Playing the Field, a ncis fanfic

Title: Playing the Field
Author: Jo. R (driftingatdusk)
Rating: FR-15 overall, one or two FR-18 scenes as requested ;)
Pairing: Gibbs/Abby
Spoilers: Maybe a little for 'Heartland'
Category: Fluff, friendship, romance, a little angst and drama.
Summary: A forced vacation and a baseball game.
Authors Note: The character of Mark from Habitat for Humanity is a nod to ncislove's very own fic, Habitat. And this is a bit of a strange story in that not a lot really happens. Still, it's fun, I hope! ;)
Author's Note 2: I know nothing about baseball so please bear with me if I get something wrong.
Author's Note 3: This was written and sent to ncislove about a year ago - I just never got around to posting it after she'd read it so some things may be a little dated.

For the lovely ncislove, who successfully bid on me via the Help_Japan auction. She wanted Gabby angst and sexytiems... Think I added a little more fluff than requested but Gibbs & Abby just wouldn't be told otherwise... ;)

"Ms. Sciuto, thank you for coming."

"You're welcome... I think." Abby sat down in the chair opposite Director Vance's desk, clasping her hands together in her lap to keep from fidgeting. She couldn't help but remember the last time she'd been summoned before the man, setting off a devastating chain of events she was still struggling to recoup from. Thoughts of Mexico, of cold cases and bullets that identified her closest friend and... well, everything else that Leroy Jethro Gibbs was to her as a murderer made her shiver. "Can I ask why I'm here, Director?"

"Of course." Director Vance looked up from the file in front of him for the first time. "You can relax, Abby. You're not in trouble."

She attempted a smile and forced her shoulders to slump. "Okay."

"I've been looking through your file. You're approaching the end of your twelfth year of service with us." He waited for her to nod her agreement before continuing. "And yet you've only ever taken... eight days personal leave?"

Abby fought the urge to squirm in her chair at the intensity of his gaze. "I really like my job?" She offered quietly.

The corners of the Director's mouth twitched. "I can see that, Ms. Sciuto." He glanced back down at the printed page in front of him, a sigh escaping him as all traces of the smile disappeared. "Your attendance record, while exemplary, has Human Resources concerned." He held up a hand when she started to protest. "They're concerned you're working too hard and, I have to say, Ms. Sciuto, I agree with them. We do have a bank of temporary forensics specialists at our disposal. All capable of covering your job, though I doubt they'd been as passionate or as popular as yourself."

Biting down on her bottom lip, Abby tilted her head as she stared at him. "What are you trying to say, Sir? That I have to take time off?"

Director Vance folded his hands on top of the file on his desk. "Two weeks mandatory leave, starting tomorrow." He almost smiled again at the horrified expression on her face. "I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think, Ms. Sciuto. I'm sure you'll think of something to do."

Abby opened her mouth but closed it again without speaking. She shook her head and sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I don't suppose there's any point in arguing, is there?"

The Director shook his head. "No, Ms. Sciuto. There isn't."

It was a despondent Abby who sat at a desk that wasn't her own as the day drew to a close, watching the clock with a mournful expression on her face. The owner of the desk, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, was busy in MTAC but his team of agents were doing their best to cheer up their forensic specialist in his absence.

"It is only for two weeks, Abby," Ziva David gave her a comforting smile. "You could go and see your family. You were just saying you haven't seen your niece in some time, yes?"

Abby shrugged a shoulder but the smile Ziva had been expecting failed to materialise. "My brother and his wife have taken her to Europe for summer vacation. My sister-in-law has family over there and there's an art show my brother's going to be taking part in..." She shrugged again and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back in Gibbs' chair. "I could go see Gloria but she has a better social life than I do."

"Do you have to go anywhere?" Tim McGee contributed from his desk across from Gibbs' own. "You could always stay in town."

"I could, but I think staring at the walls in my apartment day in, day out for two weeks would drive me insane. Even if they're nicely decorated walls," Abby added with a touch of defensiveness in her tone. "And I checked with Habitat for Humanity. I called Mark and told him I had an unexpected two week vacation if he wanted another volunteer. He told me I should take advantage and do something for myself for a change." She wrinkled her nose, her expression showing her dislike of the idea.

"You could go spend some time with the Nuns," Tony DiNozzo, the third and final agent that made up Gibbs' team, suggested after a short pause. "Or you could go on a mini road trip."

"Go on a road trip by myself?" Abby shook her head. "And the Nuns are busy, too. Everyone has a better social life than I do."

"Hate to say it, Abby, but I think you just proved the HR goons right." Tony shrugged when she glared at him. "When was the last time you went out with friends – other than us," he added when she opened her mouth to protest. "You used to have a different party every other night. What happened?"

With a groan, Abby buried her head in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. Her reply, when it came, was muffled. "Maybe I got old," she muttered.

"Still got a way to go before you catch up with me, Abby." Gibbs' voice surprised her but she didn't look up, not even when she sensed him sit on the desk beside her or felt the heat of his thigh next to her head. "Pack up for the night. We're on duty over the weekend."

With her head lowered, Abby heard the team grumble as they got to their feet. She didn't need to look to know that when their grumbles stopped, Gibbs had given them a glare to silence them. She heard them each wish her a good night and a good vacation but waited until she heard their voices fade before lifting her head from her hands.

Gibbs was her last hope, she knew. He hadn't been pleased at the thought of her enforced vacation, either, and he'd spent the afternoon with the Director. Yes, they'd spent the afternoon in MTAC and no doubt had far more important things to discuss but... She studied his expression and the look in his eyes before sighing heavily, her shoulders slumping.

"What am I supposed to do for two weeks?"

"Been thinking about that." He held her gaze for a moment, studying her. "You've really got nothing you want to do?"

"I want to work," Abby pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "But since that isn't an option... No. There's nothing I want to do."

He nodded slowly, once. "How about heading to Stillwater and giving Jack a hand in the store?" He shrugged when she looked at him in surprise. "I was gonna head up there myself for a few days week after next. There's a local baseball game two weeks today to raise funds for the local hospital I said I'd take part in."

Abby was silent for a few moments, her mind racing as fast as her heartbeat as she considered the proposal. "Would Jack not mind me being there? I mean, it's not like he really needs any help in the store…"

"He'd be glad of the company." Gibbs was quick to reassure her but kept his expression carefully neutral when she glanced up at him again. "It's just an idea, Abby. You can say no."

"No! I mean, yes." She shook her head, her pigtails bouncing around her face. "If you think Jack would be okay with it, I'd love it. I mean, it'd be something to do, right? And he could tell me lots of little Gibbs stories..." She smiled at the quirk of his eyebrow. "...Not that I would share them with anyone, especially not Tony. But your Dad's pretty great and I didn't get to spend a lot of time with him last time he was here so if it was okay..."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." The corners of his mouth twitched in a small grin he couldn't quite keep from showing. He reached past her, taking his cell phone out of his desk drawer. "I'll call him now if you want."

Abby nodded enthusiastically, sitting back in the chair as she watched him. Only able to hear one side of the conversation, she listened intently, eyes narrowing as she tried to imagine the other side of the conversation. Nothing Gibbs said suggested his father had a problem with the idea – in fact, the small smile on his face at something Jackson Gibbs said seemed pleased more than anything. She was a little disappointed Gibbs hung up without passing her the phone, part of her wanting to hear it from Jackson himself that she was welcome before she started making travel arrangements but her disappointment was short lived when Gibbs confirmed the invitation was still on the table.

"He said he'll expect you in time for dinner tomorrow," Gibbs said as he hung up. "And to bring an appetite."

She leapt up from the chair and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Gibbs! I'd rather be at work but spending time with Jack sounds like the next best thing!"

Gibbs' arms went around her slowly but he held her close for a few fleeting moments both of them silently savoured. "I'll be joining you a week tomorrow," he reminded her as she pulled back, "so don't get too comfortable with it just being the two of you."

Abby's smile was as mischievous as the glint in her eye. "So I should get as many little Gibbs stories as I can before you get there, right?" She laughed at the expression on his face. "Or none at all?"

"None would be better." Gibbs rolled his eyes at her. "You need directions or do you remember the way?"

"I can get them from the internet," she assured him enthusiastically. "I should really go home and pack."

He slipped his cell phone into the pocket of his jacket and reached for his badge and weapon, securing them both as he turned to her. "I'll walk you to your car."

She happily linked her arm with his, bouncing with every step they took. She excitedly listed her plans for her impromptu vacation, along with helping Jack in the store and exploring the small town of Stillwater. Abby turned to him as they reached her car, once again hugging him with an exuberance that made him hid a grin against her hair.

"Thank you so much for this, Gibbs. If I have to take two weeks off, I'd rather have something to do with it, y'know? I can't think of anything worse than sitting around my apartment all day, wondering what you guys are doing here and not being able to help or see you during the day..." She paused to take a deep breath and stepped away from home, hoping the reluctance to break the embrace she felt didn't show on her face.

"Call me when you get there."

It was an unnecessary instruction but Abby nodded anyway. "I will. And if you catch a big case and need me back here..."

"I'll call," Gibbs promised, knowing he would.

For a few moments, they said nothing. He watched her look down at the ground before lifting her gaze back up to his. "See you a week tomorrow," Abby said eventually, smiling at him as she opened her car door.

"See you then." Gibbs stepped back to let her slid into the driver's seat. He clenched his hand into a fist to keep himself from reaching out for her, inclining his head a little at the cheery wave she gave him before she drove away. He stood and watched the tail-lights of her car disappear before crossing the parking lot to his own, trying to keep himself from wishing the next seven days would pass by quickly.

The drive to Stillwater was full of anticipation. Abby found herself singing along with the radio less and less as she got closer to the town where the one and only Leroy Jethro Gibbs had been born, finding herself besieged with uncharacteristic doubts about the welcome she would receive when she arrived.

Sure, Jackson liked her – she knew that without a shadow of a doubt – but did he really want her taking up space in his home for two weeks? In his store? Not to mention that part of her stay would overlap with Gibbs' own visit to his father and she knew how precious little time the two men got to spend together as they took steps to repair the relationship between them. Maybe she was intruding, she thought as she pulled up outside the Gibbs family home. Maybe she would stay for a few days but make her excuses and leave before Gibbs actually got there?

