DISCLAIMER: NCIS and its characters are the property of DPB and CBS. This story was written for entertainment purposes. No money involved what so ever. No copyright infringement is intended.
TITLE: Tell Her
AUTHOR: bbfan
SUMMARY: A trip to Stillwater changes everything. Borderland and Spider and the Fly spoilers
CATEGORY: Angst/Drama/Romance/Humor
PAIRING: Abby/Gibbs
RATING: T
SPOILERS: Season 7 ‘Borderland’ and Season 8 ‘Spider and the Fly’
AUTHORS NOTES: A huge, HUGE, thanks to AngelQueen for the help. Hope you enjoy. Feedback would be much appreciated! COMPLETE
‘I appreciate you staying to help.’
‘Sure… I thought maybe we could fix a few things.’
‘You sure you can spare the time?’
‘Do what you have to for family.’
‘ N’ain’t that the truth.’
Jackson continued to sweep the mess he accumulated out the door. The thought of his son home helping him had occupied his mind to an extent that it took a moment for him to notice where the debris landed. The platform boots that stuck out from under the dirt could only belong to one person and it made him smile, knowing that she was here.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t see you standing there. Why are you standing there?” he asked.
“I’ve come to help,” Abby said, shaking her boots, removing the debris.
Gibbs heard the commotion outside, and then he heard a very familiar voice being spoken. Walking over to the door he saw her standing there with a nervous smile on her face, holding out a bucket filled with cleaning supplies, almost like an offering.
“Abbs, what are you doing here?” he asked. So much has happened in the last four months, that they hadn’t really talked since that night in his basement. There were still questions from that night that hadn’t been addressed. He wasn’t sure he was ready to answer them just yet, especially here.
“I’ve come to help, Gibbs. It’s what families do when disasters hit, and by the looks of things, something really… disastrous happened here,” Abby responded, staring at him.
Jackson could tell that something wasn’t right between the two. Her nervousness and his lack of intuitiveness spoke volumes. He wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Well, I appreciate your help, as well,” Jack said, leading her through the door and over towards the counter. He looked over his shoulder to see Leroy just staring at her. It only took a few seconds for the younger man to notice his gaze and without as much as a word, Gibbs turned around and continued to strip the wood that covered the damaged windows.
Jack’s smile faded as he turned around and saw Abby’s shoulders drop in defeat. His son could be such an ass sometimes. It was very obvious that she didn’t come here just to help clean up the store. She needed something from him and he figured that something was personal. Leroy always clammed up when it got personal.
Quickly, he directed her to clean up the counter area. Keeping her busy would help the situation. Hard work always had a way of cleansing the mind and soul.
As the day moved forward, Jackson noticed Leroy stealing glances at her while she worked. He knew his son cared for her, probably more than he thought he should, but it was still there. He even caught him checking her out when she was bent over picking up a pile of shattered wood.
Abby was no saint, though. She watched him from afar, checking him out as well. Jackson swore it was like watching two teenagers in love for the first time.
Between the three of them, it didn’t take them long to get things in order. A few of Jackson’s friends also arrived to help carry out the trash, and the window repairs went rather smoothly. The store was nowhere near ready for the public, but at least they could walk around without stepping on broken glass and other debris.
Jackson thought it was time for them to clean themselves up and go down to the diner for dinner. They were all tired and needed to rest. A good hot meal and a piece of Aunt Mary’s pie was just the ticket. Besides, he’d missed Mary.
________________________________________________________________________
Gibbs followed Abby and his father, whom she chose to escort her to the diner. It wasn’t more than a block down the street. Although he could tell they were talking he couldn’t really hear much of what was being said. He caught a few words, though. Jack was telling the story of when Gibbs was about twelve years old and got lost in the woods. He eventually found his way out, but it wasn’t until mid-night and his mother was frantic. He’d gotten a good thrashing from his father that night.
Arriving at the diner, Gibbs watched as is father opened the door for Abby. Instead of going in with her, he waited until he had caught up.
“Leroy, find a table for us, I need to talk to Mary. I left in such a rush four months ago, I’m sure she’s a bit irritated with me,” Jackson said.
Gibbs led Abby to a table towards the back of the diner. He held out a chair for her to sit in and then sat down right next to her. He couldn’t bring himself to sit across from her, knowing he would have to eventually look into her eyes and see the pain he had caused her.
