One Day before

As usual Gibbs bought Abby her coffee in bed, but this morning he made sure it was de-caf.

"Thank you" she said sitting up and taking the coffee in her hands
Gibbs sat on the edge of the bed "you want to talk to me yet"
Abby looked down at the coffee in her hands "not yet" she said "tomorrow"
"You know you can talk to me about anything"
"I know" she said smiling at him "just I have a few things I need to work out first"
"Anything I can to do help?"
"Just give me a little time, please?"
"Anything you want" Gibbs kissed her softly on the lips "you enjoy your day off"

Abby wasn't really sure what she wanted to do today, it was rare to have a day off but Gibbs had insisted. She had been feeling run down a lot lately and work had been relatively slow, so now seemed like a good a time as any. Especially considering the new she had got yesterday.


As she got dressed that morning Abby came up with an idea.
"You can do this" She said to herself in the mirror "we can do this" she said placing a hand on her stomach.

Abby walked round the mall at Georgetown and her plan became clearer. First she visited an underwear store and bought something special for later that night.

Next, was a t-shirt printing shop.

"Good afternoon, how can I help you?"
Abby beamed at the young man behind the counter "Hi, I was wondering if you could print on this?" she said holding up a small while garment.
"Sure" the guy smiled "what would you like on it?"
"This" she said handing over a small peace of paper with a picture on it.
"Not a problem"
"Can you do it while I wait?"
"Sure. It'll take 30 minuets"
"Thank you" Abby said. She took a seat on one of the plastic chairs and pulled out her phone. There was a message from McGee telling her to relax and one from Ziva saying that McGee and Tony were driving her crazy. Just then her phone rang.
"Well hello my silver haired fox"
"You having a good day?" Gibbs asked
Abby beamed "I really am. I have a plan"
"You have a plan? Should I be worried"
"No, I don't think, you'll like it, I think, I like it, I think"
"Abby, you think to much" he laughed "and your rambling"
"Sorry." She giggled "I'll see you tonight"

Abby paid for her printing and headed to the next shop on her list.


Abby was spoilt for choose at the DIY shop, there were so many beautiful wallpaper design to choose from. After spending almost an entire hour walking the aisles she found the perfect pattern, there was even matching curtains. She did a quick calculation and worked out how many rolls she would need, picked up some wall paper paste and headed to the checkout.

It was a little after one when she made it home. She had so much to do if her plan was to work and so little time to do it in.

She took her new purchases upstairs to the spare room and changed into some better decorating clothes. Abby headed back downstairs to get a coffee and to get some tools and the ladder from the basement.


The first job was to remove the old curtain rail, which was easy. Next to remove the old wallpaper, not so easy. In hind sight she really should have rented that steam stripper, she would have to talk to Gibbs about getting one. But if she told him about that he would want to know why then the surprise would be ruined. Abby sighed heavily; she would just have to manage with warm water and a scraper.

After several hours of hard work and several coffee the room was, mostly, cleared. Abby checked the time, if Gibbs was on time he would be home at six, plenty of time to get some if not all of the new wall paper up. The problem is she had never wallpapered before. She had put up dry wall, done household wiring even helped Gibbs sand his boat, but never wallpapered before. She did the one things she could think off.

"Hey Jackson" She said into the phone
"Good afternoon Abby, what do I owe the pleasure"
"Um...well… I'm trying to wallpaper, and its going to so well"
"You're wallpapering?"
"Yes, it's a surprise for Gibbs"
"Ok"
"Just I've not done it before and I need help"
"OK" He said "start in a corner, use plenty of paste so you can move the paper once its one the wall, brushing in on carefully but thoroughly and remember to have patience"
"Thank you Jackson, you are a life saver"
"Anytime my dear. You have fun now"

Abby hung up the phone, and taking Jacksons advice started to wallpaper.


Gibbs was home a little later than usual but was surprised at home quiet the house was.

"Abby?" he shouted from the front door, nothing. "Abby you here?" he asked again, still no response. With his weapon drawn he started to search the house.

What he found took his breath away. Abby was fast asleep on there bed, not an unusual sight, but the sigh of her with what looked liked paste in her hair and dust on her face was.

He shook her gently "Abby sweetheart, wake up"
Abby stirred slightly "Gibbs?"
"Who else would it be?" he said sitting on the bed
"You're home early" she said sitting up a little, but not yet fully awake.
"No I'm not."
Abby looked at the time "Oh," she said jumping up "oh, I'm not ready" she rushed into the spare room and slammed the door.
"Abby, what are you doing in there"
"Nothing"
"You have to be doing something"
"Um…no…not really…"
"Ok, if you don't want to tell me, I'll try to understand" He said as sadness filled his voice.

Abby never wanted to upset Gibbs, he meant the world to her. There marriage was based on truth and respect. As she looked around the room she realised that she could probably do with help.

"If I let you in, you promise not to over react?" Abby said peeking round the door.
"Ok."
Abby opened the door wider and let Gibbs in "so….um…I was sort of redecorating"
"I can see that, but why?"
Abby looked at the ground "we might need the room soon"
Gibbs took a closer look at the wallpaper. It was pale blue with baby safari animals on, he smiled when he saw the baby hippos. His gut was telling him it was Nursery wallpaper "Abby" he said turning to face her "is there something you want to tell me?"
Abby nodded "don't be mad" she started passing around the room "that's why my boobs have been saw and why coffee doesn't smell like coffee anymore and after I saw Ducky yesterday it all sort of made sense"
"Abby?"
"I'm pregnant Gibbs"

The expression of his face when from shock to delight "Why would I be mad about that?" he said taking her into his arms.
"I don't know" she said starting to cry "didn't want to upset you"
"because of Kelly?"
Abby nodded
"Oh Abby. You've just given me the gift I never thought I'd have"
Abby looked into his tear filled eyes "I didn't know what you would say" she said.

Gibbs leant down and kissed his beautiful wife "you have never been more beautiful than you are right now"

"I wanted to surprise you. There are curtains too"
Gibbs laughed "you really shouldn't be doing things like this in your condition"
"I'm pregnant Gibbs, I'm not ill"
"Humour me" he said "How about we finish this off tomorrow?"
"ok"
"Dinner?"
"I had so much planned for tonight"
"oh, really?"
"I was going to finish decorating, then cook dinner and I bought this really sexy underwear to wear when I told you so you wouldn't be angry"
Gibbs raised an eyebrow "Realy? How about I order takeaway and you get changed"
"Think I need a shower first"
"Now that is the best idea I've heard all day"

As they headed to the shower together thoughts of what the tea m would say were put of until tomorrow.