Worth Everything

Author: Gosgirl
Rating: Eventual MA
Pairing: Abby/Gibbs
Category: Romance
Spoilers: end of Season 9/into Season 10
Summary: When Abby gives up something of value so she can buy a Christmas gift for Gibbs, it pushes them to take the next step in their relationship. First time Gabby written for the Gabby Forum 2012 Secret Santa.
A/N: Based on the prompt: a 'Gift of the Magi' scenario where both Gibbs and Abby sell or give up something of value to get a gift for the other. Can be first time or established Gabby. Big hugs to Gibbsredhoodie who did an awesome beta on this one.
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended. NCIS and its characters are the property of DPB and CBS. If I had a silver-haired, blue-eyed Marine to play with, do you think I'd have time for writing?

Chapter 1 – Preparations

"All this food's just for you and me, right?"

"It is." Abby threw Gibbs a mischievous glance over her shoulder as she disappeared down the hallway into her kitchen.

Gibbs followed, closing the front door of her apartment behind him. "DiNozzo isn't a stow-away somewhere in my house, is he?"

Abby laughed. "Not that I know of, unless he's decided to escape from his dad for the day. Although... you make a really good point there, Gibbs. It does look rather a lot when it's all piled up like this."

Abby came to a halt in front of her kitchen table, hands on hips as she surveyed the array of foil covered dishes and plastic containers.

While Abby was distracted, Gibbs allowed his own eyes to run over her outfit... from the black pants curving tightly over her ass and running down into her chunky boots, topped off by a wide silver belt with chain loops dangling and a snug red and black sweater with a reindeer spread across the swell of her chest... which was probably the first time in his life he was envious of a reindeer.

Her collar was one of her sparkly silver and black versions and this one had a bell at the front, which tinkled as she moved... which was pretty much all the time, this being Abby. Tinsel was threaded through her pigtails and, heaven help him, a sprig of mistletoe laced through one pigtail tie, looping over the top of her head to curl around the other.

Her emerald eyes were sparkling and her deep red lipstick contrasted with porcelain skin and as she gnawed on that full bottom lip as she thought, Gibbs had to drag his eyes away before she either caught him ogling or he replaced her teeth with his own.

It had become more and more difficult over the past few months to maintain his control around Abby and spending Christmas Day together was sure to test that to the limit. Although he'd gotten to the point now where he really didn't want to hold back anymore. At the very least, he needed to know how Abby felt about him... if she shared his feelings or if he was reading too much into their increasing closeness over the past few months.

"You could feed an aircraft carrier with this lot," he observed as Abby turned to face him, a mischievous smile curving her mouth.

And this wasn't everything. He'd already taken one box down to his truck and the turkey was already cooking in his oven at home.

"Well... only if they were on short rations. It could feed a Marine for a week though."

She grinned at him and he rolled his eyes as he replied. "Been feeding myself for a while, Abbs. I'm a big boy now."

Now the grin turned lascivious and Abby raked her eyes over him, the look in them and her throaty chuckle rolling down his spine as she teased. "Oh, I noticed."

Before he could respond to her outright flirting, Abby turned and began gathering up some of the containers. "Although technically speaking, living on takeout over the holidays is not taking care of yourself, Gibbs, and all this food makes really good sense. When I was having a cook-athon last week, I said to myself... self, if you're cooking one of whatever it is, you might as well double the quantity and cook two of whatever it is, don't you think?"

Abby began packing some of the boxes and Gibbs moved up next to her to give her a hand. "Guess so."

"Exactly. So before you could say shazam, I had enough food to keep us both going all week and well into the New Year." She took that lip between her teeth again and he averted his gaze. "Although granted I may have gotten a little carried away, I'll give you that one."

Gibbs smirked. "A little... not sure there's room in my freezer."

Abby held up a finger. "Oh, but there will be... I worked out the cubic capacity of your freezer when I came over last week and then how much room this all takes up."

"Of course you did."

She narrowed her eyes at his smirk. "Mock not, Gibbs. Granted you don't have that much stuff in there already... or at least you didn't last week. You haven't stocked it up in the meantime, have you?" When he shook his head, she went on triumphantly. "There you are then. Two birds. One cook-athon... well, strictly speaking, it's one bird and lots of other... stuff."

Gibbs laughed, holding up his hands. "Okay... okay."

"So, as you're going to be away at New Year, it makes huge sense to put some of this stuff in the freezer and take some with you to Stillwater. I know Jack likes my pies... I wonder if L.J. will?" Abby paused briefly as if a thought struck her but before Gibbs could respond, she went on, hesitantly this time, staring down at the box she was packing. "That is... unless you don't want all this? I, er... I guess I didn't think to ask."

"Hey..." He stepped closer, taking her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. "It's good. Just not used to being... looked after, I guess." He gestured vaguely around him. "It's been a while."

It had been a long time since anyone had made such an effort for him like Abby did.

Since anyone had taken care of him, full stop.

Gibbs knew Abby worried about him and this was her way of trying to care for him and he didn't want her to think he was annoyed or felt that she was interfering. She was probably the only one who could get away with it.

"Well, I like taking care of you," said Abby, lightly. He saw her swallow as he stared back, the atmosphere between them suddenly charged until Abby cleared her throat, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she stepped back, pulling her hand back as she turned away. "So suck it up, Marine."

