A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back! Did you miss me? I got lots of writing done while I was away, unfortunately very little of it for this chapter. So I scrambled to get a new chapter written because I didn't want any more time to go by. Hopefully it doesn't stink. The last chapter was kinda heavy on all the case stuff, so you get a butt-load of fluff this time. Enjoy!
Chapter Eleven
"I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before
Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all."*
*"One and Only" by Adele
"Come on," Abby murmured, rocking Gavin back and forth. He'd slept for about ten minutes after having his last bottle and had been crying on and off ever since. His eyes were drooping, he kept yawning, but every time he dozed off Abby had made the mistake of trying to put him down so she could get back to work.
At which point he would wake up and start screaming to be held.
Ziva had tried to help, but Gavin steadfastly refused to calm down for anyone but Abby. She would have felt flattered, if she hadn't been feeling so frazzled.
By the time Gibbs knocked on the door to the lab, Abby had sent Ziva upstairs to work. Someone might as well get some work done. She'd finished running all the prints on the beer cans, and there really wasn't anything else for Ziva to do. The rest needed Abby's full attention, and she couldn't give it when she couldn't even have an arm free to type with.
Frustrated, Abby didn't even turn around, she simply hit the button on her remote control to open the door.
"Hey, Abbs." Gibb's voice was like a balm washing over her, telling her that everything would be all right.
She turned around and buried her face in his chest. "Hey, Gibbs," she murmured, her voice muffled by his shirt. Gibbs put his arms around her and gave her a hug.
"You okay?" Dumb question, but he said it so sincerely that she couldn't feel annoyed.
"Nope."
"Well, Ms. Fowler's upstairs in the conference room. She wants to talk to you before she leaves."
Abby wrinkled her nose and pulled away from him. "Do I have to?"
"Yeah." Gibbs took Gavin out of her arms and nodded towards the door. "I'll watch the kids for you."
Abby frowned. "I wonder what she wants."
Gibbs glanced down at Gavin then back at her with a 'duh' expression on his face.
"Oh." Abby adjusted her shirt. "Um, I'd better tell Beth where I'm going."
She approached the little girl slowly, not wanting to leave. She was terrified that Ms. Fowler was going to tell her that Lieutenant Flynn was taking Beth and Gavin home with him. She knew he was their father, but it just didn't feel right. There was no way any of them could trust what he had to say, not yet.
It was too fast.
Beth was playing with the ant squishing app Abby had shown her just a few days before on her iPad. She had gotten pretty good at the game, far surpassing Abby's high score. Abby wasn't sure if she was proud or afraid.
"Hey." Abby crouched down next to the desk chair. "I need to go upstairs and talk to someone."
Beth nodded and started to slide out of the chair.
"Just me, Beth." Abby smiled. "Gibbs came down to play with you and your brother."
Beth finished sliding out of the chair and peered around Abby. Her eyes lit up when she saw Gibbs.
Abby laughed. "Figures, Gibbs charms all the ladies, huh Miss Beth?"
Beth signed silver haired fox and Abby nodded. "Yeah, our silver haired fox. I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?"
Beth nodded.
Abby felt like she was walking to the dungeon in one of the old video games McGee used to try and get her to play. After the experience she'd had with the social worker who did her home study, she'd been left feeling unusually unsure of herself. Abby liked who she was, she really did, but when you came up against a strong prejudice just because of the way you look, it still hurt.
Ms. Fowler, or Amy rather, had seemed nice enough when she'd signed temporary custody over to her, but that didn't mean anything. She could still decide to take Beth and Gavin away and give them to their dad, or put them in another foster home.
Abby had no control, and she hated it.
Sure, she knew the foster care thing was temporary. Deep down, she was praying that Lieutenant Flynn was 100% innocent and Beth and Gavin could go back to their father. The only problem was, they didn't know if that was true. He might have killed their mother.
He might have killed their mother.
Abby couldn't stop thinking about that. Sure, she'd held people's lives in her hands before, when she was processing evidence that would change someone's life for better or worse. That didn't even compare to the feeling she had right now. It wasn't just about one person victim, it was about those two children downstairs in her lab.
The way someone felt about her could change their lives forever, and that terrified her.
