Don't Waste Your Time
“No, no. It’s not a problem,” Abby said, speaking quietly into the phone while Gibbs pressed soft kisses to her back and shoulders. “I’ll see you in a few.”
She rolled over to face her lover, a sad smile on her face as she disconnected the call. “That was Tony.”
“Uh huh. Got that part, Abs. What’s goin’ on?”
The Goth pushed herself up, releasing a quiet sigh. “Tim left. He didn’t say much more than that,” she responded, pulling away from him before she stood, walking over to their dresser. “I’m gonna go over there and check on him, make sure that Josh is okay.”
The silver-haired man sat up against the pillows, watching his girl get dressed in the dim light. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
“That’s not the point, J. He’s my friend, and I’m worried about him.”
The agent eyed her for a moment before he nodded, moving to climb from the bed. “Alright then,” he said, joining her at the dresser.
“What are you doing?” She asked, glancing over at him with a slight smile.
“Gettin’ dressed. He need anything else?”
“Just a friend,” she said, reaching for Gibbs’ hand, stilling his motions. “You should get back in bed.”
“Not gonna let you traipse all the way across town in the middle of the night.”
“I’ll be fine, J. I’ll probably crash there tonight anyway.”
The older man released a quiet sigh before he pulled his girl into his arms, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. “You call me if you need anything.”
“You know I will,” she promised, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug before she released him. Turning back to the bed, he sank down on the edge of the mattress, watching as she threw her long black hair into a messy ponytail before she turned back to him.
“Get some sleep,” she said, crossing the room to drop a kiss to his lips.
“Call me when you get settled. Let me know what the plan is.”
“I will. Love you.”
Grabbing her discarded skull purse from the corner of the bedroom, she hurried out.
----
Pulling up in front of Tony’s apartment building fifteen minutes later, Abby glanced up at the darkened window with a quiet sigh. Despite her friend’s constant reassurances that he was still okay with the idea of carrying her children, he’d let it slip often enough that he was regretting it and she couldn’t help but feel incredibly guilty.
Especially now that everything had fallen apart for him.
Turning the car off, Abby reached over into the passenger seat and grabbed her purse and the grocery bag she’d brought along before she climbed from the car, making her way to the front of the building.
The elevator ride to Tony’s floor didn’t take very long and before she knew it, she was standing in front of his door, knocking quietly.
He opened the door, still dressed in the badly wrinkled suit he’d been wearing all day. “Hey Abs. Gibbs didn’t… give you a hard time, did he? I… I don’t want you gettin’ in trouble.”
“Psh,” she snorted, offering him a small smile as he allowed her inside. “I’m not gettin’ in trouble. He’s worried about you too, you know.” She toed her shoes off and stepped into the kitchen, setting the bag down on the counter before she took the opportunity to look him over carefully. “I brought some ice cream.”
“Butter pecan?” He asked hopefully, a slight smile forming despite his otherwise distraught appearance.
The Goth couldn’t help but grin. “But of course. What else would I bring for my favorite Italian?”
He sat down at the kitchen table, his hand resting on his belly as he watched her dish up the ice cream, stowing the remaining of the container in the freezer. “Why don’t you go take that suit off, T? You’ll never get the wrinkles out of it.”
“Isn’t that what the dry-cleaner’s for?” He joked half-heartedly, before he dropped his head into his hands. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you so late.”
“Don’t be dumb. You needed a friend, so here I am.” Handing her friend a bowl of ice cream, Abby sank down into the chair beside him, frowning slightly when she sensed his hesitation. “You know, we don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. I know that sometimes Gibbs just wants to know that someone’s there when things get hinky. In case he does decide to talk.”
“I find it hard to believe that Gibbs ever has ‘hinky’ moments.”
She smiled, finishing her small bowl of ice cream. “He does, but don’t tell him I told you.”
“No… of course not.” He pushed the melting dessert around in his bowl, avoiding eye contact with the younger woman.
“Tony… hey.”
Looking up, he forced a smile for the raven-haired woman. “Yeah?”
Abby frowned, running her hand over his arm gently before nudging him with her shoulder. “C’mon. Let’s get you into bed. You need some rest.” Standing up, she picked up the bowls and deposited them in the sink before she returned to her friend’s side, tugging him out of the chair.
