**Chapter One - Better Together**
**December 20, 2013 - Tony and Abby's House**
Gibbs rested his paint roller in the tray and wiped his hands on his jeans. "Be right back. Gotta get the ladder."
"Alright." Tony said, continuing to paint the wall. He wasn't a huge fan of the pepto-bismol color that his daughter had picked for her new bedroom, but he couldn't stand to see her cry, so he had no choice but to paint it.
The sound of his little girl's footsteps on the stairs made him turn his head, watching as she rounded the corner and ran into his legs, hugging them tightly.
"Daddy!"
"Hey you! How's my girl?"
"Mommy not do my hair good. You do it."
Crouching down, he placed his roller in its tray and smoothed her blonde curls before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Your hair looks perfect, princess."
She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting. "I wan' piggytails!"
"Daddy's hands are all messy with paint, Em. Can't you let Mommy put your hair in piggytails just for today?"
"No!" She cried, stomping her feet. "I wan' Daddy to!"
"Just do her hair, DiNozzo." Gibbs smirked, walking back upstairs carrying his ladder.
"Papa!" The toddler squealed, jumping into his arms as soon as he set the ladder down.
The older man smiled, picking her up. "Hello, beautiful. Where's your Mommy?"
The woman in question stepped into the bedroom, carrying her daughter's favorite stuffed animal. "I'm right here. Hey, Gibbs." Turning to her fiancé, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Tony, when are you gonna teach her about the stairs?"
"She's almost three, Abs. I think she can handle stairs." He sighed, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her. Pulling away, he frowned at the look she was giving him. "Okay, I'll talk to her about it. After lunch though. I'm starving.
She rolled her eyes at him. "You and your stomach, DiNozzo. You're gonna eat us outta house and home."
"Good thing I pay the bills then, huh?" He teased, kissing her again. "So, what did my girls pick up to eat?"
"Chi'ese." Emma said, smiling brightly. "I help after lunch, Papa?"
"Ah...that's up to your Mom and Dad, munchkin. I'm not gettin' involved." The silver-haired man smiled, moving toward the door with the little girl in his arms.
He chuckled quietly when he saw the girl's parents kiss before Tony pulled his fiancée into an embrace that Gibbs could only assume was his form of an apology. He had to admit that he had been pleasantly surprised by the strides the couple had made over the past 3 years.
The time they had spent in New Orleans during Abby's pregnancy made their relationship blossom in ways that would have been impossible under different circumstances. They had come to realize that neither of them were afraid to simply walk away if things went south, and that knowledge made them want to fight that much harder for what they had.
Gibbs entered the kitchen and set Emma in her chair before pulling the food containers out of the bags that were on the table. "Whatcha wanna eat, Em?"
"Eggroll, Papa. Can I have milk?"
"Sure." He said, pulling the eggrolls out of the bag and placing two on a plate for her. He went over to the refrigerator and pulled out the drinks that Abby had placed inside, handing the toddler her cup. "There you go. Are you excited about your new room?"
She nodded, a wide grin on her face as her curls bounced around. "Daddy say I get big girl bed!"
"You sure do, sweetheart." Tony said, ruffling his daughter's hair as he passed her. "And you should thank your Papa, he made it for you."
"Thank you, Papa!"
"Don't have to thank me, baby girl." He said, pressing a kiss to his surrogate granddaughter's forehead. "Happy Birthday."
The adults took seats at the table and began eating, taking the opportunity to enjoy their short break. They had been using every extra minute they could scrounge up between work and sleep, trying to get moved in before Abby's family came up to stay with them.
Glancing over at the clock on the stove, Abby sighed and finished her drink before she turned to Tony.
"We've gotta get to the airport. Their flight lands in an hour."
"You sure you don't want me to go with you?"
"You're not gettin' outta finishin' Em's room that easy, DiNozzo." Gibbs smirked, ignoring the pout on his agent's face.
"I wanna help, Papa!"
"Emma, Daddy and Papa have to finish painting. Don't you wanna go see cousin Jack?" Abby asked, pulling her parka on.
"No!" The little girl yelled. "I wanna help! Oh pease, Daddy? Pretty pease?"
"Sorry, baby. Mommy's right. Papa and I have to finish your room so you can sleep tonight." The Italian stood and lifted his daughter out of her chair before helping her into her jacket and beanie. "If you're a good girl, maybe I can talk Mommy into letting you help when you get back." He said, standing up and looking over at his girl hopefully.
