Welcome to the family

~

Abigail sighed and rested her forehead against the cool window pane as she watched the men working in the wrecking yard that was behind their house. The sun was beginning to set so she knew that the day was almost over for them and soon it would be time for her to go to bed as well.

A cold hand slid over her eyes and a man's voice whispered in her ear, "Guess who."

Abby gasped and spun around to face the intruder. "Daddy!" she cried, lunging forwards and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You came back."

Jethro grinned and hugged her back, kissing her on the top of the head. "Of course I did," he chuckled. "It's your birthday. I promised you that I'd be back today and I would never dream of breaking a promise I made you," he said, scooping the six year old into his arms and settling them both onto the window seat where Abby had been seated previously.

"I missed you, daddy," Abby whispered as she leant back against Jethro's chest, playing with the Marine's fingers.

"I missed you too, Angel," Jethro said softly, kissing her gently on the temple. "Don't you want your birthday present?" he asked smiling down at her.

Abby shook her head, "It can wait until tomorrow," she whispered, leaning her head back against Jethro's chest and closing her eyes, quickly falling asleep in her fathers protective embrace.

~

"What?" Abby asked, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at Jethro.

"I'm sorry, Angel," Jethro said softly, crouching down so that he was at eye level with her. "I have to go. I need to work."

"How long for?" Abby questioned, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"A long time," Jethro whispered, hugging the nine year old tightly. Jethro released her slightly, unfastening the gold chain that was around his neck. "I'll tell you what," he said quietly, fastening the chain around Abby's neck, "you look after this for me. And whenever you get sad just touch it and I'll always be with you."

Abby nodded her head, tears splashing onto her dress. "When are you going?" she asked, fiddling with the chain.

"The day after tomorrow," Jethro replied, wiping Abby's cheeks. "Which is why me and you are going to spend the rest of today and tomorrow doing whatever you want to do and then next weekend you're going to come up to DC and we can paint your new room. Ok?"

Abby sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. "You promise?" she whispered.

Jethro nodded his head. "I swear. I love you so much, Angel. Don't you ever forget that, ok?"

Abby hugged him tightly. "I won't, daddy," she promised. "I love you too."

~

"What were you thinking?" Jethro demanded of his daughter as he looked at her through the bars. He had surprised her by flying her and her best friend to Los Angles for her thirteenth birthday to see the Rolling Stones. What he hadn't counted on was Abby getting arrested at the concert.

"It wasn't me, dad," Abby insisted. "I swear."

"Abigail," Jethro sighed, "the cops said you stood on the podium and took your top off."

"It was someone else," Abby swore, her eyes pleading with him as she looked at him.

"Who was it then?" Jethro questioned

Abby shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. Someone pushed past me and climbed up on the podium, the next thing I know, the cops are swooping in front all angles and then I'm in here getting yelled at by an ex-marine."

"Excuse me," a cop interrupted them, stepping past Jethro and pulling his keys out. "You're free to go Miss Sciuto," he said, sliding his key into the lock and pulling the door open. "I trust you've learnt your lesson?" he questioned.

Abby glanced at Jethro, who looked disappointed in her. "Oh, trust me," she said quietly. "I did."

~

Jethro sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could hear his two team members bickering with each other and it was starting to grate on his last nerve. He had sniped at them to shut up twice in the past hour so that he could try to concentrate on his paperwork. They had been silenced momentarily, only to start again a few moments later.

His computer beeped at him, letting him know that he had just received a new email. Jethro growled under his breath, wondering who would have the nerve to bother him. In the fourteen years that Jethro had been working for NCIS he had managed to build a reputation for himself - that Special Agent Gibbs was a bastard and was not to be messed with or bothered. A reputation he was more than happy to make people think, if only because it meant he got peace and quiet.

He frowned as he looked at who the email was from. From: Abigail.Sciuto@NCIS.com. Are you going to come down here and say hello? Jethro stared at the computer screen in surprise. He pushed his chair back from the desk and jumped up.

"Boss?" Brendan asked, sounding concerned as he looked up from his own computer.

