Hey guys! This is the sequel to my NCIS fic, Along the Broken Road. Hope you all like it. It's very Abby centered this time. even more so than the last fic. Please no Bashing from the haters. Construtive critisism on my writing IS accepted, even welcomed, though. Please read AND review the chapter! Thanks!
On a cool spring morning, Abby Sciuto Krakowsky rang the bell at the McGees' appartment. A few minutes later it was answered by little Morgan McGee.
"Hi, Auntie Abs!", said the 4 year old excitedly before waving at her best friend, Caty, who's hand Abby was holding. Abby grinned at the little girl and gave her a big hug before she replied,
"Hey there, Morgan, Are you ready to spend the day playing with Caty? Your mom's watching her today while I go in to work." Morgan nodded and then signed to Caty,
"Come on! Let's go play!" Caty looked questioningly at her mom. Abby smiled and got down on her daughter's level, signing,
"It's ok, Caty-Bug. Go play with Morgan and Johnny. Mama's gotta go to work today so you get to play with your friends." Before Abby could sign anything else, She was tackled by another small body as she heard a little voice say,
"Auntie Abs!"
"Hey, Johnny-Boy! Wow you've gotten big! That was a major tackle,there!"
"What about me Auntie Abs? Have I gotten big,too?", asked Morgan, feeling a little left out."
"Of course, Morgy! You've grown alot,too! You are both big kids now!"
"Careful guys. Don't hurt your Aunt Abby.", Delilah warned, as she rolled in behind her son. Abby just waved it off and stood up to hug her friend.
"It's fine. They could never hurt me. I love getting those tackle hugs from them." She turned back to her daughter and signed,
"It's ok, sweetie. Go play with your friends. Mama'll see you soon." Caty threw herself at her mom, who caught her gracefully and gave her a big hug and a kiss, before pulling back and signing,
"I love you! Be good for Aunt Dee."
"Ok. Mama! Love you!" Caty signed back. Abby got one more hug from Johnny and Morgan and then the three kids ran off to play. Abby looked over at Delilah and said,
,
"Thankyou SO much for watching her today! I didn't want her to have to spend her spring break at the research center. I'm working over time until Wednesday and so is Jesse. Thursday we're taking Caty to Bush Garden for a Spring Break trip."
"Oh! That sounds so much fun! McGee and I have been wanting to take the twins there. We still may next Summer."
"Well, I'll take lots of pictures to show you guys and Tell you all about it when we get back. That way you'll know what to expect." Delilah chuckled.
"Sounds great Abs."
"I better get going now. I'll be late if I don't hurry."
"K. We'll be fine here. See ya later, Abs." Abby smiled and waved as she headed out the door and to her car. She felt like she was being watched and followed as she drove along the highway, but she tried to shrug it off. After all, she didn't work at NCIS anymore, so who could be following her? She just couldn't shake the creepy feeling she had,though. Once at NMRI, Abby hung up her jacket and put on her lab coat before getting to work. She went over cases and did some computer work. At lunchtime, Jesse came to get her and they ate together. Jesse noticed his wife seemed distracted so he tried to find out why.
"How's your day going?", He asked.
"Pretty quiet. How about yours?", Abby replied automatically
"Not too much going on today. But concidering where we work, that's probably a good thing. means there are no mysterious epidemics going around."
"And therefore, hopefully no bio-terrorists on the loose.", Abby added with a shudder.
"You ok, Angel?", Jesse asked his wife, deciding to get straight to the point. Abby hesitated before saying,
"Yeah. Caty just wore me out this morning. It's nothing. She's just got ALOT of energy." Jesse looked skeptical. Something told him he should push a little more."
"Uh huh. Not buying it. I know you too well. Somethings bothering you, Abs. What is it?" Abby sighed. She should have known she couldn't hide anything from her husband.
"I- well it's probably nothing. I mean I don't think I'd still have any enemies. I've been out of NCIS for years now and….." Jesse interupted her rambling.
"Angel, what's going on? Has someone threatened you? Our family?"
"No! No, Babes. Nothing like that. I just had this feeling this morning like I was being followed. I couldn't see anyone though. I checked and I never saw anything suspicious. But I just can't shake the feeling." Jesse pulled his wife into a hug and said,
"I'm sure everythings fine. You're right. There are no Bio-terrorist cases right now and you no longer work in that line of work, so who would be after us?"