Tony didn’t protest as he allowed her to lead him down the hallway before she sat him down on the edge of his bed. Pressing a kiss to his soft hair, she pulled away and walked over to the dresser, pulling out a pair of pajamas. He felt as if he was in some sort of trance that he couldn’t quite shake as she dressed him, lying him down against the pillows before she spoke again. “You get some rest, okay? I’ll be out in the living room if you need anything,” she reassured him, running her hand through his hair quickly before she stood, turning to head out of the bedroom.
She’d just reached the door when the sound of his voice stopped her.
“Abby?”
Turning back to him, she offered him a smile. “What’s up, hon?”
“Could you… stay? I mean, I don’t… wanna make you uncomfortable or anything, I just…”
“Don’t wanna be alone?” She guessed. “I understand. Let me go and call J, then I’ll be right back, okay?” Offering him what she hoped was a reassuring smile, she stepped out of the bedroom, pulling the door closed behind her.
Peeking into Josh’s room, she checked to make sure that the little boy was still fast asleep before she made her way into the living room, dialing her lover’s phone number.
“How’s he doing?” Gibbs asked by way of greeting after the first ring.
Releasing a quiet sigh, Abby sank down onto the couch, rubbing her forehead as she thought about the question. “Not so good, J. Don’t think he’s gonna make it in tomorrow. He’s absolutely exhausted and I can’t imagine he’s going to get much sleep tonight.”
“Alright. You hanging out there with him tonight?”
“Yeah. He doesn’t… wanna be alone,” she sighed.
“Good. Keep me updated, huh?”
“I will… I was actually… do you think it’d be okay if I took the day off tomorrow? I just… I don’t like the idea of him being alone right now. And Josh is"“
“You finished?”
“Well I wasn’t,” she smirked, rolling her eyes.
“Take the day off. We’ll manage. And Abs?”
“Yeah?”
“Take care of him.”
“I’m gonna try,” she sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I’ll call you in the morning, let you know how things are. Love you, J.”
“Love you too. Get some sleep,” he ordered.
Disconnecting the line, Abby glanced back at the bedroom before she dropped her phone into her skull bag and made her way back to Tony. She found him laying down on the bed, his eyes squeezed shut, though she knew he wasn’t asleep. Rounding the bed, she slipped under the covers beside him, pressing herself against his back as she wrapped an arm around his waist, resting her hand against his belly.
“Everything’s gonna be okay, T,” she promised. “He’s gonna come around. You know that. He loves you.”
“I wanna believe that,” he said, his voice slightly hoarse. “But I just… don’t know if I can anymore, Abs.”
Closing her eyes against the tears she felt forming, she took a deep breath, tightening her grip on him as she rested her forehead against his back. “Everything’s gonna be okay,” she repeated before she said a silent prayer, hoping against all hope that she was right.
::::::
“Daddy!”
Abby’s eyes snapped open at the sound of the little boy’s tired voice just outside the bedroom door. Climbing out of the unfamiliar bed, she glanced over at Tony, pleased to find him still asleep before she moved toward the door, pulling it open.
“Hey Joshy,” she greeted, holding her arms open for him. “C’mere.”
“Where Daddy?” He asked, allowing her to lift him up.
“Daddy’s… not feelin’ very good this morning, buddy. Let’s let him sleep a little longer, okay?”
The little boy frowned, peeking over Abby’s shoulder into the bedroom, the frown darkening when he didn’t spot his other father.
“Daddy?” He asked again, squirming in Abby’s arms. “I wan’ daddy!”
“Baby, daddy’s asleep,” she said again, moving from the room before she pulled the door closed behind him. “I told you he doesn’t"“
“P’obie,” he frowned.
“Probie?” She asked, unable to hide the sad smile on her face. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“Wan’ daddy,” he sniffled, wrapping his arms around Abby’s neck as he lowered his head to her shoulder. “Daddy!”
“Shhh,” Abby soothed, pressing a kiss to the little boy’s cheek. “Daddy had to go to work.”
“I see later?”
The woman hesitated as she carried Josh into the kitchen, sitting him down on the counter while she pulled the cabinets open, glancing at the contents inside. She wasn’t exactly sure what to tell him regarding McGee, so instead, she turned to him, offering him a bright smile.
“You know what I think we should do?”
“Wha’?”
“I think we should make breakfast in bed for your daddy. I bet that’ll make him feel better, huh?”
