Ch-Ch-Changes
Written in response to the Operation Hinky Fanfiction challenge on NFA.
Rating PG-13 (T)
Summary: McGee and Abby have an encounter that changes their lives forever.
Main Characters: Abby Scuito / Timothy McGee (No romance – sorry)
---
"Whaddya got, Abs?" Gibbs asked his forensics specialist, Caf-Pow in hand.
Happy to exchange information for her beverage of choice, Abby snatched the Caf-Pow from her boss with a smile.
"Thanks, Gibbs!" Abby said in appreciation. "Your timing is impeccable, as usual," she added with a grin. "It's uncanny how you always do that. You're starting to freak me out."
"I'm starting to freak YOU out?" Gibbs asked, amused, staring at her black t-shirt that read ‘I was abducted by aliens and all I got was this lousy t-shirt' and black leather studded collar. Abby gave him knowing look.
"You know what I mean," she said.
"The case, Abs," Gibbs said, steering her back on track.
"Right," she said, shifting mental gears. "I have good news and bad news. I know; good news first," she rushed on ahead. "The good news is that you were right, as usual," she smirked. "Proctor is definitely our guy. I was able to get a positive match on both the DNA taken from the fibers found on Gunnery Sergeant Fable and the fingerprints found on the murder weapon."
"And the bad news?" Gibbs asked, wondering what she hadn't yet covered.
"The bad news is that no matter how hard we try, McGee and I can't crack into Fable's computer. It's really hinky, Gibbs. This guy is using technology we have never seen before," she said, her voice taking on a hint of the intrigued.
"How long, Abs?" Gibbs asked, pressing. The team had been working so hard, they could all use the break that closing this case quickly would bring.
"I have no idea," Abby admitted. "This is alien territory," she said, almost seriously. Gibbs gave her a long stare.
"Twenty-four hours," he said over his shoulder as he exited to room. "You and McGee are to stay here, in your lab, until you crack this thing," he ordered.
"Great," Abby mumbled under her breath. She was going to have to cancel her plans. Again.
---
McGee shifted the Chinese food containers into his left arm, and then balanced the drinks in his left hand, so that he could open the doors to the forensics lab.
"I come bearing reinforcements," he announced.
"Bless you, Tim," Abby said with a grateful smile. She met him halfway, took most of his load from him and placed it on the counter. "I'm so hungry, I could kiss you right now."
"Umm… okay," McGee said in response, thinking that didn't sound like a bad idea. Catching his blush and the interest in his eyes, Abby gave him a sly smile.
"We have work to do," she reminded him.
"Raincheck?" he asked. Abby looked at him sideways.
"If you're a good boy," she said flirtatiously.
It had been ten hours since lunch, and they attacked their take out with gusto, not even bothering to speak. The silence of the lab was interrupted by the sound of Fable's laptop coming to life. McGee and Abby both turned toward the piece of equipment, mouths agape in shock.
"What did you do while I was gone?" McGee asked her.
"What did I do?" she replied accusingly. "What did YOU do, Tim?"
"I haven't done anything that you didn't see me do."
"Pieces of equipment don't just ‘start up' on their own, McGee," Abby protested. "Unless…" she stood and began walking toward the machine, her eyes suddenly full of interest.
"Umm… Abs?" Tim reached out and took Abby by the arm. She turned and gave him a mischievous grin.
"The truth is out there, McGee" she said.
"Something must have caused the laptop to fire up. Maybe he has developed some sort of timer or…" McGee began, before being interrupted by the appearance of a hooded figure on the screen of the laptop. Or was she not? The image was so realistic that it appeared to be protruding from the screen. She was very small, crooked and bent as many of the aged become, and her smile revealed no teeth. Her voice was weak, yet it carried to every part of the room.
"Forever to Change
Forever to Be
Protect the Others
And You Will Be Free"
"What?" McGee scoffed. "That makes no sense."
"Free from what, I wonder?" Abby was curious, and a little excited. "Tim, do you think this is actually alien technology. Because I've heard of…"
"No, Abby," he interrupted her. "I think this is a very elaborate prank, or something Fable was involved in, but I don't think it is alien technology."
"Then explain how it just started working without either of us touching it. Explain how that image jumped off the screen. Explain this weird tingling feeling that I've had in gut since that weird lady spoke!" Abby shouted.
McGee walked over the laptop, which had again shut itself off, and began searching for a way to power it back up. He began mumbling to himself in frustration. "This isn't funny," he said aloud, as if speaking to a person. "Is this your idea of a joke? Because it's really not nice to mess with an NCIS Agent."
