think that it's gonna make us any stronger?"

"I wasn't trying to fix it with sex! I thought we were fixed!" He shouted, turning away from her. "We were making up!

"And your version of making up always involves sex! Why can't we just be happy being near each other?"

"I...I gotta go, Abs. I can't take anymore fighting tonight." He set the half-finished beer on the table and headed for the door, grabbing his jacket off the hook and slipping it on.

She jumped up and ran over to him, standing in his way. "You're just leaving? That's your solution, to walk away?"

"I need to cool off, and so do you. I'll be back later." He growled, taking her by the shoulders and moving her away from the door.

"You can't drive!" She called after him, watching as he walked toward the stairwell.

"That's what cabs are for." He mumbled, not turning back to face her as he started down the stairs, taking his time so he didn't hurt his ankle any further.

She stood in the hallway until she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore, wrapping her arms around herself as she turned and walked back into the apartment. Looking over at the clock on the stove, she closed her eyes, a tear falling down her cheek.

Her night had managed to go from bad to worse in less than an hour, and it made her heart break. Closing the door, she leaned against it and slid to the ground, dropping her head to her knees.

"What did I do?"

**K Street Bar**

He limped into the dimly lit bar, ignoring the throbbing in his ankle as he made his way over to the bar. Sinking down on the stool, he ordered a shot and dropped his head into his hands.

"Thanks," he said gruffly as the bartender sat the glass in front of him.

He picked the glass up, watching the liquid swirl in the glass before he threw his head back, wincing as it burned on the way down. Pushing the glass back to the bartender and signaling for another, he sighed heavily. This wasn't how he had pictured his relationship with Abby, but he supposed that he shouldn't have expected much else.

They had been best friends, they knew everything about each other. Lately, though, the same things that they had promised would stay between them had become ammo more than a shared trust. Both of them were guilty, using secrets against each other to win an argument.

As he downed his fourth shot, he struggled to comprehend what had changed over the past two months or so, trying to pinpoint when their fighting had become so volatile. The only thing he could think of was that Abby had been packing up her apartment, preparing to move in with him permanently.

Paying rent on an apartment they were never at was pointless, he had argued. She told him she needed that place, the one area that was hers and only hers, where she could go to clear her head.

Tony was jarred from his own headspace when a beautiful blonde woman with piercing blue eyes leaned over and whispered in his ear. "You here alone?"

He glanced over at her, his eyes involuntarily scanning her body. "Yeah. I am." His lips formed into a flirty smile as she sat on the empty stool next to him and ordered a martini.

"What brings you out here alone on a night like tonight?" She asked, trailing her fingers over his arm.

The Italian chuckled. "Just needed to get out of the house and have a drink, I guess."

"Good for me then, I guess." She smirked. "I'm Casey."

"Tony." He greeted, watching her as she moved closer to him, moving his arm so it fell around her waist.

"So...Tony. Wanna buy me a drink?"

He hesitated briefly, his mind screaming at him to stop. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the fact that things were practically down the drain with Abby anyway, but before he knew it, he had ordered another shot for himself and a drink for the blonde.

A few hours later, the innocent flirting had turned into some not-so-innocent conversation as the blonde moved herself to stand between his legs, nipping at his earlobe.

"Y'know..." He started, groaning when her lips moved down to his neck. "We prob'ly... shouldn't do this. We jus' met."

"What?" Casey giggled, whispering against his skin. "You've never been with someone you've just met? Sometimes...those are the best."

His mind immediately flashed to Abby, thinking about the first time they had met each other during Mardi Gras at her Uncle's bar.

"Yeah." He said, wincing slightly as she bit his neck. "Yeah, I know."

"So you have been with a stranger before." Casey chuckled, running her hand down his chest, cupping the front of his pants as she continued to kiss his neck. "I want you." She purred, moving her mouth up to meet his. "And I'm used to getting what I want."

He felt himself harden against her hand, despite his brain screaming at him to get up and walk away.

"C'mon, big boy." She smirked, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the door. "Let's go back to my place."

**0100 Hours -- McGee's Apartment**

McGee stood up from his computer at the sound of knocking at his front door. Stepping over to it, he looked out the peephole only to see that it was being blocked by the visitor's hand.

"Probiiiie!"

He groaned, shaking his head as he unlocked the door. He opened it to see Tony struggling to catch his balance against the far wall of the hallway, his hair mussed, his shirt untucked and partially unbuttoned, reeking of vodka and bourbon. He watched as the older man stumbled into the apartment, walking right into the kitchen and pouring himself a glass of water.

"You...you won' believe wha' happened t'night. Abby..."

McGee ran a tired hand over his face and shut down his computer. "I don't wanna know, Tony. I said I wasn't getting involved anymore, and I'm not. I'm not your relationship advisor." He started for the bedroom when he turned to face the brunette again. "You know where the couch is, and if you throw up on my rug again I will shoot you."

"Yessir." Tony grumbled, mock-saluting him. He stumbled over to the worn out couch and flopped down onto it, feeling it creak under his weight. "McGee."

The younger man stopped, not needing to turn around to know that Tony was signaling that he was about to get sick. Grabbing the trashcan from his bathroom, he rushed over to the senior agent just in time for him to vomit into the can. He looked away, disgusted, as he emptied his stomach, laying back on the couch when he was finished, passing out almost immediately.

He sighed as he carried the can into the kitchen, cleaning it out quickly before heading to bed. Passing the couch on his way to the bedroom, he shook his head at the passed out man. "You two better figure this out soon, I can't afford another rug."

**0530 Hours -- Tony's Apartment**

Pushing herself off the couch for what felt like the hundredth time that night, Abby made her way over to the window, peeking through the curtains with a frown.

She wrapped her arms around herself, ignoring the sting of tears. He'd been gone for hours, and she found herself growing even more worried with each passing second. Picking up the phone again, she dialed his number, hoping that this time he would pick up.

"Damnit, Tony!" She cried, throwing the phone across the room and hitting his bean bag recliner with it. "So fucking stubborn. I just wanna know you're okay."

The Goth picked up one of the pillows from the couch and hugged it tightly, staring at the phone for a minute before getting up and retrieving it grudgingly. She cursed herself as she dialed the familiar number, hoping that she wasn't waking the owner.

"H'lo?"

"McGee? It's Abby."

There was an audible groan over the phone and the rustle of blankets as McGee got up, heading into his living room. "You two really should try..." He stopped, scanning his living room with a confused look on his face.

"What should we try?" Abby asked. "Tim?"

"He's gone." He said, concern lacing his voice. "He came over last night about 0100, but he's gone now. He hasn't been home?"

She could feel the tears she had been holding back all night streaming down her cheeks as she listened to McGee's words through the phone. "No, I've been up all night waiting for him. I came home from work, we fought and he took off saying he needed to cool off. I haven't seen him since."

"I don't know what to tell you, Abs. I went to bed shortly after he got here. He was drunk though, I could smell it on him from the hallway. I'll head into the office right now, run a GPS on his phone, okay?" McGee asked, trying to calm his friend. He could hear the worry in her voice, despite her desperate attempts to hide it.

"No, it's okay. I'll...he'll come back soon, right?" She asked, unsure of the answer herself. "I mean, he's not hurt or anything, right? I would have found out by now."

"Yeah, Abs. I mean..." He hesitated, wanting to tell her that everything would be okay, but at the same time knowing that something serious could have happened after Tony left his apartment, considering the state he was in. "I'm sure he's fine."

Abby looked up suddenly, hearing a noise in the hallway outside of the apartment. "Hold on, okay? I think I just heard something outside."

"Okay." McGee said, listening closely as she made her way to the door.

She unlocked the deadbolt on the door and pulled it open slowly, jumping back when she saw Tony fall back, hitting his head on the hardwood floor as the door came out from behind him.

"Huh?" He mumbled, sitting upright and rubbing the back of his head.

"Abby? What was it?" McGee asked, having heard the thump after she opened the door. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Timmy. It was Tony, he's here." She hung up the phone quickly and knelt next to her lover, checking him over for blood. "Baby, where have you been all night?"

"Abby?" Tony answered groggily, trying to focus on her despite his hangover headache. "I think I made a mistake."

**Chapter Five -- Battlefield**

"Abby?" Tony answered groggily, trying to focus on her despite his hangover headache. "I think I made a mistake."

"Mistake? What are you talking about, T?"

He dropped his head, closing his eyes against the bright light that spilled out of the apartment. "I fucked up."

"No, baby. We...I'm sorry. Between the long hours and you being on suspension...I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"No...no Abby, listen. I need...I need you to listen to me, 'kay?" He reached up and ran a hand through his hair. "Just...last night, I..."

She stopped him by raising her hand, narrowing her eyes as she looked at his neck. Seeing the lipstick on the collar of his shirt, she pulled it aside, noticing the bright red bite mark.

"You bastard!" She cried, standing up and running inside.

"Baby! Wait!" The Italian called, stumbling after her as best he could. "Let...let me explain, Abs."

"No! *You* don't get to explain!" Tears were stinging her eyes as she turned back to face him, pointing a finger at him accusingly. "God! One fight, and you run off to screw some bimbo you met in a bar?!"

He looked away, ashamed at himself for making her cry. Dropping to sit on the arm of the couch, he tried to protest. "Abby..."

"Six months! That's it. Six goddamn months!" She scoffed, swiping at the tears running down her cheeks. "You make me sick, Anthony DiNozzo."

"Please...let me..."

"I know you better than anyone! I should have seen it coming, should have known that you couldn't be faithful. In the eleven years I've known you, you never have been! I don't know why I expected a changed man."

"Hey!" He roared, standing up from the couch. "I *never* cheated on anyone I've been with! Ever!"

"Great. So it's just me, then? That makes it *so* much better!"

"Maybe if you didn't freak out over stupid shit like a god-damned psycho, then I wouldn't..." He stopped himself, seeing the anger flare in her eyes. If he hadn't screwed up before, he certainly had now.

"Fuck you."

The Goth turned from him and started to walk away, stopping when he grabbed her wrist. Spinning around, she felt her hand connect with his face, making her hand sting.

"Shit!" He yelled, grabbing both of her wrists and pinning her to the wall. "You don't get to walk away from me. I'm not Bradley, I'm not gonna put up with you being a bitch and ignoring me."

She struggled against him, more tears flowing down her cheeks as he held her tighter. "I hate you." She managed, keeping her voice as steady as possible.

Her words stung more than any slap she could have ever given him. He backed away suddenly, having expected something along the lines of that, but he never thought he'd hear it spoken with the strength and conviction he heard in her voice.

Abby took the opportunity of him dropping his guard to slip away from him, running toward the bedroom as she sobbed.

"Abby..." He called, his voice soft as he followed her down the hallway only to meet a closed bedroom door. "Abs, baby, I'm sorry."

Tony listened, closing his eyes against the stinging tears when he received no response. "Baby, please. We...we can work this out, sweetheart. Just...come out and we'll talk about it."

The bedroom door swung open a minute later and Abby came out, carrying a large duffel bag over her shoulder.

"Abs." The Italian tried, moving to touch her shoulder before he thought better of it. He didn't want to scare her any more than he was sure he already had. "Please, can we talk about this?"

"There's nothing to talk about, Tony. This whole thing was a big mistake."

He crossed the living room in a few long strides, passing her and blocking her path to the door. "A...a mistake? How...how can you say that?"

The Goth sighed, picking up her purse off the table. "It is what it is, Tony. We were friends, and we messed with fate. It bit us in the ass. I should have listened to Bradley, he knew. He warned me, and I didn't listen."

He stumbled backwards, the force of her words hitting him like a well placed punch to the gut. "You don't...you don't mean that."

"An hour ago? No, I wouldn't have. But in the eleven years I've known you, you've done nothing but break my heart, Tony. The only difference is this time, I don't think it can be fixed."

He could feel the tears stinging his eyes as he clenched his jaw in an effort to keep from losing it. The injustice of the entire situation was welling up in his chest, the aching almost unbearable.

He knew he should drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness but his stupid male pride wouldn't let him. Instead, despite the fact that his brain was screaming at him to stop, he decided to hurt her just as badly as she'd hurt him.

As if he hadn't already.

"Yeah, well you know what? Fuck Bradley. I never liked him anyway. And I knew I should have never chosen you over Ziva. THAT was a mistake," he spat, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched her face crumble again.

She didn't even bother to respond, focusing all her attention instead on keeping her composure as she turned away from him. Pulling the door open, she stepped out into the hallway, her entire body trembling as she closed the door behind her.

"I wish I'd never met you," she whispered to the empty hallway as she made her way to the elevator, not even bothering to glance back.

**Three Hours Later**

Abby sobbed as she taped the last box closed and carried it to the door, sighing at the small stack that made up the last eleven years of her life. She hadn't planned on this initially, but after coming back to her half-packed apartment, she realized that she would never be able to move on while she stayed there.

Pulling out her cell phone, she wiped her tears away as she dialed a familiar number, part of her hoping that the call would go to voicemail.

"Gibbs."

She cursed under her breath, trying to steady her voice before speaking. "Hey, Gibbs, it's Abby."

"What's goin' on, Abs?" He asked, hearing the tenseness of her voice. He set the sander down and leaned against the workbench, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I...um, I have a favor to ask you."

"Anything, Abs. You know that." His gut had started churning, and he was worried about what her favor might entail.

"I need some time off, you know, to go see my family."

"They were just here for Christmas, weren't they? Is everything okay with Jack?"

"Yeah, they're fine. I just thought, I have some sick leave saved, that maybe I could use it." She knew that he could hear the tears in her voice.

"That's over 4 months of leave. You know I can't be without a forensics specialist for that long."

"Oh." The Goth said simply, her tears threatening to spill over again. "Okay."

"Talk to me. Something's bothering you."

"I can't...I can't talk right now, Gibbs. I've...I'm kind of in the middle of something but we'll talk, okay? We'll talk."

"Abby," he tried again, frowning as he heard her breathing hitch just slightly. "What's goin' on?"

"I've...I've gotta go. I'm sorry I bothered you."

She snapped the phone shut between her fingers and threw it across the room, hitting the couch. She had a feeling that Gibbs wasn't going to go along with her taking four months off, which unfortunately left her considering her plan B.

Trudging across the room, she picked up the phone again and dialed the NCIS switchboard. She entered the number of the extension she wanted and waited patiently for the owner to pick up.

"Director Vance? It's Abby."

**Two Days Later**

Monday morning came too soon.

After Abby left on Saturday morning, Tony hadn't done much other than drown himself in a bottle. Multiple bottles, actually. He felt dirty after the things he had said to her, but despite wanting nothing more than to go and apologize, he sat in what used to be their apartment,
going through the things she had left behind.

He only showed up at work out of habit, not even bothering to shave that morning. His clothes were rumpled, something he didn't even notice until he felt Gibbs' eyes on him like a hawk.

"DiNozzo!" He barked, watching as the younger man jumped, clearly startled by the loud noise. "What the hell is the matter with you? This is a federal office building, not the local homeless shelter. Go shave."

Tony stared at him blankly, his hangover preventing him from understanding half the words that came out of the older man's mouth.

"Shave. Now!" Gibbs repeated, shaking his head as the brunette gathered his disposable razor and headed for the bathroom.

Ziva and McGee looked at each other curiously across the bullpen as Tony left, trying to figure out what could be wrong with him.

"Don't even think about asking, I don't know." Gibbs answered their silent question. He didn't know what the problem with his senior agent was, but he could only assume it had something to do with Abby's phone call to him.

"I do."

All three of the agents looked up to see Vance walking into the bullpen carrying a small stack of personnel files. "I'm sorry to say that Miss Sciuto has resigned from NCIS."

"She did WHAT?" McGee asked, his eyes wide.

Vance set the files down on Gibbs' desk and turned to face the young agent. "She called me on Saturday morning and told me that she was resigning. Sent her letter an hour later."

Gibbs pushed himself up from his desk, his jaw twitching angrily. Ignoring Vance's warnings, he stalked out of the bullpen, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

It wasn't often that Gibbs completely lost control of his temper but when it happened, it almost always had to do with the Forensic Scientist he viewed as a daughter.

While Abby had never quite filled the void left after the death of his wife and daughter, having her around had made it easier to deal with the pain of losing them. He hated the thought of losing her, especially when he was almost positive that she'd still be around if not for the hungover agent currently hiding in the men's room.

"You sonofabitch!" He roared as he shoved the door open, ignoring the incredulous stares of the other agents lingering in the room. He motioned for them to leave the room, watching as they scurried out.

Turning at the sound of his boss' voice, Tony's eyes widened in surprise.

"Boss?"

Gibbs didn't answer as he closed the gap in between them, shoving the younger man back against the wall roughly, his arm pressed against his throat as he held him in place.

"What did you do to her?!" He spat, ignoring the fear in Tony's eyes.

"Gibbs...Boss..." Tony tried, his fingers clawing at Gibbs' arm as he tried to free himself.

"She's resigned! That girl loved this job more than anything except for you! What did you do to her?!"

"...Re...resigned?"

"You gonna add 'deaf' to the laundry list of things that are wrong with you? Resigned, DiNozzo! She quit! And somehow, I'd be willing to bet you had something to do with it!"

He held him place for a moment longer, taking pleasure in the way the younger man squirmed beneath his arm before he released him, glaring down at him as he sagged against the wall, gasping for air.

"I should fire your ass." He growled. "But I'm not, because that'd be letting you off easy. I want you here where I can ride your ass. And trust me, Tony. If you're not sorry now, you will be."

He turned and stalked out of the room, immediately heading for the elevator with the intention of getting coffee. He stopped the elevator halfway down and pulled out his cell phone, wondering for a moment if he should try to call her and convince her to come back.

He flipped open the little device, his fingers poised and ready to dial her number before he snapped it closed with a sigh.

In all the years he'd known Abby, she'd never been one to back down from her decisions. Whenever she set her mind to doing something, there wasn't much that could be done or said to change her mind.

**Abby's Lab**

Ziva sat at her friend's desk, sighing quietly as she packed the personal belongings away into a few cardboard boxes. They had been shocked when Director Vance came down and informed them of Abby's sudden departure, wondering why she had quit without saying anything to them.

McGee had checked his email first, logging into it as soon as Vance had headed upstairs and Gibbs took off to who knows where. He found her goodbye note, just letting him know that she would be in touch.

Ziva also had an email from the Goth, asking her to pack up her lab for her.

When she'd started at NCIS, she never imagined that she'd become as close to the Goth as she had. Abby was a total opposite of everything she was used to and while they'd gotten off to a rocky start, she found that she was geniunely saddened that her friend was gone.

She blinked against the tears that had formed in her eyes as she deposited the last of Abby's things into the box, ignoring the painful ache in her chest.

She stiffened at the sound of the automatic door opening, her hand immediately moving to the holstered weapon at her hip as she turned quickly.

"What are you doing down here?" Tony asked, swallowing hard against the lump in his throat as he looked at the box in her hands.

"I do not see how that is any of your business." Ziva snapped, moving to step around him.

He stood in front of her, blocking her path. "If you know something, I deserve to know!"

The Israeli scoffed. "Yes, *everything* is about you, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about, Ziva?"

"I cannot believe you!" She cried, sliding the box onto the prep table she was standing next to. "She told you that she was pregnant and you pushed her away! And now look at what happened. She left a job she loves and people that care about her just to get away from you!"

"Pregnant?"

"Yes! Pregnant. With your child."

She watched as Tony leaned forward on the prep table, the weight of the situation hitting him like a ton of bricks. "Pregnant." He whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears.

"You...did not know." Ziva said, her anger fading as she watched her partner trying to comprehend the news of Abby's pregnancy.

"No, Ziva. I didn't know." He snapped, not looking up at her. "You knew?"

She nodded. "I...figured it out. She did not come to me with it."

"When? When did you 'figure it out', Ziva?"

"When she was sick. The food poisoning was morning sickness, Tony."

He straightened himself and looked over at her, his eyes dark. "Why didn't she tell me? I...I should have known. She changed so much...I..."

"You are selfish."

"What?"

"Selfish." She bit out as she stared daggers at him. "You did not even take her into consideration, Tony. She said that you were good with her nephew, but that you had always told her that you did not want children of your own. That crushed her, and you did not even notice."

"I..." He ran his hand through his hair, not knowing how to explain. "She could've told me. What did she think I was gonna do? Was she..." He stopped, realizing why Abby hadn't told him about the baby. "She was scared of me. Of what I would do, how I would react."

Ziva nodded. "Yes, I think so. I offered to be with her when she told you, she insisted that she tell you on her own."

Tony dropped himself onto the stool next to Abby's computer, closing his eyes as he tried to hold the tears back. What did it say about him that his girlfriend, his *soulmate*, was afraid to come to him with something as important as a pregnancy? He couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with Ziva, knowing that she was thinking the same thing as she stared him down.

"I really fucked it up, didn't I?"

"I think that is what you would call an understatement, yes?"

Tony chuckled darkly, a tear falling down his cheek. "I...I told her it was a mistake, choosing her over you."

Ziva didn't even think before she reacted to his words, punching him in the stomach hard enough for him to double over.

"What...?!" He managed, coughing deeply.

"You are an idiot. What did you think you were going to accomplish?"

He thought about it for a moment, rubbing his stomach where she had punched him. "She hurt me. It was the only thing I could think of to do...to say something that would hurt her back. I wasn't thinking."

Ziva shook her head, disgusted with her partner. "I would have to agree! You let your ego get in the way of what could have meant happiness, Tony. And now she's gone for good."

"Yeah." He conceded solemnly, looking over at the box of Abby's voodoo dolls and personal belongings she had strewn all over the lab. "Yeah, I know."

Standing up suddenly, he took off for the door only to have Ziva grab him by the arm. "Where are you going?"

"To fix what I broke." He said, pushing past her and pressing the button on the elevator. He stepped into the car and dialed her number as soon as the doors closed, getting no answer. It didn't really surprise him, after their intense fight two days ago and her subsequent resignation, she clearly never wanted to see him again.

**Chapter Six -- Breathe**

**June 21, 2010 -- Abby's Apartment**

Tony pulled up outside of the small red brick apartment building and parked his car on the street, hesitating slightly before turning off the engine. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the bouquet of black roses he had bought on his way over and stepped out of the car, heading up the stairs to her apartment.

He knocked on the door and waited, deciding after five minutes to let himself in with the spare key. Dropping his keys into the dish next to the door, he frowned, seeing that all the lights were off.

"Abby?"

He stepped further into the apartment and flipped on the lights. His heart felt like it was sinking to the floor as he looked around, seeing that all of her belongings were gone, the worn out couch and dining room table being the only things remaining.

Making his way down the hallway, he stepped into the bedroom and sighed, seeing the queen sized bed stripped down to the mattress, the heavy blackout curtains no longer hanging over the windows. He sat on the edge of the bed, dropping his head into his hands when he noticed a shimmer out of the corner of his eye. Looking down, he saw the diamond cross necklace he had given her for Christmas lying on the bedside table.

He threw the bouquet he held in his hand against the wall, littering the floor with black petals. Picking the necklace up, he closed his hand around it, knowing what she had intended by leaving it there. It was over, and she wasn't coming back.

"Fuck." He cursed quietly, flopping back against the bare mattress.

The Italian laid there for hours, clutching the cross in his hand as he went over his entire relationship with Abby in his head. Everything from the day they met to the day she walked out of his apartment. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, watching the sun move across the room as the day progressed, until it disappeared and the glow of the rising moon took over.

He heard the distinct footsteps echoing through the quiet apartment and he sighed, not bothering to reach for his weapon. He knew who it was that had come looking for him. The visitor stood at the door to the bedroom silently, watching Tony as he laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

He chuckled quietly, not bothering to look toward the door. "You remember that girl I told you about? The one that squeaked?"

"Yeah. It was Abby."

"You knew?" Tony asked curiously, his thumb brushing the cross he held in his hand.

"I did date her for almost a year. I know you like making fun of me because you think I don't have sex, but we did." McGee said shortly, stepping further into the room and turning on the small lamp that sat on top of the abandoned dresser. "So, she's really gone."

"Yep."

The younger man leaned against the dresser, nodding as he looked around the dim room. "You know..."

"I cheated on her. Some smokin' blonde hit on me at the bar on Friday and I left with her." Tony blurted, his eyes closing out of shame.

"You're a dumbass."

Tony turned his head to the side, glaring at him. "Thanks for that, McObvious. Like I didn't feel shitty enough."

"Well! You fucked up, Tony, and you know it. Is that why she left?"

"Among other things." He sighed, dropping his head back against the mattress again. "We did nothing but fight after we got serious."

"Yeah, well, maybe that's your problem. You're thinking you two *just* got serious." The younger man said, sitting on the dresser. "You guys have always been serious."

Tony looked back at him again. "We've both been with other people, Probie. Hell, like you said, she was with you for nearly a year."

"But even when she was with me she was with you. You guys have always been it for each other, you just haven't acknowledged it." The Junior Agent released a quiet sigh and shook his head. "I don't believe it." He said after a moment.

"Believe what?"

"You've done a lot of really messed up things since I've met you...but I don't believe you'd cheat on her."

Tony scoffed, turning the cross over in his hands. "Well, she didn't bother to think twice. I didn't even get a chance to explain."

"She likes to pick fights sometimes. You were always her favorite target, you know."

He chuckled. "Yeah, she always could get a rise outta me."

"You ever think that maybe you guys were trying too hard? It shoulda been easy for you two." McGee shrugged. "You fancy yourself a commitment-phobe, but you weren't ever afraid of being with her. You always went back to Abby."

Tony lowered his gaze to the floor, tightening his grip on the necklace he held in his hand. "It wasn't enough, Tim." He said quietly. "We thought it would be, but in the end..."

"Who says this has to be the end?"

"Look around you!" He growled as he pushed himself to his feet, his throat tight as he gestured to the empty space around him. "She's gone! Looks pretty finalized to me!"

"Go after her, Tony! Don't give up on this just because that's the easy route! You're really just gonna let her leave without trying to get her back?"

"Of course I want her back! Of course I wanna work it out with her, she's pregnant with our child!"

McGee's jaw dropped. "What?" He whispered, looking Tony in the eye.

"Yeah, McGee. I'd say it's over. She's pregnant and she left anyway, even when she had every reason to stay."

"You know what you want. *I* know Abby well enough to know that it's what she wants, too. She may not be showing it, but you know as well as I do deep down that her leaving is a defense mechanism. She's pregnant, scared, and let's face it, Tony. You're not exactly the easiest person to talk to about family matters."

"She knows she can talk to me about anything. But she didn't come to me with this." He whispered lowly, opening his hand up and looking at the necklace, giving McGee a look at it for the first time.

"Stop being such a fucking wuss, Tony." The younger man blurted, knowing it would probably piss his partner off, which ultimately, was kinda what he wanted. "She left that here for you because she knew you'd find it. Ball's in your court. Give her a reason to come back."

Tony looked up at him and stormed out of the room, the anger of being told what to do by McGee nearly making his blood boil. He knew that the junior agent was right though, he had to give her a reason to come back.

**June 22, 2010 -- 0200 Hours**

Pulling up in front of the large white house, Abby threw the car into park, a quiet sob escaping her as she turned off the engine.

She hadn't planned on coming here. She had no plans when she left her apartment other than getting as far away from Tony as possible. She figured this would be one of the first places he'd look for her, but she didn't care. The owner would protect her, not allowing Tony to see her if that was what she wanted.

Climbing out of the car, she made her way up to the front door hesitantly, almost turning and heading back for the car. It was 0200, and the last thing she wanted to do was wake anyone up. Her analytical mind won out in the end, telling her that she'd be in worse trouble if
he found out she had slept in her car instead of coming inside.

Reaching the front door, she rang the doorbell once, knowing the owner wouldn't be able to hear a knock from his bedroom. She leaned against the brickwork right next to the door and waited patiently, fidgeting with her overnight bag. The door swung open a moment later, flooding the front porch with light from the entry hall.

"Abby? What are you doing here? We didn't know you were coming."

"I..." She hesitated, looking up at her brother with tears in her eyes. "I didn't know I was either."

Britty jumped out from behind her husband and wrapped her friend in a tight hug. "Come in, hon."

"Its 2 am, Abby." Bradley said tiredly, pulling the door closed and following the two women into the kitchen. "What's going on?"

"Tony and I broke up." She blurted, looking away from him.

"Oh, sweetie..." Britty soothed, sitting her sister-in-law down at the dining table. "I'm so sorry."

"What did the moron do this time?" Bradley asked, leaning against the counter.

"Bradley!" The redhead hissed, glaring at her husband.

"What? Its a valid question."

"I'll be right back, Abs." Britty said, smiling sweetly before turning to her husband. "Can we have a word?" She said, walking out of the kitchen, missing the eye roll he gave.

The couple went into the living room and stood across from each other silently for a moment before Britty spoke up. "That's your baby sister in there with her heart broken. She drove all the way here because she needed her big brother. Now is not the time to beat up on her by reminding her that she may or may not have made a bad decision with Tony."

"Yes, Master." Bradley chided, stepping forward and kissing his wife on the forehead.

Britty reached around and smacked his ass once. "I prefer to be called Mistress. Now, go apologize to your sister. I'll make some tea."

He watched as his wife made her way out of the living room before he shook his head, running a tired hand over his face. Despite the fact that he was sure her relationship with that overgrown juvenile would have gotten to this point eventually, he hated the fact that he'd been right.

He'd been praying that Tony would have proved him wrong but he turned out to be as big a disappointment as he originally feared.

Unfortunately, he had to let it go because as much as he hated to admit it, his wife was right. Abby needed her big brother and he knew he couldn't provide the comfort he knew she needed unless he pushed those feelings aside.

Making his way back into the dining room, he ignored the ache in his chest as he watched his little sister, hunched over at the table. Her shoulders were shaking silently as she cried, her hair tangled and dirty around her shoulders. It killed him to see her like this.

Releasing a quiet sigh, he made his way over to her, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her from behind. "I'm sorry, Abs."

Abby nodded, not trusting her voice. She leaned back against her brother, letting his embrace comfort her. She looked up when Britty re-entered the room, setting 3 cups of chamomile tea on the table.

"Drink this, hon. It'll help you get some rest. You look beat."

"Thanks." Abby mumbled, taking the tea her friend offered and sipping it. "I...I can go to a hotel, if it's too much trouble. I didn't mean to just show up here and bother..."

"Don't you even think about it!" Britty exclaimed, slapping Abby's arm gently. "You're staying here, right Bradley?"

"Of course, Abby-cadabby. You're always welcome, you know that. We'll make up the spare bedroom."

The redhead smiled brightly and headed upstairs to put clean sheets on the spare bed. Abby took another sip of her tea and set it down, avoiding eye contact with her brother.

"What happened, Abs?" He asked, taking the seat next to her. "You didn't drive 1500 miles just because of a break-up."

Abby stood up and moved to walk away when Bradley reached out and took her hand in his. She flinched and pulled her hand away, picking up her overnight bag and heading up the stairs to the spare room. The sandy-haired man continued to sit in the chair, stunned, as he watched his sister walk upstairs.

His wife rejoined him a few minutes later, after she had helped Abby get to bed. "What did she say?"

"Nothing." He said simply, picking up their cups of tea and heading to the sink. "I asked her what happened and she got up without saying anything. I tried to stop her, took her hand...she pulled away from me. Like she was scared."

"You don't think Tony hurt her, do you?"

Bradley shrugged. "I don't get that vibe from him, but..." He sighed. "I can't process this all tonight, B. C'mon, let's get back to bed. I'll talk to her in the morning."

**0800 Hours -- Bradley's House**

Abby groaned as the curtains in the guest bedroom were pulled open, squinting at the morning light as it filtered into the room.

"Morning sleepy." Britty said, sitting on the edge of the bed with a tray of food. "Bradley made you some pancakes. He said they were your favorite."

The Goth rolled over, facing away from her friend. Britty frowned, setting the tray of food on the dresser. "I put some clean towels in the bathroom for you, if you want." She said, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I...guess I'll come back later."

"Close the curtains?" Abby asked quietly, closing her eyes against the harsh sunlight as she burrowed deeper into the sheets.

"Sure, hon." She agreed, pulling the heavy red curtains closed, darkening the room. "Want a light on instead?"

"No."

Britty could hear the pain in her friend's voice, knowing that she was having a lot of conflicting emotions. "Okay." She whispered, leaving the room and silently closing the door behind her.

The door opened again later that night and Bradley walked in, standing in the doorway for a minute observing his sister before he shut the door. He had waited patiently all day for Abby to come downstairs and talk to him, to let him know what was bothering her like she used to when they were younger, but it never happened. Except for the short shower she had taken earlier, he could only assume she hadn't left her bed all day.

He stepped over to the bed and laid down on it, wrapping his arm around her thin body and pulling her back against his chest. She struggled for a moment, but he held firm, letting her know that he wasn't leaving. He could feel her body trembling against him as he held her, the quiet sobs making his chest ache.

They didn't speak for awhile, she cried while he held her silently, not wanting to force her to speak. He simply wanted her to know that he was there for her if she wanted to talk, and the reassurance of having him in the bed with her only made the tears come faster.

"I...I loved him. Always. Since I met him, I always thought he was it for me."

Bradley didn't say anything, instead he pressed a kiss to the back of her head as he reached up and ran a hand through her hair.

Abby sobbed, turning over in her brother's arms and burying her face in his chest. "I waited for him! I...I was always there when he was hurting...always. When he needed a friend, after every girl that left him...after Ziva left..."

"Shh..."

"I fucked it up. I pushed him away, when all he was trying to do was make me happy." She wiped her eyes and sniffled. "I...I didn't think it would hurt so much."

The older man didn't say anything else, continuing to hold the raven-haired woman close to him as she sobbed. She fell back asleep just over an hour later and he climbed out of the bed slowly, not wanting to disturb her sleep. Exiting the room silently, he crossed the hall into the master bedroom and sat on the bed next to his wife.

Britty put her book down and looked at her husband curiously. "Did she say anything?"

He dropped his head into his hands. After the few hours he had spent holding his sister as she cried, he wasn't feeling so sure about some of the things he had said about Tony. "She said she loved him. I think she still does. Says she pushed him away, but not what the reason was."

"She'll probably always love him, B. Think about it, how many other guys has she fallen for the way she fell for Tony? I know she went through her rebellious stage, bringing home a different guy 3 nights a week, but you said it after he left to go back to Philadelphia...that part of her life was over when she met him."

"Then why'd she push him away? If she loved him so much, why let him go?"

The redhead chuckled lightly. "Things change, Bradley. Not always in the way we want them to. I think...she finally realized that and it's hurting her."

Bradley pushed himself off the bed, running a hand through his hair as he worried about his sister. He pulled his t-shirt off and climbed into the bed next to his wife, tossing her book down on the table and pulling her close to him. "Mmm..." He said, nuzzling her neck as she relaxed against him. "You think he'll come for her?"

Britty smiled to herself, turning over in her husband's arms and relaxing her cheek against his chest. "I really hope so. I think she's too far gone to go back on her own."

**Chapter Seven -- Call Me When You're Sober**

**June 25, 2010 -- Tony's Apartment**

A quiet sigh escaped McGee as he stepped off the elevator and made his way down the hallway towards his partner's door. Though he'd never freely admit it to anyone, he was concerned about Tony.

It had been a week since Abby left, and Tony was slowly self destructing. He'd come to work every day completely hungover and honestly, McGee was expecting Gibbs to fire him any day now.

Running a hand over his face, he raised his hand and knocked loudly, rolling his eyes when he heard Tony groan from inside.

"Go 'way," the Italian ordered.

"Open the door, Tony."

"We don' wan' any."

"Fine. I'll just take this pizza home and share it with Jethro."

He heard the older man groan again, followed by the slapping of bare feet against the wooden floor. The door opened and Tony glared at him.

"You don' have any pizza."

McGee put his hand up to stop the door from closing. "Drinking again, I see. You gotta be close to running out of liquor, huh?"

Tony walked away from the door, taking another drink from the bottle in his hand. "There's a store on the corner."

"Is this really helping you?" The younger man asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Maybe. What's it to ya, Probie?"

He sighed heavily, watching as the Italian flopped onto the couch. "You're only gonna dig yourself deeper with Gibbs if you keep this up."

"Think I care? I mean...'s prolly time for me to go anyway. 'S been 9 years."

McGee rolled his eyes as he walked over to the recliner and sank down, eying Tony warily. "So you've progressed to feeling sorry for yourself then?"

"If ya haven't noticed, 'm alone. Ever been dumped, McLoverBoy?"

"Tony..."

He held his hand up, taking another long drink of the amber liquid. ""Cause I don' suggest it. It sucks."

"Not so easy being on the receiving end for once, huh?" McGee said, watching his friend as he finished the bottle.

"I've been dumped. Plenty o' times. 'S different." He dropped the bottle to the ground, pushing himself up and stumbling to the liquor cabinet.

The junior agent moved quickly, blocking his path and looking into his bloodshot eyes. "Why? Because you love her? You're the one who let her walk away without a fight."

"Hey!" Tony growled, pointing his finger into the younger man's chest. "'M tryin'. She won' answer my calls."

"Well, maybe if you wouldn't call her and leave drunken messages on her phone, she'd call you back, Tony."

The Italian rolled his eyes, turning and walking back to the couch.

"I talked to her the other day." McGee blurted, watching as he stopped in his tracks. "Tried to talk her into coming back."

"What'd she say?" He asked quietly, not turning around.

"She...said she needed some time. You want me to tell her that you wanna talk to her?"

"No. I don't need your help, McGee." He said bitterly. "She made her choice. She wants to be stupid about this thing, then let her."

"Wow. No wonder she left." McGee spat, walking toward the couch. "You treat her this way too?"

Tony didn't even process the entirety of the sentence before he felt his body turning and his closed fist meeting with McGee's jaw.

"Sonofabitch!" The younger man shouted, attempting to block his next blow but failing as another hit landed just above the last.

He ducked the next punch and ran forward, tackling the slightly taller man to the ground, accidentally dropping him onto his coffee table. He got up quickly when he heard the sickening crack of Tony's head against the solid wood of the table, concerned that he had hurt his friend more than he had intended to.

"Shit. You can't even go a week without getting yourself hurt, can you?" He mumbled, pulling his phone out of his pocket and calling Ducky. "Hey, Ducky, it's McGee. I'm over at Tony's and I need you to stop by if you can..."

**45 Minutes Later**

McGee opened the door when Ducky knocked on it, letting the ME into the dark apartment.

"What happened, Timothy? You didn't say much when you called."

He hesitated, leading the older man over to where Tony was laying on the ground. "He's drunk, we were talking about Abby, I said some things I shouldn't have, and we fought. He hit me a couple times...so I tackled him. I'm afraid he might be really hurt, Ducky."

The ME knelt down next to the prone man, pulling out a small flashlight and prying his eyes open. "He looks to have a mild concussion, but other than that he should be fine." He tilted Tony's head to the side, looking for any blood. "No head wound. I think he should wake up shortly. I would suggest staying the night, Timothy, and having some aspirin and water ready when he wakes up."

McGee nodded, looking down at his friend guiltily. "Thanks for coming by, Ducky. I really appreciate it."

"It's not a problem. If he's not awake in an hour, wake him up. Make him drink some water and put him to bed. Then wake him every two hours until he starts waking on his own."

"Got it, Ducky. Thanks again."

He followed the doctor to the door and let him out, returning to the couch a moment later and sinking down onto it, looking over his friend carefully.

"What am I gonna tell Gibbs?"

**0530 Hours -- Bradley's House**

*Beep Beep Beep*

The Goth rolled over in her bed and grabbed the cell phone off the bedside table, checking the small screen as best she could in the dark.

She almost deleted the message left by Tony out of habit when she suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to hear her lover's voice. She had missed him over the past few days but she wasn't sure that she could handle going back to DC and facing the questions everyone would have. Not to mention Tony.

She hesitantly pressed play on the small device and held it to her ear, listening to his slurred voice as he spoke.

"Hey." There was a slight pause, and she heard him clear his throat before speaking again. "I've called plenty of times and left messages for you, telling you how much I miss you, so I'm sure you know all that. So…" He stopped again, and she could hear the rawness of his voice, even over the phone. "I can't do this anymore. You want a scapegoat, Abby? Someone you can blame for our failed attempt at a relationship? Then congratulations. I couldn't make you happy, but this is one thing I can do for you. Goodbye."

She could feel the dampness on her cheeks as the dialtone droned in her ear. Snapping the phone shut, she put it back on the nightstand and sighed sadly.

Dropping her head into her hands, she took a deep breath. "This is what you wanted." She reminded herself quietly. "What did you expect?"

Pushing herself from the bed, she took a deep breath, ignoring the ache in her chest. "You can't keep hiding. This is what you wanted." She said again. "So deal with it."

**An Hour Later**

Britty woke up to the smell of bacon and pancakes coming from the kitchen and rolled over, expecting to see her husband out of bed. Instead she found him lying next to her on his stomach, snoring heavily as he slept.

She sighed and climbed out of the bed, curious as to who was cooking in their kitchen. Walking down the stairs quietly, she was shocked to see Abby up and moving around the large room, cookng breakfast. Jack was sitting at the counter eating and they were having an exuberant conversation, mixing speech and signing.

"Hey Mama." Jack said, setting his plate in the sink.

"Mornin' baby." She said, tousling his hair and leaning on the counter next to Abby. "J, go on and get ready for school."

The young man nodded and took off up the stairs, leaving the friends alone in the kitchen.

"It's good to see you up and around." The redhead noted. It had been 3 days since she had shown up at their house in the middle of the night, and short of getting up to take a shower, she hadn't gotten out of bed for much else.

Abby took the pancakes and bacon off the stove and put them onto plates. "Yeah, well...I can't hide in bed forever. I mean..." She shrugged, carrying the plates over to the table. "Thanks for everything, Britty."

"It's not a problem, hon. That's what families are for." She said, starting up the coffee pot.

"I really appreciate it, though. I...needed to get away for awhile, and I didn't know where else to go."

"Well, I'm glad you came here." She placed her hand on the raven-haired woman's shoulder, smiling at her. "You know, I'm here if you wanna talk about anything, right?"

"I know." Abby's smile turned quickly when the smell of freshly brewed coffee started to fill the kitchen. "Oh, Jesus, B. When did you start making your coffee so strong?" She asked, stepping into the dining room to get away from the strong scent.

Britty followed her into the adjoining room, frowning at the sick look on her friend's face. "What are you talking about? This is the same coffee I've been drinking since we were in high school. I haven't ever made it differently."

"Ugh, sorry." She apologized, sitting down. "I don't know why it's bothering me so much."

"Mmm...coffee." Bradley said, stepping into the kitchen and pouring himself a cup. "Hey B." He said, kissing his wife quickly before turning to his sister. "Abby...you've come out of the cave!" He teased.

Abby chuckled. "Yeah. Thought I'd make you guys some breakfast."

Bradley wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him. "I'm glad you're feeling better, baby girl."

She pulled away from him, clutching her stomach lightly as she fought against getting sick.

Bradley glanced at his wife briefly before he turned back to his Goth, cocking an eyebrow at her. "What's the matter with you? You getting sick on me?"

"I'm fine," she managed, swallowing hard to keep the nausea at bay. "Just... I'll be okay once I eat," she lied, forcing a smile for her brother and friend. "So... Who wants pancakes?"

Hurrying back into the kitchen in an attempt to avoid her brother's curious stare, it was all Abby could do to keep from heaving as the strong smell of coffee invaded her nose again. "There's no way I would have lasted around Gibbs," she muttered.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Britty asked, smirking when she saw her friend jump.

"Jeez! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Abby scolded, glaring slightly at the redhead.

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I've never seen someone actually turn green before but you're pretty close right now."

"I'm fine... Or I will be," Abby replied firmly. "I promise. Now quit worrying and help me take this stuff into the dining room."

Eying Abby once more, Britty nodded and deposited her coffee on the counter before she grabbed a plate.

Something was off with her friend, she decided. She wasn't sure what it was, but something wasn't right. She'd let it rest for now, she decided, but it not for long.

**Later That Afternoon**

Climbing the stairs slowly, a basket of clean laundry in hand, Britty paused outside of Abby's room, listening for sounds of movement inside. Balancing the basket on her hip, she pushed the door open slowly, frowning as she realized Abby wasn't inside. "Abby?" she called.

The sound of retching reached her ears almost immediately. Dropping the basket beside the door, the redhead crossed the room quickly, pausing outside the attached bathroom. "Abby!" She called again.

She heard the Goth moan quietly and without thinking, she pushed the door open.

Abby was hunched over the toilet, her hands gripping the seat as she emptied her stomach.

"Oh God," she moaned. "Kill me now. Please."

Dropping to her knees beside the woman, Britty touched her forehead gently. "You don't feel warm, but I think we should probably get you to the doctor anyway. There's a nasty virus goin' around town."

"I..." Abby hesitated, leaning back on her heels. "B, I don't need a doctor, I'm not sick."

The redhead studied her for a moment, her eyes going wide when she realized what was wrong with her friend. "Oh my God. You're pregnant!"

She dropped her gaze to the ground, unable to make eye contact with her sister-in-law. "Y...you can't tell Bradley. He'll kill me."

Britty scoffed. "You think I'm stupid? I've been married to the man for almost 18 years. *You're* telling him. I'm not getting in the middle of that." She offered her a supportive smile and leaned forward, wrapping her in a hug. "Now, have you been to a doctor?"

"No, not yet. I...just found out a couple weeks ago."

"You know I have to ask. What did Tony say? I'm right to assume it's his, yes?"

It was all Abby could do to hide the hurt in her eyes as she pushed herself up, shaking off Britty's attempt to help.

"Jesus, Britt. Of course it's Tony's. What the hell?"

"Well, what did he say?" She narrowed her eyes as Abby dropped her gaze to the floor. "Abigail! You didn't TELL him?!"

"You don't know Tony like I do, okay? He hates kids!"

"I'm sure he doesn't *hate* kids, Abigail. I can't believe you didn't tell him! Is this the reason you came here? So you wouldn't have to?"

The Goth sank onto her mattress and dropped her eyes to the floor again. "You know I don't like being called Abigail." She said quietly, her hands fidgeting nervously in her lap.

Britty crossed her arms over her chest. "You can't hide from this, Abby. You don't think he's gonna be angry when he comes to win you back and he sees that you're pregnant?"

*What makes you think he will?* She signed, unable to form the words. Her throat was tight and her chest was starting to ache with the realization that what Britty had said was what she had known all along. She should have told him about the baby.

The redhead sat next to her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "He loves you, Abby. He always has. That's not something that just goes away. True love...it's forever, no matter what happens."

"B! We're home!"

Abby stood up quickly and headed back into the bathroom at the sound of her brother's voice, not wanting him to see her upset. Shaking her head sadly, Britty got up and reclaimed the laundry basket, heading across the hall into her son's bedroom.

She heard her husband's heavy footsteps on the stairs and smiled when he came up behind her and pressed a kiss to her neck. "Hey sexy."

"Hey back." She replied, turning in his arms and kissing him. "How was work today?"

"You know...work." He smirked, pulling back and noticing the slight tensing of his wife's shoulders. "What's the matter, baby?"

She shook her head, smiling up at him before turning back to finish putting away Jack's clean clothes. "I'm fine. Just...still have to go to the grocery today. Forgot you were coming home early."

"Well, why don't you go ahead, Jack and I'll get dinner going. I wanted to barbecue those steaks tonight anyway."

"Mm..." She leaned up, kissing him again. "Sounds good. I'll see if Abby wants to go with me."

Turning back toward the hallway, she knocked on Abby's door before opening it and stepping inside, making sure Bradley was headed downstairs before she continued into the bathroom. She saw her friend reapplying her makeup, a bright smile on her face.

"I see you got the mask from Tony when you left." The redhead leaned against the doorframe, watching her through the mirror.

She capped her lipstick and turned to face her friend, a slight frown on her face. "Think that's funny?"

"No, Abby, I don't. Who do you think you're gonna fool? Two of the people who know you best in this world? I don't think so. If I can see through that..." Britty said, gesturing to her forced smile. "You can bet that B is gonna see through it."

"Bradley only sees what I let him see. It's always been that way."

"He sees more than you think, girly. But you go ahead and believe what you want. I'm going to the grocery. Wanna come? Get out of the house for a bit while the boys make dinner?"

She didn't really want to leave, but she knew that if she stayed, Bradley would try to talk to her. Britty was right, he would be able to see right through her. He would figure out what was wrong immediately, and that wasn't something she wanted to deal with at the moment. Tossing her cell phone onto the bed, she slipped her boots on and smiled at her friend.

