Two Months
A/N: I wrote this to be a relationship/friendship piece, so view it as you wish. Minor detail spoilers from the Season 15 premiere. After it was over yesterday, I couldn't help but write this. A couple episode tags to Kill Ari part 1 and Borderland.
He's not quite sure how long he sits in the bullpen before he drives home. Briefly, he considers going to McGee's, to be surrounded by his coworkers, his friends, but he hasn't seen his boat in two months and a bottle of bourbon sounded good right now. Besides, he wasn't sure he could handle all the emotions in one room, wasn't sure he was ready.
The house is dark, and he makes his way slowly into the basement, not wanting to aggravate his bruised body any more than he had to. Working on the boat was always cathartic, the rhythm relaxing. Before he knew it, a couple hours had passed. Bottle half gone, he put up the tools and made his way up the stairs. He stands in the hallway, looks up at the stairs to the second floor. The thought of climbing them didn't hit his top-five list for tonight. The couch looked just as comfortable.
He sits down; removes his shoes slowly. Still the same old couch, uncomfortable as all hell. But it was better than a dark, musty dungeon. He places his wallet and gun on the table with his badge, leans back on the couch, closing his eyes. He was sore and aching, exhausted. He felt like he could sleep for weeks...
The sound of his front door opening has him immediately reaching for his gun, pointing it at the doorway.
"Gibbs?"
He sets the weapon down, sitting up to turn on the light. She stands in the doorway, hair down, shoes and collar off, looking paler than normal. He finds himself smiling as she slowly walks forward.
"Hey, Abbs."
She sits on the couch beside him, slowly runs her fingers through his hair. He smirks, lays back down on the couch, his head resting on her lap, lets himself get comfortable. Had it been anyone else, he wasn't sure he'd be able to allow the touching. The way she played with his hair was relaxing. After Abby had learned about Pedro and the shooting, she'd come here, talked to him, trying, pleading to understand, and when it was all over, she did exactly what she was doing now.
"Bishop said you didn't want to come to McGee's," Abby says softly, interrupting his thoughts, "figured you'd be here."
"I live here," he answers dryly.
For a while, there's silence, but he doesn't mind it. With Abby here, it was like a breath of fresh air, and he didn't feel controlled by the what-ifs that enjoyed running around his head in silence.
"After The Phantom," she says after a while, "I wanted to be alone too. But after a while I couldn't stand it." He remembers that, her coming to his house late one night, holding her close, reassuring himself that she was safe.
"Yeah," he replies, letting his eyes drift closed, "I remember."
"I just need to know you're here," she says softly.
He brings a hand up, signs against her cheek. Always.
"Can I stay with you tonight?" It feels like she's asked that more than she's uttered his name. He remembers the first time she asked, huddled into his arms, her heart racing, shards of glass still in her hair. He hadn't hesitated in answering, keeping two agents outside the house, locking the door when he went on the stake-out with Jen, coming home to find her huddled on this couch, awake, waiting for him.
He smiles in the darkness, "Mhmm. Lock the door before you go to bed."
"Ok," she answers, her voice starting to fade. He feels the fog of sleep start to set in. Her lap was more comfortable than any pillow, he was sure. "Love you, Gibbs."
Her fingers are gentle as they run through his hair, "You too."
A/N: Let me know what you thought!