**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 End Notes:
"Fallin' Apart" by All-American Rejects