"Sure. Let's go."

**2100 Hours -- Abby's Bedroom**

Abby made her way back upstairs after dinner, declining her brother's offer to watch a movie with the three of them. She opened the bedroom door and immediately walked into the bathroom, washing away the makeup that had successfully prevented her brother from asking too many questions. As long as she looked like her old self, she hoped he wouldn't pressure her for more answers as to why she was there and not back in DC.

*Beep Beep Beep*

She sighed heavily, not sure that she wanted to hear another voicemail from Tony. Checking the small screen, she saw that the missed call was from McGee, and she decided to listen to it.

"Abby, it's Tim. I just wanted to call and apologize for Tony. He told me that he called this morning and said some things he didn't mean. I...he didn't mean them, Abs. He wasn't being himself. Please call me back. I...I think we need to talk."

She deleted the message and stared at the phone for a moment, deciding whether or not she really wanted to hear McGee's explanation of Tony's actions. She decided that he wouldn't have called if it wasn't important, so she dialed the number to her friend's cell phone, hoping that he would answer. She didn't think she could handle having to play phone tag with him.

She flopped back on the bed with a groan as the phone rang and she was just about to hang up when she heard his voice.

"I was wondering if you were actually gonna call me back." McGee said. She heard a hardness in his voice that hadn't been there before. She frowned slightly as she pushed herself up.

"Of course I would call back. Why did you think I wouldn't?"

"You don't return anyone else's calls."

"Timmy..." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Please don't start this. I'm not ready to talk to him."

"Are you ever gonna be ready?"

"I don't...I don't know."

"I'm not sure what you're trying to prove, Abby, but I'm getting tired of it. He's in a bad way."

"H...how is he? What's the matter with him?"

"What the hell do you think is wrong, Abby?! He's ready to throw all this away. All of it."

She couldn't stop the tears that were flowing down her cheeks at the sound of her friend's harsh tone.

"I...I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt him. Or you."

McGee scoffed loudly. "Really? Do you know how completely insufferable he's been?"

"I..."

"You left. You took off and left him holding the bag. Everyone blames him for you leaving. You claim that you didn't wanna hurt him, but you're letting him fall apart!"

He ran a hand through his hair and looked toward the bedroom where Tony was sleeping. "And you know what's worse than that? He had to find out that you're pregnant from Ziva. Ziva! You didn't even tell him!"

"I couldn't!" She cried. "He...doesn't want a baby. It wasn't supposed to be this way, Timmy! We were supposed to be happy!"

"Abby." McGee sighed, exasperated with the Goth. "Look. He's breaking, and its gonna cost him more than just you leaving. I can't deal with this anymore. I can't babysit him anymore. I'm done."

"Timmy..." She tried, though it was no use. He'd disconnected the call.

Throwing the phone across the room, she flopped back against the mattress, tears streaming down her cheeks. She stared up at the ceiling and sobbed, knowing that she had screwed up the best thing that had ever happened to her.

"Congratulations, Abby. You've really fucked it up this time." She whispered, resting her hand over the slight bump under her shirt. "No turning back now."

**Chapter Eight -- Love Drunk**

**Three Months Later -- September 19, 2010 -- Bradley's House**

Abby climbed out of the car and headed into the house only to be immediately bombarded by her sister-in-law.

"You're back! Where are the pictures? I wanna see my little niece or nephew!"

She smiled and handed the redhead the sonogram pictures, shaking her head as she 'oohed' and 'ahhed' at the blurry photos.

"Hey, Abs." Bradley smiled, stepping up behind his wife and wrapping his arms around her slim waist. "Baby pictures already? Aren't you girls overdoing it just a bit?"

Britty elbowed him lightly. "It's never too early to love a baby." She smiled at her friend, handing the pictures back. "Did you find out what the sex is?"

"Not yet. I don't think I wanna know. Keep it a surprise, you know?"

"Afraid it's gonna be a boy like that good for nothing..."

"Bradley!" Britty hissed, spinning around and fixing him with a harsh glare. *Do not start that now. Let it be.* She signed, her back to Abby so that she couldn't see. *She's having a good day. Don't ruin this for her.*

Abby turned and walked toward the stairs, her hand resting protectively over her still small baby bump as her brother and his wife argued silently. She had told Bradley about the pregnancy shortly after Britty found out, and needless to say, he hadn't been very happy. It took everything she had to keep him from going to DC and killing Tony with his bare hands.

The siblings didn't speak for almost two days before he came to her, assuring her that while he wasn't happy about the situation and the way it had turned out, that he'd support her, no matter what.

He still wasn't completely thrilled with the idea of his little sister being pregnant and unmarried, but as she'd reminded him time and again, she wasn't so little anymore.

Slipping into her bedroom, she closed the door quietly behind her, releasing the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Making her way over to the bed, she sank down on the comfortable mattress, wishing Tony had been there to share in her excitement at seeing their baby.

Britty turned back to her friend and frowned, punching her husband in the arm. "Look what you did!"

"What?" He said. "No, you can't blame her going upstairs on me. I didn't do anything!"

"She's already an emotional person, B, you know that! On top of being pregnant? You know better than to mention Tony. You know what it does to her."

"She's fine." He said, sighing when his wife glared at him again. "Fine. I'll go talk to her. Happy?"

"Very. Go." She said, slapping his ass as she pushed him toward the stairs. "And you had better apologize!"

Bradley made his way up the stairs and paused outside his sister's bedroom door, taking a deep breath before knocking lightly.

"Come in."

He could hear the strain in her voice, but was relieved when he walked in and she wasn't crying. He knew that she felt guilty about having left DC with no warning and now, after 3 months of being gone, she couldn't very well see herself being accepted back with open arms. Based on what he had heard from Gibbs, Tony was falling apart at the seams and McGee was refusing to discuss Abby in any way, shape, or form out of some misguided loyalty to the Italian. Her 'family' was crumbling around her, and all he was doing was punching holes through the pieces that remained.

"Hey." He said, sitting next to her on the mattress. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and frowned when she sniffled, resting her head against his chest. "Don't cry, Abs. I'm sorry."

"You're right." She mumbled. "You were always right about us. I...I just wish he was here."

He sighed, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I know, hon. I know you do."

She pulled away from him and opened the drawer on her nightstand, pulling out a small stack of papers. Tossing them onto the bed, she turned away from him, moving to stare out the window at the view of the French Quarter.

Picking up the papers, Bradley started sorting through them, realizing they were plane tickets that she hadn't used. "Abby..."

"I can't do it. I claim that I want him here, that I still love him...and I do still love him..." She said, wrapping her arms around herself. "But I can't seem to make myself get on the damn plane. What does that say about me, BB?"

Bradley opened his mouth to speak, but realized that he didn't have anything to say. He wanted to tell her that she was doing the right thing, that her initial decision to move home was correct and she shouldn't be second guessing herself, but he knew that wasn't what she wanted to hear. She wanted him to tell her that the pain of leaving her first real love behind would fade, and he knew that it never would. Especially not with the constant reminder she currently had her arms wrapped around as if she was holding on for dear life.

He stood up and walked over to his sister, pressing a kiss to the back of her head before turning and leaving the room. He went back downstairs and sank down onto the couch, dropping his head back against the cushion and sighing heavily, frowning when his wife joined him, running her fingers through his hair.

"What's goin' on, baby?"

"I don't know how to help her. She…I want her to be happy, B, but I don't know how to fix her anymore. She used to come to me for everything."

Britty pulled his head down against her chest and continued to play with his hair. "Its not something you can fix, Bradley. She has to do this for herself."

**2100 Hours -- NCIS Squad Room**

"Go home. There isn't anything else we can do tonight." Gibbs said, closing the file he was looking at and pinching the bridge of his nose.

Tony stood up and grabbed his backpack and his Sig to his belt without a word before heading toward the elevator quickly, grateful to be heading home.

"Hey Tony! Wait up." McGee said, jogging up behind him as he waited for the elevator.

"What's up?" He asked tiredly, stepping forward as the doors opened.

"Wanna grab something to eat?" The younger man asked, noticing the dark circles under his friend's eyes. It had been 3 months since Abby left town, but he knew that Tony was feeling it everyday. Going home to the apartment they had shared, the few things that she left behind still in the places she left them in, despite the fact that he could have boxed them up.

He had gotten slightly better, after the initial shock wore off and Gibbs finally cornered him about coming into work hungover and unshowered, smelling like booze and self pity, he cleaned up his act. McGee had helped him to clean out his liquor cabinet that weekend, he hadn't had anything stronger than a beer with dinner since.

"I don't know. I'm not really hungry."

"Come on. I'll buy."

"McGee..." he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was tired and all he wanted was to get some sleep. "I don't need a babysitter. Isn't there some Elf Lord competition going on tonight anyway?"

"It's a LAN party and that's not until tomorrow."

"You scare me sometimes, Probie."

The elevator doors opened in the parking garage and they stepped off, walking toward their cars.

"I'm not trying to babysit you, Tony. Just thought you might like some company."

"Sounds like babysitting to me." He said, turning back to face the younger man and sighing. "Fine. Meet me back at my place. Go get takeout on your way."

**45 Minutes Later -- Tony's Apartment**

McGee knocked on the door to the apartment, holding a large bad of Thai food in his hand.

"It's open!" Tony called, his feet propped up on the coffee table as he entered his credit card number into the laptop he was holding.

The younger man entered the apartment and set the food down on the counter, glancing over Tony's shoulder before grabbing some plates from the cupboard. "You actually gonna go this time? Or you just gonna go to the airport and watch the plane take off?"

The Italian snapped the lid of the laptop shut and turned to McGee. "You know? How?"

"I'm a trained investigator, Tony." He said, picking up the plates and joining the older man in the living room, taking a seat next to him on the couch.

He cocked an eyebrow at his partner, taking the plate he handed him. "Right."

"Okay. You left the flight confirmation up on your computer a few weeks ago." McGee caved, slumping against the couch.

"So you've been spying on me?"

"Look, I didn't want to piss you off. Honestly, I think you should go...if that's what you wanna do."

Tony sighed, leaning back against the couch as he ate his food. "That's the problem I'm having. I don't know what I want."

"It's not a matter of not knowing what you want. It's a matter of being too scared to do it."

"I'm not scared, McGee. I just want her to be happy, and if being away from me makes her happy...then who am I to interfere?"

He set down his plate and pushed himself off the couch, grabbing two beers from the refrigerator before returning. "You'll never know if you don't go find out."

"Have you talked to her? Did she say something?" Tony asked, cringing at the desperate hopefulness in his voice.

McGee shook his head. "I haven't talked to her. But you and I both know she can be as stubborn as you when she wants to be."

"Yeah." He nodded, looking down at his plate.

The pair continued to eat in silence, nearly finishing the food before Tony finally spoke, his voice low.

"I do love her, Tim." He said, as if trying to convince the younger man that he was being truthful despite the things he may have done to prove him otherwise.

"I know you do." He replied, glancing over at his friend.

"I shouldn't have let her go."

McGee shrugged, draining his beer. "Yeah, Tony. You're probably right. But I don't remember her exactly giving you a choice."

"Yeah. I'm not gonna be able to fix this with some flowers, am I?" He chuckled darkly, rubbing a hand over his tired face.

"Have you ever been able to fix anything with Abby by giving her flowers? Has anyone, for that matter?"

"Gibbs managed it once, I think. Not me though."

The two settled into a thoughtful silence for a moment, staring at the muted infomercial that was playing on the large TV before McGee turned, facing the Italian.

"I know you're afraid she's gonna reject you if you show up there, Tony. But you're gonna drive yourself crazy if you don't try. You know that."

"Yeah, I do."

"Then buy the ticket and for God's sake, get on the plane this time." Picking the laptop up from the table, McGee handed it to the older man. "You have to do this."

Swallowing hard, Tony settled the computer in his lap and lifted the lid. Then, before he could change his mind, he placed the order for the ticket.

"You think she'll come back?"

"I think she'll come back if you give her a reason to."

Tony scoffed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he collapsed back against the couch cushions. "And how do you suggest I go about doing that?"

"By reminding her of why she fell for you in the first place."

**The Next Day -- NCIS Headquarters**

"DiNozzo!"

Tony sighed, looking across the bullpen at his Boss. "Yeah, Boss?"

"Coffee. Then take these to Ducky."

He grumbled as he stood, taking the files off of Gibbs' desk and heading toward the elevator. The older man had been on his ass all week, making him run errands and yelling at him over every little infraction. He had ultimately decided that it was easier to just not argue.

"Uh, Boss?" McGee spoke up, glancing toward the elevator that Tony had just stepped into. "Don't you think you're being a little hard on him? He's been doing better lately. He hasn't even been drinking."

"You call what he's been doing 'better', McGee?"

"Well...I..."

"He is right, Gibbs." Ziva said, defending the senior agent. She was still holding a grudge against him for the way he left things between himself and Abby, avoiding him as much as possible, even while at work. "He has not been so...pitiful lately."

Gibbs shook his head and ignored his agents, going back to the file on his desk. He had noticed that Tony was making an attempt to get his life back on track after Abby's sudden departure. He had cleaned up his act, but he could still see the emptiness behind his senior agent's eyes. He was missing Abby still, and while she had been gone for 3 months, the wounds were still fresh for everyone.

Tony returned to the bullpen 20 minutes later with 4 cups of coffee and he passed them out before sitting back down at his desk with a sigh.

"Where's your report, DiNozzo?"

"Boss, I've been up running errands for you all day, when have I had time?"

Gibbs glared at the Italian, silently daring him to talk back again.

"10 minutes Boss."

Gibbs nodded, smirking slightly to himself before going back to his file. He knew he was pushing the younger man, but when he had found out about the plane tickets he had been purchasing with the intention of going to New Orleans, his hand was forced. Someone had to make Tony realize that burying his head in the sand wasn't the way to go about handling the situation, and he was willing to be that person.

Director Vance came walking down the stairs a moment later, a file in his hand and an angry glare on his face.

"DiNozzo." He barked, stopping next to the younger man's desk.

Gibbs watched from across the room as his agent slammed his hands down on the desk, his face screwed up in an angry glare as he pushed himself to his feet.

"How the fuck am I supposed to get any work done with everyone constantly hounding me?" He spat angrily. "I can't do this anymore!"

The entire squad room went silent at the outburst, everyone turning to face the Italian to see what was going to happen next.

Director Vance threw the file onto Tony's desk. "With me. In my office. Now." He growled.

"Leon..."

"You too, Gibbs. Now."

Gibbs stood up and started walking toward the stairs when he noticed McGee and Ziva standing to follow him. "Stay here." He said, not making eye contact with either of them as he made his way to the director's office.

He closed the door to the office behind him when he stepped inside, seeing Vance and Tony standing toe to toe, with Tony clearly defying the bald man.

"You think its okay to disrespect your director? I don't care what the hell you have going on in your life outside of this office, but if you can't hold it together here then there's only one option remaining." Vance snapped, walking behind his desk and opening a drawer.

"Tony, outside." Gibbs said, his voice low. The younger man set his jaw and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

"And I wonder where he learned to disrespect his superiors."

"I taught him well, what can I say?" Gibbs said, stepping over to Vance's desk. "You can't fire him, Leon."

"The hell I can't! He's an agent in this agency, MY agency, and last I checked, I hold hiring and firing power."

"He's done a lot for this agency." The older man explained. "He's just had a rough 6 months."

"And in that 6 months he's caused this agency more trouble than the last 9 years. Have you already forgotten about the weeks on end that he came in hungover? Or the fact that we lost a forensic scientist, not to mention my predecessor, all because of him. Inexcusable, Gibbs."

"I think I have a solution that can fix all our problems." He offered.

"What's that?" Vance sighed, sitting in his chair.

**20 Minutes Later**

Gibbs stepped out of Vance's office and closed the door quietly, stepping over to where Tony was sitting, surprised by the look on the younger man's face as he stood.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs. I really didn't mean to blow up like that."

He held his hand up, signaling the man to stop. He walked out onto the catwalk above the bullpen, motioning for Tony to follow him as he stepped onto the elevator. The car started up and he immediately flipped the emergency switch, turning toward his senior agent.

"I...I'm done, huh? I saw that coming. I'll go pack up my things, be out of your..."

The headslap came without warning, although it was hardly a surprise. "Sorry Boss."

"You're not getting fired."

"Then...oh, God. Not Agent Afloat again. Boss, I can't take that again."

"Will you shut up, DiNozzo?" Gibbs snapped, running a hand over his face. "You're getting leave time."

He accepted the piece of paper that Gibbs handed him, seeing the signatures of both the director and his boss. "Gibbs..."

"Its either this or you're gone, Tony. I talked him into this, so guess which road you're taking."

Tony looked over the paper for a moment longer before making eye contact with the older man again. "How long?"

"As long as it takes."

"As long as what takes? What do I have to do to come back?" He asked, folding the paper nervously.

"Bring her back." Gibbs said, flipping the switch and putting the elevator back in motion.

"Gibbs...she doesn't want me."

He turned to face him, an amused grin on his face. "You underestimate her, Tony, and you claim to know her best. Trust me, she plays you like a fiddle."

"I know she does." He said quietly.

"Good. Then go get her. Don't second guess yourself. You know what you have to do, so don't even think about coming back without her, clear?"

"Crystal, Boss."

**September 24, 2010 -- Dulles International Airport**

"I can't do this."

"Tony, seriously? Am I gonna have to get Ziva down here?"

He stopped in the middle of the terminal and faced the younger man, frowning at him. "I'm serious, McGee. I'll just resign."

"And Gibbs will murder you." McGee chuckled. "Yeah, that's the way to go."

Tony hesitated, looking over at the gate where his plane was starting to board. "I just remembered I have a dentist appointment next week. I can't miss it, teeth cleanings are important."

"I canceled it. Everything's been taken care of here, okay? All you have to do is go to New Orleans and tell Abby that you want her back."

"I'm not sure I should get on the plane. I'm coming down with something, might be swine flu.". He said, raising his voice slightly in hopes that the airline would prevent him from boarding.

"Nice try, Tony. Stop screwing around. You know what Gibbs' will do if you don't get on this plane."

McGee watched the man tense at the sound of the final boarding for his flight being called, and it was all he could do to keep from laughing at the terrified look on his face.

"I can't do this!" Tony moaned. "Bradley's gonna murder me as soon as I set foot on his property."

"You'll be fine, Tony," he said encouragingly, giving him a gentle shove. "Go. You know we're all just a phone call away if you need anything."

"Tim..."

"Go. Go get your girl."

He watched as the Italian headed for the gate, showing his ticket to the stewardess and glancing back at McGee quickly before boarding. Sighing, he turned back and walked toward the entrance, having a sinking feeling that they weren't going to see Tony for awhile.

**Chapter Nine -- Since U Been Gone**

**September 25, 2010 -- New Orleans, Louisiana**

Tony parked the rental car on the street in front of the large white house, sighing heavily. Glancing over at the black roses that were laying on the passenger seat, he frowned, wondering if he was doing the right thing. It wasn't the first time the thought had gone through his mind, hell, it was the reason he had never gotten on the plane before.

After his flight landed the night before, he had considered driving over to Bradley's house and standing up for what he wanted. He had gotten as far as driving past the house before he lost his nerve, turning around and heading back to his hotel. He had raided the mini-bar, breaking his nearly 2 month hiatus from hard liquor by drinking himself to sleep.

He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair, picking up the flowers and exiting the car. Abby's hearse was parked in the driveway, but he didn't see any other cars around, leading him to wonder if they were even at home. Making his way up to the front door, he knocked, shifting from one foot to the other as he waited for the door to open.

"Uncle Tony!" Jack greeted, opening the door and practically knocking the older man down with a hug.

"Hey big guy. See you inherited your Auntie's penchant for hugging like a linebacker." He joked, chuckling nervously as the boy stepped back. "Is, uh...is she here?"

Jack beamed. "Yeah, she's laying down in the living room. The baby makes her pretty tired during the day. She says she likes just resting while she watches TV."

Tony felt his chest tighten as Jack let him inside, realizing that it wasn't just a dream. He had allowed his best friend and lover to leave for three months, pregnant with his child, without even so much as a half-assed attempt at getting her back. He felt dirty just thinking about it, knowing that she had been having to deal with this on her own because his pride had been too bruised to fix it sooner.

"How's she been doing?" He asked, stepping into the house and toeing off his shoes next to the door.

"Good. She misses you. Told me that you guys have been real busy at work and that's why she came down here. Something about too much stress for the baby, and she can't work with the chemicals in her lab anyway." Jack explained, closing the door behind his surrogate uncle.

It was clear that the twelve year old didn't know what was really going on. Abby had told him a story so that he didn't come to resent the only uncle he had ever known, someone he had looked up to for most of his young life as a hero of sorts. The thought made him smile to himself, thinking that even as his girl was dealing with her own problems, she still managed to think about how certain things would affect others.

Jack led the older man to the living room and smiled. "I just checked on her a minute ago and she was almost asleep. We could play some video games, if you want. Mama and Dad are out shopping, and you won't tell, right?" He asked, his bright green eyes looking up at him hopefully.

"Maybe later, buddy. Hey, could you grab me one of your Mama's vases and put some water in it?" He asked, peeking into the large room and seeing Abby sleeping peacefully on the couch.

"Sure!" He said, running off to the kitchen to do as he was asked.

Swallowing the uncomfortable lump in his throat, Tony stepped into the living room, his hands trembling nervously. He crossed the room quickly and dropped to his knees beside the couch, allowing his eyes to slide down her body slowly. He couldn't believe he was actually here, with her.

Reaching out, he tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear, freezing when she shifted under his touch.

"Mm, told you we'd play video games later, Jackie." She moaned, stretching lazily on the couch. Forcing her sleepy eyes open, she stifled a yawn as she glanced up at him, blinking rapidly as she tried to clear her vision. "T...Tony?"

"Hey." He smiled weakly, resting back on his heels.

Abby pushed herself up to a sitting position and looked down at him, confused. "Wh...what are you doing here?"

"I...I came to see you." He said, offering the flowers to her. "I'm really sorry, Abby. And I understand, if that counts for anything. I really do."

She could feel the tears stinging behind her eyes as she focused on anything but him, attempting in vain to will the tears away. She didn't want to be weak in front of him. Not now.

"Abs, baby, don't cry." He pleaded, placing a gentle hand against her cheek. His chest was aching as he watched her turn into his touch, her tears escaping and sliding down to her chin. "I'm here."

"B...but you shouldn't be." She managed, her voice thick with tears. "Work. W...what about work?"

"I'm on leave." He swiped at her tears with the pads of his thumbs, tucking her long black hair behind her ears. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She said, meeting his hazel eyes for the first time.

"Here you go, Uncle Tony." Jack said, walking into the living room carrying a vase with water in it. "Auntie Abby? Are you okay?" He asked, setting the glass container down on the table and sitting next to her.

"I'm fine, Jackie. Why don't you go upstairs and finish your homework so your Mama doesn't kill me when she gets back, hmm?" She said, blinking quickly to clear the tears from her eyes. She watched as the boy made his way up the stairs obediently before turning back to Tony. "You shouldn't be here."

"You don't want me here?" He asked, moving to sit next to her after putting the roses in the vase.

"I don't want you here because you feel like you have to be."

Tony looked her over, frowning when she refused to make eye contact with him. He sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Why didn't you tell me about the baby, Abby? A...am I really that terrible, that you thought you couldn't tell me?"

"I..." She hesitated, her hands starting to sign out of habit when she realized he couldn't understand her. "I was afraid. You...always said you didn't want kids, and I had no idea how you would react."

"So you decided to leave?" There was no anger in his voice, only raw pain. She could feel the tears sliding down her face as she pushed herself off the couch slowly, swiping at her wet cheeks.

"You should go." She managed, her voice cracking. "Please, Tony."

"Please...don't walk away from me again, Abby." He pleaded as he stood, reaching for her.

The front door opened as Bradley and Britty stepped inside, both carrying heavy bags of groceries. "Abby, we're..." Bradley started, dropping his bags near the door when he heard his sister sniffling in the living room. "Abs? Is everything okay?" He asked, rounding the corner.

He froze in the doorway when he saw her, hair loose around her shoulders and her green eyes puffy from crying with Tony standing next to her. They were talking in hushed tones, and while he wasn't a good lip reader, he didn't need to know what they were saying to understand that Abby was trying to pull away from the grip the Italian had on her arm.

Bradley growled and before Britty could intervene he was on the younger man, punching him squarely in the jaw.

"Fuck!" Tony cried, releasing his light hold on Abby's arm and turning back toward her brother, reacting by throwing a punch before he even realized what he was doing.

The blow landed firmly on his nose, making him stumble back, nearly falling over. Tony took advantage, knocking the older man to the ground before climbing over him and landing another punch on his jaw. Bradley hooked his leg behind the brunette's, flipping them over before putting his knee into his stomach.

"Bradley! Stop it!" Britty cried, signing to Abby to stay back as she tried to pull the large men off each other.

"Uncle Tony!"

All movement in the room stopped as they all looked to the top of the stairs, seeing the twelve year old watching the scene play out with wide eyes. The men separated and Britty motioned to her son to come downstairs, signing to him that it was just a misunderstanding.

Jack stood close to his mother when he reached the base of the stairs, looking fearfully at Tony, not having known he was capable of hurting someone like that. Abby rushed over to Bradley and pulled his hand away from his nose, cursing softly when she realized that it was broken.

Tony stood off to the side of the room, watching as both the women glared at him as if he started World War 3. He watched as his girl signed something to her brother, her long fingers moving quickly before she stood up and turned to Britty.

"I'm gonna take B to the hospital, I think his nose is broken." She said quietly as the redhead shooed her child back upstairs. Turning to Tony, Abby approached him calmly before reaching her hand up and slapping his face, leaving her hand stinging. "How dare you! You come here and all you can manage to do is fight with my brother?"

"I...He hit me first!" He defended, his eyes darkening out of anger. "You know what, you always take everyone else's side. Even if they were at fault. You never back me up."

They started shouting at each other, neither argument completely audible as they were both trying to out yell the other. Bradley stood up carefully and pulled Abby away from her lover, leading her out to the car without another word.

The Italian attempted to follow, only to be stopped by Britty, standing in front of him with her arms crossed.

"He really did throw the first punch." He said miserably, looking down at his feet. "I wasn't hurting her, he blew it out of proportion."

"Yeah, I saw that, but it's not what I'm concerned about." She scowled at him, pointing toward the stairs. "That boy doesn't even know you very well, Tony, but he loves you all the same. Wants to be just like his Uncle Tony when he grows up, and now he's seen you beating up his father. What do you think that does to a kid like him?"

Tony looked her square in the eye, a painful memory coming to the surface. "Yeah, I do. Ever wondered why I'm so fucked up, Britty? You ever asked Abby what she knows about my past?"

"I know you didn't exactly have a stellar childhood, but Abby never told me specifics." She explained, reaching up and touching the bruise on his jaw gently. "Bradley's got a bit of a temper. Been trying for years to get him to control it."

He flinched and pulled away from her, making his way toward the door. "I knew this was a mistake. I shouldn't have come."

"Tony, stop."

"Just...tell Abby I'm sorry. I won't bother her anymore."

The redhead jumped in front of him and poked a finger into his chest. "You stop. You really think I'm just gonna let you walk away?"

He sighed, attempting to move past her again only to be blocked. "Britty...please save the pep talk, okay? We're over. We've been over for 3 months. Hell, I'm not sure we should have been a 'we' in the first place."

She reached up and connected her hand with the back of his head, albeit not as hard as Gibbs hit him, but enough to get his attention.

"What?!" He roared, finally losing the temper he had been trying so hard to hold onto. "You know, I am so sick of being the fucking bad guy in this!"

Britty stepped back, watching as he started pacing the hallway slowly, a proud grin on her face.

"I'm the one that took all the flak for her leaving. I'm the one they expect to fix this, when she's the one who left me! She broke me! Not the other way around!"

"You done?"

Tony sighed heavily, plopping down in the armchair next to the door. "Yeah."

"Good. Now that you have that out of your system, what's the plan for getting her back?"

"Who said I had a plan?"

"Tony, who do you think you're foolin'? Why are you here if not to get her back?"

He looked up at the younger woman, trying to hide his emotions. "I just came to apologize. And now I'm leaving."

"No you're not."

"Britty..." He growled, standing up. "Don't try to stop me."

"You haven't seen her, Tony. She's been a wreck without you."

"Maybe." He shrugged. "But its like I said, she left me behind. I..." He hesitated before sighing again, slipping his shoes back on. "I gotta go."

"Fine. Go." The redhead said, waving him off. "But, you know, you're the one doing the leaving this time, and there's no turning back. You go now, without her here, no amount of smooth talking is gonna be able to fix it. You ready to throw it away?"

Tony didn't respond, instead simply walking out the door and heading back to his rental car.

"Well, this trip was a waste." He muttered, putting the car into gear and heading back to his hotel.

**1900 Hours -- Tony's Hotel Room**

Stepping out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist, he sighed as he looked around his hotel room. It wasn't a 5-star, but it wasn't exactly some hole-in-the-wall either, and it was far enough from the downtown bars to make it a hassle to go drink.

He opened his suitcase on the dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before sinking onto the bed, he turned on the TV and flipped through the channels absently, hoping to stumble upon something that would put him to sleep. He groaned when he found nothing, turning off the TV and pushing himself off the bed, headed toward the mini-bar.

Tony entered the code and knelt down, examining the selection of tiny liquor bottles in front of him when he suddenly closed the small refrigerator door. He couldn't bring himself to drink, despite the horrible day he had.

Releasing a sigh, he stood up and began to pace back and forth, running his fingers through his hair. He'd fucked up...again. Stalking over to the bed, he sank down on the mattress. He could fix this...he had to fix this. There was no way he could go back to DC without his girl and pretend that the last 11 years never happened.

His mind made up, he pushed himself to his feet, grabbing his jacket before he bolted for the door.

**Bradley's House**

Tony climbed out of the car and jogged up to the front door, anxious to talk to Abby. He knocked and stood patiently, waiting for someone to answer the door.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Bradley asked as he pulled the door open.

"I came to see Abby. I...I'm really sorry about what happened earlier, Bradley."

"Yeah. She doesn't wanna see you. So you should probably go." He was attempting to restrain his anger, moving to close the door when the Italian stopped it with his hand.

"You didn't even talk to her. Please just ask her. I just wanna apologize."

The sandy-haired man frowned, narrowing his eyes at the younger man. "She. Doesn't. Wanna. See. You." He enunciated, moving to close the door again. He hadn't spoken to her, and as soon as they got back from the hospital Abby had gone upstairs and locked herself in her bedroom, not allowing anyone inside except her nephew.

"Well, I'm not leavin'. So, if she changes her mind, I'll be here."

Groaning, Bradley slammed the door shut, retreating into the house as Tony took a seat on the porch swing.

"Who's at the door, hon?" Britty asked, draining the pasta she had cooked.

"Just some salesman." He said, pulling a beer out of the refrigerator.

She turned and looked at him, her hand on her hip. "I can't believe you sometimes, Bradley Sciuto."

"What?" He asked incredulously, sitting at the dining room table.

"You really think you can lie to me?"

"Not lying."

She nodded. "Sure. So, if I go to the door right now, Tony's not gonna be sitting on the porch?"

He took a sip of his beer, choosing not to answer her question. She walked by him a moment later, headed for the door when he grabbed her arm. "Do not go talk to him, B."

"Why not?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Because I told you not to. And you're gonna listen because you're my wife."

Leaning down, she whispered in his ear while pulling her wrist out of his grasp. "I never was good at following orders." She turned back to the kitchen and started fixing plates for dinner, glaring at her husband over her shoulder. "Go tell your son to wash up and get your sister down here. Dinner's ready."

Britty waited until her husband walked upstairs before she made an extra plate for the Italian currently sitting on their porch. Bradley and Jack returned a moment later, sitting at the dining room table while she served them.

"Where's Abby?"

"Sleeping." Bradley answered. "I didn't wanna wake her."

"Ah." She leaned down and kissed him before picking up two plates and heading to the door.

"Where are you going?" He asked, watching her leave.

"Taking Tony a plate." She said simply.

"Britty..." He growled. "I told you not to talk to him."

"And I told you I wasn't good at following orders." She smirked, walking out onto the porch and closing the door behind her.

Tony looked up when he heard the door close, surprised to see Britty standing there. "Thought Bradley was coming back to kick my ass again." He said quietly.

"Yeah well, he's not very happy with me right now either." She said, offering him a plate. "Hungry?"

The Italian smiled at her, taking the plate and scooting over so she could sit next to him. "Thanks. How's Abby doing?"

"She's sleeping right now." She said, taking a bite of her pasta. "She was still fuming earlier though. If the Sciuto's have anything its a pair of hot tempers."

Tony chuckled. "Yeah, I figured." He took a bite, using the opportunity to gather his thoughts. "I am sorry for what happened earlier."

"I'm not the one you have to apologize to, Tony. You know that."

He nodded and they fell into an awkward silence, eating their dinners and enjoying the warm evening. He jumped slightly, startled when the redhead patted his leg, smiling at him.

"You know, its not completely your fault that Abby was afraid of how you'd react to a baby."

"Yeah." He scoffed, finishing his meal. "The fact that I had a subpar childhood and a crappy dad had nothing to do with it."

"I didn't say that, Tony. I said it wasn't only that."

He dropped his gaze to the empty plate in his lap, his face turned down in a frown.

"I'm gonna to tell you something and I expect you to keep this bit of information to yourself. You will not repeat this to anyone. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am." He responded with a roll of his eyes.

Narrowing her eyes at him momentarily, she shifted on the swing, wrapping her hand around the chain. "Before Bradley and I got married, we had a pregnancy scare."

"Didn't you guys get married right after you graduated high school?"

"Uh huh. Talk about horrible timing." She said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"What happened?"

"Luckily, it was a false alarm."

"I don't understand exactly what this has to do with me and Abby."

"You've seen that Bradley doesn't exactly have his temper under control. Well, it was worse when we were younger. That scare almost ruined our relationship. He flipped out and wouldn't talk to me for weeks."

"You've gotta kidding me."

She shook her head, closing her eyes briefly at the memory. "We tried to keep it from Abby. She was my best friend and his sister and we didn't want her put in the middle of it. But you know as well as I do that it's nearly impossible to keep her out of the loop on anything."

"She found out?"

"Oh yeah. I don't know if she ever looked at Bradley the same way after all of that happened. Their relationship was strained for awhile."

Tony looked down at his hands, taking in the story. "I did tell her I didn't want kids. I...that was a long time ago though. I didn't think I was ever gonna settle down. After Abby and I..." He took a deep breath and released it, turning to face the redhead. "Things are different now. I...I see myself being with her for a long time. Her and our baby. If she'll have me back."

Britty smiled, placing her hand on his knee. "You know, Tony...you should tell her that." She paused for a second, thinking to herself before nodding her head and standing up. "She's been working at the shop a few days a week, just to keep herself busy. You should go see her tomorrow. Bradley's staying home with Jack, so he won't be there."

"T...thanks." He said, standing up with her. Putting his hand into his pocket, he pulled out the cross she had left behind for him at her apartment and held it out to Britty. "Could you give this to her for me? I...tell her I'm sorry?"

She reached out and examined the cross, grinning at the older man before closing his hand around it. "You give it to her. It'll mean more, trust me."

**Chapter Ten -- Make Up Your Mind**

**September 26, 2010 -- Tony's Hotel**

The shrill beeping of the alarm clock startled him awake. Sitting upright in the unfamiliar bed, Tony ran a hand over his tired face, forcing the last remnants of his dreams from his mind as he squinted at the tiny numbers on the clock.

0900. Despite the fact that he'd made it back to the hotel at a decent time, he'd only fallen asleep a few hours ago. The conversation he'd had with Britty had replayed in his mind all night, making sleep nearly impossible.

She'd given him an opportunity to correct the mistakes he'd made, but now, as he fell back against the scratchy pillows, he didn't know if he could take it.

Showing up at the lingerie shop she owned with her husband seemed like a risky move. Even though the redhead assured him that Bradley would be spending the day at home with his son, that man had somewhat of a sixth sense when it came to his little sister. It would be just his luck that the man would show up and attempt to kick his ass again.

Releasing a tortured sigh, he rolled onto his side and plucked the phone from the spot on the night stand, his fingers poised to dial his Goth's number and ramble off an apology and a promise that she wouldn't see him again. But he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Dropping the phone onto the mattress, he pushed himself up and headed for the bathroom before he could change his mind again. Abby had very nearly destroyed him when she'd left three months earlier. It wasn't something he was willing to do to her, Bradley be damned.

He showered and shaved quickly before he hurried into the bedroom and dressed comfortably in a pair of jeans and a t shirt. If he was going to get his ass kicked, he at least wanted to be comfortable when it happened. Heading down to where his rental car was parked, he got in and pulled away from the hotel, driving the short distance to the lingerie shop. Once he got there, he shifted the car into park and looked over at the once small shop.

It had doubled in size since the last time he had seen it, with Bradley purchasing the building next door and knocking down the common wall so they could expand. He could see Abby sitting next to the register through the large windows, her laptop on the counter next to her. Climbing out of the car, he walked across the street and hesitated only slightly outside of the door before going inside.

The Goth looked up and rolled her eyes as soon as he walked in, closing the lid on her laptop and picking it up, preparing to move into the back room. "I'll have someone to help you in a minute."

"Abby..." He pleaded, touching her shoulder gently as she turned away from him. "Please."

"What could you possibly have to say to me, Tony?" She said coldly, turning to face him.

He looked her over quickly, noting that she wasn't wearing her typical 3-inch tall boots that he was used to. It wasn't very often he had the opportunity to see her at her natural height, and it made him smile sadly. Her pigtails were down, her long wavy hair spilling over her shoulders and making her look like some kind of goddess. He wondered momentarily if his reaction was due to the fact that he missed her, or if he had always seen her this way and just didn't want to admit it to himself.

"I know. I look bad, coming here." Tony watched as she leaned against the counter, placing her free hand on her growing belly. "Things have changed."

"I don't know."

"Why not?" He asked, his eyes searching hers for an answer.

"Because there's a much simpler explanation. You only wanted to see that I was as miserable as you hoped. That this truly was eating at me."

"Then why would I be here trying to get you back?" He sighed, running a hand over his face and taking a step closer to her. "Can we please get some dinner tonight?"

"I'm sorry, Tony." She said, pushing herself off the counter and starting for the back room again.

"Wait. I...I have something for you."

The Goth turned back to him, setting the laptop down on the counter and putting her hand on her hip, waiting expectantly for him to say something more.

"I...I know it's not much, but it's the thing that helped me the most these past few months." He pulled out a thin gift wrapped in black paper and she knew immediately that it was a DVD. Rolling her eyes and cracking a small smile, she accepted it, turning it over in her hands as he continued to talk. "Go on, open it."

She started pulling the paper off gingerly, taking her time as he flashed a half smile. "Jack told me that the baby...our baby...makes you pretty tired in the afternoons and you like to watch TV while you rest. I...thought that maybe you'd enjoy watching this. You know...remember how we used to be."

Abby could feel the tears pricking at the backs of her eyes as she finished unwrapping the well-worn copy of 'Evil Dead'. Shaking her head, she offered him the first genuine grin he had seen from her in the last 4 months.

"Most people send chocolates." She giggled, looking up at him as a single tear ran down her face.

"I'd stand outside your bedroom all night holding up a boom box, except you don't like 80's music."

She chuckled, meeting his eyes cautiously. "So...about dinner. I'm free tomorrow night."

"Great! I...I'll come pick you up at 7. We'll go...we'll go wherever you want."

"It's...probably not a great idea for you to come by the house until I get a chance to talk to BB. He's still wound pretty tight about the whole thing." She explained, writing an address on a piece of paper. "I'll meet you here at 7 tomorrow night, okay?"

Tony accepted the scrap of paper and read the address before looking back to her. "Okay." He smiled, taking a few steps toward her. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, lingering for a moment before pulling away. "I...I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Definitely." She smiled, watching as he turned around and left the shop.

**NCIS Headquarters**

"Morning Ziva." McGee greeted, walking into the bullpen and noticing the Israeli already sitting at her desk hard at work. "Where's Gibbs?"

"Out getting coffee." She said, smiling at her partner. "He should be back shortly."

"Ah." He barely had time to drop his backpack behind the desk before Gibbs' desk phone started ringing impatiently. Stepping around his desk, he picked up the phone and greeted the caller. "Agent Gibbs' desk."

"Hey...McGee, right?"

"Yeah, may I ask who's calling?" He replied, looking over to Ziva, who simply shrugged at him.

"It's Bradley, Abby's brother? Is Gibbs there?"

"No, he's not right now, but he'll be back in a few minutes...is everything okay with Abby? Is the baby okay?"

"They're both fine, I just wanted to talk to Gibbs. Could you have him call me when he gets back?"

"Sure..." McGee hesitated, looking up when he heard the elevator doors open. "He just got back, hold on a second." Cupping his hand over the receiver, he held the phone out to the silver-haired man. "It's Bradley, said he wants to talk to you."

Gibbs snatched the phone from McGee's hand and put it to his ear. "Gibbs."

The younger man on the phone started shouting almost immediately, not even giving Gibbs and opportunity to speak. "Abby's had a hard enough time dealing with all this crap that's been going on, between deciding to quit a job she loved and giving everything up to have the baby of a man that doesn't even love her! She was finally starting to heal, Gibbs, and then you had to go and send the source of all her pain out here? And for what? Just to break her again?!"

"Are you done?" Gibbs growled, ignoring the questioning looks that both McGee and Ziva were throwing at him.

"No, I'm not fuckin' done!"

"That's too damn bad, Bradley. It's my turn." He could hear him sigh on the other line before he started speaking. "I know you're lookin' out for your sister, but you're not the only one who cares about her. She left a lot of people here in DC that aren't willing to let her shut them out without a fight."

"Then why didn't you come to talk to her? You didn't have to send him. All it did was put her in a tailspin."

"You really think that I want to see Abby hurt? She's practically my daughter, Bradley. I wouldn't have sent Tony if I thought he was gonna do anything to hurt her. He cares about her more than his own well-being, and I bet that if you'd talk to him, without throwing punches, for more than 3 minutes, you'd figure that out too."

Bradley was silent, taking Gibbs' words into consideration. "She's been buyin' plane tickets for the last month or so. Told me she can't bring herself to get on the plane."

"See?" Gibbs said, shaking his head at the younger man's sudden change in tone. "He's been doin' the same thing."

"They're the definition of soulmates, aren't they?"

The older man chuckled lightly. "I don't know about that. You should ask your sister, she's the one into all that stuff. I will tell you though, Bradley. They've been dancin' around this for a long time. It's about damn time they had a chance to get it right."

"Yeah." Bradley sighed again. "Talk to you later."

Gibbs hung up the phone and looked between his two remaining agents. "What?" He barked, smirking to himself when they both quickly busied themselves with their ROI's. He received another call a second later, from Ducky, about their case, so he decided to head to autopsy, leaving the two agents alone in the squad room.

McGee picked up his phone and immediately dialed Tony's number, while Ziva did the same, calling Abby. She had been the only contact with DC the Goth had made since her departure to New Orleans besides Ducky, seeing as she was upset with the remaining men on the team for varying reasons.

Gibbs hadn't given her the leave time she requested, forcing her to leave her job behind, and McGee had sided with Tony in the whole situation, choosing not to speak to the young woman despite their once close friendship. Her resentment toward her lover was far more obvious, not returning his calls or emails, leaving things that would have reminded her of them behind for him to keep.

Ziva could only hope they would patch things up, and soon, for all their sakes.

**New Orleans**

"DiNozzo." Tony answered his phone, a smile on his face as he slipped into the rental car across from the lingerie shop.

"How's everything goin'?" McGee asked, watching Ziva talking animatedly with the Goth from across the bullpen.

"You just call to ask that? What's goin' on, the apocalypse?"

"No. Bradley just called Gibbs, and from the sound of our end of the conversation, he tried to tear him a new one for sending you down there."

"Really? Well, I think my bruised jaw can attest to his anger." The Italian smirked.

"What's going on down there, Tony?"

"Stop being such a girl, McWorry. I'm fine. Better than fine, in fact. Abby and I are having dinner tomorrow night."

"Well, that's good news."

"Yeah, it is. Hey, I gotta go, Probie. I'll call after dinner tomorrow, let you know how it went."

McGee didn't have a chance to repsond before he heard the dial tone, hanging the receiver up at the same time Ziva was wrapping up her call.

They spoke at the same time, both smiling brightly. "They're getting dinner tomorrow."

"This is good, yes?" Ziva asked.

"It's very good. They may be home sooner than we thought."

**The Next Night -- La Bella Luna Restaurant**

Tony stood outside of the restaurant, glancing at his watch nervously. He was 10 minutes early, but he didn't want to keep Abby waiting in case she had gotten there before him. He tugged at the collar of his leather jacket, releasing a relieved sigh when he saw her hearse pull up across the street

"Hey." He greeted, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Thought for a second I got stood up."

"I can't say I didn't think about it." She said, frowning when she noticed his face fall slightly. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean..."

"Don't worry about it, okay?" He asked, plastering a smile on his face. "I just wanna have a nice dinner with you."

The Goth allowed him to pull her arm through his, leading her toward the door to the restaurant. They got a table quickly and sat next to each other, looking over their menus.

"Everthing okay?" Abby asked, wrapping her thin sweater around her body self consciously as she felt Tony's eyes on her. "I know I've gained some weight..."

"You're gorgeous." The Italian replied, reaching over and squeezing her hand lightly. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

They chatted awkwardly throughout dinner, talking mostly about what had been going on at work since she had resigned, avoiding anything to do with their personal relationship. It wasn't particularly hard, both of them were damn near professionals at avoiding topics they weren't ready to handle, and neither of them were willing to call the other on it.

"I really appreciate you meeting me tonight. I have to say it was unexpected." Tony said, nodding to the waiter who came to clear their salad plates.

"Yeah...well, after what happened the other day, I can't really believe I'm here either."

"I'm really sorry about that, Abby. Bradley's the one who started it though. You know that. I didn't mean to hurt him."

She sighed, cocking an eyebrow at the Italian. "You're a cop, Tony. You could have restrained him without hurting him. He overreacted, but you didn't make things better by hitting him back."

"You always side with him! It's never about which one of us is right or wrong, you always side with him regardless!"

"He's my brother, Tony. What do you want me to do? He's the only family I have."

Tony frowned, his hazel eyes darkening as the waiter brought their dinners. "You have me. You have Gibbs, Ziva, McGee and Ducky. Are you telling me that we don't count? That after all the years that we've been there for you...it's all been for nothing? So you can throw us aside like yesterday's newspaper?"

"This is why we don't work, Tony." Abby scoffed, wiping a stray tear from her eye. "What happened to us? We were friends for years without this fighting. Now...it's like we can't stop. We can't help ourselves."

"You wanna go back in time?"

"I wanna make this work. I wanna understand you. You know how you make me feel." She paused, looking across the table at him. "But I don't wanna fight all the time. If you could do it again, if we could start over..."

He knew what she wanted him to say, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to her. He had always been as honest as he could with her, and he wasn't going to stop now. "I'm not so sure it would end up differently."

Abby looked away, frowning. "I knew this was a mistake. Goodbye, Tony." She said, touching his hand gently before she stood and walked out, leaving Tony sitting at the table alone in the middle of the restaurant.

He watched her walk away, knowing that he should probably go after her and continue the conversation, but he couldn't make himself move. Subconsciously, he knew that the amount of stress she had been under the past 3 months, not to mention the last few days that he had been in town, was enormous, and he probably wasn't helping things by dredging up their sordid relationship problems.

**2300 Hours -- Bradley's house**

Tony cursed as he pulled up outside the large house, slamming his hand on the steering wheel. He hadn't wanted to come back here tonight, not after the fight they had in the restaurant. After she left him sitting alone, he ordered himself a drink and considered the situation he found himself in. He wanted nothing more than to be with her, but his brain was screaming at him to cut and run. To leave her behind, because he had a feeling that was the only way that they would both ultimately end up happy.

Climbing out of the car, he approached the door and knocked, only worrying about the late hour after he heard the approaching footsteps on the hardwood floor. Bradley opened the door a second later and leaned against the frame, eying the younger man quietly.

"Could this night get any worse?" Tony mumbled, moving to walk away when he heard Bradley's voice behind him.

"Wait here. I'll go get her."

"Really, it's not..." He was cut off by the sound of the door closing, and considered taking the opportunity to leave before Bradley could drag his sister downstairs.