It wasn't what she wanted, of course. The idea of spending a week with Gibbs away from the office sent a thrill through her, butterflies fluttering in her stomach as her mouth went dry, her palms damp and her blood beat dizzily through her veins.

Abby shook herself mentally, a nervous smile breaking out across her face as the door to the Gibbs household opened as she continued to sit behind the wheel of her car. She returned the wave Jackson gave her enthusiastically and opened the car door as he started down the path towards her.

"Dinner's almost ready," Jackson Gibbs told her in greeting, a warm grin arranging his mouth. "Hope you're hungry."

"Famished." She'd been too nervous to eat on the one stop she'd made during the drive but wasn't about to tell him that. Instead, she moved forward to hug him, relaxing when he returned the embrace with just as much warmth and enthusiasm. "Are you sure you don't mind me being here, Jackson?" She asked as she pulled back. "I don't want to intrude..."

Jackson gave her a look that reminded her so much of his son, she had to smile. "You wouldn't be here if I didn't want you to be." He waited until she'd taken her bag out of the trunk of the car before offering her his arm. "I thought you could stay in Leroy's old room. It's a little more comfortable than the guest room."

Abby glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, struggling to control her blush. "Won't Gibbs be staying there when he gets here next week? I might as well start off in the guest room now rather than swap places next week..."

"Leroy can take the guest room," Jackson said after a momentary pause. "I'm under instructions to make sure you enjoy yourself and get some rest. Can't do that unless I'm sure you get a good night's sleep."

"Under instructions?" She arched an eyebrow and let him usher her into the house. "Gibbs called you again?"

"This morning," Jackson confirmed with a grin. "He said to remind you to call him when you got here so if you want to get that out of the way, I'll dish up. Your room's first on the left."

Giving into the impulse, Abby stopped him from heading through to the kitchen with another hug, wrapping her arms around him tightly as the tension that had gathered in the car on the way to Stillwater finally left her. "Thank you, Jackson. Really."

"Anytime, Abby." Jackson grinned at her and patted her back. "I mean it. Anytime you want to get away, my door's always open. I can't say it's a hardship to have to make conversation with a woman as beautiful and charming as yourself."

She blushed even as she laughed. "Gibbs definitely gets his silver-tongue from you, I'm sure of it." She shook her head as Jackson chuckled and continued through to the kitchen, making her way up the staircase towards the room he'd indicated.

Abby took a moment to look around as she opened the door and stepped over the threshold. In a way, it was like stepping back in time, giving her a glimpse into the secret past of one Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The light blue wallpaper had been bleached by the sun over time but she could tell it'd been on the walls for a while. The shelves were still neatly lined with the books of his childhood and trophies won during his school days were interspersed amongst various knickknacks that spoke volumes about the boy the man she knew and loved had once been.

Though the bed was made with fresh sheets and was no doubt double the size it had been when he'd stayed in the room, it wasn't hard for her to imagine a younger Gibbs lying on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling as he wondered what the future had in store for him.

Shaking herself mentally, she set her bag on the foot of the bed and turned to leave the room, telling herself there'd be plenty of time to study the room and think about the man it belonged to after dinner.

Any worries she had about there being awkward silences were dismissed over the course of their first evening meal together. Jackson Gibbs was just as charming as his son but far more open with it. He kept her entertained all evening with stories ranging from his own childhood to his memories of Gibbs' early years and it was with a great deal of reluctance that Abby headed to bed just shy of one o'clock in the morning.

She stripped out of the jeans and t-shirt she'd travelled in, pulling on her pyjamas before heading across the landing to the family bathroom. She could hear Jackson locking up downstairs and smiled to herself at the creaks and groans the old house made as it settled for the night. It was a house with character – a definite home, she corrected herself – and she had a feeling she was going to enjoy her stay far more than she'd originally anticipated.

After finishing up in the bathroom, she let herself back into Gibbs' old bedroom, shutting the door behind her before walking over to the bed. She lowered herself down carefully, wondering if the mattress was going to squeak but pleased when it didn't. Slipping underneath the blankets and sheets, she turned off the bedside lamp and lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling.

The sound of footsteps shuffling past the door made her smile, as did the low voice that accompanied them. "Night, Abby. Sweet dreams."

"Night, Jack. See you the morning." The smile lingered on her face as she heard the telltale signs of her host finishing up in the bathroom and shutting his own bedroom door across the hall from hers.

It was strange, she thought, to be lying in bed in a room Gibbs' had used years before. Strange but not unpleasantly so.

Although the room was lacking the heady scent of sawdust and something uniquely Gibbs, it still felt like him and she found herself relaxing, turning to lie on her side. As she closed her eyes and slipped off into sleep, she tugged one of the pillows to her, curling her body around it as she dreamt of being curled around the man himself, safe and protected and enveloped in his arms.

Jackson wasn't the only Stillwater resident to greet her with open arms. As soon as word spread around the small town that Jackson Gibbs had someone staying with him and that she was helping out in the store, there was a sudden influx of customers.

While several of them were a little unsure of her based on her appearance at first, Jackson noted that Abby soon won them over with her warmth and generosity, watching her interact with his customers, both regular and not, with a smile on his face from behind the counter.

When his son called to check she was doing okay, Jackson was quick to assure him that she was – and that she'd won a few new admirers in the few days she'd been there.

"It must've been nice for Gibbs to grow up in a small town like this," Abby enthused as she and Jackson walked arm-in-arm from the store to the Gibbs household. "Everyone's so nice and friendly."

Jackson chuckled and patted her hand. "Could be they've just warmed to you, Abby. I'd imagine it'd be pretty hard to do anything but be nice and friendly to a nice girl like you."

A shadow passed over her face but was gone in an instant, almost so quickly he missed it. "You'd be surprised," she said mildly, shrugging a shoulder when he paused to look at her, encouraging him wordlessly to keep walking by squeezing his arm. "Stillwater is such a great town, though."

"In small doses, I'm sure my son would agree with you." Jackson shook his head and smiled at her fondly. "But there's a downside to living in a small place like this, too. Everyone knows everything about everyone else – you hear things even if you don't want to." He shrugged a shoulder and patted her hand. "It's a good place to raise children when they're small but you've gotta accept they'll want to fly the nest sooner rather than later. Leroy couldn't wait to get out of here when he got older..."

"What was he like when he was younger?" Abby kept her gaze on the sidewalk ahead of them, hoping the opening he'd given her to ask would keep him from thinking there was anything more than friendly curiosity motivating her questioning. She felt her cheeks heat when she felt his eyes on her and glanced at him only to find a knowing smile on his face. "I'm just curious," she started, "he never talks about himself..."

"He never did." Jackson's smile was rueful. "As for what he was like when he was younger... Much the same as what he is now, I guess. He was a good kid. Helped around the store after school and during summer vacation. Doted on his mother, but then we both did that." Jackson's smile turned a little wistful as he untangled his arm from Abby's so he could unlock the door and usher her inside. "I've got some old family albums if you'd like to take a look. I'll dig them out after supper."

"Only if you don't think I'd be intruding." As much as she'd like to look through the photograph albums, Abby didn't want to do anything that would make her outstay her welcome. "I know Gibbs probably told you not to tell me any little Gibbs stories..."

His chuckle surprised her and she turned away from where she'd been shutting the door behind them to look at him. "He knows damn well I'm happy to tell you anything you want to know, Abby. And if he minded, he wouldn't have sent you out here."

"If he'd prefer you not to tell me, Jack..." She bit down on her bottom lip, her reluctance to go against Gibbs' wishes plain to see on her face.

Jackson fixed her with a firm expression, warmth and something else in his familiar eyes that confused her. "You're family, Abby," was all he said as he turned away to head into the kitchen. "There's no such thing as secrets between family."

As the end of the first week neared, Abby realised that, while she missed being at NCIS, she was enjoying her forced vacation and had even allowed herself to relax. After an early dinner the night before Gibbs was due to arrive, Abby insisted on helping Jackson clear the plates away and wash the dishes before settling back down at the dinner table, the fourth of six thick photo albums in front of her.

They'd spent their evenings going through each album in turn, often accompanied by a humorous story or the recounting of a fond memory. Jackson enjoyed remembering the good times while Abby enjoyed listening to him. The insight she gained into her boss and friend didn't help her in her attempts at ignoring her growing feelings for the man but it was something she cherished.

Opening the album, the first photograph she saw was a heavily pregnant woman, her smile radiant as she stood beside a younger Jackson Gibbs, the proud father-to-be beaming at the camera as his wife head rested her head on his shoulder and leaned into him. Jackson was wearing a baseball uniform, the matching cap on his wife's head.

"That was taken two years after we were married, on the fourth anniversary of the day we met," Jackson told her quietly, his smile tender as his fingertip traced his wife's smiling face.

"You met at a baseball game?"

"Yep. Same one Leroy's coming to take part in."

Abby tore her gaze from the photograph, her expression surprised. "It's an annual thing? I thought it was a one-off. Gibbs said it was for a local hospital..."

"It was the first baseball game all those years ago that created the funds for the hospital to be built in the first place," Jackson informed her, a hint of pride in his voice. "And it was the baseball game that brought Lily to Stillwater, and to me."

"She wasn't from around here?" She leaned on her hand, her elbow against the table as she turned her attention from the photo album to the man sitting beside her. "I don't know why but I thought she was local."

"She was." Jackson nodded, a soft smile on his face at her confusion. "She was from the next town over, Jonestown. They were the team we were competing against. Her brother was their team captain. Sure took some time for him to get over her switching sides midway through the game."

"Kind of a forbidden love," Abby teased affectionately. Her smile widened at the light flush that coloured his cheeks and she turned her attention back to the photograph. "She was really beautiful."

"Most beautiful girl I'd seen," Jackson sighed softly. In the momentary silence that followed, he turned the page in the album. The double pages that followed were full of photographs of the game and he smiled, remembering the feel of the victory kiss his wife had bestowed on him at the end of the game even as he saw it caught on camera by his then brother-in-law. He turned the page again and his smile disappeared at the faded newspaper articles behind the protective plastic cover.