Abby walked slowly up the stairs, taking her time with each step. When she finally reached the right floor, she paused, biting her lip. It had to be okay.
Right?
Stop being such a baby, Abby, she told herself. You've faced way scarier people. You can handle one social worker.
Determined to work things out, Abby headed towards the conference room, where she found Ms. Amy Fowler desperately dabbing at a giant wet spot in the middle of her blouse.
"I'm such a klutz," Amy whined when she caught sight of Abby.
Abby walked over to her. "What happened?"
"I dumped half a cup of coffee down my shirt." Amy let out a huff and tossed the paper napkins onto the conference table. "I give up. I'm going home after this anyway, so it doesn't matter."
Abby tried to smile encouragingly but she had a feeling she was failing, miserably. She just wanted to scream and demand that Amy get to the point already.
"Agent Gibbs says you're doing well with Gavin and Beth."
Abby nodded. "Yeah, we're doing good. I'm learning to live with a lot less sleep."
Amy chuckled. "That's normal. Is Beth still not talking?"
"Nope, not a word. I've been teaching her some words in sign language though."
"Really?" Amy grabbed a notebook and jotted some things down. "You know sign language?"
"Yeah, fluently. My parents were both deaf."
"Interesting." Amy glanced up. "She seems okay communicating that way?"
"Yeah."
"How's she doing with other people? Is she still clinging to your co-worker?"
"McGee? Well, he's still her favorite person, but she's slowly branching out. She gets nervous if people show up without announcing themselves, but even that seems a little better today."
Amy was still scribbling down notes. "Excellent. I'm glad to hear that. She's been through a lot and I know it will take time, but I'm glad she's making progress already. It sounds like you're doing a good job."
"Thanks." Abby actually blushed a little. She hadn't been expecting to hear that.
"Do you have any concerns you'd like me to address before I leave?"
Abby's head snapped up. "Uh, yeah. If you can take the time."
"No problem." Amy smiled at her and pulled out a chair for herself. "This is my last appointment for the day, and I don't have any pressing plans other than to take off these shoes and lay on the couch like a slug." She plopped down in the chair. "What's on your mind?"
Abby sat down gingerly beside her. "Well, I was wondering about Lieutenant Flynn."
"Oh." Amy frowned. "I can't really talk about what we discussed earlier."
"I didn't expect that," Abby hurried to explain. "I just wondered if he was going to be able to take the kids back. I mean, soon."
"Oh. Well I can tell you it is most definitely on Mr. Flynn's agenda. He desires to have his children back as soon as possible."
"But he could be a murderer!" Abby blurted out, then clapped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment.
Amy cracked a smile. "I understand your apprehension, but he is their father and he does have legal rights, despite his status as a person of interest in your investigation."
"So, he can get them back."
Amy smoothed her hair out of her eyes. "In a nutshell, yes. But that all depends on him not being charged with anything, being released, and filing with the court. The good news is, this all takes time. Even if he was released today with no charges, the quickest he could get before a judge would be a week or so."
"A week," Abby repeated, biting her lip.
Amy nodded. "If your team truly believes Lieutenant Flynn killed his wife, I hope you have enough evidence to arrest him on. Suspicion alone isn't enough for the DSS to refuse custody."
Somewhat resigned, Abby nodded. "Okay, I can work with that I guess." It wasn't the complete reassurance she had wanted but neither was it the imminent removal she had feared.
"You're doing a good thing." Amy leaned back in her chair. "Being a foster parent is tough enough normal, and you're dealing with all the complications of a murder case on top of it all. I'm actually kinda impressed."
"Really?" Abby couldn't help but feel flattered.
"Really." Amy smiled. "Just keep doing what you're doing and remember, the end goal is to reunite families when at all possible."
Feeling a little chastised, Abby took a deep breath. "I do know that. And it is what I want, honest. You know, as long as their father isn't a murderer, of course."
Amy laughed. "Deal." Standing up, she extended a hand to Abby. "It was nice seeing you again, Ms. Scuito."
"Right back atcha, Ms. Fowler." Abby shook Amy's hand and watched as she left.
McGee appeared in the room almost immediately. "How did it go? Are you okay?"
Abby smiled a little. Sometimes McGee reminded her of an over-eager little puppy, all full of energy and so desperate to please.
