Unnecessary Roughness.

~*~ Betaed by Jake and Jordre~*~

Chapter 1

AJ DiNozzo, US Navy SEAL, eyed his men with a sigh. They were all worn thin. In the two months since that debacle with the homegrown terrorist group, they'd been on three missions. Now that he was 'out,' it was a lot easier to be deployed for short missions. The sort he and his group were actually best at.

Gibbs just took the TAD's that Vance ordered him to. Tony's 'train 'em right' talk seemed to have sunk in. Or Gibbs was finally seeing the 'light' as Vance hoped. Tony snorted to himself, 'Yeah, right.'

He took inventory, ready for triage at the landing pad. Dean was bruised and battered but not bloody. Cosmo, on the other hand, had a back full of some sort of shrapnel. Remy was sitting sideways in his seat, guarding his possibly broken ribs. He, AJ, was also guarding ribs. He was pretty sure that they were badly cracked, but not broken. There wasn't that sandpapery, grinding feeling when he breathed.

Cosmo sighed, "LT, we need a break. I'm tired. Put me in for a couple of weeks, ok?"

Tony nodded. "I'm putting us all on R & R for at least a month. Crashing really takes it out of me."

And that was the crux of the matter. The last chopper they'd been on had flamed out and crashed. No one was exactly sure why; the consensus was that it was just worn out; sand did that. And Afghanistan was very sandy and rocky, that was the reason they called that whole area 'The Rockpile.'

He leaned back, got out his phone and sent a text to his commander. He knew that Belt would get it and deal, but chain of command. He knew that Captain McKinley would grant it. He was very good at judging when someone needed R&R and when they were just bitching. He shifted, trying to get the pressure off his ribs.

"Sir? Need something?" The Petty Officer looked concerned, with good reason.

Tony shook his head. "Nothing you can get. Just sore and tired. Maybe a bottle of water?"

The Petty Officer retreated to return with water. "Here, sir. Anything else?"

"No, just want this op over with. Don't have a thing for that." He smiled, that easy, genial smile that put people at ease.

"Sorry, sir." The PO saluted and went back to his seat. He looked at his buddy, then jerked his head in the direction of the cockpit.

The other PO slipped out of the jump seat and got an ETA. He returned to announce, "Fifteen minutes out. Medics at the pad."

Tony nodded to him and settled back to endure the last fifteen minutes of their flight. He would be glad to get to the Green Zone. From there, they'd get a ride to Germany, then on to the US. The total flight time was usually around 18 to 20 hours. He couldn't wait to get back home.

The landing wasn't that rough, but they all felt it in every bruise and scrape. The medics took Tony's written assessment and did their own triage. This seemed to agree with Tony's, so the SEALs were taken away in one truck, instead of the waiting ambulances. There was another flight nipping at their heels, and it contained men who were in worse shape than Tony and his team.

Their time in the 44th Medical Brigade Hospital Unit was short. Cosmo didn't need to be operated on, just 'picked'. A medic spent nearly an hour picking bits of gravel and metal out of his back. His final assessment was simple: "Keep that clean. Use some sort of antibiotic cream on it twice a day. I'll issue you a tube, but it's over-the-counter in the US. Put on a clean, white t-shirt after every application."

Cosmo made a face. He lived in base housing and he didn't have a roommate. He and Dean had lived together, off and on, from BUD/s. They were off, right now, due to Dean's getting a girlfriend and she wasn't that thrilled with having Cosmo wandering in and out of the bedroom without warning. Well, he'd deal. They'd probably both just give up their housing and live in motels until they were due back on duty, then they'd find something and move in together again. He had a feeling that the girlfriend was on her way out.

Remy and AJ both turned out, proved by x-ray, to have badly cracked ribs and a hell of a lot of bruising. AJ also had a cracked clavicle, or collar bone. They were both cautioned that they should not put any stress on the bones for the next two or three weeks and to take double calcium supplements. AJ commented that he'd take his calcium in the form of ice cream and cheese. The medic's reply of, "That too." made them all snicker.

