**Chapter Twelve -- Pressure**
**June 5, 2009 -- 15th and K -- Accident Site**
McGee had barely gotten the car to a complete stop when Abby jumped out, running as fast as she could in her heavy platform boots toward the scene of the accident.
She froze as she stepped closer to the crash, seeing a stretcher being loaded into the rear of an ambulance. "Tony!" She called, heading over to the ambulance, immediately thinking the worst.
"Abs." Tony said, reaching out and brushing her hand as she rushed past him. "I'm right here."
Abby swung around quickly and crushed Tony in a tight hug. He drew in a sharp breath, making her pull away from him quickly. "Are you okay?" She asked, looking him over and noticing his swollen nose.
"Yeah, Abs." He groaned, rubbing his ribs absently. "I'm fine, arm's still just a little sore."
"I bet, T." She said, sitting on the curb next to him. She noticed him rubbing his chest and frowned. "Let's get you to the hospital, get you checked out."
"Abby, I'm fine." He said, looking up when McGee approached them. "Hey, McGee. Thanks for coming to pick me up."
"Yeah." He said, watching how Abby was poking and prodding at Tony's chest, making him squeeze his eyes tightly in pain. "Abby's right, you know. You should go to the hospital."
"I am fine!" Tony emphasized, standing up while trying to hold back a groan.
"Toonny!" Abby whined, standing up next to him. "Just get checked out. Then we'll leave. Besides, I'm pretty sure your nose is broken." She pleaded, moving in front of him and looking into his eyes. "Please."
He groaned again, rolling his eyes at Abby and McGee. Leave it to them to guilt trip him into going to the one place he hated the most. At least it wasn't Gibbs. "Fine, Abby." He said, shooting McGee a glance that dared him to make fun of him for giving in to the Goth. "But I'm not going in an ambulance."
"Deal." Abby said, linking her arm with Tony's and leading him back to McGee's car. Once they were at the hospital, they went straight to the Emergency Room, where the doctor confirmed that he had re-broken his arm as well as his nose, and bruised 3 of his ribs.
"Can we go now?" Tony asked, looking at Abby pitifully after the doctor had patched him up.
Abby gave him a half-smile. "Yeah. Meet us in the car, Timmy?" She asked, turning toward McGee.
"Sure, Abs. I'll meet you guys out front."
As soon as McGee was out of earshot, Abby hopped up onto the bed next to Tony and frowned. "Tony..."
"Look, Abby. We don't have to do this." He said smoothly, trying to get her to drop the subject.
"Yes, we do." She said, looking down at her hands. "I've...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said the things I did about Ziva."
"If you didn't mean it you wouldn't have said it, Abby. I know that much about you." Tony looked over at her, taking her chin in his hand. "Don't apologize for things you're not really sorry for."
"I am sorry though, Tony. I hurt you, and I didn't mean to. I...we already lost Ziva. I don't wanna lose you too."
"You won't."
Abby frowned again, knowing he wanted to drop the subject. She knew she wasn't going to get any more out of him unless he was the one to bring it up. Tony's doctor came over a minute later, his discharge forms in hand.
"Come on, babe." He said, standing up and taking the prescription the doctor had given him. "I wanna go home and relax."
The Goth hopped down off the bed and tucked her head under her friend's arm, smiling when he pulled her close to him and pressed a kiss to the top of her head as they exited the hospital.
**3 Years Earlier -- May 21, 2006 -- Abby's Lab**
Stepping into the lab, Tony didn't bother to hide his displeasure at the loud shrieks coming from the stereo. He crossed the room in a few short strides and punched the button on the machine, silencing the music immediately.
"Hey!" Abby protested as she placed her gloved hands on her hips, her puffy eyes narrowing into slits as she scowled at him. "This is MY lab, Tony! You can't just come in here and--"
"Well I did. So deal with it," he growled as he stalked back over to her, dropping the file onto the table beside her. "You get anything back on those blood samples yet?"
"I told you it was going to take awhile," she reminded him, trying to ignore his snippy tone. "We're looking at least another two hours."
"You have one."
"It doesn't work like that. You can't just throw out a time frame and expect results."
Tony snorted, looking at her incredulously. "It worked for Gibbs."
"You're not Gibbs." She mumbled, turning back to her computer.
"Yeah. Ziva and McGee have been reminding me of that all week." He said, starting to pace the lab. It had been just over a week since Gibbs left for Mexico with no explanation, and the team had essentially fallen apart.
"They don't mean it." She whispered, keeping her voice low in an attempt to calm him down. "They just don't know what to do right now. We all miss him."
"You shouldn't miss him!" Tony bellowed, stopping mid-pace and slamming his hand on her prep table. "He left! He left with no warning, and with no good reason as to why!"
"Tony..." Abby started, stepping closer and touching his hand gently, only to have him wrench it away.