Maybe that was why she loved him so much.
Abby felt her stomach tighten as the thought flashed through her brain and she chastised herself for it. Of course she loved McGee, she'd been saying that for years.
So why did it feel different now?
Abby forced her brain back to the matter at hand. She had hesitated in answering McGee's questions and he was looking very nervous now. "It went all right. And I'm fine."
"Really?" McGee stepped directly in front of her and searched her eyes.
"Really," Abby said honestly. The talk with Ms. Fowler hadn't necessarily gone the way she'd wanted it to, but she could recognize that it had gone very well considering the circumstances.
McGee gave her a crooked grin. "Yeah? Okay, good. What did she say?"
"She said even if he filed tomorrow he couldn't get in front of a judge until next week, at least." Abby took a deep breath. "So I really hope Tony is down there picking his brain for lots of good information."
McGee's face sobered and Abby felt her stomach lurch. "What?"
He held up his phone. "Tony texted me a couple minutes ago."
"What?" Abby squawked when he paused.
"We don't have any evidence," McGee said softly. "And his alibi checks out."
"No." Abby crossed her arms. "You have got to be kidding me."
He looked apologetic. "They have to let him go."
Abby swore under her breath and McGee looked at her in shock. Abby never swore, but somehow it seemed appropriate at that moment.
"We're going to get him."
"You can't promise that." Abby had her hands clenched into tight fists. She really, really wanted to hit someone. Not McGee, just someone. Maybe Tony if he got in her way.
"Gibbs." McGee said the word with great emphasis. "You know Gibbs is not going to let this go until he finds out who killed Christina Flynn. You know that."
Abby relaxed her fists and flung her arms around McGee's middle. "I know," she mumbled, her voice muffled against his chest.
McGee's arms came around her gingerly. Warm and safe, Abby thought as she closed her eyes.
McGee always made her feel warm and safe.
McGee accompanied Abby back down to the lab, probably to make sure she didn't stop off at some point and beat someone up in interrogation. Which she wasn't completely sure was a bad idea.
She didn't mind him following her. She knew he was just trying to make sure she was okay, and it was sweet. The elevator ride was quiet, McGee glancing nervously at her as she pondered what she was going to do now.
Abby decided to be wild and crazy and not announce herself before walking into the lab. Beth really was getting better about that. Hopefully she'd be so happy to see McGee that she wouldn't get scared. Besides, she was with Gibbs, and who didn't feel all safe and secure when they were with him?
"Um, hi?" Abby raised her eyebrows at the scene before her.
Gibbs was sitting on the floor in the middle of the lab. Gavin was asleep on a blanket next to him, and he and Beth were using Sharpies to create a large drawing on a piece of poster board.
"Hey, Abbs," Gibbs said, barely glancing up. "How'd the talk go?"
"Fine." Abby stared in horror.
Beth leapt up when she spotted McGee and ran over to him. Abby snatched the blue Sharpie out of her hand before it could hit McGee's ear.
Abby re-capped the marker and shook her head. Crossing her arms, she stared down at Gibbs. "Gibbs, you do know these are permanent markers, right?"
His head shot up and the look on his face said it all.
Well, that and the red scribble on his right cheek. "Oh my… Gibbs!" Abby started to giggle.
"How permanent?" he asked.
"Um, a couple days?"
McGee had his hand over his mouth and looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh. He also looked like he was a little afraid Gibbs was going to hurt him for laughing, or at least that was Abby's theory as to why he was holding Beth in front of him like a shield.
"Beth, honey," Abby asked gently. "Why did you draw on Gibbs' face?"
Beth shrugged.
"Better question," McGee said softly, "why did Gibbs let her?"
Gibbs glared at him and Abby giggled again.
"Hey Beth?" McGee crouched down. "What did you draw on Gibbs?"
Beth poked a tiny finger at her lips.
McGee frowned. "Lips?"
She shook her head and puckered her lips, then touched her finger to his cheek.
"A kiss?"
Beth nodded.
"Aww." Abby grinned down at Gibbs. "She gave you a kiss."
