**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 End Notes:
"Dear God" by Avenged Sevenfold