"Right.", Abby said, trying to sound convincing."
"Still, Maybe we should alert Tony and Gibbs and the team. Just in Case." Jesse suggested. Abby shook her head vehemently.
"No! Not yet, Jesse. I don't want them worrying for nothing. It could just be my imagination."
"Abby! Your intuitions are usually spot on! They need to be looking for anything suspcious!", Jesse persisted.
"Jesse! Leave it for now! If I get the feeling again I be more alert and see if I can see anything kinky. I don't want the others to know until they have to.", Abby said firmly. Jesse sighed. He knew he might as well give in. He rarely won arguments like this with his wife. It was time to get back to work anyway so Jesse payed for the food and he and Abby headed back to NMRI. Later that afternoon, Carol got a break in her lab and was hanging out with Abby and keeping her company. Abby was checking her emails when she let out a delighted squeel.
"Oh my Gosh!"
"What is it, Abby?", asked her friend.
"I just got a notice in my email that I won a dinner for two at that Igloo restuarant, The Cooler.
"What?! That place has been completely booked up for weeks! I tried to get in last weekend but couldn't get reservations. Lucky! When are you gonna go? You are taking Jesse right?"
"Well, Jesse and I have been wanting a night out for awhile now. We have plenty of people who have offered to baby-sit. Including you. But I think I'll give them to our neighbor across the street. His wife has been in the hospital but she's feeling better now. They could use a night out."
"Abby you never cease to amaze me. That's so sweet.", Carol said while looking at the screen, then she added,
"Uh-Oh."
"What?", Abby asked.
"Well, read the small print. This prize is none transferrable. You can't give away the dinner. You and Jesse will have to go."
"Well, I'll talk to Jesse before I go to pick up Caty today. I'll bet McGee and Delilah would baby-sit. When she's away from us, Caty always does better when she has her friends to play with. The McGees have more room than the Dinozzos do and Caty might have to go to sleep before we get back."
"And you could ask Delilah when you pick Caty up."
"Exactly. The certificate is good through next weekend so I'm thinking Tuesday night would work. That way we'll be back from Bush Gardens."
"Good plan!", Carol said, then she realized it was time for her to get back to work so she said goodby to Abby and headed back up to her lab. After work, Abby talked to Jesse who agreed to a night out the next Tuesday. Abby was very excited as she drove to McGee's place. She had even forgotten about maybe being followed.
When she Reached the McGees' She met Tim at the door. He was just arriving home for dinner before heading back to the office. It was a big case this week. When he opened the door, both he and Abby were tackle hugged by three excited kids. after they'd greeted the kids and Tim had kissed Delilah, Abby told them about the dinner for two and asked,
"Could you guys baby-sit Caty Tuesday night?"
"Well, Tim never knows what his schedual will be as you well know from experience but I'd be happy to take Caty that night. Maybe Ziva could even come over with her three if Tony's working late that night. I know Breena would bring over Tori. Abby, you and Jesse deserve a night out and Caty needs a movie and pizza night.",Delilah said
"Yeah, you and Jesse hardly ever get a night out alone. This will be good for you guys."
"It might be a kind of celebration.", Abby said.
"What do ya mean,Abs?"
"Well, Caty has an appointment on Monday to check on the Cochlear implants.
"Abby, I thought you told us that because she was deaf from birth, it wouldn't help her that much to get the implants.", Delilah said as gently as possible.
"That's true, but Karina, the orphanage director told us in a recent letter that they had just assumed that she had been born deaf. Since she was left on their doorstep, she really doesn't have any records. NMRI is bringing in a very good specialist to check into that.", Abby said.
"Well, good luck, Abby. I hope it works out. But I know you and Jesse will always love Caty no matter what happens and you know we all will, too." McGee said. Abby went over to hug him and said softly,
"I know , . I'm sure it will work out though. I have to believe that. For Caty's sake."
"I know,Abs. Your positivity is one of the many reasons we all love you!", McGee replied. Abby hugged him again and then Delilah before pulling back and saying,
"I love you all, Too." After a few more minutes, Abby and Caty headed home to Jesse.
