Gibbs: I didn't forget.

Abby: You didn't?

Gibbs: I remember how old you are too.

Abby: Oh, you can forget that.

Season 3, episode 17 - Ravenous

The Birthday Spanking

Abby sighed and nuzzled into Gibbs' side. As Gibbs put a comforting arm around her, she felt him squeeze her shoulder gently.

"Thank you for an amazing birthday dinner, Gibbs. And for my birthday gift." She turned slightly to look into the blue eyes which always softened for her. "Although, I have no idea how you snuck it past me. I was in my office nearly all day."

"Ah," said Gibbs his voice resonating with a tinge of humor. "The key word being 'nearly'. It only takes a second, Abs."

Abby smiled and shook her head incredulously. "I have much to learn, Oh Great One."

Contented and relaxed, they sat in silence for a minute or so, their stomachs digesting the take-out Thai food Gibbs had picked up on his way home from work that evening. Just as Abby felt herself drifting slowly into a comfortable slumber, she felt, more so than heard, Gibbs' voice reverberate against her head.

"Before you get too comfortable, we need to talk about today."

Abby's eyes snapped open and her heart began to beat heavily against her chest. With sleep now the last thing on her mind, she remembered all too well the disrespectful behaviour she had exhibited that day.

"I'm sorry Gibbs…..that is….um….I thought you'd, you know, forgotten my birthday." Stammering painfully from both embarrassment and shame, Abby sat upright and twisted her body slightly, enabling their eyes to meet.

"I understand that and I appreciate the apology," began Gibbs softly. "However, that doesn't excuse your behaviour. Quite frankly, Abby, I was surprised by you today and not much surprises me these days."

Tears flooded Abby's eyes and she looked down into her lap, unable to gaze upon the disappointed look any longer. Knowing her beloved Gibbs was disappointed in her, felt far worse than any punishment she knew she deserved and would probably receive.

Lifting her chin and forcing eye contact once again, Gibbs continued. "As I said to you today in the lab, I didn't forget your birthday. However, you didn't give me any chance to explain what happened. Instead, you spent the day snipping and sniping at me, assuming the worst."

A small spark of defiance ignited in Abby's soul as she tried desperately to defend herself.

"But when I tried to talk to you about it, you didn't have time," she said, trying to sound as wounded as possible.

"That's crap, Abby and you know it!" growled Gibbs, not letting her, for one second, wheedle her way out of taking responsibility for her own actions. "I tried to talk to you several times today but you deliberately cut me off. Then, just when we had to rush back into the field again, you decide you want to talk. Well, I'm sorry Abby, but it doesn't work that way. You can't behave like a spoiled brat all day and then, just because you decide you have forgiven me, make the effort to have a conversation."

Abby took a deep breath and chewed silently on her bottom lip. Every word Gibbs spoke, despite its accuracy, was like an arrow piercing her heart.

"But I'd thought you'd forgotten," she said tearfully, hoping for some sympathy and understanding. "You always take me out for dinner on the night before my birthday–"

"I couldn't Abby," interrupted Gibbs. "We had a case. A dead marine and a missing girl. I love you very much Abs but a murder case will always take precedence over a birthday dinner."

"I get that," said Abby sulkily, not enjoying the way his works made her sound selfish and egotistical. "But, you could have called to let me know you couldn't make it."

"And I would have done, had I had cell service," replied Gibbs. "I was going to explain that to you today but you didn't give me a chance."

"But you didn't even say Happy Birthday when you eventually came into the lab," argued Abby, still hoping for a small chance at exoneration.

"You're right, I could have done that," began Gibbs and Abby looked up hopefully. "However, the attitude with which I was greeted, didn't exactly put me in a 'happy birthday' kind of mood. From the second I walked into your lab this morning, I was treated to a barrage of cutting remarks, sarcasm and attitude. And your rudeness when we were discussing the evidence? Well, let just say you're very lucky Ranger Landis was present otherwise I may have put you over my knee right there and then."

Chewing her bottom lip once again, Abby shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "You're right. It was uncalled for."

"Yes, it was," agreed Gibbs sternly. "And certainly not what I would expect from someone I respect as both a colleague and a daughter."

No longer able to redeem herself with any further excuses, Abby simply hung her head in shame.

"Abby, you mean the world to me," said Gibbs, his voice now gentle. "And I love you with all my heart. Every day I have you in my life, is a day I treasure. Now, some of those days I need to be out in the field or out of town. That doesn't mean you're not in my thoughts and last night was no exception. If I'd had cell service, I would have called you to explain why I couldn't take you out for dinner but that wasn't possible. What I didn't expect was the way in which you reacted to that."