The heavy door opened again a minute later and a pajama-clad Abby was being shoved gently onto the porch. She saw Tony and immediately tried to open the door, only to find that it was locked. "Damn it." She cursed, wrapping her light summer robe around her tighter despite the warm late night air. "What do you want?"

"To talk."

"Well, I don't want to, so you should consider just leavin' it alone." The Goth said, cringing at the light southern accent she could hear returning to her voice.

"You know I can't do that, Abby."

She sighed, leaning her back against the door. "Your movie references are lost on me, Tony."

"You got that it was a movie reference, so it wasn't all that lost." He smirked, sitting on the porch railing. "Look, I know I haven't always been the greatest guy, and I...I took you for granted. I just...I wanna try and make it up to you."

"We had our chance." Abby said, turning away from him. "It ended with me leaving, remember?"

Tony scoffed, hopping off his perch and approaching her slowly. "Oh come on, we never gave it a chance. We both know that."

"You're right. I thought you were more than you are, but you aren't. Clearly." The Goth said, moving over to sit down on the porch swing.

"Oh yeah? What does that mean?"

"You never invested yourself fully. You were always 'I'm Tony DiNozzo. Don't fall in love, it's scary'." She mocked, playing absently with the chain that attached the swing to the ceiling.

"Yeah, it is scary. It's terrifying. Especially when I'm in love with a psycho like you."

Abby looked up, pointing an accusing finger at the Italian. "I am not a psycho."

"I just told you that I love you and all you heard was psycho. You're the definition of neurotic."

"No. The definition of neurotic is a person who suffers from anxiety, obsessive thoughts, compulsive acts and physical ailments without any objective evidence of..."

"Abby! Shut up!" He snapped, running a hand through his hair, trying to calm his voice. "Yet again, I just told you I'm in love with you, and you're sitting there giving me a vocabulary lesson."

They sat in silence for a moment, neither of them making eye contact until Abby spoke up, her green eyes burning into his hazel ones, desperate for an answer.

"You're in love with me. Why?"

Tony sighed, moving to sit next to his girl on the small swing. "Beats the shit outta me, but I am."

She looked up at him for a moment before sighing heavily and dropping her head to his shoulder. "I love you too."

**Chapter Eleven -- Fall Back Into My Life**

**September 27, 2010 -- 2345 Hours -- Tony's Hotel**

"Yeah, so I guess the talk Gibbs had with Bradley did some good, he didn't look like he wanted to murder me when he answered the door." Tony joked, flipping the channels absently. He sat up and rubbed a hand over his face, propping the phone between his cheek and shoulder as he talked to McGee.

"Well, did she come down?"

"Not on her own." He said. "He had to lock her out on the porch, otherwise she probably would have ignored me completely. You think I'd have learned to just tell her what she wants to hear by now."

"She appreciates your honesty. Look how she reacted when she found out about the whole Jeanne thing. You just have to give her some time, that's all."

"Yeah..." The Italian groaned at the sound of knocking on his door, pushing himself to his feet grudgingly. "Room service is here finally." He commented, pulling the door open.

Abby stood in front of him, dressed in the same pajama shorts she had been wearing earlier and a black LSU hoodie that he could only assume was her brother's based on the bagginess of it, with her hair loose around her shoulders. His jaw nearly dropped as he fumbled for words, seemingly unable to form any.

"Tony?" McGee called out, trying to get his attention. "Tony? Everything okay?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine." He said, never taking his eyes off his girl. "Lemme call you back." He snapped the phone shut without waiting for a response and shoved it into his pocket before speaking to the Goth. "I...uh, you're not room service.." He cringed, realizing how stupid he sounded.

"Very good, Tony." She smirked, holding up the copy of 'Evil Dead' he had given her the day before. "I thought maybe you'd like some company."

"Oh, yeah. Of course!" He stepped back and allowed her into the suite, closing the door behind them. "You surprised me. I didn't expect you to come by. How...uh, how'd you know where I was staying?"

"I uh...I asked Ziva. She told me where you made the reservations." Abby explained, watching as the older man picked up a small, unopened bottle of liquor from the table and threw it away. "Did I...interrupt anything? Because I can go...if you want."

"No!" Frowning at his over eager tone, he turned back to her. "I meant...no. Please don't go. I'll pull the couch over and we can watch the movie."

"Are you sure? Because I know it's late and everything, but I couldn't sleep after we talked and I was hoping that we could just hang out for awhile. But I can go...I mean, I should've called...I'll just go."

"Abby...I really want you to stay."

"I just...I don't wanna overstep. I mean, we just..."

"Abby." Tony said, stepping over to her and placing his hand against her cheek. "Trust me, I'm happy you're here. Let's watch the movie."

She looked up at him, smiling as his thumb brushed over her cheek. "Okay." She whispered, allowing him to lead her to a chair.

"Sit here, I'll move the couch over to the TV."

"Tony, don't be silly. We can sit on the bed. There's no reason to move the furniture around."

"Are you sure? 'Cause I don't want to make you uncomfortable." He said quietly, averting his eyes.

"Hey..." She said quietly, touching his cheek. "It's okay, Tony. I promise." She smiled.

Nodding, he reached for her hand, sighing contently when she laced her fingers through his, allowing him to lead her over to the bed. He sank down on the mattress beside her when a quiet knock sounded on the door.

"Ugh," he groaned, dropping his head back. "Room service. I forgot."

Abby giggled quietly as he ran his hand over her back before he stood up, walking over toward the door and opening it. He let the hotel employee into the room, letting him set the cart near the table on the opposite side of the room. He tipped the young man and closed the door behind him before turning back to his girl.

"Got enough food?" She asked, eying the cart. "You're gonna end up in the poorhouse if you keep eating like that."

Tony offered her a half smile as he checked the food. "I didn't get dinner earlier, so I was hungry. That's all." He immediately regretted his choice in words when he saw the smile on her face fall. "Abby, I..."

She cleared her throat quickly, shaking her head. "You've got a pretty wide assortment of stuff there. Maybe you're the one who's pregnant." She joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Tony chuckled nervously, not knowing how to respond to the comment about her pregnancy. "Yeah, it's McGee's. Jealous?"

The Goth laughed, placing a hand on her belly. "Well, it explains why he hasn't been talking to me since I left."

"He...he hasn't talked to you?" The Italian asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

She shook her head. "We...well, we kinda had a fight about a week after I left. We haven't talked since." She pushed herself off the bed and walked over to him, noticing his shoulders tensing. "It's not that big of a deal, Tony. I understand where he's coming from."

"Doesn't make it okay. I...I never wanted him to stop talking to you."

"I don't think he did it for you."

He scoffed, turning to face her. "He did. Thought he was helping me, I think." He dropped his eyes momentarily before looking back at her. "Let's not talk about this, huh? Are you hungry?"

She shook her head. "Not really, thanks. You go ahead and eat though, I'll just relax until you're done."

"Ba...Abby, come on. You didn't eat dinner either, and you're...you know, eating for two now."

She sighed, looking down at her hands. "Okay. I'll eat. What did you order?"

"Well..." He smiled, pulling out a chair for her to sit in. "I got some a salad, shrimp, and some lasagna. You can have whatever you want, baby."

She looked up at him through her bangs, a wide smile on her face. "I'll split the lasagna with you if you want."

"You got it." He smiled, handing her the plate. "I don't feel so bad for ordering so much food now." He laughed, picking up a shrimp off the tray and popping it in his mouth.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, simply enjoying each others company. When they were both finished, Tony piled the plates up on the cart and returned to Abby's side.

"Ready for that movie?" He asked, offering his hand to her.

"I am." The Goth smiled, taking his hand and allowing him to help her out of the chair before she followed him over to the large bed.

"Good." The older man pressed a kiss to her cheek as she sat down and leaned back against the pillows while he put the movie into the DVD player. Walking over to the bed, he sat back against the headboard and smiled over at his girl. "You comfortable?"

Abby pulled her sweatshirt over her head and tossed it onto the floor, revealing the black tank top that was stretched over the slight swell of her belly. "I am now." She grinned, motioning for him to start the movie.

He pressed play and they relaxed slowly, letting their mutual silence soak up the awkwardness they felt from being apart for so long. Short of the time when Tony was away being an Agent Afloat, they hadn't been separated for more than a week in the past eleven years. Even when they had been fighting, they had still spoken to each other every day, and to have been away for nearly 4 months with next to no contact with DC, Abby was happy to finally be near her lover again.

The Goth yawned and scooted closer to him apprehensively, not wanting to startle him. She rested her head against his shoulder, smiling to herself when he reached up and wrapped his arm gently around her shoulders, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

Tony shifted a few minutes later, accommodating his girl as he rested his head against the pillows. He pulled her close to his side, the slight swell of her belly pressing against him gently as he ran his fingers through her hair. He glanced down and smiled when he saw her nose pressed into his neck, completely ignoring the movie.

"Everything okay, Abs?" He asked, brushing her hair out of her face. "If you..." He stopped, feeling her stomach rumble against his hip. "Hungry still? Or just gassy?" He quipped, smirking playfully at her.

"I...um, I think that was the baby."

He pulled back and looked down at her, eyes wide. "It...the baby?"

She nodded, taking his hand and placing it over her belly. The baby kicked again as if on cue, making the Italian smile brightly. "Our baby." He whispered.

"Yeah. Our baby."

Pulling her close to him again, he leaned down and gave her a hesitant kiss on the lips, deepening it slightly when she responded in kind. "I never meant to hurt you, Abby. This...us...we can fix it. I want to fix it. That's why I came here."

"Good." She smiled, resting her head against his chest. "'Cause I don't think I can do it alone."

He kissed her again quickly before wrapping his arms around her tightly. "I'm here now. And I'm not goin' anywhere."

They both fell silent, focusing more on their closeness than the movie that was playing on the TV. Tony continued to run his hand through Abby's long black hair, feeling the muscles in her shoulders relax as she fell asleep. He smiled to himself and turned the TV off, pulling the blankets up over their bodies and wrapping himself around her tightly, joining her in sleep only minutes later.

**The Next Morning -- 0900 Hours**

A quiet groan escaped Abby as she felt her lover shift beside her on the bed, pulling her from a deep sleep. Forcing her green eyes open, she blinked in an effort to clear her vision, a sleepy smile tugging on her lips. "G'mornin'." She greeted.

"Sleep well?" Tony asked, leaning down to peck her lips gently.

"I did. But then again, I always slept best when I was with you." She responded, stretching lazily against the mattress. "How long have you been awake?"

"'Bout an hour or so. Did you know you snore in your sleep?" He teased.

"You're such a liar. I do not snore."

"Well, okay. Maybe snore is the wrong word. You do make some weird noises though."

"I'd rather make weird noises than be a creeper who sits up watching people as they sleep." She taunted.

"Well..." He said, tucking her wild hair behind her ear and kissing her again. "You're too beautiful when you sleep. I can't help but watch."

She smiled, snuggling close to him again. "You're a brown-noser, you know that?"

"Whatever works, right? How do you think I've kept my job all these years?"

"Well, your enormous ego didn't have anything to do with it."

"Hey! I think my ego has been pretty humbled over the last few months."

Though the words were meant to be taken in a joking manner, Tony watched as Abby's face fell, tears springing to her green eyes. "Oh shit...Abby..."

"No." She responded with a shake of her head. "We should...we should talk about this, Tony. Until we do, I don't think we'll ever be able to get past everything that happened."

"We really don't have to do this."

"I do." Sitting up slightly, she reached for his hand, lacing her fingers through his. "I shouldn't have left you. Not the way I did, without so much as a warning...or without...without telling you about the baby."

"I understand why you left."

"You might...but that doesn't make it right. After everything we've been through, you deserved more than what I gave you."

"I don't blame you for leaving." He said quietly, reaching out to touch her cheek gently. "I wasn't...I know I wasn't the best toward the end. You did what you thought you had to do."

"No, I did what was the easiest for me to do. I ran because things were just too damn hard, but I shouldn't have expected it to be easy. Maybe that's what our problem was, you know? We expected, after so many years of a great friendship, that it should come naturally and when it didn't, we let it fall apart."

"I want to fix that."

"So do I." She agreed with a nod, closing her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek. "But if we agree to do this, then we have to do it right this time, Tony. Because it's not just you and me anymore."

"You know I'll do whatever it takes, baby."

Nodding against him, she allowed herself to be pulled into his embrace, his strong arms holding her against his chest. Of all the things she missed, this was near the top of her list. Something about him always made her feel so safe and loved when she was wrapped in his arms.

"I didn't cheat on you."

She didn't lift her head from his chest, instead simply nodding against him, her tears soaking his shirt. "I know. If you're anything, it's faithful, Tony. I...I was just emotional and I blew it out of proportion. I should've handled it better."

"And I shouldn't have gone to that stupid bar in the first place. I...was so angry about the whole thing, and it was stupid. I don't even remember most of the night, short of waking up in McGee's apartment and realizing what I had done. I...Abby, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. Let's put all this behind us, okay? Start...kinda fresh? Forget all the bad stuff."

Tony nodded in agreement. "I love you, Abbygirl."

"I love you too, Tonyboy."

Pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head, the Italian pulled away, offering her a shy smile. "I have something for you."

"Tony..."

"I understand why you left it and I've been hoping that I'd have a chance to give it back to you." He climbed off the bed and made his way over to the black bag in the corner of the room, crouching down as he dug into the pocket.

Turning back to the bed, necklace in hand, he made his way over to her, holding it out as an offering.

"Can't tell you how long I've been waiting to do this, Abs." He whispered as she pulled her long, black hair out of the way. The feeling of the cool metal against her skin sent tears down her cheeks as she reached up, swiping them away quickly.

"You kept it."

"Of course I kept it. I kept everything you left behind. Except that ratty old couch. You know I never liked that thing very much anyway." He teased, pleased when she laughed through her tears.

"It really was a piece of crap, wasn't it?"

"Eh, you loved it. It was just old, that's all." He sat back down on the bed and pulled her onto his lap. "So, I have a favor to ask of you, and I totally get it if you say no."

"Anything." She said, sighing contentedly as her lover rubbed her back gently.

"I feel really bad about what Jack saw the other day, and I wanna make it up to him."

The Goth looked up at him. "Well, you could always try just apologizing." She joked.

"I was kinda hoping that you could...maybe talk to Britty and your brother. I'd like to take him out for the day. Maybe one day after school, you know, let him pick where we go."

"Aw, T...that's so sweet!" Abby gushed, kissing him. "I'll talk to them tonight. Oh! You should come over for dinner."

"I...it's probably best if I keep my distance from Bradley for awhile. You know, until he calms down." Tony explained, playing with his girl's hair. "I like your hair down. It suits you."

"I just...wanted a change. The pigtails reminded me of..."

"Of what?"

"Everything. Of DC. Of...home. Of you."

Tony was silent, tucking her head under his chin as he rocked her gently. "You want some coffee?"

"Oh, God no." Abby laughed. "Even being in the same room as a cup makes me wanna throw up."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Bradley had to move the coffee pot to the storm cellar because I was getting so sick."

"Well, its probably best that you came down here then. I don't think Gibbs would've quit his coffee, even for you."

"And I wouldn't have expected him to. I am gonna need your help though, after the baby comes. I finally kicked my caffeine habit, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Tony snorted in an attempt to prevent himself from laughing. "Sure thing, baby. So, tell me, what exactly am I supposed to do if you ask me for a Caf-Pow!?"

"Just don't get me one." She smiled innocently at him.

"And if you threaten to kill me and not leave a trace of forensic evidence?"

Abby laughed. "I wouldn't do that. Not over a Caf-Pow! anyway."

Tony shuddered. "Whatever you say Abs. Whatever you say. Can I...uh, record this conversation? Maybe get a signed statement? Just so I have something in case?"

She punched him gently. "You're funny, DiNozzo. Real funny."

While she pretended to act irritated with the Italian, the truth was that she couldn't be happier. They were back to the place they had left off all those months ago. She found that they slipped back into their old habits with little to no resistance, testament to how much the two of them really did care for each other, despite the fighting that had plagued their first try at a real relationship.

She sighed happily as Tony held her close to him, peppering the back of her neck and her shoulders with small kisses. "Tony?"

"Hmm?"

"I should probably get going. Bradley's gonna lose it when he finds me gone."

Tony groaned. "You're how old? 3..." He was stopped by Abby's hand covering his mouth.

"We don't need to discuss how old I am, T. He's my brother, and regardless of the fact that we're trying to resolve our problems, he did take care of me these last few months." She pulled her hand away from his mouth and smiled. "Besides, I need to shower and change. I'm sure I stink."

He smirked deviously. "I have a shower, and I can even help you wash the hard-to-reach spots. And, clothes are optional around here, but I do have some shirts you can wear."

"I think we should take our time with that, T. I want our relationship to be about more than just sex. That's where we ran into trouble last time around."

"Who said anything about sex?" He asked innocently, kissing her spiderweb tattoo. "I was just talking about a shower!"

"Uh huh." She smirked, pushing herself off his lap gently. "I'm gonna go home and grab a shower and a change of clothes, then I'll talk to Britty and BB about Jack."

"Alright..." He said with a dramatic sigh before he pecked her lips once more. "Can I see you tonight?"

"Oh yeah. You're not gettin' rid of me that easily." She smirked. "Maybe I'll come over a little earlier tonight...if you want."

"Of course." He said as he walked her to the door. "I'm really glad you came by last night."

"So am I...I'll see you later, huh?"

"I'll be here." Reaching over, he tangled his fingers through her hair, pulling her close as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "Love you."

"Love you too, T." She responded with a bright smile.

He watched her step on the elevator before he closed the hotel room door, a bright grin on his face. Crossing the room, he plucked his cellphone from the table, intent on filling McGee in on the latest developments when he stopped himself.

"When the hell did I become such a McGirl?" He asked with a laugh before he tossed the phone to the bed, in better spirits than he'd been in months.

**Chapter Twelve -- Looking Up**

**September 28, 2010 -- Bradley's House**

Abby turned the key in the lock on the front door quietly, hoping that no one would hear her. It was Saturday morning, and typically everyone took the day to sleep in until almost noon. Slipping inside and depositing her shoes next to the door, she turned to walk up the stairs when she was met with Bradley's voice coming from the living room.

"You went to see him, huh?"

She closed her eyes briefly before walking into the large room and sitting next to him on the couch. "I did. Sorry I didn't tell you."

"I was worried, Abby."

"I'm an adult, BB, not the 16-year old who used to sneak out her bedroom window to go to concerts." She smirked, dropping her head on his shoulder.

"Well, you're reminding me a lot of that 16-year old right now." He sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "So, how was it?"

"Good. We finally talked about what happened. It's not all fixed, but we're committed to working it out, and I think we've got a pretty good chance this time around."

The sandy-haired man leaned down and pressed a kiss to his sister's cheek. "That's good to hear, baby girl. I...I know I haven't always been the most supportive of you and Tony, but if he's what you want and he makes you happy, then that's fine by me."

"Thanks, BB. That means a lot, you know." She paused, smiling as she looked down at her hands. "Do you think Mama and Dad would've liked Tony?"

Bradley pulled back slightly and looked down at her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I think they would be happy that you're happy." He pulled her close to him again and tucked her head under his chin. "You should take him by the house, show him where we used to live. When was the last time you were there?"

"You know it's been a long time." She said, the smile dropping from her face. "When are you gonna sell it, anyway?"

"You mean when are we gonna sell it? I don't know. Not yet. We've had good luck with renters. Selling it just seems like the last thing." He ran his hand over her arm, knowing that she was uncomfortable talking about their parents. "Can you imagine how excited Mama and Dad would be if they could see you right now? Their baby girl about to have a baby of her own."

"Stop. You're doing it again."

"What?"

"You're just getting all...trying to get me to talk about them." She said, closing her eyes to hold back the tears that she could feel welling up.

"It's only because you never do."

"I do. You know I do." A single tear slid down her cheek, making her shiver as it landed on her bare leg. "I just did."

He wrapped his arm tighter around her as she started to tremble slightly."You know the baby's gonna have something of them in it. I mean, what if it's got Mama's fire red hair or something?" He smiled. "You're bringing them back, you know. In a little way."

"I know. Are you trying to make me cry?"

Pulling back again, he took his sister's face in his hands and wiped her tears away. "You're gonna be a great mom, Abby. Like our Mama was."

"Thanks, Bradley." She leaned up and kissed his cheek before pushing herself off the couch. "I'll be back down in a bit, okay?"

"You got it. Chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast?"

"Only if you've got whipped cream." She grinned, making her way up the stairs.

He smiled, running a hand through his hair before standing up and walking into the kitchen. He started pulling down the ingredients for the pancakes when his wife came into the room and smacked him on the ass.

"That was sweet, you know."

"What's that?" He asked, putting a chocolate chip into her mouth.

"You telling Abby she's gonna be a good mom."

"Well, she is. I wasn't just saying it to be nice." He mixed the batter together while Britty dropped the chips in for him, shaking her head.

"I know you weren't. You know, you should talk to her about your parents more. You're the big brother, I'm sure you remember more about them than she does."

"She wasn't a baby, B. She remembers 'em."

She put her hand over his, stilling it. "That's not what I mean, Bradley. Tell her the little things about them. Things that she might not remember."

Abby came back down the stairs a moment later, smiling at the couple. "Jack still sleeping?" She asked, sitting on a stool and rubbing her belly.

"I think so." Britty said, moving to stand next to her sister-in-law. "So, did you and Tony...'make up' last night?"

The Goth's eyes widened as she looked at her friend in shock. "I am not discussing that in front of my brother!" She hissed, smirking at the redhead. "I do have some big news for you though."

"Do tell!" She grinned, leaning against the counter. Abby took her hand and placed it on the baby bump and she nearly shrieked when the baby kicked into her palm. "Oh! B, the baby's kicking!" She cried, holding her hand on her friend's belly. "When did this start?"

"You won't believe me if I tell you."

"Try me."

"Last night, Tony and I were watching 'Evil Dead' and it kicked him in the side."

"No way!" Britty exclaimed, smiling when the baby kicked again. "That was the first time?"

"Yep. He thought it was gas."

Bradley wiped his hands and turned the stove off before making his way over to his sister and placing his hand on her stomach, smiling when he felt the movement. "Congrats, Abs." He said, leaning down and kissing her cheek. Walking over to the stairs, he called up for his son. "J! Get your butt down here before your aunt eats all the pancakes!"

"Are you calling me a pig?"

"Nooo..." He smirked, walking into the dining room. "I wouldn't say that about my baby sister."

She got up and punched him in the shoulder before sitting at the table. "It's not nice to make fun of a pregnant woman. I'm sure you learned that when you guys had Jack."

"Yeah...but that was so long ago!" He joked, rubbing his shoulder. "I think I had almost forgotten. Ow!" He cried, holding his other shoulder where his wife hit him. "Jesus you two, gangin' up on me?"

"Well, you should think before you speak." Britty grinned, greeting her sleepy son as he sat at the table. "Mornin' baby."

"Hey Mama. Why up so early?"

"Early? Boy, it's nearly 11. We've spoiled you."

Jack grumbled quietly as his parents sat down at the table on either side of him. They ate quietly for a few minutes before Abby spoke up.

"Tony wants to pick J up one day next week and take him out. Wants to apologize for what happened the other day.

"No way!" Jack cried, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't wanna go anywhere with him. He's not even my real Uncle."

"Jack! Bite your tongue." Britty scolded, hitting his arm.

"I don't wanna go! Don't make me, Dad, please!"

"Uh uh. I'm not getting involved. This is between your mother and your aunt." He said, standing up to clear the table.

Abby frowned at her nephew. "You really want us to go back to DC without talking to him first?"

"I don't care." He pouted.

"You're lucky he's not here right now, J. That would really hurt him. He loves you very much even though he doesn't have to. He may not be related, but he's always been good to you."

"I'm sorry." The boy sighed, dropping his eyes to his plate. "But do I really have to hang out with him?"

"It would really make me happy if you would. You're very important to me, Jackie, and so is Tony. I'd really like it if you guys were getting along."

"Do I get to pick where we go?"

"I'm sure you do." Abby smiled.

"Okay..." He groaned. "I guess I can hang out with him."

"Thank you!" The Goth squealed, jumping up from her chair, hurrying over to hug her nephew.

Jack hugged her back, patting her on the back after a moment. "Auntie...was that the baby?"

She pulled back and smiled. "Yup. Guess you made your little cousin happy too."

**Four Days Later -- October 2, 2010**

Pulling up in front of the school, Tony shifted the car into park, rubbing his hands nervously against his pants before he climbed out.

Abby had managed to talk Jack into hanging out with him after school in an effort to make up with the boy. Though Jack wasn't actually his nephew, he'd always liked the kid, and knowing that he was no longer comfortable around him bothered him more than he'd like to admit.

Rounding the car, he leaned against the passenger side, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the throng of children hurry out of the main door. Scanning the crowd, he frowned slightly when he didn't immediately spot the boy.

He pushed himself off the car and made his way toward the school, constantly on the lookout for Jack. He turned the corner and saw a group of kids gathered on the playground, reminding him of the fights he used to see when he was in boarding school.

"Hey!" He called, running over to the small group of kids. The group dispersed and he saw Jack on the ground with a taller kid wrestling him. "Hey! Break it up!" He yelled, pulling the larger boy off of his nephew.

Jack got up and looked at Tony before running off, heading toward the front of the school.

"Jack, wait!" He called, still holding he other boy by his collar.

"No!" He cried, not turning back to the older man.

He groaned. "Come on, where's your parents?" He said, pulling the kid along with him as he followed Jack.

They got back to the front of the school when Tony was approached by a tall, dark haired man who looked like the boy's father.

"There a reason you're dragging my boy around?"

The Italian let go of him, looking at the bigger man closely. "Saw him on the playground beating up on my nephew." He said, motioning toward Jack.

Tony's eyes widened as he saw the man's fist coming toward him, unable to duck in time to avoid the stinging punch he received. Holding his eye, he stumbled back, attempting to balance himself before launching forward toward the man's waist, knocking him to the ground.

He managed to get the man flipped over onto his stomach, holding his wrists behind his back, his knees on either side of the man's waist.

"Get the hell off me!" He growled, struggling against him.

"I should arrest you for striking a federal agent." Tony whispered, leaning over him. He stood up suddenly when the larger man stopped struggling, moving over toward Jack while keeping his eye on him. "Are you okay, buddy?"

The shaggy haired boy nodded, looking up at his bruised eye. "Are you okay, Uncle Tony?"

Tony chuckled. "Yeah, kid. I'm fine."

**20 Minutes Later**

Tony sat outside the Principal's office door with Jack on his right and the father that punched him on his left, sitting next to the other boy. He held an instant ice pack over his eye and frowned deeply when the raven-haired Principal walked out of her office and addressed the two adults.

"Inside, gentlemen, please." She smiled, holding her door open for the two men. "Your mothers will be here shortly." She said, turning toward the two boys. "I expect you to behave until they arrive."

Both men stood and followed her inside, sitting in the chairs that were in front of her desk. "Can I ask what the problem is between you that caused you to throw a punch in front of my school, Mr. Keller?"

"He accused my boy of beating up on his nephew. Andy wouldn't do that."

"Look..." Tony started, taking the ice pack off his eye. "I know what I saw. And there were at least a dozen kids standing around that can vouch for it."

"What exactly is your relation to Jack Sciuto?" The Principal asked, looking to Tony. "I know his family well, and I've never seen you."

"I'm his aunt's boyfriend. I'm down here from DC, and I just came to pick him up from school. When he didn't come out, I went around to the playground looking for him and that's when I saw the fight."

"Well, I don't know how you do things in DC, but around here we frown upon grown men fighting like children. It sets a bad example, wouldn't you say?" She asked, watching with a small smirk on her face as both men averted their eyes. "You're excused. I need to speak with the boys now."

Standing up from their seats, the two men followed her out of the office, reclaiming their chairs as she called the boys inside. Tony slumped against his chair, covering his eye again with the ice pack and sighing.

"Well, if it isn't DiNozzo." Bradley said, walking in behind both Abby and Britty.

"Tony, are you okay?" The Goth asked, barely containing her giggle as she pulled the ice pack off his eye and looked at it closely. "Sitting outside the principal's office? Isn't that a little cliche for you, baby?"

Britty entered the office with the other boy's mother to speak with the Principal and to collect her son while Bradley remained outside with Abby and Tony. "I'm sure it's something he's used to, Abs. Not the first time in your life, am I right?"

"Ha ha." He replied dryly, glaring at the older man. "And so what if it isn't? All that means is that I sympathize with what Jack's goin' through in there. Speaking of, Bradley, you should probably have a chat with your son. I've got a feeling this isn't the first time this has happened."

Looking to his left, he saw Keller scowl at him. He rolled his eyes and turned back to face Abby, who was poking and prodding at his face. "Abs, please, that hurts." He whined, pushing her hands away from his eye.

"Sorry." She said sheepishly, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple. "The swelling's not too bad. Should be better in a few days. Keep the ice on it."

He nodded, placing the pack back on his eye. "Thanks, baby."

Britty exited the office a moment later, her arm wrapped around her son's shoulder. "Come on, you three. Let's get back to the house. It's time for a family meeting."

"Mama! Do we have to?" Jack whined, dropping his head when she tapped him on the back of the head. "Sorry." He mumbled, walking with her silently.

Abby couldn't help but laugh as they all walked back to the car. "Hey, BB, I'll head back with Tony. See you at the house in 10?"

He nodded, a semi-frightened look crossing his face at the thought of riding back to the house with his wife in the mood she was in.

"C'mon, Abby." Tony said, opening the passenger door and helping her in. "Do we have to go back? I have a feeling this isn't gonna end well for me."

"Yes, we have to go back." She said, watching him sigh heavily as he closed the door and rounded the sedan, climbing in before starting it up and following the SUV back to the house.

Once they arrived, everyone met in the living room, sitting on the couches and chairs. "Okay, as you all can see, I'm not very happy about what happened today. Jack, I've never been called to your school before, and today I get called because you were in a fight?"

"Technically..." The Italian tried, receiving a sharp look from the redhead. "Sorry."

"Tony, I don't even know where to begin with you. I trusted you enough to pick my son up from school, an easy task in my opinion, and you end up in the Principal's office for fighting with another parent? I appreciate you trying to stand up for Jack, but do you always have to fight? That can't possibly be the only way you know to solve problems!"

Abby was giggling quietly next to her lover, unable to control herself, despite several glances from both Britty and her brother.

"I didn't start it!" Tony claimed. "I know, it seems like that's always my defense, but I swear! I didn't even throw a punch!"

"That doesn't matter, Tony! I grew up with enough fighting in my house with my 3 brothers. I don't need that for Jack."

"But Mama! Uncle Tony didn't even fight! Mr. Keller hit him and he did this super cool cop takedown thing and made him stop!"

Britty glared at Tony briefly before turning on her son. "Super cool, huh? When have your father and I ever taught you that fighting is cool, whether or not you hit back?" The boy frowned, dropping his eyes. "That's right. You're grounded for the weekend, so go call Michael and tell him that you won't be going to the movies on Saturday."

He stood up and walked out of the room slowly, trudging up the stairs to his bedroom.

"Britty...he didn't do anything wrong. He was just trying to keep that kid from kicking his ass!" Tony pleaded, watching Jack climb the stairs sadly.

"That's not the point, Tony." Britty said, sitting down next to her husband. She felt bad for punishing her son, but she knew that it had to be done. "He knows to avoid confrontations."

He looked across the room at Bradley in disbelief. "You never taught him to stand up for himself? Trust me, that's the number one thing a kid needs to know at his age. It's the first thing I learned at boarding school."

"He's not you, T." Abby said, placing her hand on his leg. "Let's not get in the middle of this, okay? It's not our place."

He sighed, taking her hand in his. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe we should get going." He stood, tugging Abby to her feet gently. "I'm sorry, you two. I just wasn't gonna sit there and watch Jack get beat up on." He shrugged. "He doesn't deserve it."

The couple walked out the front door, heading for the car when their names were called, making them stop. Turning around, they saw Jack running down the walkway toward them.

"What's going on, Jackie?" The Goth said, smiling at her nephew.

"I just wanted to ask Uncle Tony a question."

"Shoot, buddy." He asked, leaning against the side of the car.

"Well, I was hoping that maybe...you know, after my punishment, we could hang out like we were supposed to today?"

The older man smiled, tousling the boy's hair. "You got it, little man. I'll talk to your parents, maybe pick you up from school on Tuesday?"

"Sure!" He grinned, throwing himself at the older man and hugging him tightly. "Will you come over tomorrow? We can play some video games after I'm done with my homework."

He looked over at his girl and smiled. "We'll see, Jack. You'd better get back inside before your mom blows a fuse."

"Tony!" Abby laughed, punching him in the shoulder before turning back to Jack. "Go on. We'll be back tomorrow, okay? I'll see you after school."

"Okay, bye!" He said, waving at them. They watched as the young boy ran inside and closed the door, leaving them alone in the front yard.

"He's a good kid, huh?" Tony asked, wrapping his arms around the Goth's waist and pulling her close to him. "Think our baby will be like him?"

She smiled, leaning up to peck his lips. "Let's hope so. C'mon, I'm hungry and my back hurts."

"Ah..." He said, helping her into the car. "I see one of my famous back massages is in order, yes?"

"Oh yeah. Definitely." She grinned, resting her head back against the seat as they pulled away from the house and headed back to Tony's hotel for the night.

**Chapter Thirteen -- Whispers In The Dark**

**The Next Morning -- October 3. 2010**

Abby climbed out of the bed quietly the next morning, being careful so that she didn't wake her lover. After showering and dressing quickly, she dried her hair while watching him sleep, making her smile. Pulling out the pad of paper that was in the nightstand drawer, she wrote out a quick note for him saying that she had some errands to run and that she would call him later.

Writing 'Love You' at the bottom of the note, she laid it on her pillow and left the hotel room, heading down to her car.

The Italian woke up almost two hours later, rolling over and moving to wrap his arms around his girl when he realized she wasn't there. Lifting his head off the pillow, he noticed the note that she left and read it, sighing heavily before pushing himself up.

He slid off the bed with a groan, his muscles aching. He cursed as he moved into the bathroom and started the shower, not wanting to admit that he was starting to get sick. Stepping into the shower, he leaned his hands against the wall and let the hot water run over his back, loosening his tense muscles.

Finishing his shower a few minutes later, he grabbed for one of the fluffy towels and wrapped it around his body, shivering slightly despite the warm air in the bathroom. Grabbing his boxers, he pulled them on quickly before making his way back into the bedroom, sinking down on the mattress exhaustedly.

Laying back against the pillows, he closed his eyes, willing sleep to come for at least a little longer. He pulled the covers over his body and snuggled deeper under the sheets, hoping to feel better when he woke up.

His body urged him awake just over an hour later, his throat hurting. A quiet groan escaped him as he rolled over on the bed, squinting at the clock on the table. Pushing himself up, he ran a hand over his face, whimpering quietly before he climbed out of the bed.

Despite the fact that Abby said she would call when she finished her errands, he wanted nothing more than to lay down with his girl until he felt better. He pulled on his jeans and one of his OSU t shirts before grabbing his keys and heading out of the hotel, immediately heading across town to the large white house Abby's family owned. Opening the car door once he arrived, he walked up to the door and knocked, smiling when Britty answered.

"Hey, Britty."

"Oh, hey, Tony. Abby's not here right now." She let the older man step inside and led him into the living room. "I'm surprised you're not with her, actually."

"She was gone before I got up this morning, left a note saying she had some errands to run. I just decided I'd come over and wait for her, since I got bored at the hotel."

"Oh. So...she didn't tell you where she was going?"

Tony shook his head, cocking an eyebrow at the redhead. "No...why?"

"She..." Britty hesitated, looking away from the Italian. "You know, she should be back soon." She pushed herself up, moving to leave the room. "Can I get you something to drink?"

He reached out and grabbed her hand gently. "Woah. That was a loaded statement. Where'd she go?"

She sat back down on the couch and sighed. "I shouldn't say anything, but she had a doctor's appointment today."

She watched as he face fell, his hazel eyes darkening. "She didn't...she didn't tell me." He responded, suddenly feeling like someone had punched him hard in the stomach. "I...I should go."

"Tony, wait." She said, stopping him from standing up. "I...I'm sure she meant to tell you."

"If she meant to tell me, B, she would have. I...guess we haven't made as much progress as I thought."

Britty felt her stomach sink to the floor as she looked at the hurt man sitting next to her. She placed a hand on his, cursing her friend for putting her in this position. "I'm sorry, Tony. I didn't know..."

"Britty, really, it's okay. I'm not feelin' very good anyway. I should go." He stood, shaking off her hand when she tried again to stop him. When he reached the door he stopped, turning to face her again. "Hey...could you, you know, not say anything to Abby? I don't...I don't want her feeling guilty."

The redhead frowned, standing up and joining Tony by the door. "Sure. I won't say anything."

He nodded and leaned down to peck her on the cheek before turning back to the door. "I'll see you later, B."

"Wait." She sighed heavily, touching his shoulder. "I have something to show you. Can you wait here just one second?"

"Yeah, sure."

She turned and ran into the kitchen, returning a few seconds later with a small piece of paper. "Here." She smiled, offering it to him.

Tony cocked an eyebrow at her, accepting the piece of paper cautiously. "What is it?"

"Turn it over."

He did as he was told, turning the paper over to reveal a small black and white photo. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes almost immediately, and though he already knew what it was, he couldn't help but ask the question. "Is this..."

"Your baby? Yes. That was...2 weeks ago." She looked up at the older man and smiled, pointing to the picture. "There's the head...and the feet." She paused, hesitating slightly. "Tony..."

"Thank you." He managed, his voice hoarse. "Really. Thank you."

"I'm sorry she didn't tell you. It's habit more than her not wanting you there. She...since she's been here, she's always gone alone. I don't think she did it to spite you."

He nodded, looking at her briefly before returning his gaze to the picture. "Can I...?"

"Of course. It's yours." Britty smiled. "Just...promise me one thing?"

"Anything."

"Give her a chance to explain...if you decide to talk to her about it? It...she's had a tough couple of weeks, with everything that's happened. Not to mention the hormone problems." She chuckled. "I know she can be a handful sometimes...okay, most of the time, but...she loves you very much, Tony. She's ready to fix this, to get her life back on track."

"I know. But that doesn't make it sting any less." He watched as she simply nodded before stepping away from the door. "Thanks again."

"See you later, Tony. Remember what I said."

He didn't turn back as he trekked back to the car. "I will." Climbing into the car, he tucked the picture into his visor and started the car, heading back to the hotel.

**Three Hours Later**

"B! I'm home!" Abby called, stepping out of her shoes at the door. "Where are you?"

"Living room."

The Goth frowned at the cold response, stepping into the living room to find her friend sitting on the couch. "I got new pictures, if you wanna..."

"What were you thinking?" Britty interrupted, not turning to look at the slightly younger woman.

"Um...I don't know what you're talking about, Britty."

"He left everything behind for you, risked his job...for you. And this is how you repay him? What the hell were you thinking?" She hissed, standing up and crossing her arms over her chest.

Abby opened her mouth to speak and the redhead held up a hand, stopping her. "No. I had to deal with him while you were at the doctor. He...God damn it, Abby, the man nearly cried. You go back to the hotel and make it up to him, now. Or I swear I will kick your ass even though you're pregnant."

Britty frowned at the tears streaming down her friend's cheeks, and knew that her words had been harsh but necessary. She wasn't taking Tony into consideration, and whether or not it was intentional didn't matter.

"I...I'm sorry."

"It's not me you have to apologize to. Now go."

She watched as the raven-haired woman left the house, her shoulders slumped slightly. Abby made her way to the car slowly, swiping at the tears that slipped down her cheeks. She knew that Britty was right, that she'd been wrong not to include Tony but it wasn't something she had done intentionally. Since leaving DC, she was simply used to doing things on her own, she hadn't even given the doctor's appointment a second thought.

Climbing into the driver's seat, she turned the key and shifted into drive, willing herself to stop crying before she saw Tony. She'd already made him feel bad enough for one day, making him feel even worse was the last thing she wanted to do. She pulled away from the house without so much as a glance back, praying that she hadn't completely destroyed what little bit of progress they'd made.

After dropping her car off with the valet, she headed up to Tony's room and slid the card key into the lock, opening the door. She walked inside, hoping that he would be awake so that they could talk, but she had no such luck. Toeing off her shoes, she crawled onto the bed next to him and curled up, burying her head in his neck and listening to him breathe.

"I love you." She mumbled, feeling him shift slightly to accommodate her.

Tony lifted his head and almost immediately pulled away from her, running a hand over his tired face as he sat upright. "How were your errands?" He asked, sniffling in an attempt to clear his stuffy nose.

"I..." She hesitated, reaching for his hand. He pulled it away from her and she could feel the tears behind her eyes again, making her frown deeply. "I'm sorry, T. I..."

He held a hand up, stopping her mid-sentence. "Don't be sorry. I shouldn't be upset. It was dumb of me to think we had made more progress than we have."

She closed her eyes briefly as a single tear escaped, willing the rest of them away. "I'll go." She mumbled, climbing off the bed slowly.

Tony simply watched for a moment, making no attempts to stop her as she made her way to the door. He could hear her quiet whimpers as she slipped her shoes back on and he frowned, pushing himself up and walking over to her.

"Abby..." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back against his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but changed his mind, realizing he didn't have anything to say.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Tony. I...I hope this..." She paused, turning in his arms to face him and reaching up to touch his cheek. "I hope this doesn't ruin everything." She managed, swiping at the tears on her face.

Tony sighed heavily, hesitating for a moment before he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. "I love you, Abby." He said quietly, smoothing her hair as he held her against him.

"Don't just say that because you think it's what I wanna hear, T. I understand if you're mad..."

"Baby, stop. I wouldn't ever say something like that if I didn't mean it. I promise you that."

She buried her nose in his chest, her body shaking. "Can I...stay with you for awhile?"

Tony leaned back from her, offering a smile as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Of course." He kissed her again, running his hands over her belly. "Of course, Abbygirl."

The Goth smiled, detatching herself from the older man and walking toward the bathroom. "I'll be right back, I'm just gonna wash my face."

He nodded, making his way back over to the bed and sitting down. She rejoined him a moment later, perching herself on his lap as she kissed him, running her long fingers through his soft hair.

Tony smiled when they parted, holding her close with a gentle hand on her back. "You're gettin' heavy, Mama." He teased, pressing light kisses to her shoulders.

"You like it?"

"I do." He smirked, nipping at her spiderweb tattoo. "I do, very much." He continued to kiss her as she relaxed, his hands running over her body. "I love every inch of you, you know that?"

"Liar. I look like a whale."

Tony laid her down gently on the bed next to him, kissing her deeply. "You're my whale." He whispered against her lips, leaning his body over hers as he slipped his hand under her shirt, touching her bare skin.

"Tony..."

"Hmm?"

"We...you..." She managed, moaning quietly at the feel of his lips on her abdomen. "Please..." She whimpered, pushing him back. "I...I don't want you to see me without my shirt."

"Abby..." He pulled his hands away from her belly, reaching up pressing feather light kisses along her neck. "You..." He whispered quietly, looking deeply into her green eyes. "You are beautiful. In fact, I think you're even more beautiful now than you were back in DC. You should never be ashamed of your body, with or without a shirt."

"You're only saying that because you haven't seen me without it on."

"So show me."

Lowering his lips to her mouth again, he reached up, tangling his fingers in her long black hair as he held himself over her. Raising her hand up, she ran her fingers through his brown hair, pulling away long enough glance up into his hazel eyes.

"Okay." She whispered.

Leaning down again, he kissed her lips before he slipped his hand under her shirt once more, smiling against her when he felt her shiver under his touch. "God, I've missed you." He mumbled, leaning back long enough to push her shirt up slowly, grinning when she sat up, allowing him to tug the fabric over her head. Sitting back on his heels, he looked down at her for a moment, taking her in.

She squirmed uncomfortably, wrapping her arms around her growing belly. "Tony! Quit staring."

"Can't help it...you're gorgeous."

"And you're high."

He chuckled lightly, though it quickly turned into a dry, painful cough. He doubled over for a minute, gasping slightly as he tried to catch his breath. Pushing herself up on her elbows, Abby cupped his face gently, frowning.

"Baby...are you okay?"

He nodded. "I'm fine. Just a little cough."

She reached out and pulled him back down with her, settling them both against the pillows on the large bed. "C'mere. I have something to show you." Abby leaned over and grabbed the small photos off the nightstand, offering them to him. "Here. That's our baby."

She grinned when she saw Tony's eyes begin to tear up slightly as he placed his hand on her stomach. "This...is inside you?"

"Yeah. In a few months, we'll even get to hold it." She kissed his cheek, placing her hand over his. "My doctor says I'm due on the 7th of January. I'm kinda hoping to get the team down here for the birth, but I know it probably won't happen, seeing as we're always the busiest around the holidays, but I'm still gonna..."

"Wait, Abby...here? You...I figured we'd head back to DC. You wanna have the baby here?"

"Well...I mean...yeah, I'd planned on it. BB's here, Britty's gonna be my midwife, my doctor isn't gonna just leave and come to DC...is it a problem?"

He shook his head, looking back down at the picture. "No. No problem at all." He smiled briefly before coughing deeply, cringing at how dry it sounded.

"Let's lay down for a bit, baby. You're clearly not feeling 100%."

He sighed, allowing her to pull him down against the pillows. "I'm fine, Abs. When have you ever known me to lie?"

"You want the most recent time? Or just any time in general?"

"Hey..." The Italian pouted, wrapping his arms around his lover's waist. "That wasn't very nice."

"I was just kidding." She grinned, snuggling under the blankets with him. "Maybe after we sleep I'll let you take me and your baby out for dinner."

"You'll *let* me, huh?" He chuckled, nuzzling her neck. "I think you've been pampered during your time away."

"Eh." She responded dismissively, barely stifling a yawn. "Maybe just a little."

Laughing quietly, he pulled her closer, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "Get some rest, huh?"

"Mmhmm. Feel better, baby." She mumbled snuggling as close as her growing belly would allow. "Love you."

"Love you too." Closing his eyes, he burrowed down under the blankets, his arm thrown over her waist as he allowed sleep to claim him, ignoring the slow burn in his chest.

**Later That Night**

"Tony, you sure you're okay?" Abby asked, running her fingers through his hair as she leaned over the end of the bed.

The Italian tried to hide his cough unsuccessfully, avoiding his girl's eyes. "'M fine, sunshine, I swear."

Tony had woken up unable to breathe in the position he had been sleeping in, and had found the only semi-comfortable place he could sit in without coughing was the floor, propped against the end of the bed.

Abby had woken up shortly after him, immediately concerned when she found him on the floor, his breathing rough as he flipped through the channels. He had managed to reassure her enough to convince her to watch a movie with him, though he insisted that she remained on the bed while he sat on the ground.

"If you say so." She mumbled, concerned about her lover. "Wanna order some dinner?"

"If you want, baby."

"Okay." She said, leaning down and kissing him on the cheek before sitting back and picking up the phone. "What do you feel like?"

"I'm not very hungry, Abs. Maybe just some soup?" He asked, leaning his head back against the end of the bed.

"Sure." She smiled, calling room service and ordering dinner. After she hung up the phone, she returned to the end of the bed, moving to sit next to him on the floor. "Hey."

"Hey, you. You shouldn't be sitting down here, hon, it's not good for your back."

"Well, it's not good for yours either. So, if you can handle it, so can I."

He sighed, draping his arm over her shoulder and pulling her close to him. "I've missed your stubbornness." He grinned, looking down at her. "Let's hope it's not hereditary."

"You know damn well it is." She grinned. "With me as the mommy and you as the daddy, we'll be lucky if we can control this kid."

"We'll do fine." He said, rubbing her stomach gently. "Well, I know that you'll do fine. You might have to train me."

"Oh, you want me to train you, huh?" The Goth grinned, leaning up to kiss him. "I think that can be arranged, Mr. DiNozzo."

Tony chuckled, returning the kiss quickly before coughing again. "Sorry."

Abby frowned. "Come on up to bed, T. You'll be more comfortable up there."

He conceded, upset with himself that the Goth was so worried about taking care of him when he felt it should be the other way around. Pushing himself up from the floor, he held his hand out to her, offering to help her stand. She accepted, allowing him to lead her to the head of the bed where he proceeded to pull back the blankets and help her climb under them. He joined her seconds later, wrapping his arm over her shoulders again, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

"Let's finish our movie, huh?" He suggested, pulling her close to him, enjoying the feel of her warm body against his side.