"No!" He crossed his arms over his chest and started pacing again. "He left me in charge of a team that doesn't respect me. Hell, they'll probably never respect me. You're probably losing respect for me right now, aren't you, Abby? Probably thinking what Gibbs was thinking, leaving me in charge."
"I know what he was thinking, T."
"Oh yeah?" He chuckled coldly. "What's that? 'Let's see how long it takes before DiNozzo cracks?'"
Abby stepped in front of him and placed a gentle hand on his chest in the sign for 'I love you', the only sign she had taught him. "He left you in charge because he knows you can handle it."
His hand covered hers, squeezing it lightly. "I can't do it, Abby." He said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Abby frowned at him, reaching up and slapping him on the back of the head. "How about now, Tony?" She asked.
He narrowed his eyes at the Goth for a split second before his usual cocky grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"Those blood samples Abby--"
"I told you it would take two hours."
"You have one," he repeated sternly.
The forensic specialist eyed him for a moment before she nodded. "Okay then."
Snatching the file from the table, Tony tucked it under his arm and headed out of the lab. Turning back to her computer, Abby couldn't help but smile.
Stepping onto the elevator, Tony punched the button for the third floor, setting his jaw as he prepared himself to deal with his two agents. As soon as the doors opened, he stalked out, not bothering to glance at McGee or Ziva as he barked out his orders.
"McGee! You finished running our Sergeant's phone records yet?"
McGee glanced up at the older man as he passed by him. "I'm working on it, Tony."
"Work faster. Ziva, where are you at with his background check?"
"I have not yet started."
"There a reason for that?" Tony snarled as he narrowed his green eyes at the Israeli.
Ziva opened her mouth to retort, though the words never made it past her lips as he glared at her. "No. I suppose not. I am starting it now."
He sat down as he watched the two agents working, sneaking a glance across the bullpen at Gibbs' vacant desk. He hadn't yet been able to move his things over to the larger desk, more out of a reserved hope that one morning Gibbs would be sitting there when he came in and everything would go back to normal. He didn't feel he deserved the desk, much less everything that came with it.
Turning around in his chair, he looked up to the balcony above his head and saw Director Shepard standing there, smiling down at him. He returned the smile and stood up, sighing heavily as he headed up the stairs to speak with her.
"Director." He said simply, leaning on the railing next to where she was standing.
"Agent DiNozzo." Jenny said, smirking at him a little. "Did you think about the offer?"
"I did." Tony said, still looking down at the bullpen, watching Ziva and McGee. "I'll do it."
"Good. I had hoped you would." She said. Gibbs had told her on multiple occasions that Tony was a good asset to have on undercover missions, but she didn't feel that it was the appropriate time to bring that up. "Come with me, I'll brief you on the mission."
**Six Weeks Later -- July 3, 2006 -- Abby's Lab**
Ziva walked into Abby's lab and greeted the Goth. "Abby, you said you had some results for us?"
"I do." Abby said happily, turning to face the Israeli. "Where's Tony? He always comes when I have results."
"He said he had an appointment." Ziva explained, leaning against Abby's prep table. "He has been acting very even lately."
"Odd. Yeah, he has." Abby frowned, turning back to her computer.
"Do you know what is going on with him?"
The Goth turned back around and faced Ziva. "I wish. I've seen less of him than you have over the last month."
Ziva frowned at Abby, seeing that she was clearly bothered by Tony's absence. "I am sure it is nothing." She didn't miss the disbelieving look that the scientist shot her. "If it is bothering you so much, I could beat it out of him for you."
"No thanks, Ziva." Abby replied, a small smile on her face. "I'll do it myself if it becomes necessary."
Ziva chuckled and listened closely as Abby relayed the test results to her before turning to leave the lab.
"Hey, Ziva?" The Goth called just before she reached the elevator, standing in the doorway of her lab.
"Yes?"
Abby contemplated having the Israeli tell Tony to come see her when he returned, but thought better of it. He would come to her if he wanted to talk, she knew if she tried to force him it would only make him close up more.
"Tell Tony that I miss him, yeah?"
Ziva saw the look of sadness that flashed behind the taller woman's eyes and nodded. "Of course, Abby." She said, turning around and stepping into the elevator.
A few hours later, Tony finally reappeared in the bullpen carrying a cup of coffee and looking rundown, probably a combination of lack of sleep and more caffeine than his body was used to. Ziva stared at him suspiciously as he walked across the bullpen, making it clear that she wasn't going to let his disappearing act go as easily as she had been.
Tony glared at her as he sat down at what was once Gibbs' desk. He had finally decided to move a few weeks earlier, after the team had passed by Gibbs' house on their way back from a crime scene to see a 'For Sale' sign outside. He had gone to tell Abby, a bad decision in hindsight, but at the time he was upset with the way she silently clung to the hope that Gibbs was coming home.