Gibbs appeared to be struggling between laughing and growling. Climbing to his feet with a slight groan, he settled for shooting McGee a glare. "Why don't you guys just head on home. There's nothing pressing that needs to get done."
"I still need to get started on what Ducky sent up."
"Just run the sample through and go home while it's scanning."
Abby stared at Gibbs as if he'd suggested she bleach her hair blonde and wear khakis to work. "Gibbs, you cannot just leave a mass spectrometer running without supervision. That's my baby. You don't leave babies alone overnight."
Beth tilted her head and signed baby to Gibbs.
Gibbs laughed. "Different kind of baby."
"Gibbs!" Abby complained.
"Just start it first thing in the morning," he told her. "Go home. Get some sleep. Feed your little budding artist."
McGee coughed, no doubt still trying to cover up his laughter.
Abby looked around her lab forlornly, torn between wanting to go home and relax and doing her job which she loved very much.
"Go." Gibbs kissed her on the cheek. "I've got to go…find some soap or something."
Abby was in the shower when McGee's cell phone rang. They had been back at her apartment for a couple hours at that point. Beth was sound asleep in her room, and he was relaxing on the couch with Gavin, who had just drunk a bottle and was resisting sleep like a champ.
He shifted Gavin to his other arm and pulled his phone from his pocket. "Hey Mom," he said softly.
"Timothy McGee, why haven't you called me back? I left you three messages."
McGee made a face. "I know, Mom, I'm sorry. We've had a really tough case and I just haven't had a free moment," he told her honestly as Gavin chewed on a fist and stared up at him.
"I hope that boss of yours isn't working you too hard."
He couldn't help the smile that spread over his face. "Mom, you do realize that I'm thirty-four, right?"
"I'm still your mother. I worry."
He laughed a little then. "I know you do. Shouldn't you worry a little less about me and a little more about Sarah?" He wasn't above passing the worry stick along to his little sister.
"Ugh, that Sarah." He could almost hear his mother roll her eyes over the line. "I've gotten quite enough gray hairs over that girl already, don't you think?"
"Probably," McGee murmured, watching Gavin yawn.
"…are you even listening to me?"
With a start, McGee realized that he had not, in fact, been listing to her and had apparently missed something important while he watched Gavin squirm around in his arms.
"Sorry," he murmured. "What were you saying?"
"I was saying how happy I am that you and your father seem to be working through your issues."
"I'm happy about that too, Mom." No matter how strained the relationship had been, his father was still his father. McGee had never stopped wishing they could have had some kind of a normal relationship.
"He said that he emailed you?"
McGee smiled, remembering the contents of the email he had received just a few days before, and all that had transpired since. "Yeah. He said you want grandkids."
"Oh that man," he heard her muttering under her breath. "I have two full grown children and I love babies, of course I want grandkids. He didn't offer to arrange your marriage or anything, did he?"
"Nah."
"Oh good." She sighed. "Your father never did learn the fine art of subtlety. For example, I might have just asked if you had found yourself a nice girl yet."
McGee was smiling at his mother's statement when Abby came out of the bathroom. Wrapped in a fluffy black bathrobe, her hair wet and curling as it hung over her shoulders, she glanced curiously at the phone in his hand.
"Timothy?"
McGee swallowed. "Yeah, I'm here, Mom."
Abby beamed when she heard him say "mom" and disappeared into her office, probably to check on Beth.
Beth. The sides of McGee's mouth curled up. "Actually Mom, I have met a really sweet girl recently. Yeah, she's got big green eyes and the cutest strawberry blond curls." He knew he should feel guilty, but this was way too much fun.
"You met a girl?" Joanna McGee's voice climbed a few notes. "When did this happen? Is it serious?"
"I just met her a couple days ago," McGee told her, tickling Gavin's bare foot. "She seems to like me though."
Abby chose this moment to come out of the office and sat down cross legged on the couch next to him. Elbow on knee, chin propped up in her hand, she watched him and blatantly listened in to the conversation.
McGee listened as his mother let out another squeal. "That's just wonderful, Timothy! I thought you were never going to get over that Goth girl from work you dated."
Abby crooked her eyebrows and McGee blushed. Apparently he had the volume up high enough for her to have heard that one. Oops.
"Mom," he murmured, "that was a long time ago that I dated Abby."
