As the lazy summer months dragged on, Gibbs and Abby quickly slipped into a comfortable routine.
Every morning before Gibbs went to work, he would rouse a sleepy-eyed Abby into reluctant awareness. Giving her the usual warnings, which involved keeping the door shut and locked at all times and notifying him before she went anywhere, he would give her a quick kiss on the forehead and be on his way.
Of course, he never got far before she mumbled something about getting himself breakfast, which he'd started eating again due to her vehement assurances that it was the most important meal of the day, and rolled over to sleep like the dead again.
The rest of the day was spent, at least on Abby's part, relaxing in the house or helping the elderly neighbors take care of their home. Although, as nice as the old couple was, she drew the line at gardening. You couldn't pay her to be out in the sun that long. It just wasn't healthy.
Gibbs would come home at night to a happily rambling Abby, who would bounce through the kitchen to help make coffee for him, having already accepting the now obligatory Caf-Pow!, and sit on the counter while she told him all about her day.
To Gibbs' dismay and Abby's delight, various members of the NCIS staff often dropped by in the evenings, along with Fornell who always took special care to knock and announce himself.
Dinner was never a very big affair. Sometimes, Gibbs would bring home take-out, or Ducky would bring something with him when he visited. Though, both members of the family were slowly getting used to cooking for themselves, something that Gibbs never bothered to do when he lived alone.
The boat that was kept in the basement was far from attention starved. Gibbs wasn't the only one who tended to doze off, sandpaper in hand. More often than not, he would end up carrying a dozing teenager up to her bed and get her conscious enough to allow him to help her get dressed for bed.
The summer passed in a happy daze. Though, as they say, all good things must come to an end. When August came to an end, Abby had been enrolled at the local junior high, something that caused Jethro a lot of grief. She'd spent the entire summer safe in their home, and now he was expected to send her off to a bunch of strangers without a second thought? It didn't make any sense.
The morning of her first day of school, Abby was barely awake, only perking up after Gibbs stopped for Caf-Pow! On the ride to school. By the time they reached the front of the building, she was her cheerful self. Leaning over to peck Gibbs on the cheek, she braced herself for the long day ahead.
And as Gibbs watched her run up the front steps of the school, something stirred inside of him. Something that hadn't been awakened since he'd dropped Kelly off for her first day of pre-school. Had he and Abby become so close that he considered her a daughter? Yes, he decided. She would never replace Kelly, no one could, but he loved her as much as he had his own daughter.
He thought about it as he answered the phone at his desk, around noon. Maybe one day, he and Abby would be as close as he was with Kelly.
"Agent Gibbs? I'm calling about your ward, Abby. She got in a fight in the lunchroom today."
If he didn't throttle her first.
_-_-_-_
Alright, I realize that this took forever, but I recently had a tiny medical scare. Those who have read some of my other work know that I've got a little baby girl on the way. I'm fine and back at home now, but I've been submitted to the torture called bed rest. Now, in theory, bed rest seems like a lot of fun. I mean, it's an excuse to be lazy. In actually, I've gone so far off my freakin' rocker that it's in an entirely different county. Paired with the fact that I don't have a laptop yet, my updates have been slow. Never fear though, my husband has gone back to work, which means that no one can snitch to the doctor if I happen to leave the bed to get some writing done. There! Now you more about my personal life than you ever wanted to! I know the fight seems out of character for Abby, but once you get all the details, it should make more sense. Next chapter has Abby in trouble for the first time since Gibbs met her. This is short, but I think I need to cut it off here so that the next chapter flows better.
Thanks for being patient with me!