"Murder?" Her brow furrowed, Abby turned the album so she could see it more clearly, her green gaze scanning the printed words. "There was a murder at the game?"

"Not that one, the year after." Jackson shook his head as he recalled the summer after his son had been born. "She was a local woman. Had a son around the same time Leroy was born. He – her son, Andy – was only a couple of months old when she died."

"She was shot." Abby murmured, reading the article intently. "Found the morning after the game by a search party after her husband reported her missing. They never caught her killer?" She looked up, her brow furrowed. "No one was charged?"

Jackson shook his head. "The theory at the time was that she was killed by someone just passing through. There were a group of travellers in town at the time. They stayed for the game but left that night. Popular assumption is that one of them was responsible but they moved too far, too fast before the police could track them down."

"Her son was only a baby at the time?" Abby returned her gaze to the article, studying the smiling face of the woman in the article. "That's so sad, that he never got the chance to know his mother." She glanced at him when she felt his hand cover hers. "Did you know her, Jack? You said she was local."

"I grew up with her." Jackson's blue eyes were sad even as he reached out to turn the page. "She was a great woman, a devoted mother. I was one of the last people to talk to her that night, at the barbeque that followed the game. We were talking about the boys, about how one day they'd play together on the team. Only a couple of months old and she was so proud of her boy, so sure he was something special."

Abby smiled and turned her hand over in his, linking their fingers as she returned her attention to the page. A surprised laugh bubbled out of her throat and the unsolved murder was forgotten as an image of a young Gibbs, dressed in a baseball uniform of his own, caught her eye. No more than four or five, he beamed at the camera from beneath an oversized baseball cap, the matching shirt of the uniform coming down to his knees.

"He played in the junior game that year," Jackson told her with a grin. "I say played," he continued, a low chuckle escaping him, "it wasn't a real match. We just had the kids hit the ball and run around for a few hours till it wore 'em out."

"He looks like he enjoyed it," Abby commented, resisting the urge to run her finger over the grass stains on his uniform. It was strange to see such a young version of the man she knew, unsettling almost to see the innocence in the blue eyes she knew so well staring up at her from the page. Her smile grew when her gaze travelled to the page opposite and she caught sight of a family shot, of young Gibbs sitting between his obviously doting parents as they looked on proudly.

They continued to flick through the pages of the album until the early hours, retiring only when the last page had been viewed. Abby bid Jackson goodnight and kissed his cheek before leaving him to his nightly routine of securing the house, retiring to the room she'd come to think of as hers.

She changed for bed and curled up under the covers, wrapping her body around the spare pillow as she fell into a deep, contented sleep, her mind full of happy memories that weren't her own.

It was a Gibbs who greeted her that morning when she stumbled sleepily down stairs to the kitchen in search of her first cup of coffee of the day but not the Gibbs she'd been expecting. Yawning a good morning, Abby rubbed her eyes with one hand and reached for the coffee pot with the other, freezing seconds before she touched it.

Turning slowly, she found the amused blue eyes of one Leroy Jethro Gibbs watching her over the rim of his own cup of coffee and felt a smile she couldn't control spread across her face.

It'd been a week since she'd seen him. Over a week. Though they'd gone longer without seeing one another before, it still felt strange not to have seen him at least once a day and she drank in the sight of him eagerly, a blush spreading over her features when she came to and realised he was staring just as intently at her.

"Hi."

"Hey." Gibbs set the coffee cup he was holding down and got to his feet slowly. "Nice PJs, Abs."

Her blush deepened as she glanced down at her attire, realising she'd become so comfortable in Jackson's presence that she hadn't thought to grab her robe on the way out of her – Gibbs', her mind corrected – room. "I wasn't expecting you to get here till after lunch and I thought Jackson would already be at the store..." Her eyes narrowed and she looked at him again, resisting the urge to launch herself at him. "How did you get here so quick?"

"Didn't. I just left earlier than I was planning." He moved towards her slowly, his arm brushing hers as he reached past her to set his empty cup down on the bench unnecessarily close to her. "You look good, Abs. Relaxed."

"I feel it." Well, she corrected mentally, she had done until he'd moved so close to her. Tilting her head a little so she could hold his gaze, she couldn't stop the smile from curving the corners of her mouth. "So is a week long enough for me to say I missed you?"

She caught a glimpse of a lopsided grin seconds before she found herself in a hug that would rival any she could have initiated. "I'd say so."

Distracted by the sensation of being crushed against him, the familiar scent of him comforting her and helping her relax in ways nothing else could, Abby didn't notice the tension leave his body or the way he inhaled deeply and nuzzled the side of her neck. She did, however, notice when his hand pressed against her back, his fingertips grazing bare skin where her tank top and pyjama bottoms failed to meet.

Neither of them wanted to be the first to pull away and it was with a great deal of reluctance that they did some a few moments later.

"So what've I missed?" Abby asked immediately, needing to fill the silence almost before it could begin. "Did you catch any cases? Has Tony been behaving himself? Oh, did Ducky happen to mention if he's taken my advice and called Doctor Hampton? He really should, you know. She was good for him. If he doesn't take the initiative, I'll probably end up doing it for him..."

"Take a breath, Abby," Gibbs advised with a wry grin. He backed away from her so she had space to turn around and fix herself a cup of coffee, taking a moment to get his body's response to her proximity under control. He smiled when she automatically refilled his cup, too, and turned to hand it to him. "We had two cases, both open-shut and DiNozzo never behaves himself. As for Ducky..." He smirked and took the cup from her, an eyebrow arching a little at the slight intake of breath she gave when his fingers – accidentally – brushed hers. "He has a date tonight. Wouldn't say with who but now I know you're playing matchmaker..."

"He deserves to be happy," Abby countered. "And if playing matchmaker's the only way to make sure that happens..." She shrugged and smiled. "I love being here but I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again. It's been strange to think of you all getting on with things back home as normal without me."

"Wouldn't say it was normal, Abby." He struggled to withhold a sigh, knowing his agents had noticed – and no doubt discussed behind his back – his foul mood during her week's absence. The headslaps had flown fast and furious with a little more force than normal, his patience had snapped with both McGee and the Forensics temp filling in for her and he'd butted head with Vance more than once over the Director's decision to send Abby away. "You'll get to see them soon enough. Think DiNozzo's planning on bringing everyone over for the game on Saturday."

She laughed even as her eyes lit up at the thought. "He wants an excuse to try and get little Gibbs stories from Jack, doesn't he?"

"It's DiNozzo. What do you think?" He sipped his coffee and narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm gonna guess from the photo albums I found on the table this morning that you're in no short supply?"

"I may have picked up one or two stories." Abby's attempt at an innocent expression fell flat as her lips twitched before forming a mischievous smile. "I promise I won't share them with Tony, or anyone else." She leaned against the counter, crossing her bare legs at the ankle. "Since you're here early, what are you plans for the rest of the day?"

"I was going to head to the batting cages, get some practise in before next weekend." He arched an eyebrow in invitation. "You could always come with me, get in some practise yourself?"

"Why would I need to practise? I'm not playing." She sipped her coffee. "I'm just going to be cheering you on from the sidelines... Right? Gibbs?" She lowered the coffee cup and stared at him, agape. "Tell me you didn't say I'd play in the game, Gibbs. I can't play. I've never played a game in my life!"

He drained the rest of his coffee in silence, enjoying the expression on her face. Turning away from her to put his empty cup in the sink, he shrugged casually and let a smirk spread across his face. "In that case, I'd go get changed out of your PJ's, Abby. We've got a lot of work to do to get you game ready in a week."

She muttered under her breath as she put her cup down and stalked out of the kitchen, stomping her way up the stairs in a huff he hoped was mostly for show. It'd been a long week without her, longer than he wanted to admit, and he was glad of the excuse to spend as much time as he could with her before the team descended on them in seven days time.

Despite her distress at suddenly finding herself participating in the game she'd been looking forward to watching, Abby found herself enjoying the time she and Gibbs spent at the batting cages practising her swing.

It had nothing, she told herself, to do with the fact that she'd spent most of the day with his arms around her, his hands alternatively covering hers or resting on her hips to adjust her stance. After a week of not seeing him, of no physical contact between them, her mind was spinning and her body on overdrive with the length of time he spent pressed up against her – all to help her prepare for the game he'd volunteered her for, of course.

It was perfectly innocent. Entirely so. There was no way she purposely missed a couple of balls so he'd have an excuse to put his arms around her and help her swing the bat at the right time.

For his part, Gibbs didn't seem to mind the prolonged contact, either. He didn't seem to notice that he hadn't had a chance to get in any practise of his own or, if he did notice, he didn't seem to care. He was content to give her tips and pointers, demonstrating what he meant by assisting her movements rather than stepping away from her and showing her himself.

Their first day together set the tone for the rest of the week. They'd spend the morning with Jackson in the store and head off to the batting cages or the local playing field in the afternoon. Gibbs patiently explained the rules of the game to her, secretly getting a kick out of the role reversal, and then helped her practise. In the evenings, they'd return back to his father's house and the three of them would fix dinner. They'd take turns in regaling one another with stories and anecdotes long into the night and Gibbs found himself being pleasantly surprised at the closeness that had development between his father and his forensic scientist.

The sleeping arrangements continued much as they had in the first week, with Abby taking his room and Gibbs taking the guest room. He'd caught his father watching them speculatively but ignored the suggestion in Jack's eyes, instead insisting that, as the guest, Abby took the most comfortable room on offer despite her protests that she'd be fine switching rooms.

After the first few days, he reluctantly stepped away from her and let her bat on her own, practising his throwing while she hit the ball. When she took a break and moved to sit on the bench, Gibbs practised his own batting, aware of her gaze on his back the entire time but unable to find it in himself to mind her scrutiny.

The Thursday before the big game, Gibbs took Abby to the playing field where the game would be taking place.

"It's huge," was Abby's first response, her green eyes widening as she gazed around the site. Her face paled and she automatically reached for his hand, her fingers tangling naturally around his without thought. Gibbs wondered if she'd noticed as he had that they were rarely out of physical contact with one another but, not for the first time, decided against mentioning it. "Just how many people are supposed to turn up for this game?"