"You two stop bickering and get on with your work," Jethro snapped at them as he left the bullpen, "you're not leaving until it's done," he threatened as he reached the elevator.

~

Sure enough when he reached the lab the familiar pounding of rock music was pulsing from the stereo in the corner and a familiar black haired figure was stood with her back to the door. Jethro hit the power button on the music centre. "Abigail?" he questioned once the lab was silent.

The young woman turned to face him, a scowl on her face. "How many times do I have to tell you?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips. "Don't call me Abigail!" she commanded.

Jethro smiled and crossed the room. "I'm sorry, Angel," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug. "God, I missed you," he whispered against her hair, breathing in her scent.

"I missed you too, Jet," she grinned, hugging him back just as tightly.

"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" he asked, pulling back with a smile on his face.

Abby smiled back at him. "Sorry, dad," she smirked.

"That's more like it," Jethro said, placing a soft kiss on Abby's forehead. "Now, what are you doing in Washington?" he questioned. "The last time I spoke to you, you were back home in New Orleans."

"I was but I applied for the lab tech job here and surprisingly I got it," Abby told him.

"Why is it surprising?" Jethro asked her.

"Just that I didn't think they would hire me because of you," Abby smirked. "Two Gibbs' working in one place? Might scare people."

"Well, how would they know?"

"Because you have to list your parents on the form for HR," Abby told him. "So I had to put you and Gloria as my next of kin."

"Is she okay?" Jethro asked, perching on Abby's desk. "Your mom," he added for clarification.

Abby grinned and nodded her head. "She was the last time I spoke to her. Her and Alex are probably in Hawaii by now," she added, glancing at her watch to confirm the date.

Jethro smiled, Abby's mother - Gloria - was the only ex-wife that Jethro was still some what friendly with. It was probably due to Abby's influence than anything else though. They had divorced when Abby was nine but had remained in touch and Jethro was happy for Gloria when Abby told him that her mother was getting remarried. Gloria was the reason Jethro had learnt to speak sign language.

"How's Julie?" Abby asked her father.

Jethro shrugged his shoulders. "At the moment she's not talking to me. She's making me sleep on the couch."

"What did you do to piss her off now?" Abby asked accusingly.

Jethro shrugged again. "She called me a bastard the other day," he told her. "Must be something to do with that."

"Well you are," Abby agreed. "You've said so yourself. You need to buy her some flowers to apologise, otherwise it'll be divorce number three for you, mister," she prodded her finger in the centre of Jethro's chest.

"Me? Flowers?" Jethro asked incredulously.

Abby shook her head, muttering about stubborn marines. "And then you wonder why you've been married three times," she said, scratching her neck.

"When did you get that?" Jethro asked, indicating to the new tattoo that was on the side of his daughters neck.

"What?" Abby asked in confusion, "Oh this," she added, running her hand over the drawing. "About five months ago. I thought it looked cool," she shrugged her shoulders.

"It suits you," Jethro told her. "Is that the third or the fourth?" he asked, frowning as he tried to remember how many she had.

"The fifth," Abby told him, smirking at his surprised look.

"Where's the other one?" Jethro asked. Abby blushed and looked away. "Never mind," Jethro laughed, placing his hands on the side of her face and kissing the tip of her nose.

"You still wear this?" Abby asked, taking his wrist in her hand and running her fingers over the engraving on the bracelet.

"Of course I do," Jethro said, glancing at the text that read Happy Fathers Day Daddy, love your Angel Abby.

"I got you it when I was eight," Abby laughed, shaking her head at Jethro's sentimentality - it wasn't a side anyone, except her, got to see and most people wouldn't believe he had a caring bone in his body anyway.

"So?" Jethro shrugged. Just then the door to the lab opened and Brendan entered.

"Boss," he addressed Jethro, "we've got a dead Petty Officer on a Naval base just outside of Norfolk."

Jethro scowled. "Get the truck ready," he instructed. Brendan nodded obediently and left Jethro and Abby alone in the lab. "I'll see you later," Jethro said, squeezing Abby's shoulder affectionately.

"With Caff-Pow!" Abby nodded her head.

"You still addicted to that stuff?" Jethro laughed.