She smiled, relaxing against him when room service knocked on the door. "There's our food." She kissed him again quickly before pulling away and making her way over to the door of the large suite.

After tipping the hotel employee and closing the door behind him, she brought Tony his bowl of soup before climbing back into the bed with a matching meal of her own.

"Abby, you should've gotten something more to eat." He yawned, realizing how tired he really was as he took a sip of his soup.

"It just sounded so good...chicken noodle soup. You know, they add a little bit of red pepper to it here. Makes it a little spicy, but really clears up your sinuses. I mean, I'm sure that when you taste it, you can tell, but it reminds me a lot of the soup Bradley used to make for me after my parents..." She trailed off, feeling the tears welling up behind her eyes at the unintentional mention of her deceased parents.

Placing his soup on the night stand, Tony turned back, pulling her into his arms and closing his eyes when he felt her trembling slightly.

"I'm...I'm sorry...its still hard to talk about them sometimes."

"You don't have to apologize." He reassured her quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Bradley doesn't under...understand." She sniffled, allowing the Italian to hold her tightly. "He had...more time with them then I did..."

"I'm sure he understands." He whispered, kissing the top of her head again. She closed her eyes, breathing in his scent, allowing it to calm her. "You okay now?" He asked after a moment, nuzzling her hair gently.

She nodded, still not trusting her voice as she pulled away, offering him a shaky smile. "Sorry. Hormones." She said, laughing nervously.

He chuckled quietly, wincing when it turned into another painful cough. He doubled over in the bed, his eyes watering slightly as he fought to force air into his lungs.

"Slow breaths..." Abby coached expertly, rubbing his back gently in an effort to soothe him. "C'mon, T."

It was nearly a full five minutes before the coughing spell was over and he fell back against the pillows, gasping for air.

"You're okay..." Abby said softly, running her fingers through his hair reassuringly. "You're okay."

He closed his eyes, his chest heaving in an attempt to force air into his scarred lungs. Abby pushed herself to her feet, groaning quietly as she made her way over to the mini-fridge, grabbing a bottle of water before she hurried back to him, holding it out. "Small sips."

He accepted the bottle, forcing what he hoped was a reassuring smile before he leaned over, setting it on the night stand. "I'm alright now." He promised, his voice hoarse.

"You sure? I really think we should call Ducky. You really don't sound good."

"I'm okay." He repeated. "Really. I'm fine."

She eyed him warily before she climbed back into the bed. "You need to finish up your soup." She reminded him. "It might make you feel better."

"I'm not hungry." He grumbled, his throat aching.

"Please? For me? You haven't eaten much of anything today."

"Abby! I said I wasn't hungry!" He snapped, the pain in his throat and the pained look in his girl's eyes making him regret the outburst almost immediately. "I...I meant..."

"Don't worry about it. Just...I'm just gonna get some more rest." She mumbled, putting her bowl on the nightstand and turning away from him, wrapping her arms around herself under the warm blankets. "You should too."

The older man rolled onto his side, his back facing the dark-haired woman on the other side of the bed. Frowning, he tugged the blankets up over his shoulders and sighed quietly, trying to find a semi-comfortable position to sleep in. He felt bad for snapping at her, and knowing that Abby wasn't very happy with him wasn't helping his guilt. Her emotions were all over the place because of the pregnancy, and although he hadn't been around many pregnant women, he could only assume that it was normal to some degree.

He settled against the pillows and began to relax, his shoulders tensing when he heard Abby's nearly silent whimpers in the quiet room. Turning to face her, he reached out and touched her shoulder hesitantly, frowning when she didn't move.

"I'm sorry." His voice was so quiet he doubted that she could even hear him. He removed his hand from her shoulder and turned back, relieved when her quiet sobs finally stopped. Her breathing was deeper, letting him know that she had fallen asleep. His chest tightened uncomfortably at the thought that his words had made her cry herself to sleep, and he resisted the urge to pull her into his arms and hold her closely, reassuring her that he loved her no matter what.

Instead, he decided to remain with his back to her, his stubborn male pride winning out once again. He allowed the rhythmic breathing of his girl to lull him to sleep, determined that he would make it up to her when they woke up.

**Chapter Fourteen -- Meet Me Halfway**

**October 4, 2010 -- 0330 Hours**

A quiet whimper escaped Abby as she attempted to roll over in the bed, realizing that Tony was holding her tightly against him. Kicking the sheets from her body, she forced her tired eyes open, nudging Tony gently.

"T..." She whimpered. "Move over."

"Mmm?" He groaned, running his hand over her belly lazily, not opening his eyes.

"I'm hot. Move over."

He tightened his grip on her waist, making her whimper again. "Tony, please wake up."

The Italian opened his eyes immediately and sat up, coughing deeply before turning to his girl. "Are you okay, Abs? What's wrong?"

"It's hot." She rolled over and looked up at him, cringing when she heard another dry cough tear from his throat. "Baby, you're getting worse."

"Nah, I'm fine." He said, brushing her hair out of her face. "Was I hurting you?"

She shook her head, sitting up next to him as best she could with her belly. "You know you have to be careful, Tony. Your lungs can't take you being sick." Reaching up, she cupped his cheek in her hand, frowning when she felt the heat radiating off of him. "You've got a fever."

"No, I don't. I'm fine, Abby."

"You always say that, T, but you're running a fever. I'm gonna call the doctor." She said, picking up her cell phone off the nightstand.

"Abby." He said firmly, snatching the phone from her hand. "I. Am. Fine. Let's go back to bed, please."

"At least let me get you a cool cloth." She said, pushing herself off the bed and walking into the bathroom, wetting a washcloth and going back to the bed. "Lay down."

He did as he was told, resting his head against the pillow as she joined him and placed the cloth on his forehead. It made him shiver at first, but he had to admit that it felt good against his flushed skin. Abby smiled and curled up next to him again, resting her head on his shoulder.

Tony fell back asleep quickly with his girl running her fingers through his hair to relax him. She stayed awake for most of the night, checking her lover's temperature every so often. She finally fell asleep sometime around 0600, finally having gotten Tony's temperature down to a reasonable level.

The Italian woke up suddenly, his stomach twisted in knots. He moved the Goth off of his chest gently, not wanting to wake her, before making his way to the bathroom. Abby woke up at the sudden loss of his warm body and sat up, hearing his vomiting.

"Tony?" She called, rolling off the bed slowly and making her way toward the bathroom.

He met her at the doorway, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "You should be sleeping, baby."

"I'm fine T. You're the one who's sick."

"Abby, I told you last night I'm fine. Come on, let's get back to bed." He said, resting a hand at the small of her back and leading her back to the large bed.

She allowed the Italian to help her into bed and frowned over at him. "I really wish you would let me take you to the doctor, T. It would make me feel a lot better."

"Listen, I have a thing about doctors, okay? I just don't like them." He sighed, realizing his voice was a little more tense than he had intended. "I'm sorry. Let's get some more sleep and if I'm still coughing when we wake up, I'll call Ducky and see what he says, okay?"

Groaning, she conceded, relaxing against the pillows with him. "Fine. But if he tells you to go to the doctor, you have to go, okay?"

"Yes ma'am." He grinned, pulling her close to him. "I love you and your persistence, Abs, but I swear I'm fine. If anything, it's just a little cold and I'll be over it in a few days."

"Uh huh, sure." She brushed his fast growing hair off his forehead and leaned up to kiss him quickly. "At least your fever's gone down. You know, Gibbs would kill you if he saw your hair right now. All shaggy."

"Maybe, but you love it." He smirked, closing his eyes.

Shifting slightly on the bed, she smiled when she felt him snuggle up closer, holding her against him. Though she'd been worried about her lover during the night, she was hopeful that it was just a fleeting thing. Releasing a quiet sigh, she lowered her head to his chest, allowing the sound of his breathing to lull her to sleep.

**Two Hours Later**

Abby woke up to her lover's raspy breathing in her ear and sat up, shaking Tony's shoulder firmly.

"Tony. T, wake up."

"Mmf. Go to sleep, babe." He mumbled, coughing deeply as he ran a hand over her leg.

"T..." She groaned, dropping her head back against the headboard. "Please..."

Looking back down at him, she found that he was already back asleep, his hand resting on her hip. Shaking her head, she ran her fingers through his hair, pausing on his forehead and frowning when she realized his fever had back gone up.

She reached over to the nightstand and picked up her phone, dialing the number for her brother's house, knowing that Britty would still be there after dropping Jack off at school.

"Hello?"

"B, I need a favor."

The redhead immediately recognized the distraught tone that her sister-in-law was trying to hide. "Abby, what's wrong?"

"Tony's sick. Do...do you have anything, like for, I don't know..."

"Hey, calm down. What's going on with Tony?"

"He...he's been coughing, he's got a fever, his breathing is raspy...he had the plague, Britty! His lungs are scarred, they can't handle him getting sick."

"Abs, breathe. I'll be over in a few with some medicine for him."

"Okay." She said, looking down at Tony again. "We're in room 508. Thanks, Britty."

"Sure, hon. I'll see you in a bit."

The Goth snapped the phone shut and snuggled back down in the bed, allowing Tony to pull her close and wrap his arms over her growing belly while he slept. She tried to relax while waiting for Britty to show up, climbing out of the bed quickly when she finally heard the knock on the door.

"Wha? Abs?" The Italian managed, opening his eyes sleepily as his girl climbed out of their bed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin' baby, its just the door. Britty brought you some medicine."

Tony groaned and rolled over, covering his head with a pillow as he coughed. She opened the door and let the redhead in, smiling when she handed over the medicine.

"Abby, how much sleep have you had?" She asked, noticing her friend's slumped shoulders and the dark circles under her eyes.

"I'm good, B. Just worried about Tony."

"You have to get your rest. And I'll bet you were up all night with him, weren't you?"

Abby frowned, watching as her lover tossed and turned on the bed. "He's sick." She whispered, turning back to the redhead. "He won't take care of himself, so I have to do it for him."

She laughed, setting her purse on the table. "You both are bullheaded, you know that? You need sleep for that baby, Abby."

The slightly younger woman opened her mouth to retort when a quiet moan coming from the bed caught her attention.

"Tony?"

Struggling to untangle himself from the sheets, he practically fell from the bed before he bolted for the bathroom. Abby took off after him, kneeling next to him on the bathroom floor as he vomited.

She got him another washcloth when he sat back, letting him wipe his mouth before standing up. "Tony, I'm calling Ducky right now and having your medical file faxed here. You're going to the doctor." Abby said, her hand shaking nervously as she rubbed his back.

"No, I'm not. I'm..."

"If you say fine, DiNozzo, I'll kick your ass to the hospital myself." Britty said, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed.

"I just need some more sleep." He said, coughing again. "The cough is nothing, its just a cold."

"I don't think so, Tony. C'mon, you're coming back to the house with us." She said, looking at Abby. "Pack him some clothes, huh?"

She watched as the raven-haired woman left the bathroom before turning back to Tony who was leaning on the counter. "She needs her rest, Tony, and she's not getting it because she was up all night worried sick about you."

"I agree, and I didn't know she had been up all night. Take her, I'll stay here. I can take care of myself."

"You're leavin' me with no choice." She warned, pulling out her phone and dialing Gibbs' number. "Hi Gibbs, it's Britty, Abby's sister..."

Tony pushed himself off the counter and grabbed the phone from Britty, covering it with his hand. "You called Gibbs?" He hissed.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." She smirked, plucking the device out of his hands. "Yeah, Gibbs? Sorry about that, your senior field agent stole my phone. Anyway, he's sick and refuses to see a doctor despite Abby begging him to and its starting to affect her sleep." She paused, letting the older man speak. "Talk to him? Sure." She grinned, holding the phone out to him.

He scowled at her as he took the phone and put it to his ear. "Hey Boss."

"Why you bein' difficult, DiNozzo?"

"I'm not! I just don't wanna go to the doctor, you know I don't like that stuff Boss!"

Gibbs remained silent for a moment before speaking. "You had better stop stressing Abby out and start cooperating, DiNozzo, or so help me I'll be on the next flight there and goin' to the doctor will be the least of your worries. We clear?"

"Crystal." He mumbled, snapping the phone shut and handing it back to Britty when Gibbs hung up. "Fine, I'll go."

"I knew you'd see it my way."

**Later That Night**

A quiet sigh escaped Tony as he shifted on the comfortable couch, his eyelids drooping heavily. It had been a long day, and if he was being completely honest with himself, he still felt like crap. His entire body ached and his chest hurt from coughing, though he'd never admit as much to Abby.

"You okay baby?" She asked, reaching over to run her fingers through his hair.

"'M alright," he mumbled, his voice hoarse.

"You ready to go to bed?"

"We can sit up a little longer." He coughed deeply, bending at the waist as he tried to clear the phlegm from his lungs.

"C'mon, T. Let's go upstairs, you need your rest." Abby said, pushing herself off the couch before offering her hand to Tony.

He coughed again, brushing her hand away as he stood up and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I can walk, sweetheart."

"Abby, can we talk for a sec?" Britty asked, poking her head into the living room.

"Sure." She said, resting her hand on her belly and turning to Tony. "Its the second door on the left, baby. I'll be up in a minute."

He nodded and made his way up the stairs to Abby's bedroom. The Goth walked into the kitchen and sat on a barstool, watching as her friend washed the dishes from dinner. "What's up, B?"

The redhead looked over at her friend, noticing the tired look on her face. "Maybe you should take J's room, Abs. He can camp out downstairs tonight."

"No, I'm not taking Jackie's bed. I'll be fine in the room with Tony."

She chuckled. "You two better get some sleep, I don't wanna hear you goin' at it all night."

The Goth could feel her cheeks reddening at her friend's teasing. "We haven't... We aren't..."

"Well why the hell not?"

"That...that's how we fixed everything before. I don't want this...us...to be all about sex again. It didn't work last time." She paused, noticing how Britty rolled her eyes.

"You know, sex usually helps make relationships stronger. It's a piece of yourself that you're giving to the other person."

"You don't believe that, B. You and I both know it. If you did, you wouldn't have slept with..." She was interrupted by her friend's hand covering her mouth.

"We agreed we weren't going to discuss that ever again. You promised." She smirked. "Anyway, I learned that in my Human Sexuality class junior year. I just can't believe you two aren't back to sleeping together yet. When I was pregnant, I couldn't get enough of Bradley."

"Well, he's too sick anyway, so it doesn't matter." Abby sniffled, looking away from Britty.

"What's wrong?" The redhead asked, studying the pregnant woman.

The Goth sniffled again before she dropped her head into her hands, starting to shake as she sobbed quietly.

"Hey, hey..." Britty said, wrapping her arms around the younger woman. "Don't cry, Abs. It's okay."

"I...I'm sorry. I...he's so sick, and...and I just want him to be okay." Abby managed, allowing the slightly older woman to hold her while she cried.

"Shh..." She soothed, rubbing her back softly. "He'll be fine, honey. Tony's tough, you know that better than anyone."

The raven-haired woman sniffled, looking up at her friend. "Yeah, I know."

"He'll be better in a few days, okay? He got his medicine from the doctor..." She stopped, looking up when Bradley appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"Abby?" He started, moving toward his sister and touching her cheek. "What's the matter, baby girl?"

"She's alright." Britty said, smiling at the her husband. "Just needs some rest. Go on upstairs, we'll see you in the morning for breakfast."

She nodded, swiping at the tears on her cheeks before heading up the stairs silently, leaving the couple alone in the kitchen.

"She's a wreck." Britty said, turning back to finish the dishes.

"Yeah, I can see that. That why he's here instead of his hotel?"

"You saw her, Bradley. She wasn't about to leave him alone in that hotel and she needs her rest. She hasn't slept since yesterday morning."

"You shoulda called me. I would have gotten her home without a fuss." He boasted, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist.

"You really don't want him here, do you?" She asked, drying her hands again and turning in his arms to face him. "You feeling threatened?"

"I just like having my wife's full attention. And I can't say I enjoy you playing nursemaid to my sister's boyfriend."

"Would you rather I play nursemaid to you?" She smirked, running a finger over his jaw playfully.

Bradley groaned, dropping his lips to her neck and nipping gently. "Upstairs." He whispered, releasing her and smacking her ass lightly. "Now."

She arched an eyebrow at him and pulled her t shirt over her head, tossing it on the floor at his feet before turning and heading up the stairs. "Yes, sir."

He followed the trail of her discarded clothing, picking it up as he made his way up to their bedroom, closing the door behind them.

**Abby's Room**

Abby stood in the doorway to the bathroom, leaning against the frame as she watched her lover sleep. Walking slowly over to the bed, she sat on the edge and dropped her head into her hands again, crying quietly.

It seemed like everything had finally hit her in the past few days, and on top of everything she was going through with her mood swings, Tony was sick and not willing to take care of himself.

Rolling over at the sound of her quiet sniffling, Tony forced his tired eyes open, barely stifling a yawn. "Baby?"

"Go back to sleep sweetheart," she responded quietly, her voice thick with tears.

Pushing himself up, he ran a tired hand over his face, squinting in the darkness. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, T," she said, turning to face him with a forced smile. Leaning over, she pressed a kiss to his forehead, pleased when she realized he didn't feel quite as warm. "Go back to bed, huh? You need your rest."

"Lay with me?" He asked, his mouth turned down in a frown as he eyed her carefully. He knew she'd been worried about him, despite the fact that he tried to assure her he was fine. "C'mon," he tried again, reaching for her hand to tug her closer to him.

Allowing herself to be pulled against his chest, she settled against him, swiping discreetly at the tears on her cheeks.

"What's the matter?" He asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, his voice hoarse.

"You have to start taking better care of yourself, Tony," she blurted out.

"Abby," he sighed, hugging her against his side. "It's not that I'm not taking care of myself, but you know I have a thing about doctors."

"But it's ridiculous!"

"Yeah, you say that because you haven't had the plague. Listen, I know I have to be careful because of my lungs, but I just...I don't expect you or anyone else to understand but I can't do doctors, okay?"

"I know that, Tony. I know how much going bothers you, but you have got to take care of yourself! It's not just me who's depending on you anymore," she cried, losing the battle with her tears again.

He was silent, resting his large hand over her belly and smiling sadly when he felt their child move inside of her. "I know. But there's plenty of people around that are willing and able to help you if need be." He said, attempting to reassure her.

"You're an idiot." The Goth spat, pulling away from him and moving to leave the room.

Tony reached out for her, grabbing her arm gently. "Abby, wait! What did I do?"

"You think I want to rely on someone else to help me raise our child? I want *you* to be there. Not Bradley or Gibbs or McGee. You."

His grip loosened and she pulled away from him, choosing to sit on the edge of the bed again, her back to him.

"Abby, sweetheart..."

"Just...just go back to sleep, Tony. I don't feel up to talking about this right now."

He laid back against the pillows, knowing better than to argue with her when she got this way. She would come to him when she was ready to talk. A few minutes later he felt her lay down, her back still to him as she attempted to get comfortable.

After awhile, the Italian turned over and touched her shoulder gently. "You awake?"

"Mhmm."

He sighed, pressing a kiss into her hair. "I didn't mean to upset you." He whispered, reaching over to tug her back against his chest. "I'm sorry."

"You just...you don't get it, Tony. I need you. I can't do this without you."

"I'm not goin' anywhere, Abs." Tightening his grip around her expanding waist, he pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair as he breathed in her scent.

Another tear slid down Abby's cheek as she closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of his arms around her as they fell asleep.

**Chapter Fifteen -- These Are The Nights**

**Three Weeks Later -- October 27, 2010**

The sun was beginning to set over New Orleans, casting a faint pink and orange tint over the sky. From the kitchen table, Abby looked out the french doors, transfixed as her lover threw the football to her nephew, a wide grin on his face when the boy caught it.

She'd always known that Tony was good with Jack, though until this moment, she had never realized just *how* good. He seemed to be in his element, his body more relaxed than she'd seen since they moved him out of the hotel room and into her brother's house almost three weeks earlier.

"What's so interesting?" Britty asked as she stepped into the kitchen, depositing her coffee cup in the sink before making her way over to her friend.

"Tony and Jack. They've been out there for hours."

"They look like they're having a great time." Britty smiled, watching the pair fondly. "Tony's always done well around Jack."

"Not quite sure why I ever doubted him when it came to kids." The Goth sighed, smiling sadly when she felt her child kick gently. "I should've known he'd be great with them. Hell, he practically is one half the time."

"Still beating yourself up for leaving?"

She scoffed, continuing to watch as Jack threw the ball back to his surrogate uncle, making him run the length of the yard. "That obvious?"

"Just a little." The redhead nodded, nudging her sister-in-law playfully, trying to divert her attention. "Thought the two of you moved passed that."

"We did...I just...watching them..." She turned away from the window, closing her eyes for a moment. "I should have had more faith in him, Britty."

"You were protecting yourself and that baby, Abby. Nobody blames you for that, but you can't keep kicking yourself for it."

She nodded, taking a deep breath to rein in her emotions when she saw Tony and Jack heading back toward the house. Britty smiled, opening the door for the boys as they came inside, tousling her son's hair before heading back into the kitchen to finish dinner.

"Mmm...smells great, B." Tony called, sniffing the air as he took a seat next to his girl. "Hey sunshine." He smiled, leaning over and kissing her.

The raven-haired woman grinned. "Hey back. You have fun with Jackie?"

"Oh yeah." He chuckled, tossing the football into the air and catching it. "That boy's pretty good at throwing a ball. Even gave me a run for my money."

"Well, he comes by it naturally." She said, resting her hand over her growing belly as the baby kicked again. "Bradley played baseball from T-ball all the way through college."

He smiled. "Must've been good. Why didn't he go pro?"

"Broke my arm my senior year. Can't have a pitcher with a broken arm." Bradley said, entering the dining room with his son in tow.

"Auntie, did you see? I totally kicked Uncle Tony's butt out there!"

Abby laughed. "I saw that." She said, leaning over to whisper in the boy's ear. "You have to give him a break though, he hasn't played real football in years."

"Hey!" Tony cried, pouting playfully. "I play with my buddies every couple weeks!"

"I've seen you guys play and that isn't real football. That's what we like to call grab-ass." She joked, reaching up and running a hand through his brown hair.

"It's not like it's that hard to kick Tony's butt anyway." Bradley quipped, taking his seat across from him and passing him a beer.

"What is this? Gang up on Tony night?" The Italian asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Okay, boys, break it up. Time for dinner." Britty said, walking into the dining room carrying a pot of jambalaya.

After everyone was served they started eating, continuing to talk about what their plans were for the remainder of the week.

"Our flight leaves at 7 am on the 29th, so I'm thinking we'll leave the house at like 3:30, right?" Britty asked of her husband.

"Uh huh. Hawaii, here we come!"

"Mama, do I really have to stay here? I wanna go with you and Dad."

The redhead sighed, taking a sip of her beer. "I know, baby, but this is the first year since you were born that we're gonna get to take a trip for our anniversary by ourselves. I'm sure your Auntie and Uncle have plenty of fun stuff planned."

"Oh yeah." Abby grinned. "I wanna take Tony to the parade on Bourbon. He's never been on Halloween."

"Auntie..." Jack whined. "I'm 12. I don't dress up for Halloween anymore."

She frowned slightly. "C'mon, Jackie. Even your Uncle Tony is gonna dress up, right T?"

Tony coughed, nearly choking on his beer. "No, no, no. I don't do dress up, baby, you know that. When have I ever dressed up for Halloween?"

"Oh, you two would be so cute! You could do one of those couples costumes!" Britty gushed, beginning to clean up the dinner plates.

"Nah, I'm not dressing up. None of the costumes would fit me anyway, I look like a whale." She frowned, standing to help her friend with the dishes.

"Hey! If you aren't gonna dress up then we don't have to either." The Italian said, sticking his tongue out playfully at his girl. "If you want Jack and I to dress up, you have to do it too."

"Fine. But I get to pick your costume."

"Then I get to pick yours." He smirked, looking her up and down. "I'm thinking naughty nurse."

"And I'm thinking...cowboy."

She laughed at the way his jaw dropped, remembering the photoshopped picture from years earlier. "Y...you wouldn't..." He called, standing up and following her.

"Oh, I would. And you know it. So...reconsidering the costume yet?"

"How 'bout B and I decide what you get to be and you two can pick the outfits." Bradley said, clapping his hand on Tony's shoulder in an attempt to end the discussion. "I suggest 'Bond, James Bond' for Tony and..." He paused, looking his sister over teasingly. "Bond Girl. Definitely a Bond Girl."

"No! No way am I dressing in some slutty dress when I look like this! Maybe next year, when I'm back in shape...but until then, no way."

"Aww...come on, Abs...I'll be tasteful, I promise!" Her lover whined, holding his pinky out to her. He smiled when she took it, sighing heavily.

"You'd better, or so help me God, I'll send you back to sea myself."

**Four Days Later -- October 31, 2010**

Tony stood in the living room, checking his watch every few minutes. "Abs, c'mon! The parade's gonna start in an hour, we'll never get parking if we don't leave soon!" He called up the stairs, tugging on his jacket.

The tuxedo that Abby had picked out for him fit well, despite having been tailored for Bradley. The two men were similar enough in size that it didn't matter that much, but the jacket was a little tight around his shoulders, making his movement slightly uncomfortable.

"Auntie's almost ready." Jack said, making his way down the staircase. The Italian nearly doubled over in laughter when he saw the pre-teen, dressed in one of his red Hawaiian shirts and a fake mustache.

"You look awesome! I told you Magnum would be a great costume for you!"

"I don't even know who he is, Uncle Tony." The boy said, rolling his eyes as the older man straightened the shirt he was wearing.

"Have your parents taught you nothing?" He asked incredulously. "Magnum P.I. is only one of the best..." He paused, turning his head toward the stairs when he heard Abby's footsteps.

She walked down the stairs slowly, grateful for the flats that her lover had picked to go with her costume. "Sorry I took so long." She said quietly, pulling her red parka closed.

"Abby..." Tony said, cocking an eyebrow at her. "We're not in DC, baby. It's nearly 80 degrees outside, are you seriously gonna wear that parka? You'll roast!"

"I'm cold." She said meekly, walking toward the door. "Let's get goin'."

"Nope. I'm not going with you dressed that way."

The Goth groaned, dropping her head back. "Please don't do this, T. You know I hate it when you pull this crap."

"Do what? All you have to do is take your jacket off. If you get cold, you can have my coat, I promise."

She held her jacket in place for a moment as she eyed her lover warily before releasing a resigned sigh. "I'm not happy about this." She muttered in response as she opened it slowly, shrugging it off and dropping it over the back of the couch.

She avoided his gaze as she smoothed the black fabric over her large belly self consciously, a frown darkening her face.

His jaw dropped as he looked her over, seeing how the dark fabric of the dress stood out against her pale skin. "Abby..." He managed, taking a step closer to her.

"You don't like it." She whispered, turning away as tears started to well up behind her eyes. "I...you guys go and have fun, I'll stay here."

"Abby...baby, wait." He stopped her, taking her hand in his gently. "I...you look beautiful. Please. I didn't mean for you to think I don't like it. I knew the dress would look fantastic on you when I bought it, I just didn't know *how* fantastic."

The Goth sniffled, offering her lover a crooked grin. "Really?"

"Really. I don't think I've seen a woman ever look as beautiful as you look right now." He said, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her.

"Ew." Jack said, brushing past them and opening the front door. "Can we go? I see enough of this stuff when Mama and Dad are around."

They separated, smiling at each other as Jack walked to the car. Abby leaned up and pressed another quick kiss to his lips before gathering her purse. "Corny, T. Extremely corny." She grinned, taking his hand in hers and lacing their fingers together. "But sweet. Thank you."

"No need to thank me, hon. I'm only speaking the truth."

"And there we go again. You tryin' to butter me up, DiNozzo?"

He grinned. "Under normal circumstances, I would say yes. But...we're babysitting and I don't think your brother wants Jack learning about 'the birds and the bees' from us."

"Better than learning from Playboy like I'm sure you did." She smirked, closing the front door behind them.

"It was Hustler, thank you very much. They don't publish the things I know in Playboy."

**2300 Hours -- Bourbon Street**

"My feet are killin' me!" Abby whined, squeezing Tony's hand as they made their way back to the car.

"I know, Abs." He said, flinching when he realized his voice sounded slightly irritated. Reaching out, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side. "We'll be home soon, then I'll give you a massage."

She sighed, frowning at the tone of his voice. The Goth felt bad for whining about her aches and pains, but she was happy that her nephew wasn't there to hear it. They had been walking up and down Bourbon street all evening, enjoying the festivities. At some point Jack had met up with one of his friends, deciding to go to his house for the rest of the night.

Rounding the corner to the street their car was parked on, Tony stepped in front of his girl and opened the passenger door, helping her inside.

"T, I'm a little hungry." She said, resting her hand on her expanding belly.

"What else is new?" He mumbled under his breath, closing her door and walking to the other side of the car.

Abby's face fell, feeling tears welling up in her eyes while her lover climbed into the car. "Nevermind, let's just go home."

He looked over at her, confused by her sudden change of heart. She was facing the window, but he could hear her quiet sniffle as she continued to rub her belly gently.

The Italian frowned, realizing that she had heard his comment. "Oh...Abby..."

"Don't."

He looked away momentarily before reaching over and touching her leg gently. "I'm sorry, baby. I...we're both tired."

"Really?" She scoffed, wiping the tears from her cheeks and turning to look at him incredulously. "Really, Tony, you're tired? What about me? I'm the one carrying another person inside me! I'm the one who has to deal with constant hunger, feeling fat and ugly, not to mention the mood swings. Me. Not you."

She moved to open the door when her lover reached out to stop her by placing his hand over hers. "Let. Me. Go." She whispered, her voice wavering slightly as she tried to pull away from his grip.

"Please." He whispered, squeezing her hand gently. "I'm sorry, Abby. I didn't mean to upset you."

She sank back in the seat, swiping at the single tear that slid down her cheek. "Just...take me home." She sniffled, pulling away from him when he reached for her again. "I wanna go home."

"Abby...please, baby." He pleaded. "Please. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. It was an asshole move."

"You think?" She snorted, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared out the window, blinking back the remaining tears that threatened to spill.

He hesitated for a moment before he released a quiet, defeated sigh and slid the key into the ignition, mentally kicking himself for being so damned insensitive.

They arrived at the house a short time later, pulling into the driveway behind Bradley's truck.

"Abby..." Tony tried again, shifting the car into to park. "I'm really, really so..."

Turning to face him, she reached over, pressing her fingers against his lips gently. "Don't, please. It's over with. I'm tired. I just...let's not do this tonight, okay?" She asked, forcing a smile to her face.

He nodded, watching as she climbed from the car and headed into the house. Following behind her he sighed, wondering to himself if they would ever get back to the way they had been before she had left.

Once they were inside, Abby immediately made her way upstairs while Tony stopped off in the kitchen, pouring himself a single shot of bourbon. Peeling off his jacket and loosening his tie, he swirled the amber liquid in the glass before drinking it down, hissing at the burn in his throat.

The Italian looked toward the stairs and sighed, dropping the shot glass into the sink. He immediately regretted the drink he had just taken, knowing that his girl would be disappointed in him when she smelled it on his breath. He had been sober since the night she showed up at his hotel room after their argument on the porch, and he had to admit that he was pretty proud of himself.

Pulling open the refrigerator door, he decided on making the raven-haired woman upstairs a sandwich, hoping to make up for his bull-headedness in the car. He whipped up a quick grilled cheese with tomato, onion, and pickle, just the way she liked it, and carried the plate upstairs with a glass of milk for her to drink.

Abby didn't say anything when she heard the bedroom door open quietly, instead continuing to stare into the mirror, looking over her body in the clingy black dress that Tony had picked out for her. She heard him set the plate and glass down on the nightstand before approaching her, resting his chin lightly the top of her head and wrapping his arms around her middle, placing his hands on her 7-months pregnant belly.

She met his eyes in the mirror and smiled weakly, forgiving him silently. "Unzip me?" She asked simply. "I can't reach it."

"Sure." He grinned, pressing a soft kiss into her silky hair before taking a step back and pulling the zipper down on the back of her dress.

He was surprised when she simply let the dress fall, pooling at her feet and leaving her wearing nothing but a pair of panties as she continued to analyze her body in the mirror. "I'm ugly." She whispered, breaking her eye contact with him.

Tony stepped forward again, feeling himself hardening against his tuxedo pants as he gazed at her in the mirror. "No. I...think you may be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." He breathed, pressing his lips into her hair before leaning down and peppering her shoulders with light kisses.

He couldn't remember when he had last seen her bare flesh, but he knew it had been a very long time. As he allowed his hands to run over her skin tentatively, grazing the tattoos that covered her skin, he realized his arousal wasn't going to be easy to control.

She closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of his lips against her body. She turned in his arms, pressing herself against him as she reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and tugging him down for a long kiss.

He moaned quietly against her mouth before he pulled away, looking down at her. "Abby..." His voice was thick with desire as he ran his fingers down her bare arms, barely suppressing a smile when she shivered under his touch.

"I've missed you." She managed, licking her lips as she panted slightly. Tilting his head, he crushed his lips to hers, moaning against her again as he slid his hands down her body, cupping her silk-clad bottom tightly in his hands.

She squealed, pulling away with a laugh as she smacked his chest playfully. "Not nice, DiNozzo." She teased, tugging at the tie handing loosely around his neck. "I'm thinkin' someone is entirely too overdressed right now." She smirked.

He grinned down at her, fingering the waistband of her panties as he nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you are."

She eyed him for a moment before she smacked his hands away. Pinching the fabric between her fingers, she slid it down her creamy legs slowly, never breaking eye contact. She giggled quietly at the look on his face when she kicked the black underwear away from her before she tugged at his tie again. "Your turn."

An incoherent moan escaped him as he reached for her, frowning when she batted his hands away again. Cocking an eyebrow with a smirk on her face, she pressed her hand against his chest, pushing him back toward the bed. The back of his legs hit the mattress and he fell backwards with a quiet groan, looking up at her expectantly.

She climbed onto the bed very carefully, straddling his legs and leaning over, pressing a kiss to his lips. Her fingers worked quickly as her lips distracted him, removing the silky tie from around his neck before she got to work on the buttons on his dress shirt. Reaching up, he tangled his fingers in her long black hair, closing his eyes as she moved her lips down his jawline slowly, her lips teasing him.

"Abby..."

His voice was strangled as she nudged him to lift up, pulling the shirt off and tossing it onto the floor beside his discarded tie. Lowering her lips to bare chest, she kissed his skin teasingly, making her way down his stomach and pausing just above the waistband on his pants. She glanced up at him with a devious smirk before she unbuckled his belt, her fingers moving quickly against the front of his bulging pants.

He threw his head back against the pillows, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt her fingertips grazing his rock hard cock. It was driving him crazy.

She took her time, taunting him, as she unbuttoned the tuxedo pants, giggling quietly at his sharp intake of breath.

"Can't...hold off much longer here, Abs..." He managed, his voice hoarse as he lifted his hips against her hand, moaning as she grabbed him gently. "Oh God."

"It's been too long for you, huh?" She asked playfully as she tugged the black pants down quickly, leaving him clad in only his boxers.

"Please..." He pleaded.

Unable to continue with her seemingly merciless taunting, she pulled his boxers down quickly, depositing them with the remainder of his discarded clothing before she kissed her way back up his body slowly.

Moving his hands to her hips, he held his girl in place as she reached down, guiding him to her entrance. Closing her eyes, she moved her hands to his chest as she lowered herself onto him slowly, gasping when he filled her completely.

She held herself still for a moment, savoring the feeling she'd been longing for since leaving DC. Tony swallowed hard as he glanced up at her, his voice trembling slightly when he spoke. "Are you...are you okay, baby?"

"Better than okay." She purred, tugging playfully at the hair on his chest.

Though it had been months since the last time they'd been intimate, it was almost as if no time at all had passed. It was a little different than what they were used to thanks to her expanding figure but it didn't take long for them to get past that.

Tony could feel his body tensing as she moved against him slowly, the pressure becoming nearly unbearable. Her hands were gripping his shoulders roughly, her head thrown back as she gasped for air. He could see the sweat glistening off her bare shoulders and in that instant, he knew she had missed him as much as he had missed her.

"Abs..." He gasped, gripping her hips gently as he bucked under her. "I'm not..."

"Shh...I'm almost...there..." She panted, her movements becoming more desperate.

A low growl escaped his throat, the feeling of her walls clenching very nearly causing him to lose it. "Abby..." He pleaded, reaching between their bodies and rubbing her clit gently.

"Oh, God...Tony..." She cried, her nails digging into his skin painfully as she tensed, exploding around him and triggering his orgasm. A loud moan of pleasure tore from her throat as she collapsed on top of him, her chest heaving in an attempt to catch her breath.

He couldn't move at first, though after a moment he reached up and raked his fingers through her tangled hair as he panted, a wide grin forming on his lips.

"I missed you, baby." He whispered, tracing the cross on her back from memory.

The Goth mewled quietly at the soft touch, kissing his chest. She allowed him to slip her off of his spent cock, both of them groaning at the loss of intimate contact. He rested her on the mattress and snuggled up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

They laid quietly for a few minutes, enjoying the closeness of their bare bodies under the warm sheets. Abby turned in her lover's arms after awhile, burying her nose in the hollow of his throat.

"What's the matter, Abs?"

"Nothin'. Just like bein' close to you." She whispered, smiling against his skin. "Are we sure this is what we want? I mean...I just don't want you to feel..."

Tony shushed her, pulling back and resting his finger against her lips. "Baby, I know what I want, because I have it in my arms right now. You. I want you, right here next to me. I wanna wake up every morning and see your face."

"I never guessed when I met you all those years ago that you would turn into the stereotype for corny." She chuckled, pressing her lips to his.

He pretended to pout before breaking into a grin and kissing her back. "Well, I have to tell you that I love you. Every day. I wouldn't want you to forget and run off again."

"I'm not leaving. Especially not after I just got you back into my bed."

"Good." He pulled her flush against his body, resting his chin on her head. "Get some rest, sunshine. I'll take you to breakfast in the morning."

"Mmm...that sounds good." She grinned, snuggling closer to his chest and smiling when their baby kicked gently. "Goodnight."

"'Night. Both of you." Tony placed his hand on the side of her belly, feeling their child move inside of her. He traced small circles on her hip, enjoying the feel of her relaxing under his touch.

After a few minutes he felt her breathing deepen, her body tangled tightly with his. Sighing happily, he closed his eyes as well, continuing to brush his fingers over her bare skin as he let sleep claim him.

**Chapter Sixteen -- That Time Of Year**

**Three Weeks Later -- November 24, 2010**

"Ha!" Tony cried, jumping up and tossing the video game controller onto the couch. "That's 2 out of 3, kid! You're doin' the dishes tomorrow night!"

"Damn!" Jack pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Young man! You watch your language, or you'll be doin' all the chores tomorrow." Britty called from the kitchen, putting away the breakfast dishes.

"Sorry Mama." He called back, signing that it was Tony's fault he cursed.

Bradley walked into the living room and cuffed his son on the back of the head. "Don't blame your Uncle for you gettin' yelled at, boy." He sat down on the couch next to Tony and smiled. "Where's Abby? Still sleepin'?"

"Yeah, I guess so." He shrugged, glancing at his watch. "I should probably check on her, otherwise she'll sleep all day." Standing up, the Italian went up the stairs and opened the bedroom door to find his girl curled up on their bed, whimpering quietly.

"Abby?" He immediately made his way over to the bed, sitting next to her and running his hand over her arm. "Everything okay?"

She sniffled, not bothering to look at him. "No."

"Talk to me, baby. What can I do to help?"

Shaking her head, she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Nothing. You...you wouldn't understand, it's complicated. Please...just lemme have a few minutes alone? I...I'll be down soon, promise."

"Okay...you sure? I mean...we don't have to talk. I could just..."

"I'll be fine, Tony. Please."

He nodded, pushing himself up from the bed and leaving the room, pausing at the door momentarily as she continued to cry. Closing the door quietly, he headed back down the stairs and reclaimed his seat on the couch.

"She still sleeping?" Bradley asked, not missing the confused look on his face.

Tony shook his head, keeping his eyes focused on the TV. "She's upset about something, didn't wanna tell me what was goin' on. Told me I wouldn't understand."

The sandy haired man dropped his head back against the couch cushion, releasing a heavy sigh. "I'll go talk to her."

"Bradley...what's goin' on? What is it that I can't help her?"

He offered Tony a sympathetic smile. "Trust me, Tony." He placed a hand on the slightly younger man's shoulder. "Be grateful that you don't have to deal with her when she gets like this yet. You'll get your chance soon enough."

Turning away from the Italian, he headed up the stairs and knocked on his sister's door, opening it slowly when she didn't answer. "Abs? You decent?" He asked, peeking his head through the door. Seeing her curled up on the bed, he walked in the rest of the way and closed the door behind him.

She didn't respond to him, but he could hear the familiar whimpers that made his heart break into a thousand pieces. The holidays were always the hardest for her, and it wasn't helping that she was pregnant and back in her hometown for the first time since moving to DC nearly 10 years earlier.

Bradley climbed onto the bed behind her and laid down, wrapping his arm over her shoulders and pulling her back against his chest. She fought against him momentarily before giving in, relaxing slightly under his touch.

"I'm here, Abby-cadabby. I'm here when you wanna talk." He whispered, settling in for a long wait.

It wasn't until about 3 hours later that she finally sniffled and turned in her brother's arms, resting her head against his shoulder. "I...I miss them." She whispered, wiping her eyes and looking very much like a small child.

"I know you do. I do too, sweetie." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, seeing the 9 year old girl that had just lost her parents all over again. "Abs, it's been 26 years. I know that you were young, and that the holidays and the baby make it harder...but you have to move past this. I just...I don't know that it's healthy." He shrugged. "You tell me. You're the one that majored in Psychology."

"You don't think I should miss them?"

"I didn't say that. I just said that I don't think it should be this hard for you, Abby. Not after all this time." The raven-haired woman was silent, seemingly ignoring her brother's words. "Abs? Did you hear me?"

"I heard you."

"Abby..." Bradley propped himself up against the pillows, pulling his younger sister close to him again. "I...I love you very much. You know that. But..." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "I can't do this for you anymore. You've got a man downstairs who's very concerned about you. He should be here right now, comforting you. Not me."

"Wh...what do you mean? You've always been the one I've come to, BB. You can't seriously expect me to just..."

He raised his hands and signed for her to be quiet and she complied, dropping her eyes.

"I can and do expect you to, Abigail. He's your best friend, your lover...the father of your child for Christ's sake. Give him some credit. Isn't that what you always told me?"

"He...wouldn't understand." She managed, avoiding eye contact with the older man.

"You really think that? Or are you just afraid to let him see you weak?" He paused, catching her chin when her head snapped up. "Listen. You have to let him in. He needs to do the same. You guys are never gonna work if you're not honest with each other about your feelings."

Pulling her chin from his grasp, she rolled back onto her side, facing away from Bradley.

"I think he'd understand more than you think, Abby. You told me his Mama died when he was young. Don't you think he has days like this too? Holidays, time spent with family...you don't think those effect him?"

He sighed when she didn't respond, pushing himself off the bed. "You know, maybe what you should do is take him to the old house. It's about time you went back anyway."

Sitting up, Abby wiped her eyes and sniffled quietly. "Send Tony up, yeah?"

"You got it baby girl." He smiled, leaning down and kissing her forehead. "Just...think about what I said, huh?"

She nodded and watched as her brother left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Opening her nightstand drawer, she pulled out a picture of her parents that was taken their last Christmas together. She could feel the tears coming back when Tony reopened the bedroom door, walking in cautiously.

"Baby? Bradley said you wanted to see me?"

The Goth nodded, patting the space that her brother had vacated only minutes earlier. "We need to talk. I...I haven't been fair to you."

He sat down on the bed and took her hand in his. "What are you talking about?"

"I...I didn't even give you an opportunity to understand what was wrong. I just assumed you wouldn't."

The brunette watched as she played with the photo in her hands, turning it over as she spoke to him. "Abby, it's okay. I understand. You've always relied on Bradley for this stuff, but I just want you to know that I'm here. Whenever you decide that you're ready to talk about it...I'm here."

She looked up, smiling at the reassuring look on his face. "Thanks, T."

"No problem, sunshine." He grinned, leaning down and giving her a kiss. "I love you, no matter what. And, you know, I may not be the most open person when it comes to my family, but I'll try if you'll do the same. We're a family now." He said, pulling her close and resting his hand on her belly.

"The holidays are hard, that's all. My Mama was really into Christmas, and after they died...it just wasn't the same."

"I know."

She allowed him to hold her closely, running his hands up and down her arms. They sat silently, only parting when her brother called up the stairs.

"Abby! Tony! We need you down here!"

Tony sighed, running a hand over his face. "We'll be right down!" He called back, releasing his girl from the embrace. "You go on and get dressed. I don't think he's gonna wanna be kept waiting."

They both climbed out of the bed and Abby threw on one of Tony's hoodies and a pair of pajama pants. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they made their way downstairs, chatting quietly about their Thanksgiving plans.

"Maybe I can set up my webcam and at least catch McGee before he heads over to his parent's house. It'll be good to see him, huh?" Abby asked, forcing a smile to her face despite the ache in her chest.

"Y'know, I never thought I'd agree with you on this one, but yeah. It'll be good to see McGoo after so long."

"Aww, I didn't know you cared so much, Tony."

Their heads snapped up at the sound of their friend's voice, identical grins on their faces.

"Timmy!" Abby squealed, untangling herself from her lover's embrace as she launched herself at McGee. "What are you doin' here?"

"Just thought we'd come down and surprise you guys for Thanksgiving."

The couple looked at each other confusedly. "We?" They asked simultaneously, cocking their eyebrows at the Junior Agent.

"Yeah. We." Gibbs said, walking into the house carrying a duffel bag over his shoulder. Ziva and Ducky were close behind, nearly making Abby burst into tears.

"You guys all came for Thanksgiving?" She cried, hugging each of them before turning to her brother and pointing an accusing finger at him. "You knew."

"Well, Abs, of course I knew. It is my house, isn't it? Besides, I had to make sure I had enough space to sleep them all!"

Abby went around the room reintroducing the team to her family and thanking both Britty and Bradley profusely before the redhead made her way back into the kitchen. Ducky and Ziva quickly followed, offering to help her bake the remainder of the pies and prepare the food for the next day's meal.

"I missed you guys!" The Goth gushed, hugging Gibbs as best she could with her large belly. "How have things been? I hope that my replacement isn't too bad."

"Eh, he's not you, Abs." Gibbs said, pressing a kiss to her head. "DiNozzo, you gonna come over or ya gonna stand in the corner all day?"

"Sorry Boss." He pushed himself away from the far wall and joined his girl on the couch, wrapping his arm around her middle as she talked to Gibbs and McGee at a mile a minute.

"You're lookin' good, Abs. Gettin' close?" The silver-haired agent asked, taking a sip of the cup of coffee Britty had brought him.

"Yeah, I'm due early January." She grinned, squeezing Tony's hand gently.

McGee smiled at the couple, glad that they seemed to have most of their problems worked out. "Found out what you're having? Picked any names yet?"

"Nah." Tony said. "We want it to be a surprise."

"Actually, Tony wants it to be a surprise." Abby said, cocking an eyebrow at her lover with a smirk. "And I just don't have the heart to tell him to get over it."

Gibbs looked at the pair, smirking as he sipped his coffee. "When ya think you're comin' home?"

"Well, I want to have the baby here but I'm thinking as soon as we can head back after the birth, we'll come home. I really do miss DC. More than I thought I would, anyway." She said, a sad smile on her lips as she rested a hand on her belly.

"Just uh...so I'm clear...I do still have a job to come back to, right Boss? You haven't let Vance sack me, have you?"

"Not yet, DiNozzo."

"Good to know!" The Italian grinned, wrapping his arm around his girl's shoulder. "How about a movie?"

"We flew all the way out here to watch movies?" McGee asked with a snort.

"Pretty much." Britty interjected with a smile as she joined the group, Ducky and Ziva in tow. "That's all these two do. Well that and..."

Abby jumped up and covered the redhead's mouth quickly. "So...who wants popcorn?"

**The Next Day -- November 25, 2010 -- Thanksgiving**

"B...I can't just let you do this whole dinner by yourself!"

"Sit, Abby. I've got plenty of people to help me with it, you just relax." Britty chided, pushing her sister-in-law into one of the recliners.

"You'd better listen. You know as well as I do how she can get." Bradley reminded her, smiling at the younger woman.