The next part of their journey was accomplished in a C-130.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs eyed his phone for the hundredth time that day. If DiNozzo didn't call him soon - he wasn't sure what he'd do, but he'd do something. He checked his email, then barked, "McGee! Is that email thingy working?"

Timothy McGee sighed. He'd gone through this every day that DiNozzo was on deployment. He really didn't mind, they were all worried about Tony. Abby was particularly in alt; she regarded Tony as the big brother she's always wanted. "I checked it first thing this morning. It's working. I think it's just that Tony doesn't have a secure connection. We'll hear from him when the op is over."

Ziva David also sighed. She liked Tony, just as much as she liked all her co-workers. But this obsession was a bit too much. "In Mossad, we let people who are on a mission concentrate on their work." She returned to her research, never noticing the heated looks from everyone who'd heard her. This included several members of other teams.

McGee looked at Gibbs, who glowered back; mutual shrugs dismissed Ziva's attitude. She'd gotten a bit 'broody', as Abby said, since the completion of the homegrown terrorist case.

A loud 'ding' from McGee's computer put them on notice that there was finally an email from Tony. Tim had given each member of the team their own warning tone several years ago.

The email was short, only saying, "Team ok. All walking wounded. Be in tomorrow."

Ziva sniffed and returned to her computer. No one was sure exactly what she was working on; their last TDA had made the mistake of asking her and gotten her head bitten off for her troubles.

McGee sent the requested emails to Ducky, Palmer, and Vance.

Gibbs went down to tell Abby in person.

Abby Sciuto was an admitted lab rat, never happier than when she was analyzing something, or figuring out which test to do next. She also had a fondness for very loud heavy metal/Goth music. Gibbs had long ago given up on getting her to keep the volume low. He just insisted that she turn it down when he came in the room.

"Abby! ABBY!" Gibbs gave up and turned the portable down himself.

Abby turned around to see who had committed the sacrilege of turning down Skinned Possums. "Gibbs! Did you hear from Tony? Pleaseplease say you did."

Gibbs smiled, Abby was so hyper. "He'll be here tomorrow."

"Yay!" Abby grabbed Gibbs in one of her patented Abby-hugs, nearly crushing the breath out of him.

"Easy there, Abby. One of these days, you're gonna do someone a real mischief." Gibbs eased out of the hug, patted Abby on the cheek and teased, "You gonna do something embarrassing?"

Abby laughed. "No, just a banner and a great big hug. He's probably going to try to sneak in on me. Not a chance of that, I can tell you."

Gibbs shook his head. "I still don't believe that security tells you everyone who comes in and leaves."

Abby shook her head. "They don't. Only a few special people. You ... and Ducky ... and Jimmy ... and Ziva ... and McGee ... and Tony. Just family."

Gibbs leaned over to kiss Abby on her offered cheek. "Ok, ok. And keep that music down to a dull roar. The secretarial pool is complaining again."

"Ok. Sorry. Oops." Abby went back to her whatever-it-was, intent on squeezing out all its secrets.

Gibbs left, hoping that Abby really did keep the welcome home down to a minimum.

Tony endured the check-in procedure with an amiable smile on his face. It wasn't security's fault that management was paranoid. He was just glad that it didn't include a patdown. He wasn't sure that his bruises, which had bruises, would handle it well. Not to mention his ribs and clavicle.

"Clear. You can go on in." The security guard smiled. "How was the mission?"

"A bitch. Thanks, Steve." Tony knew most of the security personnel by name; if he didn't, he took the trouble to read their name strip.

Steve gave Tony a quick once over. He didn't have three sons and two grandsons for nothing. "You're hurting. What's up?"

"Cracked ribs, clavicle, bruises up the yin-yang. Usual. Chopper crash'll do that to ya. I'll be ok in a couple of weeks. As long as I don't stress anything. Desk duty for me." Tony grinned at Steve. It really did make him feel good that people noticed things.

"You take care of yourself. Now, go. Sit down. And stay down."

Tony ambled off, not even rushing to catch an elevator. Steve watched for a moment, then called Gibbs.

