In Case Of Emergency, Call Abby

The Beginning

She'd been hit.

Someone had hit her.

Someone had hit Abby.

Feeling horrified, Jenny called over her shoulder towards the basement, "Leroy! Get up here!" before turning back to Abby.

"Who did this to you?"

Abby just shook her head, feeling embarrassed and ashamed of what she was going to have to say. At the same time, Gibbs rushed up from the basement, having dropped everything at the sound of Jenny's tone.

Upon arrival, and upon seeing the sorry state that his favorite forensic scientist was in, his heart sank.

"Abs? What happened?"

Abby just shivered and rubbed hands on her arms, trying to keep warm. "S-so cold, G-Gibbs."

Working together, Gibbs and Jenny helped Abby out of her scarf, mittens, and jacket so she didn't overheat. When Gibbs found her a clean sweatshirt and a clean pair of sweatpants to wear, Abby accepted them gratefully. By the time she finished, she wasn't crying as much anymore, and felt like she was able to talk again.

"I guess I owe you two an explanation, huh?"

She said this as she sat on the couch in the living room couch with Gibbs and Jenny, the latter of whom wrapped a warm blanket around her.

"We're definitely not going to turn you away," Jenny said gently. "But we really like to know what's going on."

"And who hurt you."  Gibbs added.

Abby took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I started seeing someone a little while ago, and I haven't said anything because this was my first very serious relationship in a very long time, and I just wanted to keep things to myself."

"That's completely understandable." Jenny sympathized.

Abby's eyes filled with tears. "I really loved him..."

Gibbs reached over and wiped Abby's tears. "What's this guy's name?"

"Lieutenant Onyx Clarkson."

Gibbs' eyebrows shot up. "He's a lieutenant? On what ship?"

"Actually, it's more like file clerk at Fort Runnymede in D.C.. He used to serve on the U.S.S. Nevada."

"The ship that sank about three years ago after being torpedoed by pirates in the East Indian Ocean?"

Abby nodded. "Onyx was on its last mission before it sank, and when it docked here again, he was transferred to Fort Runnymede."

"What happened between you and the lieutenant?"

"We got into a really bad fight, and we broke up."

Now it was Jenny's eyebrows that shot up. "That still gives him no right to hurt you."

"I know, and I'm in shock because I've never been in a relationship that was even remotely violent. I just couldn't be alone tonight, and I didn't know where else to go."