Abby listened sorrowfully as Gibbs continued to scold her. The disappointed tone in his voice was far worse than if he'd yelled at her. When his voice finally stilled and the silence enveloped her, she sat motionless on the sofa unable to think of a single thing to say.

It was only as his arm encircled her tenderly, did the tears descend freely. Leaning her head into his chest, she cried silently as a wave of heartbreak overwhelmed her.

"Shhh," soothed Gibbs softly as his fingers carded through her dark hair which, for a rarity, was out and cascading down her shoulders.

"I'm s-so s-s-orry," she stammered through the tears. "I behaved so badly."

"Well, you won't get any argument from me, Abs," replied Gibbs, his honesty never wavering although his tone now held the much needed affection she'd missed earlier.

"Do you f-f-forgive me?"

Gibbs smiled down at her. At this moment she reminded him so much of Kelly it almost broke his heart.

"Abby, there's nothing that needs forgiving. Sure, you weren't at your finest today but my love for you goes well beyond the occasional temper tantrum, miscommunication or even a deliberate show of attitude. I'm disappointed in the way you behaved today and have told you as such. You've shown me you understand your behavior was out of line and uncalled for so I guess there's not much more for us to say on the matter."

"But, you're still going to spank me?" asked Abby tentatively.

"Well, it wouldn't really be your birthday without the customary birthday spanking, now would it?" replied Gibbs, smirking slightly.

Abby frowned.

"Birthday spanking?" she asked in surprise. "So... not a real spanking?"

"Oh, it'll be a real spanking," said Gibbs, enjoying the confusion he was seeing in Abby.

"I don't get it, Gibbs?"

"Well, Abs, prepare yourself as you're about to 'get it' real soon!"

As Gibbs took Abby's arm and began to guide her over his knee, Abby was suddenly grateful she'd had chance to go home and change. Being spanked in a pair of sweat pants was far more preferable to the very short little black number she'd worn to work that day.

With her eyes now focused on the carpeted floor, Abby said in a small voice, 'So is this going to hurt or not?"

"I don't know, Abs," replied Gibbs calmly. "You tell me?"

His paddle-like hand suddenly descended with a heavy 'thud' on her bottom and Abby gave a loud yelp of surprise.

"OW! Yes, Gibbs! It definitely hurts."

Gibbs chuckled as his hand paused above Abby's bottom. "Now, if you cast your mind back to our last conversation in your lab today, I said I also remembered exactly how old you are. That should put you in no doubt as to how many swats you are about to receive."

Hearing Abby groan loudly as her head drooped dejectedly towards the floor, Gibbs smiled to himself before lifting his hand and cracking it down on the small bottom in front of him. Falling into a steady rhythm, Gibbs kept count in his head as swat after swat echoed around the sparsely furnished sitting room. As he finally neared the magic number that signified the years Abby had lived on this earth, Gibbs slowed his pace. Tightening his arm around her waist to prevent further wriggling from the young woman, he counted aloud the final five, hard spanks, his voice seeming to encourage a responding yell from Abby after each number was called.

When, at long last, he reached her newly acquired age, he felt Abby shift in a desperate attempt to escape his lap.

"Where're you going, young lady?" asked Gibbs, the mocking tone more than obvious. "I haven't given you one to grow on yet."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that one, Gibbs," screeched Abby frantically. "I'm more than tall enough already."

"Nope," replied Gibbs. "This must be done properly otherwise it doesn't count."

Terrified he was about to suggest starting over, Abby snapped her mouth shut, closed her eyes tightly and waited for the final swat to land. When it did, she was quite sure, had she not being gripping his leg, she would have been sent flying forward and off the sofa.

As her hand flew back to nurse her throbbing bottom, Abby was grateful Gibbs didn't preclude her this one comfort.

"That hurt, Gibbs!" she whined loudly. "A birthday spanking is supposed to be fun!"

Helping her back into a sitting position on the sofa, Gibbs couldn't resist teasing her further. "Oh, I think the spanking is a fair representation of your attitude today, wouldn't you agree?"

When her only response was a sulky "hmph", Gibbs laughed. Putting his arm around her shoulders and drawing her into his side, he planted a gentle kiss on her temple and said softly, "Ah Abby, my beautiful, stubborn girl. Happy birthday Sweetheart!"