Abby paced back and forth in the bullpen. She had decorated it with a banner stretched across the front of Tony's desk and a few balloons taped to the corners of everything that would hold tape. Now she was just waiting for Tony to appear so she could give him a huge hug.

Gibbs answered his phone while he kept an eye on Abby. "What? You're sure? Ok. I got it."

Only he didn't. Just as he hung up the elevator dinged, Abby launched herself at Tony before he was even through the doors.

Tony staggered back with a yelp. Everyone within ten feet, even Director Vance on the mezzanine, heard the snap of Tony's collarbone breaking. Abby, not realizing what had happened, babbled happily, "Oh, Tony, I'm so glad to see you. You ... You look ... what?"

Gibbs, realizing that Abby was completely oblivious, pulled her off and shoved her into McGee's waiting arms. Abby protested loudly, "Gibbs, what? What are you doing? Timmy, let go!"

McGee held her easily, even when she tried to kick his shins. "Stop, Abby. Quit."

Director Vance was already on the phone, telling Ducky and Jimmy Palmer to get up to the squad room fast.

Meanwhile, Gibbs was easing Tony down into a chair that someone wheeled behind him.

"What's going on?" Gibbs knew Tony was hurt, just not how badly.

"Fractured clavicle now broken and displaced. Rib, the same." Tony coughed. "Oh, man, Boss, it's bad."

Ducky exited the back elevator with Jimmy on his heels. "What happened?"

Gibbs kept one hand on Tony, keeping him from doubling over. "Broken rib, clavicle, not sure what else. Abby hugged him." That sounded wrong somehow but Ducky put two and two together and got the correct answer.

"Oh, dear. Well, let me check." Ducky motioned to Jimmy, who came forward to help get Tony's shirt off.

Meanwhile, Abby was having her usual fit. Everybody liked Abby, she was a good soul but she was over-exuberant, amped to the max and didn't seem to actually listen to people. She'd been called to Human Resources twice on the inappropriate touching reg. She just didn't seem to understand that she had to ask to hug, every time.

Now, she was half in hysterics because she'd hurt Tony. She wanted to make sure that he was going to be ok. But her constant chant of 'ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod' wasn't helping anything and her struggle to get away from Tim to go to Tony was only keeping him from offering the help that Ducky needed.

"Ziva, take her." Tim pushed Abby into Ziva's arms and hurried to help Jimmy get Tony out of his shirt.

Ziva grabbed Abby in a tight grip, holding her upper arm in an attempt to keep her from running rampant. "Too much caffeine. Abby, stop struggling or I will subdue you." Abby meeped and stopped kicking, but she didn't stop pulling. Ziva jerked her arm a bit harder than necessary. "Stop! Now!" Abby finally stilled and Ziva dragged her into the team's bullpen, out of the way of the rush.

While Ziva was dealing with Abby, Tim helped Ducky and Jimmy with Tony. They realized that easing Tony out of his polo shirt was out of the question so Tim produced a SOG tanto point SOGSAT-6 and cut it off him.

Tony just mumbled, "Glad I wasn't particularly attached to that shirt." He coughed and everything went to hell.

Jimmy, who'd covered Tony's mouth with a tissue, eyed it for a moment then said, "Blood in his sputum."

Ducky snarled, "Damn it!"

Gibbs looked up at Vance and gave the signal he hated most, the hand gesture that meant 'Call 9-1-1.' Leon Vance nodded and started dialing.

While he was making arrangements to get medics through security without delay, Ducky and Jimmy were doing triage.

"We better get him flat. I don't like the sound of his chest at all." Jimmy pocketed his stethoscope. He did tend to keep it with him. It was useful for all sorts of things.

Ducky replied, "Do remember, dear boy, that he has had plague."

"I remember and that's why I really don't like what I'm hearing." Jimmy eyed Tony for a moment. "We don't want him doing any more damage than what's already done."

Ducky nodded. "And that clavicle is a problem. It could easily puncture the skin if we're careless."

Gibbs, well used to battlefield procedures, said, "If I take his shoulders and Tim takes his hips, that leaves you on the feet and Palmer can stabilize his side."