He shrugged and didn't answer straight away, squeezing her hand reassuringly instead. "A couple of hundred, maybe. The players, their families and friends, people from the neighbouring towns... It's for charity, Abs," he reminded her, "the more people who turn up, the more money we raise."

He had a suspicion that it was only due to the fact the game was for a good cause that she'd agreed to go through with it. Despite having paled further at the amount he'd given - a third if not more less than how many he was actually expecting to attend – Abby arranged her features in a determined expression.

"Okay. I can do this." She squared her shoulders but didn't let go of his hand. "Give me the grand tour and we can start practising."

The 'grand tour' didn't take long even though the site was twice the size of the field they'd been playing on in Stillwater itself. He walked her around the site, pointing out the picnic area where the barbeque and bonfire after the game would take place. He showed her the male and female shower blocks a short distance away, closer to the woodland surrounding the site than the playing field itself.

Her gaze flittering over the trees, Abby moved closer to him, a shiver travelling the length of her spine. Gibbs let go of her hand only to put his arm around her waist, drawing her more snugly against his side.

"You okay, Abby?"

"Yeah, fine." It took a few more moments for her to tear her gaze away and look at him, a forced smile on her lips. "Jack told me about what happened. There was an article on the murder in one of the photo albums I looked through."

"It was a long time ago," he comforted, tightening his arm around her as he turned her towards the playing field. "It's good that you know about it, though. It'll be mentioned at some point during the day, I'm sure."

"Does the family still live around here?" Abby asked quietly, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked back at a leisurely pace. "The husband and son?"

Gibbs wasn't quick enough to keep the grimace from showing on his face. "Her husband died five years ago. Her son... is still around."

"And you're not his biggest fan, I'm guessing," Abby murmured, casting a sideways glance in his direction.

"You could say that." He shrugged instead of delving into it deeper. "You want to get some practise in or you want to head back to town?"

"Practise." She said it with a sigh, her back straightening with a stubbornness he recognised."I'm determined I'm not going to show you up on Saturday."

"You could never show me up, Abby." He leaned in and kissed her temple, lingering a little longer than usual. The sincerity in his voice made her heart skip a beat and she stared resolutely ahead, afraid what he saw in her face would give her reaction away.

In silence, they continued on towards the playing field.

Taking a break from batting, Abby made herself comfortable on the bleachers, Gibbs' sweatshirt wrapped around her shoulders to ward off the slight breeze as she watched him compete against an old friend who'd shown up midway through the afternoon.

She couldn't take her eyes off him, couldn't stop herself from admiring the play of muscles in his back beneath his t-shirt as he swung the bat back in preparation for the next ball. She watched the muscles in his arms flex and struggled to stifle a sigh, remembering how those arms felt wrapped around her.

"If you're looking for some off-pitch action, I'm sure a girl like you can find someone better than Leroy."

The voice caused a startled gasp to escape her and she turned her head to watch the newcomer approach. He sauntered towards her, a cocky grin on his face as his lecherous grey-green eyes swept over her without apology. The man was tall, about Gibbs' height, she thought. Same age, too, and though he hadn't kept himself in quite as good shape as the man she'd been admiring, she could see his arms were muscular beneath the long-sleeved shirt he wore.

"I'd be more than willin' to volunteer my services," he continued, sitting down on the bleacher beside her and sliding along until his thigh pressed against hers.

Feeling uncomfortable both with what he said and the way he looked at her, Abby moved away from him, making sure to put some space between them on the bleacher. "I'm not interested."

"A girl like you not interested?" He scoffed and narrowed his eyes, his smile sly but cold. "You look like you'd be up for a good time. Doubt a guy like him could keep up with you."

"You'd be surprised," Abby retorted coolly, her instinct to defend Gibbs overriding her indignation at his assumption based on her appearance. When he moved along the bench to press against her again, Abby got to her feet. "Excuse me."

"You wanna move this somewhere more private?" The guy stood up with her, blocking the way to the steps that would take her down to the playing field. "I know a couple of places we could go..." He continued, his gaze leaving her face, travelling slowly down her body. His eyes lingered on her chest for a few seconds before dipping lower, his lips curving into a smirk when he glanced at her bare legs where the shorts she wore ended. "You're not my usual type, honey, but hey, everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves. A straight-laced guy like Leroy wouldn't know what to do with a young piece of ass like you. Probably wouldn't want to, either. Probably scared he'd catch somethin' that'd ruin his wholesome image. Not me, though. I'd be willin' to take the risk for some fun with you..."

"Like I said, I'm not interested." She tried to move past him but froze when he lifted a hand and wrapped it around her wrist. "I really wouldn't advise doing that."

"You gonna kick my ass, little lady?" His smirk only grew, his grip on her wrist tightening. "Kinda figured you'd be one to like it rough."

"Rough is one word for what you'll get if you don't let her go." It was the deceptively mild tone and the flat eyes that told Abby Gibbs' temper had been ignited. While surprised he'd managed to reach her so fast, she wasn't at all shocked at the cold fury flashing in his eyes.

The man standing between them didn't seem to realise the danger he was in. He took his time in releasing her wrist, his gaze locked on hers as he all but ignored the man standing behind him. "If you change your mind, I'll be here Saturday. We could skip the game and have a workout of our own."

"If you've got any sense, you'll skip the game anyway." Gibbs moved aside and stared at him expectantly. After a tense moment, the man turned away from Abby and walked away, snubbing Gibbs entirely as he sauntered away. Gibbs watched him leave before turning his attention back to Abby, lifting the hand that wasn't wrapped around hers to touch her cheek. "You okay, Abs?"

"Better now." She leaned into his touch for a moment before forcing a smile. "You gonna tell me who the jackass was?"

Gibbs dropped his hand from her face and turned away, leading her by the hand along the bleacher to the steps. "That was Andrew Robb."

"Robb." It took a moment for her brain to catch up. "That was the surname of the woman who died. Jack said her son was called Andy." She shook her head and frowned. "I know losing a parent's hard but that's no excuse for being an ass."

"Takes after his father." His hand tightened over hers. "Whatever he said to you, Abs, just ignore it."

"I was planning on it." She tried to smile again when he stopped to look at her. "I'm okay, really. He's not the first jerk I've met and I doubt he'll be the last." He clenched his jaw but said nothing. "Would it be okay if we head back to town? I'm tired and could really use a shower."

"Well, I wasn't gonna say anything but you do smell a little ripe..." He grinned at the nudge of her elbow in his ribs and took advantage of her closeness to drop his hand from hers and wrap his arm around her waist instead.

Abby stayed silent as he led them to the friend he'd been practising with, leaning into his side as he said their goodbyes and made a vague promise to catch up with the man – John? James? – on Saturday before the game. Her silence was unusual and when it was extended to the short car journey back to Stillwater and his father's house, Gibbs found himself growing concerned.

His concern only grew when she was uncharacteristically subdued during their evening meal, leaving most of the conversation to him and his father instead of joining in as was what he'd begun to accept as being normal. He knew he wasn't the only one worried about the way she merely pushed at the food on her plate rather than eating it and when she excused herself immediately after the meal, saying she needed a bath and an early night, he knew his father wouldn't be able to hold his tongue for long.

"Before you ask, Abby had a run in with Robb." Gibbs spoke quietly as he collected the used dishes to take them through to the kitchen, mindful of the woman upstairs overhearing. He didn't need to look behind him to know Jack had followed him. "I don't know what he said to her but I think we can both guess."

Jackson sighed and reached for the cloth to dry the dishes after Gibbs had washed them. "Never did figure out what his problem with women is. It's like he blames his Mom for leaving him, may she rest in peace."

They worked side-by-side in silence for several minutes, making short work of the routine task. Gibbs was aware of his father watching him but kept from asking, knowing that if he waited, his father would break the silence first.

Less than five minutes later, he was proven right.

"So are you going to tell me why you decided to invite Abby here in the first place?" Jackson headed for the cupboard, keeping his back to his son as he got down a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. "She's always welcome and I've loved her company – she's one hell of a woman – but I can't help but wonder why when she's only the second woman you've brought into this house."

Gibbs sat down at the table, accepting the bourbon his father poured for him in silence. Instead of nursing the drink, he downed it in one, pushing the empty glass across the table with a finger in a silent request for a top up. When his father obliged, he picked up the glass, holding in his hand as he leaned back in his chair. "She was at a loose end," he said eventually, "needed somewhere to go, something to do. Tried talking Leon out of her forced vacation but he wasn't interested."

"Twelve years is a long time to work without a break," Jackson pointed out, taking a small sip from his own glass. "Find it hard to believe a woman as warm and friendly as Abby had nowhere else to go."

"That makes two of us," Gibbs admitted quietly. The fact that her working life had overtaken her social life without him realising it was something that was still bothering him. A woman as vibrant as Abby needed and deserved to have something to live for outside of the job; now he knew she didn't, for whatever reason, he was determined to do something about it.

"Find it hard to believe you'd be willing to let her out of your sight, too, Leroy. Would've thought you'd be happier knowing she was still in DC, near enough to go and visit after work." His father gave him a speculative glance. "I know she missed you. We did little but talk 'bout you all week. I'd be willing to bet the feeling was mutual."

It was, but he wasn't about to tell his father that. Asides from bad mood he'd found himself suffering with during the day, Gibbs had found it hard to sleep at night knowing she wasn't just across town. It was difficult most days trying to sleep with thoughts of Abby he tried not to acknowledge plaguing his mind but knowing she wasn't just a short drive away had made it worse. He'd slept even less than usual and had spent long hours resisting the urge to call her cell phone or his father's house just to hear her voice. It'd felt wrong every time he'd walked into her lab and found it silent with someone else standing at her workbench and he'd bought more than one Caf-Pow! only to have to ditch it on his way back to NCIS Headquarters as he'd remembered there was no one there to give it to.

"She's a good woman," Jackson continued when his son remained silent. "Unique. I've enjoyed gettin' to know her this past week but can't help but wonder if you'd have arranged for her to be here if you didn't consider her to be more than a colleague."

"Never said she was just a colleague, Jack." Gibbs arched an eyebrow and sipped his bourbon. "She's family."