Abby cocked her eyebrow at him. "Okay..." She conceded, leaning up and kissing her lover. "When we get back, she can help."
"Thank you." He whispered, nuzzling her neck.
"She's got you wrapped around her little finger, T. It's unfair, really." She smirked, separating herself from him and poking him playfully. "Go on, get back to work, lazybones. We'll be back in a bit."
The Goth scooped her daughter up and carried her out to the car, strapping her into her seat before driving to the airport. When they arrived, they parked the car and headed for the terminal to wait for Bradley's flight to land.
Emma started to get tired after 30 minutes of waiting for their family to come into the terminal, causing her to be antsy.
"Mommy..." She whined, pulling on the raven-haired woman's jacket impatiently. "I wan' ice cream!"
"Maybe after everyone gets here, Em. It's just a few more minutes." She said, silently praying that it was true. She released a heavy sigh of relief when she saw them rounding the corner, leaning down and pointing them out to her daughter. "Look, Emma! Who's that up there?"
"Jackie!" The toddler cried, running toward her cousin.
The fifteen year old knelt down and let her run into his arms, holding her tightly as he stood up. "Hey Mimi!" He grinned, using his nickname for his cousin. "How's my favorite girl?"
"Tired." Abby said, catching up to them. "20 says she passes out on the way home."
Jack nodded. "I'll take you up on that." He pressed a kiss to her cheek and smiled. "Missed you guys, Auntie."
"Missed you too, Jackie. Really grew since I last saw you!"
"Almost taller than me." Bradley said, sneaking up behind his sister and hugging her.
"Hey!" She grinned, turning in his arms and hugging him back. "Where are B and Jeremy?"
"Bathroom. Had to change his diaper." He watched as his niece laid her head on his Jack's shoulder and closed her eyes, holding onto him for dear life. "She's not gonna make it to the car."
"Eh." She shrugged. "Been trying to get her to take a nap all day."
Offering her brother a bright smile, she turned at the sound of her sister-in-law's voice.
"Where's my little angel?" Britty called, offering the Goth a smile, shifting her son in her arms.
"She's about to fall asleep. Don't you go gettin' her all wound up." Abby warned, holding her arms out for a hug. She laughed when Britty ignored her, setting her 2 year old son on the ground and reaching for her left hand.
"Let me see that rock!"
She rolled her eyes and held out her left hand, proudly displaying the black diamond engagement ring that Tony had given her on their anniversary a week earlier.
"Oh! Its gorgeous, Abby!" The redhead gushed, hugging her tightly. "I'm so glad you decided to say yes. Your Mama would have wanted you to have a nice wedding."
"I know." She nodded, pulling back from her friend. "C'mon, B. You tryin' to make me tear up here?"
"TeeTee Abby!"
She looked down at the little boy that was pulling on her leg and smiled. "There's my monster!" Leaning down, she scooped him up and kissed his cheek, laughing when he wiped at the mark her lipstick left behind.
"We should get goin', Abs. Looks like its starting to snow."
"Again? It's barely let up at all the last week!" She groaned, shifting her nephew to her hip. "Its times like this I wish we had moved to New Orleans."
"Yeah, 'cause the hurricane season is a big draw." Bradley said sarcastically.
Abby rolled her eyes at her brother and punched him gently. "Alright. Let's go before it gets worse. I don't have chains on the Explorer."
The group made their way out of the airport and piled into the car. After getting the toddlers into their car seats, they took off, heading back to the house.
When they arrived, both of the babies were asleep in the backseat. Abby parked the car and climbed out, heading around back to get her daughter out.
"You can bring JR upstairs, B. We'll put 'em in the spare room."
The slightly older woman nodded, unbuckling her son and following her sister-in-law into the house while her husband and son grabbed their luggage out of the rear of the SUV.
"This place is adorable, Abby. Good for you guys, gettin' yourselves a house." Britty said when they reached the guest room, laying their children down on the king sized bed. "Where's Tony, anyway?"
"Right here." The Italian whispered, laughing when the redhead jumped.
"DiNozzo!" She cried, smacking him on the chest. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Aww, I missed you too, Britty." He said, kissing her on the cheek. "How was your flight?"
"Pretty good. Jeremy didn't take well to the plane. He threw up on the stewardess."
Abby laughed, leaning up and pressing a kiss to Tony's lips. "I'm gonna get dinner started. Wanna do the tour for me?"
"Sure, sunshine." He grinned, watching as she left the room. "Alright. Um, here's your room."
