During a standard investigation, Abby thinks she made a rookie mistake by releasing cyanide gas into the lab, distracted by having to give testimony during a court case. The team doesn't believe it; they find out that Abby took out a restraining order against an ex-boyfriend. Said ex also knows forensics and has a lot of information on Abby, including where she is at all times. They work to prevent a murder and convince Abby that she's in danger.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Assassin Outclassin': Hearing high-pitched screams from the van, Gibbs and Tony take off on a run... only for the hit man to tumble out of the van, with Abby vengefully zapping him with a taser.
- Bait-and-Switch: The episode opens with the Director and Ziva dramatically discussing that their next mission must not have any mistakes...only to turn to Abby and tell her she needs to wear heels, since they're getting her dressed for court.
- Bitter Almonds: The scent that alerts Abby to the cyanide gas being released by the cocaine in her lab.
- Chekhov's Gun: Abby is given several self-defense tools such as a taser that the ladies gave her and a hyperwhistle from Ducky. She uses all of them on the hitman when he attempts to kidnap her and the hyperwhistle is used to alert Gibbs to her position.
- Damsel in Distress: When Abby's stalker tries kidnapping her, all she can do is scream for help and run away to hide in the bathroom.
- Damsel out of Distress: In the climax, Abby tases the guy hired to kill her just as the team comes to rescue her. He's writhing in a heap by the time she's done.
- Disproportionate Retribution: McGee nearly left Abby vulnerable, but Abby made the mistake of opening the door to a knock when McGee expressly told her not to do that. As punishment, Gibbs takes away McGee's chair and makes him work on his knees until he gets a lead.
- Dumbass Has a Point: Abby's stalker is so obsessed with her that the team reflexively dismisses everything he claims. Then he shows them surveillance photos from his stalking and confirms that someone else was following her.
- Everyone Has Standards: The criminal's defense lawyer looks shocked on learning her client tried to murder Abby.
- I'm Standing Right Here: It becomes a Running Gag for the whole team to remark that Abby doesn't have enemies, it's not as if they're talking about Tony... who naturally objects.
- Moral Myopia: Abby's stalker insists that she needs him to protect her... and yet, when Gibbs discovers that he intended to kill her and stage her suicide, he brushes it off as a "last resort".
- Papa Wolf: Gibbs says that the only reason Abby's stalker is still walking is that he didn't know he existed until that day. Given his Death Glare, he is not bluffing.
- Properly Paranoid: The team learns that Abby's stalker was going to kill her and fake a suicide note. They leave him in an interrogation room once they get the evidence, and presumably have him arrested for good.
- Skewed Priorities: After the suspect inadvertently snaps a photo of the team when they arrive to interrogate him, Tony looks at himself on the screen and takes a moment to smooth down his hair.
- Smug Snake: The criminal accused of money laundering walks out of court after he's Off on a Technicality after Abby's evidence is rendered inadmissible due to her restraining order...only to be arrested for hiring a hitman against her as the star witness.
- Too Dumb to Live: Abby at first; she's not taking the idea of someone wanting her dead seriously. When hosting her for the night, McGee has to go to her car to get her toothbrush and orders her to stay inside; he has a key so anyone knocking would be an intruder. He does knock once to get his keys, but the second time it's her stalker ex-boyfriend. After escaping him and grabbing an Improvised Weapon, Abby starts to take the threat more seriously to the point that she researches statistics on murder.
- Too Kinky to Torture: After Abby fails to listen to McGee's instruction to not open the door unless she knows it's him, he repeats the instruction, adding:McGee: ...or I will tie you up!
Abby: Really? - Villainous Breakdown: Abby's stalker suffers this at the very end this when Gibbs shows him that, despite what he was insisting, Abby is not watching his interrogation and does not return his feelings in the slightest. His delusions shattered, the man is reduced to pathetically screaming Abby's name as Gibbs walks away.
- You Just Ruined the Shot: Zigzagged. Abby's ex-boyfriend runs a crime scene cleanup business. When the team sees bloodied people on the floor of the office and comes in with their guns drawn, a camera goes off. Abby's ex then sits up from acting "dead" and moves his mannequins, revealing it's just a promotional photo (the "before cleanup" shot for the crime scene, where the "after" shot would be the same shot but without him, his mannequins and the fake blood in the frame). While Abby's ex is at first annoyed at them, he notices the picture looks even better with the agents in it and asks the NCIS team to sign releases so he can use their images.