Abby pouted playfully, crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you gonna have someone feed me too, or am I gonna be babied all day?"

"Depends." She smirked. "Are you gonna continue to be a pain in my ass?"

"I will if you leave me in here with all these boys watchin' the game!"

Tony handed her a glass of apple cider and frowned. "I...you said you liked football."

She chuckled, scooting over so that he could sit on the oversized recliner with her. "T, really? You've dated enough to know that 1 in 100 women that say they like football actually do."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. "Eh, well, it doesn't matter. I guess I still love you." He joked, coughing on his beer when he received a glare from Gibbs. "I...uh, Abs, you know I was joking, right? I was joking, Boss. I swear it."

The older man nodded curtly, taking a sip of his bourbon.

Elbowing Tony with a quiet giggle, Abby settled against his side, resting her hand on her belly as their child moved inside of her, grunting quietly after a particularly hard kick.

"You okay, baby?" Tony asked, tightening his arm around his girl's shoulders as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm alright" She assured him. "Baby's apparently wound up today though. Never seems to sit still."

"That kid's too much like its father then." Gibbs smirked. "More power to ya, Abs."

The Goth snickered quietly before she patted Tony's leg. "Think I'm gonna go lay down for a few since Britty banished me from the kitchen."

"You want me to come with you?"

"You can stay down here and visit." She said, pecking his lips before she pushed herself out of the chair, cringing at the slight twinge in her back. "Don't let me sleep too long, huh?"

Nodding, Tony watched as his girl made her way over to peck Gibbs on the cheek before she headed for the stairs.

"How's she doin', DiNozzo?"

Turning his attention back to his boss, he offered a slight smile. "This week's been hard on her. Glad you guys could make it though. Think that's exactly what she needed."

He allowed his eyes to drift back to the stairs, wanting nothing more than to go upstairs and lay with his girl.

Sensing the young man's longing, Gibbs sipped his bourbon and smirked. "Go on. We'll still be here when ya get up."

"You sure, boss?"

"Go on."

Grinning broadly, Tony pushed himself to his feet and hurried for the stairs.

Watching his senior agent go, Gibbs shook his head before he stood as well and made his way into the kitchen to join the rest of the family.

**Three Hours Later -- 1800 Hours**

"Dinner's ready!" Britty called, a smile on her face as she poked her head into the living room . "Where's Tony and Abby?"

Gibbs stood up, preparing to head into the dining room. "They went upstairs a few hours ago. Abs said she wanted to take a nap." Walking behind the couch, he hit McGee casually upside the head. "Go get 'em." He said, jerking his head toward the stairs.

The younger man nodded, dropping the controller he was using and heading upstairs, listening closely for sounds of movement inside the bedroom. Hearing nothing, he pushed the door open quietly, satisfied that he wasn't walking in on an intimate moment.

"McGee! Didn't anyone teach you to knock?" Tony shouted, his eyes narrowed at the Junior Agent.

He looked up, wide eyed, seeing the Goth on her knees in front of a shirtless Tony, his pants loose around his hips. "I...I..." He stuttered.

"Oh, hey, Timmy." Abby smiled, looking over her shoulder at him. She smacked her lover on the leg, sticking her tongue out at him. "Stop teasing him. Tony's pants ripped and I'm just fixing it. See?" She reassured him, holding up the needle and thread she was using.

"You thought...she..." Tony laughed loudly, seeing McGee's face redden all the way to the tips of his ears. The raven-haired woman stood up to straighten her lover's pants, zipping the fly roughly and smirking when he yelped.

"I told you to stop. It's Thanksgiving, and if you want to know what I'm thankful for, you'll be good for the rest of the night." She turned toward the red-faced agent and smiled. "What did you need Timmy?"

He smiled nervously, still avoiding eye contact with Tony as he pulled on his dress shirt. "Uh, dinner's ready, Gibbs sent me up to get you guys." Turning around, he left the room as quickly as he had come in, leaving the couple standing there staring at each other, chuckling to themselves.

**45 Minutes Later**

"Dinner was delicious, Britty. Thanks for havin' us." Gibbs said, finishing off his glass of wine.

The rest of the table mumbled their similar sentiments, everyone feeling heavy after devouring all the food that had been set out on the large dining room table. The meal was filled with loud conversations, mostly embarrassing stories about Tony and Abby.

"So, Tony, now that you have knocked Abby around, when are you planning on marrying her?" Ziva chuckled, allowing Ducky to pour her a little bit more wine. "I mean...you are going to make an honest woman out of her, no?"

"Up, Ziva. Knocked *up*. You tryin' to get me killed?" Tony said, running a hand over his face as he eyed Gibbs and Bradley cautiously. "I don't hit her. I never have and never will. Tell 'em babe."

Abby simply smirked, turning away from him playfully.

"Okay..." McGee said, returning to the dining room carrying his computer. "We have a little present for you two, since you're not gonna be back for Christmas this year."

Tony sighed happily, grateful for the interruption his partner provided. "You guys didn't have to get us anything, McSanta."

"Shut it, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, a smirk on his face. "It's more for your kid and Abby."

"Wow, thanks Boss. Nothing brightens my day like being shut down." He joked, pulling his girl close to him as McGee set up his laptop. "So, what is it, McGoo? A birthing video?"

"No, Tony." He said, pulling out his phone and sending a text message. "Okay. All ready?"

Abby nodded, gasping when Jimmy appeared on the screen, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Jimmy! Happy Thanksgiving!"

"Hi guys! Happy Thanksgiving to you too! And may I just say, Abby, you look positively glowing!"

Tony rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair. "This is your Thanksgiving gift? The Autopsy Gremlin?"

"Abby?" Gibbs asked, cocking an eyebrow expectantly at the young woman. Reaching over, the Goth cuffed her lover on the back of his head, offering him a sheepish smile.

"Bossman made me do it."

"You didn't have to actually listen to him!"

"Shut up and pay attention, would you?" Gibbs asked with a roll of his eyes as he took another sip of his bourbon.

"Sorry Jimmy." Abby said with a smile, pleased to see her friend, even if he was unable to be there with them in person.

"Wait a minute..." Tony growled, spotting his favorite recliner in the background of the video. "Palmer! Are you in my apartment?!"

"I...well, it was Ziva's idea Tony. She...we thought...I..."

"Tony, shut up and let him talk!" The Israeli warned, narrowing her eyes dangerously at him.

"Hmpf." He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Remind me to get my key back from you when I get to DC. And Palmer, stay out of my underwear drawer!"

"You are such a jerk." Abby giggled, elbowing Tony gently in the side. "Be quiet before you embarrass him."

"DiNozzo, if you don't keep quiet, I'm gonna headslap you and it won't be as gentle as Abby's."

"Got it boss." The Italian muttered as he quieted down, glaring at the screen.

"Go on Palmer." Gibbs called.

"Right...well...we uh...we weren't sure when you guys would be coming back home, but we figured you wouldn't have much time to get ready for the baby so we uh...did a little work around your apartment, Tony."

Tony opened his mouth to protest, though he quickly fell silent at Gibbs' glare.

The pair watched as Jimmy carried the laptop down the hallway, pausing outside the spare bedroom.

"Happy Thanksgiving guys." He said before he pushed the door open, stepping inside.

The room had been painted a beautiful green color. Against the far wall sat a gorgeous wooden crib, complete with a matching changing table and a rocking chair, all painted white.

Abby could feel the tears springing to her eyes as she watched. "You guys...you did...all this?"

"Ziva picked out the colors and we all helped to paint the room. Gibbs built the furniture himself." McGee said, smiling at his pregnant friend.

"I...love it! Thank you guys so much!" She gushed, wrapping her arms around McGee's neck and pulling him down for a hug.

The Italian fell silent, watching Abby as she went around the room hugging everyone and thanking them. Returning to her seat, she nudged him gently, smiling up at him.

"What do you think, T? Isn't it perfect?"

"It's great. Thanks guys." He managed, faking enthusiasm for his girl's sake. Standing up, he excused himself and walked into the kitchen, opening up the liquor cabinet and pulling out the vodka.

"Tony?"

He turned around at the quiet voice, seeing the Goth standing against the refrigerator. "What's the matter baby?"

"I'm fine." She said, looking him over. "But you're not. I know you didn't want Jimmy in the house, but..."

"It has nothing to do with that!" He snapped, running his hand over his face when she frowned. "Its not about Palmer being in the house."

"Then what is it? You don't like the room?"

"The room is nice. And I appreciate them thinking of it. It's just...nevermind. It's stupid." He said, placing the shot glass in the sink. Walking over to her, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her gently. "Palmer's right. You are glowing."

"You're deflecting." She smirked. "Talk to me. We promised no more secrets."

"I...the nursery should have been something I did. You know, the painting, decorating...all of it. I screwed up."

"You hardly screwed up, Tony. You've been here, with me. No one can be in two places at once, not even you."

"I know." He sighed, pulling her into a hug. "Just forget I said anything. I told you it was stupid."

"Tony..." Abby pulled away from him, exasperated. "Why do you do this? Why can't you just trust my judgment?"

"Because! I feel like a God-damned failure!"

"I'm gonna go to bed. When you feel like forgiving yourself, you're welcome to join me." She said, heading back to the dining room.

He picked the small glass out of the sink again and poured some more of the clear alcohol, draining it as he listened to the Goth saying goodnight. He sighed and sat down on a barstool, dropping his head into his hands.

"What's the problem, DiNozzo?"

Tony looked up at the voice, frowning when he saw Gibbs standing next to him. "Nothin' Boss. Just being me, I guess."

The older man reached up and smacked the back of his head before sitting on the stool next to him. "You know, I got deployed just after Shannon found out she was pregnant with Kelly. Was gone for a year."

"Really? How did she take it?"

"Like a strong woman. She lived with her parents until I got back. Abby reminds me a lot of her. You're lucky, Tony."

He chuckled darkly. "I fucked up."

"Yeah, you did. But at least you were around to fix it. Try being halfway around the world with one 5 minute phone call a week and some letters."

"You were defending your country. I was being a selfish asshole. I don't deserve her."

Gibbs shrugged. "That may be, but I don't see her running for the hills yet. And before you say anything, no, leaving DC doesn't count."

"She doesn't trust me, Gibbs. She's had doctor's appointments that I didn't know about, she'll ask me to do things and then ask Bradley to do the same thing, like she's having doubts that I'll get it done..."

"DiNozzo."

"Yeah, Boss?"

Gibbs smacked him again, making him jerk forward slightly. "Knock it off."

"I just feel like I'm not enough! Like she's relying on Britty and Bradley more than me."

"She is."

"She...is?"

"Yup. And she probably always will, to a degree. Losing both your parents and having to rely on your 14 year old brother tends to make a pretty strong bond." The silver haired man took a sip of his bourbon and frowned at the younger man. "Get over yourself. Its called self-preservation, Tony. It doesn't have anything to do with you."

Tony opened his mouth to speak when Gibbs' phone rang. He pulled it off his hip and listened silently for a moment, muttering something about being on leave for 3 days.

"Gear up, DiNozzo. Looks like you're gonna see the nursery for yourself."

"Wh...what about Abby?" He asked, following the older man as he made his way back to the dining room.

"Gotta cut the party short. Got a dead drug-dealing Marine." He turned back to his senior agent and put a hand on his shoulder as the rest of the team went to gather their belongings. "Go say goodbye to your girl. Its one of your cases, Tony. We're gonna need you on this."

"Got it." Glancing toward the stairs, he frowned. "I'm ready to go, Boss. Just let me get my Sig from the gun safe. I've got clothes at the apartment."

"No. You aren't gonna leave it like this. Trust me, you wanna fix it now, even if you're only gonna be gone a few days."

Tony turned and grudgingly headed up the stairs to the room he had been sharing with his lover, silently praying that she was asleep. Opening the door quietly, he nearly groaned when he heard her quiet voice.

"You ready to be forgiven?"

He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, taking her hand in his without a word. She sat up, the thin sheet slipping off her chest, revealing the oversized OSU T shirt she was wearing. It fell off her shoulder when she reached up with her free hand, running it over his light stubble.

"What's the matter?" She asked, looking worried.

He shook his head, not wanting to make eye contact with her. "'M sorry."

She frowned, sitting up straighter in the bed. "What are you sorry about?"

"I have to go, baby."

"Go?" She said, clearly confused. "Go where?"

"Back to DC."

Abby dropped her eyes, willing the rapidly forming tears to go away. "Wh...why? I...we...did I say something? I don't want you to go, if that's what you're thinking! I need you here, with me. I..."

"Abby. Abby, stop. I have to go. We got a case." He tipped her head up, kissing her deeply. "I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

"Why do you have to go? They...haven't they had cases since you've been here? What's so special that you have to go for this one?"

Tony frowned, noticing that she was trying to be as unemotional as she could. "Baby, I'm sorry. It's a case that I handled while Gibbs was in Mexico. They need me."

The Goth nodded, meeting his eyes and smiling. "Promise you'll be back soon?"

"I promise, sunshine." He pressed another kiss to her lips, curling his fingers in her loose hair. "I love you so much."

She closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into his embrace, her fingers clutching the back of his shirt as she pressed her face against his chest, breathing in his scent.

"And it's just for a few days? As soon as you're done, you'll be back?"

"Absolutely."

"And you'll call me every day?"

"I'll call you so much that you're gonna get tired of me." He threatened, offering her a grin when she pulled away. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, frowning when he heard Gibbs' voice calling up to him.

"DiNozzo! Let's go!"

Abby could feel the tears stinging her eyes. "You'd better hurry up...wouldn't want him to come up here and drag you out."

"I'll see you in just a few days, baby. You take care of yourself while I'm gone, okay?"

She nodded, swiping at the stray tear that slid down her cheek before she forced a smile for his sake. "Call me when you get to DC so I know you made it safely."

"I will." He promised, cupping her face in his hands as he pressed one last kiss to her lips. "I love you."

"Love you too, T." She managed. She watched as he hurried out of the bedroom, the sound of his footsteps on the stairs reaching her ears. A quiet sob escaped her as she leaned back against the pillows, hugging his to her chest.

"You ready, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, looking the younger man over as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

The Italian schooled his face into a tight grin, clearing his throat. "Yep." He leaned down and kissed Britty on the cheek, offering her a warm smile. "Take care of her for me, yeah?" He whispered, not wanting the rest of the team to hear him.

"Of course." She grinned, patting his arm. "She'll be fine. It's just a few days."

Tony nodded, heading out the door behind McGee. "I'll be back." He smirked, waving over his shoulder at Jack.

"Terminator!" He called, waving to his Uncle, ducking when Bradley went to tousle his hair.

He watched his girl's family standing on the porch as they piled into the car, wishing that he didn't have to go back and leave Abby alone. Glancing up to their bedroom window, he smiled sadly when he noticed her peeking out, tears streaking her face as she watched them pull away from the large house. Closing his eyes, he dropped his head back against the seat, settling in for the quick drive to the airport.

**Chapter Seventeen -- Dear God**

**A Week Later -- 1400 Hours -- December 2, 2010**

Tony sighed, watching Gibbs, McGee and Ziva walk toward the elevator, heading to check out a lead. He ran a hand over his face and leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the desk.

It had been a long week. He had told Abby he'd be gone for three, maybe five days tops, but it had quickly stretched into a seven day investigation that showed no signs of breaking. They were running out of leads, and everyone was getting frustrated with the whole thing.

Picking up his cell phone from the desk, he flipped it open and dialed the familiar number, smiling brightly when he heard her voice on the other end.

"Hey you."

Tony could hear the smile in her voice, imagining her relaxing on the couch watching TV, or in the backyard lounging around while Jack played with one of his friends.

"Hey back. Whatcha doin?"

"Just picking Jackie up from football practice."

"Abs...you shouldn't be on the phone while you're driving, especially in New Orleans."

She chuckled. "Please. The drivers here are no different than the ones in DC. Just no Ziva, that's all."

"Abby." He said, using his best Gibbs impression.

"Okay, okay!" The Goth chuckled, making him smile. "I'll call you when we get back to..."

She didn't get the chance to finish the thought as the sound of crunching metal reached his ears through the phone. He sat upright in his chair immediately, his eyes wide. "Abby? What the hell was that?"

In the background, he could hear car horns blaring, the sound of quiet sobs reaching his ears.

"Auntie A...Abby!"

"Jack? Abby?" He called, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. "God dammit Abby! Talk to me! ABBY!"

The phone disconnected a moment later and Tony stood, grabbing his weapon and coat before running to the elevator. He knew that Gibbs would be upset, but Abby and their baby had to come first, even above work, if they wanted everything to work out.

Once he was in his car, he drove as fast as he could to the airport, purchasing a ticket on the next flight back to New Orleans. He checked his phone nervously every few minutes, hoping that she would call him back, telling him that everything was okay.

He grudgingly turned his phone off as requested when the plane finally boarded, praying that his girl and his nephew would be okay.

*6 Hours Later -- 2000 Hours*

"What the fuck was she doin' out in this weather?!" Tony growled, bounding into the emergency room and walking over to Bradley as he stood.

He had come straight to the hospital from the airport, having received a voicemail from Britty when the plane landed. It was pouring rain outside, and he could see that the streets were flooding as the cabbie drove through town.

"Calm down." Bradley said, keeping his emotions in check. Both Jack and Abby had been taken back to the emergency room by the ambulances, and while he had been sitting with them, he volunteered to wait for Tony in the when they heard he was on his way.

"Where is she? I wanna see her now."

"Tony, they're not gonna let you back when you're acting like this."

He took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself as he looked the slightly older man over. "What aren't you telling me, Bradley? What happened?"

"Abby..." He stopped, swallowing the lump in his throat. "She…"

"She what? Oh my God...she isn't..."

Bradley's eyes widened momentarily as he realized what the Italian was thinking. "No! No, she has a concussion. Lost consciousness immediately after the crash. She hasn't come around yet."

He barely finished the words before Tony was running toward the swinging doors, looking for the Goth frantically.

"Tony. She's over here." Bradley said, catching up to him and resting a hand on his shoulder.

He allowed the older man to guide him to the area where his girl was being kept. A quiet gasp escaped him as Bradley pulled the curtain back, revealing the younger woman.

She was laying against the bright white sheets, looking paler than ever. There were wires and tubes hooked up to what seemed like every available part of her body, and for a moment, Tony found himself unable to breathe.

"Oh God..."

"She's gonna be okay, Tony." Bradley said quietly. "She's got quite a bump on her head and her arm is broken but they're both gonna be okay."

"Then why isn't she awake?" The Italian snapped. "That doesn't seem 'okay' to me, Bradley!"

"DiNozzo!" The sandy-haired man hissed, narrowing his eyes at him. "Trust me, okay?"

Tony sighed, sinking into the chair next to her bed and running a hand through his hair. "I...I shouldn't have left. If I had stayed..."

"You can't say that it would have changed a damn thing, Tony." Both men turned to see Britty stepping up next to her husband, her eyes watering slightly. "Be grateful that things weren't worse. We could have lost them both, the roads being the way they are."

"How is he?" Bradley whispered, pulling his wife close to his side and pressing a kiss to her head. "They take him back yet?"

"He's a trooper like his Daddy. Worried more about his Auntie and the baby than himself."

"Jack...he got hurt? Is he alright?" Tony asked, grasping Abby's hand in his gently. "I...should've asked, I just..."

"Don't worry about it. We understand."

Britty nodded, agreeing with her husband. "They're puttin' a few pins in his leg and fixin' up his arm. Cut it up pretty bad trying to pull Abby out of the car."

The Italian frowned, nodding. "He...tried to pull her out? Was the wreck that bad?"

"Didn't see it ourselves. We didn't find out until they were already here and Jack told the doctor who to call." The redhead reached up and brushed a tear off her cheek. "I'm just glad they're okay."

Bradley pulled her closer to him, running his hand over her arm comfortingly. "Jack said that the other car hit the back end of the hearse, spinning them into a pole on the sidewalk. The car's totaled."

"She's gonna be pissed when she finds out."

The younger woman snorted. "Yeah, somehow I think she'll get over it. She's lucky the damn thing didn't blow up."

Tony groaned, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket. He knew that the inevitable call was going to come from Gibbs, but he had hoped that it would take him a little more time. Standing up, he reluctantly let go of Abby's hand and turned to the couple that was standing just inside the curtain.

"I have to take this. If...I'll be right back, okay?"

"We'll be here." Britty reassured him, offering her best forced smile.

He passed them and walked outside the emergency room doors before flipping the phone open and answering it. "DiNozzo."

"Where the hell did you run off to? We're in the middle of an investigation! You know better than this, DiNozzo!"

"Sorry, Gibbs. I..."

"How long have you worked for me?"

He sighed, sitting down on a bench outside the hospital, staring at the rain. "9 years."

"What if we had needed you to come down for backup and you weren't there? One of your teammates could be dead!" Gibbs roared, completely unaware of the situation that his senior agent was currently dealing with.

Tony remained silent, allowing the older man to ream him. "That all, Boss?"

"No, that is not all, DiNozzo! I oughta fire you!"

"How about I save you the trouble." He said, his face set as he pushed himself off the bench. "I quit." Hanging up the phone before the silver haired man could protest, he turned it off completely, shoving it back into his pocket roughly and heading inside.

He stepped back behind the swinging emergency room doors and walked slowly toward his girl's bed, pausing when he heard her sobbing. Rushing over to the curtain she was hidden behind, he pulled it back, seeing Bradley sitting on the bed next to her, rocking her as she cried.

"Shh...it's not your fault, Abs. Everything's okay, alright? I promise." He mumbled in her ear, looking up when Tony reappeared in the small space. "Hey...someone's here for you."

She pulled away from her brother shakily, her green eyes meeting Tony's hazel ones. "T...wh...what are you doin' here? Is...is the case over?"

"No, I'm off the case. I'm here for you and the baby, alright?"

"Wh...what do you mean? Off the case? What happened?" She cried, keeping him at arm's length.

"Abby. Please."

"You aren't...you aren't...why are you here?" She asked again, reaching up with her uninjured hand to swipe at the tears on her cheeks.

"He wanted to come be with you, sweetheart." Bradley said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm gonna go see if there's any news on Jackie, alright?"

"Bradley!" Abby called when her brother pulled away, reaching for him.

"I'll be back." The older man promised, eying Tony as he moved off the bed, taking his wife's hand and leading her toward the nurse's station.

"Abby..." Tony tried, his frown darkening when she pulled away from him.

"You're supposed to be in DC, Tony." she cried. "Gibbs needs you!"

The Italian clenched his jaw at the mention of his former boss before he moved to take the spot that Bradley just vacated. "Well, I needed to be here with you. You're more important than the case."

"He doesn't know, does he?" She mumbled, moving her arm into a slightly more comfortable position.

"I don't wanna talk about this right now, Abby. What's going on here, with you and Jack...that's what's important right now."

She hung her head, swallowing hard. "I...just don't want you in trouble because of me. I already got Jackie hurt..." She shook her head. "He's gonna hate me."

"No." Tony reached out and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her against his side as she sobbed. "No, I don't think he could ever hate you. I don't think anyone could."

The Goth sniffled, chuckling quietly. "McGee did. Even you did for a bit. I think I've had everyone pissed at me at least once in the last few months. Including myself."

He chose to remain quiet, instead pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He smiled sadly when she released a shaky breath, allowing him to pull her closer to him.

"I'm sorry."

"Nothin' to be sorry for, baby. Just glad you're okay."

**Two Days Later**

Releasing a sigh of indignation, Abby allowed her lover to steer her away from the stove, ignoring her cries of protest. "It's just a little break, Tony! I'm not completely incapable of doing anything!"

"Would you just relax and let me take care of you and your family for once? Jesus. It won't kill you to sit this one out."

"It might." She muttered. "You forget, I've had your cooking before, DiNozzo. I know how bad it is."

"Ha. Freakin'. Ha." He snorted, rolling his eyes as he made his way over to the refrigerator. "What do you want to eat?"

"Spaghetti."

"Now that sounds good and really, how hard can it be to make, huh?" He asked with a grin as he grabbed the thawing hamburger from the fridge before kicking it closed with his foot.

Abby sighed loudly again, resting her elbows on the table as she lowered her head to her good hand, watching him with the slightest hint of an amused smirk on her face. "Y'know, I can't imagine Bradley being too happy when he gets back home and finds out you've burnt his kitchen down."

"I'm not going to burn anything down! Sheesh! Your lack of faith in me is insulting!"

"If you would just let me help..."

"No!"

"Tony!" She whined, slumping back against the hard chair, her hand resting on her belly as she glared at him. "It's punishment enough that I have to wear this itchy cast! Isn't it a little too much that I'm gonna have to endure your cooking too? You'd really do that to your unborn child?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, leaning on the counter. "You really don't want me to do this for your family?"

"I didn't mean it like that, T. I'm just tired of sitting around. I had a concussion, not a stroke! I don't need to be babied."

"You're hurt. When I'm hurt, you always get on my case for doing things I shouldn't be doing. Now it's my turn."

"But..." She whined, frowning when he turned away from her. "Fine. Don't let me help."

"No, no, no. You don't get to play the pout card." Tony said, shaking a wooden spoon in her direction. "This is payback for all those times you made me lay in bed and rest while you did my housework."

"Please. Like you would've done the housework anyway. Besides, you liked it when I ran around your place in my panties vacuuming the floor."

"Mmm...damn right I did. Why do you think I got hurt so much that month? You knew my maid was on vacation, and you were more than willing to be my private nurse."

She smirked at him, a bored look on her face as she pointed to the stove. "Your spaghetti sauce is burning."

"Oh, shit." He cursed, turning around and pulling the pan off the burner.

She shook her head, watching him pour the tomato sauce into the pan on top of the meat and onions. "You sure you don't need any help, baby?"

"Yeah." He said, sticking his tongue out at her. "I got it, thanks."

Abby laughed, walking up behind him and pinching his ass. "No need to get hostile. I was just asking if you would like an assistant."

He set the pan back on the stove and turned the heat down. Spinning around, he grabbed her hips and pulled her to him. "Maybe later, huh? We'll do some, uh..." He paused, looking down at her. "Some cooking of our own?"

"Hmm..." She wrapped her good arm around his neck and smiled. "I don't know...my arm and all. Wouldn't wanna make it worse. And besides, you know, recovering from that concussion, really shouldn't do any vigorous..."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. Haha, joke's on me."

"Well, you wanna play with the big girls, you gotta be ready for the disappointments."

"Abby! You two had better not be doin' what I think you're doin' in there!"

She chuckled at the bright shade of red that crossed Tony's cheeks before pulling away from him. "We're not, *Dad*. Tony's not lettin' me help with dinner."

"Good man." The older man said, walking into the kitchen and placing a kiss on his sister's cheek. "You should be resting. I don't want my niece or nephew being too stressed in there."

"You know, Brad, I liked you a lot better when you disagreed with him on principle alone."

"And I liked you a lot better when you didn't call me Brad." He smirked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Bradley! Run upstairs and bring Jack's pillow down!" Britty called from the living room where she was getting her son situated on the couch.

"Yes'm!" He called back, grinning at the couple before heading up the staircase.

Abby walked up behind Tony again and rested her cheek on his back as he stirred his sauce. "Think we'll be like them one day?"

Setting the spoon down, he turned again and cupped her face in his hands. "I hope so." He smiled, kissing her gently. "I don't know what I'd do with myself if I didn't have you bossing me around for...ow!"

"Don't think you wanna finish that sentence, DiNozzo." She cocked an eyebrow at him. "I just wanna be happy, that's all."

**Chapter Eighteen -- A Beautiful Mess**

**The Next Morning -- 0400 Hours -- December 5, 2010**

Abby laid back against the pillows, her hands resting on her belly as she eyed her lover moodily. She'd been awake for nearly an hour now, having been woken by a particularly sharp kick to her ribs, courtesy of the baby and he had yet to crack even one eye open.

"Jerk." She muttered, nudging him in the side in an attempt to wake him. "Tony!" She hissed. "Wake up!"

The Italian grunted in response, batting her hands away as he rolled onto his back before he began snoring quietly.

She rolled her eyes, irritated with her lover until a slight smile tugged on the corners of her lips. "Gonna have to get a little creative, I guess." She smirked as she pushed herself up carefully, groaning at the twinge in her back as she moved slowly on the soft mattress.

She moved between his legs, smirking when she felt him twitch as her fingers fumbled with the drawstring on his pants. "Last chance, buddy. Wake up!"

A contented sigh escaped him as he shifted on the mattress, completely unaware as the raven-haired woman tugged his pants down slowly.

She eyed him as she took his limp cock in her hands, giggling to herself at the quiet moan that escaped him. "Yeah, you won't be sleeping for much longer." She snickered, teasing him with her fingers.

"Mmm...Abby..." Tony moaned, his voice thick with sleep, though he still showed no signs of stirring.

She glanced down, grinning as his penis hardened in her hands. "You are way too easy, DiNozzo." She laughed before she leaned down carefully, taking his length into her mouth.

His eyes opened as he felt her warm mouth around his cock, the sensation startling him at first. "What the fuck...?" He glanced down at the top of his girl's head as she teased him with her mouth, his fingers automatically tangling in her long black hair. "Abby..." He gasped, feeling her teeth graze his sensitive flesh slightly.

He bucked against her mouth involuntarily, closing his eyes tightly. "God, baby, that's so good."

"Mmmhmm..." She moaned, the vibrations making his whole body tense.

Tony's cell phone started ringing loudly from his nightstand, making him groan again. "You have got to be fuckin' kidding me. Abby...stop. B...baby, phone's ringing."

She pulled back, frowning as he reached over and picked up the phone, answering it grudgingly. "Di...DiNozzo." He managed, seeing the Goth look up at him through her bangs as she smirked and leaned down to kiss the head of his cock.

"Hey Tony, it's McGee." He greeted, completely unaware of what was happening on the other end of the line.

"What's up?" It took everything he had to keep his voice steady as Abby teased him, running over his most sensitive spots with the tip of her tongue before wrapping her lips around him again.

"Just thought I'd call and see how Abby's doing. Bradley called the other day and told us what happened."

"She...she's good." He growled quietly, looking down as her lips formed a devious smirk around him. "Very good."

McGee started talking again and Tony pressed his head into the pillow, wishing that the younger man would get the hint and hang up the phone. Abby picked up the pace, playing with his balls as she watched the reactions on his face, knowing that he was close.

"Tony? You still there?"

"Yeah..." He said, his voice strangled. "You know, its...oh God...it's early. Can...can I just have Abs call you later?"

He didn't hear his partner's response, his main focus on trying to not let go in Abby's mouth. She didn't mind, in fact, most of the time she asked him to let her, despite the fact that it made him slightly uncomfortable. He was just about to hang up the phone when Gibbs' voice broke through his thoughts, nearly shattering his control.

"Gibbs!" He said, startled as he tapped her shoulder, trying to nudge her off of him.

Her ministrations became more relentless, swatting his hands away as she pulled him deeper into her mouth, making him groan. She loved doing this for him almost as much as he loved doing the same for her, and he knew it. But with their former boss on the line, the last thing he needed was her deep throating him.

"That's my name. Am I interrupting something, DiNozzo?"

"N...no, no, Boss."

"Good. How's Abby doing?" He asked, hearing Tony's quiet moan. "Not too hurt, I take it."

"J...just a broken arm. Want..." He swallowed hard, trying regain some semblance of control over his own body. "You want me to have her call you when she wakes up?"

"She's already awake, isn't she?"" He chuckled, hearing the younger man's pitiful groan. "I always figured you had more stamina, DiNozzo. Tell Abs I'll talk to her later."

Tony tossed the phone to the floor when the dial tone sounded, fisting his hand in the Goth's hair again.

"C'mere." He growled, tugging gently on her silky locks.

She released him with an obscene pop, smirking when his cock bounced gently against his abdomen. "You know I can't disobey a direct order." She purred, crawling up his body.

He pulled her down, pressing a rough kiss to her swollen lips. The Italian knew that she loved it when he took some control, giving her what she needed without her implicit direction.

Tony grinned up at her when they finally parted, both of them out of breath. He didn't know how, but it seemed as if his cock had gotten even harder and when she straddled his waist, he nearly lost it. Growling again, he rested his hands on her hips, holding her in position gently as he bucked against her heat, enjoying the feel of her writhing against him, searching for more friction.

"T...please..." She begged, frowning when he chuckled.

"Not so much fun when you're the one being teased, is it?" He asked, situating himself against the headboard and taking one of her nipples into his mouth through her shirt.

"Oh...God, Tony! Pl...please. I need you."

He lifted her hips and slid into her slowly, trying his best to not explode immediately. She tried to buck against him only to have his fingers dig into her hips, holding her tighter so that she couldn't move.

"My pace...if you wanna have a chance to finish, that is." He smirked, sliding her down until he bottomed out. He chuckled when she dropped her head back, releasing a low moan.

"More...I...ah!" She cried, jerking her head back down to meet his eyes as he started moving her against him. "T...Tony...Jesus."

He increased the pace slowly, despite knowing that she was already primed. The pregnancy had made her body hypersensitive, even the slightest touches could turn her on, something that Tony found to be endlessly amusing.

"Ready?" He growled, nipping her collarbone and smiling when she moaned loudly.

She couldn't form the words she needed as she felt her body tensing around him. Her fingers gripped his shoulder, clawing at his skin as she felt herself about to lose it. "T...Tony!"

He surged up and captured her lips in a passionate kiss, swallowing her cries of pleasure as they both fell off the edge, their bodies convulsing against each other. Holding her close to his chest, he leaned back against the pillows and pressed light kisses to her neck as they panted, trying to get their breathing under control.

"That was one hell of a wake up call." He whispered, his voice still husky.

Abby sighed happily, slipping herself off of him. "Blame your baby. Kicked me in the ribs and woke me up."

"So you decided to wake me up with an amazing blow job and even more amazing sex?" Tony leaned down and kissed her belly. "Thank you, baby. You can wake your mommy up anytime."

"Well, I decided to wake you up. The intention was just to tease you, but then McGee and Gibbs were on the phone and I couldn't help myself." She laughed when he narrowed his eyes at her. "What can I say? I like seeing you all flustered. And the sex was your idea."

"I couldn't leave you hangin'. You were ready to go by the time I got off the phone." He grinned, pulling her as close to his side as he could manage. "I love you, Abby."

"Mhmm, that's what they all say." She smirked, kissing his chest. "You only love me for my blow jobs."

"Come on, please. You know that's not true." He paused, seeing her cock an eyebrow at him. "You don't do it enough for that to be the *only* reason I love you. The sex is excellent too." He yelped when she pinched his hip, her fingers resting below his belly button. "Hey, hey. 5 minutes isn't long enough and you know it."

The Goth moved her good hand up to his chest, resting her head on his shoulder. "So, you wanna take your babies to breakfast, right?"

"You know I do." He pressed another kiss to her forehead before yawning, his arms stretching above his head. "But first, can we get some more sleep? I don't know quite what you thought you were going to accomplish by waking me up like you did, but I'm sleepier now than I was before."

They both closed their eyes, relaxing as they let sleep claim them again.

Tony woke up a few hours later, smiling when he saw his girl still sleeping soundly. Getting out of bed quietly, he showered and dressed before heading downstairs to find the family sitting in the living room with Jack, who was engrossed in a new video game his father had bought for him after his surgery.

"Morning everyone."

"You're awfully happy this morning, Tony." Britty grinned, taking a sip of her coffee. "Couldn't have anything to do with that 'phone call' you got at 4 am, could it?"

The Italian blushed, his cheeks turning bright pink at the insinuation. "I...uh, it was just McGee, calling to check on Abs."

"Uh huh." The redhead nodded, looking at her husband. "Did that sound like a phone call to you?"

"Eh, some of it. Other parts reminded me of..."

"Okay! I get it, you heard us!"

Jack groaned, not taking his eyes off his game. "Can you guys stop bein' gross? Please. I'm gonna lose my breakfast."

"You have no reason to be rude to your Uncle." Bradley scolded, standing up to take their breakfast plates to the kitchen. "Sorry, he's bein' a little grumpy."

"I don't blame him." Tony said, following the older man into the kitchen and looking through the take out menus. "I don't like bein' cooped up and babied either."

"Yeah. Between his Mama and Abby, kid's nearly got his own harem. Wish I could get B to wait on me hand and foot like that anymore." He chuckled, pouring himself some more coffee. "Maybe we should go out and get injured. Then we can get our fair share."

"Good idea, but it won't work." Tony smiled, pulling out a breakfast menu for a local restaurant. "Women can see right through that. Especially those two."

Bradley nodded. "You're right." He glanced over at the menu he was reading, smiling brightly. "She was that good, huh? Buying her breakfast in bed?"

"You have no idea, man. She gives the best..." The brunette trailed off, suddenly realizing that he was talking about his sex life with his lover's brother. "S...sorry."

The sandy-haired man shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad you two are happy. She deserves it."

"Don't you think there's a reason she had her own apartment when we had 2 spare rooms here?" Britty asked, walking over to the now-empty coffee pot. Glaring at her husband playfully, she started a fresh pot, chuckling at Tony's reaction.

The Italian's eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. And before you ask, no, I'm not telling you any stories." She turned around and saw her son limping toward the bathroom on his crutches and ran toward him. "Jack! Why didn't you say you needed to get up?"

"Mama! I'm not two! I don't need your help to go to the bathroom."

"You need someone's help! You can barely walk with those crutches!" She pulled his arm over her shoulder, resting the crutches against the wall. "Come on, I'll take you."

"Mama!" He whined.

"B, I'll take him." Bradley said, relieving his wife when he saw the boy sigh heavily. "C'mon, boy."

The redhead watched they made their way toward the bathroom, reentering the kitchen and leaning on the counter as Tony finished his phone call to order breakfast.

"Don't let it bug you, Britty."

"How am I supposed to do that, Tony? He's my little boy, and he doesn't need me anymore."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "I...I'm hardly the authority on families. No siblings, absent father, dead mother." Shrugging, he leaned on the counter next to her and frowned. "Sometimes I wonder how I'm gonna be a decent Dad at all."

"Do you do that a lot?"

"Do what?"

"Manage to make every conversation about you."

He looked down at her, frowning when he realized what he had done. "I'm sorry. Guess I am still the selfish ass that let Abby leave DC."

"No...you're not. You proved that when you left to come back here, regardless of the consequences." Britty said reassuringly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be bitchy. I'm just worried about Jackie, that's all."

"I know." He nodded. "He'll be fine, you know. He's a strong kid."

She sighed, reaching up and kissing Tony's cheek. "You'd better go pick up your breakfast before she wakes up and finds out you're gone."

Tony nodded, offering the redhead a slight smile before he hurried out of the kitchen.

He made good time, getting to the restaurant and back in less than a half hour and was pleased when Britty assured him that his girl was still upstairs. Grabbing a couple forks from the kitchen, he hurried up to the bedroom, grinning when he spotted her still curled up on the mattress.

"Sunshine." He whispered, setting the bag of food down on the nightstand. "Wake up." Walking over to the bed, he leaned over her, his strong arms resting on either side of her head. "Abby."

She opened her eyes, smiling up at him drowsily as she shifted onto her back. "Hey. How long have you been awake?"

"About an hour." Leaning down, he kissed her tenderly, smiling when she moaned quietly. "Sleep well?"

"Mmhmm." She nodded, stretching her arms above her head when he pulled away from her.

"I got you a present." He grinned, grabbing the bag of food from the nightstand. "Ta-da! Breakfast in bed for my babies."

Abby sat up against the headboard, yawning sleepily as her lover pulled the food from the bag. "Mmm...First Awakenings. We've eaten there before...remember?"

"Of course. I may have been hungover, but how could I forget that sexy little dress you were wearing?"

She rolled her eyes, taking the fork that he handed her as she opened her platter of food. "I should have figured that's what you would remember about that day."

Tony sat down next to her, opening up his own platter and smiling. "I remember a lot of things about that day...and that night."

The Goth blushed, turning toward him slightly as they ate. When they were done with their meal, the Italian placed the empty containers back in the bag and pulled his girl close to him.

"Good breakfast?"

"Delicious. Baby liked it too, I think." She grinned, resting her hand on her stomach. She pushed off the bed and walked over to the dresser, pulling out a pair of Tony's boxers. She slipped them on and pulled her t-shirt down, covering her large belly. "Not much longer, thank God." She mumbled, smoothing the fabric as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"I like you this way. Very...earth goddess or something." Her lover grinned, stepping up behind her and placing his hands on her belly. "Where are you goin' anyway?"

"Downstairs. I wanna see if Jackie needs anything."

Tony sighed, dropping his forehead to her shoulder. "Baby, I'm sure he's fine. He's resilient."

"I just..." She pulled away from him, walking into the bathroom and running a brush through her hair. "I feel guilty, T. I know, you don't think that I should, but I do. He's my nephew, and I was supposed to protect him. I got him hurt instead."

She turned and headed down the stairs, leaving Tony standing in the bedroom. He sighed and leaned against the dresser, shaking his head. He had a feeling that Jack was losing his patience with Abby and Britty babying him, knowing that he wasn't being allowed to do anything for himself.

Pushing himself up, he headed out of the room, going down the stairs to hear his nephew in the middle of a shouting match with the two women. Shaking his head again, he decided to stay out of it, instead heading into the kitchen where Bradley was busying himself with dishes, also attempting to stay away from the commotion.

"Hey. What's goin' on in there?" Tony asked, opening the refrigerator and pulling out the orange juice before pouring himself a glass.

"Just Jack being a 12 year old boy. The girls feel this strange desire to make him feel like he's two. They're always the worst when they team up." He sighed, dropping the pot back into the sink.

Tony chuckled. "Hey, why don't you take Britty and Abs out to lunch and I'll stay here with Jack. We'll relax, watch a movie or something. It'll give him some time away from the girls, and I know they're both needing some reassurance from you that everything's okay."

He nodded, running a tired hand over his face. The past few days had been hard on his wife and sister, who both felt guilty for the boy's injury, albeit for different reasons. Neither of them handled guilt well, usually stressing out about everything.

"Yeah. That would probably be good." He agreed, looking over at the younger man. "Thanks, Tony."

The Italian nodded, watching as Bradley left the kitchen. He listened carefully as Bradley made his way into the living room and attempted to smooth things over between the women and his son, shaking his head as the redhead continued to protest.

He felt bad for the boy and hoped to God that Bradley would be able to convince the two women to give him a break, though if Britty's tone was any indication, he wasn't sure he'd be so lucky.

Tony walked into the living room and stepped up behind Abby, smacking her gently on the bottom. "Go on. You girls get ready for lunch. Give Jack some time to himself, huh?"

Britty turned on him almost immediately, pointing a manicured finger into his chest. "This was your bright idea, wasn't it? I'm his mother! How can you expect me not to be concerned for him? Just because he's 12 years old, I'm not supposed to worry?"

"I didn't say that, B. All I'm saying is that he needs some space. He hasn't had any time to process this, and trust me...if anyone knows about the need to process an injury without people hovering, it's me."

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "You're doing it again, Tony."

"This isn't about me! This is about Jack. He's never gonna heal properly if he's got you and Abby hovering all the time!"

She looked over at her son as he laid on the couch, his eyes sagging sleepily as he stared at the TV. Her eyes softened, realizing that the Italian was right. "Okay." She whispered, her voice barely audible.

Tony turned back to his girl and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "That goes for you too. The last thing you need to be doing is stressing out about Jack. Go out with your family, relax, and have a good lunch. We'll be here when you get home."

"Tony...are you sure you'll be..." Abby started, stopping when he pressed a finger to her lips.

"Everything will be fine. Go. Please."

The Goth nodded, heading upstairs behind her friend. He turned back to Bradley, who was sitting on the couch next to his son explaining what was going on. He plopped down in one of the recliners and sighed, dropping his head back against the cushion.

The women returned to the living room a few minutes later, taking turns saying goodbye to the injured boy. By the time they were out the door, Tony was ready for a nap. Glancing over at the sofa, he saw that the boy was already asleep, watching an old movie on the TV.

Setting into the comfortable chair, the Italian glanced over at the little boy once more before he allowed his eyes to flutter shut. He wasn't out long before the sound of quiet whimpering reached his ears, startling him from his sleep. Sitting upright, he wiped the sleep from his eyes, glancing over at his nephew.

Even from where he was sitting, he could see the sweat coating Jack's face. His cheeks were red and another quiet groan escaped him as he shifted on the couch as much as the heavy cast in his leg would allow.

Pushing himself up, Tony crossed the room quickly, dropping into a crouch beside the couch. Reaching out, he touched Jack's forehead, frowning darkly when he realized how warm he was.

"Jackie?"

"Hmm?" He groaned, trying to turn over again. "Uncle Tony?"

"You feelin' alright, J? You've got a fever."

The shaggy-haired boy managed to get himself onto his side, opening his mouth to respond to his uncle when he retched violently. Tony jerked back slightly at the sound, frowning when he saw the vomit on his shirt and pants.

"'M sorry..." Jack whimpered, his eyes watering when he realized what he had done.

"It's alright, Jackie. It's all okay." He stood up and peeled his shirt off, thankful that they had hardwood floors instead of carpet. "Now I know how McGee felt." He mumbled, tossing the shirt aside. "I'll be right back, okay?"

The boy nodded, swiping at the tears on his cheeks. "Uncle Tony?"

"Yeah?" He asked, stopping at the base of the stairs and turning to face his nephew. "What's up little man?"

"7-up?"

Tony smiled sadly. "You got it, buddy. I'll be right back." He ran upstairs and changed his pants, grabbing a clean shirt before heading back downstairs. Stopping in the kitchen, he poured Jack a tall glass of 7-up and grabbed some saltines out of the cabinet.

"Here you go." He smiled, helping Jack to sit up a little straighter before handing him the glass of soda. "You still feel sick?"

He shook his head. "It's gonna sound silly, but I feel a lot better."

Tony smirked, pulling his shirt on. "That's usually how I feel after projectile vomiting too, kid. I gotta call your Mama and let her know what's goin' on."

"No! Please. She's gonna make me go back to the hospital, and I don't want to." He whined. "Please, Uncle Tony. Don't call her."

The Italian sighed, closing his eyes briefly. He saw a lot of himself in the boy, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "Okay. I won't call your Mama, but I am calling Ducky."

"Uncle Tony...please..."

The older man frowned, putting on his best Gibbs voice. "It's not a discussion, Jack. If you don't want me to call her, this is your only other option."

"Okay." Jack conceded, releasing a tired sigh. He knew that he wasn't gonna win the argument with his Uncle.

"Okay." He said, standing up and grabbing Abby's laptop from the dining room table. "Drink your soda and I'll get this set up."

He opened the lid and was relieved when he saw that the video call program Abby used was still running, preventing him from having to fumble with making it work. Picking Ducky's number from the list, he watched as the program dialed and connected, hearing the ME's voice before he saw him.

"Abigail? Is that you calling?" Ducky asked, turning the computer screen on.

"Nah, Ducky. It's just me." Tony grinned, waving at the older man.

"Ah, Anthony. And how are things with Abby? I trust you're taking good care of her?"

"She's fine, and of course I am. I actually have a question for you about a different patient, if you've got a few minutes."

Ducky smiled. "Of course. What can I help you with?"

Tony turned the computer a little so that Jack was also in the frame. "Jack's got a bit of a fever, and he just vomited. I just wanna make sure he's okay."

"Hmm...it sounds like an infection of some kind. Have you looked at his arm? Abby said something yesterday about a cut he got in the accident?"

The boy spoke up, holding his heavily bandaged arm up. "It's been a little sore, but I didn't wanna say anything."

"Don't tell me we have another one who refuses to seek medical attention." Ducky sighed, not missing the look Tony shot him through the camera. "Unwrap his arm, Tony. Let's see what we're dealing with."

Tony took the heavy bandages off of Jack's cut and frowned at the clearly infected wound. "Jack...you shoulda said something earlier."

"Tony, I hardly think you should be admonishing the boy. I have seen you avoiding me when you have injuries that should be looked at. Let's have a look."

The Italian held up his nephew's arm, allowing Ducky to see it through the camera. "Oh dear. How long did you say that it has been hurting, Jack?"

"Since yesterday? I don't know for sure. The doctor gave me some medicine for the pain in my leg."

Tony picked up the bottle of pills that were sitting on the coffee table. "He's got a prescription for low-dose Vicodin, Ducky."

"Ah. I see why it didn't hurt very much then. Well, I would suggest going to the hospital, but I have a feeling you both would just as soon stay away from that horrid place." Ducky smirked, watching as they exchanged glances before looking back to him. "That's what I thought. Tony, you'll need some supplies."