"Yeah, I figured as much." Britty smirked. "Hey, congratulations on the engagement."
"Thanks. I only had to ask her 3 times before she accepted, but..." He shrugged. "She's worth the wait."
The younger woman nodded. "She's lucky to have you, T. Most guys wouldn't ask once, much less take three turn-downs."
"I know that there were other issues. She was sure to make it clear that I wasn't the reason she said no. Besides, where else am I gonna go? I'm sure as hell not gonna leave my baby girl behind."
She nodded, pleased with his answer. "You did good, Tony. The ring is gorgeous."
Tony smiled brightly, soaking up the praise. "Really? You think so?"
"I do." The redhead patted his arm. "Now, show me the rest of this place!"
While Tony was giving Britty the grand tour of their new house, Abby went downstairs to start cooking dinner, startling slightly when she saw Gibbs chopping vegetables in the kitchen.
"Hey, Gibbs. You don't have to cook for us."
"Consider it my housewarming gift." He said, offering her a half smile. "You're gonna have a full house."
She chuckled, sitting on a barstool. "Yeah, I guess we are." Shrugging, she rested her head on her hands. "I don't mind it. Always had a full house when I was a kid, even after my parents died. It's Tony I'm concerned about. He doesn't know what to do with all these people around. Shoulda seen him on Christmas in New Orleans."
Gibbs chuckled quietly. "He'll be fine, I think. As long as he's got you and Em, everything else is gravy."
The Goth smiled. "All this is a little overwhelming, you know? The house, the engagment, the wedding. It's like...sometimes I think we're doin' too much, too fast."
The silver-haired man shrugged, taking the vegetables he had sliced and placing them on the grill pan next to the steak. "I don't know what to tell ya, Abs. If you ask me, it's overdue."
"Yeah." She looked down, twisting her engagement ring on her finger. "I just...I guess I need some reassurance. I need to know that we're doin' the right thing here."
He walked back over to the counter and leaned in close to her. "You two have been playin' at this for as long as I've known you. No one deserves this more." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and smiled. "Just take it one day at a time."
Her green eyes met his sharp blue ones and she nodded. "Thank you, Gibbs." She wiped at the wetness that was building under her eyes and she giggled quietly. "Look at me. A blubbering mess."
"Maybe, but you're *my* blubbering mess." Tony interjected, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back against his chest. "What's wrong, baby? Is the boss messin' up our new kitchen?"
"Right." Gibbs said, pushing himself off the counter and turning back to the grill that was on the stove. "I don't think *I'm* the one she has to worry about when it comes to ruinin' her kitchen."
"Funny, Gibbs." He said, kissing his girl's neck. "I'll have you know, I've become quite the cook over the past few months."
"Cookin' what, Tony?" Britty asked, walking into the kitchen with her husband and oldest son in tow. "Macaroni and Cheese? Spaghetti O's?"
He frowned, putting his hands up. "You guys always manage to squeeze every last bit of confidence I have right out of me."
Abby giggled, turning on her stool and pulling him down for a kiss. They were both smiling when they parted, and as they looked into each others' eyes, she knew things would work out.
**Later That Night**
Abby wrapped her robe around her body and stepped out of the bathroom, making her way over to the bed. She sat on the edge and dried her hair with her towel, staring at herself in the mirror that hung on the bedroom wall.
"What's the matter, Abs?" Tony asked, sitting behind her and taking the towel, continuing to dry her hair gently.
She shook her head, smiling at him through the mirror. "It's nothing."
"Don't lie to me, please." He set the towel down and pulled her back against his chest, holding her close. "If it's something I did..."
"No, no." She chuckled, leaning her head on his shoulder. "You've been...awesome. Thank you."
"For what?"
"Gettin' us moved in so fast. I know that it's been hard work, and we haven't seen much of each other the last week, but it means a lot to me to have BB and everyone here."
The Italian smiled down at her. "Anything to make you happy, you know that." He explained, slipping her robe off one of her shoulders and kissing her bare skin. "I'll be more than happy to accept a show of gratitude, though."
She rolled her eyes and turned around in his arms, pushing him back until he was lying down on the bed. She smiled and crawled over him, pressing her body against his through the silk of her robe. "You know we can't...not with Britty and BB next door."
He groaned, closing his eyes as she kissed his chest. "You...this is our house, you know. We can do whatever we want."
She stopped her ministrations and rolled off of him, slipping under their blankets.
He jumped up and pinned her, slipping the robe off her body as he joined her under the sheets.
