Summary: Abby hasn´t come to work one morning and she doesn´t answer her phone either.

A/N: This came to me yesterday and originally was planned quite different from what it seems to turn out like. Within an hour it developed its own dynamics. So here it is – the first chapter at least.

Spoiler: None

Rating having a look upon my notes, this probably has to be changed

Disclaimer: None of the characters is mine. They nevertheless haven´t rejected my invitation to this story.

-xxx-

I Don´t Regret a Thing

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1. Where´s Abby?

Caf-Pow in hand, Gibbs enters the squad room in the morning, barking.

"DiNozzo!"

Tony jumps in his seat. Gibbs seems to be in a very bad mood today.

"Yes, boss?" Tony shoots, waiting for a tirade to pelt down on him, whatever might have caused this.

"Where´s Abby?" Gibbs wants to know, coming to a halt right in front of Tony´s desk.

"She´s not in her lab?" Tony asks back.

Gibbs glares at Tony with narrowed eyes as he bends down, placing the container of Caf-Pow at Tony´s desk and his hands get a firm grip on the edge of the table.

"Tony?" he sounds angry. "That, I have just found out by myself. Would I else have asked you?"

"No, boss," Tony stammers, while Gibbs keeps staring at him.

"Okay," Gibbs tries again, emphasizing each word dangerously, "Where ... is ... Abby?"

"Don´t know, Gibbs. Where is she?" Tony is not in fine form today and too late he realizes how stupid a question this was. He winces and ducks his head in anticipation of a slap to his head.

Just then, McGee enters the office and in a cheerful mood wants to know, "Morning. Where´s Abby?" as he has been down to her lab first, recognizing her computers and equipments are turned off.

Gibbs lets out a frustrated grunt as his hand palmdown slams down on the table vigorously. He swirls around and rushes past McGee towards the elevator.

McGee looks after him, second-guessing whether to say something or not, but he decides to instead throw a questioning look at Tony.

"Thanks, Probie," Tony sighs, only adding to McGee´s astonishment. "You just saved me from one of his head-slaps."

The both of them nevertheless are concerned and hope to soon hear from Gibbs or Abby.

-x-

The doors of the elevator haven´t even closed completely when Gibbs dials Abby's cell phone number. She seems to have turned her cell off. Next, he tries her phone at home for the first time. She doesn´t answer it.

Gibbs rushes towards the parking lot and on reaching his car he has dialed her number a good dozen times.

He is worried.

Abby always has her cell on when she is not at home, so something must have happened.

Abby hasn´t felt well these past days. She was paler than usual and a bit shaky. Circulatory problems, she had told him upon his concerned look. He had made her promise to go see a doctor if that wasn´t changing soon. So was she at a doctor´s? But which one? No, she would not have turned her cell off then.

The only place where to start he can think of, is her place, and – right enough – her car is parked right in front of it.

Gibbs jumps out of his car and runs up the stairs to Abby´s apartment. The door is not locked and he enters, calling out her name worriedly.

"Abby?"

No answer.

"Abs?" he tries again, starting to cross the corridor.

"Ab...," he falls silent as he passes the kitchen.

Abby is sitting at the kitchen table, back towards the door, her head propped up with her elbows resting on the table. Her loose hair is tousled.

What had happened? How long has she been sitting here? Why hasn´t she reacted when he had called her name? And why hasn´t she answered the phone?

As to the last question, he redials her number for the umpteenth time. Maybe her phone doesn´t work? It of course goes off immediately and he can see Abby flinch on the sound.

Something must have happened, that much is sure. She doesn´t move, doesn´t turn around although she has to clearly be aware of his presence.

Gibbs approaches her, puts his hands on her shoulders and places a kiss on the top of her head.

"What´s wrong, Abs?" he asks quietly.

She still doesn´t answer.

Gibbs recognizes she stares at something that is lying right in front of her on the table. It is a small longish cardboard box and he has to squint to be able to read what it says.

His eyes widen as he becomes aware of what this is. He reaches out to pick up the box, stepping beside her and placing his right hand on her left shoulder. Abby´s eyes are still glued to the spot where the box had been lying.

"Abs?" Gibbs asks in a low and soft voice. "Did you...?" Unsure about what to say, his voice trails off.

Abby weakly shakes her head.

Gibbs squeezes her shoulder and starts to gently massage it.

"I´m scared, Gibbs."

To be continued...