The Hardest Part
Spoilers for S10 Finale, Damned If You Do
* * * * *
The sun warmed Abby's face, as she waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
Waiting was not usually something she did very well and today was no exception.
Shifting on the stump she was using as a chair, she directed her best Gibbs glare to the cheery chirpy birds overhead, as they did not mirror her mood. She tried to calm herself by focusing on the cool clear serene lake, but all that did was fuel her desire to be out on the lake in the boat with Gibbs.
Gibbs.
She really thought he'd be back by now. Or if he wasn't coming back, she would have heard something. She really hoped he would come home soon.
She had felt his presence very strongly over the last few days, her Gibbs-dar was pinging all over the place. Increasing her hope that he had survived the mission and was on his way home to her.
The minute she left work, she had raced by his house, only to find he wasn't there. Crushed and disappointed, she collapsed on the lumpy couch that smelled so much of him and cried until she fell asleep.
The next morning, after gulping down a Caw-Pow, she broke land speed records in the hearse getting up to the cabin, only to find he was not there.
She had thought, no hoped, today would be the day. Just like she thought last week, and the week before that. So here she sat on the stump in front of the cabin soaking up some encouraging and nourishing sun. Waiting. Again.
Her cell phone blared out the theme from Magnum PI, startling her out of her reverie.
Tony.
"Abbs. Where the hell are you? I went by your apartment and by Gibbs' place. You weren't there. Where are you?"
"Ummmmm . . ." Abby stalled.
"You're at the cabin. Again."
"Tony! How did you know…"
"I can hear the birds in the background. Damn, those are loud birds."
Despite herself, Abby giggled, "Yes, Tony, I'm here." Where else would I be?
"Good. Stay there. I got a wink wink nudge nudge from Vance this morning. The Boss-man's mission may be over. There was a lot of secret activity in MTAC last night. So secret, even McSecret Agent couldn't find out what was going on."
Abby held her breath. "And Gibbs?"
"No word yet."
An intense tingling in the back of her neck abruptly roused Abby awake from her impromptu nap against the door of the cabin.
A rustling down the path drew her attention.
Gibbs? Could it be?
In the flesh. Limping slightly. Dark circles under his eyes. Tired drawn lines around his mouth. What looked like a scratch on his forehead. A bruise on his cheek.
But he appeared to be okay. And he was living and breathing and walking up the path.
He said nothing, just strode up to the cabin as she jumped up from the stump, prepared to leap into his arms.
Holding back so as not to hurt him, she settled for gently wrapping her arms around him, nuzzling into his neck, breathing in the essence of him that was as essential to her as air.
"Abbs." So much said in that one single word.
"Oh, Gibbs. I've been waiting for you."
THE END