“I help?”
“Of course, little man. What should we make for him?”
“Pa’cakes?”
“Great idea, J,” she said, dropping a kiss to the top of his head before she grabbed the pancake mix from the cabinet.
It took a little longer than usual to make the pancakes, as Josh was more of a hindrance than a help, but the task had successfully distracted the little boy.
“These look yummy, Josh,” the Goth gushed as she lifted him from the counter, setting him down gently on the floor. “Let me just fix some drinks and we’ll go wake your daddy up.”
“I have choc’late milk?”
Pulling the refrigerator door open, Abby glanced over the contents before she grabbed the milk and the chocolate syrup, offering the toddler a bright smile. “You’re in luck. Just don’t tell on Auntie Abby,” she warned, as she turned back to the counter, grabbing two glasses and a cup for Josh before she mixed their drinks up.
Handing the little boy his cup, she loaded everything else up onto the breakfast tray before the pair made their way to the bedroom, Abby shushing Josh as they drew nearer.
“You wanna go wake your daddy up?”
“I wake up,” he said with a nod before he took a drink of his milk.
“Alright. But remember, you have to be careful, okay? No jumping on him. You don’t wanna hurt him.”
“I no hurt,” he agreed, reaching for the door knob before he pushed the door open.
The Goth watched with a smile as the little boy made his way into the bedroom and over to the bed, setting his cup on his father’s nightstand. “Daddy?” He whispered, cupping the Italian’s face in his chubby hands. “Daddy, wake up.”
Tony’s eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the light shining through the windows before he recognized his son’s voice. “Hey, J. What’s goin’ on?”
“Tee Abby help do pa’cakes!” He answered excitedly, clapping his hands together before he reached up.
He pushed himself up against the pillows and rubbed a hand over his face quickly before he lifted his son into his arms, cradling him against his chest in a hug. “Abby, you didn’t have to make breakfast. I coulda done it.”
“Nonsense. You were tired and needed your sleep,” she smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed beside him, placing the tray in the center. “Pancakes and chocolate milk. Eat up.”
The older man cocked an eyebrow at her for a moment before he leaned over, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered, glancing down at the toddler sitting between them. “Has he--?”
“Yeah,” she responded, cutting him off quickly. “At work.”
Nodding, Tony handed Josh his plate of pancakes and smiled. “There you go, little man. Eat up, then we’ll have a bath, okay?”
“We go Nana’s?”
“Not today, buddy. Daddy’s not feelin’ good so I’m gonna stay home with you okay?”
“Yay!” He squealed, crushing himself against his father’s side. “Daddy day!”
Despite his current situation, Tony couldn’t help but smile at his little boy’s enthusiasm. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the top of Josh’s head before he pulled away slightly, reaching for his chocolate milk. “Guess I better call and check in with the bossman, huh?” He sighed, glancing over at Abby as he sipped his milk slowly.
“All taken care of. I told him last night that you wouldn’t be in today.”
“I can’t thank you enough for comin’ over last night, Abs. I’m just sorry"“
“Stop apologizing, Tony. You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for,” she said, leaning over to kiss his cheek as she settled back against the pillows, grinning down at Josh as he pulled his pancake into pieces.
They ate quietly, though the two adults couldn’t help but laugh at the mess that Josh made.
“Oh yeah, Tony. He’s definitely all you,” the Goth giggled as she picked up the discarded pancakes littering the comforter.
“What can I say? I apparently have strong genes,” the Italian smirked as he finished up his own breakfast before he leaned back against the pillows, forcing himself to keep from glancing at McGee’s side of the bed.
“Daddy?” Josh asked, settling himself in beside the older man.
“What’s up buddy?”
“I can see daddy?” He asked, poking his little fingers into his mouth.
Abby watched, her chest aching as Tony tensed beside the child, his green eyes flashing with pain for just a split second.
“I’ll be right back, sweetie,” she said, wanting to give the pair a moment alone. Collecting the dishes, she loaded the tray back up again before she slipped out of the room.
“I can see daddy?” Josh asked again.
“Daddy is…” Tony hesitated, running a hand over his face tiredly before he forced a smile for his son’s sake. “Daddy’s working a big case right now, bud. It’s probably going to be a few days before you can see him again.”
“’Kay,” Josh said, nodding his head in understanding as he snuggled closer to his father’s side.
