What Mrs. Mallard Said -- 1
Author: GataChica
Rating: M for later chapters
Spoilers: Untouchable
Disclaimer: My writing is not-for-profit and I don't own the characters or anything else besides my ideas.
"Did you know, that without those longshoreman tattoos, and that dog collar, you are the exact spitting image of my sister Gloria?" Mrs. Mallard asked.
"Thank you," Abby replied, smiling.
"I hated her! She once tried to sleep with my late husband while he was still alive!"
"Mother!" Ducky interjected as he strode into the lab. "I'm sure Abigail doesn't want to hear any more of our family troubles!"
"It's fine, Ducky, we're having a good time," reassured Abby.
He handed her a container. "Brain tissue. I'm going to need a full rundown on –"
"Donald!" Mrs. Mallard interrupted. "Did you sleep with her?"
Abby turned to look at him, bemused. He appeared apologetic and even a little embarrassed. "Mother, please!"
"Honestly, it's about time I had some grandchildren." She turned to Abby, pointing her index finger for emphasis. "He's not getting any younger, you know. You need to move fast."
Abby turned to Ducky again and found that he was looking expectantly at her. 'What does that expression mean? It's like he's waiting for me to answer. Is it possible –' She put that thought out of her mind, because it was way too unlikely for her to waste her time on.
Still, the question persisted the rest of the day, and when she saw Ducky again the tension was palpable.
The repeated ringing of his cell phone woke Gibbs from his uncomfortable position under the boat, and when he stretched to reach for it, he winced. The cold concrete floor was not friendly to a man of his age; his whole body ached, especially his knees.
"Gibbs."
"It's me," said Abby, sniffing. It was obvious she had been crying.
"What's wrong, Abbs?" He hoped it wasn't more boyfriend trouble.
"Can I come over, Gibbs? I need some advice."
"Sure," he replied automatically, even though he was nonplussed as to what was going on.
"I'll be there soon. Thanks, Gibbs."
"You're always welcome, Abby." He hung up the phone, hoping that when she arrived he would be able to understand her sometimes veering approach to explanations.
Twenty minutes later he heard the door open and close, followed by her voice calling "Gibbs?"
"Down here, Abbs."
Her footsteps on the basement stairs were slow and hesitant, and he wondered what could have happened to upset her so. He went to the bottom of the steps and waited, ready to wrap his arms around her and comfort her as always. She stepped down and almost threw herself against him.
For a few moments she sobbed against his shoulder, then she began to calm. Pulling her towards a chair, he sat down with her in his lap. "What is it, Abbs?" he asked, gently brushing stray hairs from her face.
"I don't know what to do, Gibbs."
"About what?"
"Ducky."
"Ducky?" He was surprised – Abby and Ducky had always worked well together and rarely had disagreements. "An argument?"
"No," she said with a note of desperation. "Just the opposite, really."
"What are you talking about, Abbs?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice.
Slowly, with many questions, he managed to piece together what had happened earlier with Ducky's mother, and gradually understanding dawned.
"You want to do it. What Mrs. Mallard said," Gibbs interrupted as she was babbling, attempting to identify her feelings about the situation.
She stopped talking and looked at him, her eyes wide. Slowly she nodded and whispered, "Yes. I want to have Ducky's baby."
Even though he had figured it out already, Gibbs' mind reeled from hearing her confirm it. It touched him somewhere deep inside – a place that he himself was not totally aware of, and certainly did not expect to find her there. "Abby –" he murmured, unable to look her in the eyes.
She looked worriedly at him, afraid that he was angry at her. "I'm sorry, Gibbs. I didn't mean to make trouble for you. I'll go now." She tried to stand, but he stopped her with a shake of his head and a hand on her shoulder.
He cleared his throat and finally answered. "Are you asking for my permission?"
She stared at him, unable to read his face. "Not really, I just want your advice. Is it a bad idea?"
"Shouldn't you be talking to Ducky rather than me?"
"I wanted to ask you first," she explained simply. "Do you think I should talk to him, or not?"
Once again he felt that deep pain, and it was getting harder to breathe. Was he having a heart attack? No, he realized, his body was reacting to Abby's words. He hated to hear her talking about another man, even if it was a close friend of his. He unconsciously considered her to be his already – sure, she had boyfriends but he knew it was never serious. He knew that one day he would tell her his true feelings, and she would reciprocate them. He had no doubt about it.
But what was this about? Was she choosing Ducky over him? What did it mean? He tried to put those questions out of his mind, and think objectively. His biggest concern was Ducky's age. He spoke quietly, "You realize, Abbs, that you can't be sure he'll live to see the child grow up. You would be left to raise it alone." He didn't mean to be brutal, but he had to bring it up since it was the harsh truth.
"I'm not afraid to be a single mother," she replied resolutely. "Besides, I don't think it would be that way."
"Why not?" he asked curiously.
She smiled a little. "I know how you feel, Gibbs."
Once again he stared, wondering how it was that she always did know. "Well, enlighten me, then," he said, trying to sound nonchalant but betrayed by the catch in his voice.
"You're in love with me, Gibbs," she continued, stroking the silver hair at his temples. "And I'm in love with you."
Stunned, he didn't speak for several moments, trying to digest the confident statements she made. He couldn't disagree with her; she would know he was lying and he would look foolish. Instead he nodded.
"I knew it," she said matter-of-factly. "So now what do you think about it?"
"Are you asking how would I feel about raising Ducky's child, if needed?"
She stopped to think for a moment. "Yes."
He looked away and considered his options. This was obviously something she truly wanted, and what he wanted most was her happiness.
He made his decision. "I would be okay with it, and if I did have any problems, I would work them out."
"Thank you, Gibbs. I really do love you." On impulse she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. After all the shocks he'd already had, there was no way he could stop her at this point. But he didn't really want to anyway. When they broke the kiss, he whispered against her ear, "I love you too, Abbs."