The next evening after work, Abby was packing for her family's trip to Williamsburg. They would leave DC that Wednesday night so they'd have plenty of full days to sight see before having to head home that Sunday evening. They got a room at Wedmore Place in Williamsburg for a pretty good price. Abby packed Caty's Doc McStuffins sleeping bag in the car so they could get a room with just one double bed. Caty loved that sleeping bag. It was soft and comfy and he hag come with a Hallie the Hippo pillow pet. Caty was just like her mama when he came to hippos. The whole family was very excited about this trip. Last summer, they hadn't been able to take an out of town family vacation because a case came up for Jesse at work at the last minute. Abby had taken Caty to Virginia Beach along with Ziva, Delilah, Breena and their kids. The case had been Joint with NCIS and so ALL the husbands had to work overtime. They'd all schedualed their vacation within weeks of each other. Ziva and Tony had schedualed their's the same week as Abby's and Jesse's, and So had the Palmers and the McGee's They had originally all planned to go somewhere together. When the men had to cancel because of work, Abby and the other ladies had picked a closer destination and took the kids by themselves. The Busch Gardens trip would be the first family vacation that Caty had ever gone on. As Abby was helping the little girl pack her little Disney Princess duffle bag, Caty turned to her and signed,
"Mama? Is Daddy coming with us this time?" Abby's heart broke for her little girl. She'd been hoping that Caty had forgotten last summer or hadn't noticed because she'd been having too much fun. Apparently though, the girl not only remembered, she was worried about it happening again. Abby hugged her daughter and signed,
"Deffinately. Your daddy and I both took the rest of this week off and we're all going together."
"Are Morgy and Johnny and Tali and AJ and Timmy and Tori coming with us too? Aunt Dee and Uncle Tim and…." Abby interrupted her daughters flying fingers and chuckled,signing,
"Woah Honey. You're on a roll. The answer is no. It's just gonna be you, me, and Daddy. We're gonna have fun as a family."
"Aren't they family,too?"
"Yes, Sweetie, they are. But, I mean the family that lives in our house.", Abby clarified. Caty thought for a moment, and then asked,
"Well, if they're not coming with us, can we bring them back presents? And for Grandpa Gibbs and Grandpa Ducky and Uncle Clay and Aunt Ellie and Aunt Kasie and Aunt Carol. Oh and Grandma Rosita,Grammy H, Uncle Kyle and Uncle Luca?" Abby heistated for a few seconds. Since it was just a four day trip, she and Jesse hadn't planned on bringing their friends and family back anything from this trip. She wanted to encourage her little girl's generous spirit though, She decided that she would let her pick out presents for everyone but she'd help her so they didn't go over budget. She signed to Caty,
" 'll like that. It'll make them happy." Abby practically melted when her daughter signed back,
"It will make ME happy,too. I like making my friends happy." Abby hugged Caty tightly, and then brushed some tears away before pulling back and signing,
"Mama loves you SO much, my big- hearted girl. Now go pick out two movies to watch in the car." Caty quickly signed back to her mama,
"Ok. Love you.", before running off to find her movies. Abby just stood there watching her happy little one, until she was startled by someone pulling her into a hug from behind. She turned to find her husband there.
"Did you see that?", Abby asked softly. Jesse hugged her tighter and said,
"Yeah. The entire thing. Our daughter's got a big heart. Just like her mama." Abby turned and hugged her husband tightly before kissing him deeply. Suddenlly she felt a tug on her skirt. She and Jesse looked down and laughed at the disgusted look on their little Princess' face.
"Sorry, Sweetie. Let's see what you've got there.",Jesse signed, taking the movies from Caty to look at the titles. She'd picked two of her favorites, Anastasia and The Princess and the Frog, Abby and Jesse smiled at each other. They really hoped that their daughter would be accepted for the implant operation. Abby really wanted her daughter to be able to someday hear the beautiful music from her movies. The family packed the car mostly that night so they could leave straight from the McGees' place. Abby and Jesse were both planning on leaving work at four PM and then picking up Caty before heading out of town. Only Caty's doll, Kari, that she slept with every night, was kept out until the next day.
Wednesday afternoon at three forty-five, Abby was straightening up her office and preparing to leave. Fifteen minutes later, they, headed out to the SUV and to the McGees'. After hugs and wishes for a safe trip from their friends, The Krakowsky's were off on their adventure. Little did the happy family know, this would be the last family trip they'd have before all Hell broke loose.
Well, there is chapter one. The trip description and the date at the Cooler will be in the next chapter as well as the ear appointment. Remember ALL reviews are MUCH appreciated. Please don't forget! More of the rest of the gang later in the story! Catch ya later!