DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own NCIS

Hi everyone! I haven't written a new story in a while, so forgive me if I'm rusty! The publishing for this story might be crazy because my older brother is getting surgery and might take my laptop with him to the hospital for a while (he'll be at the hospital for like a week, so I debated leaving this story for later, but I really wanted to publish it!) Don't worry, I won't abandon my stories! Trust me, it always bugs me when people do that :( Enjoy! And review!

-whynotlive

Chapter one: Verbal Conflicts

Abby stood in her lab, hands on her hips and staring into the eyes of none-other-than Leroy Jethro Gibbs. She deflected his glare with ease, staring into his cobalt blue eyes with evenly matched anger.

"You could've been killed."

He said it simply, and it was true. She could've died. But so could he. Their case had taken a wrong turn when, after testing new fingerprints, she realized their suspect was being set up by a much more dangerous man. Gibbs and the others hadn't picked up their phones, so she had gone speeding back up to the bullpen. Each of their desks had been empty, and only Palmer was in sight. He told her that they had gone to interview Abby's newest suspect. After a few more unanswered calls, she hadn't hesitated to grab the keys and run off to their rescue. Her gut had been screaming the whole way there. She didn't regret it.

"Yes, and I'd do it again."

She declared proudly, inwardly flinching at his growl. She had appeared at the door of their suspect's condo and after stealthily creeping in, she peeked over a corner to find the whole team with their hands in the air and the new suspect, Andrew Paulson, with a large gun in his right hand, his back to her. Paulson quickly made them drop their guns and kick them away. Lucky for Abby, the team's guns ended up sliding right beside her. Abby ducked down to scoop a gun up and stepped into the limelight. She had ended up shooting Paulson in the shoulder, but she protected her family. And dammit, she wasn't sorry.

"Abby you never, never, do that again. That was the stupidest thing I've ever seen you do! Weren't you thinking? You are not an agent Abby! You should not have been there!"

His voice was loud and they both knew the entire team, including Palmer, was outside her lab's sealed door, hoping to catch the conversation.

"I don't care. I would do it again."

Abby keep her voice level, but on the inside she was falling apart under Gibbs' terrifying gaze. She had never been on this side of his anger.

"I never thought I would have to do this Abby, I never thought I'd have to yell at you for something this insane! I thought you were smarter than this Abby! After all the fiasco's I helped you through you go and-"

"Fiasco's? Fiasco's? What the hell does that supposed to mean Gibbs?"

She spit his name like venom, her eyes locked on his. She continued abruptly, fueled by anger.

"Like Mawher? Like, like, like what Gibbs?" she stuttered before continuing. "If you didn't want to help me, then you should've stayed the HELL away!"

Her hands flew wildly in the air as she spoke, her eyes brimming with tears. The simple argument she had expected to end with Gibb and her hugging and her telling him she was just worried was now a disaster. If that's really how he feels then fine! She thought bitterly as she grabbed her coat and flew out the room. She was gone before he could blink and he subconsciously ran his fingers through his hair before resolving to talk to her Monday. It was finally the weekend, and he needed some relaxation. He ignored his team's looks as he left the lab, heading in another direction. He knew they'd listened in, they always did.

Abby didn't drive home right away. She couldn't bare the deafening silence of her apartment. She didn't want to be alone, but had no clue where to go. She couldn't face the team. Not yet. She sat in her car with the radio on low as she cried harder than she had in a long time. Does he really think of me that way? Like a mess he needed to clean up? I always thought of him as my dad, my closer-than-blood best friend, but if I'm just a burden than maybe… Abby's thoughts swirled around her as she turned the key in the ignition and drove to her apartment anyways. She changed into an unusually skimpy outfit, even for her, and headed to one of her favorite clubs, Your Place. Thank god it's Friday, I don't know how I would've handled working with Gibbs after our fight. She thought sadly as she drove. She arrived quickly, smoothing down her skirt and placing an irresistible "Abby smile" on her face, she headed inside.

The music was pounding as the baseline got louder and the huge crowd danced in one massive circle, hoping to get a glance at whatever band was playing that night. Abby disappeared into the crowd instantly, dancing effortlessly with the music and attracting several guys from around her. Taking a break from the dancing, she headed to the bar, not planning on getting too hammered. She wanted to drive home, after all. The bartender smiled with a scruffy beard smiled and shouted over the music.

"That guy got you a drink!"

She smiled and turned her head, waving to no one she could see. Oh well she thought as she downed the drink and took another spot on the dance floor.

It was one a.m. now and Abby stumbled outside. Something was seriously wrong, and she knew it. She had only had one drink, just one, and she felt like she had had twenty. Fumbling with her phone she hovered over Gibbs' name. No, she thought, I can handle this. She calculated how long it had been since she had the drink, discovering that the worse effects of the drug she'd most likely been slipped wouldn't happen for another hour. She had had the drink only an hour ago, and she somehow was still able to drive remotely well. In fact, she still drove better than Ziva. She quickly crossed the parking lot and slid into her car.

Arriving home, Abby's heart was fluttering. It was disturbing to think someone had wanted to drug her, and god knows what else… She jumped out of her seat and held her phone firmly as she trotted to her apartment and locked the door, her argument with Gibbs now at the back of her mind. She rested quietly; unaware of the face that watched her while she slept. The face that smiled as she turned off her lights and slipped under the covers.