Title: Don't Give up on Me so Easily

Written for prompt So that's It

Rating:M

Spoilers: Enemy on the Hill

Author's Note: My Muse had been having me write Fighty!Gabby lately.

Abby had had enough of that day. She had barely slept in the last few days and she was starting to feel it. She hated complaining, because everyone was in the same boat as her, and the agents had even more stress. Now, though, all Abby wanted to do was find Gibbs. Two months ago, she had found out she was adopted and he had held her through her tears. He had told her she had a family that would help her through anything, because she was feeling lost and alone. Those feelings, while in the back of her mind, had been pushed away due to the long hours she worked, and because she found other things to fill her time. She volunteered, spent time with the nuns, and went out with her friends frequently.

Now, though, she wanted to talk to Gibbs. She didn't even need to spill her guts and tell him the difficult time she was having, she just needed to be near him. He always calmed her just by being there. She had a plan; she'd invite him to dinner tonight, to a nice place, and they would go for a walk afterwards. She knew something about Gibbs most people didn't; he loved to go for walks in the evenings, when less people were around. She's found a small, quiet restaurant near the harbor. They could walk there afterwards and he'd be able to look out at the water.

Abby barreled up to the bullpen to find him. She caught him just as he was leaving the men's room. "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, I've been looking all over for you!" An exaggeration, maybe, but whatever. She always got antsy and excitable around him.

"I'm here, Abbs. What's up?"

"I had the greatest idea known to man! I'm hungry, and you eat food too, I found a great restuarant near the harbor, how about I treat you to dinner tonight? I wanted to talk to you."

"Tonight? I'm sorry, Abbs, but I can't. I have got stuff to do here."

"Work? Can't you do it tomorrow? I thought you closed the case."

"Not this case, but it can't wait. Raincheck, Abbs?"

"Oh all right." She was disappointed, to be sure, but she'd find something do do. She'd call carol and see if Carol wanted to see a movie or go bowling. She walked towards the elevator, trying to hold her head up so he wouldn't see she was sad.

"Hey, Abbs, we'll go another night."

"Seriously, Gibbs, don't worry about it, it's fine." She mustered a weak smile before getting in the elevator. She called Carol, and the two of them made plans to take Carol's nephew, Fischer, to a children's movie. Abby met Carol and Fischer at Carol's apartment, and they called a taxi, because both women hated to drive at night in the city if it could be avoided.

Fischer loved the movie and wouldn't stop talking about it afterwards. Abby had barely paid attention. She was a little sleepy and kept spacing out, or checking her cell phone to see if Gibbs might have called her. A scary thought stuck her halfway through the movie; was Gibbs angry at her? She couldn't imagine what she'd done to piss him off.

"Ice cream!"

"Huh?" Abby was brought back by Fischer's voice.

"May we go for ice cream please?"

"Sure, sweetie," Carol said, smiling. It never ceased to amaze Abby how polite Fischer was. He never complained, which impressed Abby, as she was sure he missed his mom tremendously. She'd do the whole kid thing if she could be guaranteed one just like him. They walked to an ice cream parlor close to the theater. Fischer got cookie dough ice cream, Carol got orange sorbet, and Abby got mint chocolate chip. They went back outside because the ice cream parlor was crowded and noisy, which Fischer didn't like. He never complained now, but as a baby places with a loud echo mad him cry, and he still screwed his eyes up, and he always rolled his eyes when another kid started screaming. It cracked Abby and Carol up.

Abby, Carol and Fischer sat in front of a fountain near the parlor. A small bistro was there too, and it was hopping. The three of them sat eating their ice cream and intermittently tossing pennies into the fountain, where they glittered like a real treasure.

Fischer sat up straight, and called out, "Hey, it's Gibbs! Hi, Gibbs!"

"What?!" Abby looked to see where Fischer was looking to see Gibbs seated in the patio section of the bistro. A beautiful red-head was seated across from him, and they seemed to be enjoying an intimate meal. At Fischer's voice, he looked across at them. At first, Abby didn't know what emotions were hitting her. Shock, really at first.

Gibbs said something to his dinner companion and walked over to them. He greeted Carol and Fischer politely, and Fischer ran to give him a hug. Gibbs liked Fischer and had let him "help" him work on his boat on more than once occasion.

"Hey, Abbs."

Abby finally gathered her wits. "So, this is what you meant by 'stuff to do at the office?' A date?" Carol correctly figured out the angry tone in Abby's voice, and pointed a small arcade to Fischer, who jumped up, and Carol led him there.

"Abby, it's not what you think?"

"Not what I think? I think you lied to me."

"I didn't mean..."

"Stop! Just stop!"

"Will you listen?!"

"Not so much, Gibbs. What happened to us being a family, and that you'd help me through it?" He opened his mouth to talk again, but Abby plowed on. "Kinda thought it was obvious that I needed a friend tonight, Gibbs, and you should have been there for me. But instead you went on a date and chose a red-head over your friend. Red-heads are a dime a dozen but I'm the only Abby there is! Every once in a while you need to think about someone other than yourself."

He bristled. "Now, wait just a minute!"

"So, what, now that I stood up for myself you're going to smack me, just like you do with anyone else who does?"

