Title: Rewriting the Rules 14 – A Man Walks Into A Bar
Author: Jo. R (driftingatdusk)
Rating: FR-7
Pairing: Abby/Gibbs
Category: Post-ep, Romance, Friendship.
Spoilers: 8x14 – A Man Walks Into A Bar
Summary: What's broken can be fixed, and rules can be rewritten.
Almost as soon as she'd said yes to his invitation to stay for dinner rather than go back to her hotel for a lonely room service meal for one, Rachel Cranston heard the front door open and close. She glanced at Gibbs curiously, watching as a small, unmistakably fond grin appeared on his face, forcing him to duck his head in an attempt at hiding it.
She continued to finish sending a text message to her husband, assuring him she was okay and was having dinner with Kate's friends rather than sitting in an empty room on her own – he had offered to come with her but she'd insisted she'd be fine – but kept glancing at the staircase as though expecting someone to come downstairs..
When the footsteps she heard seemed to go in the opposite direction, Rachel realised Gibbs was heading up the stairs to the main level of the house and decided to follow him, clutching her phone in one hand and the jar with the remnants of the bourbon he'd given her in the other.
"Any preference to what take out you want?" Gibbs asked, shooting her a look over his shoulder as he led the way into the living room. "We got Chinese, Italian, Indian, Thai…"
"Chinese," she answered immediately, her stomach growling at the thought of King Prawn Noodles.
Her answer made him pause for a split-second but the explanation for it came from behind her.
"That was Kate's favourite, too." Abby shrugged a shoulder, glancing passed the surprised psychiatrist to the man heading towards the kitchen.
"How's DiNozzo doing?" Gibbs asked, momentarily forgetting their guest. He arched an eyebrow when Abby shrugged again before answering.
"He's hurting," Abby answered eventually after taking a moment to smooth down the red hooded sweatshirt she'd pulled over her clothes. At least three times too big for her, it swamped her frame and was almost as long as her skirt but, Rachel thought, it somehow seemed right on her. "He'll probably have a hangover tomorrow but he wanted to be alone." Rachel looked between the two of them, confusion and concern that Abby saw on her face. "He'll be okay. He just needs some time. He loved her," she added quietly. "We all did."
"I know." Rachel smiled softly, her eyes stinging once again. It helped a little, she thought, to know her sister had been surrounded by people who loved her before she'd died. It didn't make the pain go away entirely but then she'd had six years to accept that wasn't going to happen easily. "Are you sure you don't mind me staying for dinner...?"
She watched the forensic specialist closely, waiting to see a flash of irritation that she hadn't been consulted over the invitation. When none came, Rachel decided what Kate had told her about the other woman was probably all true.
"Not at all." Abby's gaze landed on the jar she held in her hand and she rolled her eyes. "Would you like something else to drink? We've got beer and wine in the fridge, and actual real glasses in the cupboards, too."
"A beer would be fine." Rachel handed her the glass as she past, following her with her eyes as she followed Gibbs into the kitchen. Lingering in the small dining area, Rachel eavesdropped unashamedly to their conversation.
"A jar, Gibbs? You could've given her the cup."
"Cup's yours, Abs. No one else uses it. You want your usual?"
"Please."
The answer was quiet enough that Rachel knew she wasn't meant to hear and delivered very matter-of-factly. She wasn't surprised when Abby returned holding two bottles of beer, her cheeks lightly tinged with pink and a small smile curling up the corners of her mouth.
The two women moved to sit in the living room, with Abby curling up at one end of the couch after giving Rachel her bottle of beer. The psychiatrist chose the chair, subconsciously choosing a spot that would allow to observe the couple.
"I take it he showed you the basement?" Abby asked after a few moments of silence.
"He did. It helped." Rachel took a swig from her bottle. She waited a moment, giving Abby time to speak further, breaking the silence herself when the black haired woman didn't. "So you and Gibbs... You've been together a while, I take it?"
"A while," Abby confirmed, a small smile playing on her lips. "It's not exactly a secret but..."
"I won't go putting it in my report," Rachel was quick to assure her. "There's no reason I would need to. It's obviously not impacting your work or I would have realised sooner."
A shadow passed over Abby's features but it was gone before Rachel could really be sure it was there. Making a mental note to bring it up if the opportunity arose, the psychologist took a sip from her bottle of beer, her gaze tracking Gibbs as he re-entered the room. He didn't even hesitate, she noted, taking his place on the couch beside Abby, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she curled into his side as though it were just the two of them.
Remembering her sister's suspicions, remembering Kate's musings on the close relationship between the pair and her confusion that Abby's relationship with Agent McGee had failed, Rachel couldn't help but picture her sister's reaction to what was in front of her and found she had to lift her bottle again to hide a smile.
Kate, she thought, would approve.
Dinner was a casual, friendly affair. They spoke about Kate so much it was almost as if she was in the room with them. Abby liked to think that she was and smiled to herself, easily picturing Kate's embarrassed smile as she told Rachel some of the stories she knew would have made the other woman cringe.
Just before Rachel said her goodbyes and left for her hotel to finish writing her report, Abby sent Gibbs to the basement to get the sketchpad she knew he kept there, taking it from him when he returned and retook his place beside her wordlessly.
"You should have this," Abby told Rachel, handing her the sketchpad. "It meant a lot to Kate."
Rachel took the sketchpad, conscious of them watching her. She set her almost empty bottle down and carefully opened it to the first page, a smile curving her lips even as tears stung her eyes.
Her sister had always had a passion for drawing, she recalled. And a talent, though Kate had always been too modest when someone had praised her.
Flicking through the pages, Rachel found herself laughing with Abby as she saw each image of the team, captured in a way that was distinctive of Kate – affectionate caricatures of the people she loved, capturing what it was about them that made them unique. She ran her fingers over the carefully sketched lines, an image of her sister leaning over the page, tongue peeking out between her teeth as she concentrated coming to the forefront of her mind.
After studying the final image, Rachel closed the sketchpad. She stared at the cover for a few moments before lifting her head, her eyes finding Abby's as she held the pad out to her. "You should keep it. It's what she would have wanted."
After exchanging a quick look with Gibbs, Abby accepted the sketchpad with a soft smile of thanks.
"Thank you for inviting me to stay for dinner," Rachel said, getting to her feet. She smiled at both of them as they also stood. "And for talking to me about Kate."
Abby returned the smile and moved closer, hugging her on impulse. After a split-second of surprise, Rachel returned the hug warmly and felt comforted by the other woman's arm around her waist as they walked towards the door.
"Call us when you're next in town," Abby told her quietly, her easy use of the word 'us' making both Rachel and Gibbs, walking a few steps behind them, smile.
Rachel found herself caught in another hug before Abby released her. "I will," she promised, knowing she was telling the truth. "It was really nice talking to you both."
"Anytime." Gibbs nodded to her as he slid his arm around Abby's waist when she rejoined him, the gesture so casual it made Rachel wonder, not for the first time, just how long 'a while' was. "Have a safe journey home."
"I will." With another smile at the couple, Rachel headed for the taxi cab waiting for her at the end of the drive. She slipped into the backseat and gave the driver the name of her hotel, glancing back through the window at the couple standing in the doorway as the cab pulled away from the curb.
The couple were evidently good for each other. Gibbs wasn't the broken man Kate had described to her; there seemed to be an air of peace around him that spread to the woman at his side. As she watched, Abby tilted her head up and smiled softly, contentment clear to see on her face.
Kate would definitely approve, Rachel decided. She had cared for them both and would have been pleased to know they'd found happiness together.
End