Ducky nodded. "That will do. Anthony, do not try to help, just keep still."

Tony gave up. He was really hurting now, and he could feel the blood filling his lung. "'K. Just watch the bruises."

It didn't take more than a few seconds to get Tony on the floor, but not flat. Jimmy quashed that quickly. He pulled the loose cushion off the chair and got it under Tony's shoulders, saying, "We need to keep him inclined or he'll start having trouble breathing."

Ziva finally lost her grip on Abby. She didn't want to hurt her co-worker so she didn't clamp down like she could have.

Abby scurried out of the bullpen and tried to get to Tony. She wasn't sure what she would do when she got to him. All she knew was that she'd unintentionally hurt her friend and she had to make it right.

Director Vance blocked her. "Miss Sciuto, let the medics deal with him. You can do whatever you need to after he's tended to. Now, go back to your lab and stay there. I'm sure you have plenty of work to deal with."

Abby opened her mouth to protest but Gibbs looked over Vance's shoulder, jerked his head in the direction of the stairs, signed 'Go!' then returned to Tony. Abby headed for the stairs and down to her lab. She'd stay there until someone gave her an all clear. She contemplated her computers for a moment then left that idea for now. She could hack into Bethesda, but it wouldn't do her any good until Tony had a chart to hack.

The EMTs appreciated the quick pass though security, even if the guards did refer to them as 'medics'. They got the gurney and their boxes into the elevator by the simple expedite of putting all their boxes on the gurney and squeezing in beside it.

"What do we know?" EMT 1, actual name Sam Hazard, asked his partner.

"Not much. The call was pretty terse according to dispatch. There's a doctor on site. Better just go with what he says." EMT 2, Joe Burns, replied.

They patiently stood, waiting for the elevator to reach the proper floor.

When the door opened, they started to exit, then had to pull up as their patient was right in front of the doors.

"Ok, Doc, what's what?" Sam knelt beside Ducky and started taking notes as Ducky reeled off stats in quick medical shorthand.

While they were doing that, Jimmy paired with Joe to stabilize Tony. Jimmy, as a 'real' doctor, positioned Tony's arm with his hand on the opposite shoulder then held it in place as Joe wrapped an Ace bandage around Tony's chest to hold it in place. This would stabilize his clavicle and keep it from moving or puncturing the skin.

Sam reread his notes then sighed. "Well, that's a mess. Punctured lung? Are you sure?" He held up a hand, palm out. "Not questioning your skills, just ..." Tony chose that moment to cough again. The bloody spray from his lips shut both EMTs up.

Sam opined, "Well, shit," and stood up. "We better roll, guys. That does not look good."

They teamed up to lift Tony onto the wheeled stretcher, actually a gurney. The EMTs positioned it at an angle, to keep Tony from choking on his own blood. They pushed the gurney into the elevator and started to close the doors. Gibbs blocked them with one hand, saying, "I'm his medical. Gimme a sec."

Tim thrust Gibbs' go-bag into his hand and Gibbs allowed the doors to shut.

While they went down to the main floor, Sam took the opportunity to wipe Tony's lips and chin. The amount of blood scared even that hardened individual. "Man, this is not good. We better hit it hard."

Tony managed a grin. "Sweet. I always wanted to go Code 3."

Gibbs grumbled. "Only you, DiNozzo. I swear."

Tony allowed, 'You're a Marine, so, yeah."

Gibbs watched as Tony's eyelids drooped. "God, what a Charlie Foxtrot. DiNozzo, Blue Light."

"Gotcha, Boss." Tony tried to relax, knowing that tensing up just made it hurt worse and doubled the chance of more damage.

Joe, never particularly shy, asked, "Blue Light?"

Tony didn't even open his eyes when he replied, "I'm not allowed to die. Didn't ask permission first."

Sam grunted, "Huh? Wha'?"

Gibbs explained, "He had plague. They used some kinda blue light to keep it from spreading."

Joe blinked then muttered, "Ok, no permission. Great. What next?"

Tony grimaced as he realized that he needed to complete his med-his. "Um ... I'm a SEAL. I'm allergic to ... a long list of pain killers and ... stuff. In my watch."