"I promise I'll keep you quiet. We have yet to christen the room, and it has to be done sometime."
"Oh..." The Goth teased, lifting her hips against his as he kissed his way down her body. "So this is...what? A chore?"
He pulled his lips away from her belly and looked up at her, his eyes wide. He slid back up her body and kissed her deeply, pressing his growing erection against her thigh. "That feel like a chore to you?" He growled, his voice deep.
"Mommy!"
Tony nearly screamed in frustration, flopping back against his side of the bed at the sound of his daughter's voice. "No fucking way. I've been cock-blocked by a three year old."
Abby laughed, slapping him on the chest gently. "I'm sorry, baby."
He rolled over and wrapped his arm around her, pouting. "Maybe...if we let her be, she'll go back to sleep."
"You know that won't work, T. I've gotta go see what's wrong." She slipped out from under the sheets and grabbed her robe, pulling it on before heading to the door. "I'll be right back."
Slipping out into the hallway, Abby made her way to her daughter's bedroom, frowning when she found the little girl sitting upright in the middle of her bed, her face red from crying.
"What's the matter, Em?" She asked as she sank down on the edge of the bed, pulling her daughter close.
"I sleep with you?" She asked, sniffling as she swiped a hand over her tear-stained face.
"You gotta sleep in your big girl bed, baby. We talked about this, remember?"
"I don' wanna!" She sobbed, burying her face against her mother's side, her tiny body shaking as she cried.
It took Abby nearly ten minutes to quiet her down and another fifteen to get her settled enough to even attempt sleep. She waited until she was positive that Emma had drifted back off, her little pink blanket tucked safely between her fingers before she hurried out of the bedroom and back to her fiancé.
She entered the room quietly, the corners of her mouth curving into a grin when she saw him lying on his back, having fallen into a deep sleep. She draped her robe over the end of the bed and climbed back under the blankets, curling up next to her lover.
Trailing her hand down his stomach, she was pleased when she found that he was still half hard. She wrapped her hand around his length and stroked him slowly, not wanting him to wake up yet.
She could barely stifle her giggle when she felt him thrust into her hand, a quiet moan escaping him. Pushing herself up just a bit, she tightened her grip around him before she leaned over, pressing soft kisses along his jaw line.
"Gonna wake up and play with me?" She whispered, her breath tickling his face.
"Not nice to tease." He muttered, his voice thick with sleep. He released a gasp when she squeezed him gently. "Holy fuck."
"You like that, huh?" She giggled, nipping playfully at his scruffy chin. "And who says I'm only teasin'?"
He was on her before she had an opportunity to react, rolling her soft body under his and attacking her neck and breasts with his mouth.
"Wow...someone's desperate." She chuckled, moaning slightly at the feel of his tongue on her skin. "But I'm running the show, Mr. DiNozzo."
He raised his head, clearly surprised by her insistence, and she took the opportunity to flip them back over, pinning his arms above his head. "Lemme give you that show of gratitude you were talkin' about."
The Goth kicked the sheets of their king sized bed back, leaving her fiancé exposed, which only served to make him harder. She licked her lips and looked into his eyes, giggling again when he shivered and gripped the headboard with his hands. Ducking her head, she started kissing her way down his chest, slowing down the closer she got to his arousal.
"I..." He swallowed hard, using every bit of his self control to keep his hands holding the headboard. "You're teasin' me again."
"Not teasing." She purred, allowing her teeth to graze the sensitive skin near his hips.
He gasped quietly when she nipped him. Closing his eyes, he sucked in a deep breath, willing himself to remain still.
She glanced up at him, barely stifling her laugh before she moved, taking him in her mouth.
The feeling of her warm mouth around him was nearly enough to make him lose it. He moaned pitifully, lifting his hips as he thrusted into her mouth. "Oh God...A...Abby..."
Repositioning herself between his legs, she grabbed his hips, holding him down as she pulled away, running her tongue over his cock.
"Easy." She teased, cocking an eyebrow at him. "So easy. You love this, don't you?"
He couldn't respond as she took him in her mouth again, running her teeth carefully along the underside of his shaft.
"Oh f...fuck."
She covered him with her mouth again, taking him as deep as she could, her tongue coaxing him closer to his release with every pass. She moaned, knowing that it would drive him wild, and she smiled around him when she felt his body begin shaking.
"B...baby, please...I'm gonna come."
Lifting her head, she offered him a devious grin and wrapped her hand tightly around the base of his cock, squeezing gently. "Not yet you don't. I'm not done playing with you."
