CHAPTER 2
It took less than an hour for Gibbs to start feeling bad about yelling at Abby, but events conspired to keep him away from the lab, when he did finally mange to get down it was late and Abby had already left.
This put Gibbs in an even bleaker mood. He drove home quickly and aggressively. His mood lifting when he pulled in to his driveway and spotted Abby sitting on his porch steps.
"Doors unlocked"
"I know"
"Then why are you sitting out here?"
Abby shrugged.
Gibbs went up the steps, pausing to run his hand softly down her cheek. She stood up and followed him.
As soon as they were inside Gibbs took her in his arms "I shouldn't have yelled at you"
Abby snuggled into him a little bit more "Does that mean you'll let me go "
"Nope"
Abby pushed him away, anger flashing in her eyes. "You just don't think I'm good enough or strong enough or tough enough; not like your team of precious agents!"
Gibbs fought to control his temper, taking several deep breaths before he spoke "Abby, it's late, can we at least eat before we do this again?"
In response Abby ran up the stairs and slammed their bedroom door.
Gibbs stood and took another couple of deep breaths before going into the kitchen to fix something to eat.
He made enough for two but Abby didn't re-appear, after he cleared up he went down to the basement. He didn't lift any of his tools, instead he sat and thought about how he could fix this situation without backing down, because was the one thing he absolutely would not do.
After a couple of hours of thinking and coming up blank he gave up. He went up into the house, giving serious consideration to spending the night on the sofa. Deciding that it would only make things worse, he carried on up the stairs.
He went in to the darkened room as quietly as possible, as he got into bed he could Abby wasn't sleeping.
"Abs, come on, this is stupid"
"Oh, so now I'm stupid as well as being weak?"
Biting back a cutting reply Gibbs ground his teeth, turned his back on Abby and went to sleep.