Chapter 3

Gibbs didn't sleep a wink that night as he steadily went crazy as his mind went over and over and over Abby's astonishing request. *I want you to get me pregnant, Gibbs, I want to have your baby*

Gibbs didn't know which way to send his thoughts. 'Jeez,' he mused. 'What is she trying to do to me? Sure, Abby's sexy, but she's Abby. She's my best friend and I'm sure it would be like making love to my sister. I think. But, God, how can I help her? I want to help because I know I can't let her down, not now, not when she really needs me. And she IS my best girl friend... Gibbs' mind went around and around until dawns light hit the dark skies.

He watched the clock on his bedside cabinet slowly go round until it reached the alarm time. He continued to stare at it knowing that he was going to have to get up for work knowing that he was going to have to face Abby before the end of the day. The latter thought brought yet another gut-wrenching moan from him and he swung himself out his bed and plodded to the bathroom. He spent a good ten minutes under the shower head and just let the water run over him hoping to wash more than the dark mood that had encased him. But by the end of it he had made up his mind. He was going to tell Abby that he couldn't do it. That he couldn't be the father of her baby.

Abby heard him come into the lab and she felt his eyes boring into her back. She felt the wave of negativity wash over her and she wilted with sorrow. She was sure he would have changed his mind once he had thought about it, but as she slowly turned to face him, it was evident that he was not going to help her. As Gibbs opened his mouth to speak to her, Abby held him off by raising her hand then heading towards the bathroom to gather herself for the showdown. Gibbs tried calling her with her name, but she blatantly ignored him, firmly closing the door on him to ram the point home.

Resigned to not being able to speak to her while she was at work, Gibbs headed back to the den. Tony warily watched him go to his desk and plonk himself down on his chair. Anger rolled off him worrying Tony even more. He'd seen Abby briefly earlier and had gotten the same response from her, and now looking at them both, he wasn't sure who looked more haggard, Gibbs or Abby. But it was obvious that they were both troubled and the trouble seemed to involve them both.

After a long tense moment Gibbs cleared his throat and spoke quietly to the man opposite him. "McGee, go check on Abby and see..." He stumbled, sneaking a guilty look at his team before altering his original request. "and see if she needs a hand."

Tim McGee eyed him with suspicion but dutifully rose to his feet, his, "Yes, boss." lost as he headed towards the elevator. He could feel all eyes upon him but didn't slow his steps until he reached the door and punched the call button.

But before it came he took a few step back and leaned over Ziva's privacy wall. "Um..boss, I was doing that report for..."

"Not a problem, McGee" Gibbs cut in without looking up from the paperwork that he manage to squirrel up from the depths of his drawers. "I'll do it. Go see Abby."

"Okay, I'll be as... long as I can."

But five minutes later, McGee was back and he stood in front of Gibbs desk as though he was back at school and facing the principal. Gibbs looked up at his fearful face and waited for the excuse, but already knowing deep down what the conscientious young agent was going to say before he even said it.

"Sorry, boss. I couldn't find Abby. I think she may have gone home, all her machines were shut down. Do you want me to...?"

Gibbs grunted with frustration as he pushed himself to his feet. "Jeez! Can't that woman stay put for one damn minute!? No, McGee, I'll find her. I guess you get to do your own report after all."

And as he headed out he threw over his shoulder to his bemused and concerned team. "I'll be gone a while so make it a good time to play catch up with the paperwork, and no, you can't go home, Tony."

Tony didn't even get the chance to voice his indignant splutter before the doors shut on their boss and the three agents simply stared at the empty space unsure what to say or do next. It was Ziva who broke the tense silence. "Do you think he'll find her?"

With a confidence that only came from knowing his mentor as well as his own father, Tony murmured, "Oh, yeah, he'll find her."

Gibbs walked out of the building then stood and pondered as to where Abby would have gone. He quickly decided and headed towards the car park. He was not looking forward to finding her as it had been obvious that she had already guessed at his reluctance to help her. All he needed now was a good reason why he wouldn't.

And sure enough, she was sitting in her bright red roadster staring through the narrow window. The side window was open and Gibbs went and stood beside it, stuck his hands in his pockets and waited. It wasn't long before a small voice drifted up to him. "You're not going to help me, are you, Gibbs?"

She sounded so sad that Gibbs debated on answering her, and then, at that point, he suddenly knew that he couldn't do it. He went around to the other side of the car and slipped into the seat beside her. Twisting his body so that he could actually see her face, he asked. "Abby, is there really no other way?"

Surprisingly, she nodded her head slowly as she answered him. "I've thought about it a lot, Gibbs, and I've decided to try insemination. I don't think I can casually make love to some-one without some form of emotional attachment, coz it's just not me. At least this way, any diseases will have been eliminated, and any other nasty things, too. And best of all, I guess, there won't be any attachments to the father."

Gibbs physically cringed at the unemotional way she was describing what should be one of the most exciting events of her life and she was talking about it like it was a medical problem that had to solved. But then, he rationalised, that's what it really was. With a reluctance that diminished by the second, he found himself saying, "Abby, could I be the donor for you?"

She felt her spirits lift a little as she turned her head to face him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Do you know what you are saying, Gibbs?"

He ran his hands through his silver hair and contemplated what he'd just told her and grinned with a nervousness that went way beyond his comfort zone. "Yeah, I think so. So what happens now, Abs?"