NCIS Fan Fiction ❯ Never Again ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

“Hey Abs” Gibbs called.

Abby turned around from what she was doing and smiled at Gibbs when she saw the drink in his hand.

“That for me?” She asked.

“Sure is, come on out and talk to me while you drink it.”

“Sure”, she said walking towards him, “What do you want to talk about other then lab results with I should have in about 20 minutes or so.”

“Good then we have plenty of time to talk. Want to tell me why you left early last night and took my team with you? Or how about how you're dressed today? Or maybe even what Hollis said to you the other night?”

Abby winced at that last one, “So you know about that?”

“Uh huh, I know” Gibbs said looking her straight in the eyes, “Want to tell me about it?”

It wasn't really a question, it was more of a demand and Abby knew it.

“Uh not really. I handled it no big deal.”

“Yeah you handled it by coming to work dressed like that today.”

“HEY! There is nothing wrong with what I'm wearing I happen to like it a lot. I think my legs look great in this skirt. Everyone seems to like it” Abby exclaimed.

“I didn't say it wasn't nice. You dressed like this though to make a point to Hollis didn't you?”

“Yeah and the point was I look good in anything I choose to wear. She can say whatever she likes about me Gibbs. Everyone here loves me the way I am and I love me the way I am. Nothing she could say or think would ever change that.”

“What exactly did she say to you Abs? I only ask because while you say it doesn't bother you, your eyes tell me something different and so does your body language.”

Abby sighed and looked down at the floor. Shuffling her feet a little she knew he was right, hell he was always right when it came to how she was feeling. Gibbs noticed the change in her demeanor and stepped forward to pull her into a hug. Stroking her hair he asked her again gently, “What did she say to you Abby?”

Abby sniffled a little and tried to bury her head deeper into his chest, “She basically called me a slut and told me to keep away from you,” Abby mumbled into his shirt.

Gibbs was stunned to say the least. He couldn't believe Hollis would say something like that to Abby. So Abby didn't dress in a suit every day, that didn't mean Hollis could call her names. And telling Abby to stay away from him was just crossing the line. She had no right dictating his life or telling the people he loved to stay away. Gibbs was getting angrier by the minute and it didn't help the Abby was sniffling into his shirt. How dare she hurt Abby like that, his Abby. His Abby. The thought stuck there for a moment. She was his and nobody else's. Slowly Gibbs came to a realization that Hollis wasn't the right person for him, Abby was. She was always there for him; she never tried to control his life, never asked for more than he could give. She worked just as many hours as he did and never had a problem spending time with him in his basement working on the boat. She was patient with him and never pushed him for anything he wasn't already willing to give. The biggest thing he realized was she understood him. Gibbs looked down at the woman in his arms and realized he loved her. Pulling back gently he placed a kiss on her forehead. Just then there was a dinging noise and Abby jumped.

“We have a DNA match,” Abby said walking over to the computer, “and your mystery marine is Staff Sergeant Aaron Stone and the second DNA match is to a Lance Corporal Ian Stank. That bossman is your killer. ”

Gibbs smiled at Abby, “Good job Abs,” he kissed her on the cheek and left her lab to tell everyone to gear up. Abby smiled and picked up her Caf-Pow that Gibbs had brought her and took a big sip. All that was left to do was wait for the team to bring in the bady and then call it a day.

Several hours later Tony and Ziva came down to her lab. Walking in they saw Abby messing around with something on her computer.

“Hey Abby, whatcha doing over there?” Tony asked.

Abby looked up at them, “Tweaking my baby. I figure if I modify some things I can make it go faster. So you guy catch him?”

“Yes we caught the Lance Corporal. He put up quite the fight but we managed to take him down” Ziva explained.

“Cool, so drinks again tonight to celebrate the catch or poker at my place?” Abby asked.

“I think poker would be fun tonight. We will invite McGee and Gibbs as well, yes?” Ziva asked.

“Yeah sure sounds good. How does 2100 at my place sound?” Abby joked with them.

“Sounds good Abs, but you'll have to ask Gibbs yourself if you want him there. We'll tell McGee” Tony said.

“Sure guys, no problem. See you tonight!”

Ziva and Tony left Abby's lab to finish some paper work before leaving for the night. Everyone was happy it was a Friday and they had the weekend off, as long as no major cases came in. Abby smiled to herself and began humming while cleaning up her lab areas. Around 6 Abby went looking for Gibbs. She had buzzed down to the morgue earlier to ask Ducky if he wanted to play poker with them tonight but he had politely declined explaining he had a prior engagement. Abby went to the bullpen in search of Gibbs but only found Hollis up there. Stopping at Gibbs desk she checked his drawers to see if his gun and badge were there.

“What do you think you're doing?” Hollis asked.

Abby looked up at her, “Checking to see if Gibbs things were here. I'm looking for him,” she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Well he's down interrogating the Lance Corporal. Why are you looking for him, I thought I made it clear the other night that I didn't want you near him.”

“Well until Gibbs tells me that himself I will always be here for him. No if you'll excuse me I have to ask him something” Abby turned to walk away.

“I know what you're doing and it's not going to work,” Hollis called out.

Abby turned around and walked back, “And just what am I trying to do?” Abby asked.