"McGee, I don't think it's a prank," Abby said softly.
"Of course it is…" he began, before she interrupted him again.
"McGee!" she said loudly. "Look at me."
He turned to face her, and immediately had to take a step back. Abby Scuito was levitating about two feet off the floor.
"Abby?" Tim asked in confusion as he slowly walked toward her.
"Tim?" Abby asked. "Where did you go?"
"I'm right here," he answered, just as he realized he couldn't see the arm that he had offered her. "What the…?" he said as he ran his hands over his body. He was still there. He could still feel. "Am I…?" he began.
"Invisible," Abby answered for him. "Amazing!" she exclaimed. She closed her eyes in concentration and began to float around the room.
"Umm… Abby…" McGee began. "Do you think this is permanent?"
"Of course not," she answered, as she landed on the floor near the spot where she assumed he was standing, from the direction of his voice. "Concentrate, and try to make yourself visible again," she prompted. "I can't see your expression, but I still know what you're thinking, McGee. Just do it!" she ordered.
McGee closed his eyes tightly and focused on becoming visible, which was pretty difficult since he had never had to focus in order to be seen. It's not as simple a task as one might think.
"There you are," Abby said when he appeared scant inches in front of her. She took a step back. "This is so cool."
"So what do you think it means, ‘protect the others and you will be free'?" Tim asked. "Maybe if we succeed in protecting the team from something, then we will get to be normal again," he suggested.
"Bite your tongue, McGee," Abby said. "I can fly. That's the coolest thing ever. And you can go anywhere you want without being seen. That is so cool! Why would we want to be normal? Besides, she also said, ‘forever to change'. Forever's a long time," she added with a nod.
Tim couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. And he was already thinking of ways in which being invisible could come in handy. In certain situations in his life, he had wished for it – practically begged for it. Now he could be completely invisible, and he wasn't sure he wanted it. But then, there were the obvious perks. He pulled his mind out of the gutter – knowing he could get away with it was no reason to violate his ethics and become a peeping Tom. Or Tim, more appropriately.
Abby noticed that Tim's eyes were no longer on hers, but rather other certain other parts of her anatomy. She gave him a look that was part scolding, part encouraging.
"Don't even think about it, Tim," she said. He jerked his head up and met her eyes, blushing at having been caught.
Abby chuckled and turned back toward the counter.
"I don't think this is a laptop, McGee," Abby said, continuing to examine the piece of equipment.
"That image was too real," he agreed. "It's almost like…" he began. His gaze met Abby's.
"It's a portal," they said in unison, both smiling.
"But to where?" McGee asked, not completely certain that he wanted to know the answer to that question.
Abby gave him a triumphant grin.
"Don't start," he said.
"I'm just saying that it had to come from somewhere, and if…" she began.
"I said, don't start," Tim interjected, as he led Abby out of the lab.
"But Gibbs said…" she argued.
"I think Gibbs will understand," he replied. They stepped onto the elevator and Abby began to chuckle.
"I just thought of the perfect way to tell Gibbs," Abby said with a giggle. She leaned up to whisper in McGee's ear. He laughed out loud.
---
McGee met Gibbs outside the building.
"You wanna tell me why I'm here at a quarter after midnight, McGee?" Gibbs asked.
"You said for Abby and I to contact you when we cracked Fable's laptop," McGee defended.
"True enough," Gibbs admitted. "So, you got in?"
"Something like that," McGee said softly.
"Can we go inside now?" Gibbs asked impatiently.
"Umm… not yet," McGee answered as he led them around to the side of the building.
"Gibbs!!!" Abby shouted from the roof of the building. She was waving madly, looking like a child who was desperately trying to get her attention.
"Why is she on the roof, McGee?" Gibbs asked, his voice showing a hint of anger. "Abby, step back before you fall!" Gibbs shouted.
"I need to show you something, so don't freak out, okay?" Abby shouted from her perch. McGee closed his eyes. Maybe this hadn't been a good idea. Gibbs was going to kill him.
Gibbs shouted and rushed toward the building as Abby flung herself off in wild abandon. Immediately, so as not to cause her boss any more distress than necessary, she began to fly around. She was clearly enjoying herself. She came to rest in front of Gibbs with a huge smile on her face.
"See!" Abby said happily.
Gibbs did not second that emotion.
"McGee!!" he shouted, as he turned toward his agent. "McGee?" He looked around for him, as Abby began to giggle. "Where did he go?"
THE END
Author's Chapter Notes:
Abby and McGee have an encounter that will change their lives forever. Written in response to the Operation Hinky challenge on NFA. http://ncistvdotcom.proboards77.com