Abby: ...That you'll love me, no matter what?
"You know I will."
She froze, hearing the crack in his voice, almost as if he wanted to cry. She wanted to shut her eyes again, and make it all go away. First, Gibbs is a murderer, now she was going to see him cry? It was just too much.
"I hate this…I hate all of it…" She started to pace again. "And I hate whoever is out to get you too…"
He set down his tools and watched her movements.
"It's that Miss Hart isn't it? I never liked her…ever. Not even for one second…"
"Abby…"
"Don't Abby, me right now, Gibbs…this is your whole life here….this is my whole life…"
"Your whole life?"
"Well yeah, without you in it…it's not whole anymore…"
Gibbs stepped in front of her and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Whatever happens. Not your fault."
"How can you say that? Of course it's my fault…I'm gonna turn you in…"
"You didn't shoot him Abs."
"I almost wish I would have."
Gibbs eyes shifted. "Abby…"
"Then I wouldn't have to put the one person I love most in the whole wide world, away in prison…and not just any prison, a Mexican prison…Gibbs I wouldn't even be able to come visit you every day…"
"I'm not there yet Abs."
"No…but I don't know how to see it any other way…you always taught me to do the right thing…to never ever compromise the person I was…I want so badly for this all to go away."
It was then he pulled her into a firm embrace. They lingered there for a few minutes before she eased away.
"I can't do this Gibbs."
"You have to."
"I don't have to do anything…I can tamper, I can make it inadmissible, I can put it in my purse and disappear to some far off island in the Bahamas for the rest of my life…"
Gibbs didn't smile. "You don't get to risk anything for me. Understand?"
"But you would risk it for me…or Tony, or McGee or…"
"You do not get to risk anything." He repeated for emphasis. "Now go home, get some sleep."
"Sleep? Sleep? How am I supposed to sleep when all I can think about is you pulling that trigger?"
Gibbs swallowed hard. "You'll find a way."
She shook her head slowly. "Gibbs…just tell me what to do. And I'll do it."
"Trust me Abs."
She stared into his eyes for a few more seconds before nodding towards him. "I love you, you know that?"
"I know."
"And you love me, which is why you're gonna let me spend the night right?"
He almost smiled before leading her up the stairs, his mind reeling over what was ahead… not only for himself, but for her.