Title: Under The Covers
Author: ami (boymommytotwo)
Pairing: pre-Gibbs/Abby
Spoiler: slight 1.04 The Immortals
Prompt: Gift
Word Count: 900
Rating: K
Disclosure: Own nothing except my original ideas. We have Don Bellisario et al to thank most everything.
A/N: Unbetaed so all mistakes are my own. Constructive feedback is always welcome. If you don't know the definition of constructive, please pass. This story beat me down. I have no idea why it was so difficult. I've appreciated all the adds and alerts so much - really - I can't tell you how much they've meant to me. I think that it's headed in one big arc... is it okay to be posting each section or should I be making one big long story. Thoughts?

"What's this?"

Gibbs shook his head and damned DiNozzo for at least the fifth time today. The trip off the Foster had not gone smoothly. While the ExO was finally gratefull for their presence - that alone couldn't ensure their helo ride didn't go haywire, which it did. One helo was on mission for the destroyer, another down for scheduled maintenance. Their scheduled ride had a last-minute engine error... and after waiting an hour to see if it would resolve and waiting another hour for a helo to come from Norfolk, it was late. He was so glad to see Abby, and still less-than-impressed with DiNozzo and his gift.

"From who? And why not happy to get a gift Gibbs? Presents are supposed to be happy!"

Leave it to Abby to always look at the bright side of things.

"You're right, Abbs. They should be. But this one's from DiNozzo. Puerto Rico. Last I knew an RPG was an anti-tank weapon. Not... that."

"Aahhh... Tony's trying to catch you up, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty much. 'Baby steps', I believe is how he put it."

Abby made a 'oh poor baby' face - gosh he hated that face... unless of course it was on Abby. Thank God she kept on talking.

"Well he's right you know, we need to keep you with the times. We'll be doing everyone a favor and I bet you'll have more fun, too."

"Have enough fun," Gibbs grunted.

"Yeah, I can tell." Abby giggled and turned over the RPG game. "It's a game, Gibbs, it's supposed to be, you know, a good time!"

He refused to budge.

"Hey! This is in Spanish!"

Gibbs looked up at her with a 'duh, i toldyaso' look. "Aahhh... got it." Abby reached to put the game on the shelf behind Gibbs' desk. "Anyway, I should get going. You have a lot to do and probably just want to get home." She got further from her desk when she looked like she was going to say goodbye.

He hoped she had missed his mumbled 'why?', but no such luck.

"Whaddya mean, Gibbs. Don't you want to be back in your own bed once you've been away?"

"Never really cared much. Marines don't usually pay attention to where they sleep."

"Sure, but you're not a Marine now, Gibbs. Yeayea I know, no such thing as a former Marine... but still. Don't you want to go home? Snuggle into your own bed? Smell your house and your covers?"

He thought about it and sure there was some truth to that. He liked not having to resort to breathing techniques in order to go to sleep, but the truth was that is why he worked on the boat - so he could fall over from exhaustion as much as he 'fall asleep'. Abby kept on talking.

"I loooooove my covers. I have these heavy heavy blankets my grammy quilted for me years ago. I just pile 'em up and crawl up underneath there... mmm..."

"Yea Abbs, I guess you're right."

Abby came back around the end of his desk and sort of sat there. "I know I'm right." And she smiled a very self-satisfied smile. "You're worth having fun, and being comfortable, enjoying home, Gibbs. We're you're family. You know that. There's always a reason to come back here."

He sat speechless. It always amazed him that Abby spoke right to the heart of the matter, knew exactly what he needed to hear even if he didn't want to or didn't know himself. He could only look up at her. She leaned over and brushed his bangs away and sort of urgently whispered.

"Are you sure you're okay? You took a pretty hard fall on the ship at the end there."

"Now what would make you say that?" How did she even know about that already? She threw him for a loop. Again.

"I have my ways," Abby looked up and he was pretty sure she batted her eyelashes. "They're need-to-know."

He was going to kill DiNozzo, again.

"Abbs, I'm fine. We all fell into each other after the explosion in the ExO's cabin... we're all fine."

She made an 'MmHmm' sound, and she got up from Gibbs' desk and approached the side of the chair where he was sitting. She flung her arms around him and said, "I know you're fine. Just need you to know I know... and care."

And with that he watched her tall, dark frame leave the bull pen. He looked at the papers he had been reviewing and closed the folder. He was done for the night. Time to go home.

And crawl under the covers.