"You got it. Just tell me what to do."

Ducky told Tony what supplies he would need, and after the younger man gathered them, he proceeded to explain how he should clean and rebandage the wound on the child's arm.

"That should do it, Anthony. Just make sure that it gets cleaned twice a day and covered with fresh gauze." He turned his attention to the young boy, smiling warmly. "You take care of yourself, Jack. I would hate to see your injury get worse."

"Thanks, Ducky." Tony smiled. "I'll have Abs call you guys later, huh?"

"That would be wonderful, Tony. Talk to you then."

They ended the call and he closed the lid on the laptop, turning back to his nephew. "How you feelin' now?"

"Arm's a little sore, but I feel a little better."

"Good." The older man set the laptop aside, relaxing against the couch. "Wanna watch a movie or something?"

He nodded, shifting until he was in a comfortable position while Tony found a movie that was just starting. They watched it quietly for a few minutes, taking advantage of the silence in the empty house.

**Chapter Nineteen -- Never Say Never**

**December 5, 2010**

Jack spoke up about ten minutes into their movie, breaking the silence of the empty house. "Thanks for not calling my Mama. She would've made me go to the hospital for sure."

The older man shrugged. "No big deal. I owed you one anyway."

"What for?" The boy asked, his voice quiet as he looked up at his uncle.

"For taking care of your Auntie when I couldn't. I really appreciate it."

He blushed, looking back to the TV. "I didn't do anything."

"You did. You pulled her out of that car and made sure that both her and the baby were safe. You even got a battle scar to prove it." Tony chuckled, pointing to his arm. "Thank you, Jack."

He looked away, dropping his head slightly. "'M not lookin' forward to school." He mumbled.

"Why not?" Tony laughed, nudging the boy in the side. "Can you imagine how many girls you're gonna have lined up to carry your books? Tons. Trust me."

"Really?" Jack asked, meeting his eyes again, looking unconvinced. "I don't think so. The girls at school don't like me."

"Oh, really? Well, after they find out what you did for your Auntie they will. Believe me..." He draped his arm over his nephew's shoulder, releasing a quiet sigh. "There's nothing a woman loves more than a strong, brave guy."

"Not teaching my son pick up lines, are you, DiNozzo?"

Both Tony and Jack turned at the sound of the voice to see Bradley, Britty and Abby walking in the door.

"Hey guys. Of course not! Why would I do such a thing?" He chuckled, pulling his girl down on his lap and kissing her. "Missed you. How was lunch?"

"Good." She smiled, holding up a bag. "Brought you some."

"Ah, you're the best," Tony grinned, pressing another kiss to her cheek. Resting his hand on her belly, he looked over at Jack and winked. "We were just watching a movie. Interested?"

"Of course. What are we watching?" She asked, glancing over at her nephew, wrinkling her nose when she realized his bandage had been changed. "Jackie...why'd you change your bandage?"

"He did what?" Britty asked, narrowing her eyes as she rounded the couch, grabbing her son's arm to inspect his injury. "Jack! I told you not to take the bandage off! I told you I would do it when I got back!"

"Mama..."

"Is it that hard for you to follow a simple instruction? We were only gone for a few hours, Jack!"

"B, don't pull on his arm like that!" Bradley hissed, pulling his wife's hand away. "Give him a chance to explain before you jump down his throat, huh?"

The redhead sighed, looking up at her husband and backing down slightly. "Why did you take the bandage off?" She asked, her voice tense.

"We were taking a nap and I woke up to J tossing and turning. When I checked him, I realized he had a fever, and when I woke him up, he vomited. So I called Ducky." Tony explained, nudging Abby off his lap gently and standing up.

"You called...Ducky? Why didn't you call us, Tony? He should have gone to the hospital! Did you even bother to take his temperature? Or did you just need a reason to call your ME buddy for some chit chat?" She exclaimed, losing control of her voice.

"Brittany..." Bradley growled quietly, his eyes narrowing when she brushed him off.

"No! So, what did he tell you? Probably to take *my* son to the hospital, right? And let me guess, you didn't listen. You really are a stubborn ass, Tony. I can't believe I let you talk me into leaving my son here with you!"

"Britty, please." Abby pleaded, starting to stand up when Tony shook his head. "He didn't do anything that would compromise Jackie's health, I'm sure of it. Right T?"

He stepped forward, making eye contact with the younger woman. "His arm's infected, Britty. Ducky told me how to clean it and re-bandage it, so that's what I did. He also faxed me a prescription for some antibiotics for him, I was just waiting for you guys to get back so that I can go get it filled."

"Yeah well, you'll have to forgive me if I'm not crazy about you playing doctor with my kid. Jesus, Bradley! I told you I didn't want to leave him alone with Jack!"

"Britty..." Bradley growled again.

She paid no attention to her husband as she turned to her best friend, her eyes narrowed at her. "And truthfully, I don't know what the hell you were thinking. If you want to let him fuck up your child, that's on you, but he's not to be left alone with my son again."

The Italian flinched visibly at the redhead's harsh words. Almost immediately, Britty realized what she said and her eyes widened in embarrassment. "I'm...I didn't..."

"Upstairs." Bradley growled, gripping his wife's arm roughly. "Now."

Abby watched in a stunned silence as her friend hurried from the room, a quiet sob escaping her as she reached the stairs. Turning back to Tony, she reached for him, tears filling her eyes when he jerked back.

"I'm...I'm gonna go, okay?" Leaning over, he pressed a gentle kiss to his girl's forehead before he pulled away, turning back to the little boy on the couch. "Sorry I got you in trouble, buddy."

"You're not going anywhere," Bradley decided, narrowing his eyes at the Italian as if daring him to argue. Once he was convinced that the younger man wasn't going to try to leave the house, he headed up the stairs to the Master bedroom.

As he approached the door, he could hear his wife's pained sobs coming from inside, only serving to make him more upset with her. After the stunt she pulled in the living room by overreacting about their son, he didn't know if he was going to be able to control his temper. Pushing open the bedroom door, he stepped inside and closed it behind him, crossing his arms over his chest.

"B." He said, his voice short. He watched as she pushed herself off the bed and made her way across the room quickly, her arms open for a hug.

"I'm so so sorry. I..." She stopped when her husband raised his hand, signaling for her to be quiet.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" He asked, already losing the battle to control his voice. "You embarrassed the hell out of me down there, Britty. In front of my sister no less!"

She hung her head, sobbing quietly as Bradley began pacing the room. "Bradley, I..."

"Stop!" He roared, turning on her. He walked toward her until she was backed against the wall, shrinking away from him. He pulled back and ran a hand through his hair, frowning. "Just...stop. You had no right to say those things to Abby. Especially not with Tony in the room."

The redhead nodded silently, remaining against the wall as her husband sat in an armchair.

"Damn, B. I hope you're not this overbearing and bitchy for the rest of your pregnancy. I can't take it."

Her head snapped up, tears streaking her cheeks as they fell from her eyes. "I...I'll try not to be." She whispered.

Bradley stood up and crossed the room again, opening the bedroom door. "Don't just try, Britty. You gotta do more than that. I'm goin' back downstairs. If you can stop bein' a bitch to our guests and our son, then you can join us."

**Later That Night -- 1900 Hours**

"T?" Abby asked, her voice hardly above a whisper as she walked into the kitchen.

He had been avoiding everyone since Britty's tirade earlier, letting what she had said get under his skin. He poured himself another shot, ignoring the Goth as he let the liquid burn his throat.

"Tony...please." She begged, peeling the shot glass out of his hand as he leaned against the counter. "Talk to me."

"Nothin' to talk about. She's right. I'm a class A fuckup."

"No, you're not." Bradley said, entering the kitchen carrying a few bags of Chinese food. "Look...don't let what she said get to you, Tony."

He scoffed. "Easier said than done." He leaned over and pressed a kiss to his girl's forehead before putting some distance between them. "I know I'm not gonna be a good father."

"Don't say that!" The raven haired woman cried, tears forming in her eyes again. "Don't you dare even think that." Approaching him, she put her hand against his cheek gently. "You're gonna be a great daddy, because you know what makes a bad one."

He was silent, pulling away from her again. His chest tightened uncomfortably when she sobbed and left the kitchen, making her way to the bathroom. Sighing heavily, he ran a hand through his hair.

"What are you doin', man?" Bradley asked, looking pointedly at the younger man as he pulled some paper plates out of the cabinet. When he remained quiet, the sandy haired man set the plates aside and leaned on the counter next to him. "You haven't had a drink since you've been here...don't prove Britty right by fucking it all up now." He pointed toward the bathroom. "That woman loves you, and I can tell by the way you look at her you feel the same. Don't push her away because of what B said."

"You think that this is all because of what Britty said earlier?" Tony scoffed again. "I've been second guessing myself this whole time, Bradley. Wondering if maybe Abby would have been better off if I had left her alone. I have no idea what makes for a happy childhood...I have no reason to believe I'll be a good father."

"Abby has faith in you. Isn't that enough?"

He looked at his feet, contemplating the question. "I don't know."

The older man sighed. "You know..." He started, moving back to the opposite counter to dish up the food. "Our parents were big into church and all that. I never really understood the point, but Abby took to it like a fish to water. After they died, things switched a little bit. I found a reason to believe, but Abby..." He paused, looking over at Tony, who was listening intently. "Abby was angry. She didn't understand why God would them away from us. It took her a long time to come back around after that."

"I've heard all this before." The brunette said, cutting Bradley off before he could say any more.

"Oh, good. 'Cause it's not really a story I like telling. You've heard it, so you know what she went through. You should also know how much it means for her to have faith in something. It's not something she takes lightly."

"I know, okay? I know! I...I just think that sometimes she's lookin' through the rose-colored glasses, you know? Like...she's only seeing the parts of me she wants to see. The parts that make me who she wants me to be. She doesn't see the rest."

Bradley laughed. "You think she overlooks your flaws? Really?" He shook his head and poured some soda for himself and Jack. "Sounds to me like you two need to have a serious talk. Because you're the one lookin' through the rose-colored glasses if you think she doesn't know *exactly* what she's gettin' into with you."

He picked up the plates for himself and Jack and walked out of the kitchen without another word to the younger man. "Abby! Dinner!" He called, pausing in front of the bathroom door on his way to the dining room.

Tony heard the bathroom door open quietly a few minutes later, and Abby stepped out, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of the hoodie she was wearing. He watched as she made her way into the dining room without a single glance in his direction.

Tony hesitated for a moment before he followed after his girl, his shoulders slumped sadly. Taking his seat beside her, he reached for her hand, pleased when she didn't pull away immediately. "I'm sorry baby." He mumbled, linking their fingers. "I'm so sorry."

She pulled her hand away from his, refusing to look in his direction. "I'm not hungry." She muttered, dropping her green eyes to the plate in front of her.

"Well that's just too bad." Bradley informed her, cocking an eyebrow in her direction as he helped his son to his chair. "You need to eat for the baby."

"Baby's not hungry either." She growled, crossing her arms over her chest.

Releasing a quiet sigh, it was all Tony could do to keep from getting up and bolting out of the house. He'd caused more than enough trouble for one day and the last thing he wanted was for Abby to go without dinner because she couldn't stand to be in the room with him.

"Maybe I should just..."

"No. No one's goin' anywhere. We're all gonna sit here and have a nice dinner."

"Where's Mama?" Jack asked after a moment, frowning when his father started handing out their plates. "Isn't she comin' down to eat?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"She's not feelin' well."

Abby snorted, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, I'll bet she's not." The Goth muttered, frowning at the way Jack shifted uncomfortable in his seat at the irritation in his aunt's voice. "I'm sorry, Jackie."

"Shouldn't someone see if she's feelin' better? She might be hungry."

"She's not." Bradley growled. "Drop it."

"I'll go." The Goth offered, pushing herself up from the hard chair slowly.

"Abby, sit. You're eating."

She narrowed her eyes at her brother as she walked out of the room and up the stairs, despite his order. He sighed, dropping into his chair heavily. "That damn girl..." He mumbled, looking across the table at Tony and Jack. "Well? Eat up."

**Upstairs**

Abby paused outside the door to the Master bedroom and took a deep breath before entering. She had been waiting to talk to her best friend all day, hoping that the anger she had been feeling about the argument earlier would subside, but with no luck.

Pushing the door open, she finally felt the pent up frustration leave her body as she saw her friend curled up on the king sized bed, her body shaking with sobs.

"Oh, Britty..." She cried, hurrying over to the bed and sitting next to her, pulling the redhead into her lap as much as possible. "Oh...I'm so sorry..."

"N...no..." The slightly older woman hiccuped, feeling her tears soaking the Goth's shirt. "'M sorry...I...I shouldn't have...tell Tony I'm sorry?"

Abby was silent, unsure of what to say to her friend. "I...you should tell him yourself, B. It'll mean more coming from you than it will from me."

The redhead nodded, sniffling quietly. "I *am* sorry, Abby. I...I've got a lot on my plate right now."

"I know the whole thing with Jack is hard, but Tony really was only trying to help. He wouldn't have done it if there was any chance that he would hurt him, you know that."

"It's not just the thing with Jack and Tony. I mean...that's part of it, but..." She paused, sitting up against the headboard and taking a deep breath. "I'm pregnant, Abby."

"Congratulations!" She cried, hugging the redhead tightly. "Oh...I've been wondering when it would happen for you two! I'm so happy for you!"

Britty disentangled herself from the raven haired woman and pushed herself off the bed, walking over toward the window.

"B?" Abby asked hesitantly, seeing her friend's shoulders slumped sadly. "Oh, no. Don't tell me..."

She simply nodded, not turning back to face her friend. "He...I don't know what I'm gonna do. I have an appointment on Friday to see what options I have."

The Goth moved off the bed carefully, walking over to where her friend was standing and hugging her tightly. "Bradley doesn't want that, B...you know that."

"He doesn't want this baby, Abby. We've done nothing but fight about it since we found out...I don't have a choice if I wanna salvage what we have." She paused, reaching up to wipe her tears away as Abby's arms tightened around her. "He blames me. I know he does."

"No...he loves you, Britty. You two have been together since...forever."

"What does that have to do with anything? He doesn't want another baby. I...I'm not entirely sure he ever wanted Jack."

The raven haired woman released her friend, a deep frown on her face. "Don't you dare say something like that! Bradley loves Jack with every fiber of his being!"

"I know he does." She sighed, pulling away from her friend. "But you know as well as I do that he probably wasn't happy about it initially. He's never been much of a 'kid' person, you know?"

Abby nodded sadly. If there was one thing that she knew about her brother, it was that he had an inability to control his emotions, especially anger. "When did you guys find out?"

"The morning of the accident. I woke up and puked, Bradley took me to the doctor...that's why we asked you to pick Jack up from practice...I'm so sorry, Abs."

"No, no. You didn't do anything wrong, okay? You couldn't have known that we would get into a car accident." She sighed quietly, looking her sullen friend over closely. "Want me to bring you up some dinner?"

The redhead shook her head. "No. You go eat though. That baby needs all the strength it can get." She said, forcing a smile for her younger friend. "I don't feel very good anyway. I doubt I should be eating Chinese."

"Okay." The Goth agreed, leaving the room and closing the door behind her quietly.

As she walked down the stairs, she caught sight of Bradley walking into his study that was just off the formal living room. She followed him quietly, and once she was inside the room with him, she spoke.

"How dare you."

"How dare I what?" He asked, turning to face her with a confused look on her face.

She stepped forward and slapped him as hard as she could across his face, making him jerk backward. "What the fuck, Abby?"

"You seriously didn't think she'd tell me?" She yelled, pushing his shoulder with her hand.

Bradley grabbed her wrists gently. "What are you talking about?"

"I can't believe you, Bradley. Even after all these years...you know she's thinking about an abortion?"

His eyes widened slightly as he looked down at her, releasing her wrists. "She...what? I didn't...I never said for her to do that!"

"You may not have, but did you even think for one second about the way your reaction was gonna affect her? She told me you've been fighting non-stop since you found out."

"I...we haven't had time to sit down and discuss it, with the accident and everything! It all happened at once!"

Abby scoffed, planting her hands on her hips. "So that's the best excuse you could come up with? Are you forgetting I know what you did to her senior year when you guys thought she was pregnant?"

Her brother turned away from her, his eyes darkening. "I thought we agreed we weren't gonna bring that up again."

"We did. But with you being just as pigheaded and stupid as you were then, I don't see how it can be avoided!" She sighed and plopped down in his recliner, staring at his back. "You know, you were ready to fly to DC and kill Tony in his sleep when I told you I what happened. And yet here you are, putting *your wife* through this for the second time!" She snorted loudly. "I thought you loved her."

"I do love her!" He growled, turning around and walking over to where she was sitting. Placing his hands on the arms of the chair, he leaned down and got in her face, his eyes softening slightly. "I love her more than anything. Her *and* Jack. I just..." He pushed away again, sitting on the table in front of the recliner. "I don't know that we can handle starting over."

"Look...I know that Jackie wasn't an easy baby, but you guys got through it. And you can do it again. If...Bradley, if you're having doubts, you need to talk to her. Don't guilt trip her...it's not her fault."

Bradley rolled his eyes. "Don't start the whole fate argument with me, Abby. I can't handle it right now."

"If there was ever a time for it, it's now, BB. Why else do you think that you two would suddenly get pregnant again after 12 years? I know that you guys weren't trying to, that much is clear." She sighed again, pushing herself out of the chair. "You know...you're too much like Dad. Mama could never get through to him either."

The older man closed his eyes at her words, and when he opened them a moment later, she was gone, closing the door behind her with a quiet click. Taking a deep breath, it was everything he could do to not put a hole in the wall.

He sat in the quiet room for a while longer, not really paying attention to how much time was passing. Glancing at the clock, he realized it was almost midnight and stood up, deciding to go to bed. He considered using the second spare bedroom for a moment, until he went over his sister's words again in his head. He knew he was going to have to talk to Britty eventually, and sooner was always better than later.

Heading upstairs, he pushed open their bedroom door quietly and was surprised to see his wife sitting on the window bench, curled up with a blanket and staring out the window. Even without the lights on, he could see that her eyes were puffy from crying, and as he stepped closer, he could hear her ragged sobs.

"Britty?" He whispered, taking another step toward her. "Baby...it's me."

"I know. Abby and Tony went to bed hours ago."

Running a hand over his face, he sat down on the window bench, leaning against the opposite wall. "C'mere." He offered his hand to her, smiling sadly when she took it and allowed him to pull her into his arms.

He could feel her relaxing against his chest, curled up in the fetal position. "I'm sorry, Britty. I..."

"Stop."

"Stop? Why? I'm trying to tell you I'm sorry. I was an ass..."

She pressed a finger to his lips, turning around and kneeling in front of him on the bench. "She told you." Britty groaned, dropping her head back. "I'll kill her."

"She was right to tell me, B. You were considering it? Honestly?"

"Don't get all high and mighty with me, Sciuto. What are my options? Huh? Either the baby goes or you do? What kind of decision is that for me to make? Of course I'm choosing you. I'll always choose you."

Bradley ran a hand through his hair, realizing what he had unintentionally done. "Britty...I never wanted you to feel like that was the way this was going to end. I...I'm just not sure that we're ready for this."

"And you think that I'm 100% confident? No, I'm not. But I know that we can love this baby."

He reached out and pulled her back into his arms, wrapping himself around her tightly. They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither one knowing what to say to the other, when he heard her quiet sniffling against his shirt.

"Baby...I'm so sorry."

Not trusting her voice, the redhead simply nodded, silently accepting his apology even though both of them knew that she shouldn't have.

"I..." Bradley started, closing his eyes briefly, trying to sort his thoughts. "I never meant to make you think that you had to choose. I'm sorry I put you in that position. I love you more than anything else in this world, and nothing..." He tipped her chin up and kissed her gently. "Nothing can break us. Okay?"

The woman nodded weakly, crushing herself against his chest again as she began sobbing. His chest ached at the sound of her cries, knowing that he was part of the reason for them. Running his hands over her back, he shushed her, rocking their bodies back and forth on the small bench.

"I'm here, B. I'm here and I'm not goin' anywhere."

**Chapter Twenty -- Give Me Strength**

**December 24, 2010 -- 0940 Hours**

Tony woke up slowly, feeling his girl attempting to pull herself from his grip. He released her and stretched his arms above his head, looking at the clock quickly before flopping himself back against the pillows.

"Abby? Everything okay?" He asked groggily, wiping a hand over his face and turning on his bedside lamp.

"Mmhmm. The baby's moving...can't get comfortable."

He rolled to face her, running one hand over her back and resting the other on her belly. She was due in less than 3 weeks and it seemed like their child had become more rambunctious than ever.

"Where does it hurt, sunshine?"

She groaned, leaning into his touch. "Everywhere. Lower back's the worst."

He started working his fingers over her back, massaging the muscles there gently. He smirked when the sound of her quiet moans reached his ears, knowing that she was getting some relief.

"Feeling better?"

"A little...ugh, help me up? I need to go to the bathroom."

The Italian nodded, pressing a kiss to her shoulder before helping her sit up. "How are you managing to go this much? You haven't even had anything to drink since last night!"

"You try having an eight pound weight sitting on your bladder and we'll see how often you go to the bathroom!" She said, her voice sharp. Sighing, she frowned. "I'm sorry, that was bitchy."

He nodded, then shrugged. "It's okay. I understand, baby." Moving up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her middle as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I still love you, even when you're being bitchy."

The Goth chuckled, elbowing him gently. "And I love you, even with your morning breath." Standing up, she headed into the bathroom, leaving him sitting on the bed.

"Is it really that bad?" Tony called, putting his hand up to his mouth and breathing out, cringing slightly at the smell. "Yeah...it is."

After he heard the toilet flush, he stood up and joined his girl in the bathroom to brush his teeth. "So, what do you wanna do today? I don't know how much is open, being Christmas eve and all, but..." He stopped, shrugging his shoulders at her. "Whatever you wanna do."

"I think we're going to do our usual traditions." She grinned at him in the mirror. "I think you'll like 'em."

"Oh yeah? I didn't know you had any Christmas traditions. Do any of them involve spending time in bed with your favorite Italian?"

Rolling her eyes, she pushed his shoulder gently. "Thought that was our special Christmas morning tradition...or did you forget already?"

"Oh, I don't think I'll ever forget. So...what are these traditions?"

"You'll see." She teased, pulling off the tshirt she was wearing and stepping into the shower.

He joined her and they showered quickly, despite his attempts to lengthen their shower. He pouted jokingly when she stepped out, swatting his hands away as he tried to pull her back in.

She stepped over to the counter and started brushing her teeth, rolling her eyes when her lover stood behind her again. "Tony!" She exclaimed, feeling his fingers ghosting over the back of her thigh.

"What?" He asked innocently, holding his other hand up. "You don't like my hands on you?"

"Of course I do. I love your hands on me." She leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips. "And later tonight, you can touch me. Wherever. You. Want."

"Well...I...uh...you promise? I mean...really?"

"Have I ever lied about wanting your hands on me?" She asked, touching the tip of his nose. She turned and headed into the bedroom to get dressed. "But we have things to do first, so you should get ready."

He composed himself and exited the bathroom, pulling out a clean tshirt and a pair of jeans. Pulling them on quickly, he turned to her and smiled. "Ta-da! Fast, huh?"

She grinned, pulling her shirt over her head. "See? You're capable of anything if you just put your mind to it."

They finished getting ready and headed downstairs, continuing to tease each other the whole way. Stepping off the bottom step, Tony held his hand out to his girl, smiling when she linked their fingers as they made their way into the kitchen.

Britty glanced up at the sound of footsteps against the tiled floor and she forced a smile before she dropped her gaze back to her coffee. "G'morning." She greeted quietly.

Though nearly three weeks had passed since her blow up at Tony, and he'd assured her that all was forgiven, she'd been reserved around him, her embarrassment over the situation still fresh in her mind.

"Good morning." Abby responded, pulling away from her lover as she made her way over to her sister-in-law. "I certainly hope you're ready to bake."

Tony didn't miss the way the redhead's eyes lit up, the slightest smile tugging on the corners of her mouth. "You really wanna do that this year?"

"Of course I do!" The Goth grinned. "Someone has to make my Mama's oatmeal scotchies. And the way these boys eat, we're gonna have to make a lot."

"What's this I hear about baking? Does this tradition involve goodies for me?" The Italian asked, stepping up behind his girl and placing his hands on her hips. "You know how much I like cookies and brownies and cakes and..."

"Yeah, we get it, T." She smirked, turning around and kissing him. She put her hands on his chest and pushed him away playfully. "Now go. I'm not baking with you hovering all day. Besides, you have to go with Jack and BB to get the tree."

The older man pouted, complete with sticking his bottom lip out and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Stop with the pouting. You go help the boys and maybe...maybe...when you guys get back you can have a cookie."

"Or two?"

"*A* cookie, DiNozzo." Abby chuckled, holding up the sign for the letter A for emphasis. She pecked him on the cheek and smacked his ass, sending him out of the kitchen. "Now, go. And don't pick a skimpy tree! We have lots of decorations, right B?"

She looked up from the refrigerator. "Yup. We..." She paused, trying to appraise her friend's state of mind before continuing. "We found a box of your Mama's old handmade ornaments a few years ago. We've been using them, but...you know, if..."

"No, no. She'd want us to use 'em. It'll be nice to see them again." The raven haired woman smiled, reassuring her friend.

The women smiled at each other when they heard the boys arguing about the height of the tree they were going to buy as they headed out the door. As soon as they were gone, Abby pulled one of the kitchen stools over and perched herself on it, resting a hand on her belly and examining her friend.

"Okay, they're gone. Spill."

Britty looked over at her, faking a smile. "There's nothing wrong. I'm just...it's fine."

Abby sighed. "Okay...if you say so. But if you wanna talk, I'm here."

"I know." She said, patting the younger woman's leg. "Now, let's get started. You know those boys are gonna be back soon wanting cookies."

The women started getting the ingredients together for their cookies, making sure they had enough to make at least five dozen cookies, knowing that some would need to last until the next day when Britty's brothers would come over for Christmas dinner. They worked quickly, both knowing the recipe by heart after growing up making them with Abby's mother. By the time that the boys came back with their Christmas tree, they already had a batch that was nearly ready to come out of the oven.

"Are those Mama's scotchies I smell?" Bradley called, walking in the front door with Tony and Jack in tow.

"Maybe." Abby grinned, meeting the boys at the door to the kitchen. "Ah, ah, ah. Kitchen's off limits until the tree is up and decorated. You know the rules, BB."

"I know the rules, but you're seeming to forget that this is my house."

"Oh, I haven't forgotten." Her eyes sparkled with playfulness and suddenly Tony realized that he had never seen her that happy at Christmas, despite her love for the holiday.

Bradley narrowed his eyes at her as if he was sizing her up. "You're pushing it, Abigail." He smirked, reaching around her and grabbing a handful of batter out of the bowl.

"Hey!"

"Ow! Watch it with the spoon!" He cried, jumping back when she smacked him with the wooden spoon she grabbed off the counter. He ducked away from her, pulling Jack away from the kitchen with him. "Reminds me more of Mama every day." He mumbled, heading into the living room.

She chuckled, turning back to the kitchen when Tony grabbed her gently and pulled her to him. "Hey you."

"Hey. You should be helping. If you don't do your share, you don't get any scotchies." She chided, wrapping her arms around her neck.

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her lips. "I'm going. I just have a question."

"If you're askin' for a cookie, the answer's no. They're too hot yet."

"Why don't you ever bake for me?" He pouted.

She rolled her eyes and returned his kiss, pulling away from him. "Because I know I'd never get an opportunity to bake 'em . You'd eat the batter raw first."

The Italian shrugged. "So? Batter's just as good as a cooked cookie."

"Get out!" She laughed, smacking him on the shoulder gently. "Go put up the tree. B and I'll be in to help with the ornaments in a while."

He nodded, leaving the kitchen with his shoulders hunched exaggeratedly. Rolling her eyes again, she turned back to Britty, who was pulling the cookies out of the oven and putting a fresh tray in. "It's like having three 12 year olds!"

"You're tellin' me." The redhead chuckled. "You know, Abs, I've missed this. You and me in the kitchen all day baking, kickin' the boys out...I'm gonna miss you when you go back to DC."

Abby frowned deeply, wishing that she could tell her sister-in-law that she didn't have to go. "I know, B. I know."

The Goth cursed loudly when the wooden spoon slipped from her hand. "I got it." She muttered, moving to a crouch, her hand gripping the counter. A loud gasp escaped her as she tried to stand, a sharp pain shot through her lower back.

"Abby? Are you okay?" Britty asked as she returned the bowl to the counter and hurried over to her.

"I..." She started, gasping at the continued throbbing in her back. "I'm okay. Just...need to sit."

"Sure, hon." She placed her hand on her friend's lower back, applying light pressure to relieve the pain as she stood up. "Here. Sit down, I'll get you some water."

"Thanks." Abby said, smiling weakly. "Well, upside is, there's only a few weeks left." She chuckled, cringing as the movement made her back spasm. "Wow. Can't even laugh."

"Heh. At least that's all you can't do. When I had Jack, I was flat on my back for the last month. Could hardly move."

"Yeah, I remember. I guess I am fortunate for that." Accepting the water that Britty offered, she took a sip as Tony rushed into the kitchen.

"Abby? You okay, baby? I heard you from the other room."

She nodded, shifting slightly on the chair. "I'm alright, just tweaked my back."

Tony walked over to her, resting his hand on her back. "Want me to give you a massage? We're just waiting to start decorating."

"I'll be okay." She smiled, resting her hand on her belly. "We have to finish this batch, then we'll be in."

"Promise?" He asked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm worried about you. The tossing and turning last night, now this..."

"Baby. I promise, alright?"

The Italian looked over to the redheaded woman, silently asking her if she thought his girl was okay. She shrugged, a worried look on her face as well. "I'm sure everything's fine, Tony." She paused, opening the oven. "Cookies are done. Could you ask Bradley to pull out the boxes from the closet?"

"Sure thing, Britty." Tony said, pressing a kiss to his girl's forehead. "See you in a minute?"

Both women nodded and he left the room, going upstairs with Bradley to help him get the decorations down. When they came back downstairs, the girls were both in the living room, sitting on the couch and listening to Jack telling them about picking out the tree.

"Alrighty. Ladies first. Pick your box." Bradley said, setting his box on the coffee table next to Tony's.

"I want that one." Abby decided, pointing to the tattered box, next to her brother's hand. "Bring it on over here." She grinned.

"Lazy." The older man accused, offering his sister a playful smile as he lifted the box and carried it over to her.

"Pregnant." She corrected, cocking an eyebrow at him as she leaned over, ignoring the uncomfortable twinge in her back as she opened the flaps. "Oh, BB..." She whispered, pulling one of the ornaments out of the box.

He took a seat next to his sister and watched as she went through the handmade decorations, noticing the tears that pricked at her eyes as she ran her fingers over them. They went through about half of the box, sharing memories about their parents with everyone before she had to get up to use the restroom.

"I'll be right back." She said, whimpering as she pushed herself off the couch, shooting pain moving up her back.

"Abs?" Bradley and Tony asked at the same time, both moving toward her.

"I'm fine!" She snapped, brushing his hand away. "Yes, I'm nine months pregnant. Yes, my back hurts. No, I don't need everyone asking me if I'm okay everytime I move."

"Abby." Britty warned, eying her friend.

The younger woman frowned. "Please."

The older man sat back down, frowning up at her. "Alright, Abs. We're sorry."

They watched as she headed for the bathroom, looking at each other worriedly. While she was gone, they continued to sort through the ornaments until they heard her voice call out from the bathroom.

"Britty!"

The redhead stood up immediately, taking off for the bathroom. Tony attempted to stand and follow her, concerned about his lover, only to have Bradley stop him.

"Give 'em a minute, Tony. Britty knows what she's doing." He reassured the younger man, watching him carefully as he slumped back down on the couch, looking back toward the bathroom every so often.

"Dad? Is Auntie Abby okay?" Jack asked, looking between his father and uncle.

"Yeah. She'll be okay, buddy."

Tony fidgeted nervously as he waited for Britty to return and assure him that his girl was okay but after nearly a minute passed with no sign of the redhead, he pushed himself to his feet again. He made his way over to the bathroom, ignoring Bradley's growl of warning, though before he could reach for the doorknob, Britty stepped out, pulling the door closed behind her.

"What's going on?" He demanded, vaguely aware of Bradley stepping up behind him.

They could see the concern in Britty's eyes as she pulled them away from the bathroom, worrying her lower lip nervously between her teeth. "She needs to go to the hospital."

"What's wrong?" Tony asked, his heart sinking in his chest. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine right now, Tony, but she's bleeding a little. It's probably nothing, but she needs to be checked out."

"Well! What are we waiting for?" He said, allowing his worry to get the best of him.

Bradley rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Tony, you're gonna have to calm down. Like I said, B knows what she's doing."

"I'm gonna go call her doctor and let her know what's going on. I need you to sit with her, Tony, help her calm down."

"Okay." He nodded, entering the bathroom and closing the door behind him.

"B."

Britty cleared her throat and turned to face her husband. "Yeah?"

He studied her for a moment before stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her. "What aren't you tellin' me?"

"Nothing. She'll be fine once we get her to the hospital. She'll be fine."

"B, you havin' a bad feeling about this?"

She pulled away from him and walked into the kitchen. Pulling out the phonebook, she picked up the phone and started to dial the number for Abby's ob/gyn. "I know she'll be okay, Bradley. It's just...she's scared. And I don't like seeing her that way." Holding up a finger, she turned away and spoke quickly into the phone. "Hi, I need to speak with Dr. Roberts please. It's Brittany Sciuto calling for..."

Bradley sighed and turned to leave the kitchen. "C'mon, Jack. Let's get these boxes out of the way."

"What's goin' on, Dad?"

"Your Mama and Uncle Tony are gonna take Auntie to the hospital." He explained, sitting down next to the boy. He looked up a second later when his wife re-entered the room. "What did her doctor say?"

"She's gonna meet us at the hospital. You guys coming, or are you gonna stay here?"

He stood up and wrapped her in another hug. "We'll pick this stuff up then we'll be along. Probably best to take Jack separate, don't want him spending all night in the hospital."

"Dad, I'm not a little kid anymore. I wanna..."

"It's not a discussion, Jack. You're not stayin' at the hospital all night."

All three of them turned when they heard the bathroom door open to reveal Abby leaning heavily on the Italian as they exited, tears still streaming down her cheeks as he tried to calm her.

The redhead pulled away from her husband and leaned up to kiss him. "We gotta get going. I'll see you when you get there." Pressing a kiss to her son's head, she walked over to the door and grabbed their jackets off the hooks before heading outside with them.

Sliding into the driver's seat of her Expedition, Britty slipped the key into the ignition as Tony helped the Goth into the back seat and climbed in beside her.

"Everything's gonna be okay, baby." He promised, reaching for her hand as he squeezed reassuringly. "You're gonna be okay."

The ride to the hospital didn't take long, though privately Tony wished that Britty had taken a more Gibbs-like approach to her driving. When she finally pulled up out front, he climbed out of the car, holding his hand out to help Abby.

"You get her inside. I'll be in as soon as I park the car." Britty ordered, frowning at the quiet sobs escaping her friend.

Closing her eyes for a moment to keep her emotions in check, Britty waited until Abby and Tony were safely inside the hospital before she shifted the car into drive and circled the parking lot, searching for a parking space.

Pulling into the first available spot she found, she switched the car off and grabbed her bag from the passenger seat and hurried inside, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.

She found Tony sitting in the uncomfortable plastic chair in the emergency waiting room, his hand trembling as he sat hunched over, a pen poised over the plastic clipboard in front of him.

He glanced up at the sound of footsteps against the tiled floor, his green eyes apprehensive as he looked at the redhead.

"Where's Abby?" She asked, her voice echoing in the empty room.

"Took her back." He responded, his voice wavering slightly as he glanced back down at the form in his lap, racking his brain for the answers. The pen shook in his hand as he lowered it to the paper, his already illegible handwriting seeming to grow worse with every letter until he stopped, glancing up at her. "I don't...I can't...I don't even know her fucking blood type."

Sinking down in the chair beside him, she took the clipboard from his hand gently. "Go. I'll finish filling this out, okay? Go back there and be with her."

"I can't." He managed. "I can't...maybe you should go...she...it won't be good for her to see me like this."

"Then take a minute and get yourself together. She needs you. You're gonna be what gets her through this."

He nodded, watching as the younger woman filled out the paperwork. "I should know that stuff. God...this hasn't even started and I already suck at it."

Britty frowned, glancing over at him to see his head resting in his hands. "Tony...she's not with you because of your paperwork proficiency. In fact, if everything she's told me about you is true, your paperwork abilities are pretty low on the list of things you're good at."

"Yeah..." He chuckled lightly, wiping at his nose.

"Go on, T. Go be with her." She prodded, jerking her head toward the door. "I'll take care of all this. Just go do your part."

The Italian pushed himself up from the chair and walked slowly to the swinging doors. He made his way through the halls, stopping at the nurse's station to ask where his girl was. The head nurse pointed him in the right direction, and he walked into the small curtained area to see Abby sobbing quietly.

"Baby, hey. I'm here...I'm here."

She reached for him, burying her face in his chest when he sat on the edge of her bed. "T...Tony."

The sound of her strangled voice made his chest tighten, knowing that there wasn't anything he could do for her. He looked down at her and smoothed her hair back, touching her cheek gently. "Everything's alright, Abs. The baby will be just fine."

"He's right, Abby. Your doctor's on her way, and they're running the blood tests right now." Britty said, putting on a brave face for her friend. She knew from talking to the nurse outside the curtain that her friend was still bleeding, as well as having contractions.

"Hello Abby." Dr. Roberts said, smiling at her patient as she stepped behind the curtain, looking over the chart. "Light bleeding and some mild contractions?"

Both the Goth and Britty nodded, looking up at the doctor. "Is...is the baby..."

The older woman patted her leg gently. "Your baby should be just fine. Your water hasn't broken yet, so we're going to try to stop your labor."

"Okay." Abby managed, swallowing hard. The doctor left the small area and Britty followed her, presumably to ask some questions on behalf o f the frightened younger woman. Tony tried to offer his girl a reassuring smile, pulling a chair up next to her bed. Taking her hand in his once again, he squeezed it gently, settling in for what he was sure would be a long night.

**Chapter Twenty-One -- Can't Take It**

**The Next Morning -- December 25, 2010**

Tony smiled at his girl as he helped her into the passenger seat of the Expedition, reaching over her to buckle her seatbelt as she closed her eyes sleepily. Pulling the keys from his pocket, he rounded the front end of the car and started it up, pulling out of the parking lot.

Britty had left her car behind, fortunately, when Abby had insisted that she go to midnight mass with Bradley and Jack, refusing to let her early labor dampen their holiday.

The doctor had been able to successfully stop Abby's labor, being sure to let them know that if she were to begin laboring again before her due date, that they would let her go ahead and have the baby.

Once they arrived back at the house a half an hour later, the Goth was completely passed out, exhausted from the prior day's events. Leaning across the center console, he pressed a kiss to his girl's cheek before shaking her gently. "Abs. C'mon, we're home."

She groaned quietly, shifting as she tried to get comfortable in her seat. When she opened her eyes, the Italian could see the dark circles that were starting to form under them. "Hey." She mumbled, offering him a tired smile.

"Hey you." He replied, forcing a smile. He wasn't having the easiest time dealing with all that had happened with the premature labor, but he was trying to hold it together as best he could for Abby. "Let's get you upstairs, you need your sleep."

She didn't protest, reaching down to unbuckle her seatbelt and frowning as the baby kicked her hard. With a quiet whimper, she pushed the door open, waiting for Tony to climb out and hurry around before she slid out of the seat with his help.

"You okay?" He asked her, wrapping an arm around her thin shoulders as he held her against him, frowning down at her.

"Just tired." She responded sleepily. She hadn't slept at all the night before, her concern for their baby and the occasional intense cramping keeping her from drifting off to sleep.

Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head before they made their way inside the house slowly, surprised to find Britty and Bradley in the living room, waiting for them.

"How ya feelin', sweetie?" Britty asked as she pushed herself to her feet, hurrying over to her friend.

"She's alright." Tony responded, rubbing his girl's arm gently. "Just exhausted."

"I'll bet. You look like you're about to fall over too." She remarked, taking in the circles under the Italian's eyes. "You two go on up and get a couple hours of sleep. We can hold off on the Christmas festivities until you're feeling up to it."

"Oh, B." Abby sighed. "No. Don't make Jackie wait to open presents, okay? I already screwed up Christmas Eve and..."

"You hush." She scolded. "Jack doesn't mind. He wants you down here when we do presents anyway, you know that. Now you go on upstairs and don't worry about it, huh?"

Knowing it was pointless to argue any more, Abby hugged her sister-in-law before offering her brother a wave.

"Sleep well, baby girl." Bradley said, watching as the slightly younger man took his sister up the stairs carefully.

Reaching the top of the staircase, Tony pushed the bedroom door open and almost groaned at the sight of the bed. He wanted nothing more than to collapse and sleep until the next week, but he wanted to make sure his girl was comfortable first. Leading her over to the bed, he sat her down on the edge while he made his way over to the dresser, removing her favorite pajamas.

"Here, baby. Let's get you changed and then we'll sleep, okay?"

She wasn't much help as he changed her clothes, and she was grateful when she was finally able to lay back against her pillows, her entire body exhausted.

Tugging his jeans off, Tony kicked them into the corner before removing his shirt and climbing into bed beside her. Turning onto his side, he wrapped an arm around her as best as he could before he pulled her against his chest, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

"Sleep well, baby. Merry Christmas."

**A Few Hours Later**

Tony woke up and climbed out of the bed carefully, making sure that he didn't wake the Goth. He was still tired himself, but he knew that if he slept any more, he wouldn't be able to sleep later that night. Leaning over, he pressed a light kiss to his girl's hair before pulling his jeans back on, grabbing a clean shirt, and heading downstairs to see what the rest of the family was doing. He stepped into the kitchen and yawned, seeing Bradley and Britty making dinner.

"You guys need any help?" He asked, opening the refrigerator and pulling out a bottle of water.

Britty spun around and smiled at the Italian. "Nah, we got it. Abby's still sleeping?"

Tony nodded, leaning against the counter and taking a sip of his water. "I think I'll let her go for a little while longer. If she's not up when dinner's ready, I'll wake her."

"That's probably a good idea. I'm sure you know that she's a bear when you wake her up before she's ready." Bradley joked, chopping up carrots and celery. "How'd everything go last night?"

"Everything went fine." He said quickly, looking back toward the stairs.

Bradley eyed him carefully, seeing the stress that was clearly written on his face, before turning to his wife and giving her a kiss. "I'm gonna go out and check on the steaks." Wiping his hands on a dish towel, he looked back at the younger man. "C'mon. Looks like you could use some air."

The brunette hesitated momentarily before following him, offering a smile to the redhead as he passed. "I'm fine, Bradley." He tried, closing the door behind him as they stepped out onto the deck.

"Hope you're more convincing when you lie to Abby." He commented, opening the lid on the barbecue. "The girl may as well be a mind reader."

He didn't respond, instead moving over to one of the chairs and sitting down, sighing heavily.

"Tony, what's goin' on? The baby's okay, right?" Bradley asked. He didn't like the sinking feeling in his stomach that he had while looking at the younger man unraveling in front of him.

"Yeah. Yeah, the baby's fine." He frowned, covering his face with his hands. "I don't know that I am though."

Sighing, the older man took a seat next to the agent. "Scared ya, huh? Takin' her to the hospital last night?"

"Yeah." Tony scoffed, slumping back against the chair. "Yeah...scared is probably an understatement. I don't know that I'm ready for this, Bradley."

"Ready for what?" Abby asked, stepping out onto the deck and tugging her robe over her shoulders.

Tony stood up immediately, walking over and helping his girl to a chair. "Christmas." He covered. "I haven't even wrapped your present yet."

She chuckled quietly, relaxing against him when he sat behind her on the lounge chair. "It's okay, T. You didn't have to get me anything anyhow."

He sighed, grateful that she didn't catch his lie, knowing that she had other things on her mind. "You should be sleepin', baby."

"I'm tired of sleepin'." She grumbled, leaning heavily against him. "I feel like that's all I've been doing since Thanksgiving."

"You don't have much longer." He reminded her, his hand moving to rest on her belly, smiling when he felt their baby kicking gently against his hand.

"Long enough. As worried as I was last night...I almost felt relieved at the fact that this was almost over and now..." She trailed off, sighing.

Leaning down, Tony kissed his girl's shoulder gently, privately disagreeing. The trio remained outside for awhile longer, enjoying the cool air until the redhead came to the window, calling for her husband.

"Ty's just pulled up! How are the steaks comin'?"

Waving her off, Bradley pushed himself to his feet before turning to his sister with a smirk. "You hear that, Abs? Tyler's here. You better go get dressed." He said with a wink before he headed inside.

"Who's Tyler?" Tony asked, smiling at her obvious embarrassment.

"One of Britty's brothers. We...dated for a few years in high school." She said, trying to push herself off the chair with no luck. "I'm really starting to hate this." She giggled.

"Eh, if anyone can handle it, you can. You're the strongest woman I know." He said, helping her up. "Now, c'mon. Let's get cleaned up for dinner."

The couple made their way upstairs and changed quickly into their dinner clothes before heading back down to the living room. Tony felt his girl take his hand, lacing their fingers together when she saw the three redheaded men sitting in the living room.

"Oh. My. God. Is that little miss Abigail?"

The Goth's face flushed as she turned into Tony's chest, hiding. "You know how much I hate that name, Ryan!"

"Your Mama liked it enough to give it to you, so it can't be that bad." Ryan said, setting his beer down on the coffee table and approaching her. "Been busy since we last saw you, I see. I'm assuming you're the proud Papa?" He said, shaking Tony's hand.

Abby smiled, looking up at her lover. "Ry, this is Tony DiNozzo. Tony, Ryan Lewis. B's oldest brother. RJ there, that's Ryan's twin, and Tyler is the one with the middle child complex."

"Technically, I'm the oldest, Abby. You know that." RJ joked, waving at her from the couch.

"By 30 seconds!" She chuckled. "That hardly counts."

"Hey, oldest is oldest, no matter by how much." RJ shrugged, finishing his beer. "Where's the beer wench in this place?" He called, flinching when Britty threw a pot holder at him from the kitchen. "What?"

The Goth spotted Tyler sitting across the room, watching her out of the corner of his eye while he played video games with Jack. She smiled at him briefly before turning and pressing a kiss to Tony's lips.

"I think my assistance is required in the kitchen."

The Italian gripped her hand when she tried to pull away, his eyes widening slightly. "Please don't leave me here." He whispered, pleading with her. "I'll come help with the table...anything. Please."

Leaning up on her tiptoes, she gave him another kiss. "They're harmless. Now, go make nice. Dinner will be ready in a few."

He watched helplessly as she headed into the kitchen before he turned back to the four men in the living room, swallowing hard. He didn't quite like the way Ryan -- or was it RJ? -- eyed him, nor did he like the smirk on Bradley's face as he made his way over to the oversized chair, sinking down into it.

"So..." One of the twins began, looking him over. "You and Abby, huh? How exactly did you two meet?"

"Oh. Um...we've uh...been friends for a long time. Met when I came down to New Orleans nearly...well, I guess it was almost 12 years ago."

"Abby's managed to hold onto one man for that long?"

"We were...friends first. Kind of a 'When Harry Met Sally' type of deal."

The twins exchanged a look before turning to Bradley. "This is the guy you were tellin' us about? The one with the endless movie references?"

At least Bradley had the decency to look somewhat ashamed, Tony decided, ignoring the irritation he felt flaring up toward his girl's older brother.

"Didn't realize that Hollywood was the baby's daddy." RJ snickered, turning back to Tony. "You better be takin' good care of our girl."

"Okay boys, fun time's over. You can stop harassing him. It's time for dinner." Abby said, smirking at her lover as she pulled him into the dining room and set him down at the table.

They ate dinner fairly quickly and with little incident, due mostly to the fact that the twins and Bradley decided to have a 'who can eat the fastest' contest, reminding both Abby and Britty of their childhoods. When the meal ended, the women cleared the table and did the dishes while the boys congregated in the living room, turning on the football game.

"Hey, Jackie." Tony said, beckoning his nephew over to him. "Wanna help me with your Auntie's present?"

The boy nodded, joining the Italian as he headed up the stairs. The girls returned to the living room a moment later, taking the seats that were available, leaving Britty sitting between Ryan and Bradley, and Abby sitting next to Tyler on the loveseat.