They both sat there in silence, looking over the menu. She fidgeted in her chair a couple of times, and he thought for sure she was going to say something, but she didn’t. This is the quietest she’s ever been around him. Gibbs knew she was waiting for him to start the inevitable conversation, but he just wasn’t ready. Hell, he knew what needed to be said, the truth. He just didn’t know how to say it. He needed to think. He was about to get up and leave when his father showed up and sat down across from him.
“So, have you ordered yet?” Jackson asked.
“No, sir, we were waiting for you,” Abby answered and then whispered, “Was she mad?”
“Nah, not really, just worried. We’ll be okay,” he said, putting on his glasses to read the menu.
“We?” Gibbs asked. Since when were he and Mary a couple?
“Yes… we. Been seeing each other for sometime now. I just didn’t say anything with all that was going on,” Jackson said, a defiant expression crossing his face.
Gibbs just nodded and looked back down at the menu. That’s way to much information. No wonder Jackson had been in a hurry to get back home.
The waitress finally arrived to take their order. “Son, do you remember Jake Campbell?”
“Yeah, I remember,” Gibbs answered, handing the waitress his menu.
“Well this is his oldest daughter, Rebecca. Rebecca, this is my son, Leroy and his friend, Abby,” Jackson said, smiling.
Gibbs nodded to the girl. “How’s your dad?” Gibbs asked.
“He’s fine. Just busy and tired. Raising a family of five girls takes a lot out of him,” she said.
“Wow, that’s a large family,” Abby added, her eyes wide.
Rebecca smiled and then took down their orders. At first, all Abby ordered was a salad, claiming she wasn’t that hungry. But Jackson wasn’t having any of that, so she also ordered some home-made potato soup as well.
There wasn’t much said at the table, except when someone entered and came by to say hello to Jackson. Gibbs knew a lot of them, but only a few recognized him. Of course, his father took care of that by introducing him and Abby to everyone that stopped by.
Finally the food arrived and they all ate in companionable silence until yet another one of Jackson’s friends, Paul Barnes, appeared at the table. He, unlike many of the others, recognized Gibbs.
“Good to see you, Leroy,” he said. Then he smirked a little and added, “Did you ever get over your fear of grasshoppers?”
There was dead silence at the table until Abby firmly put her fork down in her salad bowl as her other hand came up and covered her mouth, obviously trying to stifle a laugh. His father, on the other hand, had no problem laughing out loud.
Gritting his teeth, he ignored the question and said, “Hey Barnes, how’s the wife?”
They chatted for another few minutes and then were left alone to finish their meal in peace. When they were done, Gibbs paid the bill and they left.
When they made it back to the store, Gibbs noticed Abby back away as his father was unlocking the door. She went over and stood by her car. She looked sad, almost lost.
“Gibbs, thank you for dinner. Jack, I hope I helped some. If you’ll have me back, I’d like to help you finish up tomorrow,” Abby said.
“And where do you think you’re going, my dear? Jackson asked.
“I thought I’d see if the Bed and Breakfast down the street had a room. If not, I was going to drive over to…” she was interrupted by Jackson’s fatherly voice.
“You’ll do no such thing. Leroy, get the lady’s bags. You’re staying with us.”
“No really, you don’t have to,” Abby said.
“Give it up, Abbs. He’s made up his mind. No changing it,” Gibbs said, as he reached into the back seat of her Roadster and grabbed her over-night bag.
Abby smiled at Jackson and followed him into the store.
Gibbs just stood there. He couldn’t help but think this was going to be a long night. When he finally entered the store, he saw that they were waiting for him. Pushing pass them both, he headed through the back room, and out the door towards the house. He hesitated briefly when he passed the storm cellar doors where his father took refuge from Paloma Reynosa. He was glad his mother had insisted that his father put it in.
Hearing his father’s laughter, he knew they weren’t far behind him. Gibbs made it to the house and turned on the back porch’s light. He entered the house and carried Abby’s bag upstairs to the guest room, where he deposited it on the bed.
Going into his room, Gibbs changed into his tee-shirt and sweat pants. All he wanted to do was crawl into his bed and forget that Abby was there, but he couldn’t. His father would have his ass in a sling if he did. Sighing, he trudged back downstairs to find them standing in the kitchen, talking. Reaching into the refrigerator he grabbed three beers. Handing one to his father, he tried to hand one off to Abby, but she declined.
“No thanks, I think I’d like to go for a walk. I won‘t go far, I promise,” she said, looking at him, almost begging him to come with her.
Gibbs hesitated a moment, then just shrugged and put the beer back into the fridge. Before he even got the door closed he heard the front door open and his father’s worried voice.