"Of course," Abby said seriously, grinning at the ex-marine as he turned the music back on before he left the lab.

~

"Ow!" Jethro scowled up at Donald Mallard from where he was sitting on the autopsy table.

"Well stop moving and it wouldn't hurt so much," the doctor scolded.

"There you are!" Abby's voice sounded from the door. "What the hell happened?" she questioned as she entered the lab, taking in the blood on the back of her fathers head.

"Ducky," Jethro flinched when Ducky tugged hard on the stitching, "you remember..."

"Little Abigail," Ducky smiled, finishing off what he was doing. "My, you've grown up, haven't you? The last time I saw you, you were this tall," he indicated to around waist height. "You'd fallen out of the tree out front and scraped your knee. You wouldn't stop crying."

Abby grinned at Jethro's old friend, "I remember," she laughed, "I only stopped crying when you brought me down here and gave me a lolly pop. I saw my first corpse then. It was ace." Ducky laughed and shook his head. "What happened?" Abby repeated, glaring at Jethro for not answering her the first time.

"A seven iron," Ducky told her.

"I think it was a nine iron actually," Jethro winced as he gingerly touched the wound on the back of his head.

"She wants a divorce doesn't she?" Abby sighed.

"I assumed as much when she threw her wedding ring at me and said she wanted a divorce," Jethro retorted. "Right before she came after me with the golf club."

"I told you that you should have apologised, didn't I?" Abby said, putting her hands on her hips.

"I know, I know," Jethro sighed. "You were right. This is the last time I get married," he swore.

"Yeah right," Abby scoffed, "you said that after Sandra attacked you with the baseball bat."

"I mean it this time, Abs," he insisted. "If I ever tell you that I'm getting married again you have every right to attack me with a blunt object."

"I'll hold you to that," Abby smirked. "I don't think you can afford to pay anymore alimony to more ex-wives."

"Exactly. Was there a reason you were looking for me?" Jethro asked, swallowing a couple of painkillers dry.

"I think I've found something interesting in the DNA that you sent down earlier," Abby grinned.

"Are you done?" Jethro asked Ducky.

The doctor nodded his head. "Just be careful, you might have concussion again," he cautioned.

"Then, lead the way, Abs," Jethro said grinning at his daughter.

"Bye Ducky!" Abby waved as she headed out of the morgue.

~

"Abby, this is Anthony DiNozzo," Jethro introduced her to the brunet that was tailing him. "DiNozzo this is Abigail Sciuto, our lab geek."

"He's cute," Abby grinned. "And I am not a geek."

"She does everything we need. DNA, ballistics, computer hacking, you name it," Jethro continued as if he hadn't heard her.

"I need an assistant, Gibbs," Abby scowled at her father.

"Get DiNozzo here to stay in the lab to help you," Jethro smirked at his daughter. "I've got a meeting to be in," he scowled glancing at his watch. "Abs, I trust you can keep DiNozzo occupied for a while?"

"Of course I can," Abby grinned saluting the ex-marine as he left the pair of them alone in the lab.

"You think I'm cute?" Tony asked, a smirk on his face.

"Of course you are," Abby cooed, pinching Tony's cheeks. "You wanna help me with this?" Abby asked, walking over to the table in the centre of the room.

"What is it?" Tony asked, crouching down so he was at eye level.

"It's a DNA structure," Abby smiled. "I've been trying to get it perfect for weeks but you need more than one pair of hands and Gibbs wouldn't help me," she pouted.

Tony laughed. "I'll help," Tony agreed, rolling the sleeves of his shirt up.

"Great!" Abby grinned handing him glue.

~

Jethro glanced at Tony out of the corner of his eye, frowning when he noticed that the younger agent looked more worn out than usual. Quietly he got up and walked over to Tony's desk, "DiNozzo," he said. Tony looked up curiously and Jethro indicated for Tony to follow. "What's wrong with you?" Jethro asked quietly once they were a pretty short distance away from the bullpen.

"Boss?" Tony asked in confusion.