"Yeah, I got that." Jackson nodded slowly, watching him intently. "What I don't get is why you're fightin' the obvious, Leroy. The girl's more than half crazy about you and any fool could see you feel the same." Jackson held his gaze, arching an eyebrow when Gibbs made no attempt at denying it. "She's an attractive woman, and a special one. It's not gonna be long till someone else sees it and decides to sweep her off her feet." As he spoke, Jackson finished his drink and stood from the table. "What I want to know, son, is if you're just gonna sit there and let that happen or if you're gonna be the man I know your Mom and I raised and do something about it."

His father waited a moment for an answer, shaking his head when none was forthcoming. Jackson let his hand rest momentarily on Gibbs' shoulder before walking away, trusting his son to take care of locking up the house as he, too, retired for an early night.

It was a good hour later when Gibbs stealthily made his way up the staircase, lingering for a moment outside his old childhood bedroom before sighing to himself and turning away.

Saturday morning dawned sooner than she'd like, bright and sunny, dispelling any hope she had of the game being rained off. It wasn't that she wasn't looking forward to it, exactly – she'd worked hard over the last week to make sure she didn't let Gibbs down no matter how much he insisted that wasn't possible – but she suspected that Andrew Robb wouldn't take Gibbs' advice and she was hoping to avoid another encounter.

She'd spent Friday trying to figure out what it was about him she didn't like – what it was that she'd let upset her. It wasn't the assumptions he'd made about her based on her appearance; she was used to that. It wasn't even the crude suggestion that they go off and spend some time alone together though that certainly turned her stomach and made her wary.

As she lay in bed on Friday night, wishing for rain, she realised what had bothered her most about her encounter with Andrew Robb – it was the certainty in his voice when he'd declared that Gibbs wouldn't want anything to do with her, a certainty that rang true with the self doubt in her heart.

She was fooling herself to think Gibbs would ever be interested in her in a romantic way, Abby told herself as she dragged herself out of bed and reached for the uniform the man in question had given her the day before. She'd thought that, because he'd arranged for her to spend time in Stillwater with Jackson and with him, maybe it was a sign her feelings were reciprocated. And the way he'd been acting towards her, the way he'd rarely left her side all week and the way they always seemed to be touching whether there was a reason for it or not...

Shaking herself mentally, she took the uniform with her as she opened the door, heading across the hallway to the bathroom. The heady scent of coffee drifted up the stairs towards her and the low rumble of voices told her both Gibbs Junior and Gibbs Senior were already up. Slipping into the bathroom and closing the door behind her, she had a quick shower before getting dressed, stopping by her bedroom briefly to put her pyjamas on the bed before heading downstairs, a pair of socks in her hand.

Both men looked up at her when she entered the room. Jackson gave her a warm grin and motioned her to the chair at the table that she'd come to think of hers.

"Breakfast's almost done," the older Gibbs informed her, turning his attention back to the pan he was tending to as she moved to take her seat.

"I don't think I can eat much," Abby admitted, pressing a hand against her rolling stomach. "Pre-game nerves."

"You'll be fine, Abs." Gibbs waited until she'd sat down before reaching across to cover her hand with his where it'd come to rest on the table. His blue eyes locked with hers and the glint in their depths made her heart ache even as her pulse began to race. If she didn't know it wasn't a possibility, she might've allowed herself to think... "If you wanna back out of the game, you can. There's always someone willing to be a reserve."

Abby shook her head and squared her shoulders away, pulling her hand away so she could reach for the coffee someone – Jackson, she was willing to bet – had already put out for her. "I've done more exercise this last week than I have since I left school. I'm not backing out now."

"Glad to hear it." Though his eyes for a moment seemed disappointed that she'd pulled away from him, his small smile was pleased.

Jackson putting a plate on the table in front of her caused them to break eye contact and Abby stared down at the eggs, bacon and toast on her plate with a sceptical eye. "I'll never be able to eat all of this," she protested, glancing up at the man who'd made it for her.

"You'll need your energy for the game," Jackson told her sternly, his parental tone leaving no room for argument. "'Bout time you got your appetite back, too. You haven't eaten right since breakfast on Thursday."

Choosing to ignore his astute observation, Abby picked up her knife and fork and made a start on her breakfast as both Gibbs men looked on approvingly.

The game itself wasn't the nightmare she'd expected it to be. She wasn't the best player but she was far from the worst and managed to win over a few of her sceptical teammates within the first ten minutes. What they thought of her didn't matter as much to her as what Gibbs' reaction was and the look of pride of his face when she completed her first circuit made the hours of practise and aching limbs worthwhile.

She managed to ignore Andrew Robb for the first half of the game but she felt his gaze on her from his place on the bench. Abby made the mistake of glancing in his direction once and instantly regretted it when she noticed the suggestive smirk on his face and the way his eyes raked over her uniform-clad form.

Abby wasn't the only one to notice his interest, either. As soon as she made it back to the bunker, Gibbs moved to stand at her side, his hand resting against the small of her back in what she knew was a possessive gesture.

"Enjoying yourself, Abs?" She felt the warmth of his palm even through the material of her uniform and bit back a sigh when he shifted closer, leaning into her personal space without apology.

"It's not as bad as I thought," she said honestly, turning her head to smile at him only to freeze as she realised just how close they were. Her mouth went dry and whatever she'd been planning to say flew out of her mind. Her gaze dropped to his lips before lifting to meet his, her breath catching in her throat as his eyes darkened noticeably. "Gibbs..."

He leaned in a little more, his eyes locked with hers. When there was only a hairsbreadth between them, Abby felt her heart begin to race in her chest and tilted her face slightly to accept the kiss she knew was coming.

"Hey, Gibbs! Quit smoochin' your girl, we've got a game to win!"

The holler caused him to rock back on his heels, the flash of disappointed irritation in his eyes making her smile despite the blush that coloured her cheeks.

"We'll continue this later."

It was both the promise and tone of voice he used that made her square her shoulders against a shiver. Instead of answering, she covered the distance between them to kiss his cheek lightly, smiling a little at the soft sound he made, either a groan or a growl, she wasn't entirely sure.

"Go score a homerun," she told him with a wink when she stepped back, moving out of the way so his path to the home plate was clear.

With a look that made her blood heat instantly, Gibbs arched an eyebrow. "Planning on that later, too."

Her enjoyment of the game came to an abrupt end when she moved up to bat and the opposing team called for a change in players. Andrew Robb winked at her as he walked past and headed to the third plate. Abby tightened her hands on the bat she held, the happy high she'd been in since her near-kiss with Gibbs fading rapidly.

She missed the first ball that was thrown at her, too distracted by the sensation of being watched by too many people including one she didn't mind and one she'd rather do without. The second ball she hit and then she was sure she only managed to do so because she'd pictured Andrew Robb's smug face on the ball.

With a satisfying clunk, she sent the ball flying and started to run, blocking out the sound of the cheering crowd as she concentrated on getting as far around the field as she could, preferably while bypassing third base.

Luck wasn't on her side.

She had the choice of running on and risking being out or staying safe and waiting at third until the next player hit the ball and started to run. Reluctantly, telling herself she was taking one for the team, she stopped when she got to the third plate, staring resolutely ahead at the player who'd moved to take her place instead of at the man standing beside her.

"Uniform looks good on you," Robb told her as he shifted unnecessarily close. He leered at her when she turned her head to give him a withering glance. "Bet you look even better out of it."

"Fortunately, that's not something you'll never know." She took a small side-step away from him, wishing for a moment that she'd held onto her bat.

"I could show you a good time," Robb continued as though she hadn't spoken. "Better than Leroy. He's too straight-laced for you, honey. You'll be bored before long. That is, if he doesn't get bored of you first. Heard he's been married four times already," he kept on talking, even as she clenched her hands into fists, fingernails digging into the flesh of her palms as the player up to bat missed his second ball. "Gotta wonder what he looks for in a woman if he's had three wives since Shannon and none of 'em were able to keep him satisfied." He moved slowly, managing to get his hand on her ass and squeezing before she realised his intention and skittered away from him with a furious glare. "Me and you could have some fun, Abby. That's your name, right? Abby? We could have a whole lotta fun and no one needs to know about it."

Abby clenched her jaw as the player up to bat was knocked out of the competition, her stomach churning as Robb sidled up to her once again. She wasn't going to answer him, she decided, wasn't going to acknowledge the creep and rise to the bait. It was difficult, though, especially when his gaze continued to burn into her.

A wave of relief washed over her when she saw Gibbs take the place of the unsuccessful batsman. While the expression on his face was dark and she could see the ice in his glare from across the field, she was reassured knowing the look wasn't aimed at her. She prepared herself to run, confident in his ability to hit the ball and was relieved – and proud – to be proven right not more than five minutes later.

As she made it home, she accepted the cheers of her teammates with a smile, glancing into the crowd to see Jackson Gibbs smiling at her before his gaze shifted and his smile slipped away, a frown arranging his features instead. Glancing over her shoulder to see what'd caught his attention, she felt her stomach twist uncomfortably as Gibbs came to a stop at third base, his attention fixed on the man guarding it instead of the game continuing on around him.

"I've gotta hand it to you, Leroy. You sure know how to pick 'em." Robb gave him a toothy grin, unperturbed by the glare he was getting. "If you're one with her before you leave town, feel free to send her in my direction. Gotta a feelin' she'll be a firecracker in the sack."

Gibbs' hands clenched at his sides but he reigned in the urge to slam them into Robb's gut and face. Causing a scene would embarrass his father and drawing attention to the man's interest in Abby would only upset the woman in question, too. "You stay away from Abby and I'll consider letting you walk away from here with all your limbs intact. You don't look at her, you don't speak to her. You don't even think about her."

Robb smirked and arched an eyebrow. "Little bit possessive there, Leroy. Didn't think she'd be your time. Not exactly got the same wholesome image as your Shannon, does she?"

His jaw clenched. "I mean it, Robb. Go near her again and..."

"You'll make me regret it?" Robb mocked, his grey-green eyes dancing with mirth. "What ya gonna do about it, Leroy? Arrest me? Last time I checked, admirin' a gorgeous woman wasn't against the law."

"Admiring is one thing. Putting your hands on her is another."

Robb laughed, a short bark that set Gibbs on edge. "Didn't see a ring on her finger, Leroy, or a tattoo that said she was your property. Bet she's got lots of those. Can't wait to find 'em all."

