Bad Moon Rising Part 6b
Sorry, it's in two parts again.
Abby had gathered up a change of clothes and was heading back to autopsy. She knew that Gibbs would want her processing the evidence, but at the moment, her main priority was making sure that Tony’s needs were being met and right now, Tony needed some clothes.
She entered the room just in time to catch a glimpse of an unhappy Gibbs escorting Ducky to the foyer where the elevator was located at. The two men appeared to be having a heated discussion and Abby assumed that their conversation involved a certain dark haired agent who had been missing for a year.
Taking a deep breath, she entered to find the ME’s assistant apologizing to Tony. Something was definitely hinky. Setting the clothes down on an empty table, she quietly stood behind Palmer in order to hear everything he was saying.
“I hope that you can forgive me, Ton…um Todd,” Palmer pleaded. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I was just glad to see you and…”
“Any of what to happen, Jimmy?” Abby inquired.
She had to take a step back when Palmer whirled around to face her. It was obvious by his astonished expression that she had taken him by surprise. Abby smiled knowing that Gibbs would have been so proud.
“Abby, I didn’t hear you come in,” Palmer nervously replied.
“You still didn’t answer my question,” she reminded him.
“Um, I didn’t know that Ton…Todd couldn’t…well, you know and when Dr. Mallard took me aside to explain the situation, Todd got up and found the Doctor’s scotch and…”
Abby crossed her arms. “And what?”
“Dr. Mallard caught him trying to take a drink and then…”
“I didn’t mean to break it,” Tony whispered.
Abby pushed by Palmer and leaned over her ailing friend. “What did you say, Todd?”
The Goth noticed the tremors that were racking Tony’s body and she knew that his body was craving alcohol. If it wouldn’t do him more harm than good, she would have been tempted to give in and let him have a drink.
“I didn’t mean to break it,” he repeated. “I just…wanted…one…drink. That’s all.”
She absently began running her fingers through Tony’s hair as she tried to console him. “I’m sure it was an accident. Ducky can get another one.”
“Did I hurt him?” Tony wanted to know.
Confused, she asked, “Who?”
“Ducky. Did I hurt him?”
Abby glanced over her shoulder at Palmer who was shaking his head. “No, he’s fine,” she assured him. The Goth silently vowed to find out what had happened while she had been gone.
“I have to get out of here,” Tony cried. “I have…to leave.”
Abby wiped away the tears that were flowing freely down Tony’s cheeks. “No, you don’t. You’re safe here. Nobody’s going to hurt you.”
“Don’t care about myself…worried about you and…the others,” Tony mumbled. “Always…hurt…people.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I do. Please…Abby…help me get out of…here,” he begged.
She motioned for Jimmy to leave them alone, who willingly obliged. Turning her attention back to Tony, she leaned over and planted a kiss on his forehead. “I want you to listen to me, Todd.”
Abby had to choke back her own tears as Tony’s eyes met her gaze. His eyes were silently pleading for someone to reach out to him in kindness. How much pain had Tony endured during his time on the streets? Abby couldn’t bear to think about what his life must have been like, but she realized that one day, she would probably know every sordid detail.
“Are you listening?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he nodded.
“Good. Now, the only way that you’re going to hurt any of us is if you disappear again. We’ve been looking a long time for you and now that we found you, we aren’t letting you go,” she promised.
“I don’t know you people,” he said. “I’m sorry. I know you want me to be this Tony guy and remember you all, but I can’t.”
“But you will,” she assured him.
“When?”
“I don’t know, but you can’t rush it. It’ll take time.”
She studied Tony as he stared at the ceiling. Abby wondered if he was thinking about their conversation or if his mind was somewhere else completely. She used to be able to read Tony so well; his body language and moods often cluing her in as to what he was thinking. That wasn’t the case this time.
“Did you bring me some clothes?” Tony finally asked, breaking the silence.
“Yep, I sure did.”
“Can I put them on? I’m kind of cold.”
“Is Ducky through with his examination?”
Tony shook his head. “Don’t know, but I’m through.”
“Don’t you think…”
“No, I’m through down…here,” he declared.
“Not until I’ve finished with some X-rays, young man,” Ducky chimed in.
Neither of them had noticed the ME as he had quietly slipped back in the room. Abby wondered how much of their conversation Ducky had heard. She could sense Tony’s unease; he definitely needed a change of scenery. She winked at Tony and gently squeezed his hand. “Ducky, are the X-rays really necessary right now? Maybe we could do those later, when Todd’s feeling better.”