Pausing outside the bedroom door, Abby swallowed hard, closing her eyes against the tears. She’d heard the way her friend’s voice had cracked just slightly at the mention of his former lover, had seen the way his face had fallen after lying to the little boy currently snuggled against his side.
“Oh Tony,” she sniffled as she made her way into the kitchen, depositing the dirty dishes into the sink. “What the hell have I done to your family?”
She lingered for a moment longer before she reached up, swiping at the tears that slid down her cheeks before she made her way back into the bedroom, unsurprised to find Josh curled up next to his father, fast asleep.
“Tony?” She said hesitantly, pausing in the doorway of the bedroom.
He didn’t look up from his place on the bed and from a distance, she could see him trembling slightly. “I don’t like lying to him,” he said, his voice hoarse. “I’m so… I’m so angry with him, Abby, for putting me in this position.”
She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes again as she crossed the room, sinking down onto the mattress beside him before she pulled him into her arms, holding him against her.
“I’m so sorry, Tony. I never… never thought that asking you to do this for me would ruin"“
“Stop,” he said, pulling away and discreetly swiping at his cheeks. “I’m not putting the blame on you for any of this and I don’t want you to do that either.”
“How could you not? I never should have asked"“
“Stop,” he said again, more firmly this time. “Not going to lie here, Abs. It’d be easy to blame you, to say that all of this is your fault, but it wouldn’t be fair. I’m the one who agreed to do it for you without talking it over with him first. I didn’t… he told me that he didn’t want me to but I did it anyway. And I thought we’d worked all of that out, but I should have known better.”
“Tony"“
“But I’m not even going to take the blame for all of it,” he said, glancing down at his son with a sad smile. “I’m not the one who walked out. I could… could understand him punishin’ me, but what the hell did Josh ever do to deserve this shit?”
She said nothing as she pulled him into her arms again, running her fingers through his hair as she held him. Despite the fact that he assured her that he didn’t blame her for the dissolution of the only family he’d ever have, she couldn’t quite help but blame herself.
::::::
McGee looked up as the elevator bell sounded, watching as his ex-lover stepped off, looked tired and defeated despite his attempts to hide it with his neatly pressed designer suit.
“Morning, Tony,” he greeted, his chest aching when the older man paid him no attention, sitting down at his desk and pulling out the cold-case files he’d been working on over the last week. “I… uh… I got you a burrito. It’s in the bag…”
Tony didn’t even look up at him as he picked up the small brown bag and dropped it into the trash can, trying his best to not acknowledge his partner.
“T…” He whispered, scooting his chair closer to the Italian’s desk. “Can we go somewhere to ta"“
“No,” he said, efficiently cutting McGee off before he pushed himself from the desk chair and headed back to the elevator without another word.
“Fuck,” the younger man cursed, watching as Tony retreated, his shoulders slumped.
It took every ounce of strength that Tony had to hold himself together as he made his way back to the elevator. He could feel McGee’s eyes on his back as he pressed the button, though he forced himself to keep from turning back and giving him the satisfaction of knowing that he’d gotten to him.
Closing his eyes, he released a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding until the sound of the door to the stairwell opening caught his attention.
“Ah, good morning, Agent DiNozzo,” Eric greeted, a malicious smile on his as he took in the older man’s appearance before he dropped his voice to almost a whisper. “Y’know… there’s nothing like a brisk walk up the stairs to help stay in shape. You should really try it sometime,” he smirked.
Clenching his teeth, Tony said nothing as the elevator doors opened. Stepping on, he turned around and pressed the button for the lab, forcing himself to stare straight ahead and ignore Eric’s smirking face.
Chuckling quietly to himself, Eric shook his head before he turned back to the bullpen, humming quietly as he made his way to the far end. “Mornin’ Timmy,” he greeted, leaning against the agent’s desk as he took in the distraught look on his face. “What’s the matter?”
Glancing up at the younger man, McGee was quiet for a moment before he forced a strained smile. “Nothing. I’m fine,” he said, allowing his gaze to return to the open file on his desk.
He found himself silently wishing that he’d called his lover over the weekend like he’d wanted to. He was fortunate that his sister hadn’t asked too many questions when he had showed up in the middle of the night and that she had allowed him to work through whatever he was going through without distraction. The younger man had been concerned when his lover hadn’t shown up for work the morning after their argument, going as far as dialing the number to the apartment they shared.