It affected her every interaction with him, and he had felt the need to make her understand his anger, his resentment for the man that had trained him. She had cried, and as he held her close to his chest she beat her fists against him, not wanting to believe it. Her hope was lost, and she had shattered. *Mission accomplished, DiNozzo. Proud of yourself?*
"Good appointment, yes?" Ziva asked, snapping him out of his daze.
"Yeah. It was great. Who doesn't love going to see the dentist?" He replied sarcastically, taking another sip of his coffee.
"Mmhmm." The smirk on her face was almost enough to make him wonder if she had been following him, knowing in the back of his mind that she hadn't. She stood and walked in front of his desk, placing both of her hands on it and leaning down to meet his eyes. "Abby wants to see you, Tony."
"What for?" Tony watched as the Israeli pushed herself away from his desk, shrugging as she walked back to her own and sat down in the chair. Sighing, he stood up and straightened his suit, heading for the elevators.
The ride down to the forensics lab was the longest minute of his life as he thought of the things that could possibly be wrong with his favorite Goth. Between starting the undercover assignment that the director had put him on and being Special Agent in-charge, he hadn't had much time to come down to her lab and chit-chat like they used to.
"What's the problem?" He asked, walking up beside Abby as she worked on her computer.
She looked over at him, her green eyes ice cold. Turning back to face her computer with a flip of her pigtails, she frowned. "There has to be a problem now for me to see you?" Her voice was cold, the tone sharper than she had ever used on him before.
"I...I didn't say that, Abs."
"Feels like it. You get a new desk, a new girlfriend, and apparently quite a few dental issues, and suddenly I've fallen to the bottom of the nice list."
Tony sighed, seeing for the first time how poorly he had been treating her over the past few weeks. He couldn't remember even having seen her at all outside of work since he had started dating Jeanne, and that realization made his stomach churn.
"Abby..." He started, only to be cut off by his cell phone ringing. Jeanne. He cursed to himself, seeing her look at the phone and roll her eyes. "I'm...so sorry. I'll be right..."
Abby held her hand up to him, looking back at her computer screen. "Just go. Go talk to your stupid girlfriend. I know where I stand, thanks."
Tony hesitated, flipping the phone open and answering it as he stepped into the hall outside Abby's lab. She picked up Bert from his perch on top of the computer she was using and squeezed him, eliciting a loud fart.
"No, no, babe. You're not interrupting anything." Tony said, trying to keep his voice from carrying back into the lab. He knew it hadn't worked when Bert hit the back of his head, hard enough to make the toy release its farting noise.
Tony cringed at the impact and spun around in time to see Abby grabbing her jacket and purse, heading out the back door of her lab, to where the stairwell was located. "It...it's nothing, Jeanne. So, dinner tonight?" He recovered, running a hand through his hair miserably.
**0240 Hours -- Abby's Apartment**
He approached her apartment door hesitantly, not necessarily wanting to be there, but knowing that he couldn't let things get worse between the two of them. He knocked quietly, releasing a breath he didn't know he had been holding when he heard her voice coming closer to the door.
She unlocked the two locks and pulled the chain off before opening the door a crack, moving to push it closed again as soon as she saw who was standing there. His hand came up and prevented the door from closing as he caught her eyes.
"Please. I just wanna talk."
"No." Abby said, trying again to close the door. He countered, this time stopping the door with his foot. "Tony...I wasn't important enough to talk to this afternoon, what's changed?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't mean anything by it, Abs."
"Oh!" Abby exclaimed sarcastically, opening the door a little wider, leaning her boxer-clad hip against the doorframe. "Well that changes everything! You didn't mean anything by it?" She scoffed. "Seriously, Tony? You could have at least thought about what you were going to say before you came all the way over here."
His eyes went hollow as he looked her over, her words punching him in the stomach. He wanted to reach out and hold her, to apologize for not being there when she was dealing with the loss of her father figure. Instead he was breaking her, the reality hitting him as he realized she was wearing another man's clothes while she was talking to him.
"You're obviously not that upset, you still managed to find some random stranger to screw tonight. Hope you're being careful."
The words were out of his mouth before he knew that he had even thought them, and when her hand came stinging across his cheek, he realized he should have seen it coming. He took a step back out of surprise, and the door was shut and locked in his face before he got his bearings back.
He put his hand on the door, considering knocking again. He held it there for a second, trying to work up the nerve to tell her what he was thinking.
"God damnit, DiNozzo. Why can't you talk to her without digging a fucking hole?" He mumbled, leaning his head against the door momentarily before pulling away and leaving the apartment.
Abby leaned her back against the door after hearing his words and slid her body to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest. The sound of his retreating footsteps filled her ears and she sobbed, pulling the well-worn dress shirt over her legs, letting it wrap her in his scent.
She should have let him into the apartment. She could tell that he was on the verge of apologizing for everything that had happened over the last month, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Part of her didn't want his apology, for fear that if everything went back to normal, she'd end up losing him too.
Chapter End Notes:
"Pressure" by Paramore