NCIS: Post-Traumatic
Author: AnonymousNCISFan
Rating: T (PG-13)
Summary: Gibbs & Abby have been avoiding each other since his return from Paraguay…here's one possible explanation.
Pairing: Gibbs/Abby friendship
Spoilers: Up to & including Season 15
Warnings: Angst, References to PTSD
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and am making no money off this – I appreciate the creative minds at NCIS and the brilliant actors who bring these beloved characters to life.
Author's Notes: It's been painful to watch the Gibbs/Abby relationship slowly fall apart over the last season and a half of NCIS. Gibbs seems so cold and distant, and now never interacts with Abby – who has been with him for almost 20 years and has been completely loyal, protective and loving. They haven't been in one scene together (in person) since Season 15 began (10 episodes as of this writing). There has to be a better explanation…wouldn't mind if the writers picked this up and ran with it. Just trying to fill in a huge plot hole. Feedback is much appreciated!
Chapter 1 – The Icebreaker
January 3, 2018
Bethesda Naval Hospital, Office of Dr. Grace Confalone, licensed therapist
"So…who'd like to get us started?" Dr. Grace Confalone said with a sigh, trying to break the tension that was floating thickly in the air. She sat in a chair across from the couch, where Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Abby Sciuto - two of the best people she knew - sat on opposite ends, refusing to make eye contact.
Doc Grace, as Gibbs affectionately called her, had been meeting with him on a weekly basis since his return from Paraguay, but lately she could tell he was holding something back. It took several sessions, but he finally confided that he and Abby had been having "a hard time" lately. Gibbs refused to explain further, saying she ought to be talking to Abby about it. Doc Grace agreed on one condition – that Gibbs be there too.
"Like couples counseling?" Gibbs scoffed. "Been there once or twice. Don't think so, Doc."
"It's not the same – she's not your wife; or did you two sneak off when no one was looking?" she said with a smile. Gibbs winced and arched an eyebrow, shaking his head.
"It's not like that," he whispered.
"I know," she said, growing serious, "but from what you're telling me, this may be the only way to make things right."
Yet now, in the present moment, Doc Grace was having her doubts – seeing the two of them together, but not together, awkwardly avoiding the other's line of sight, told her something deeper was going on.
It was going to be a difficult session; not that the good doctor had never dealt with similar situations in the past, but this was different. They were not a married couple – not even lovers – though one could argue the depth of their relationship surpassed many who'd been under her care.
"OK…" she continued after being met by a solid minute of silence. "Let's try this. I'm going to take a wild guess and say this isn't work related."
She watched as their body language shifted, their eyes darkened. She had her first answer – this was something personal.
"Good, not a work thing. Now we're getting somewhere…but I can't help you if you won't tell me –"
"I didn't ask to be here," Abby spat, standing up nervously and pacing in the corner. "I don't see the point. And I don't need you getting in my head with your psycho-babble."
Gibbs gave an annoyed eye roll, shaking his head and continuing to look away. Giving Gibbs a "cool it" glance, Doc Grace stood up, approaching Abby.
"Hey," she said softly, "I'm not the enemy. We've talked before and –"
"That was different!" Abby replied, meeting her gaze. "And confidential."
"And I would never breach that trust, you know that."
Abby looked away for a moment, then back. "Well, maybe I don't want to talk about anything with him right here…"
"We can meet privately if you'd like, Abby, but you're both here because you each expressed a desire to reconcile whatever it is you're holding onto."
Abby swallowed, trying to blink back her tears as she dropped her voice to a whisper. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I don't think this can be fixed."
Gibbs sighed heavily, obviously agitated. "Damn it, Abby, can ya just sit down and stop acting so childish?!"
Abby took a step back and wavered at the sound of his raised voice, turning away. "You don't want to understand," she sighed softly, a tear running down her cheek.
"I what? Why do you think I'm here? I'm tryin', but you won't even talk-"
"Since when did you want to talk?" she rasped, still refusing to look at him.
"Since now, OK?!"
"Just stop…stop yelling…it doesn't always have to be so difficult…"
"OK, OK," Doc Grace said, holding up her hands. "Let's dial it back a bit. Abby, you've known Gibbs for what, almost 20 years? That's a long time to work with someone day in and day out. Was it always, as you just said, so difficult?"
Abby flashed back to the many times she and Gibbs would banter or use sign language, remembering the joy she found in being the only one who could make him smile.
"No," she rasped, sitting back down and gripping her left hand with her right, pressing her thumb into her palm. Gibbs glanced over and recognized the motion.
"It's OK, Abbs, we're just talkin'," he said softly, trying to reassure her, giving her a worried look.
Doc Grace noticed the shift in his tone. "Where did that come from, Popeye?"
Gibbs nodded toward Abby's hands. "Always does that when she's scared or anxious." Abby continued to look down and wring her hands, lost in thought, as if she hadn't heard anything Gibbs said.
"And how does it make you feel that she's doing that now?"
Gibbs looked down, swallowing. "Not good, doc."
"And why do you think she's acting like this now?"
Letting out a long breath, Gibbs narrowed his gaze. "'Cause she's scared of me."
Doc Grace raised an eyebrow. "Might say lots of people are scared of you, Gibbs. Always thought that was part of your … thing. But this…this is different, isn't it?"
"She was never like this, even when…" Gibbs flashed to when Abby found out he had murdered Pedro Hernandez, the drug dealer who killed his wife and daughter. That look in her eyes - the fear, the anxiety - it only lasted a short time, but now…now it was there all the time, whenever he was around her.
"It's my fault," Gibbs whispered sadly, taking a good look at Abby for the first time in months. She still had that far away look in her eyes. Both of them noticed she was tuning out the conversation.
"Why do you say that?" Doc Grace asked while continuing to observe Abby.
"My gut."
"Could you elaborate on that, Gibbs?"
"I'll try, doc, but I'm not really sure what happened…"
TO BE CONTINUED…
