Chapter IV/ Conclusion

Gibbs had barely stepped through the elevator doors when he was greeted by DiNozzo. "Metro just picked up one of Rollins' associates- Albert Lewis. He's in interrogation. I saved him for you." Tony grinned as he matched Gibbs' brisk pace.

Gibbs stopped in the bullpen long enough to tell Ziva to brief McGee and Tony on what was going on. Then he wanted them to call it a night- they weren't going to find Rollins tonight and they probably had a long day tomorrow. Rollins had faked his own death four years ago, planting the partial remains he stole from the shipwreck site in the fire so it would like he was dead. With no close family, no one asked any questions. Since then, he'd been living under an assumed identity and selling stolen weapons. He stayed below radar until last week, when something went wrong and an officer was killed – Rollins' fingerprint was found at the scene, so he must have been there. Gibbs was willing to bet that Rollins left town right after the murder; after all, he'd been smart enough to get away with it this long. Hopefully this Albert Lewis, or one of Rollins' other associates, would lead NCIS right to him.

Gibbs could tell Lewis wasn't sharing all he knew, but he at least gave them some good leads on where to find Rollins/Carr. Of course, he admitted no involvement with the arms thefts himself, and no knowledge of Carr's former identity, but said he knew some buyers of stolen weapons and was willing to share their names. After a few hours of questioning, Gibbs knew he could hold him no longer. He stepped out into the hall as DiNozzo came out of observation. "Get the names. Then escort him out" Gibbs told him. Just then, he noticed Abby's hesitant face peeking over Tony's shoulder. Gibbs went in the observation room and shut the door behind him, giving the two some privacy. He took a deep breath.

"Welcome back," said Abby. She almost gave him a hug but stopped herself. Gibbs had once said her hugs were always welcome, but now she wasn't sure.
"Why are you still here? Everyone else has gone home." He asked. She didn't answer, just returned his gaze. "Something bothering you?" he asked.
She started to say no, to brush it off, but she knew she couldn't lie to Gibbs. She was a terrible liar anyway, but especially when it came to him. Besides, hadn't they been playing this game long enough?
"I feel like there's something bothering you, Gibbs," she said.
Gibbs let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Yeah, I guess there is."
"Look, if this is about the whole kidnapping thing- you can stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault I was there. I'm the one who showed up at your house uninvited. There's no way-"
"That's not what I'm blaming myself for, Abby."
"It's not? Then… what? Because this definitely started then. You've been avoiding me, Gibbs. You've been acting remote and distant, and well... it sucks."
He nodded. "You're right Abs. I haven't been fair to you. I wasn't fair to you when we were trapped in that freezer, and I'm not being fair to you now."
Abby cocked her head to one side, eyes narrowed. "In the freezer? Gibbs, you're the one who got me through that! If it hadn't been for you I would have hyperventilated myself to oblivion."
Gibbs didn't respond with words, just a penetrating stare into her green eyes.
"The kiss? Gibbs, why do you think that was unfair?"
He looked decidedly uncomfortable but Abby wouldn't let him turn away. She put her hands on his shoulders and drew herself closer to his face.
"It was unfair to you, Abs, because you were… scared, and vulnerable. I never should have done that. I'm sorry."
"You're sorry?" she asked. He nodded, but she could feel something more in the way he looked at her. She looked down, unsure of what to say – this was the man who made it a rule to never apologize, and he was sorry? Gibbs saw Tony through the glass, leading Lewis out of interrogation. He opened the door and followed, but just as they got into the hall, Abby grabbed his arm.
"Gibbs!"
"Yeah, Abby," he said, turning. Tony and Lewis continued down the hall. Abby moved to stand between them- she wasn't going to let him run away again.
"I'm not." She said.
"You're not what?"
"I'm not sorry."
They both knew they could say no more then and there, but they stood a moment in silence. Gibbs reached out and closed his hand over her wrist, feeling her pulse through the soft skin and sending shivers down her back. "Me neither." He said.

After Tony escorted Albert Lewis down to security, he returned to his desk to finish some things up. He was surprised to see the other two agents hadn't left yet. "I thought the boss sent you two home?"
"I'm leaving right now" said Ziva, hoisting her backpack over one shoulder.
"Thanks for the Petosky stone, Ziva" called McGee from his desk.
"Petosky stone?" Tony strained his neck to get a better look at the paperweight on McGee's desk.
"Yeah, it's a fossilized rock common to the Great Lakes." he held it up "Neat, huh?"
Tony turned to Ziva, "where's my rock?"
"Oh I got you a different sort of souvenir. It's being sent directly to your apartment." she said over her shoulder with a wink, still headed for the elevator.
Tony leaned back in his chair. "No probie-stone for me" he said, grinning. He was trying to imagine what his gift could be... but he hoped it was lacy and had Ziva in it.

Abby was not surprised to hear a knock on her door late that night; she knew her conversation with Gibbs wasn't over and she knew it was one he'd want to have outside of work. She answered the door and motioned for him to come in. He handed her a cold Caf-Pow: the perfect drink for day or night.
She smiled and turned to face him. "Thanks. I'm glad you're here, Gibbs. I've wanted to talk about this for a while, but..."
He nodded. "Abby," he said, "I want you to be sure. I have to know you're sure."
"I know, Gibbs. And I am sure. I was sure then, that awful day, when I thought we were- I mean, we could have..." she shuddered and he wrapped an arm around her. "But the fact is, that all made me realize that you're the one I want to be with." There. She had said it. She was glad her head was resting on his shoulder, glad she wasn't looking in his eyes. What if he said no? What if he cited rule #13?
But he didn't. "Abs, you know I feel the same way."
"Do I know?" she asked "Ziva said you went on a date with the woman in Michigan." She suddenly felt stupid- it sounded so juvenile and gossipy out loud.
Gibbs exhaled. "You're right. But that just made me face my feelings. I've been disappointed in myself for the way I treated you. I should have told you sooner. I shouldn't have waited until-"
"Gibbs." Abby said, spinning to face him. "You do not need to be perfect all the time. You don't need to always be the hero."
Gibbs smiled. "When I look at you," he said, "I want to be the hero. To deserve you."
Her eyes welled with tears and she cupped his face in her hands. "Gibbs, you are a hero. I love you."
Gibbs couldn't stand to see her cry- he bent his head down and kissed her softly on the mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck and the kiss deepened. He scooped her up and carried her to the nearby couch, sitting down with her on his lap. Was he a hero? Maybe. But at that moment, with Abigail Scuito in his arms, the only thing he wanted to be was sure. And he was.

***The End***