Abby had answered, her voice cold and distant for the few minutes they spoke, warning the junior agent to give him some space. He hadn’t tried to call again, and now, he was wondering if he’d completely ruined his chances at fixing things with his partner.
Glancing towards the elevator again, he contemplated going after Tony until the doors slid open and Gibbs stepped out, effectively ending any such thoughts.
The older agent didn’t speak as he crossed the bullpen, and he never even looked at McGee as he grabbed the stack of files from Tony’s desk, dropping them unceremoniously onto his.
“Uh… boss?”
“Got Tony workin’ on some other stuff, so seeing as you’re the second highest rankin’ person here, you get his job for the day.”
“Uh… um"“
“Problem, McGee?”
“N… no, boss. No problem.”
The day passed slowly as the younger man worked on the paperwork assigned to him, barely making a dent in the large stack that still sat on his desk.
He hadn't even been aware that Tony had signing power on the team's case files. It had surprised him, to see how much the Italian did behind the scenes, and without complaint, knowing that it was a part of his job.
McGee glanced up when he noticed Gibbs turning off his lamp, getting ready to leave for the night.
"Not so easy, is it?" The silver-haired man asked, pulling his jacket on.
The Junior agent took a look around the bullpen, surprised when he found that nearly everyone had left, save a few people working the Middle East desks. "Uh...yeah. I mean...no. No, Boss. It isn't."
"Ah," Gibbs said, walking past his desk as he made his way toward the elevator.
He watched as his boss allowed the doors to slide shut behind him, presumably going to Abby's lab to take her home for the night, before pushing away the file he was working on. Resting his elbows on his desk, he dropped his head into his hands and sighed heavily, considering calling Tony.
He shook his head sadly, knowing the Italian probably wouldn't even pick up the phone when he recognized the number. He pulled himself up from his desk and slipped his jacket on before turning off the light on his desk.
*Maybe tomorrow we'll have a chance to talk,* he hoped, his head hanging slightly as he made his way toward the elevator to go to his sister's for another night.
Chapter End Notes:
A/N: Hello, hello! I'm sorry to keep you guys waiting after that awful cliffhanger, but this chapter gave me hell! There was so much that I wanted to cram into it but I ended up deciding that it was *too* much for one chapter, so I decided to go ahead and post now. The good news is that the next chap is already planned out, so hopefully, it won't take me too long to write! A huge thank you to my best friend Kelley for all of her help with this one. She's let me rant and ramble about this and helped me to figure out just what the hell I was doing, so major props to her! Thank you so much to everyone who sent me a review! This one doesn't quite clear things up yet, but hopefully, you're starting to see that Abby isn't as bad as she's been made out to be!
Also, while I have your attention, there's another story that I wanted to pimp out real quick. Kelley, who has been so kind as to help me work on my stories, also has a great series that I think my readers might enjoy. The link I'm posting is to the third installment, but you should really go back and read the other two as well. The latest one is called "Bad Moon Rising" and it features Daddy!Tony/Mommy!Abby and is way too cute! She hasn't gotten too far into the story, but as I already know what's going to happen, let me just tell you: It's going to be worth the wait! You can find that and her other stories here: .net/s/5639559/1/Bad_Moon_Rising Also! If you decide to read, don't forget to drop her a line and let her know what you think! Extra points to those of you who say I referred you ;)
Thanks again to all my readers and I hope you enjoy the latest chapter! Just remember: Tony loves reviews more than pancakes and chocolate milk!
Also, while I have your attention, there's another story that I wanted to pimp out real quick. Kelley, who has been so kind as to help me work on my stories, also has a great series that I think my readers might enjoy. The link I'm posting is to the third installment, but you should really go back and read the other two as well. The latest one is called "Bad Moon Rising" and it features Daddy!Tony/Mommy!Abby and is way too cute! She hasn't gotten too far into the story, but as I already know what's going to happen, let me just tell you: It's going to be worth the wait! You can find that and her other stories here: .net/s/5639559/1/Bad_Moon_Rising Also! If you decide to read, don't forget to drop her a line and let her know what you think! Extra points to those of you who say I referred you ;)
Thanks again to all my readers and I hope you enjoy the latest chapter! Just remember: Tony loves reviews more than pancakes and chocolate milk!