He groaned loudly, his hips twitching despite his attempts to stay still. "You're killin' me, Abs."
"Just a little longer..." She teased, ducking her head and lapping at him gently. He was about to protest again when she swirled her tongue around the head of his penis, making her smirk when his words caught in his throat.
His gripped the headboard tightly with both hands, his entire body tensing as he exploded in her mouth with a pitiful groan.
The Goth swallowed quickly before she pulled away, licking her lips obscenely. Leaning down over his exhausted body, she kissed him hard, allowing him to taste himself on her.
Tony moaned weakly as he reached up, tangling his long fingers in her hair. "That was..." He managed, completely breathless when she pulled away. "Fucking amazing."
"Tell me somethin' I don't know." Abby smirked, moving off of him. She curled up next to him and rested her head on his chest, her fingers tracing patterns on his abdomen gently. "I love you."
"Mmm...I love you too." He moaned, running his large hands over her bare skin. "Baby, what about you? I could show you a good time, you know."
She shook her head, pressing a soft kiss to the center of his chest. "No, no, no. Tonight was for you. Me showing my appreciation for everything you've done."
"Well...I'd like to show my appreciation to you as well." The Italian smiled, his hand drifting down her stomach.
"Not tonight, T."
He frowned. "You know I don't like it when I'm the only one to get any."
The raven-haired woman grinned. "And that makes you an excellent lover. But I'm too tired to enjoy it. I will, however, accept your repayment in the morning, if you want."
"Of course I want to."
Leaning over, she pressed a kiss to his lips before she laid back down, snuggling closer to his side.
They both fell silent as they laid there, their room dark save for the soft moonlight filtering in through the partially open curtains. Releasing a contented sigh, Tony shifted just slightly on the bed, drawing her closer before he ran his hand down her bare back slowly, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin beneath his fingers.
"Love you." He murmured, closing his eyes as he relaxed against the pillows.
"Love you too." Abby replied, pressing her face against his bare chest. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, content to lay next to him in the silent darkness of their bedroom.
The Italian looked down at his girl worriedly, feeling her cling to him as if she was holding on for dear life. "Hey..." He whispered, cocking his head so he could see her eyes. "What's the matter?"
He felt her breath hitch slightly and he frowned, feeling his chest tighten. "Baby..." He pleaded, tipping her chin up toward him. "Is this about what happened in the kitchen earlier?"
She tried pulling her chin away from him, but he held onto it gently, letting her know that he wasn't going to drop the subject that easily. "I..." She closed her eyes, cursing under her breath when she felt a single tear fall. "I'm alright. Or...I will be."
"Abby...don't do this, please. Don't start hiding from me. We're about to get married, we have a daughter and a new house...we can't afford to keep secrets."
The Goth remained quiet, pushing herself up and sitting against the headboard with her knees pulled up to her chest.
He sat up and watched her carefully, noting the way that she refused to make eye contact with him. "You...you're having doubts about us."
Her head immediately snapped up and she swallowed hard, tears welling up behind her eyes. "No. No, I'm not." She released her knees and situated herself under his arm, placing her hand on his chest gently. "I'm sorry that I let you think that."
"If...if it's not that, then what's the problem? I mean...I thought we were finally past all this, Abs."
"We are! I couldn't be happier than I am right now. It's just...I'm feeling a little overwhelmed."
Tony sat back a little, looking at her curiously. "What do you mean?"
"You don't think that this is all coming a little quickly? I mean, like you said, we've got a new house, we're about to have a wedding..."
He cut her off with a deep kiss, his left hand tangled in her hair, his right hand finding hers and touching her engagement ring. When they parted he searched her green eyes, looking for the doubt he had seen in them only a few minutes earlier.
"Yeah...I know it feels like this is all happening kinda fast, but I'm okay with that. You know why?"
Abby's voice was quiet when she spoke. "Why?"
"Because...no matter how crazy things get, I'm exactly where I wanna be." He smiled at her and pressed another deep kiss to her lips. "Look. I can't guarantee that there won't be tough times. I can't guarantee that at some point, one or both of us aren't gonna want out of this. But, I can guarantee that I'll be here for you and Emma forever, because I know that in my heart, as long as I have the two of you, everything else will work out."
Story Notes:
"Better Together" by Jack Johnson
Author's Chapter Notes:
Set 3 years after "Forever & Always"
Chapter End Notes:
"Better Together" by Jack Johnson