Gibbs, realizing what was needed, took Tony's watch off, opened the semi-secret compartment and picked the mini-SD card out of its socket. "Updated?"

"Just before the op." Tony was having real trouble breathing now. He really wished they'd hurry up.

Gibbs handed the chip to Sam, who plugged it into his touch pad and, without bothering to read anything, sent it to the ER with an ETA. He returned the chip to Gibbs, who stuck it back in Tony's watch, then pocketed it.

Gibbs held Tony's hand as they loaded him into the ambulance. He climbed in after and settled on the forward jump seat. "Bad?"

Tony knew exactly what Gibbs was referring to so he said, "Not really. Just…" He grimaced once as the ambulance jerked into motion. "I made it through an op, a chopper crash and get done in by an Abby-hug? I'm never going to live this down."

Gibbs managed not to sigh. Abby was in huge trouble.

Ziva snorted, her run had crashed while they were dealing with Abby and DiNozzo. Now she had to start it all over again. McGee wouldn't help her, she was sure. He'd turned her down the last time she'd asked, telling her that, while Gibbs could get away with being computer illiterate, she could not. It was no comfort that he'd said the same about DiNozzo. She rubbed her aching head and went to reset her analysis.

She wasn't sure exactly what was wrong with her but something was. Her temper was short and she had no patience with anything. She'd been fine for quite some time, but something on the last op had triggered something within her. She wasn't coping well with the changes. It had really been all she could do to keep from smacking Abby down hard. The woman wasn't stupid, but sometimes she was so silly that Ziva wondered why she was still working at NCIS.

She opened her left top desk drawer and took out a bottle of Advil, popped two and went back to work. Her headaches were getting worse.

While Ziva was trying to work, McGee was doing his best to talk to Abby.

She wasn't having anything to do with that idea. She was just anxious to get to the hospital, but Vance had told her she couldn't go until her work was done. So McGee was doing his best to talk her down while he helped her do her work.

Abby was mostly ignoring him. All she was doing was pace, reload her 'babies' and complain.

"Seriously! Why am I being punished? I didn't mean to hurt Tony. Why would he come in hurt? It's not reasonable. It's stupid. Not that Tony is stupid, because he's not. But it's stupid to come in injured. Really. And Ziva. She's so on my black list. What's with her? First she acts like we're all fine and dandy, then she's all, 'I am Mossad. I don't reveal what I'm thinking or feeling'." Abby let out a tiny, frustrated scream.

McGee, who'd only been half listening, jumped. "Abby! What?"

Abby stomped her food and threw a tizzy worthy of a two-year-old who needed a nap. "Timothy McGee! I swear, you never listen to me. I thought we were friends, but, now ... you're just like..."

Tim stood up, his temper on its last, ragged edge. "Abby, stop it. I'm trying to finish this so we can go to the hospital and see how Tony is. It's your fault he's hurt in the first place. I don't know how many times you've been warned. You'll get written up this time. And have to go to Human Resources' Acceptable Conduct Seminar. If you want to act like a child, fine. I've got work of my own to do." With that, he got up and went back to his desk.

Abby squealed, threw a few soft things around then went back to work. She needed to get her work done so she could get to the hospital and see Tony.

Tony just looked at Gibbs over the oxygen mask. He was really hurting now that the shock was fading. He really didn't think that an Abby-hug should have done all this. "Boss?"

Gibbs patted his shoulder gently and said, "Looks like a punctured lung and broken collarbone. But, you know EMTs, they don't want to say anything because the docs'll give 'em hell." Gibbs knew it was bad; having to repeat what Jimmy had told them meant that Tony wasn't getting enough oxygen.

He glanced at Sam. Sam just nodded and upped the oxy. He banged on the partition and yelled, "Floor it, Joe!"

Joe sped up. He'd been driving at speed, not relying on the lights and siren to get traffic out of the way. Now, he was going to turn up the volume and run full out, hoping like hell that the L&S kept some idiot from getting in the way.

