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Four ways Abby almost quit NCIS and one she didn't
By Jaina
1. It was her first week at NCIS, and maybe, just maybe, she was a little more sheltered than she'd thought. Or maybe the pictures of the beautiful little girl that had been raped and murdered where more than anyone should have to see.
Gibbs had been an ass. More of an ass than she'd known he could be then. And so, and so after they'd finally caught the bastard that'd done it, she'd yelled at him that she quit. That she wouldn't do it if he was this big of a bastard.
And he'd laughed; held her; brought her Caf-Pow.
2. She'd thought about it after Kate was killed. Oh, she knew she couldn't quit before they caught Ari, or before Gibbs killed him. She needed that.
But afterwards maybe.
Maybe then she'd quit. Her mom wanted her to move back down south. Family, have kids, get a boring job. It wasn't what she wanted, but Kate…
Her best friend.
Some days she didn't want to see what they did anymore, not when blood samples meant that all she could see was Kate bleeding out, not when skin and hair samples meant Kate laying cold and oh-so-dead down on Ducky's table.
3. Tuesdays.
She hated Tuesdays.
Bad things always seemed to happen to them on Tuesdays. And there was nothing like getting stalked by a crazy ex-boyfriend and kidnapped by another crazy psycho on the same day to make a girl have a very bad.
There'd been a long string of Tuesdays in her career when she'd thought about quitting. Today being one of them. But –
Something about Gibbs sitting next to her in the elevator; Ziva's quick kiss on the cheek and parting instruction on how to use a taser…maybe today it was okay.
Maybe today wasn't such a bad Tuesday.
4. After Gibbs left, she walked down to her lab. She'd intended to pack her things, leave a note with her resignation on the Director's desk and slip out. She didn't want to be at an NCIS without Gibbs.
She could find another job. It was something else that she needed.
What she hadn't expected was to find Tony and Ziva standing there; knowing looks on their faces.
She'd thrown angry words in Ziva's face. Ziva had just stood there and let her. She wished that Ziva'd slapped her again. Being angry was better.
Against her ear, Ziva whispered.
Don't leave.
5. She'd choked back so many things when Ziva had called her for Gibbs' number.
Why are you calling him? How bad is it? What's going to happen to you?
Tony and McGee had been there for her after Gibbs left, but Ziva was what had made her look forward to going into work everyday.
Sometimes they fought over cases, or other things; some days they laughed and teased the boys. Every day was different.
What Ziva gave her, wasn't what Gibbs had given her.
Stability, yes. A reason to stay, yes.
But a completely different one.
A kiss was enough.
The End