"Ooh, look at this. It's like old times, huh?" Ryan joked, laughing loudly when his younger brother and Abby both blushed.

"Cut it out, Ry." Britty said, elbowing her brother in the ribs. "You're embarrassing 'em."

"Aw, c'mon B. You know it's not often that we get to torment our Abby!" Ryan responded with a roll of his eyes.

"See, if you'd just married Tyler like you were supposed to, we'd most likely have run out of things to tease you about by now." RJ snickered, looking pointedly at his younger brother.

"C'mon guys." Tyler sighed, offering Abby a sheepish smile. "Sorry." He mumbled.

She shook her head, resting a hand on her belly as the baby kicked. "It's fine. I'm happy with my choices, which is more than I can say for the neanderthals you call brothers. I don't see either of you two married." She smirked, wagging her finger between the twins. "So far, Britty's the only one who's gone all the way."

"You guys weren't having too much fun without me, were you?" Tony asked, stopping suddenly in the doorway when he saw his girl sitting on the loveseat with Britty's brother.

Abby turned around as best she could and offered her lover a smile, missing the momentary flash of jealousy that crossed his face. "Hey baby. What's under the sheet?"

He cleared his throat, schooling his face into a broad grin. "Your Christmas present."

"Well, bring it here, I wanna open it!" She said, smiling brightly at him.

Jack helped his uncle carry the gift over to the Goth, standing it in front of her so that she could pull the sheet off.

"Oh, Tony!" She cried, her eyes watering slightly as she looked at the framed and signed Evil Dead poster. "Where'd you get this?"

"Online. I found it a couple weeks ago." He said, leaning down and kissing her. "So, what do you think? I thought we could hang it in the apartment when we get back to DC."

"I love it, baby. You must've paid a fortune for it, being signed and framed like this."

"Why the big fuss over a movie poster? Hollywood's brainwashed you, girl." RJ said, pointing his finger at her from across the room. "Told ya you shouldn't have let Ty go."

"Richard James!" Britty snapped. She looked up at Tony, seeing his face fall slightly before he pulled his usual mask firmly back in place. "Tony, don't let these knuckleheads get to you. They're just jealous."

"Yeah." He said, shrugging his shoulders halfheartedly. "I'm...uh, just gonna take this upstairs."

"Tony..." Abby said, struggling to push herself off the couch. Tyler noticed and helped her up, his eyes following her as she went after her lover. "T, wait."

They all watched in silence until the couple was up the stairs before Britty spoke up. "Jack, why don't you run into the garage and get the pies out of the freezer, huh?" she asked.

"Sure Mama."

Once the boy was out of the room, Britty turned on her brothers and husband. "What the hell were you thinking? Can't you guys be nice to someone for more than five minutes!?" She cried, pushing herself off the couch angrily.

Ryan stood up with her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Britty, you know we didn't mean it. RJ get's outta hand when he drinks."

"That's no excuse!" The redhead said, shrugging his hand off. "I should kick you all out of my house, treatin' my guests that way!"

RJ opened his mouth to speak, only to have Britty slap him upside the head, making him jerk forward.

"Do not *even* think about it, RJ. She's always treated you as a brother, so there's no reason for you to treat her or Tony that way." Turning to her husband, she frowned darkly. "Bradley..." She hesitated, shaking her head sadly. "I'm ashamed of you, treatin' him that way. You two were finally makin' some progress."

She left the room before any of the men could make excuses for themselves or each other, choosing instead to head upstairs to check on her sister-in-law. Pausing outside of their bedroom, she heard the couple talking quietly, and after a minute of listening in, she decided to head back downstairs, leaving them to deal with it on their own.

"Tony..." Abby sighed quietly, sinking down onto the bed beside her lover. "Please don't let those idiots bother you. I absolutely adore the poster."

He ran a hand over his face, avoiding eye contact with her. "I know you do, Abs. It's just..."

"This is about Ty, isn't it?"

Tony hesitated, pushing himself off the bed and walking over to the window, not saying a word.

The raven-haired woman could feel her heart sinking. "Tony. You aren't seriously doing this."

"Doing what, Abby?" He snapped, turning back to her when she sobbed quietly. He crossed the room quickly, crouching in front of her and cupping her face in his hands. "I'm sorry. It...I know I don't have to worry about Tyler, okay? I just...it's everything. It's all piling up."

"Why didn't you come to me, T? Why don't you tell me what's bothering you?"

He scoffed, closing his eyes briefly. "Baby, you have enough goin' on without dealing with my problems too. I can handle it, okay?"

The raven-haired woman leaned forward and kissed him deeply. "I'm always here for you, Tony. regardless of the problem, the situation...any of it. We have to be honest with each other." She sighed when he pulled away again. "I'm goin' back downstairs. You comin'?"

"Yeah." He said, following her out the door. Reaching for her hand, he linked their fingers together, offering what he hoped was a reassuringly smile. They made their way into the living room, and Tony couldn't help but feel relieved that Bradley and the twins were missing in action.

"They're outside playin' football." Britty explained as she stepped back into the living room, a warm smile on her face. "Why don't you go on out and join them?"

"No thanks." The Italian muttered. "Still pretty exhausted from last night, y'know."

The redhead nodded, looking between him and Abby before heading outside. Tony helped his girl over to the couch, offering a polite smile to Tyler.

"Want something to drink?" He asked, squeezing the younger woman's hand again.

"Maybe just some water?" She said, smiling at him as he turned for the kitchen. "Oh! Tony, could you get me some spinach dip too?"

"Sure thing, baby." He called, disappearing around the corner.

Abby relaxed against the couch, waiting for her lover to come back, when she saw Tyler move from the recliner to the spot next to her. "Hey, Ty." She smiled. "I'm really sorry we haven't had a chance to talk today."

He shrugged. "It's okay. B told me what happened yesterday. I'm glad you and the baby are alright."

"Thanks." She smiled, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "Your brothers sure know how to play the holdout, huh?"

"Oh, about you and me gettin' back together? Yeah. They...they don't understand why we didn't work."

The Goth placed her hand on her belly, groaning when the baby kicked her in the ribs. "I can't wait for this to be over."

"I bet." Tyler said, glancing toward the kitchen. "Um...congratulations, by the way. You seem really happy with Tony."

"I am. You know...we were friends for years, and we've had our bumps, but I think we're better for it, you know?"

He nodded, looking up when Tony reentered the room, carrying Abby's water and snack. "Hey, Tony." He said, standing up and offering his hand to the older man. "I'm sorry for my brothers. They can be a little...aggressive sometimes. They don't know when to draw the line."

The Italian shook his hand. "It's fine. Trust me, they're not that much different than I am around the people I work with. It's just been a tough few days, that's all."

Bradley jogged up to the back door, kicking his shoes off before entering the living room and plopping down in the recliner, out of breath.

"Good game, Bradley?" Tyler asked, seeing the grass and sweat stains on the older man's shirt.

He narrowed his eyes at Tyler. "You know what, kid? I don't see you out there gettin' your ass kicked by your brothers. Y'know that football wasn't my sport."

Abby chuckled at her brother, covering her mouth when he narrowed his eyes at her. *Give me a minute with Tony.* He signed, looking pointedly at Tyler. *Take him with you, please.*

She nodded. "Hey, Ty, can you help me up? I wanna get some air."

"Uh, sure." He said, looking at her confusedly before standing and helping her off the couch.

They closed the door behind them when they walked onto the back porch, leaving Bradley and Tony in the living room alone. "Tony..."

"Don't, Bradley."

"Okay, you can knock that shit off right now." He said, leaning forward in the recliner. "Look, I'm sorry for earlier. Now, I'm bein' man enough to say it, so you can stop bein' stubborn."

Tony sighed, dropping his head against the back of the couch. "You don't have to apologize, man. I've been under a lot of pressure with Abby gettin' so close, and..."

"I know, Tony." Bradley reached across the space that separated them and tapped him on the knee. "Things get better. I promise."

**Chapter Twenty-Two -- Bitter and Blue**

**December 31, 2010 -- New Years Eve -- 0730 Hours**

Tony rested his elbows on the kitchen table and dropped his head into his hands, sighing heavily. He hadn't been sleeping well, getting less sleep every night as Abby approached her due date. She had woken him up a few hours earlier, asking him to go downstairs and get her a glass of warm milk so that she would be able to go back to sleep.

"Of course, sunshine." He had said, climbing out of their bed to get her milk.

She drank the glass of milk and was back asleep almost immediately, leaving Tony staring at the ceiling, alone with his stress and worries about the days to come. He had ended up going downstairs, resigning himself to watching infomercials on the couch, praying for sleep to come.

Unfortunately, it hadn't, and he found himself sitting in the kitchen an hour later, nearly pulling his hair out. He hated having the opportunity to let his mind wander, realizing it always focused on the most negative thoughts he was having.

Giving up on finding sleep anywhere besides in bed beside his girl, he moved toward the stairs when he heard the newspapers slapping down on the porch. He walked over and opened it, bending down to pick the papers up when he saw a brightly wrapped box sitting next to the door. Curious, he picked it up, smiling a little when he saw that it was addressed to himself and Abby.

He carried the box into the living room and set it under the still-standing Christmas tree, intent on waiting for Abby to wake up before opening their belated Christmas gift. Heading back to the stairs again, he sighed heavily before turning back, deciding that if he went upstairs, Abby would wake up, which was the last thing he wanted.

Slumping on the couch again, he turned the TV on and unwrapped one of the newspapers, skimming through it to pass the time.

Folding it back up, he dropped it onto the coffee table, his gaze inadvertently pulled to the single package under the tree. Losing his personal battle of wills, he stood up and grabbed the box before returning back to the couch. He had to admit that his curiosity was getting the best of him, and subconsciously, he convinced himself that Abby wouldn't really mind.

Tony peeled the paper off carefully, noticing for the first time that the return address belonged to McGee's parents in Norfolk. He removed the remainder of the paper from the box and pulled out his pocketknife, cutting the tape quickly before putting it away.

He opened the flaps and pulled out the tissue paper, freezing in place when he saw the baby clothes and diapers stacked neatly in the box. He could feel his hands shaking slightly as he pulled out the outfit that was folded neatly on top of the pile, realizing how small the clothing was.

"Morning, Tony." Britty said, leaning against the archway to the living room. "You're up early."

"Yeah." He said, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Couldn't sleep. Wishin' I hadn't gotten up right about now though."

The redhead chuckled, padding into the living room and sitting next to him on the couch. "Where'd this come from?" She asked, peeking inside the large box.

"McGee's parents, apparently."

"That's sweet of them. These are too cute!" She gushed, pulling the little clothes out one at a time and folding them neatly on the table. "Tim didn't tell you that they were sending it?"

"No." He responded, glancing down at the tiny diapers in the bottom of the box. "I don't...these are too small, aren't they? I mean...these aren't...these aren't going to fit the baby."

She eyed him for a moment, trying to decide if he was kidding or not. "The baby's probably going to be in this size for at least three months."

"But...but...look how tiny they are! I don't...was Jack ever this small? I don't remember him being that tiny!"

"He was six months old when you and Abby met. Jack was a tiny little thing when he was first born." She said, smiling fondly at the memory of the first time she held her little boy.

Swallowing hard, Tony's gaze returned to the clothes, his green eyes darkening. "Britty...I don't...I can't do this!"

She frowned, reaching out to grasp his arm gently when he pulled away, pushing himself to his feet. "I can't...I can't take care of myself half the time! I don't...what the hell am I supposed to do with something *that* small?" He asked, gesturing wildly to the box.

Taking a deep breath, Britty stood and placed her hands on his shoulders, forcing him back onto the couch. "Okay, first of all, you're gonna calm down right now."

He narrowed his eyes at her momentarily before relaxing, his head dropping against the back of the couch. "I...I'm scared."

"I can see that." She replied quietly, sliding the box aside and sitting on the coffee table. "It's okay, you know."

"I should be ready by now. I...I just don't wanna disappoint her."

"I'm not sure that's even possible, Tony." She chuckled, patting his knee. "Besides, you don't think that she's scared?"

He looked at the redhead and rolled his eyes. "She's ready. It's all she's been able to talk about all week."

"You know, for being a master of disguise, you sure don't know how to recognize one." Standing up, she passed him and walked into the kitchen to make coffee.

"You...has she been talking to you?" He asked, pushing himself off the couch to follow her. "What's she been saying?"

"I don't know, the usual."

"Britty, don't use broad strokes with me, please."

"She didn't wanna worry you." She said dismissively, leaning against the counter. "Abby knows how worried you've been, and..."

"She doesn't trust me with it."

"That's not it at all, Tony, and you know it. I'm her midwife. She knows she can come to me..."

"She should be coming to me!" He roared, his eyes starting to water. "And I don't even know what a fucking midwife is! What did I do, that she doesn't think she can come to me? Does she think I'm weak?"

"Actually, that's not it at all." Abby cut in from the stairs, her fingers gripping the banister hard enough to turn her knuckles white.

Glancing up at his girl, Tony swallowed his anger and hurried over to her, his hand resting on her lower back. "Baby, what are you doing up? You should be laying down."

"Kinda difficult with you down here shouting. Pretty sure the Robinsons heard your voice all the way at the end of the block." She responded, allowing the Italian to help her off the stairs. "I...need to sit down."

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm fine."

Britty joined the couple in the living room and studied her friend closely. "How long and how far apart?" She asked, ducking back into the kitchen to get a piece of paper and a pen.

"What's going on?" The Italian asked, looking between the two women worriedly.

"Um...maybe 15 to 20 seconds every 15 minutes?" The Goth answered, watching her sister-in-law write it down.

"Will one of you tell me what the hell is going on?" Tony snapped, stepping between the women.

Britty signed something to Abby that the older man didn't understand before she stood up and dragged him into the kitchen.

"What's going on with her, B? Is she okay?"

"Everything's fine. She's having mild contractions, but they're nothing to worry about yet." She explained, hoping that he would relax some.

He took a deep breath and made a feeble attempt at calming himself down before he spoke again. "Okay...um, let me run upstairs and get her bag, then we'll take her to the hospital."

"Tony, stop." She said, putting her hand on his arm. "At this rate, she could be in labor for days before anything happens. She doesn't have to go to the hospital right now."

"She needs to be monitored, doesn't she? I mean..." He reached up and fisted his hands in his hair out of frustration. "Why didn't she take one of those classes? I should know this stuff!"

"Abby knows what's going on, okay? She may seem nervous, but she knows what she wants. Now, as her midwife, I'm telling you that she needs a calm environment. If you can't help provide that for her..."

He eyed her bitterly. "What? You're gonna kick me out?"

"If I have to, I will."

"She won't let you. It's my baby too, I have every right to be there." He said, trying his best to be imposing.

"She'll back me. She knows what I expect, alright? We've discussed all this."

"Without me?" He scoffed, turning toward the window. "Great. Do I even get to see my child after it's born, or do I have to wait at the end of the line?"

"T..." Abby groaned, feeling another contraction starting.

Britty watched as the anger on his face was immediately replaced with fear as he rushed in and sat next to his girl.

"I'm here, baby." He whispered, slipping his hand into hers. "Right here."

**8 Hours Later**

Tony was waiting outside the bathroom door when Abby exited, making her gasp in surprise when she saw him.

"Tony!" She cried, smacking him lightly on the arm. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay. You know, be nearby just in case."

"DiNozzo, come sit down." Bradley called, his voice letting his exhaustion with the younger man show. "You're gonna be busy once you guys go to the hospital and trust me, you're gonna wish you got some rest."

He shook his head. "I just want everything to go smoothly."

Britty chuckled as she walked in from the kitchen carrying a tray of sandwiches. "I can't promise smooth, Tony, but I'll tell you that you're gonna be useless if you don't relax. Now, eat up, boys. You too, Abby. You need your strength."

He couldn't help but glare at the redhead before he led his girl over to the couch, helping her down onto the cushion. "You sure you're okay?" He asked quietly, his hand resting on her shoulder as he squeezed gently.

Pulling away from his touch, Abby glared up at him. "I don't feel like being touched right now." She snapped, her voice sharper than she had intended. "And for the millionth and last time, I'm fine but I can't promise you'll be if you don't stop asking."

He dropped his hand to his side, hurt flashing across his face before he schooled it into a casual look. He offered her a shrug before he turned away from her, taking a deep breath in an effort to keep his temper in check.

"I'm going outside." He muttered, deciding his best bet was to remove himself from the situation immediately.

"Tony..." Abby gasped, reaching for his hand as she felt another painful contraction coming on. "Please!"

For a single, selfish second he debated pulling away from her as she'd done him, but his common sense kicked in and he dropped back to her side immediately, allowing her to squeeze his fingers.

"It's okay, baby..." He soothed gently, reaching up with his free hand to brush her long black hair out of her face.

Closing her eyes, she squeezed his fingers for all she was worth, a low moan escaping her as the contraction grew worse. After what seemed like an eternity, the pain finally passed and she collapsed back against the couch cushions, breathing heavily.

"She should go to a hospital. That was the worst one yet." Tony decided, glaring up his girl's sister-in-law.

"She's still okay. She doesn't want to go to the hospital and lay around all day. If she's gonna have to wait anyway, it's best to do it here where she's comfortable."

"They can make her comfortable in the hospital." He argued.

"She doesn't want to go to the hospital!"

"Why don't you let her speak for herself?" He snapped, pushing himself to his feet.

"I don't want to go to the hospital." Abby managed, glaring up at her boyfriend.

"Abby..."

"No, Tony. I don't want to go to the hospital. Britty's right."

"Why are you letting her make your decisions for you?!" He yelled, giving her a concerned look.

"She's not deciding *anything* for me! We've had all this planned out since I first came down from DC and..."

Tony cut her off. "Why the hell didn't you bother to include me in that discussion?"

"Because you were too busy sittin' in DC drinkin' yourself stupid!" She countered, pushing herself to her feet carefully.

"Enough!" Britty growled, narrowing her eyes at the Italian. "You. Out."

"I...what?" Tony said, shooting her a confused look.

"Get out of here. I don't care where you go, but you stay out of this room. You're upsetting her and that's the last thing she needs right now!" She hissed, helping the Goth back to the couch.

"You're not seriously kicking me out."

"Go."

Tony glared at the headstrong woman before stomping out of the room and slamming the front door behind him.

"B..." Abby started, feeling the tears welling up behind her eyes at the sound of her lover leaving the house. "You didn't have to make him go."

"You need calm, not Tony jumpin' down your throat because he's not gettin' his way."

Bradley watched as his sister sighed, dropping her head against the couch. "I'll go get him, Abs." He said, pushing himself up and resting his hands firmly on his wife's shoulders and whispering in her ear. "You need to relax too. Call me if anything changes."

Stopping off in the kitchen, he grabbed a few beers out of the refrigerator before heading out the front door, knowing that the younger man hadn't gone much further than the front porch.

"She's gonna hate me." Tony said, not looking up when Bradley stepped onto the porch, closing the front door behind him. "I'm really fucking this up, huh?"

"Eh." He shrugged, handing him an open beer. "You know, they *do* know what they're doin', Tony. The only thing they need you to do is hold it together for Abby."

The Italian didn't say anything, opting instead for a long pull from his beer.

Bradley sighed and settled against the bench, staring out at the street. "It's okay to be scared." He frowned when he saw the younger man tense up, having intended to keep the conversation casual. "Hey, don't shut me out, man. I went through this with these two when Jack was born. This isn't the first time I've been banned to the porch."

He looked over at his girl's brother curiously. "They never mentioned that."

"Yeah, well..." The sandy-haired man shrugged, taking a sip from his beer. "It wasn't among their proudest moments."

"Did something go wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nah. Everything went pretty smoothly. They were just inexperienced, that's all. Didn't help that B was a nervous wreck. Your girl's holdin' it together pretty well in comparison. B was cursin' like a sailor at this point."

"Abby? She did this...whatever it's called, she did it for Britty?"

"Yeah. You didn't know she was a midwife?"

Tony shook his head. "Friends for 12 years, havin' a baby together, and there's still so much I don't know about her."

"Have you bothered to ask? I mean, yeah, there's probably a lot of things about Abby that you don't know, but I've never known her to hide anything from anyone. She's proud of who she is, Tony. She's got no regrets. All you've gotta do is ask the questions." Bradley explained, finishing off his beer.

Glancing over at the Italian, he noticed that the man was preparing to ask him something about his sister. "Don't even open your mouth, DiNozzo. You ask her. And *only* her."

He opened his mouth to retort when the front door opened and Britty poked her head outside. "I need both of you in here now. Abby's water just broke, we're goin' to the hospital."

**5 Hours Later -- 2230 Hours**

"You're doin' great, Abs." Tony coached, standing next to her bedside as she worked through her contraction calmly. When it ended, she collapsed against his hand that was resting at the small of her back. "Good job, baby."

"I swear to God, Tony, you 'good job, baby' me one more time, you'll need implants to make you a man." She bit out, allowing Britty to feed her some ice chips.

The redhead offered a sympathetic look to him, shrugging her shoulders. "Abby...don't be like this now, it's almost over, hon."

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one on the bed."

"I've been there, girlie, and you know it."

Abby glared at her best friend, closing her eyes briefly against the pain. "You had painkillers."

The Italian perked up almost immediately. "I can go get your doctor, baby, if you want some meds."

"Don't want 'em." Both of the women said, looking at the older man pointedly.

Britty frowned, taking some semblance of pity on her sister-in-law's boyfriend. "T, could you go refill her ice chips?" She asked, giving him an opportunity to leave the estrogen filled room for a few minutes.

He almost turned her down, wanting to stay next to Abby's side for the duration, when he felt his cell phone ringing in his pocket. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to his girl's forehead and picked up the small bucket, heading out of the room to answer the call.

"Yeah, DiNozzo." He greeted, as soon as he was outside of the room, releasing a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

"How's she holdin' up?"

"Ah...Boss." Pausing in the waiting area, he sank down into the chair. "She's...she's doin' okay. Hopefully it won't be too much longer."

"Flights are all booked." The older man said. In the background, Tony could hear a plane starting up. "Gonna get on a priority in 20 minutes."

"Gibbs, you don't..."

"Not up for discussion, DiNozzo."

"Right."

Gibbs paused for a moment before he spoke again. "How you holdin' up, Tony?"

The question surprised the Italian. *I'm fucking falling apart...* He thought before he shook his head. "I'm fine. Just...ready for it to be over too, I guess."

"Good. You take good care of her."

"Will do, boss. I'll let her know you called." He said. Hanging up the phone, he picked up the bucket off the chair next to him and filled it with ice chips before heading back into the room.

"Tony..." Abby sobbed, reaching for him when he reentered the room.

"I'm here, baby. What's goin' on?"

"Hurts." She managed, clinging to his shirt.

He looked across the bed at Britty, concern filling his eyes as he stroked his girl's hair. "Is she okay?"

The redhead hesitated, thankful when Abby's doctor came back into the room. "Ah, good. Welcome back, Tony." He said, smiling when he saw that the brunette was back in the room. "Abby, have you made a decision?"

"Woah, decision about what? What's goin' on?" He demanded, holding the Goth close.

"The baby is breech." Dr. Patton stated, frowning slightly when Abby whimpered quietly. "It's not entirely impossible to deliver naturally, however, we had been hoping that the baby would turn around."

The Italian looked between the redhead and the woman in his arms. "W...what decision does she need to make?"

"Well, she has a couple of choices. Either she can continue to deliver naturally, which will be painful and will probably end in an assisted delivery, or we can do a cesarean section."

"I...uh, I..." He stumbled over his words, distracted by the beeping of the machines and the Goth's quiet cries as she shook in his arms. "Wh...what's best for her? I...I just want them both to be okay."

"Abby wants a natural delivery, regardless." Britty said, her voice wavering slightly as she gripped her friend's hand.

Tony's eyes darkened as he glared across the hospital bed at the redhead, knowing that she was concerned, but determined to uphold Abby's birth plan until the younger woman changed her own mind.

"Abs, baby...you're the strongest woman I know. I've told you that before. It's okay if...if you want this to be over. I don't want you to be hurt." He rubbed her back gently as he spoke, holding her close to his chest.

"Miss Sciuto, I'm going to need a decision so I can get the OR prepared." The doctor said, standing at the foot of the bed.

"Do it. I want the c-section." She said, dropping back against the pillows as another contraction started. "Please."

Dr. Patton nodded and motioned for the nurses to come in and prep her for surgery before leaving the room.

Britty watched as the nurses rushed around the room. "You don't have to do this, Abby. You know as well as I do that you can handle this. You can deliver on your own."

"Britty..." Tony warned, stepping back when the nurses approached his side of the bed and began moving the machines around.

"She can! You're pressuring her into this, Tony! Can't you just listen to her wishes for once?"

"She wants this. You heard the words coming out of her mouth, not mine. If anyone's pressuring her, its you!" He hissed, not wanting to raise his voice. "Maybe you should go, B."

She faltered slightly, her eyes wide as her mind processed what he'd just said. "You're...you're kicking me out?"

"Yeah, it doesn't feel too good, does it?" He asked, glaring at the younger woman. "Go."

"You..."

"Britty, please." Abby cried. "Just...stop arguing!"

Glancing down at her friend, the redhead lifted her eyes, offering the Italian a curt nod. "Fine." Reaching for Abby's hand, she squeezed it gently before she leaned down, kissing her forehead. "You've done so well today, Abs. I'm proud of you. I'll be in the waiting room with BB if you need anything."

Releasing a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, Tony watched as the irritated woman stalked past him, her shoes clicking loudly against the tile floor before he turned back to his girl.

"Don't go." She begged, gripping his hand tightly. "I'm...I'm scared, Tony."

Leaning down, he kissed her forehead before looking her in the eye, brushing her long hair back. "I'm not goin' anywhere, baby. I'll be right here the whole time."

"We're all ready." Dr. Patton said, motioning for the nurses to move the bed out of the room. "We'll need you to scrub in, Agent DiNozzo, if you want to be in the delivery room."

Tony nodded and squeezed the Goth's hand again. "I'll be right there, okay? I promise." He kissed her again and followed the doctor out of the room to get prepared for the surgery.

**Chapter Twenty-Three -- Fear**

**January 1, 2011 -- New Year's Day**

Tony heard his girl sob quietly as the sound of the newborn's cries reached their ears. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, blinking back the tears in his eyes.

"Congratulations! Our New Year's baby is a girl." Dr. Patton announced, passing the baby off to a nurse to clean her up. "We're just going to get you fixed up here, Abby, and then you can see her, alright?"

"You did it, baby. She's here. Our little girl's here." The Italian said, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Is...is she okay?" Abby asked, struggling to peek around the curtain that blocked her belly from view.

He smiled down at her, glancing over to where the nurse was wrapping their daughter in a blanket. "She's perf..." He looked back to the Goth to see her head slumped to the side, passed out. "Abby? Abs, wake up, baby."

"Get him out of here!" Dr. Patton hissed, checking the monitors that were attached to the younger woman as they started beeping erratically.

"Wh...what's happening? Is she...everything's gonna be okay, right?" He asked, allowing one of the nurses to usher him out of the operating room.

The blonde hesitated, placing a hand on his arm reassuringly as they reached the waiting room. "She's in good hands. Your daughter should be out in a few minutes, and I'll keep you updated, alright?"

He nodded as the nurse left him, rushing back to the operating room. Leaning against the wall, he slid down it slowly until he was sitting on the ground, the tile floor cold through his scrub pants. He dropped his head to his hands, feeling the tears threatening to spill.

Britty noticed him first, rushing over and crouching next to him on the floor. "Tony...what happened? Are they okay?" She asked frantically, the concern for her sister-in-law and niece outweighing the anger that had been shared between them earlier.

"Sh...I don't..."

The redhead looked up at her husband sadly as the Italian crushed himself against her, shaking as he struggled to control his emotions. Bradley understood what his wife wanted, and without a word, he went to the nurse's station to see if there was any news on his sister and her baby.

She held him close to her, running her hand over his back as she prayed quietly, waiting for Bradley to return with news. Looking up when she heard his footsteps approaching, she offered him a hopeful look and he immediately began signing.

*The baby is fine, but Abby...*

*Don't.* Britty cut him off, signing as best she could with one hand. *Tony needs to know too.*

The older man took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to maintain his composure. "The baby's fine, they just released her to the nursery. You can go see her if you want, Tony."

He pulled away from the redhead, clearing his throat. "Is Abby okay?"

Bradley closed his eyes briefly before answering the younger man's question. "She's bleeding. Pretty heavily, from what the nurse said. They've got her in emergency surgery right now, and she should be out soon."

"Did they say what happened? I...she was talking to me one minute, and then..."

"You know what, T? Your little girl needs her daddy right now." Britty managed, patting his knee. "You should go see her."

Tony shook his head. "Can't. I...need to be here. In case."

"In case of what, Tony? She's strong. You don't have anything to worry about." She reassured him, standing up. "If we hear anything, you'll be the first to know."

He frowned, dropping his head into his hands. "Can't."

"It's what Abby would want."

The Italian scoffed, looking up at his girl's family. "You don't know what she wants."

Britty visibly tensed and her husband stepped over, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Abs would want you to be with the baby, Tony. Trust me, I know my sister. Besides, you know that she's gonna want a first hand report of that little girl's every feature. You'd better go see for yourself so that you can tell her."

He dropped his head back against the wall and released a heavy sigh before making an attempt at pushing himself off the floor, knowing that arguing with the couple was futile at best. Bradley reached down to help him only to have his hand brushed away by the determined man.

"Promise me you'll come with any news? *Any* news."

"I promise, Tony. We'll be right here."

Swallowing hard and giving one last look to the swinging doors that led to the operating rooms, he turned and headed down the hallway toward the nursery.

**An Hour Later**

He'd lost all track of time, Tony realized, sitting hunched over in the uncomfortable chair beside the little plastic...thing currently containing the baby. *Not 'the' baby.* He reminded himself. *Your baby. Your daughter.*

The well-meaning nurses had been in and out of the room several times while he waited, all ready and willing to show him how to lift and hold the newborn, but he'd refused each time. While she was sleeping, she was quiet. The last thing he wanted was to disturb her.

Releasing a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, he dropped his head in his hands, feeling the uncomfortable sting of tears just behind his eyes. He hadn't received any news on his girl, and surely enough time had passed that someone would know something.

Pushing himself to his feet, he made his way over to the doorway, peering out into the hall, looking for any sign of Britty or Bradley when he heard it.

It started out as nothing more than a hitched breath, though after just a moment, it grew to what he could only describe as an ungodly screeching.

Turning back to the baby, his face lost its color as he realized she was awake and clearly unhappy. He'd been avoiding looking at her but he knew now he had no choice. Peering into the cradle, his eyes widened at the god awful look on her face.

"I don't...why are you crying?" He demanded, almost as if he expected an answer. "I don't...I don't know what you want!"

"Well, pick her up and find out, DiNozzo."

Turning at the sound of the voice, Tony watched as his boss slipped into the room, an irritated look on his face as he made his way over to the crying child.

"What the hell are you thinkin', lettin' her cry like that?"

"I don't...I didn't..."

Gibbs ignored him as he reached down, lifting the baby carefully, his large, calloused hands gentle. "That's enough of that." He said softly as he brought the little girl to his chest, cradling her against him.

Tony watched, the uncomfortable ache in his chest increasing as the older man slipped into the role easily, as if it had been only yesterday that he had held such a small child.

"Much better." Gibbs grinned, looking down at the little girl, who already looked so much like her mother. Glancing over his shoulder, he watched as Tony sank down into the chair again, his face pale.

Pleased that the baby was fine, Gibbs laid her back down carefully before he turned to his senior field agent, snapping his fingers to get his attention.

"What's goin' on, Tony?"

"I can't do this."

"Well, you have to wanna do it first." The silver haired man pointed out.

The younger man looked up, his gaze fixed on the infant laying in the plastic crib. "I just...I don't wanna screw up, Gibbs. I've never held a baby before. Hell, I've never been in the same room with a child under 5, and without Abby..."

"She's not goin' anywhere, Tony."

"You don't know that!" He cried, feeling tears threatening to fall. "You...you didn't see her. Didn't see how pale she was."

Pushing himself off the wall, Gibbs walked up to his agent and smacked him upside the head. "You been this way the whole time you've been in here with her?" He asked, motioning toward the sleeping baby.

He looked down, not wanting to see the disappointment that he knew was written on the older man's face. "I can't do it without her." Dropping his head into his hands, he sobbed loudly, unable to hold back his emotions.

"Ah, hell, DiNozzo." Gibbs sighed, running a tired hand over his face. He sat on the arm of the chair Tony was in and wrapped his arm around the younger man's shoulders awkwardly, pulling him close. "She'll be okay. You know better than to think she'd leave you alone with a baby to raise."

He sat with him until the Italian's body stopped shaking, patting him on the shoulder reassuringly. Standing up, he turned toward the crib the little girl was sleeping in and picked her up, securing her in his arms before turning back to Tony.

"Sit up, DiNozzo." He demanded, taking a knee in front of his chair. He lifted the infant onto his shoulder, cradling her against his chest with one hand as he positioned Tony's arms. "One like this, to support her head, and one like this, to hold her body. Here."

The brunette watched nervously as his boss placed the infant in his arms, tucking the pink blanket around her tightly before standing up. "That's your little girl, Tony."

"Yeah...she is, huh?"

Britty watched the two men from the window momentarily before she poked her head in, knocking on the door quietly. "Hey." She whispered, afraid she was going to wake the sleeping newborn.

"Hey." Tony replied, not taking his eyes off of the infant in his arms.

Gibbs nodded to her in welcome and she stepped further into the room, looking at her niece over the Italian's shoulder. *Thank you.* She signed, glancing up at the silver-haired agent, pleased that he had talked the Italian into holding his daughter.

She had been checking in on the older man every few minutes, hoping that he would decide to hold the little girl. When he never did, she had been tempted to barge in and explain the importance of bonding, but she didn't want to overstep her bounds. She felt he had enough on his plate without her putting additional stress on him.

*Not a problem.* He signed back. *How is she?*

Britty nodded, a half smile skirting across her face before she pressed a gentle kiss to the baby's forehead. "Abby's out of surgery, Tony. She'll be up in recovery in a few minutes, so if you wanna meet her up there..."

He looked up at her, his eyes searching hers for any bad news. "How is she?"

"I haven't seen her, but the doctor says she'll be fine. They fixed the problem, and short of her needing to take it easy for a few extra days, she'll be back to normal in no time." She pointed to the baby, smiling brightly. "Can I? When the nurse comes back I'll have them bring her up to Abby's room."

The Italian nodded, pressing a soft kiss to his daughter's head before he allowed the redhead to lift the newborn out of his arms. "I'm gonna go..." He said, addressing his boss as he looked toward the door.

"Go on, DiNozzo. We'll bring her up in a bit."

He nodded and exited the room, taking the elevator to the recovery floor. Once upstairs, he asked the head nurse which room his girl was in before heading down the hall and pausing outside of her room. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open, attempting to prepare himself for what he would see.

Walking inside the dark room, his eyes instantly fell on his girl, sleeping on the bed. He made his way over to the side of her bed and sank down into the chair, taking her hand in his. Closing his eyes, he released a sigh of relief, allowing himself a moment to relax now that he knew she was alright.

He jerked involuntarily when his girl's fingers closed around his, squeezing gently. "Abby..." He whispered, his voice low as he watched her eyes flutter open and a small smile cross her face.

"Hey."

"How are you feeling, sunshine?" The Italian asked, reaching up to push her hair back from her face.

"'M tired." She managed, attempting to sit up only to cringe in pain. "Can't do that, I guess."

"Be careful, Abs. Don't wanna pull on your stitches." He said, handing her the control for her bed.

He watched as she adjusted the bed slowly, helping her to sit up straighter. Relaxing back against the pillows, she offered him a sleepy smile. "Where's the baby? Is everything okay with her?"

"She's...she's perfect, Abby." He assured her, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I'll go get her. You gonna be okay?"

"Go get her, please." She responded, nodding. "I'll be fine."

He pushed himself up from the chair with the intention of going to collect their daughter when Britty stepped into the room, Gibbs and Bradley in tow.

"Special delivery!" Britty grinned, carrying the infant in her arms while her husband pushed the small crib into the room. She made her way over to her friend and set the newborn in her arms gently. "She's beautiful, Abby."

"She is, huh?" The Goth whispered, looking down at her daughter. "Gibbs? Why are you here? Don't you have work?"

He chuckled, stepping over to her and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You really think I'd miss this? This is more important than any case, Abs."

She offered him a warm smile. "Wanna hold her? I mean...you don't have to, obviously, but I just thought you might like..."

"It's alright. Held her for a bit in the nursery. Taught DiNozzo how to hold her too." Gibbs explained jokingly. "He looked like he was about to get sick just lookin' at her."

The younger woman laughed quietly, slipping her finger into the newborn's small hand. A bright smile crossed her face as the baby gripped her finger tightly, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked over at her lover.

Bradley nudged his wife's shoulder, getting her attention discreetly. "Maybe we should head home." He whispered, not wanting to intrude on his sister's bonding time.

She nodded in agreement, patting Abby's leg. "I think we're gonna take off, hon. I'm sure Gibbs wants to get some rest, and you need to get yourself some rest."

The silver haired man nodded. "I didn't get a chance to book a hotel before I left, so hopefully I'll find a room."

"Don't be silly. You're staying with us. We have a spare room, and there's no point in you wastin' money on a hotel." Britty insisted, pulling the older man toward the door. "We'll see you guys tomorrow, huh?"

Abby nodded, cradling her daughter close. "Thanks for being here."

"Where else did you think we'd be?" Bradley asked, hugging his sister before kissing her forehead. "Congratulations, you two. You deserve it. Happy New Year."

The couple watched as they exited the room, leaving them alone with their child. They sat in silence for a few minutes, simply watching the sleeping infant, when the raven-haired woman finally spoke up.

"What happened, T?" She whispered, her voice wavering slightly as she looked at their daughter. "W...was it bad?"

He hesitated, reaching for her hand and squeezing gently. "The doctor said that the placenta separated early and they couldn't get the bleeding to stop."

He frowned when he heard the hitch in her breathing, reaching up and turning her chin until she was looking at him. "I was so scared, baby. I...I thought I was gonna lose you." He admitted, his voice deepening with emotion. "I don't know if I can do this. I'm not ready for it."

"Just because I carried her for nine months doesn't mean I'm ready either. All we can do is be good for this baby. We don't have control over much else." Abby said, searching his hazel eyes with hers.

"I don't wanna risk losing you again." The Italian managed, his voice quiet. "Will you at least marry me?"

She paused, taking a deep breath and looking down at their baby. "I...don't know. Not right now."

Tony looked away from her, pushing himself out of the chair and walking to the window.

"I will never leave you again." She reassured him.

"Yeah."

"I promise."

"No, I know." The Italian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You...you're not sure if you want to marry me because you don't wanna get married without your parents there. I get that. You promise never to leave me. Do you promise never to leave our daughter?"

"I promise. I do. Do you promise, that when she talks, you'll listen? Like, really listen, especially when she's scared? And that her fights will be your fights?"

"I do. And do you promise that if I die some embarrassing and boring death that you're gonna tell our baby that her father was killed by Russian soldiers in this intense hand-to-hand combat in an attempt to save the lives of 850 Chechnyan orphans?"

The Goth chuckled. "I do. Chechnyan orphans. I do. I do." She slid over slightly and patted the bed next to her. "C'mere, Tony."

He moved over to the bed and sat next to her, dropping his arm around her shoulders. "I love you, Abby."

She smiled at him, resting her head against his chest. "I love you too, Tony. You know...our daughter needs a name."

"Hmm..." He said, looking down at the newborn. "She looks like an Ethel to me."

Abby smirked. "How about no."

"Now, see? I never get my way."

She rolled her eyes, elbowing him gently before she turned her attention back to the little girl in her arms.

"God, she's beautiful. Just like her Mom." Tony sighed, unable to take his eyes off of his daughter. "She needs a pretty name."

"What do you think about 'Emma'?"

"Emma...I kind of like that." He said with a firm nod. "Emma DiNozzo. Doesn't sound too bad, huh?"

"Nope." She responded, a tired smile forming on her lips. "It's perfect. Just like her."

**January 1, 2011 -- 1200 Hours**

Abby woke up to the sound of Emma's cries from the crib at the end of her bed. When she forced her eyes open, she saw Tony bent over her, quietly begging the infant to stop crying. She could tell that he was trying to keep his voice gentle, waving a little pink bear in front of her face.

"You're aware that you are gonna have to actually pick her up at some point, right?" She asked, adjusting the hospital bed to a sitting position.

The Italian's head jerked up, frowning when he saw that she was awake. "I'm not sure how. I...I just don't wanna hurt her."

"You're not gonna hurt her, Tony."

"And somewhere, deep down inside, I'm sure I know that. But...she's so tiny. Every time I even think about picking her up, the only thing I can see is John Malkovich in 'Of Mice and Men'."

The Goth chuckled, amused by his irrational fear. "Wheel her over here. I'm sure she's just hungry."

He nodded and pushed the small plastic crib to the side of his girl's bed, thankful that she didn't insist on him picking their daughter up. He watched carefully as Abby leaned over as best she could and lifted the newborn out of the crib, quieting her almost immediately.

"That's a good girl. Are you hungry, my angel?" She cooed, tucking the infant into her arm as she began to nurse her. "See? Just hungry."

"Well, I wouldn't have been able to do *that* anyway." Tony smirked, leaning down and kissing her lips. "Did you sleep alright?"

"I hope so, because I've got enough chocolate chip pancakes to feed an army." Bradley said, entering the room. "How's my baby sister this fine afternoon? My niece has already put you to work, I see."

"Yeah. We just woke up, actually." She smiled. "T, could you pass me the baby blanket on the dresser?"

"Sure thing." He said, picking up the blanket and draping it over Abby's shoulder, covering their daughter as she nursed. "You didn't have to bring breakfast, Bradley."

"Nonsense. This is a Sciuto New Year tradition." The older man replied, looking over his shoulder for his wife. "B! C'mon, I need the plates."

The redhead came into the room a second later, Jack and Gibbs following closely behind.

"How'd ya sleep, sweetie?" Britty asked, handing the plates to Jack and hurrying over to the bed, smiling at her friend.

"Not too bad. Still sore." Abby responded, peeking over her sister-in-law's shoulder to smile at her nephew. "Hi, Jackie."

The boy offered his aunt a shy smile. "Can I hold her?"

"Yep. Let me finish feeding her, okay?"

He nodded, smiling brightly as he moved to help his father serve breakfast, passing the pancake-filled plates around the room. The infant emerged from behind the pink blanket a moment later and was immediately moved to Abby's shoulder to be burped. Emma let a loud belch out after a few seconds, making Tony's eyes go wide.

"I didn't know something so little could make such a big noise."

Everyone chuckled, starting to eat their pancakes. "She's puttin' you to shame already, DiNozzo, and she's not even a full day old." Gibbs chided, settling against the window with his breakfast.

"Still wanna hold her, Jackie?" She asked, taking the newborn off her shoulder.

Jack grinned and set his plate down, heading over to sit on the bed where his aunt had cleared a spot for him. She leaned forward carefully and placed Emma in her nephew's arms, smiling when he cradled her close to his chest.

"She's so little." He said, rocking her gently. "What's her name?"

"Emma is her first name." The Goth responded. "And her middle name is Marie, after your Nana."

"What a sweet name." Britty gushed, running a hand over her sister-in-law's arm. "It fits her well."

"You held her any more yet, Tony?" Bradley asked, seeing the Italian eye his son jealously.

He shook his head, looking away embarrassed. He inwardly cursed himself for not holding his daughter. *After all...* He thought, pushing the pancake around on his plate. *What kind of father is afraid to hold his baby?*

"Leave him alone, you guys." Abby spoke up, taking her lover's hand and lacing their fingers together reassuringly. "Besides, BB, I seem to remember another new father that was hesitant to hold his son just 12 short years ago."

"I...well, that's different."

"How so? It took you three days before you could even look at him without turning green, you were so scared." She glanced down at her daughter and smirked. "Someone needs a diaper change. Gibbs, could you pass one of the diapers from my bag?"

"DiNozzo, with me." Gibbs said, pulling a diaper and some wipes out of the bag and walking around the bed to the infant, Tony right behind him. "Lesson one, Tony. Diaper changing."

The women chuckled. "Gibbs, it's okay. I can change her, it's really not a problem."

"He's gotta learn sometime, Abby, and sooner is better than later." The silver haired man said, lifting the baby out of Jack's arms.

He laid the infant down on the bed and pulled Tony over so he was standing right in front of her. "Okay, so first you have to unbutton her shirt."

"Boss, I...I don't know if this is such a good idea. I thought, you know, I'd watch you do it." He protested, trying to pull away.

The older man's hand connected with the back of his head and he stilled instantly. "You're doin' this. No better way to learn than hands on."

Gibbs walked his senior agent through the intricacies of changing a diaper one step at a time, taking note of his shaking hands despite Abby's encouragement. He imagined that having the whole group watching him wasn't helping Tony's nerves, and when he finally fastened his daughter's onesie back up, he had a clear look of relief on his face.

Bradley raised his hands and started clapping, only to be elbowed in the side by his wife. "Ow! I wasn't trying to me mean!"

"It's okay, Britty." Tony said, plastering a smile on his face as he looked down at his little girl.

"I was bein' serious, Tony. I didn't change one of Jack's diapers until he was almost 6 months old because I was scared to."

"Really?" He asked, his eyes returning to Emma as she squirmed on the bed.

"Gonna just leave her there, DiNozzo?" Gibbs questioned, nudging his agent gently. "Pick her up."

"I don't..."

"Same way I showed ya last night. Just make sure you support her head. You're not gonna hurt her."

Tony took a deep breath, looking back at his daughter.

"Go on."

Nodding, Tony reached down, carefully lifting the baby into his arms. He swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest as he cradled her against him.

Abby could feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she watched her Italian with their daughter. Though she'd never admit it to anyone, she'd been concerned about how Tony would adjust to having a newborn, but as she watched him looking down at Emma lovingly, she knew they would be just fine.

**Chapter Twenty-Four -- Different Day**

**Five Weeks Later -- February 6, 2011**

Tony groaned as he opened his eyes, hearing his daughter's gurgling in his ear. Sitting up slowly, he rubbed a hand over his face, trying to clear his hazy vision.

"Mornin' baby." He smiled sleepily, leaning over and kissing Abby before lifting the infant out of her arms. "Hi, angel. How's Daddy's girl?"

"Oh, she's Daddy's girl all of a sudden?" The Goth joked, making herself comfortable on their bed.

"Well, sure, why wouldn't she be?" He grinned, tickling the baby. "She loves me."

Abby rolled her eyes and watched her lover as he cuddled Emma. She had been amazed by his transformation over the past five weeks, from the man who had been afraid to look at his daughter to being the one who changed her diapers and held her when she cried.

She grinned, watching as he cradled the infant against his bare chest. She chuckled when he yelped, Emma's little fingers grabbing his hair and pulling. "You ever gonna learn your lesson about holding her without a shirt on?" She asked, curling up next to him.

"No, probably not." He admitted, draping his arm over the raven-haired woman's shoulder. "How long have you two been up?"

"Maybe an hour?" She shrugged. "Fed her, gave her a bath, you know."

"Why didn't you wake me? I would've gotten up with you."

"I know you would've, but I wanted to let you sleep in." She sat up and swung her legs off the side of the bed. "I've got an appointment at 10 and I need you to watch the baby."

"Sure thing, sweetheart. We'll go out to lunch when we leave the office."

"I don't wanna take Em out in this weather. We don't have any clothes warm enough for her."

He sat up a little straighter, gaping at her. "You aren't...I can't..."

"You'll be fine."

"Abby!"

"She's your daughter, Tony!" Abby cried, pulling her nightgown over her head and walking into the bathroom. "She's been fed and bathed, you don't have to do anything but hold her. And maybe change her diaper."

"I don't know, Abs. I've never been left alone with her." Tony hesitated, entering the bathroom with the baby still in his arms. "What if something happens?"

"Jesus." The Goth mumbled, sighing before she replied to him from behind the shower curtain. "Seriously, T? I'm gonna be gone for an hour."

He looked down at their daughter, noticing that she had fallen asleep in his arms. "I know its stupid, okay? I just don't wanna mess up."

"You're not gonna mess up." She reassured him.

He nodded, trying to think of a reason why he was unable to stay home alone with the infant. Abby stepped out of the shower a few minutes later and wrapped a towel around herself, jarring him from his thoughts.

