Thanks again for all the fantastic feedback! Here is chapter four, probably just a couple more to go.

4. Come to Light

Tony left Gibbs' hospital room and shook his head. He hadn't missed Gibbs' reaction to Abby. It was blatantly obvious to him that Gibbs had finally realized he was in love with his lab rat. The look on his face when she touched his hand had said it all. It had gone from startled, to lustful, to smitten in the course of a minute.

Even when he was dating Colonel Mann, Gibbs had been willing to make fun of her with Abby, but if anyone picked on Abby, they would be killed with a mere look. Even though it seemed to a lot of people that he felt fatherly toward Abby, Gibbs reaction to anyone else dating her was pure jealousy. On her more charming days, she could lead him around as if on a string. Tony had realized all of this long ago.

Tony was lost in thought when he ran into Ducky in the lobby.

"Well, Tony…how is our illustrious leader?" Ducky asked, already knowing the answer from Abby's descriptive worried babble over the phone when he'd been on his way here.

"He's going to be fine. Abby's acting like Jordan from Real Genius…ah, you probably didn't see that movie…she a little tightly strung right now," Tony added sarcastically.

"Yes, she does worry about him, doesn't she?"

"We all have that privilege. I hear she was at the end of her rope when I was in jail, and she gave me flowers when I got out – apology flowers."

"Yes, I know. That's our dear Abigail for you," Ducky observed fondly.

"Yeah. Hey, Ducky. Go on up…but I should warn you the boss is smitten," Tony winked.

"With whom? Has he a red-headed nurse?" Ducky inquired, knowing how Jethro behaved around redheads, even those who were suspects.

"Ah, no, Duck. Not a redhead at all." Tony said, giving his brightest smile and leaving before Ducky could ask any more questions.

When Ducky entered Gibbs' room, he could see what Tony had meant. Gibbs had a starry-eyed look about him, and it appeared to have far more to do with Abby than the concussion. It was about time for this interesting development, thought Ducky.

"Well, Jethro. It seems you've gotten yourself into quite a pickle. How are you feeling?"

"I have a tyrant keeping me awake, Duck." Gibbs complained, but looked up at Abby with affection as he said it.

"Abby, why don't you take a break? Let Jethro preserve some dignity while I examine him." Ducky said, knowing he needed to do his own examination for everyone's sake. Gibbs and the whole team would be more likely to listen to the doctor is Ducky put his two cents worth in.

"Sure, Ducky. Does anyone want anything?" She asked, releasing Gibbs hand and heading for the door.

"Coffee." Gibbs sighed, immediately feeling a pang of loss as Abby let go of his hand for the first time since his startling discovery. He fought the urge to grab it back to him.

This also was not lost on Ducky, but it was lost on Abby. She just looked amused by his desire for coffee.

"Huh, you wish, Boss man. I'll be in the lobby, Ducky, come get me when you're done." Abby blew Gibbs a kiss, still innocent in her actions, and having no idea how that endearment affected Gibbs in his current state of mind.

"Okay, my friend. Let's see how you are doing." Ducky opened his chart to look at the test results and examination notes from the hospital. Gibbs had a concussion, a broken arm, burns where the Taser had hit him, and bruising and lacerations over 30 of his body. No serious internal injuries, thank God.

Finishing his review, he pulled the sheets down to see for himself. Gibbs arms were covered in bruises and cuts, and the broken arm had been set but was in a soft cast. His legs also had considerable bruising, mostly from kick marks, but also some handprints on his inner thigh. The bastard had planned much worse for Gibbs, Tony had said. Here was proof.

"Well, Jethro. You were lucky that couple interrupted your assailant. Do you think he was targeting patrons of that bar?" Ducky asked, feeling Gibbs ribs to reassure himself that there wasn't anything broken there. There was also a long bruise obviously left by the tire iron on his collarbone, but that also seemed to be intact.

"I don't think that's what this is about," Gibbs said, wishing once more he could just sleep as he allowed Ducky's exam.

"Well, it's certainly looking like a hate crime," Ducky responded.

"No, you do your psych profile on this, Ducky. My gut says this is something else. Lieutenant Mackenzie was never in that bar—none of the patrons recognized his photo. The guy we're looking for is trying too hard," Gibbs sighed, wincing as Ducky felt the back of his head.

Ducky nodded agreement and finished his exam. The Taser burns were typical, the one on his thigh not nearly as bad as the mark on his chest. He checked everything thoroughly, and stepped back, pulling the sheets back up.

"Well, Jethro. I'm afraid I agree with the doctor. You'll need observation for at least 3 days, and limited activity for up to two weeks. I'll ask Abby to keep an eye you."

"I don't know that's such a good idea, Duck."

"Of course it is. You mustn't avoid her just because you finally realized how you feel about her."

Gibbs squinted hard at Ducky, his mind spinning. Reflexively, he denied it. "What are you talking about? Ducky, I don't have the energy for mind games right now." But even as he spoke, he realized the likely chain of events: DiNozzo must have noticed his reaction—in fact, he'd have been disappointed if his lead agent had missed it—and Tony certainly loved to gossip, so he must have blabbed it to Ducky.

"Tony tells me you realized you are smitten with our dear Abigail," Ducky confirmed, "and my own observations when I came in back that up. Advice from an old friend and someone with more wisdom in the matters of the heart…screw rule #12 and get a life."

Abby, who had entered the room just as Ducky began his response, piped up. "Um, wow…I totally just walked in at the wrong time. I'll just leave and pretend I didn't hear Ducky." Abby backed up two steps and re-entered. "Hey, Ducky, what's the prognosis? How's the Gibbsman?"

"He needs observation for a couple of days even if they let him out of here. I was just telling him I was going to have you do that."

"Um, Ducky…I'm not sure that's such a good idea. I haven't gotten any sleep and I'm going to need to be at work…"

"He can recline on that futon in your office. I'm sure he wants to be at work anyway."

"I might need that," Abby smirked, the image of Leroy Jethro Gibbs 'reclining' almost making her laugh. She didn't think she'd ever seen that before.

"Oh, that shouldn't be a problem." He looked pointedly at Jethro, "he knows how to share." And with that Ducky a grand retreat.

"Would you mind filling me in?" Abby asked the only person who could give her information.

"Yes."

"Hmm," Abby narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.

Gibbs took a deep breath, "Later, Abs."

"Okay. So, are we going to share a futon?" she asked, still refusing to let this go.

Gibbs looked at the ceiling, not willing to look her in the eye, but knowing he'd have to tell her or she'd never let it go. "Tony told Ducky I'm in love with you."

"Why?" she smirked.

Gibbs hesitated…how much did he want to admit? "He must have gotten that impression earlier when you grabbed my hand."

"Wow. I'm flattered."

"And let's leave it at that."

"Yes, lets. Thanks, though."

Gibbs sighed. He had known that would happen; she thought of him as her protector, her guide; not someone she could love like that.

His mind went through all the reasons why it would be a bad idea. He was too old, he was too jaded, he was too much of a bastard. He wasn't kinky enough for her. That could change, though, he thought to himself, and unbidden thoughts jumped into his mind again, making the room very small and uncomfortable suddenly.

Abby saw what Tony and Ducky had seen earlier on Gibbs face now, and was concerned for her friend. "Hey, Gibbs, we'll talk about this when you aren't concussed. How's that?" Abby said with a look of pure empathy on her face. Neither one of them would really know what was going on until he was feeling better.

"Okay."

It wasn't very long before the discomfort they both felt passed, and they were bantering and flirting as always.