"Have you looked in the mirror recently, DiNozzo?" Jethro questioned. "You haven't been sleeping. I'm a trained investigator, Tony," Jethro added at Tony's questioning look. "Give me a little bit of credit. What's going on?"

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "My apartments being fumigated. I'm gonna be out for two weeks."

"Where are you staying?" Jethro asked.

"My car," Tony shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Your car?" Jethro growled quietly and Tony nodded his head. "When shift's finished, grab your stuff," Jethro commanded, "you're sleeping on my couch."

"Boss?" Tony questioned in surprise.

"You're not arguing with me on this, DiNozzo," Jethro told him firmly, "your lack of sleep is affecting your work so you're coming home with me, no buts."

"Boss, you make it almost sound like a date," he smirked. He was rewarded with a slap on the back of his head.

~

"Something that you forgot to mention to us, boss?" Tony asked when Jethro returned to his sitting room carrying two beers.

Jethro followed Tony's gesture to the 'Best Dad In The World' plaque that resided on his mantle. He silently cursed his own sentimentality, "Not a word to anyone, DiNozzo," he growled.

"Wouldn't dream of it, boss," Tony grinned, "no one would believe me anyway," he muttered under his breath, as he leant closer so that he could read the text on the plaque. Tony almost choked on his beer as he read, Love your Angel, Abby.

"What is it now, DiNozzo?" Jethro growled as Tony finished coughing.

Tony picked the plaque up and turned it around so Jethro could see it. "Something else you were forgetting to tell us, boss?" he asked quietly, pointing to Abby's name.

Jethro growled again. "You're not going to let this go are you?" he sighed seeing the look on Tony's face - one that was demanding answers. Tony shook his head, a smirk adorning his features, his hazel eyes sparkling mischievously. "Fine," Jethro said quietly, "sit down Tony. This is going to take a while."

Tony obeyed silently, listening intently as Jethro sat in the chair opposite him and began explaining. "Do you know how old Abby is?" he started. Tony shook his head, amazed at the side of Jethro he was witnessing. "She's twenty-six. When she was born I was a Marine. I was from New Orleans and it's where I lived but I had to travel a lot. My first wife, Gloria, was from there as well. We hadn't really known each other for very long when we got engaged. She was beautiful - tall, perfect skin, long legs, gorgeous green eyes."

"She was deaf, wasn't she?" Tony asked quietly. "I mean, I remember you saying that Abby's mom was deaf when I asked you why she could speak sign language when I first started," he explained.

"Yeah she is," Jethro agreed. "I didn't know how to say anything at all in sign language when I asked her to marry me, but I didn't care. She taught me how to say things after we got married though," he added. "A couple of weeks after we were married I got called to South America on a job. It was hard," Jethro admitted shaking his head, "leaving her so soon after we'd married but we'd just got a house and had a mortgage to pay so I didn't have a choice. I was away for ten months, when I came back everything seemed different. Gloria had traded the paving that had been in the garden for grass, she had traded her slightly flashy sports car for a more sensible SUV. The biggest shock was when I pushed the door open all you could hear was crying. Gloria had been pregnant when I left."

"Did she know when you left?" Tony asked quietly, he didn't want to ruin the moment. He liked this nicer side of the senior agent.

"Neither of us knew," Jethro told him. "If I had have known I probably wouldn't have gone. Gloria didn't want me to be worrying about her and the baby while I was away and end up getting myself killed so she kept it secret. Gloria had named her Abigail, after her grandmother."

"Why didn't you tell anyone that Abby was your daughter?" Tony asked quietly. He was shocked at what Jethro had just admitted to him but if he thought about it he wasn't as shocked as he should be.

"Me and Gloria divorced when Abby was nine. Gloria changed Abby's name to Sciuto when I moved up here to DC," Jethro explained. "When Abby started working at the lab five years ago we agreed that no-one else should know the extent of our relationship. It would just bring up a lot of awkward questions."

"I don't think anyone would believe it anyway," Tony whispered. "Abby's too..."

"Nice?" Jethro smirked. Tony nodded his head and, to his surprise, Jethro laughed. "Yeah," Jethro agreed. "That's not exactly something people would expect from a Gibbs."