She was relieved when Ducky seemed to understand her underlying request. “I think they can wait a little while,” the ME agreed. “I have some other things I can do. I see that Abigail has brought you some clothes. Why don’t you let her help you get dressed?”
“Okay,” Tony conceded.
“I’ll see you later, Todd,” Ducky said. “If you need anything, let me know.”
“Thanks,” he muttered. “Doc?”
“Yes?’’
“I’m sorry.”
Abby smiled as Ducky patted Tony on the arm. “Don’t you fret, my boy,” the ME insisted. “All is forgiven.”
“Thank you, again,” the agent said.
“No problem, my friend. I’ll see you later.” As Ducky turned to leave, Abby thought he said something about Gibbs waiting for Tony, but the team leader would just have to wait. Tony needed time to pull himself together and she was determined to make sure that he got that time.
With a satisfied grin, Abby helped Tony sit up on the edge of the bed. “I told you that everything would be all right.”
“He’s a good man…better than me,” Tony said.
“Don’t talk like that,” Abby warned. “You are a good man.”
“No, I’m not. I’m just a drunk who can’t make it…an hour…without a drink.” He held up his trembling hand. “See?”
“You can beat this,” the Goth declared. “Especially if we help you.”
She grabbed the clothes from the other table and held them out for Tony to inspect. Abby had managed to get DiNozzo’s clothes from Gibbs’ locker in hopes that seeing them would help Tony recall something about his past.
Tony carefully fingered the shirt. “That’s nice,” he whispered under his breath. “Soft.”
“Only the finest.”
“Who do they belong to?”
Abby nervously licked her lips. “It doesn’t matter, they’re yours now.”
“Can’t wear them.”
“Why not?” Abby wanted to know.
“Clean clothes….need…a clean body. I‘m too dirty.”
“We can fix that. How about a nice hot shower before you get dressed?” she suggested. “It might make you feel a little better.”
Tony tiredly smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Come on, then. Let’s go.”
Abby put one arm around Tony as he stood up. She wrapped the sheet around him, giving him time to steady himself. Making sure that she had grabbed the fresh clothes, the pair made their way towards the shower room. Abby purposefully took a route that would avoid an onslaught of curious onlookers; Tony didn’t need an audience as he staggered down the corridor.
Once they got to the showers, she made sure that the area was clear. Sitting him down on the bench, she stepped in and turned on the water, adjusting it to the temperature that Tony had always preferred. “Do you need me to help you?”
Tony shook his head. “I can…manage.”
“Okay. The soap and shampoo are on the shelf and your washcloth is on the bar. I’ll just hang around close by in case you need anything.”
“Don’t look.”
She almost informed him that she had seen him naked a number of times, but right now, she had a feeling that he would be embarrassed at that thought. “I won’t,” she promised.
Abby turned her back to him and listened as he slowly made his way to the shower. Every few seconds, she would ask him if he was all right and he would answer her with a frustrated grunt. “I get the hint,” she said. “I won’t ask again.”
“Thank you!” Tony mumbled.
Abby’s cell phone rang and she saw that it was Gibbs. “Abby Scuito, Forensic Scientist Extraordinaire at your service,” she answered, hoping that the team leader was no longer in a foul mood.
“What is my forensic scientist extraordinaire doing in the men’s showers instead of in her lab processing evidence?” Gibbs wanted to know.
“Gibbs, I’m helping Tony, I mean Todd, I mean Tony.”
“Abby, you’re supposed to be helping him by proving his innocence.”
“Gibbs, he needs me right now. He’s opening up to me and he feels safe with me,” she explained. “As soon as he’s dressed, I’ll let him take a nap on my futon thingy and I’ll start…”
“Didn’t Ducky tell you? I want him in the interrogation room,” he informed her.
“He might have mentioned something about you wanting to see him, but you can’t interrogate him, Gibbs! He’s not ready.”
“It doesn’t matter, Abby. I’ve got to do it while I have the chance and I’ve got to handle this by the book or we’re going to be yanked off this case so fast it will make our heads spin. I’m surprised Jen hasn’t pulled us already,” Gibbs admitted.
“But…”
“No buts Abby! Get him up here now!”
She looked at her phone to see the words ‘call ended’ on the tiny screen. This was not good. Tony wasn’t ready to be questioned, but she also knew that Gibbs was doing what he thought was best. It was imperative to prove Tony’s innocence, but at what cost? Abby had no choice but to follow Gibbs’ instructions, but that didn’t mean that she had to like it.