"Look at her, Tony. She loves her Daddy." She leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek, drying her hair as she exited the bathroom.

"Y'know baby, we should probably go out and buy her some snow clothes anyway. I mean, we'll be headed back to DC soon, and you know we get our coldest weather in February."

Abby didn't respond, dropping the towel from her body as she pulled an outfit from the dresser. She had lost most of the baby weight, and she was already fitting back into her old clothes.

"I'm serious, Abs."

She pulled her skirt on and turned to look at him. "I know, T. I promise I'll be back soon. It looks like she'll probably sleep the whole time I'm gone."

He offered her a look of defeat as she brushed past him, heading into the bathroom to brush her hair. When she came out again a minute later, he was sitting on the edge of their bed, cradling Emma close to his chest. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead before kissing her lover deeply.

"I have faith in you, baby. You know how to take care of our girl." She said, running a hand through his soft brown hair, trying to reassure him. "I'll grab a pizza on my way back, okay?"

Tony nodded, watching as the younger woman headed out of their bedroom and downstairs. Closing his eyes at the sound of the front door closing, he shifted slightly on the edge of the bed, cringing when the sound of his daughter's cries echoed in his ears.

"So much for sleeping while Mommy's gone, huh?" He grumbled, looking down at the little girl in his arms. "You really couldn't have just stayed asleep?"

Easing off the bed carefully, he made his way over to the changing table in the corner of the bedroom, hoping that a quick diaper change would be all the little girl needed.

"Shhh...there's no need to make all this noise." He scolded gently.

Laying her down on the table, he unbuttoned her pajamas and rolled them up underneath her before reaching down and pulling out a diaper from under the table. He changed her as quickly as he could, anxious for her crying to stop.

"Hey, hey...it's alright. All done." He cooed, cradling the infant in his arms again.

It had surprised him how easily he slipped into the role of father, but he had to admit that having Gibbs around for the first few days helped a lot. The older man had taught him almost everything he needed to know in order to help take care of his daughter, and for that he felt indebted to him.

He frowned when he looked down at her, seeing the big wet streaks on cheeks as she cried. "Emma...it's alright, baby girl. Daddy's here."

She finally calmed down a little bit, her cries subsiding to hiccups. "That's a girl." He whispered, rocking her gently as he brushed her tears away. He returned to the bed with her, relaxing against the pillows and flipping through the channels.

Tony dropped his head back against the pillow when she started crying again a while later, sighing heavily before pushing himself off the bed. He tried walking the length of the room, hoping that the movement would calm her.

"What's the matter, baby? Tell Daddy what's wrong." He pleaded, brushing his finger over her cheek lightly. She turned her face toward the touch, taking his finger into her little mouth and suckling, her tears drying up almost immediately.

"Oh, you're hungry...see? That wasn't so hard." The Italian smiled. "Let's go see if Mommy left you a bottle, huh?"

He carried his little girl downstairs, the sound of her little sniffles tugging at his heart. Hurrying into the kitchen, he pulled the refrigerator open, grinning when he spotted the bottles in the door.

"Here we go, baby." He grinned, carrying it over to the microwave. Her cries intensified as he waited for her bottle to heat up and he couldn't help but say a silent prayer of thanks when it beeped.

Pulling it out, he shook it quickly before pulling the top off. He shifted her in his arms and held the bottle to her lips, grinning when she started to drink.

She finished the small bottle quickly, her little eyes getting heavier with each passing second. The Italian set the empty bottle aside and put a dish towel on his bare shoulder, propping his daughter against it like Abby had shown him.

He alternated between rubbing and patting her back, trying to make the little girl burp. He heard the gurgling in her stomach first, making him flinch. He pulled her away from his shoulder, checking to see that she was okay, when she vomited on his chest.

"Oh..." He hesitated, not knowing what to do. She started crying again as he held her away from him, not wanting to get her dirty. "Shit, shit, shit." He cursed, nearly chuckling when his daughter stopped crying and looked at him curiously, her green eyes wide. "Daddy didn't mean that. Don't tell Mommy."

Moving into the living room, he set Emma into her bouncy seat and grabbed the phone off of the counter, dialing Abby's number as he used the dish towel to clean off his chest. He was suddenly thankful for his time spent in autopsy and the smells that accompanied the dead bodies, not having known they would come in handy when dealing with baby puke.

He picked up his phone and called Abby, not wanting to take any chances when it came to their little princess.

"What is it, Tony?" She answered, her voice irritated.

"Emma threw up all her milk. Like, projectile vomit." He said, frowning at her tone.

"Just clean it up. I'm sure she's fine, she spits up all the time."

He sighed. "I've never seen her spit up like that before, Abby. I'm concerned."

"Okay." She conceded, rolling her eyes as she listened to him. "Walk me through it. What was she doing?"

"She drank her bottle, then there was this weird gurgling noise that came from her stomach when I was trying to burp her. When I pulled her back to see if anything was wrong, she threw up on me."

"You burped her wrong, baby. Remember, I showed you? You have to pat and rub her back." Abby explained, her voice softening at the sound of her lover's distress.

"I did!" He defended. "How can you know that I messed up? You abandoned us here!"

His heart broke at the sound of her sob through the phone and before he had the opportunity to apologize, he was met with a dial tone.

"Fuck." He cursed, sinking onto the couch next to the small bouncing chair Emma had fallen asleep in, dropping his head into his hands.

**An Hour Later**

Abby came into the house and slammed the door behind her, a look that seemed torn between anger and sadness on her face. She stepped into the living room to find her lover laying on the couch, half awake, cradling their daughter closely as she slept.

The Goth felt the tears welling up in her eyes again as she made her way over to the couch, lifting Emma off of Tony's chest gently.

"Hey!" He cried, sitting up, completely awake. He relaxed when he realized it was just his girl, though his face fell when he saw the single tear slide down her cheek.

"Abby." He tried, pushing himself up from the couch as she started out of the room. "Abby, wait a minute. I wanna talk to you."

"I have nothing to say to you." She responded, her voice wavering slightly as she hurried up the stairs, Emma still cradled in her arms.

"Abby, please! I didn't mean what I said earlier! I was worried about Emma!"

"An hour and a half, Tony! That's all I needed from you! An hour and a half so I could get out of this damn house by myself, away from everything and you couldn't even give me that!"

He stopped in his tracks when she hurried into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. He could hear the tell-tale sign of the lock sliding into place followed by a quiet sob.

"Abby...baby, please. I panicked!"

He received no response from her, and after a moment he rested his forehead against the door. "I...guess I'll go downstairs. If you wanna talk, let me know." He turned and headed back down stairs, flipping on the TV. Settling on the couch, he closed his eyes and allowed the infomercial on the TV to become white noise as he thought about what he could do to help his girl.

**1645 Hours**

The front door swung open to Bradley and Britty returning home, making Tony nearly jump off the couch as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Looking over at the clock, he realized that he had been sleeping for over 5 hours, since Abby came back from the doctor.

"Hey, Tony. Where are Abs and Emma?"

He didn't look up at the redhead, instead focusing on the TV. "Yeah, she just got here. She's upstairs, maybe you'll have better luck talking to her."

"What happened?" She asked, sitting on the couch next to him.

"Emma threw up while she was gone and I panicked, so I called her. I...told her she abandoned us and..."

"Tony! What were you thinking telling her something like that?!"

"She started it, alright? Accusing me of making Em sick."

Britty scoffed. "What are we, Tony, 8? You know that two wrongs don't make a right. Besides, I doubt she was blaming you for what happened to Emma."

Tony dropped his head into his hands. "I don't know what's wrong with her lately, B. I...she's changed."

The redhead sighed, patting the older man's knee. "The past few weeks have been as hard on her as they have been on you, Tony. I'll go talk to her, okay?"

He nodded, watching as she headed upstairs to the bedroom he shared with the raven-haired woman and their daughter. Once she reached the door, she knocked quietly, hearing the baby whimpering inside.

"Abby? Its Britty. Can I come in?"

She waited patiently outside the door until she heard the lock slide off. Opening the door slowly, she stepped into the bedroom and shut the door behind her, leaning against it.

The Goth made her way back to the window seat with her daughter in her arms, sobbing as she looked out onto the street.

"Hey...everything okay with you, sweetie?"

"I sh...shouldn't have left today." Abby managed, shifting Emma in her arms in an attempt to stop the little girl's cries. "I...I left them here and she...I can't...she won't stop crying. Why won't she stop cryin', B?"

"Okay, well first of all, you need to calm down, okay?" Britty said gently as she crossed the room, lifting the baby out of her sister-in-law's arms, despite the Goth's weak protests. "You're upset and she can tell. It's making *her* upset."

Reaching up, Abby swiped at the tears on her cheeks, sniffling as the infant quieted down almost immediately. "Sh...she hates me!"

"She does not hate you, Abby. Don't be dumb." Carrying the baby over to the bed, Britty laid her down gently before turning back to her friend, eyeing her carefully. "What's goin' on with you?"

"I don't...I don't know. I just...I don't..." She covered her face with her hands, another sob escaping her. "I thought I was gonna be ready for this. I thought...I don't know. I'm tired, B and I...I can't even think straight." She cried.

Releasing a quiet sigh, Britty crossed the space between them and wrapped Abby in her arms, hugging her tightly. "You do know it's okay to ask for help, right Abby? No one is expecting you to do this by yourself."

"But I should be able to!" She cried. "I shouldn't...feel annoyed when she wakes up in the middle of the night and I shouldn't feel angry when she pees in her fucking diaper right after I change her!"

"It happens, Abs. You don't remember when Jack was born?" She asked. "When Bradley had to go to New York to meet with the sellers so we could get the shop started?"

The Goth sniffled. "I came and stayed to help you with him. But...you weren't gettin' mad at him."

"Why do you think I asked you to stay? I could barely look at him without wanting to cry, Abby. It didn't help that BB left so soon after he was born. I'm just fortunate that you were there to help."

Abby nodded, looking out the window again. "I feel like I'm failing her, Britty. Like...she deserves better."

She wrapped her arms around her friend tighter, shushing her. "You're doing a great job. Just...let us help you, huh? BB and I will take Em tonight. You and Tony can have a night to yourselves."

"I...I don't know. He's probably mad at me now too."

"He's worried about you." Pushing herself up from the window seat, she returned to the bed and picked the little girl up before turning back to Abby. "Say 'night night' to Mommy Emma." She smiled, waving the little girl's hand for her.

"B...really, you don't..."

"Its not a discussion, Abby. Go out tonight. Reconnect with Tony. Let him in." She offered her a reassuring smile. "You guys are goin' back to DC soon...I'm not sendin' you back broken."

"Th...thanks, B. I..."

"You don't have to thank me, Abs. Consider it payback. I'll send Tony up." The redhead said, leaving her sister-in-law alone in the bedroom.

She walked down the stairs and into the living room, seeing both Tony and her husband sitting on the couch.

"Hey." Bradley greeted, pulling her down onto his lap gently. "And you've got the princess." He grinned, kissing his niece's forehead.

"How's Abby?" The Italian asked, watching as Britty cradled his daughter. "Is she alright?"

"You should go talk to her, Tony. Bradley and I are gonna take Emma tonight, so you guys can have a chance to get some stuff ironed out before you head back to Washington."

"We are?" Bradley asked, chuckling when his wife elbowed him gently. "I mean...of course we are!"

"What's wrong, B? Did I do something to upset her?"

She sighed quietly, looking him over carefully. "Its not my place to say anything, Tony. You need to talk to Abby about it."

He nodded, pushing himself off the couch and heading toward the stairs. He couldn't help but be nervous about what his girl planned on saying to him. When he entered the room, he heard the water running in the bathroom.

"Baby?" He called, walking over to the closed door. "You okay?"

Abby opened the door and smiled at him, reaching up to press a kiss to his lips. "Hey. I...I'm sorry about earlier, T."

He pulled her against his chest, smoothing her hair back. "Its okay. I'm just worried about you, sunshine. Is everything okay?"

She kept her head down, breathing in his scent through his tshirt. "I...I don't know."

Tony felt her tense under his fingers, a quiet whimper escaping her as she tried to hold herself together. "Shh...its okay, Abs. Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Its...I wish it were that easy." She mumbled, pulling away from him. "Its not something I can explain."

"Well, is there something I can do to help?"

The Goth shook her head, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Just...stay with me?"

He made his way over to the bed and sat next to her, pulling the younger woman into his lap. "I'm right here, baby."

She curled up against him and whimpered, making herself look far younger than her 35 years. Tony frowned as he looked down at her, wanting nothing more than to take away her pain, to see her smile again.

He held her for about a half an hour before her tears finally subsided, feeling her relax against his chest.

"Feelin' better?" He asked quietly, running his hand over her back.

She nodded, leaning back a little and wiping her cheeks. "'M sorry."

"Hey, don't be." He offered her a smile, cupping her face in his hands. "You know what? Get dressed. I'm taking you out to dinner."

"I don't know, T." Abby said, slipping off his lap. "I don't really feel like going out."

"C'mon, baby. We've got a sitter, who knows when we'll have that again once we get back to DC?"

She looked up at him, cocking an eyebrow. "I don't have anything to wear, T. I haven't gone shopping since I had the baby."

"Well, good thing I picked this up for you then, huh?" He smirked, walking over to their closet and pulling out a dress bag.

"What'd you do? Measure me in my sleep?"

"I've proven on multiple occasions that I can tell a woman's measurements from a mile away. You can thank Gibbs and years of crime scene sketching for that."

She watched as he laid the bag out on the bed and made his way back to the closet, pulling out his favorite suit. "You get dressed. I'll see you downstairs, okay?"

The Goth nodded, looking down at the dress hesitantly. She waited until he closed the door behind him before she picked up the dress, glancing down at the pretty green material. She appreciated the offer, but as she looked at the low-cut bust, she wasn't too sure about the whole thing.

With a resigned sigh, she carried the dress into the bathroom, hanging it on the back of the door while she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She frowned, taking in the dark circles under her eyes before she turned away, reaching for the dress.

She had to admit that Tony had done a pretty good job picking out the size, but she couldn't help but stare critically at herself as she turned, checking her reflection in the mirror. The dress was a little tighter than she would have liked, but she highly doubted that trying to get out of the evening would go over very well with the Italian.

It didn't take long for Abby to fix her hair and make up, and in less than an hour she made her way down the stairs slowly, hoping that Tony wasn't too disappointed in her appearance. Releasing a quiet sigh as she stepped off the bottom step, she headed into the living room, biting her lip nervously.

Tony was the first one to notice her entrance, and with a bright smile, he pushed himself up from the couch, looking her over appreciatively. "Very nice." He commented, his grin widening at the slight blush on her cheeks.

"The dress is too tight." She complained.

"Nope, it's perfect. Besides, I wanted to show you off. Do you know how many women would kill to have your figure just weeks after having a baby?"

"Yeah, I know I'm jealous." Britty teased, rocking Emma gently. "It took me forever to lose all my baby weight from Jackie."

The younger woman smiled. "It didn't take you that long."

"It took me a lot longer than the 5 weeks it took you." She smiled. "So knock off this self-conscious act and be proud of your body. You didn't even lose your boobs, which I'm sure Tony's happy about."

The Italian grinned. "Mmhmm. I do love your boobs, baby."

"Yeah, so does your daughter." She chuckled, elbowing him gently.

"Well, what can I say? She's Daddy's girl."

"You can be a real pig sometimes, you know that, T?"

He shrugged, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her. "Maybe, but you love me anyway. Now, c'mon, sexy woman." He said, smacking her on the bottom gently. "I managed to get an 8 o'clock reservation."

Abby pulled herself away from him and walked over to her sister-in-law, picking her daughter up out of her arms. "You really wanna leave her here?" She said, looking over at her lover as he tugged his jacket on.

"If it means a night alone with you, then yes." He smiled, walking over and pressing a kiss to his little girl's forehead. "Mommy and Daddy will be back in a while." He whispered, lifting the infant out of her mother's arms and handing her back to Britty. "Now, come on."

Tony pulled her toward the door as she resisted weakly, looking over her shoulder at her brother. "I pumped last night, so there's a few bottles in the fridge. All you have to do is warm 'em..."

"Abby. We have it under control. Go and have dinner, Emma will be fine." Her brother said, walking them toward the door. "Now go."

He led his girl out to the car, unable to stop the silly grin that formed on his face as he helped her into the passenger seat.

The ride to the restaurant was quiet, for the most part, though it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Pulling into the parking lot at the restaurant, he shifted the car into park before jumping out of the car and making his way over to Abby's door.

"Gimme your cell." The Italian demanded, his voice light as he offered his hand to her.

"What? No! What if something hap..."

He covered her mouth with his hand, waving a finger in front of her face. "No, no, no. We're gonna enjoy our meal. That doesn't include you calling Bradley every 10 minutes to check on Em."

"Tony..."

"No. Please, Abs. Can we just have a night to ourselves? They don't need the stress of us calling and you don't need it either."

"Okay." She pouted, handing him the small device from her purse. "But I'm not happy about it."

"Didn't ask you to be. I just wanna have my girl relax and spend a night thinking about nothing."

"You're turnin' into Gibbs, you know that?"

He smirked. "You think?"

The Goth rolled her eyes and allowed him to drape his jacket over her shoulders before lacing his fingers through hers. They entered the restaurant and were seated almost immediately.

"This is a nice place." She smiled, still holding his hand.

Tony nodded, glancing over his menu before setting it aside. "Bradley told me about it. I guess one of his buddies from high school opened it a few months ago."

They settled into a comfortable silence as their waiter came and took their order before bringing an appetizer and a bottle of wine, compliments of the owner.

"So, what did your doctor say today? Did you talk to him about goin' back to DC?"

Abby hesitated, thankful when their waiter came back with their food in his hands. She waited until he was gone before looking back at Tony.

"He said that I'm almost completely healed. Still no heavy lifting for awhile, and nothing too physically exerting, but he said we can go back."

The older man sensed her hesitancy, and reached over to cover her hand with his. "Hey. You alright?"

Abby shook her head and squeezed his hand. "I'm fine. Just..."

"You don't wanna go back."

"I want to, I just...I wish I could be in both places at the same time."

He moved his chair to the side of the table and placed his arm over her shoulder pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her head. "I know, baby. But hey..." He smiled, tipping her chin up. "I promise we'll come back, okay? Every holiday, if you want."

"What about work, T? We can't just pick up and go whenever we want, not where we work."

He kissed her, succeeding in silencing her worries. "Let me deal with that, okay, Abs? I made you a promise, and I'll keep it."

She smiled, pulling away from him and taking a sip of her wine. "I knew I was keeping you around for a reason, DiNozzo."

"Oh, my rugged good looks and overwhelming charm aren't enough for you?"

"You're overwhelming, alright." She smiled and took a bite of her lobster. "Mmm...now, I missed that."

They ate slowly, gradually relaxing as their meal progressed. Tony took her hand in his about halfway through the meal and leaned over to kiss her gently.

"You are beautiful, Abby."

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "You're just sayin' that."

"What are you tellin' me?" He asked, brushing his thumb over her cheek. "I'm not allowed to tell my girl, the mother of my daughter, that she's beautiful without having a motive?"

Abby chuckled and looked down at her plate, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

"Hey, hey." The Italian whispered, wiping her tear away. "How am I supposed to take you out to a movie when you're tryin' to streak your makeup?"

"Tony..." She said, looking back at him. "We can't just leave Em with them all night. I'm sure they're expecting us soon."

"Hardly." He smiled. "They've got her porta-crib in their room, we're not seeing her for more than a goodnight kiss until morning. I have every intention of showing you just how beautiful I think you are."

They chatted quietly while they finished their meal, both realizing how much time they had spent apart over the past few weeks. Tony paid the bill and helped Abby out of her seat, leading her out to the car with a gentle hand to the small of her back.

"Oh, look!" She gasped, leaning against the passenger door and pointing into the sky. "A shooting star."

The brunette watched as his girl closed her eyes tightly, making a wish. He crossed the small distance between them and cupped her chin in his hand, smiling when her eyes fluttered open.

"What'd you wish for?"

She grinned at him. "I can't tell you. It won't come true."

He ducked his head and pressed a kiss to her lips, smirking against her when he felt her hands on his collar, pulling his body flush to hers. His hands settled on her hips when they separated, leaving both of them panting lightly.

"I..." He started, swallowing hard as she played with the open collar on his shirt. "I vote for skipping the movie."

"You just wanna get in my pants." Abby chuckled, kissing his jaw.

"Well...you're not wearing pants, so..." He trailed off, kissing her again. "Besides, I'm missing my princess."

She looked up at him, a flash of surprise crossing her face. "You? Anthony DiNozzo? Choosing a baby over a movie?" She put her hand on his forehead. "You feelin' alright?"

"Haha, very funny." He teased, leaning against her again. "C'mon, I think I know a warm bed with our name on it."

He helped her into the car and they headed back to the house, finding Britty and Bradley sleeping on the couch, Emma cradled against the redhead's chest.

"B...we're home." Abby whispered, touching her sister-in-law gently, not wanting to startle her.

She sat up carefully, smiling at the couple. "Hey. You guys are back early."

"We missed our little girl." Tony spoke up, wrapping his arms around Abby's waist.

"Uh huh." Britty said, eyeing them carefully. "Okay, 5 minutes with her, then BB and I are taking her upstairs. You two are getting the *whole* night to yourselves."

She handed the raven-haired woman the little girl and turned back to her husband, waking him up.

"Wake up, baby. Abby and Tony are home."

He groaned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "You two gonna screw tonight or what?" He asked, watching as they fawned over their daughter.

The Goth looked over at him, an eyebrow cocked.

"What?" He asked, shrugging. "I've got 20 bucks ridin' on this."

"Well, if you must know..." Tony smirked, looking over at the older man.

He raised his hands, shaking his head. "You know what? I changed my mind. I actually enjoyed my dinner tonight, but not enough to revisit it."

"Bradley!" His wife said, elbowing him before lifting the baby out of Abby's arms. "Okay, time for bed, little one. Mommy and Daddy have business to take care of."

They watched as Bradley made his way upstairs with his wife following him, carrying Emma. When they were out of sight, Tony turned to his girl and smiled, placing his hands on her hips.

"So, Miss Sciuto..."

"Yes, Mr. DiNozzo?" She asked, running her hand over the stubble on his chin.

He offered her a grin before he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. A quiet moan escaped her as she reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his.

"Tony..." She managed breathlessly when they pulled apart. "Upstairs?"

Not needing to be told twice, he lifted his girl into his arms, laughing at her quiet squeal before he headed upstairs to take advantage of their alone time.

**Later That Night**

"Mmm..." Abby moaned quietly, running her fingers through Tony's hair as he held himself above her.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" He asked, nipping at her collarbone. He smirked when he felt her shiver underneath him.

She shook her head, eyes getting heavier with each passing minute. "I don't think you could hurt me if you tried."

"There was that one time..." He corrected, groaning as he rolled to her side, pulling the Goth close to him.

She giggled. "We both got hurt that time, but we learned our lesson about sex with cooking utensils on the counter."

"Eh, that's true." Tony wrapped his arm around her bare waist, pressing a deep kiss to her lips before whispering in her ear. "Do you know how special you are?"

She smiled sleepily, snuggling her head against his chest. "I know how special you make me feel."

"Well, you are." He ran his hand up her side. "You're beautiful, and a great mother, and...I'm glad you're mine."

She smacked him playfully, her green eyes looking into his hazel ones. "Did you pick up a 'Romance for Dummies' book or something? What's with you tryin' to reassure me so much lately?"

He shrugged, glancing away from her, slightly embarrassed. "I just...know you've been having a hard time with stuff. You know, since Emma came. I don't want you to forget that I'm here...if you wanna talk."

It was the Goth's turn to be embarrassed, her cheeks flushing. "I know you are. And I'm sorry I haven't been coming to you, but..."

"You don't have to explain, Abs. I understand."

She kissed his chest and hugged him tighter. "I'm scared, T. Sometimes I wanna cry, other times...I get so angry." She paused, looking up at him and smiling weakly when he smoothed her hair back. "I'm sorry if I've been pushing you away."

He cupped her cheek gently, brushing his thumb over the tears that were forming under her eyes. "I haven't been the best, I'm sure." He chuckled. "The stunt I pulled today definitely wasn't very supportive of me."

"You didn't..."

The Italian shook his head, pressing a finger to her lips. "Shh. I promise not to feel guilty about today if you promise to let me help you with Em more."

She was quiet for a minute, burying her face in his chest. "Okay." She managed, her voice thick with emotion. "Okay...I promise."

"Good." Leaning down, he pressed a kiss into her hair and smiled, pulling her closer to him. "Let's get some sleep, huh? I think we both could use a good night's rest."

Tony pulled the blankets up over them and nuzzled her cheek, listening carefully as her breathing slowed. He followed her into sleep moments later, their bodies tangled together in a heap of limbs.

**Chapter Twenty-Five -- Heaven**

**Two Weeks Later -- February 20, 2011**

Tony groaned when the alarm clock started blaring in his ear, startling him awake. Rolling over, he swatted the offending device with his hand, sending it flying off the opposite end of the small nightstand.

"It's way too fuckin' early for this shit." He mumbled, pushing himself up to a sitting position. He glanced down at his girl, still sleeping soundly at his side, her hair spread over their pillows. "Good to know that she still sleeps like a rock."

Abby didn't move a muscle as he slipped off the bed and walked to the corner of the room to check on their daughter. She was wide awake, looking up at him with a big smile on her face. "You have a surprise for Daddy, don't you, princess?"

The little girl gurgled her response and he leaned down to pick her up out of the crib, wrinkling his nose at the smell. "Aww...lucky me." He said sarcastically, smiling as he laid her on the changing table and opened her diaper. "And it's not even my birthday!"

Emma gurgled again, grasping his finger in her pudgy little hand when he put it within her grasp.

"How am I supposed to resist your charms?" He chuckled, finishing the diaper change and cradling her against his chest. "Alrighty, you wanna help Daddy finish packing, or go see if Auntie Britty is awake yet?"

Glancing down at the little girl in his arms, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, deciding to see if Britty or Bradley were awake. While the majority of their packing was finished, he wanted to make sure that they had everything and he knew that would be easier if someone else was watching Emma. Besides, he was sure that his girl's family would want to spend as much time with the baby as possible before they flew out for DC later that afternoon.

The Italian made his way downstairs and wasn't too surprised to see Britty sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee while Bradley scrambled some eggs for their breakfast. "Good morning, guys."

"G'morning, Tony." The redhead greeted, smiling brightly as she reached for the infant he was carrying. "Abby still sleeping?"

He nodded, stepping into the kitchen and pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Yeah. I got some packing to finish, and she needs to get her rest. I'm sure we're gonna have visitors 'til all hours tonight."

"Well, of course!" Britty said, tickling her niece. "Who wouldn't want to see this angel?"

"I would say they'll spoil her rotten, but after the diaper I just changed, I'm pretty sure she already is." He chuckled, drinking the strong coffee quickly. "Alright. Time to work." Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead. "You be good for your Auntie and Uncle."

"She will be." Bradley said, taking the infant's bottle out of the refrigerator and handing it to his wife.

Tony nodded and went back up the stairs, pulling out the last empty suitcase from the closet. They had most of their belongings shipped back to DC already, seeing as Abby had driven with them in the back of her no-longer-existent hearse.

He started pulling the clothes out of the dresser, being sure to set the maternity clothes aside for Britty. The suitcase was a messy heap when he was done with it, but before Abby could wake up and insist on folding every piece, he zipped it up and took it downstairs.

He dropped it next to their other luggage that was waiting near the door and entered the living room with a sigh. "There." He said triumphantly, plopping down in the recliner across from his girl's brother. "Done."

The slightly older man glanced at him quickly before returning his attention to the video game he was playing. "So, did you actually *pack* the suitcases, or did you just throw all the clothes in there?"

The Italian flushed slightly, peeking at the suitcases near the door. "You know...I packed 'em."

"Yeah." Bradley snorted, pausing the game and dropping the controller on the coffee table. "That's what I thought." He stood up and carried the luggage into the living room, dropping one in front of the younger man. "We're repacking. I do not wanna hear it from B when Abby calls her tonight after she sees these."

They sat silently and unpacked the suitcases, folding the clothes neatly and placing them back inside, making sure that Abby would be happy with the result. They were almost done when Abby came down the stairs, calling for her lover.

"In here, baby." He said, immediately regretting his decision to call her in when he saw the look on Bradley's face.

"You're on your own." The older man whispered, getting up from the couch and heading for the kitchen.

The Goth entered the living room and sat on the couch, looking at their luggage curiously. "What's up with these?"

"I...uh, I didn't wanna wake you, so I brought 'em downstairs to pack."

Bradley coughed loudly, poking his head into the living room. "Liar."

Tony glared at his girl's brother before he offered the Goth a sheepish smile.

"Anthony DiNozzo." She growled. "How many times have I told you that the suitcases have to be packed?! You can't just throw the clothes in there!"

"It's not really a big deal."

"Maybe not for you, because you don't have to deal with it when we get home!"

He didn't say anything, pulling her down onto his lap instead. "'M sorry." He whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her neck.

"Unfair." She pouted, wiggling in his arms. "So unfair."

"Maybe..." He chuckled, his lips still brushing over her neck. "But I can't help it if it works."

"Okay, now that's hardly appropriate for the baby." Britty teased, walking into the living room with Emma in her arms. "Look at the big mess Daddy made, Em!"

"How do you know it's my mess? Abby coulda done it. She's very messy."

The Goth elbowed him gently, lifting her daughter out of the redhead's arms. "Mommy's not messy."

"Hah! You clearly don't remember how your apartment looked before you left!"

"That wasn't my apartment. It was yours. And...if I remember correctly, I'm the one who kept it clean most of the time. I can only imagine what it looks like now."

Tony frowned, looking at his little girl. "You're the one who made me fire Alicia. She kept the apartment really clean. Like...sparkling."

"My sister? Making you fire a maid because she was jealous? Nooo..." Bradley chided, only to be elbowed by his wife.

"I was not jealous. She was gouging you, Tony. I mean, seriously? 500 dollars a month to come once a week? And it only sparkled because I was goin' behind her and cleaning too."

"She was only coming once a week?" He asked, his frown deepening. "She told me three times a week."

Abby smirked. "See? You didn't even pay attention to how often the place was gettin' cleaned. I told you it was a good thing to get rid of her."

"I am way too busy to pay attention to that kind of stuff."

"What about me?" She gaped, sliding off his lap and onto the couch next to him. "You only work when you have a case. I have to do forensics for every NCIS case in DC, and some from Norfolk."

The Italian opened his mouth to respond when Bradley cut him off. "Okay, knock it off you two. Gimme the baby and go get ready, or you're gonna miss your flight."

She handed her little girl to her brother before pushing herself off the couch. "C'mon, T. If you're lucky I'll let you wash my back." She teased, smirking over her shoulder at him as she made her way toward the stairs. Tony jumped up and followed her, leaving Bradley and Britty rolling their eyes.

**1330 Hours -- New Orleans International Airport**

"And you're sure you have everything?" Britty asked, shifting Emma in her arms as she looked over her sister-in-law carefully, ignoring the sting of tears behind her eyes.

"I think so. If you find anything we might have left behind..."

"I'll put it in the mail." the redhead finished, sniffling ever-so-slightly.

"Thank you guys so much for letting us stay with you." Tony said, ruffling Jack's hair playfully. "Don't know what we would have done without you."

"Don't be stupid." Britty sniffled. "You just make sure you get back here soon. And I expect lots and lots of pictures of Em. I want an email every week."

"Of course!" Abby smiled. She lifted her sleeping daughter out of her friend's arms and set her in the car seat that Tony was holding. "I'm gonna miss you, B." She said, springing forward and wrapping her arms around Britty tightly.

The Italian turned toward Bradley and stuck his hand out. "Thanks again, man. For everything."

"It was nothin'. Just take care of her." He warned, shaking the younger man's hand. "And that little girl. I don't wanna hear any different."

Tony nodded. "I can't even imagine doin' anything else. Baby? Almost ready to go?"

The two women separated, wiping their eyes. "Yeah...almost." She crushed her brother in an embrace, feeling more tears fall from her eyes as she breathed in his scent.

"Love you, Abs. We'll see you soon, okay? Take care of our princess." Bradley whispered, running his hand through her hair. Pulling back, he tipped her head up so she was looking into his eyes and signed *Proud of you* into her hand.

Her eyes watered more, and she reached up to swipe at the tears before they fell down her cheeks. "Okay, Jackie...your turn." She grinned, pulling her nephew close. "You take care of your Mama." She whispered, placing a kiss to his forehead.

"Final Boarding for flight 593 New Orleans to Washington DC."

"C'mon, Abs. We gotta go." Tony said, shifting the car seat in his hands.

She nodded, pulling away from her family and offering a bright grin. "See you later."

"Have a safe flight, Abby-cadabby." Bradley grinned, wrapping his arm around his wife's waist and pulling her close to him. "Call us when you get in."

"We will." Tony called, draping his arm around the Goth's shoulder as they made their way to the plane.

They boarded and took their seats, buckling Emma's car seat onto the chair next to Abby. She smiled weakly and looked down at her hands, only relaxing when her lover pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her head.

"Get some rest, baby. We'll be home soon."

**Three Hours Later -- Dulles International Airport**

"Abby...sweetheart, wake up." Tony whispered, shaking her gently. "We're about to land."

She opened her eyes and smiled up at him, feeling the baby squirm against her chest. Picking her up, she put Emma back in her car seat, strapping her in for their descent.

Despite the fact that she'd been dreading the flight home with an infant, she was pleased that the baby had been on her very best behavior. Aside from a slight meltdown when Abby couldn't find her bottle fast enough, the little girl barely made a peep.

She shifted anxiously in her seat as they waited for the passengers to be let off, wondering who would be waiting for them. The whole team, she hoped. While she'd seen Gibbs just a few weeks ago, she was looking forward to seeing them all.

Tony took her hand in his and squeezed reassuringly as he picked up the car seat and led his girl off the plane. He watched as she shifted her carry-on nervously, her hand fidgeting at her side.

"Hey...what's the matter?"

She shook her head. "Nothin'. Just...weird bein' back in DC."

"We'll go back soon, okay? And maybe we can talk them into coming for a visit too." He promised, offering her a smile.

"Okay." She said, forcing a smile as she reached for the baby carrier.

He handed Emma over and took her bag from her hands, pressing a kiss to her cheek. They hadn't gotten far when they heard McGee's voice as he called out for them. They spotted him waving frantically with Ziva standing behind him, a bright smile on her face.

"Well, there they are." Tony grinned. "C'mon, baby."

The pair made their way across the terminal to where their friends were waiting for them. Even though Tony had enjoyed his time in New Orleans, he had to admit he was glad to be back.

"Tony." Ziva greeted smoothly, offering him a smile before she turned and hugged Abby, excited to see the baby.

"Glad to have you back, Tony." McGee said, holding his hand out to the older man.

Setting the carry-on down, Tony slapped his hand against McGee's with a grin. "Glad to be back, Probie."

They paused for a moment before McGee moved, pulling Tony in for a hug.

Both women looked up from the baby carrier slowly, their eyes widening when they caught the two men hugging. They looked at each other briefly, as if trying to decide whether or not to say anything when Abby decided to speak up.

"You two gonna make out? 'Cause Zee and I can give you a minute if you want. But I'd kinda like to watch, if you don't mind."

They broke apart almost immediately, clearly embarrassed. Ziva and Abby chuckled, turning their attention back to the baby.

Tony cleared his throat and moved over to his girl, pressing a kiss to her lips.

She chuckled when they parted, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You don't have to prove anything to me, DiNozzo. This gorgeous baby is all the proof I need."

"She is beautiful, Abby." Ziva smiled, cradling Emma in her arms. "She looks just like you, except for the blonde hair."

"Tony's eyes. And I can tell already she's gonna have his big feet." The Goth said. "I had blonde hair as a kid. It didn't get dark until I was 5 or 6."

"I can't imagine you as a blonde, Abs." McGee smiled, looking over the Israeli's shoulder at the baby. "Well...except for that Marilyn Monroe costume. That was nice."

The senior agent reached over and smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "Paws off, McSuckup." He teased, kissing his girl's neck gently. "He's right though, baby. That costume was hot."

She elbowed him. "You're way too comfortable here, you know that? Have you been using the last 5 months to think up new ways to torture Timmy?"

"Maybe..." He teased, earning himself another elbow in the ribs. "Ow! Okay...let's get goin'. Em drank her last prepped bottle on the plane and I know you don't wanna nurse her in the middle of the airport."

Tony picked up their carry-on and the empty baby seat, wrapping his arm around Abby's waist again before they followed McGee and Ziva to the car.

**Gibbs' House**

The sun was down when they pulled into the driveway at Gibbs' house, parking behind his pickup truck. McGee and Tony turned around from their places in the front seat, checking to see how the girls were doing, when Ziva smacked them both upside the head.

"Eyes up front, you two. This is not a creep show."

"Peep show, Zee." Abby corrected, chuckling. "Just hand me her blanket. It's cold out anyway."

The Israeli picked up the black blanket that was covered in little pink stars, helping Abby to drape it over her shoulder, providing her with some modesty. The group climbed out of the car and headed inside, where they were immediately met by Ducky and Jimmy.

"Hey, Duckman. Palmer." Tony smiled, shaking their hands before leading Abby to the study and helping her sit down, allowing her to finish feeding their daughter. He gave her a kiss and turned to leave the room, nearly running straight into Jimmy. "You, Autopsy Gremlin. Out."

"I...uh...I...I..."

"Just go, Palmer. She'll be out in a few minutes." He said, steering the younger man out of the study and closing the door behind them. They rejoined the group in the living room, when the Italian realized that their boss was missing.

"Uh...where's Gibbs?"

"Oh! He is downstairs, working on that cursed boat, I'm sure." Ducky said, looking up at him. "Timothy, why don't you go tell him that everyone has arrived."

Tony shook his head, motioning for the younger man to sit down. "I'll go. I...uh, need to talk to him about something anyway."

He turned and headed for the basement door, opening it and heading down the stairs quietly.

"Welcome back, DiNozzo."

"Uh...thanks." The younger man said, pausing momentarily on the stairs before continuing to the basement floor. He walked over to the boat and ran a hand over the smooth ribs, collecting his thoughts. "Gibbs...about what happened during the case..."

The silver-haired man set down the paintbrush he was holding and picked up his glass of bourbon, taking a sip. "Want some?"

"No. I...uh, don't drink anymore. Not since Em came." He took a deep breath and leaned against the workbench, looking at the older man through the open sides of the boat. "I'm sorry about takin' off like that. And I know how you feel about apologies, so you don't have to get into that."

"You got a point to this, Tony?"

"Well, I...I guess I need to know if I've still got a job. I mean, Abby's not working, and I've got a family to support now." He stated, feeling his back straighten slightly. "Wow. I have a family."

Gibbs chuckled. "Took you 7 weeks to put that together?"

"I guess I never really thought about it before." He blushed slightly, looking around the large basement. "So, uh...why hang out down here? Palmer irritate you that much?"

The older man smirked, shaking his head. "No. I had a little project to finish."

"I'd say you're pretty far from finishing the boat, boss." Tony joked. "Not...not saying that you *can't* finish it...just that..."

"C'mere." He said simply, motioning for his senior agent to walk around the boat. When he got to the other side, he pointed toward a toy chest that was sitting on the floor, painted pink with 'Emma' written across the curved lid in black. "Thought she'd need a toybox."

The Italian looked over at him, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Gibbs. I'm sure she'll love it. I know Abs will."

He nodded, setting his glass down on the boat and pushing past the younger man gently, heading for the stairs. He began climbing, looking back down at him when he reached the top. "You comin'?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." He said, following the silver-haired man. They entered the living room and Tony grinned when he saw his girl sitting on the couch, watching as their daughter was passed around the room.

"Gibbs!" She cried, jumping up and crushing him in a hug. "Where have you been?"

"It's good to have you back, Abs." He said, peeling her off of him and kissing her cheek.

"We're glad to be home." Tony smiled, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

Ziva smiled at the couple, looking down at the infant in her arms. "When are you two going to have another one? It is best when the children are close in age, yes?"

They looked at each other, tense smiles on their faces. "I don't think we're gonna be ready any time soon. This one was hard enough." The Italian said, squeezing his girl's hand reassuringly.

McGee chuckled. "How could it have possibly been hard for you, Tony? You weren't the one in labor." He stopped suddenly, noticing the look that passed between the lovers. "Hey...I was just kidding."

"No. It's alright." He sighed, looking down at Abby. "It was hard for both of us. Obviously it was worse for Abs, but..."

"Hey. How about we decide on dinner, huh?" Gibbs interrupted, not missing the couple's hesitancy to speak about what had happened on the day of their daughter's birth.

"I vote for pizza." Tony said, offering his friends a sheepish grin. "Do you know how long it's been since I've had La Bella Pizzaria?"

"Not long enough." The ME said pointedly, ignoring Tony's cry of protest. "Perhaps we should do something a bit more healthy, hmm?"

"Pizza actually sounds perfect." Abby said, winking playfully at Tony.

"Thank you, Abby! C'mon, you guys know you've missed eatin' pizza with me?"

"I cannot speak for everyone, but I vehemently disagree with that statement. However, if it will spare us from your whining then I suppose it is a good idea."

"Exactly what I was thinking." The Goth teased.

"Oh, very well then." Ducky sighed. "Pizza it is."

Jumping up from the couch, Tony hurried over to grab the house phone from Gibbs' outstretched hand. "What does everyone want?"

After collecting various orders, the Italian stepped into the kitchen to place the order before he returned. Making his way over to the couch, he lifted his little girl out of Ziva's arms when she held her up in offering.

"I believe she has left a present."

"Great." He snorted, though he couldn't help but grin at his daughter.

"I can take care of her, T." Abby offered.

"Nope, I got it. I'll be right back. Just gonna go take care of this." The Italian said, picking up the diaper bag from the floor as he headed into the study to change Emma.

"He is quite the father, yes?" Ziva asked, watching him leave the room.

Gibbs laughed. "Shoulda seen him in the hospital. Was afraid to look at her, forget doin' anything else."

"But you helped him with that." Abby smirked, looking up at the older man. "Taught him everything he knows. He's a good Daddy."

Ducky nodded. "There was no doubt in my mind that Anthony would make a wonderful father one day, despite the challenges in his childhood."

"You guys talkin' about me again?" Tony smirked, stepping back into the room carrying his daughter. He carried her over to Abby and leaned down to peck her on the lips before handing the infant to her. "We're all clean, Mommy."

"Oh, good. Nothing I like more than a clean baby." She grinned, resting her head against her lover's side when he perched himself on the arm of the couch.

The group chatted for about a half an hour, until the doorbell rang. Tony popped up and answered the door, paying the delivery man before taking the pizzas into the living room and sitting them on the table.

"Dig in." He said, handing Abby a slice before grabbing two for himself.

Ducky glared at the younger man from across the room. "You hardly need two pieces at once, Anthony. There are 4 pizzas here, surely there will be enough for seconds."

Stacking the pieces on top of one another, Tony opened his mouth, taking a bite of both pieces at once. "Wha' was tha' Duck?" He asked, his mouth full.

The older man groaned, shaking his head at the agent. "Nevermind, Anthony. Nevermind."

Conversation was pleasant throughout dinner, mostly centering around catching each other up on what had happened over the past five months in both New Orleans and DC. Though Abby tried desperately to join in the conversation, she could feel herself drifting off. She was leaning heavily against Tony's side, her eyelids growing heavier with each passing second.

"Perhaps it is time for us to call it a night." Ducky said, smiling fondly at the exhausted Goth. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to catch up soon."

"Definitely, Ducky." Tony smiled, shaking the older man's hand as he held Abby and Emma close to him. "Thanks for coming over."

"It's good to have you both home again." He grinned. "Come on, Mr. Palmer. I'll drop you off on the way home."

Gibbs stood up and walked the two men out and closed the door behind them before gathering the pizza boxes off the coffee table. He walked into the kitchen to throw the boxes away, leaving his three agents sitting in the living room with the sleeping Goth and her baby.

"We should go too. You guys need a ride home?" McGee asked, stretching his arms above his head before pushing himself out of the chair he was sitting in.

"They're stayin' here, McGee." Gibbs stated, leaving no room for argument.

"Gibbs..." Tony started, stopping at the pointed look that his boss gave him. "Right. We're staying here, I guess."

"Tell Abby I will call her tomorrow, yes?" Ziva asked, glancing at the sleeping Goth and the little girl she held closely.

"Wait a sec." The Italian said. "I...well, Abby too, but she's sleepin'. We wanted to ask you two a favor."

"Sure, Tony. What's up?" The junior agent asked, sitting back down in the chair and leaning forward on his knees.

"Well, um...you guys know that I'm not very religious or anything, but Abs and I wanted to ask you to be Emma's Godparents."

"Of course!" Ziva smiled, her eyes watering slightly. "I would be honored."

McGee grinned. "Absolutely."

"Thanks, you guys. It means a lot to us." Tony said, glancing down at his girls. "Abby was sayin' something about having her baptized next month? It's the soonest that Bradley and Britty can make it up here."

"Oh, about that. My mom wanted me to tell you that she'd make Emma a christening gown if you need one."

"Bradley's going through their parent's things looking for Abby's gown. But tell her thank you...for the offer and for the box she sent for Christmas."

"Will do. We'll see you guys later." He said, following Ziva out of the house.

Gibbs released a sigh when they left, looking over at the Italian that was sitting on his couch. "The guest room's ready for you, I put a bassinet in there for Emma."

Tony chuckled, looking over at his boss. "Where did you get a bassinet, Gibbs? Did you just..." He stopped suddenly, realizing where he had gotten the piece of furniture. "Kelly?"

The older man nodded. "Don't know why, but it was still in the attic."

"Boss...we don't wanna bring up any bad memories or anything."

He waved the brunette off, a small grin crossing his face. "Those memories? Those are the good memories."

The Italian was silent, leaning down and picking Emma up from Abby's arms when she started to squirm. "Shh...wanna go see your Grandpa Gibbs?"

"Grandpa, DiNozzo?"

"I just...she deserves a grandpa. Unfortunately, Abby's dad isn't around, and my dad...well, something tells me he'd be less than interested." He hesitated, handing his daughter to the silver-haired man. "Besides, you've been more of a father figure to me than my dad ever was. I don't know that I wanna risk him screwing up her life as much as he did mine. She deserves better than that. So much better."

Gibbs nodded, looking down at the small bundle in his arms. "You're right, Tony. She does deserve better than that."

The younger man smiled, turning back to Abby. "I'm gonna take her upstairs. You mind sitting with Em for a minute?"

"Yeah, go."

"Thanks." Tony said, leaning down and picking the Goth up. Shifting her in his arms, he carried her up the stairs and laid her in the bed, glad that she had decided to wear her pajamas on the plane.

Slipping her between the blankets on the guest bed, he covered her up and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before leaving the room. He went back downstairs, stopping in the doorway to the living room when he heard Gibbs talking to the baby.

"You know, Emma...I'll admit that I didn't have a lot of faith in your Dad at first." Gibbs whispered to the little girl. "He...his father wasn't exactly a role model for how to be a loving dad."

He sensed that Tony was standing behind him, but he continued talking to the infant, knowing that his agent needed the reassurance, though both of them would be uncomfortable with sharing it outright.

"But I know now that he's gonna be a good dad. He loves you so much...princess." The younger man could hear the slight hitch in his boss' breath at the use of his daughter's pet name and he cringed slightly, wondering for a moment how much damage having Emma around was doing to the older man. "I can tell by the way he can't take his eyes off you whenever you're in the room. The same way I was with my little girl."

Gibbs paused, looking into her hazel eyes and smiling. "You remind me a lot of her. I'm just sorry you won't be able to meet her."

"Hey Gibbs." The Italian spoke up quietly from the doorway, not wanting to spook the older man, even if he was fairly sure he was already aware of his presence. "Got her talkin' yet? I figured if anyone could speed a baby's development, it'd be you." He joked.

Pushing himself to his feet, he smiled down at the baby once more before placing her in her father's arms. "She's perfect just the way she is, DiNozzo. Don't ever forget that. Cherish every day."

He nodded. "I intend to. Thanks, boss."

Gibbs clapped a hand on the younger man's shoulder before turning, headed for the basement. "Breakfast at 0700, Tony."

"Got it." He watched Gibbs walk away, disappearing to the basement before looking down at his daughter. "I think you may fix him just yet, Em. C'mon. Let's go to bed."