A/N: This is a oneshot written for iheartGibbs as thanks for running the NFA SeSa this year. Since it's a gift for her, you might notice something a little different about the main characters. It's a Gabby story and there's no Tim to be found. :) Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS and I'm not making any money off this story.
Deck the Halls
by Enthusiastic Fish
Abby sauntered up the sidewalk to Gibbs' house, singing happily. Gibbs and the rest of the team had been forced to work a case that had taken them into Virginia with no indication as to when they'd be back. She knew that Gibbs didn't do a whole of decorating for Christmas and she had some time. So she was going to do it for him.
"Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la."
She grinned to herself and pulled out Gibbs' key. He had actually put locks on his door and he occasionally used them. Not often, but occasionally. So she had a key.
She unlocked the door and came inside, laden with garlands and wreaths and lights. Gibbs had a tree of his own, but that was as far as he went. Abby was determined to change that this year. She wanted to bring in the holiday spirit with a vengeance.
As she put down her burdens, she kept singing.
"Don we now our gay apparel
Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
Troll the ancient yuletide carol.
Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la."
"Sounds lovely."
Abby turned around with surprise. She hadn't expected anyone else to be here. But, sure enough, there was Jackson Gibbs.
"Hi!" she said. "I didn't know you were coming for Christmas!"
"Neither does Jethro. If I waited for him to invite me, I'd be sitting by myself. Am I interrupting anything?"
"No! No way. The more, the merrier!" Sort of.
Jack smiled.
"So...uh...you want to help?"
"With what?"
"I wanted to give this place a more festive feel."
"It certainly needs it. I'm all for that."
"Okay!" Abby knew that her underlying plans would have to change now, but that was okay. There was time.
"What first?"
"I wanted to put some lights into the garland."
"I can manage that."
"Great! I'm going to put up some wreaths."
"Where is my son?"
"Working. He had to go to Virginia. I decided to make this a surprise for when he gets back."
"So he doesn't know about it at all?"
"Not a clue," Abby said with a winning smile.
"Leroy isn't much for decorating."
"That's why I'm doing it for him."
"All right."
Jack bent over the garland. Abby felt a little awkward...not for obvious reasons, but having her big plans suddenly changed made her a little uncomfortably...mostly because of what the plans had been. She took one of the garlands without lights but with a lot of holly on it and began to hang it around the mantle. She couldn't help it.
She started to sing again.
"The holly and the ivy, now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir."
Another voice joined hers.
"The holly bears a blossom as white as lily flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet saviour."
Abby looked over her shoulder and grinned. They finished the other verses with gusto.
"If you don't mind my saying so, you don't really look like the kind of person who would know a classic carol like that," Jack said.
"I don't mind. I go bowling with nuns," Abby said. "I love Christmas and carols."
"Bowling with nuns, eh?" Jack said with a grin. "Sounds like fun."
"It is. Lots of fun."
More silence as they put the wreaths up and then went outside and put the lit garland around the door.
"That looks great!" Abby declared.
"I agree. It looks less like a curmudgeon lives here."
"Gibbs isn't a curmudgeon."
"Nope, but he acts like one."
Jack walked back inside. Abby followed him.
"So...Abby...why are you really here?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that while I can accept that you probably were planning on decorating this house, you probably had something else in mind, too. Am I right?"
Abby actually blushed. There was something different about talking to a parent...no matter whose parent it was. She shrugged.
"Your silence is confirmation, you know. You're not a quiet person, Abby."
"No, I'm not."
"So...is this part a surprise for my son as well?"
"Kind of."
"So...does that mean you have designs on my son?"
"Um...yes?"
Jack laughed.
"You seem a bit young for him."
"I'm older than I dress."
"I would hope so."
Jack didn't elaborate.
"Could I make one suggestion?"
"Sure?"
"Just keep in mind how much of Leroy's life has been spent in upheaval. Don't promise more than you're prepared to give. That would be cruel...and he deserves to be happy. So do you, and my son has a way of spreading the misery around."
"You don't think that I could be committed?" Abby asked, a bit affronted.
"I don't know you well enough to say and my son is an adult who can make his own decisions, but just think a little bit before you say more than what you're ready for."
Abby nodded.
"Now, if you're looking for some time to yourself, I'll take myself out of the picture and show up unannounced tomorrow."
"You don't have to!" Abby said. "He's your son!"
"And I can see him anytime I want to because of that. Far be it from me to get in the way." He leaned over and kissed Abby on the cheek. "Have at it."
"So that's where he gets it from," Abby said with a smile.
Jack grinned and winked. "He also gets his good taste from me, too. If you're looking for someone else..."
Abby laughed, feeling her disquiet at Jack's pointed comment before starting to ebb.
"If you need more time, just send me a text. I'm pretty good at using my phone."
Jack winked again and then let himself out of the house. Abby was alone with the Christmas decorations. For a few minutes, she sat down and thought about what Jack had said. She knew that she plunged into things without thinking, but was that all she wanted? Some reckless fun and then on to other things?
"No," Abby said aloud. "No, that's not what I want. Not this time. I want more."
So many things had happened in the last year. It had made her start to think about what her life was and what meaning it had.
Not much if she came right out and admitted it...not if she continued on the way she was. There was so much more she could have, given the option. She was taking that option to have more.
...but what Jack had said made her modify her approach. She wanted Gibbs to take her seriously, not just as a thoughtless fling. So she built a fire in the fireplace and sat down on the couch to wait. As she waited, she looked at the fire. Another carol. She smiled.
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
Jack Frost nipping at your nose.
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos..."
She lay down on the couch and continued to sing softly to herself as time passed. She wondered how she would have felt if Jack hadn't said what he had. She was more determined than ever now.
Still, it was a long evening...and she drifted off toward sleep still singing to herself.
"...later on we'll conspire..."
And a soft voice joined hers.
"...as we dream by the fire.
The lights are turned way down low."
Neither of them finished. Abby opened her eyes and saw Gibbs leaning over her, looked a bit bemused.
"What are you doing here, Abbs?"
Abby debated how to answer the question. It was important that she do this right. In the end, she threw caution to the winds because no matter how serious she was...she was still Abby.
She sat up and kissed him. Not on the cheek.
For a moment, she felt Gibbs pull back in surprise, but then, he responded to her kiss more ardently than she expected.
When they separated Gibbs looked at her.
"Is that what you came for?" he asked softly.
"I wanted to decorate your house. Deck the halls."
He smiled a little.
"And the kiss?"
"That's...the real reason."
"Meaning?"
"I was thinking about what I wanted...from life. I want more. I want you."
"I'm a lot older than you."
"I don't care...do you?" Abby asked.
"Are you serious about this?"
"Completely."
"And you...want me?"
"More than anything in the whole world."
"And that required decorating my house?"
"No. I just wanted to do that," Abby said and grinned.
Gibbs chuckled softly.
"Next time...just come over. Don't bring the garlands."
"Next time?"
"Yes."
"Can there be a first time, first?" Abby asked.
"Yes," Gibbs whispered.
"Right now?"
"Yes."
Abby felt like there was no reason to keep talking. She kissed him again, long and deeply. He responded just as passionately.
That was all she needed.
FINIS!