"Recovery"
Gibbs Residence...
Mid-Morning...
Gibbs walked in the front door and closed it behind him.
He walked towards the kitchen carrying two shopping bags from the grocery store.
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Gibbs Residence...
In The Kitchen...
He entered the kitchen where Abby was finishing up cleaning everything from breakfast.
"I'm back." Gibbs said, setting the bags on the breakfast table.
"Did you find it?" Abby asked.
Gibbs turned to face her back.
She stood at the kitchen sink with her back turned to her husband, but she couldn't help but feel like he was 'staring' at her.
"The Gibbs stare doesn't work on me anymore, Jethro." she said.
He remained silent.
She finally turned to face him.
"See watch."
She turned, her eyes met his, and she quickly turned back around again.
"Damn, it still works." She swore.
Gibbs could see from where he was standing that she was trying not to smile.
"Sometimes you act like I've never bought groceries for children before." Gibbs said, quietly.
He reached into the first bag and pulled out two gallon containers of Apple Juice.
"Voila." he said, as he set them down on the table.
Abby picked up the two containers, placing one inside the refrigerator and then stashing one in the pantry nearby.
"How is she?" Gibbs asked, as he unloaded the rest of the groceries. "Could she eat anything?"
"She's doing better, not great, but better." Abby replied.
"She ate a piece of toast and a piece of bacon." she added. "She had a little orange juice, but you know she prefers Apple Juice to anything else."
Gibbs nodded.
"Chloe with her?" he asked.
"Yep."
Gibbs slid the new loaf of bread into the bread box on the counter next to the microwave.
"Ducky said she probably wouldn't have much of an appetite for the first couple of days." Gibbs said, remembering what his aging friend had said.
Abby nodded in agreement as she set the jar of apple sauce in the refrigerator next to the juice.
"And I got this for you." Gibbs said, holding up a container marked tofu wraps.
"Excellent." Abby said, taking them from him and putting them in the refrigerator.
"How did you know I was out?" she asked, closing the refrigerator door.
"I didn't." Gibbs replied, leaning back against the kitchen counter.
"Really." Abby remarked.
"Yeah, they were on sale, and I just thought maybe you might like some." Gibbs explained.
"On sale...since when do you pay attention to whats on sale?" Abby asked, with a chuckle.
Gibbs shrugged his shoulders.
Abby stepped forward a bit.
"Are you sure you're a man?" Abby asked, with a mischeivous grin.
"Are you calling me a girl?" Gibbs asked, leaning forward.
"Well no, more like a 'lady'." she replied.
"A lady hunh?" Gibbs said, stepping forward.
Abby took a step back, almost as if she was reading Gibbs' mind.
"Come here!" Gibbs said, jumping towards her.
She dodged away from his reach, darting for the kitchen door.
Gibbs was too fast for her though, manuevering around the breakfast table, and managing to nab her around the waist just before she got to the door.
"Not so fast," he laughed, as Abby playfully struggled in his grip. "You were sayin'?" he said, as he playfully swatted her on the behind.
"Ooh, Gibbs," Abby laughed. "Not so hard." she said with a giggle.
Gibbs leaned close and whispered something in her ear that made her laugh.
"No no no, Mr. Gibbs, I have a sick child to take care of." Abby said, placing a kiss on her husbands lips.
"But, maybe later." she added, kissing him again.
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Gibbs Residence...
The Girls' Room...
Abby entered the girls' room carrying a small bottle, and a measuring spoon.
Gibbs was close behind.
"Time for your medicine, angel face." Abby said, softly, as she approached the bed.
Paige turned over slowly to face her mother.
Abby knelt by the bed, twisting open the bottle, measured out about a teaspoon and a half of the pink liquid.
Paige sat up and looked at the liquid.
"Mommy." she moaned.
"I know you don't like it, sweetie, but the doctor said it'll help you get better--faster." Abby said, softly.
Reluctantly, Paige slowly opened her mouth, and swallowed every bit of the pink liquid in one big gulp.
Her little body shuddered as the disgusting pink liquid slid down her throat.
The stuff made Paige gag almost on cue.
Gibbs admired how good his wife was with their two kids.
"Okay baby you can go back to sleep now if you want." Abby said soothingly to Paige.
Paige nodded, and turned over pulling the covers up around her. Soon she was fast asleep. Abby closed up the medicine bottle, and walked over to where her husband was standing in the doorway of the room.
"We should let her sleep." Abby said quietly.
Gibbs nodded in agreement with his wife, and the two of them left the room quietly together.
------To Be Continued------
Author's Chapter Notes:
Paige is home recovering from her bout with the 'super-virus'...