Completed - Behavioural Analysis - NCIS/Criminal Minds, Tibbs,

Chapter 9

Abby smiled as Palmer came into her lab. It faded fast at the look on the young man's face. She couldn't quite describe it, but it filled her body with dread. Something had happened, something bad.

'Is everything okay Jimmy? Is it about Breena? Has she been hurt?' Abby babbled.

'Abby stop I…'Jimmy took a deep breath. 'You're not going to like it.'

'Like what? Please just tell me you are scaring me.' She begged.

'I didn't mean to frighten you. It's about Ziva and McGee, they came to see me. They don't like how things have changed regarding Tony.' Palmer watched as Abby nodded.

'Yeah, they came to see me earlier trying to get information about Tony out of me. I didn't tell them anything, and then one of my babies beeped thank goodness.' She chuckled and then noticed that her friend hadn't joined in. 'There's more to this, isn't there?' That was when Abby knew she was going to really, really hate what was coming next.

'Yes there is.' Palmer had to tell her, he didn't have any choice. It killed him inside knowing that he had to do this. Abby had always had a close and personal relationship with McGee, and everyone still thought that they would end up together. What he was about to say would probably stop that altogether. Abby would never forgive McGee or Ziva for planning to ruin Tony for their own selfish reasons. 'They came to me because they thought I would be in agreement with them.'

'In agreement about what?'

'Tony, they thought because he called me autopsy gremlin that I would be angry with him. They've come up with a plan.'

'What plan?' Abby never understood why McGee hated being called probie. Palmer loved his nickname, in his mind it was a compliment. To him it meant Tony liked and trusted him.

'They want to make Tony look incompetent, and when he denies any mistakes, it will make him look like a liar.' Palmer just stood there and waited for Abby to absorb the information.

'But Tony isn't, he's one of the bet NCIS or most other agencies have. Look at how many job offers he gets. How are they going to do this?' She couldn't get her mind around anyone looking at Tony like that.

'They're going to sabotage a case, and make it look like it was all down to Tony.'

'Oh my god, don't they understand what that could do not only to Tony, but to the case itself. Someone could get away with murder; the victims of whatever crime it was wouldn't get any justice.' Abby didn't want to believe it, they were a family. McGee wouldn't or couldn't do something like this, he wasn't like that. There was something deep within her that stopped her from voicing McGee's innocence. She had seen the way he changed, and more so with Ziva's influence. She could actually see them do it.

'Do you believe me?' Palmer asked quietly.

Abby whipped around to stare at him. She hadn't realised that she had started to pace. 'Yes Jimmy I believe you. We need to go and tell Gibbs.'

'Do I have to go with you?' He knew that Gibbs was going to be furious and he didn't want to be collateral damage.

'Yes you do. Gibbs will have questions for you.' Abby suddenly froze. 'Oh god, what is this going to do Tony?' He was going to be devastated when he found out that two people he considered family were willing to do this.

Palmer reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. 'We will show him that his real family will be there and that we will support him.'

'Yes we will.' She squeezed his hand. No matter what happened she would help Tony, and show how much he meant to her. Abby realised that she hadn't been as supportive as she could have been. It made her feel awful that she hadn't even noticed what was going on. What kind of person was she? Abby promised herself that she would apologise to him and then do better.