"You won't get that chance." He could barely get the words out through his gritted teeth. Reminding himself they were being watched by over a hundred people, his father and Abby included, Gibbs was only just able to keep hold of his temper.

"We'll see 'bout that." Robb shrugged and smirked again as the player up to bat successfully managed to hit the ball. "Better get runnin', Leroy. Don't wanna leave that girl of yours alone for long. Never know what trouble she'll get herself into."

Their team won but neither Abby nor Gibbs felt like celebrating. Despite the warning, Robb hadn't taken his gaze off Abby throughout the afternoon, much to her discomfort and the grumblings of his teammates. After congratulating the other members of their team, Gibbs and Abby headed to the car to collect their bags before hitting the showers to get ready for the post-game celebrations.

"You know, maybe I'll wait till we get back to the house." Abby accepted the bag he took out of the trunk but bit her lip as she looked towards the shower blocks.

"You and I both know you'll feel better after a shower." Gibbs slung his own bag over his shoulder, shutting the trunk before glancing at her, frowning at whatever he saw on her face. "He's not gonna get near you, Abby. I promise."

Abby wrapped her arms around her middle. "You can't guarantee that, Gibbs. I was the only woman playing today. I'd rather spend the rest of the day feeling sticky than take the risk of an unwanted guest."

"What about a welcome one?" He slung his arm around her shoulders and began leading her towards the shower blocks. "There'll be plenty of empty cubicles and I'd rather not wait an hour waiting for the guys to finish."

"You offering to watch my back or wash it?" Abby asked with an arched eyebrow, smiling at him when he just shrugged. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were flirting with me."

Putting all thoughts of Andrew Robb out of his mind, hoping he could do the same for her, Gibbs slowed his pace so he could press a kiss to her cheek, his lips almost brushing her ear. "If you don't know, I'm obviously not doing it right."

They walked together in silence to the shower block and Gibbs sent her ahead of him to check the coast was clear. While he wasn't anticipating them actually doing anything, he didn't want to get himself a reputation that would reflect badly on his father if he accidentally walked in on some unsuspecting woman from town.

"All clear!" Abby called out after a few moments, her voice echoing off the concrete walls. Following her steps, Gibbs found her unpacking her bag, putting her cell phone and a fresh change of clothes on the bench beside a neatly folded towel. She glanced up when she heard him approach, an almost shy smile on her face. "You don't have to do this, you know. I'm happy waiting till later or you could go grab a shower with the guys and come back to stand guard outside..."

"Shower with a dozen raucous guys in the cubicle next door or with a beautiful woman. Tough choice, Abby." He reached out to touch her cheek when she looked away, biting her lip. "Nothin' you don't want to happen is going to, Abby. We're just showering. Separately."

"So you're not going to wash my back?" Her smile was teasing, the glint in her eye mischievous.

Gibbs shook his head and turned away, opening his own bag and starting to take what he needed out of it. Almost without conscious thought, they kept their backs to each other as they started to undress. When she was down to her underwear, Abby wrapped her towel around her and allowed herself to peek, biting the inside of her cheek against a smile as her face flushed at the sight of him wrapping a towel around his middle before shucking off his boxer-briefs.

She opened her mouth to tease him about finally knowing what brand of underwear he preferred when a noise caught her attention and caused her hands to fly to the knot keeping her towel in place, gripping the material around her chest protectively. "What was that?"

"Probably nothing." Gibbs glanced over at her, swallowing hard as he noticed her state of undress for the first time. "I'll go check it out."

She stayed where she was as he left her alone, a shiver working its way down her spine as the skin on the back of her neck prickled. She heard the clang of what she thought was the door closing and tensed, only relaxing when Gibbs came back into view.

"There's no one there, Abs."

Allowing her arms to drop to her sides, she looked past him, biting her lip. "I heard a noise..."

"I locked the door, just to be sure." He covered the distance between them in two strides, lifting his hand to her face. "I'll keep you safe, Abby. I promise."

She leaned her face into his palm, her eyes soft as she gazed at him. "You always do."

They stared at one another for a moment, their expressions unguarded, showing everything they each felt but had tried to ignore for so long. They weren't sure which of them moved first but suddenly found themselves wrapped in a heated embrace, kissing hungrily as their hands roamed over skin barely covered by clothes and towels.

"We shouldn't do this here," Gibbs muttered in between kisses, his hand snaking between them to undo the knot holding her towel in place even as he spoke.

Pushing at his shoulders, Abby encouraged him to sit on the bench beside their open bags before straddling his waist, breaking a heated kiss to look at him through hooded eyes. "You had something else in mind?"

"For our first time, yeah." Still, his hand slid up the bare expanse of her back, nimble fingers making swift work of unfastening the clasp of her bra. "You deserve better than this."

She smiled at him fondly before leaning in, nipping his earlobe with her teeth before soothing the sting with her tongue, shifting restlessly against him. "Next time," she murmured, her breath hot against his ear. "Assuming you want there to be a next time..."

"Oh, there'll be several," he promised, lifting a hand to tangle it in her hair, holding her in place as he kissed her hungrily, effectively ending the conversation.

As the kiss came to a gradual end, Gibbs let his hands move to the bra straps on her arms, lowering them as he ran his fingers over her skin in a gentle caress. Once the material was out of the way, he twisted them, lying her back against the bench as he rose up above her. He leaned down to kiss her gently before blazing a trail from her lips, along the slender line of her throat until he reached his intended target. Her breathy moans and sighs encouraged him as he first nipped and licked and suckled at one breast before turning his attention to the other.

"Gibbs..." He smirked at the plea she made of his name, lifting his head to study her flushed cheeks and swollen lips with masculine pride. "Foreplay next time. I want you now."

Chuckling at her directness, he rose up above her, kissing her again as he felt her hands move between their bodies to unfasten the knot keeping the towel around his waist. Cool air hit his heated skin and he dropped his head to the crook of her neck, muffling a groan when her slender fingers ran along his cock in a teasing caress. With visible effort, he pulled himself away from her, sitting up on the bench once again, watching with dark eyes as she stood up, her body trembling a little.

As he watched, she slipped her panties over her hips, stepping out of them gracefully before straddling him once more, a soft moan escaping her at the feel of him so close to where they both wanted him.

She held his gaze as she moved a hand between their bodies, gripping his erection firmly as she position him at her entrance. Still holding his gaze, she lowered herself onto him, her sigh echoing around the locker room as he hissed, his hands moving to her hips to support her.

Abby rocked her hips against his, biting her bottom lip as he thrust up against her, into her. She moved her hands to his shoulders, clinging onto him, digging fingernails into skin as a thin sheen of perspiration broke out over her skin. Lowering her head to kiss him desperately, she whimpered when one of his hands left her hip, breaking the kiss to cry out when she felt his fingers against the throbbing bundle of nerves between her legs.

It didn't take long for her orgasm to rip through her and the sensation of her body trembling above and around his triggered his climax. His name, torn from her lips, echoed around the otherwise empty room while he groaned hers into the crook of her neck.

They clung to one another in silence for several moments, waiting until they'd caught their breath before exchanging a lingering kiss, almost in silent acknowledgement of the change in their relationship. Abby ran her fingers through his hair, her eyes almost dreamy as they locked on his.

"So. Gonna help me wash my back now?"

Their shared shower took a little longer than they were planning and by the time they'd dressed, the barbeque was already well underway. Detouring to the parking lot to put their bags in the car, the couple walked hand-in-hand through the crowds of people as they searched for Jackson, a little surprised to find him already engrossed in conversation with Gibbs' agents.

"Abby!" Tony spotted them first, the speculative look on his face when he realised they were holding hands disappearing quickly under the weight of Gibbs' glare. He soon found himself distracted by an armful of black haired forensic specialist, returning her hug with as much enthusiasm as he lifted her off her feet and swung her slightly. "We've missed you."

"I've missed you guys, too!" Abby smiled at him bright when she pulled away, quickly moving from him to hug the two agents he was standing with. "You'll have to tell me everything! What have you been up to? What cases did you catch? Is my lab still standing? The temp didn't mess it up, did they? Everything's the way it should be...?"

Grinning at her, Tony slung an arm around her waist after she stepped away from Ziva and McGee. He'd been telling the truth when he'd said they'd missed her; while the first week had been arguably harder than the first because they'd had to deal with a grumpier Gibbs than usual, the second week had felt just as wrong. "We kept an eye on your lab, Abs. Everything should be just how you left it."

"Yay, thank you." She leaned up and kissed his cheek, making his grin grow wider. Tony glanced at Gibbs to see his reaction, noting the small, almost satisfied grin playing on his boss's lips. "So tell me everything. Who did what and why?"

As his agents tripped over themselves in trying to catch the inquisitive forensic specialist up on everything she'd missed, often talking over the top of one another and finishing each other's sentences, Gibbs looked up when he felt his father's gaze on him, arching an eyebrow at the broad grin that spread across Jackson's face.

"Always knew I didn't raise a fool," was all Jackson said to him, casting a meaningful glance in Abby's direction.

Refusing to acknowledge the suggestion, Gibbs shrugged a shoulder. "Never said you did."

Throughout the barbeque and bonfire, Gibbs and Abby were both aware of the speculative glances they got from their friends and colleagues. They were careful not to do anything overt that would give away the shift in their relationship but neither went out of their way to hide it, either.

If they sat a little closer than they would normally as the group crowded around a picnic table to eat, no one said anything. If anyone noticed the way Abby's hand came to rest on his thigh beneath the table as she was swept away into conversation by Ziva and McGee, no one drew attention to it.

After relocating to blankets nearer the fire as the night wore on, no one argued when Gibbs and Abby sat down together, the former with his arms wrapped around the latter's middle. It was a cool night but not enough to warrant her needing his protection from the breeze, not with the bonfire anyway. No one said anything, though, and no one objected; the group that joined them on the blankets merely exchanged amused smiles and smirks as Abby leaned her head back against his shoulder, the contented expression on her face almost identical to the one Gibbs' own.