“Abby, make sure you don’t go too far. Stillwater is a safe place, but it has its share of hoodlums,” he called to her.
Gibbs walked over to the door and watched her to see which way she was going. The moment she was out of sight, his father’s hand made contact with the back of his head.
Gibbs winced. “What the hell was that for?” he demanded.
“For being an ass!” Jackson whirled around and walked into the living room. He turned on the lamp light.
Gibbs followed him. “For being an ass? Since when did you become an expert at recognizing someone as being an ass!” Gibbs voice rose in anger.
Jackson strode up and got into his personal space. “I may be old, but I’m not deaf. Don’t you ever raise your voice to me like that ever again,” Jackson growled.
Gibbs backed off. He ran his hand through his hair and groaned, “Dad…”
“Listen to me son, not only am I not deaf, I’m not blind either.” He pointed towards the front door. “That girl, no, that woman, loves you, although from what I’ve seen from you today, I’m not really sure why. You’ve barely said a word to her. You’ve hardly even acknowledged her presence.”
Gibbs just stood there. He already knew what he was saying was true. “I know,” he whispered, overwhelmed with the whole damn mess.
“Speak up son, I didn’t hear you.”
Gibbs rolled his eyes and sighed. “I said, I know.”
“You know what?”
Jackson was going to make him say it. “I know she loves me, Dad.” He couldn’t do this anymore. Gibbs started to leave the room, but his father stepped in front of him.
“Now we’re getting somewhere. Talking can be good, Leroy. Do you love her?”
Suddenly there it was, the question that has haunted him for the last four months, hell, the last several years. Of course he loved her. How could he not?
Gibbs looked his Dad in the eyes, the intensity of the situation was etched on his face. He hesitated for a moment. “Yes.”
“Well, for the love of God, son, why don’t you tell her!” Jackson said, exasperated.
“It’s not that simple, Dad,” Gibbs said, frustrated.
“Is it because she works with you? There’s ways around that, son.”
“No,” Gibbs said, his voice shaking with emotion.
“Then what‘s holding you back?” Jackson asked.
Gibbs knew he was cornered. His father wasn’t going to back down until he had the truth.
“Because… I’m scared! There are you happy?!” He started to turn his back on his father, not wanting him to see the fear present on his face.
Jackson grabbed him by the shoulders, stopping his movement. “Look at me, Leroy,” he said in a calm voice. “Tell her. She needs to hear it from you. Do you really think she came all the way up here just to help me clean the store? Besides, I seen the way you were looking at her when she wasn‘t watching you… and believe me she was watching you too. Tell her, son.”
Gibbs looked at his Dad and acknowledged that he would with a shake of his head, the words no longer there.
Jackson stared at him for several moments, and then nodded in return. “Good,” he said, his voice returning to its normal light, pleasant tones, as if nothing had happened. “Now with that settled, I’m going to bed. Keep an eye out for her. Don’t let her stay out too long.”
Gibbs watched as his father ascend the stairs. He flopped down on the couch and turned off the lamp, throwing the room into darkness. He had never been so tired in his life, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. All he could do was sit there and wait for her to come back.
________________________________________________________________________
Abby arrived back at the house just to find it dark, except for the porch light. Gibbs must’ve gone to bed, which spoke volumes. Sadly she walked up, opened the door and slipped inside. She shut the door as quietly as possible, locking it. Then, sitting down in a chair that was placed next to the door, she took off her boots. After a few moments, she got up and moved towards the stairs and had one foot on the bottom step when she heard his voice calling her from the dark.
“Abby.”
Abby backed away and walked over to stand in the entryway that lead to the living room.
“Gibbs, I thought you went to bed,” she said, the nervousness evident in her voice.
“Waited for you,” he said, softly. ‘Thinking how to tell you that I’m scared to death of losing what we already have if all this doesn’t work out.’
Abby moved through the dark room. The porch light that shone through the window, lit up the room enough that she could make out the couch and his dark form. Moving carefully, she sat down on the couch next to him.
Silence filled the room, the same silence that ruled the day time. She knew he wanted to talk, but it just wasn’t his way, it never had been. Still, things needed to be said and he was the one that needed to say them. She tried to be patient, but after several, silent minutes went by, she’d had enough.
“Look, Gibbs, I’m tired, you’re tired, why don’t we just go to bed?” she asked, getting up from the couch. She didn’t get far, for his hand was on her wrist, pulling her back down, close to him.