Gibbs snarled as more blood flecked Tony's lips. He adjusted the gurney to prop him up more, hoping to keep some air flow. It worked, for now.

"We better be at Bethesda soon. Real soon."

Sam glanced at the readout over the partition between driver and back. "Five minutes. Pitt is waiting." He did the routine health check. "He's not blue. Breathing is labored, but ox levels are good. Pressure is a bit high, but no more than expected. Abdomen is hard." Sam frowned for a moment. "Any abdominal injuries?"

Gibbs smirked a bit. "No, he's just got a hell of a six-pack. PT."

"Ok, good." Sam listened to Tony's chest and frowned. "Rales on one side. That's the puncture site. I don't like the sound of it at all. He's very wet."

Joe swerved suddenly, throwing Gibbs and Sam from one side of the unit to the other. Tony, strapped firmly to the gurney faired a bit better, only groaning softly as his injuries were jarred.

"Sorry, some people don't seem to realize that getting out of the way of emergency units isn't a suggestion. Cop has the asshole."

Sam snarled, "And we're only one minute out. You'd think ..."

Gibbs interrupted him. "Idiots. Give up on 'em, before you drive yourself nuts."

Joe announced. "At the door. Come on."

They piled out, pulled the gurney gently off the back and wheeled Tony into the ER.

Dr Brad Pitt met them in the first bay. "Right here. What the hell happened this time?"

Sam rattled off stats and told Dr Pitt, "I downloaded his records from that chip." He nodded at Gibbs. "He gave it to me."

Brad nodded. "I got that. Good work. Now. Let me see." He turned to Tony and started his examination as Sam began to gather up his stuff. He still had shift time left and needed to get back to his rig.

Gibbs nodded to him. "Thanks, man."

"Welcome." Sam dug out his card. "Here, my card; let me know how he does. OK?"

"Sure thing." Gibbs pocketed the bit of paper. He would actually let the crew know. He knew how hard it was not to find out how things turned out. "Good shift."

"Thanks." And with that, Sam wheeled his gurney out of the bay and back to his rig.

Dr Pitt gave Tony a quick examination and announced, "Damn, he needs surgery on that rib and clavicle. I'll get it set up." He turned to a nurse. "Start the scrub in as soon as he gets up to pre-op. I don't want to waste any time. He doesn't have a pneumothorax yet, and I don't want him to have one, either."

Gibbs was relieved to hear that. If Tony's lung collapsed, they'd have more trouble than they did now.

Meanwhile, Tony was gasping worse and worse. His breathing finally became so labored that Dr Pitt ordered the oxygen turned up to 100 percent then barked, "Get him upstairs. I'm headed to scrub. Go!"

Gibbs, well aware of what was going to happen, just stepped out of the way. "Tony! I'll be there on the flip. Blue Light." Tony held up one hand, thumb up, then changed to 'okay'. Gibbs watched as he disappeared behind a flock of blue scrubs. Then he kicked the nearby trashcan and let loose with a stream of profanity that made a nurse peek in. "I'm okay. Go." The nurse disappeared.

Gibbs found the appropriate waiting room and settled in to wait. He wasn't good at waiting anymore, but he knew that bothering the staff would only get him a quick trip out the door. They had more important things to do besides alleviating his impatience. He thought about his old training officer. The man had told him he had the patience of a toddler. He'd agreed but proved that he had plenty, when he needed it. He needed it now.

It arrived in the person of Ducky. He came in 'Tut-tut-ing', dragging Jimmy with him. McGee arrived about the same time. They all took seats, fixing their eyes on the door.

About fifteen minutes after they got settled, Gibbs' phone rang. He dragged it out of his pocket and barked, "Gibbs." He listened for a moment then said, "He's in surgery. Not sure how long it'll take, or what needs done. I'll call when I know something. Send Abby ASAP, she'll be flipping out otherwise."

Director Vance hung up his phone and sighed. He had sadly misjudged DiNozzo. Anthony 'AJ' DiNozzo, Lieutenant Commander, US Navy SEAL, was neither an idiot, nor a frivolous frat boy. He was as highly decorated as Gibbs, and still on active duty. Now he was in the hospital because one of his co-workers couldn't follow regulations. He was going to write her up this time. Then he was going to send her to the hospital.