"Why did you tell me?" Tony asked quietly after a few minutes of looking at Jethro in silence.

"Because you asked, DiNozzo," Jethro sighed, glancing at Tony in exasperation.

"No," Tony disagreed. "I mean why did you tell me the truth?" he asked. "You could have lied and told me to mind my own business. You would have done normally."

"I told you because..." Jethro sighed. "I don't know why I told you, ok?" he said, running his hand through his hair.

"I think you wanted me to know about you and Abby," Tony smirked, setting his bottle down on the coffee table. "I think you didn't want to keep lying to me anymore," he stood up, walking around the table to stand in front of Jethro.

"What are you suggesting, DiNozzo?" Jethro asked, rising from his chair and standing a few feet away from Tony.

"I think that you like me, boss," Tony smirked, he leant closer to Jethro so that he could whisper in his ear, "Jethro."

"You think, Tony?" Jethro repeated, closing the distance between himself and the younger agent.

"I know," Tony whispered, taking a chance and pressing his lips against Jethro's.

Jethro moaned quietly as he placed his hands on Tony's hips, pulling him closer to his own body. "You're not sleeping on the couch," Jethro told him, tugging Tony towards the bedroom.

~

"I see he told you," Abby grinned, wandering up the stairs the next morning, just as Tony was stumbling out of Jethro's bedroom, heading for the bathroom.

"Abby!" Tony cried in surprise - he hadn't known anyone else was in the house. "What are you doing here?" he asked, shifting slightly, becoming increasingly aware that he was stood in his underwear in front of his boss' - his lover's - daughter.

"It's noon," Abby told him, clearly enjoying Tony's discomfort. "I was promised by a certain ex-marine that he'd take me shopping for my Halloween costume. He doesn't usually sleep in this late but it looks like he had a late night last night," she added, her eyes roaming up and down Tony's body. Tony blushed and shifted again. "I thought I'd come and wake you guys up."

"How did you know I'd be up here?" Tony asked, trying to step around Abby into the bathroom, but the Goth was blocking his path. "I could have just left early."

"Your stuff's still down stairs, jacket included and you couldn't have slept in the second bedroom, so you must be in there," Abby concluded, pointing over Tony's shoulder to Jethro's room.

"Why couldn't I have slept in the second bedroom?" Tony asked, frowning in confusion.

"Because that's my room," Abby grinned. "No one else is allowed in there."

"Really?" Tony questioned, walking over to the only other door that Abby wasn't blocking. "Hmm," Tony frowned, pushing the door open and scanning the room. "It's pink," he stated. "You? Pink?" he asked in disbelief.

"I was twelve when it was last decorated, okay?" Abby replied defensively.

"She wanted to paint it black but I wouldn't let her," Jethro's tired voice sounded from the door to his room.

Tony and Abby turned around and took in the sight of Jethro Gibbs stood in the doorway wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, sporting morning stubble. "Coffee is on the counter," Abby answered the unspoken question.

Jethro nodded his head in thanks and stumbled down the stairs, following the aroma of coffee. "How did you know what he wanted?" Tony asked.

Abby snorted with laughter, "Tony, when you've known Leroy Jethro Gibbs for as long as I have, you'll be able to pick up on what he wants to know before he even asks it." Tony nodded his head, sliding past Abby and opening the bathroom door. "Hey, Tony?" He turned to look at her. "Does this mean you're my step-dad?" she grinned. Tony blushed and slammed the door closed.

~

"He's not going to die is he?" Abby asked quietly as her and Jethro were left alone in her lab. McGee was in the other room on the computer and discussing something or other with Cassie, while Ducky headed to the hospital to check on Tony's progress.

"He'd better not," Jethro growled. He was petrified that he was going to lose Tony but knew that he had to concentrate on finding out who did this to his lover so he had to keep his head in the game.

"I'm scared," Abby whispered, almost inaudibly.

Jethro sighed and placed his hands on Abby's shoulders supportively. It was times like this when he was reminded even more of the little girl whose world had been split apart when Jethro moved from their home to DC. "Me too," he whispered, massaging his daughter's shoulders. "Me too," he repeated, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "Tony's stubborn, he'll get through it," he said, "he'll be fine," he added, not quite sure who he was trying to convince - himself or Abby.