Across the fire, someone else was observing the couple. Scowling, Andrew Robb drained the contents of the beer bottle in his hand before throwing it away, reaching for another the second his hand was empty. He squinted through the smoke and flames, watching Gibbs murmur something in Abby's ear that made her laugh, his temper flaring at the indulgent expressions on the faces of those around them.

The bastard didn't deserve it.

He twisted the top off his newest bottle – sixth or seventh, he couldn't remember – and downed half of it in one go.

It wasn't fair that everything always worked out for the golden boy, for the one who could never do anything wrong.

It'd started when they were younger, when Leroy had outshone him in both school and the various sports they played. He always got higher grades, scored the most baskets, made the most homeruns and even caught the biggest damn fish.

It was deliberate, Robb thought. The bastard liked nothing better than to show him up.

Always had, always will.

It ran in the goddamn family. Jackson Gibbs had been the same with his Pa, always trying to outdo him, always rubbing it in that he had a perfect family and a perfect son.

Not anymore, though. Robb smirked and tipped his bottle in a silent salute to the Gibbs men sitting across from him.

They wouldn't outdo him anymore.

She woke up surrounded by both the scent of him and the feel of his arms wrapped around her, keeping her firmly anchored against him. Abby smiled sleepily and rolled over in the circle of his arms, staring at him intently. She almost couldn't believe he was lying in bed with her, had almost convinced herself that the memory of their encounter in the shower block had been nothing but a very pleasant dream...

"I can feel you watching me."

"I like watching you." She smiled when he opened his eyes, unsurprised that he somehow managed to look wide away even though she was convinced he'd been sleeping soundly not more than ten minutes before. "You're very watchable."

"Watchable?" The slow smirk she'd loved for years spread across his face, widening when she moved shuffled closer, tangling her leg with his under the sheets. "You think I'm watchable, Abs?"

"Mmhmm. I like watching you when you don't know I'm watching. In a non-stalkery way," she added after a short pause, her nose crinkling slightly. "I'm not gonna start sneaking into your room to watch your sleep or camp out across the street and spy through your curtains, I promise."

His arm tightened around her waist, hand splaying against the soft skin at the small of her back to press her more firmly against him. Gibbs lowered his head, capturing her lips in a kiss that started off being gentle but rapidly deepened when she responded eagerly. "You won't need to sneak into my room, Abby," he murmured when they parted, his eyes dark with meaning. "And you definitely won't be any further from me than on the other side of the bed."

Delighted but trying not to let it show, Abby strove for a casual shrug, biting her bottom lip against a sigh. "I can watch you from there."

"Kinda hope you'll be doing more than watching."

Before she could ask what, he rolled her onto her back, settling himself over her as he kissed her deeply, his hands already moving between them to tug at the t-shirt, one of his, she'd claimed as her own. Smiling against his mouth, she wound her legs around his middle, rocking her pelvis against the growing hardness she could feel through the loose sweatpants he'd worn to bed.

Both the t-shirt and the sweatpants were disposed of quickly, carelessly tossed to the floor to be tripped over later. Propping himself up on his elbows so as not to crush her, Gibbs stared down at her, the intense expression on his face causing her breath to catch in her throat even as a dark blush coloured her pale skin.

"Now you're the one staring," Abby pointed out, her lips curving into a self-conscious smile.

"Just admiring the view." He smirked when she shifted beneath him, wrapping one leg around his middle, her heel digging into his ass. "Impatient, Abs?"

"Mmmhmm. We can take our time later, Gibbs. When we're not in a house filled with people who are gonna wonder why we're not down in time for breakfast."

"You have a point." He moved one hand between their bodies, rewarded by the swift intake of her breath as he pushed a finger into her, both to tease and check she was ready for him. Her eyelids fluttered shut and a moan escaped as a second finger added the first, curling just so, his thumb circling her clit in a feather-soft touch.

"Now, Gibbs. Please."

Still smirking, he removed his hand, positioning himself at her entrance. Watching her face, he pushed into her slowly, enjoying the play of emotions on her face. Her skin flushed deeper, her eyes opening and locking with his as she wrapped her other leg around him and arched her hips, pushing him deeper. It was her turn to be satisfied when he couldn't keep back a groan and dropped his head to her shoulder.

Wordlessly, they moved together, quickly finding a rhythm that worked. Though it was less than twenty-four hours since they'd taken the leap from being friends to lovers, the trust they'd built up over the years helped them be entirely comfortable with one another.

When he felt her body begin to tremble and shudder around and beneath his, Gibbs kissed her hard, muffling the cry of his name that escaped her. He bit down on her shoulder, marking her, as his orgasm ripped through him, his hips jerking uncontrollably against hers.

Lying together in the aftermath, they exchanged slow kisses and soft smiles. He rolled off her and onto his back, smiling when she followed and nestled herself against him, her body curling around his as she pressed her lips to his chest, above his slowly steadying heartbeat.

Stroking his hand along her spine, Gibbs closed his eyes when he felt her relax against him, the soft occasional soft puff of air against his chest telling him she'd fallen asleep. He let himself relax, his body satisfied and mind content and slowly followed her into slumber.

They were late for breakfast, after all.

While Gibbs accompanied Jackson to the store as usual, the agents on his team left for Washington DC after breakfast. Unlike Abby and Gibbs, they had to be back at work first thing on Monday morning and, although they'd missed the game itself, they'd been pleased to make the evening celebrations – and pleased to both catch up with Abby after her two week absence as well as have a chance to speak to the still mysterious Jackson Gibbs. Abby was quietly amused that Gibbs' agents all seemed a little star-struck when in the presence of Jackson, almost as if they were still unable to believe that Gibbs had a father, too.

Having made plans to join the two Gibbs men at the store, Abby finished putting away the dishes she'd insisted on washing before heading upstairs to grab her shoes and purse before doing just that. She checked her purse before leaving the room, frowning when she couldn't find her cell phone. A thorough search of the bedroom failed to produce the missing item and she headed downstairs, dialling her cell phone number as she listened in vain, hoping to hear it ringing from wherever it'd fallen.

Closing her eyes as she hung up, she tried to remember when she'd last had it, biting her lip when she recalled taking it out of her bag to check it after the game, putting it down on the bench beside her clothes and towel.

Remembering what else had happened on that bench, Abby felt a pleasant heat flood wash over her, a sheepish smile curving her lips as she realised it'd probably fallen off the bench while she'd been... otherwise distracted.

Turning back to the phone, Abby dialled the number for the store, smiling when she heard Jackson's familiar voice.

"Hey, Jack, it's me. Could you tell Gibbs I'm going to be a little late? I think I left my cell phone in the locker room yesterday so I'm gonna go check."

"I could send Leroy home?" Jackson offered immediately. "So you don't get lost?"

"I'll be fine. I'm pretty sure I can remember the way." She appreciated the concern in his voice even though she didn't think it was warranted. "I'll be back within the hour, I promise."

She hung up before he could argue, grabbing her car keys as she headed out of the door. The sooner she found her cell phone, the sooner she could get back to enjoying her last day with both father and son.

The playing field was deserted, with only her car in the parking lot when she got there. Abby squared her shoulders against a shiver and got out of the car. She walked slowly at first, quickening her pace as the slight breeze whistled through the trees, making the skin on the back of her neck prickle. She froze twice on her way to the shower block, her eyes scanning her surroundings searchingly.

She was almost certain she wasn't alone, though there was no one else in sight.

"Get a grip, Abby. It's the wind in the trees." Remembering the murder that had taken place in the woodland some years before, she clenched her hands into fists in her coat pockets. "It's just the wind," she repeated, the sound of her own voice a small comfort. "Not a ghost."

She'd just made it to the shower block when a familiar sound caused her to stop.

Her ringtone.

Turning in the direction in which it was coming, she frowned when she realised it was coming from the woods, from amid the thick expanse of trees she'd been hoping to avoid.

"There's no one there," she told herself, her fingernails digging into the fleshy part of her hands. She took a step towards the woodland, clenching her jaw. 'It'll be Gibbs,' she thought to herself, taking another step forward. 'He'll be checking I've found my phone, that I'm on my way back.'

Repeating the thought almost like a mantra in her mind, Abby quickened her pace, telling herself that the sooner she found the ringing phone, the sooner she could go back to her car and drive the short distance to Stillwater and the general store. The sound of dry twigs snapping under her foot made her jump and she shook herself mentally, berating herself for being so nervous.

"There's nothing to worry about," she said aloud, almost feeling foolish. "There's no one else here."

"No one but the two of us, darlin'." The voice that wasn't her own made her freeze, her stomach twisting as she spun to face its owner. Andrew Robb grinned at her, and silenced the cell phone he was holding in his hand. As she watched, he slipped the phone into his pocket and took a step towards her. "How 'bout we have that fun we talked about?"

"We didn't talk about having any fun," Abby objected, taking a small step backwards as he approached. "What are you doing here?"

"Waitin' for you, honey." Robb's grey-green eyes ran over her form and he licked his lips. "Figured we could spend some time together away from Leroy's watchful eye."

"You figured wrong, Mr. Robb. I'm not interested." She folded her arms over her chest before letting them drop to her sides, fighting down on the urge to run away, knowing it was what he would want – knowing he was the type of man who would enjoy the chase. "If you'd just give me back my phone, we can go our separate ways and I won't mention this to anyone."

Robb shook his head and continued advancing forward. "That's not how this works, darlin'. You don't get to decide what happens here."

"But you do." Abby took another step back, arms flailing a little to help her keep her balance when she tripped over a large branch that had fallen onto the path. "I don't know what I've done to catch your eye, Mr. Robb, but I should tell you that both Jethro and Jackson know where I am. If they don't hear from me soon, they'll come looking."

His features twisted into a snarl, his eyes growing cold and flat. "It'll be too late when they get here," he said stonily. "They're the reason you're here, Abby. Remember that, when you're bleeding to death alone out here. You'd be safe it weren't for them."

As he spoke, he withdrew a knife in a leather sheaf from his waistband. He took the sheaf off and let it fall to the floor, revealing the vicious looking blade. Abby's gaze darted from the blade to his face, her mouth growing dry as her palms grew damp.