“Please, just give me a minute,” he said, his voice shaking a bit. ‘Tell her, son.’
“I’ve given you all day,” Abby responded. She wasn’t going to be taken in by the close proximity that they shared at the moment. No matter how tempting it was.
“I know,” he whispered. ‘Tell her, son.’
Abby sat there and waited. Then she felt his arm reach around her to pull her even closer to him. She had to lean her body to the side or she would’ve landed right on top of him.
“Abby, that night in my basement…” he hesitated. ‘Tell her, son.’
Abby couldn’t help but feel for him. He was trying so hard. “Yes, I remember it well, Gibbs. I asked you a couple of questions. I asked if you loved me like a daughter and if you’d still love me, knowing what I had to do with that report. I’ll never forget that…” she was silenced by his finger placed gently on her lips.
“I don’t, but I do,” was all he could say. ‘Ah, hell…’
“Huh?” ‘What the hell does that mean?!’ “What are you saying? You love me like a daughter or you don’t love me at all…” again she was interrupted, but this time it wasn’t his finger.
It was his warm, soft lips. Softly, at first, teasing, the slightest brush of his lips. Without breaking contact, Abby shifted herself until she was straddling him, wanting a better angle. Suddenly, he was pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. For a few breathless moments they explored, tasted, dueled. Pulling back slightly, resting his forehead against hers. “Not like a daughter, Abbs,” he whispered, breathless from the kiss they had just shared. “Never like a daughter.”
It dawned on her what he was saying. Framing his face with her hands, her thumb stroking his swollen lips, she lowered her head and captured them again and again. Her lips then traveled along his jaw line and settled on his ear, nibbling it gently. “Promise me something?” she asked, quietly.
“Anything,” he whispered.
“That no matter how this all plays out, the friendship we’ve built will never go away. I couldn’t take that, Gibbs.”
‘God, how did she know…’ “I promise… and Abbs?
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
That was all she needed to hear. She buried her head into his neck and sobbed. The tension of the last four months left her in a rush. It was almost too much to endure. She heard him, hushing her quietly, rocking her back and forth in a soothing motion.
________________________________________________________________________
Suddenly the room was bathed in a light. “Is everything okay down there?” Jackson called from the top of the stairs, concern etched in his voice.
Abby wasn’t able to answer, but Gibbs reassured his father.
“Everything’s fine, Dad.”
“Good. ‘Night you two, and Leroy?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t forget the couch is a sofa bed. Clean linens are in the laundry room,” Jackson said, his voice filled with amusement. He turned off the light.
Abby half-sobbed, half-laughed into his neck.
“Goodnight, Dad,” Gibbs groaned.
Swiftly, he dislodged Abby from his lap. “Be right back.”
Gibbs quickly went to the laundry room that was toward the back of the house. When he returned, Abby had turned on the lamp, had the bed pulled from its confines and she’d stripped down to just her t-shirt and panties.
Gibbs stopped and stared for a moment. She was beautiful. He must’ve stared too long, for she came over and grabbed the sheets and pillows from his hands.
“Like what you see?” Abby asked, grinning teasingly at him.
“Oh, yeah,” was all he could say. As she made up the bed, he took off his sweatpants.
Abby turned around and pointed at him, laughing. “I knew it! Boxer-briefs!”
“What? You imagined as to what kind of underwear I wore?” he said, incredulously, as they climbed under the covers.
“Yep, and a whole lot more,” she said, turning out the light and then snuggling up to him, silencing him with a passionate kiss, just a prelude of things to come.
________________________________________________________________________
Jackson quietly made his way down the stairs, not wanting to wake Leroy and Abby who were wrapped up in each other on the sofa bed.
He walked into the kitchen and set a pot of coffee on to perk. He went out the back door and around the front to pick up the paper. Making his way back to the house, he entered to find Leroy sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in his hands.
“Didn’t wake you, did I, son?”
“No, but the coffee did.”
Jackson placed the paper down on the table. He noticed his coffee mug was full, waiting for him. Grabbing the front page, he passed the rest of the paper towards Leroy. Both men simultaneously put on their glasses and began to read the paper.
“Good coffee,” Gibbs said after taking a sip of the brew, not taking his eyes from the paper.
“I know,” Jackson responded, a small, hidden smile forming on his face. He was glad to have his son back home, whole again. And the third addition, still fast asleep in the living room, was just as welcome.
The end.
Author's Chapter Notes:
A trip to Stillwater changes everything. SPOILERS for Borderland and Spider and the Fly