He watched her profile for a few seconds. "Not gonna argue, Abbs. You know I love your cooking and Jack's a big fan too."

That earned him a bright smile. "Okay then. In that case, can you pack that box with those?" Gibbs nodded and did as he was bidden and they worked in silence for a few minutes until everything was packed away in the remaining boxes and cooler.

As Gibbs made to lift one of the larger boxes, Abby stayed his hand, placing her own smaller one over his fingers where they rested on top of the box.

"And I know you don't like Christmas much and I tend to go through it like a tornado on steroids... so if I get carried away or it gets too much, you will tell me, right?" she said, nervously, keeping her eyes on their hands.

Gibbs turned his hand over to lace their fingers together, holding her gaze. "I will... but you won't."

For the first time in a long time, the thought of spending Christmas with someone wasn't unwelcome.

Hosting Thanksgiving at his house this year for his team, acknowledging how much this group of people meant to him, was just one more step in realizing that sharing his life with others was something to look forward to and not shrink away from.

That letting this second family into his life wasn't a betrayal of the memory of his first wife and daughter.

So when Abby had asked to spend Christmas Day with him, he'd surprised her by agreeing immediately. He would long remember the way her face lit up, the blinding smile and bone crushing hug she'd bestowed on him when he'd said yes.

Abby would be spending New Year with her new brother, Kyle, as he would be spending the day with his dad and L.J. in Stillwater, but the thought that Christmas Day would be theirs, just the two of them, this year was a good one.

If Gibbs were honest with himself, it was something he wanted every year.

And for once, the team was not on call over Christmas and all of them were taking the extra days between now and New Year and he was glad. All his team... his family... needed a break after the year they'd had.

He knew how much Abby loved Christmas and wanted to see her happy. He wasn't sure he could give her the day she would have really wanted but he could try.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts to find Abby gazing up at him earnestly, examining his eyes and what she saw there must have reassured her because she gave him a soft smile, squeezing his hand. "Then let's get this show on the road, Gibbs."

It took a couple more trips to pack his truck with the rest of the food. He'd come over this morning to pick Abby up, as well as the food, as her hearse was in for repairs

On the last trip, Abby checked the kitchen to see if she'd forgotten anything. "Can you get my backpack, Gibbs? I think I left it in on the couch."

"Sure, Abbs. You staying tonight?"

She gave him a shy smile. "Yeah... I'd like to if that's still okay?"

"Told ya it's fine. No point driving back later coz both of us would have to stay sober." He gave her a grin as she laughed, and turned to walk into her living room and grabbed the backpack off the couch.

Running his eyes over the familiar photographs on her apartment walls, Gibbs was drawn to the newer ones hung front and centre above the mantelpiece... taken at Thanksgiving at his house last month with the whole team, along with Captain Westcott and his brother, and Abby's brother, Kyle.

They'd all been there on and off through the evening and Abby and Tony had taken a variety of shots which captured the relaxed nature of the whole thing. It had been a good time, surrounded by people he cared about and he'd not regretted opening up his house for one minute.

Gibbs turned away, smiling, only to pause and turn back, conscious something was missing from the mantelpiece.

"Where's the clock, Abbs?" he called out. There was usually an elegant clock in the middle of the mantelpiece, one her grandmother had left Abby.

Abby came in to join him, hovering in the doorway. "Erm... grammy's clock? It's in for repair... I, er, can probably pick it up next week or... the week after." She spun away and headed out of the room before he could respond. "Right, let's get going or the turkey will be banging on the door of your oven to get out."

Gibbs frowned, staring at Abby's back as she virtually bolted from the room.

Hinky... because he was pretty sure Abby had just lied to him.

Abby was a terrible liar when you caught her unawares, and her eyes and body language had given her away just now as clearly as if she'd had a label on her forehead.

But if it was something Abby didn't want to share about the clock, he wasn't about to push her... not yet.

After the strains of this year, he wanted her to have as relaxed a Christmas Day as possible. He'd get to whatever was behind the evasion if an opportunity arose.

Gibbs joined Abby in the hallway to find her wrapping a long scarf around her neck, a woolly hat jammed on her head. She was in one of her long warm cloaks that enveloped her slender frame and thick mittens covered her hands.

The only thing visible was the tip of her nose and her vivid green eyes and she looked like a mischievous elf.

She caught his smirk and a muffled, "What?" emerged a she cocked her head on one side.

"Only going to my truck, Abbs... not walking the whole way home," he teased, looking her over.

She pointed at him, squinting. "That doesn't mean I can't get cold, even in that short distance, Gibbs. You know I don't do cold at all well... and as much as I love snow, I need to work up to it."

"You've lived here for ten years, Abbs... should be used to it by now," Gibbs pointed out reasonably, handing over her backpack and picking up the last box.

"Even so, it doesn't mean this warm blooded Southerner doesn't get cold up here in the frozen north. It's okay for you, you're, erm, big... um, bigger than me." He raised an eyebrow at her as stammered in her speech, a blush staining her cheeks as she went on. "Sneezing and sniffling my way through Christmas afternoon in front of your fire is not how I wanna spend the day."

"Nah... I'll keep ya warm, Abbs." He bent to kiss her cheek as he moved past, and was out of the door before she could respond. As Gibbs headed for the stairs, wondering what he'd just given away, he was assailed with images of the various ways he'd like to do just that.

TBC...

A/N: Four chapters in total for this... not another marathon! ;)