There were days he hated his job; this was one of them.

He got the form from his secretary, Cynthia. She'd been the former Director's secretary too. He'd kept her on for two reasons: one, she was very good and, two, he actually liked her.

Cynthia tapped on the door, then entered. "Here's that form. You heard anything about DiNozzo yet?"

Vance sighed; he should have known that anyone so universally liked couldn't be a total idiot. "No, he's in surgery. They're probably going to have to plate and pin something. Gibbs will call."

"Oh, dear. Well, just take it easy on Miss Sciuto, please. She's a good person; she just ... doesn't know her own strength sometimes." Cynthia left, shutting the door with a sharp click. She called Miss Sciuto to come up, cautioning her gently not to throw one of her tizzies.

Abby replied that she'd be good, hung up and headed up to the Director's office, worrying more about Tony than herself.

Ziva eyed Abby as she hustled through the squad room, headed for the stairs up to the Director's office. Unaware that anyone might overhear her she grumbled, "I hope she gets written up. She is so out of hand. In Mossad, she would be out on her butt, no matter how good she is. Outrageous."

Over the partition, Agent Willis scowled. He turned to his partner and told her what he'd heard. She hustled off to the break room to share that bit of Ziva cruelty with her best friend from the secretarial pool.

Everyone knew that once something got to the pool it was all over the building at lightning speed. It was, in this case, not exaggerated that much.

Ziva, totally unaware of how badly she was undercutting herself, continued to gripe to herself.

The fact that her uncomplimentary comments were a bit out of character for her, escaped everyone; except one person. Max Undine was a Human Resources councilor who was headed up to speak to Abby. He overheard Ziva and made a mental note to speak to her too.

Leon Vance took one look at the miserable huddle that was his best forensic scientist and gave up.

Abby looked like she was about to dissolve, tears streaked her mascara and eyeliner down her cheeks in black rivulets. She sniffled, wiping her nose on a bedraggled tissue that was way beyond able to do its job.

"Well, Miss Sciuto, I was about to hand you your ass, but I see it's not necessary. You do realize that you're going to have to take that damn acceptable touching workshop, right?"

Abby nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm so sorry. I just get all excited and ... and ... I really, really didn't mean to hurt Tony." She accepted the wad of tissues Vance handed her and blew her nose on one. She used the rest to scrub her cheeks dry, removing the smears of makeup. "I got all my work caught up and Lab 3 is up to speed on all my active cases. I don't have anything to run on any of them right now. Can I go see about Tony? Please? I'll come right back if I'm needed."

Vance waved Max to his seating area, the comfortable couch and chairs where he met with friends, took a quick meal and so on. He wasn't needed; Abby was already well aware of the consequence of her actions. "Abby. Take a deep breath. I'll make arrangements for a driver to take you to Bethesda. I don't want you driving. But, from now on, only four Caf-Pows a day, unless you're on a hot case. Ok?"

Abby nodded, took a deep breath and replied, "Ok. Thanks. And I'll expect an email with the details of that workshop. I'm really sorry for all the trouble. I just hope Tony isn't pissed at me. At least, not too pissed, because he has every right to be mad. I mean, I really hurt him."

Vance, well aware that Abby could work herself into quite a state, turned her over to the councilor with a quick, "Here, Max, take her and get her calm and into the car. Thanks." He sighed his relief at avoiding an Abby-babble of epic proportions. He eyed the write up and shook his head. How could he put a mark in Abby's jacket when she was so obviously contrite? He File 13'd the paper with a shake of his head. He never knew that Cynthia sneaked in at the earliest opportunity and shredded it.

He sighed and made the call that he was well aware that none of Gibbs' team would think to make. He called SecNav, who called Captain Rafe McKinley, Tony's CO.

Captain McKinley called Cosmo Richter, who called the rest of the team. They were all over the place but word got back that they'd be at Bethesda in under six hours. Cosmo also called Gibbs to give him the headsup.