ABBYCADABRA.
Gibbs' Basement. Morning. December 23.
As usual when he has any free time Gibbs is working on his boat and enjoying the quiet. He would be spending Christmas Day with Fornell and Emily and trying to be polite to Dianne. He'd have turned Tobias down without a second thought but the FBI agent had brought Emily to invite him and surprisingly he had found his lips forming the word yes. The look on Dianne' s face when they'd told her had been priceless but as it came from Emily there was no way she could un-invite him.
Gibbs' musings are interrupted by a pounding on his front door which he ingores. Anyone he wanted to see would know to walk right in. Then as he hears the door opening and heavy boots clomping down the hall he moves over to his gun drawer only relaxing as Abby calls out as she appears at the top of the stairs.
"Hey Gibbs."
"Hi Abby. Why did you knock?"
"Didn't know what I might be disturbing." She grins wickedly as she walks down the stairs.
"Fair point. I thought you were going to your brother's for Christmas?"
"My flights not for several hours so I came by to drop off your present."
"Abs!"
"I know we said no buying presents this year but I made this and anyway that was your idea not mine." From behind her back she produces a beribboned box which she hands to him.
"Should I open it now?" He knows for her the best part of present giving is seeing people's reactions.
"Sure."
He takes the box over to his workbench and carefully unwraps it. Opening it he can see it is filled with several cases of dvds. Puzzled he lifts one out almost dropping it in shock as he examines it. The cover is pictures of Shannon and Kelly and it's title is Camping Trip. He looks over at Abby who is standing somewhat nervously back by the boat.
"Abs?"
"I saw your home movies months ago when we went out for my birthday. Remember you'd been at that crime scene all day so I brought you home to change first? I wasn't prying or anything I just saw the tapes on the shelf looking rather battered. So I've been taking them home a couple at a time and cleaning them up. The tapes were really worn but with a little effort and Abby magic they're almost as good as new. Then I transferred them to dvd."
He is so touched by her gesture that he doesn't know how to respond although he knows not to hurt her feelings by telling her of the one huge flaw in her otherwise perfect gift.
"Thanks Abs". He kisses her on the cheek.
"Merry Christmas Gibbs." She gives him a big hug before bouncing up the stairs. At the top she turns and looks back. "Oh, I almost forgot." She takes out a piece of paper and waves it at him. "Step by step instructions for operating your dvd player. I'll leave them next to it on my way out. See ya in the new year."
He smiles. She knew him so well she had spotted the flaw in her present and found a way to fix it. He hoped she would like the gift he had made and sent to her brother's place weeks ago.