"Well you still talk about her all the time."
McGee silently cursed the fact that he had the volume that high as Abby laughed so hard she nearly fell off the couch.
Gavin thought it was funny too, and beamed his gummy smile at the two of them, letting his saliva-laden fist fall out of his mouth.
McGee was just about to confess to his mother that his "girlfriend" was in fact three years old, just to get the subject changed, when Gavin let out a loud succession of single syllable babbles.
"Timothy? Was that a baby?"
Busted.
"Um, yeah, Mom. That was a baby."
Abby laughed again at his expression and bounced off the couch, heading for the kitchen.
McGee spent the next twenty or so minutes explaining who Gavin and Beth were to his mother, confessing that Beth was the "girl" he'd been talking about earlier, and enduring a little good natured ribbing when she found out that he'd been staying at Abby's house.
When he finally managed to get off the phone, after promising to email his father back and at least consider making his mother a grandmother before she was "too old to enjoy it", McGee was exhausted.
It was weird. The previous night, between feeding Gavin, changing Gavin, and walking Gavin, neither of them had spent much time in the bed at all, let alone together. But tonight Gavin was sound asleep, and they were alone.
Abby didn't seem to be having any issues with their sleeping arrangements, McGee noted with a frown. She was curled on her side, facing him, breathing the deep breaths he knew would turn into soft snores pretty soon.
Turning onto his back, he stared at the ceiling. The street lights outside cast just enough of a glow on the room for shadows to flit across the room. He wiggled his fingers to watch the shadows move, then berated himself for acting like a toddler.
Maybe it was his mom's phone call. Sure, he'd carried a torch for Abby a long time after they broke up, but the past couple years he had finally been able to move on. They were friends. That was enough for him.
Wasn't it?
Abby made a noise in her sleep and rolled closer to him. McGee held his breath. It should have been so awkward.
But it wasn't.
Frankly, it felt all too right. He turned to watch her chest move up and down as she breathed, limbs sprawled like a spider across the bed. He should resent the intrusion. He should want to be home, in his own bed.
It had been almost two years since the day McGee had vowed to stop mooning over Abby like a sap. More than enough time to put all those leftover feelings away. Sure, sometimes he got a little possessive when she was dating, but only because he didn't want to see her hurt.
Abby deserved so much. She was so kindhearted, so honest and selfless. McGee had no doubt in his mind that if he ever really needed her that she would be there, no questions asked, no matter what. He'd seen her literally give the shirt off her back to someone once.
He actually felt relieved when he heard Gavin stirring. Scooping up the baby before Abby could be disturbed, he changed Gavin's diaper expertly and headed into the kitchen to fix a bottle.
Sarah would be laughing her head off if she could see him now, McGee thought to himself as he measured out the formula. He'd gotten a text message the day before that said, "See any good poop lately?" She thought this was hilarious. Her big brother playing house.
"This time last week I was playing Call of Duty while drinking beer and eating Doritos," McGee told Gavin. "Living the nerdy bachelor dream."
Gavin stared up at him, then began to squirm because his meal wasn't appearing at the exact second he wanted it.
"I know, you don't care," McGee murmured, taking both the baby and the bottle into the living room where he sank onto the couch. Shifting Gavin into what was becoming a very familiar position, McGee stuck the bottle in his mouth.
"It's all your sister's fault," McGee told him, knowing intellectually that it was insane to be spilling your guts to a three month old, but desperately needing someone to talk to. "She started all this."
Gavin stared at him intently as he suck on the bottle.
McGee shifted his arm to keep it from falling asleep. "You're not completely innocent in all this either. Smiling at everyone, being all cute. I'm basically stuck here until this case gets solved."
McGee sighed. It wasn't that horrible of an idea, he supposed. Surely he could manage another week or so of this without doing something crazy.
Like telling Abby that he loved her.
When Gavin finished his bottle, McGee burped him carefully over a towel, then settled him back down in the crib to sleep. He slid back into the bed, sighing when he realized Abby had sprawled over onto his side and stolen his pillow.
Very carefully, McGee snagged himself a corner of pillow to lie on and tried not to think about how good Abby's hair smelled, or how soft and warm her body was.