"I hope so," Abby whispered, hugging Jethro tightly - offering him her support silently - before releasing him when the lab doors opened and McGee entered the lab.

"Anything?" Jethro demanded of the younger agent.

McGee shook his head, "Nothing as of yet," he said quietly, regret evident in his voice. "Cassie's working on it. I came to see if you needed any help in here, Abs?" McGee questioned, looking over at the Goth.

"I'm fine," Abby told him quietly, turning her back on both Jethro and McGee as she faced the computer.

McGee turned to look at Jethro. "Don't just stand around, McGee!" Jethro snapped. "Get back to work!"

"Y-Y-Yes, boss," McGee stammered, nodding his head and leaving the room quickly.

~

"You scared Abby, you know?" Jethro said quietly from where he was sitting next to Tony's hospital bed. They had caught the person responsible for infecting Tony a few days ago and now the Italian agent was resting and recuperating - despite all his protesting and complaining. He had been moved to a private room at Bethesda Naval Hospital as soon as the doctors were positive that the virus wasn't contagious anymore.

"Hmm?" Tony mumbled, turning his head to the side and looking at Jethro. "What?" he said softly.

"Abby," Jethro repeated, "you scared her." He took Tony's hand in his and gently caressed the back of it with his thumb.

Tony sighed, coughing slightly. "I scared myself," he said quietly. "Has she been by?" he questioned.

Jethro nodded his head, "She brought the flowers," he glanced over his shoulder at the vase. "The doctors won't let anyone but me see you - they're telling everyone you need to rest. I think they're too scared of me to try stop me from visiting," Jethro grinned at Tony.

Tony smiled back and laughed, sitting up when the laugh turned into a coughing fit. "Don't make me laugh," he choked as Jethro rubbed his back gently. "It hurts," he moaned, lying back down and closing his eyes.

"You need some more sleep," Jethro whispered, looking at Tony's pained face.

"No," Tony shook his head stubbornly. "Want to see Abby first," he whispered, opening his eyes and looking at Jethro.

Jethro looked back into Tony's hazel eyes and sighed, not being able to resist the pleading look that was in them. "I think she's waiting outside," he said softly. "I'll go get her." He placed a gentle kiss on Tony's clammy forehead before leaving the room.

"Hey," Abby whispered, looking up as she saw Jethro walking towards her. "How is he?" she asked.

"Tired," Jethro replied, smiling down at her. "But he wants to see you before he goes to sleep," he added.

"He does?" Abby repeated in surprise. Jethro nodded his head and ushered her towards the door. "But what about the nurses?" she asked.

"Screw ‘em," Jethro shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey Abs," Tony grinned looking up at them at Jethro closed the door. "You okay?" he asked the Goth.

"I should be asking you," Abby whispered, inching closer to Tony's bed.

"I'll be fine," Tony smiled, coughing slightly. "You know me, I always bounce back. C'mere."

"I don't want to hurt you or anything," Abby said, looking nervously at the wiring coming from the machines around Tony.
"You won't," Jethro told her, placing her hand on the small of her back and pushing her gently towards Tony's bed.

"I'm glad you're okay, Tony," Abby whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed and hugging Tony carefully.

"Me too," Tony grinned, hugging her back as the door opened and a doctor entered.

"I'm sorry, Special Agent Gibbs," the doctor said upon seeing Abby sitting on the edge of Tony's bed. "Agent DiNozzo needs his rest. I permitted you to remain in here but it's family only," he said quietly.

"They are family," Tony interrupted. "What?" he asked at Jethro and Abby's surprised look as the doctor reluctantly left the room. "You guys are my family," Tony told them. "Both of you," he added, lifting his hand and running his hand through Abby's black hair.

Abby grinned and hugged Tony again, "You're family too, dad," Abby whispered.

Tony looked over at Jethro in surprise over Abby's shoulder but the ex-marine just grinned back at him. "She's right, Tony. Welcome to the family."

The End