* * * * *

"You stay here," Gibbs ordered as he got out of the car. He walked into Tony's apartment building and up the stairs. He hesitated for a moment before he shifted the bag of take-out on his hip and knocked on the door. It opened a few seconds later. But instead of the smile he was usually greeted with, Tony simply looked worried.

"Where's Abby?" he asked after he had exchanged minimal small talk with a very quiet Gibbs.

"In the car," Gibbs answered.

"Is she…ok?" Tony asked carefully. Gibbs shot him a look. "Did she tell you what she did? Or did you just find out?" Gibbs shook his head, but didn't answer. Tony sighed. "I told her to tell you," he said quietly. Gibbs nodded again. They stood quietly for a long time before Tony spoke again. "How bad is it?"

"It's bad," Gibbs answered. "She deliberately disobeyed me. She lied to me about coming to see you. She lied to me when I specifically asked if she had something to tell me. And just the fact that she didn't come to me and tell me as soon as she got back what she'd done, just adds to her lies. And she lied to Ducky." Tony could hear the hurt in his boss' voice, but just nodded. Gibbs turned and walked toward the door. "Eat all of that," he said, pointing to the containers on the counter. "Oh, and Ducky's going to stop by and pick you up for dinner tomorrow night."

"Oh come on," Tony said as he followed Gibbs to the door, "I can drive myself."

"Not until Ducky clears you," Gibbs said. The warning look kept Tony from arguing.

"Thanks for dinner," he said. "And Boss?" Gibbs turned around. But Tony couldn't figure out what he really wanted to say, so he just shrugged. Gibbs nodded in understanding and left.

* * * * *

The car ride to Gibbs' house was quiet as both occupants of the car were lost in their own thoughts. When they arrived, Gibbs offered Abby dinner, but she declined saying she was too nervous to eat. He didn't tell her as much, but he was too. So instead of eating, Gibbs sent her upstairs with the overnight bag they'd picked up from her apartment. Just a few moments later, he walked into the guest room with the paddle in his hand.

Abby looked up from the bed where she had perched. She glanced at the paddle then steeled herself. "Gibbs?" she said tentatively, "I've been thinking."

"About what?" he asked, seating himself on the bed next to her and placing the paddle on the bed behind him.

She swallowed hard and fidgeted for a moment. "You were right." Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "I disobeyed you. And I lied to you," he cocked his head slightly, "a lot." He nodded slowly. "I know you're going to spank me, and I suspect it's going to be really hard," she continued. He nodded again. "But…I don't think…I mean…"

"What is it?" he asked as gently as possible.

"I don't think once is enough," she finally finished.

He studied her carefully, not completely sure of what she was saying. "What do you mean?" he asked quietly.

She sat up a little straighter. "Well," she began hesitantly, "I disobeyed you and I lied to you, um, three times, I think," she stopped and thought about that for a moment, "yeah, three times."

"What's your point?" he asked, not sure if she was just stalling or what.

"So I don't think once is enough," she repeated, wincing at the thought of what she was asking him to do.

"Hm," he nodded, "neither do I." She looked up at him in surprise. "But I'm glad you agree with me." He turned and sat sideways on the bed so that he could look at her properly. "I'm absolutely furious about what you did today. And I hate that I have to punish you for it more than you'll ever know. But the fact that you've admitted to how wrong you really were just made things a little easier. For both of us."

"Both of us?" she asked.

He looked at her for a long moment before he explained. "It's much easier, mentally, to punish someone who agrees that it's deserved than someone who thinks they did nothing wrong." Abby nodded. "And as for you, the fact that you've willingly suggested I punish you the way I had intended to anyway means that I can knock one penalty off your total."

"Thanks," she said, and he knew she meant it. "I really am sorry I let my curiosity get the best of me," she said, as a tear fell. "And I am so sorry I lied to you. I know how much it hurts you when I do that," she said sniffing back a sob.

Gibbs couldn't help but grin. "It hurts you too."

In spite of her tears, Abby giggled. "Yeah, it sure does."

"Come on," Gibbs said quietly as he stood up.

Abby stood up too and turned to face the bed. Without even asking, she unfastened her belt and pushed her pants down. Just like the last time he'd had to punish her, she was wearing a thong. He was about to tell her to pull her pants up when she turned and looked at him. "I have to," she said and he understood.

He put his hand gently on her back and started spanking her very hard and very thoroughly. Since she was already crying before he started, she simply sobbed as he paddled her. When he'd decided that she'd had enough for round one, he stopped. He gently rubbed her back as she sobbed – partly from the searing pain in her backside and partly from the intense guilt she'd been holding onto all day. After a few moments, she stood up, turned around and leaned against him. He gathered her into a hug, but just for a few seconds. They weren't done yet, and he didn't want to comfort her just yet.

He pushed her gently away and held her at an arm's length. "I'll be back in ten minutes," he said then turned and left the room. He walked across the hall to his own room and sat on the edge of the bed. He put his head in his hands as he listened to her cry across the hall. Eventually, her crying stopped and he heard only the occasional sniffle. It hadn't been ten minutes yet, but he got up and went back to the guest room anyway. He wanted to get it over with, and he was sure Abby did too.

Abby was sitting gingerly on the edge of the bed, wiping away dark mascara streaks from her face. When she noticed him in the doorway, she stood up slowly, turned around and again pushed her pants that she had pulled up down to her knees before bending over again.

He stood behind her and looked at her backside. It was still pretty pink and sore-looking. He was about to tell her that it could wait when she turned to look at him over her shoulder. "Please," she said, "do it."

"You're sure?" he asked. She nodded and turned around again.

The second spanking wasn't as hard or as long as the first, but it was still very thorough and to Abby, still very painful.

This time, Gibbs gathered her into a strong hug as soon as he'd finished and held her as she cried. He whispered to her to calm her, and soon, her crying lessened. "That's it for tonight," he said quietly. "It's over for now."

She looked up at him tearfully, "For now?" she asked.

He nodded. "We'll take care of the rest tomorrow."

"Can't we just do it all now?" she asked, sniffing.

He pushed her gently away. "Pull your pants up." She obeyed. He sat on the bed and she stood in front of him. He took her hands in his own. "We're done for tonight. No arguments. But you've been through the worst of it, ok?" She nodded. "Do you want some dinner now, or do you want to go to sleep?"

She sniffed again and wiped a hand across her face. "Dinner," she mumbled.

* * * * *

Gibbs heated up their previously neglected meals and they settled on the couch to eat and watch a movie. Soon after they'd finished eating, Abby curled up against him and was soon fast asleep. When the movie was finished, he carried her up to the guest room and deposited her safely in bed with a kiss on her forehead. He looked at her in the moonlight for a few minutes, awed at how easily she could break his heart. It was nights like these that also made him miss Kelly more than he could stand.

He spent the night in the basement with his boat, going up to bed just a couple of hours before the sun came up.