“The outfit you wore today, the sudden need to talk to Jethro. Abby you really need to move on, he's happy with me. You'll never be anything more than his employee; you have to face up to reality. I'm not saying this to hurt you; I'm saying this to help you. The sooner you accept it the soon you can move on and let Jethro go. He needs a real woman in his life, someone who's been where he's been and someone who won't embarrass him in public with the way she dresses. He's a classy man and should have a classy girlfriend.”

Abby looked at her with disbelief, “Wow Hollis you really must be worried about Gibbs leaving you to attack me like that. If you want to talk about class it has nothing to do with the way someone dresses, it's how they treat people and from where I'm standing that was really unclassy of you to say; so I'm going to walk away and pretend you didn't just say that to me,” Abby turned around again shaking her head and walked off to the elevators. Looking up as she passed the MTAC stairs Abby caught sight of the Director standing there listening. Abby smiled up at her and continued on, she had to find Gibbs.

Jenn was surprised to overhear Hollis telling Abby to move on and tell her she had no class because of the way she dressed. Jenn walked away from the railing overlooking the bullpen and made her way to the elevator; she figured Abby would need someone to talk to. Pressing the button for Abby's lab the elevator made it's decent. When she got there she looked around for Abby expecting to find the young woman playing her loud music she was surprised when no noise assaulted her ears. Glancing around the lab she tried to spot the Goth scientist but couldn't. Walking further into the lab she noticed someone sitting in the ballistics lab with their back to the outer doors. Making her way over there she realized it was Abby.

“Abby are you alright?” She called out.

Listening carefully she heard slight sobbing, making her way over to Abby, Jenn knelt down in front of her.

“Hey what Hollis said was completely uncalled for. I can't believe she even said that to you. Gibbs would be furious if he knew.”

“NO! Gibbs cannot find out about this. I can't go running to him every time I have a problem. I'm a woman and I can handle this on my own. Gibbs cannot find out!”

“What can't I find out Abby?”

Abby glanced up to see Gibbs standing in the doorway watching her and the Director.

“Well? What can't I find out about Abigail?”

Jenny looked between the two before decided this was something they needed to solve on their own. She stood up getting ready to leave, “Well Abby seems he's going to find out either way, you might as well be the one to tell him about it. I need to go and have a talk with Colonel Mann about her conduct in the work place.” With that said Jenn skirted past Gibbs and left the lab.

“So what is it I'm not supposed to know Abby? Is this about Hollis again?”

Abby kept looking at the floor and shook her head.

“Abby look at me,” Gibbs said. When Abby wouldn't look at him he walked further into the room and stood right in front of her. “Abigail, look at me,” he demanded.

Abby slowly looked up at him. Gibbs crouched down to look her fully in the eyes.

“Tell me what's going on. You will not be happy if I have to go to Jenn to find out. Now tell me.”

Abby took a deep breath and looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes, “Do you think I'm an embarrassment or unclassy?”

Gibbs looked confused for a moment before standing up and pulling Abby with him. Moving Abby slightly out of the way Gibbs sat down and pulled Abby into his lap. Cradling her against his chest he began to speak, “Of course not Abby, why would you ask that? I could never find you embarrassing or unclassy.”

“Hollis said I was an embarrassment and unclassy. She told me I needed to move on and forget about you because you'd never see me as more than an employee.”

For the second time that day Gibbs felt his anger boil to the surface. How dare she say that to Abby! His mind was calling out for the blood of the person who made his Abby feel like she was less of a woman because of how she dressed and made her cry like this. This would not stand in his books.

“Abby I want you to understand something okay. I love you and there is nothing anyone can say that will change this fact. I want you to understand that I will be speaking to Hollis about this. Anytime you feel this way you should come to me. Why didn't you come to me Abby?”

“Gibbs I don't want you to feel like you have to fight every battle for me. I can take care of myself. I'm perfectly capable of taking someone on.”

“I know you are Abs and I don't feel like I have to fight battles for you Abby, I want to fight them for you. I want to be there for you. I don't want you to feel this way; it hurts me to see you cry like this.”

Abby sniffled a little more and buried her head in the crook of his neck. She breathed deeply to inhale his sent. She loved the way he smelled of sawdust; it was a calming smell to her.

“Hey Gibbs?”

“Yeah Abby?”

“Everyone's coming over to play poker at my place tonight. Care to join us?” Abby asked hopefully.

“Sure Abs, what time?”

“2100 bring some booze. Oh and invite the Director, I think she could use a night off.”

“Alright I'll be there and so will Jenn. We need to get up though Abby. I have to talk to Hollis and go shower before coming over later.”

“Okay Gibbs.” Abby moved off his lap and stood up straightening her skirt. He pecked her on the cheek and left her lab. Moments later Tony, Ziva, and McGee came bounding in.

“Oh my god! So is it true the director overheard what Hollis said to you? Because word through the grapevine is that she called Hollis into her office to yell at her,” Tony exclaimed.

Abby looked at everyone and nodded.

“You have to tell us what Mann said to you. I can't believe she was stupid enough to confront you in the bullpen,” McGee said.

Abby smiled at everyone and began her story again. Explaining what Mann had said to her and what she had said back, then what Jenny had said to her and finally what happen with her and Gibbs. Tony, Ziva and McGee listened with rapped attention; they just couldn't believe this was happening. Abby told them everything finally ending with Gibbs and the Director would in fact be coming to poker night. Everyone laughed and got ready to leave for the night. No one could wait for tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Never Again Chapter 4

March 23, 2009