Gone

Chapter 23

A/N First of all I owe any readers a big apology for the over two years between chapters. Life pulled me away from writing and just now got back into the chapter to complete it. I am still hoping I still have a single reader left. Thanks much to Scousemus1k for the beta. Enjoy!

Abby had finally finished putting away her and Tony's things under the two beds. Then she turned around to see that her friend had finally fallen asleep. She quietly pulled the sheets and blanket up, making sure he would be warm and comfortable. And as a second thought, gave him a quick kiss on his left cheek.

She quietly slipped away to go check out a map she'd seen when they had entered the patient wing. It showed that there were two floors with two wings on each. She was most interested in exploring the state of the art lab on the first floor. However her Caf Pow jug was empty and needed a quick refill first. Making sure her friend was asleep, then letting the nurse know she was leaving for a bit Abby walked into the elevator. Realizing the lab was close by she couldn't resist looking around. Abby pressed the buzzer to signal that someone was wishing to enter . A few seconds later the door was open and she was led inside.

She was amazed at all of the state of the art equipment inside. Especially the brand new Mass Spectrometer that she'd been pestering Gibbs about getting for months. Abby walked around look at all the equipment. She made a mental list of everything she felt her lab needed. She was so amazed that she even read the manuals of equipment she had only read about in her magazines. Taking a look at the clock she realized she had spent too much time in the lab. She quickly thanked everyone for letting her see the amazing machines and expressed her desire to come back to try everything out.

Abby signed out and grabbed her bag. The closest map showed the cafeteria to be one floor up. The elevator opened to heavy oak doors. She stepped inside and set her things down at one of the closest tables. She pulled her billfold out and her Caf-Pow jug and went to place her order; a tuna salad sandwich, chips, and a large Caf-Pow refill. And for her friend a steak sandwich, large pickle, and chips. Oh, and for desert some homemade chocolate chip cookies. Abby stuck her purse back in her bag and grabbed the sacks. She pushed the doors open and went back into the elevator.

In a few minutes she was out of the elevator and back to the patient area. Just as Abby had quietly made her way back to Tony's bedside an orderly showed up with Tony's lunch tray. But when he got there he saw sacks full of food.

"I was just bringing Mr. DiNozzo his lunch," the orderly stated "But I see he has quite a lunch waiting for him."

Abby smiled then realized that she had forgotten to ask if it was okay to bring him some food from the cafeteria.

"Is it okay?" she asked.

"It's perfectly fine," the younger man replied. "And he's not on a special diet."

The orderly walked away with a smile and continued delivering trays. Abby ate her lunch, deciding to save the cookies till after Tony had eaten. When she was done she threw her wrappers away and pulled out a book she had bought months ago but hadn't had a chance to read. However her mind was on her friend. Abby was hoping that by the time they had gotten home Captain Reynolds would be in custody. She just wanted the nightmare to be over and that Tony would finally have his life back. She fell asleep and let the book fall to the ground. Suddenly there was a hand touching her shoulder. Abby jumped and nearly knocked over a full cup of Caf-Pow on the stand next to her hand.

"Hello sleepyhead," Tony said with a mischievous grin. "I was getting hungry. But it looks like I missed lunch."

"Tony!" Abby said sleepily while rubbing her eyes. "You're finally awake. Actually you were asleep when they came with the lunch trays. But I went to the cafeteria and ordered you a steak sandwich, a large pickle and the barbeque chips you like. Oh and I found a bag of chocolate chip cookies with double chocolate chips."

"Thanks Abbs, " Tony said as he painfully pulled himself into a sitting position.

Abby grabbed a tray that was sitting next to an empty bed so Tony could eat better. He smiled and made a painful attempt at giving his friend a big hug. Abby quickly leaned forward so she wouldn't hurt him too much

"Thank you Tony," She said with a smile. (Don't need to use names all the time!)

She decided after talking to Ziva earlier that it was time to talk to Tony. Abby knew her friend was very tired physically and emotionally after everything he'd been through. But Ziva thought she was the right person to get through him. Abby was very nervous about talking to him after how angry he'd gotten at Timmy earlier.

She took a deep breath and walked over to offer to clear off Tony's tray. She thought after a long nap and a good meal he might be ready to talk.

"Can I throw away your wrappers?" Abby asked.

"Sure," he said, trying to avoid the inevitable talk that was coming. He wasn't ready yet. He wanted to get home and hear that Reynolds had been caught and was in custody first.

"Tony," Abby said hesitantly.

"Yes?" he answered, knowing what was coming.

"I think we need to talk," she said.

"Ziva talked to you, didn't she?" Tony asked "I bet she told you that I would open up to you."

"She did," Abby replied, sensing that Tony was going to avoid her attempts to talk.

"Abbs," he said, pulling her onto the side of the bed. "I know you're worried. I could tell at the hospital with the whispered conversations outside the door with Ziva and McGee. But I'm so exhausted right now. We can talk when we get home in a couple of days. Just not right now, please."

"That's fine, Tony," Abby said, quickly putting an end to the conversation. "You do look tired. So just lay down and I'll put in the new James Bond movie I bought for you."