Gibbs turned white. "Abby, you know I would never hurt you."

"You're hurting me now!

"Abby, you have the wrong end of it."

"Gibbs, friendship doesn't mean only being there when it's convenient for you, it means being there when it's not!"

"So you don't think I am really your friend?"

"Obviously you're not!"

"This isn't what you think it is."

"Let me spell it out for you. As my friend, you should have noticed that something was wrong and I needed to talk to you, and you should have dropped everything else, including a beautiful women. You will risk a friendship for a girl?"

"Abby, you can't just demand..."

"Great, you're going to start that? You're telling me that I deserve to be hurt?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Then what exactly are you saying? That I don't matter to you?"

"Damn it, Abbs."

"Leave me the hell alone, Gibbs."

"So that's it?"

"Yeah, that's it. Just go." Gibbs, instead of leaving, came closer and held his arms out to her. She scowled at him and backed away. He caught her arm and pulled her back, gently, but this time she shoved him away. "Just get AWAY from me!"

"Gibbs, you should go." Carol had returned with Fischer, who was too involved with a toy he had won at the arcade to notice what was going on. Gibbs walked back to the bistro, where his dinner partner had fished out a book. She hadn't been watching the exchange. Carol called a taxi over for Abby, Fischer, and herself. Fischer fell asleep on Abby on the way back to Carol's, so it didn't take long for them to get him to bed. Abby only cried after he had gone to sleep, with Carol soothing her.

"Truth, Abby. Are you mad at him only because he screwed up, or because he screwed up and you love him?"

"God, Carol, so much for subtle."

"Abby, does he even know?" Abby shook her head. "If he knew maybe you'd be on a date with him, not some red-head."

"Way to rub it in."

"Sorry, kid." They both laughed at this, because Carol was older than Abby by only 6 months, to the day. They always joked that they were "6 month babies." Now Abby convinced her "sister" that she was okay and drove herself home. Carol offered her guest room, but Abby declined, because Carol had company coming the next day, early, and Abby wasn't in the mood for many people but was in the mood to sleep in. She drove to her apartment and wasted no time washing up and hitting the sack. She really was beat, and even though the day's events were swirling in her mind, she fell asleep quickly.

Abby woke warm, and really cozy. Two strong arms were wrapped around her, and a solid weight pressed against her back. She would have been frightened, but a scent of sawdust told her who it was, and she relaxed. Gibbs had a key to her apartment, and was stealthy enough to sneak in and not wake her. She turned, and his hands rested on her back. His blue eyes drifted open. He pulled his arms away from her, his eyes wary. He didn't speak. Abby noticed his eyes were red, as if he'd been crying.

Her heart broke. She reached her hand out and stroked his cheek. His sighed, and reached his hand over to mimic her actions. He brushed his fingers over her lips, and she kissed his fingers. That was all the prodding he needed. He linked his hands with both of hers and weaved their fingers together, leaned forward, and kissed her deeply. She responded immediately and opened her mouth for him when he begged for entrance. Only their mouths and their hands were touching as they laid in her bed, which made this encounter even hotter.

They finally broke for air, but still refrained from speaking. Their words were harsh today; now they would make up without speaking. She sat up and he followed, pulling her into his lap. She kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Gibbs let her control the kiss, and she explored every corner of his mouth. Gibbs pulled at the hem of her nightshirt, which was actually his. She had borrowed it from him when the team was in Stillwater for a case, and had "forgotten" to return it. Now she helped him remove his in between kisses, so he was now only in his boxers. He had been wearing a nice suit, but had obviously climbed in her bed wearing just a tee shirt and boxers. Gibbs indicated that he wanted to sign something to Abby,so she looked at him. You sure you want this?

She signed back. Want you? Always. That was all it took for Gibbs to crush her back to him, claiming her mouth in a bruising kiss. He helped her with her shirt too and threw it to the floor. He groaned when he realized she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

God, Abbs, you're gorgeous, Gibbs signed to her. She leaned forward and tugged his boxers down, and dropped them on the floor.

Abby signed back to him. So are you. Gorgeous. Handsome, I mean. Gibbs pushed her against the pillows, on her back. His eyes asked the silent question. She nodded and signed, I need you." Gibbs kissed her lovingly, and slid all the way in. Now was not the time for teasing; now was the time for two best friends to show each other how much they truly loved each other.

Gibbs made love to Abby so gently and tenderly. No words were exchanged audibly; they signed to each other what they felt and wanted. Gibbs kissed Abby during her release, absorbing the small cries she made. Abby stroked Gibbs' hair and his back during his, and he buried his face in her neck and groaned.

They held each other tightly for a few minutes before Gibbs laid on his back and pulled Abby towards him. She threw a leg over his possessively, and he ran his fingers up and down her back. With one hand, he signed to her again. Abbs, I don't ever want there to be a "So that's it" for us. I'm sorry I lied, and it wasn't a date. If it was, I'd have been with you. Please don't give up on me so easily.

There won't be, I promise. I'm sorry too. I won't ever give up on you or give you up.

I love you.

I love you too. She snuggled against him. They would talk in the morning, and work everything out. She knew now that they would be perfect, and she fell asleep knowing the person she loved the most was beside her and loved her too.

The End