"How are they responsible for anything you do?" She eyed the knife warily as she kept moving away from him. Running back to her car wasn't an option; it was too far to go, too far to risk being able to keep ahead of him. She could keep him talking for a while, she thought, buying herself some more time, hoping Gibbs' infamous gut would kick in and the sixth sense he often seemed to have would tell him she needed him.

"They're responsible for everything." Robb's eyes narrowed. "My Ma died here, you know. I was four months old. She died right here, in this part of the woods."

"I heard about that. I'm so sorry—"

"I don't want your sympathies," Robb snarled viciously. "I just wanna explain it. So you know why you have to die here, too."

"You want to kill me because someone killed your mother? I understand that you're upset, Mr. Robb, but I don't understand why you feel you have to..."

"My Ma deserved to die," he interrupted, his tone of voice chilling her to the bone. "She was a whore, my Pa says. Couldn't keep her legs closed. She was flirting that day, ignorin' me and Pa. It made him angry, so angry. If she hadn't been flirtin' with Jackson, maybe she'd still be here today. Maybe he wouldn't have killed her."

"Jackson...?"

"My Pa. It was old man Gibbs' fault, though. Encouragin' her, flirtin' back. Pa thinks they were having an affair but then she was probably sleepin' with half of the guys in town so it wouldn't surprise me." Robb shrugged his shoulders. "Pa told me it all, you see. Explained it. If it weren't for Jackson Gibbs, Pa wouldn't have got so upset, so drunk, and maybe Ma would still be alive."

"You can't blame Jackson Gibbs for something your father did," Abby protested, her instinct to defend Jackson rising even as she fought to tamper it down. "He was very much in love with his wife. I don't know what your father told you, Mr. Robb, but I very much doubt..."

"You weren't there!" He shouted, his eyes flashing with rage. "You can't defend him because you weren't there!"

"Neither were you," she pointed out, struggling to keep her voice calm. "If your father did kill her, even if by accident, maybe he just needed someone else to blame, someone else to put the guilt on. From what I know of Jackson, it really doesn't sound likely..."

"'Course you'd say that," Robb spat. He took another step towards her. "You're one of 'em. That's why it has to be you. I thought I'd never get the chance to hurt them like they hurt Pa and me but then I saw you and Leroy, makin' eyes at each other and I knew you were the one. My Ma dying sent my Pa into an early grave. Broke his heart, drove him to drink. Can't wait to see what losin' you does to them."

She wanted to point out that he'd told her his father had killed his mother and therefore had no one else to blame but bit back the response, knowing it would only anger him further. Instead she debated with herself silently, trying to decide whether to keep him talking or run. When he lifted his hand, the blade of the knife glinting in a beam of sunlight that broke through the leafy canopy of the trees around them, the decision was made for her.

She ran.

He left the store as soon as his father passed on the message, not needing to look behind him to know Jackson was following him. Gibbs slipped behind the wheel of his car, his heart racing in his chest as his gut twisted, his instincts crying out that something was wrong. When his father opened the passenger door of the car and got in holding the shotgun that usually took pride of place on the wall behind the counter, Gibbs looked at him but didn't comment.

Instead, he turned the key in the ignition and put his foot down on the gas pedal.

The short journey to the playing field felt like it took a lifetime. He put his phone on speaker and pressed speed dial, listening as Abby's phone rang out but the woman herself failed to answer.

"Maybe she hasn't found it yet," Jackson suggested calmly. The way his hands tightened on his shotgun seemed to suggest he wasn't convinced. Gibbs didn't reply; he just hit the accelerator a little harder. "There's a speed limit, Leroy."

"I know what I'm doing, Jack." His hands gripping the wheel, Gibbs manoeuvred around a bend in the road. He ignored his father's quick intake of breath and kept going, the tires of the Challenger squealing as he turned into the entrance of the playing field parking lot.

He was relieved to see only Abby's car in the parking lot and pulled the Challenger up alongside it. Wasting no time in getting out, he glanced over the roof of the car to look at his face, noting the shotgun was still clasped in Jackson's hands. "I'll check out the shower block."

"I'll go to the bleachers," Jackson countered. He hesitated, though, before walking in the opposite direction to his son. "Be careful, Leroy. I have a bad feeling about this."

"You and me both," Gibbs muttered as he stalked off in the direction of the shower blocks.

As he walked, Gibbs pressed the redial button, holding the phone to his ear as he listened to it ring. He was about to hang up when he heard the familiar ringtone coming from the shower block itself. Quickening his pace, wondering where Abby was and why she wasn't answering her phone, he made it to the entrance of the shower block before the voices inside reached him.

"Leroy won't be happy you're ignoring him, Abby." Robb's taunting voice echoed around the room. "Why don't you show yourself and I'll give you your phone?"

"So I can talk to him while you kill me? I don't think so."

His heart seemed to skip a beat at the sound of her voice. While he could detect the tremor in it, and the fear, Gibbs felt relieve flood through him at the sound of it, at the knowledge he wasn't too late. Cautiously, he walked into the shower block, keeping his back to the wall as he scanned the room for any sign of its two occupants.

Robb laughed at her words, the sound bouncing off the lockers and walls around him. "It would add a little somethin' to the moment," he said after a moment, amusement thick in his voice. "C'mon, darlin', you're just makin' it worse on yourself."

Abby didn't reply and Gibbs couldn't decide whether to be pleased she wasn't rising to the bait or frustrated that it meant he couldn't use her voice to locate her. He walked stealthily to a block of lockers and prepared to move around it, reaching for the gun he'd brought with him. As he started to edge towards the side of the locker block, someone else moved around it.

He tensed for a split-second but relaxed when he recognised her, reaching out to touch her arm and tug her towards him. A gasp escaped Abby as she found herself pressed against the lockers, her eyes wide with fear until she realised the person pressing a hand against her mouth to silence her wasn't the man she thought it was.

A little of the fear in her green eyes receded but as Gibbs moved his hand, studying her intently, her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't Leroy himself. Guess I've got a two for one deal."

Gibbs turned slowly, careful to keep Abby's trembling body shielded by his own. He glanced at the knife in Robb's hand, the gun in his own feeling heavy as he started to lift it slowly. "What are you doing, Andy?"

"Doin' what my Pa should've done years ago," Robb declared. "Pa should never have killed my Ma," he continued, waving the knife around to punctuate his words. "Should'a just taken care of your father and none of this would need to happen."

"My father?" Gibbs arched an eyebrow. He reached his spare hand behind him, pleased when Abby linked her fingers with his. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, a silent promise that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. "What did my father do?"

The answer came from behind him instead of in front of him. After Robb remained silent, having no intention of answering, Abby decided to do it for him. "His father killed his mother because he thought she was flirting too much with Jackson at the game. He thought they were having an affair. I told him it wasn't true but he doesn't believe me."

"Why should I believe you?" Robb demanded. "How would you know anything about back then?"

"I know because I've talked to Jack. I know because I've seen the photographs. I know how much he loved and his wife and his son and he'd have done nothing to jeopardise that."

Gibbs squeezed her hand again at the certainty in her voice, her fierceness in defending his father warming his heart. While he and Jackson had had their differences in the past regarding how quickly Jack had moved on after the death of his mother, there was no doubt in his mind that his father had loved and adored his mother.

"You don't know nothin'!" Robb retorted, anger causing his voice to raise. "He ruined my life! They took my Ma from me!"

"Your father took your mother from you. Jack and Jethro had nothing to do with it." Her voice shook a little but the steel in her voice made him proud. Still, Gibbs squeezed her hand again, a silent request that she keep quiet.

"Jackson Gibbs took my Ma from me," Robb insisted. "Now I get to take you from him."

Robb lunged forward before Gibbs could get his gun all the way up. Seconds before the blade of the knife could embed itself in Gibbs' flesh, a shot rang out, echoing around the room.

Andrew Robb fell to the ground, blood spilling out onto the tiled floor around him, a stunned expression arranging his features. Jackson Gibbs stood behind him, shotgun in hand, an almost identical expression on his face.

It took a little longer than they were expecting to leave Stillwater, mostly due to the questions they had to answer following the death of Andrew Robb. On Tuesday morning, Abby and Gibbs stood outside the Gibbs household, taking it in turn to say their goodbyes to Jackson.

"Come back anytime," Jackson told Abby, returning her embrace with as much enthusiasm as the Forensic Specialist. "I mean it, Abby. You're family now. Anytime you want to get away for a while, even if just a weekend, you'll always be welcome."

Beaming at him, Abby kissed his cheek affectionately. "I'll remember that, Jack, but remember it works both ways. You should come to DC and visit sometime. I'll even give you the grand tour of NCIS."

"I'll take you up on that," Jackson promised, reluctantly letting her go. He glanced away as his son walked her to her car, biting back a grin at the murmured words he did his best not to overhear. He snuck a look at the couple when he heard nothing, quickly looking away again but not before he saw his son cup Abby's face in his hands and lean in to kiss her tenderly. A few minutes more and he heard the sound of a car door closing seconds before the engine roared to life.

"You can look now, Jack," Gibbs told him, a trace of amusement in his voice. Together, they watched Abby wave cheerfully before she pulled away, beginning her journey back to Washington, DC.

"I'm gonna miss her," Jackson admitted after the car disappeared from sight. "You keep a hold of her, Leroy. Women like that don't come around very often."

"I know, Dad." The grin on his son's face made him smile and Jackson accepted the hug his son gave him with a soft sigh. "She's right, you know," Gibbs continued as he pulled away. "You should come visit us in DC."

Noting the use of the term 'us', Jackson's grin grew broader. "I will," he promised, already starting to make plans. "Drive safely, you hear?"

"I'll call you when we're home safe," Gibbs promised.

Jackson walked him to his car, holding the door of the Challenger open as Gibbs made himself comfortable behind the wheel. "It's been good having you both here," he said quietly, his blue eyes meeting his sons. "If you don't get to visit sooner, you should both come back for the game next year."

"We will." It was a promise, he knew, one his son would do his best not to break. "Take care, Dad."

"You, too, son." Jackson closed the car door and retreated to the sidewalk, watching as his son pulled away. He lifted a hand to wave, a tide of melancholy washing over him as he watched Gibbs drive away from the family home.

Maybe he'd take them up on their offer, Jackson thought. He'd always heard DC was a nice place to visit in the fall.

End.