They'd better solve this case soon, McGee thought. Or he wasn't going to survive this.
Abby shot upright when she heard the screams. McGee reached for his gun, which was in a locked box in the trunk of his car, then looked over at Abby. Without a word, both tossed the covers aside and ran into the other room where Beth was thrashing around in her bed.
Abby sat down first, towards the top of the bed, stroking Beth's forehead. "Beth honey," she said firmly, "Beth, its okay, baby. It's just a dream."
Beth whimpered, and then her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Abby, her eyes wide and full of tears.
"Come on," Abby murmured, pulling Beth into her arms. "It's okay. It was just a dream. I promise."
Beth opened her arms for McGee the second she saw him, and he pulled her into his lap, cuddling her against his chest. He rubbed her back softly while she pressed her cheek against him. He could feel her letting out tiny shuddering breaths and the dampness of her tears soaking through his skin.
Abby sat off to the side, looking fairly uncomfortable and as if she felt completely useless.
But then Beth reached out a tiny hand to Abby and the woman slid closer, a look of delight on her face that McGee hasn't seen sine she got that new microscope for her lab.
They sat there quietly, him holding Beth and Abby clinging to one of Beth's hands until his shoulders were starting to ache and the deep breaths Beth was taking signaled that she had fallen back asleep.
Abby let go of Beth's hand regretfully, and McGee eased her little body back down on the bed. He pulled the covers back up and tucked them around her, saying a silent prayer that there would be no more nightmares for her that night.
He kissed Beth on the forehead and Abby was staring at him with an unreadable expression on her face.
"You want some hot chocolate?" she asked finally.
McGee nodded and followed her into the kitchen. He sat down at the table while she pulled out mugs and packets of cocoa. When the kettle was on the stove heating up, she turned back to him.
Abby didn't sit down, she just stood there in front of him, her eyes still unreadable, until McGee saw her bite her lower lip and he pulled her onto his lap.
She curled into him, arms around his waist and her head buried in his neck, not all that unlike Beth had been just minutes before.
"I've never been so scared in my whole life," she admitted, pulling back to look him in the eye. "I heard her scream and I don't know what I thought was happening, but I was terrified."
"Me too." McGee had one hand on the small over her back and one resting on her thigh.
"I'm so glad you were here," she murmured, resting her head back on his shoulder. "Beth just wanted you."
"She wanted you too."
"She wanted you first." The kettle began to whistle softly and Abby was up and pulling it off the burner before it could get any louder. She fixed each of them a mug of hot chocolate, tossing in a generous handful of mini marshmallows in each. She dropped the rest of the bag on the table in front of them and sat in a chair to the right of McGee.
"It's good." Abby watched as McGee took a sip and his tongue darted out to remove a spot of chocolate from just above his lip.
"She's too little for nightmares," Abby said after a few minutes, her hands wrapped around the warm mug.
McGee shrugged. "Sarah had nightmares when she was pretty little."
"Yeah, but she could probably at least tell you what they were about."
"Sometimes," McGee told her. "Sometimes she couldn't even remember them." He knew he was saying it partially just to reassure himself, but he didn't care.
"Really?" Abby's eyes were wide and trusting.
"Yeah." McGee sighed. "Maybe Beth will be able to tell you about them anyway."
Abby didn't look like she thought that was going to happen. "She doesn't know enough signs. I've only been able to teach her the basics. It's only been a couple days." Abby lowered her voice. "And I've been too chicken to show her the signs for 'Mom' and 'Dad'."
"Afraid she'll ask about them?"
Abby nodded, looking a little embarrassed. "I mean, I know we told her about her mom, but what if she asks about her dad? I don't know what to tell her." Abby figured that as long as Beth seemed content with her and McGee, she didn't need to rock the boat. At least until they'd solved the case.
McGee swallowed the rest of his hot chocolate and stood up. "You ready to head back to bed?" he asked, realizing instantly just how it sounded and turning a spectacular shade of red.
But Abby just laughed, and somehow that made his embarrassment worthwhile. She grinned as she grabbed their mugs and dumped them in the sink.
She paused and grinned at him. "I'm ready for bed," she sing-songed, and actually pinched his butt on her way by, leaving a stunned and red-faced McGee standing in her kitchen.
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