Abby stuck the DVD into the laptop and onto the tray. She propped herself up in the other bed so she could listen to her I Pod and get some reading done. It was a mystery with a lot of forensic terms. Her type of book. However twenty minutes later she and Tony both had fallen asleep.

Marine Base

Iraq 12 hours earlier

Agent Jensen was about to have Johnson taken into custody by the MPs when he pulled away and sat back down in the rickety chair.

"Agent Jensen," he said with a smirk on his face. "Just so you know. Captain Reynolds is on his way to Washington. From what he said Tony and his friend should get there in time to meet him."

Jensen pulled the chair out from under the other man, and laughed as he hit the ground - then proceeded to yank him up by the back of his shirt.

"What the hell do you mean? He's there now!" Jensen shouted

"Probably." Jensen laughed

As he ran out the door with his cell phone in hand he hollered for Johnson to be taken away. When he was finally outside he instantly made a call to the commander of the medical transport to get the plane to touch down before it started over the Atlantic Ocean. He finally was put through to the commander.

"Commander Roberts, this is Senior F.B.I. Agent Jensen. I need you to have your pilot land the transport plane. The suspect is on his way to D.C. right now. And DiNozzo and Abby Sciuto are in danger if they don't land now," he shouted over the noise of helicopters.

"Agent Jensen," Commander Roberts answered, "I wish I could. They took off an hour ago to avoid a dust storm."

"You were supposed notify me before you took off!" Jensen snapped as he slipped back into the building.

"I do apologize, Agent Jensen," the Commander replied. "I can, however, have the transport land at Quantico instead of DC. Then arrange a car ride to where they need to go. It's the best I can do under the circumstances right now."

"Thank you so much. Would you just make sure no one hears the new plans?" Jensen asked

The call dropped and Jensen ran back outside where the signal would be better. He dialed the secure number that would put him in contact with MTAC.

NCIS

One hour later

Ziva and McGee were just finishing up paperwork on their latest case. Thankfully Gibbs was happy about the lack of cases so he could focus on getting his lead agent and forensics expert home safely. And he also had the peace of mind of knowing Reynolds had been caught. But the death of a Petty Officer required their attention. It turned out to be a suicide. His girlfriend left him and he shot himself in the head.

He looked up to see the MTAC officer motioning for him to take a call. Gibbs ran up the stairs with McGee and Ziva right behind him. He entered to see Agent Jensen waiting for him.

"Agent Gibbs," he told him, "I have bad news. Captain Reynolds is on his way as we speak. I've made arrangements to have Agent DiNozzo and Ms. Sciuto arrive safely at the base in Quantico then go to DiNozzo's apartment under guard until Reynolds is caught."

"What do you mean, on his way here?" Gibbs demanded "Why wasn't the transport stopped before it could take off?"

"By the time we found out the flight had already taken off," the younger man explained. "It was too late. I tried but they were already over the Atlantic Ocean and there was nothing they could do but land at a secure facility like Quantico. I have a team of agents on standby as we speak to meet them and bring them to Tony's apartment with my team there in case Reynolds shows up."

"Has anyone contacted my forensics expert to let her know about the change in plans?" Gibbs asked as he pulled his phone out.

"I tried but there was no answer. So I am trying to get a message sent out to her," the other agent answered. "I've got to go Agent Gibbs but we'll keep trying to get in contact with her."

"Thank you," Gibbs managed to say before the signal dropped. Suddenly his phone rang with a report of another case. He turned around after writing down the details and an address of a dead marine for his temporary Lead Agent.

"McGee, I need you and Ziva to get Ducky and Palmer and head out," Gibbs demanded after tossing them the keys. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

He followed his two agents out the door before frantically dialing Abby's number. "Damn it," Gibbs said when his call went straight to voicemail. He left a message to stay at the base and not to go to Tony's because it would be the first place Reynolds would go.

NCIS

Two hours to Quantico

Abby jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see a young agent at her side. She moved her friend's arm over and sat back in her chair.

"Miss Sciuto" the agent said. "We're landing in two hours. But there has been a change in plans."

"What kind of change in plans?" Abby asked, half awake "Is everything alright?"

"We will be landing in Quantico as a precaution in case Reynolds is waiting for Agent DiNozzo in DC," the agent answered " Agents will be waiting there to escort you to your friend's home. I was told to ask you to have your bags packed and ready to go."

"Thank you," Abby answered.

Abby packed all her things first except for her last large cup of Caf Pow for the last part of the trip. Her purse, cell phone and charger went into her carryon bag, then Tony's into his duffle bag. She placed their entire luggage on the bed and fell asleep again in the chair.

NCIS

Reagan International Airport

One hour earlier

A tall man in a hooded sweatshirt stepped off of the airplane and made his way to customs. He pulled out his passport to show the customs agent. The line went quickly as he handed it over.

"Thank you, Tony Collins and welcome back," she said as she stamped it and gave it back.

He then went to pick up the black SUV he had ordered. With a thank you, Mr. Reynolds took the key and grabbed his bag. He stepped into the cool air and quickly slipped inside the vehicle. The man pulled out an address and headed off.