Fathers' Day
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. It's not possible to reply individually to any guest reviews on FFN so hope a blanket thank you will do. Hugs also to With the Grain who is my 'go to' girl on any fishing related matters! Could not have done these next few chapters without her, and hugs also Gibbsredhoodie for listening to me rambling on.
Chapter 52 – New Beginning
Gibbs lay on his back gazing up at the night sky, eyes roaming over the constellations he could recognize, the whole starscape much more vivid out here in the country than in DC. He was gently stroking his fingers through Abby's thick hair as she lay sprawled across his front, legs tangled with his and head resting on his chest, her breathing steady and even as he acted as her pillow again.
He couldn't remember the last time he felt so content and it was an emotion he wasn't used to, so it left him feeling calm but oddly unsettled... as if he couldn't believe he'd been that lucky again. This time alone was just what they'd both needed. A welcome contrast to the emotional stresses of the past couple of crowded days.
They'd slept for a few hours before Gibbs woke as Abby stirred and snuggled closer, murmuring his name and tightening her arms around him. Now the soothing repetitive motion of his fingers pulling through her hair eventually penetrated the fog of sleep and Abby nuzzled her face into his chest, kissing his skin.
When she began a slow teasing undulation of her hips, Gibbs moaned as his body responded and slid his hands down to cup her ass, rocking his hips up. When Abby raised her head, opening sleepy green eyes and moving up his front to seek his lips, the slide of her skin sparked his nerve endings into life.
Gibbs rolled them over, pinning her and smothering her giggles with his mouth, kissing her until she was boneless beneath him. Worshipping her body in the same way she'd tormented him last night, Gibbs slowly and thoroughly explored every curve, demanding a response until Abby was writhing in his grip as his mouth teased her.
Her hands came to rest on his head, threading through his hair as she undulated against his mouth, moaning his name amid increasingly desperate instructions.
All her focus on what his lips and tongue were doing to her, Abby rested her feet on his back, arching off the blanket with a hoarse cry as she came hard. Gibbs hung onto her hips as she bucked beneath him, easing her down off her high with gentle licks and caresses.
Kissing his way gently back up her still trembling body, he let Abby draw him down into a lingering kiss. Moaning into his mouth as she tasted herself on his tongue, she slid her hands down his back to grip his ass and canted her hips up as he buried himself inside her.
As he set a fast pace, driving into her, Abby encouraged him to take what he needed as she wrapped herself around him and it wasn't long before Gibbs was groaning his release into her neck.
Clinging together in the aftermath, it took a while for their heartbeats to calm and aftershocks to stop skittering through them both, before taking the opportunity to cool off overheated flesh in the lake and clean up. They got dressed in the change of clothes they'd brought with them, shorts and T-shirts before settling down on the blanket again to sleep. Gibbs wasn't keen on letting any early morning fisherman get an eyeful of his girl.
Sleeping for a few more hours wrapped up together, it was daylight when Gibbs came awake to the feel of her mouth pressing feather light kisses across his face, murmuring a good morning and almost purring his name when she reached his mouth.
Kissing her back lazily, Gibbs eventually slid his mouth down to nuzzle her neck, suckling over the spot that drove her crazy, rolling onto his side so he could snuggle into her body more closely.
"Oh God..." Abby moaned as a rush of heat shot through her body as his teeth grazed over her pulse point. "Don't start something we haven't got time to finish."
That brought his head up and a sleepy blue eye opened. "Woz time?"
She giggled at his sleepy mumble, stroking her fingers through his hair. "We've got about an hour to get to Jackson."
His head dropped to nuzzle into her neck again as a hand slid down her back to squeeze her ass and a mutter into her neck was the only answer. "Wanna stay here."
Abby laughed. A snugly sleepy Gibbs was adorable. "Well, so would I... but I'm hungry."
Gibbs chuckled, the vibration rolling through her skin, making her shiver, his voice still rough from sleep. "Again."
"Yup... and I don't know if you've noticed," Abby tugged his hair but he didn't move, "but we haven't got any coffee."
A pause while he considered that, followed by a grunt. "Jack'll bring some."
"You better hope he does coz if this is you uncaffeinated, you're not gonna last the day."
Another sleepy mumble was all she got and she gave up trying to get him to move and wrapped her arms round him instead as Gibbs dozed against her neck. Abby could easily have lain here all day holding him... well, in between doing other things to him all day.
Finally waking an hour or so later and after a quick breakfast of leftovers, they packed up the truck and made ready to leave. Abby pulled her hair up into loose pigtails and grabbed her sunhat in lieu of her parasol.
They didn't refer directly to their conversation the night before but both sensed something had subtly shifted... as what they'd discussed gradually sank in. There was an extra level of contentment, of feeling connected arcing between them and both felt it, even if neither acknowledged it... merely contenting themselves with exchanging kisses and soft caresses, drawn to each other whenever they were within reach.
As Gibbs opened the door to Jack's truck to usher Abby inside, she wound her arms round his neck and kissed him deeply, making his head spin, his hands sliding to her hips to pull her against him.
When she pulled back, Abby smiled, nuzzling his nose. "Won't have a lot of chances today to do that, so I'm stocking up."
He grinned, leaning in for another taste. "Works for me."
She scratched her fingers through the stubble on his cheeks and he shrugged. "Razor's back at the store."
"Mmm... I've always liked a man with a bit of scruff," she murmured against his mouth. "Even if it does result in beard burn."
Driving down the track to the bay, they saw Jackson and Maggie had already arrived in Maggie's truck. Leaping out when they pulled up, Abby ran towards the pair and wrapped Jackson and Maggie in enthusiastic hugs.
Pulling back from the warm embrace, Jackson grinned as he read the legend on Abby's T-shirt, It's not how deep you fish, it's how you wiggle your worm.
Maggie laughed and murmured in her ear as she passed Abby, "Now ain't that the truth," triggering a fit of giggles from the younger woman.
Between the four of them, they transferred tackle boxes, fishing gear, and whatever else they would need for the day, from both trucks into the boat. Then with Gibbs standing near the water and helping to direct, Maggie backed her boat and trailer down the boat ramp until the trailer wheels were submerged.
As Maggie made to walk along the hitch to release the winch line on the bow, Gibbs waved her back, calling out. "I can get that, Mags."
Maggie looked startled at Gibbs using her nickname and Abby saw her blush slightly when the older woman took in the lop-sided grin he was directing her way. "Well, then, I'm not going to say no to that offer, Jethro. Thanks."
Abby watched as Gibbs walked along the hitch to the front of the boat where he released the bow line and pushed it off the trailer into the water, leaping into the boat at the same time. Abby glanced at Maggie standing by her shoulder, grinning when she heard the older woman give a low appreciative whistle as they were treated to a great view of his ass as Gibbs jumped in.
Maggie gave her a rueful smile and Abby giggled, turning back to watch as Gibbs rowed the boat towards the shore so they could climb aboard, admiring the play of arm muscles and the way his neck muscles corded under the effort. His T-shirt was stretched across his chest and the early morning sun glinted off his silver hair... and she really needed to get herself under control or she was going to embarrass herself.
Maggie pulled the trailer into a small parking area nearby where she and Abby switched the trailer to the back of Jack's truck.
Maggie jumped down from her truck and grinned as she approached Abby, looping her arm through Jackson's and giving him a kiss. "Well, have a great day... I'm envious but somebody round here's gotta work. You sure you can put up with this one all day, Abby?"
Abby laughed. "Well, it's gonna be tough but I'll force myself."
"Well, just remember the old adage," Maggie lowered her voice and leaned towards Abby. "Men and fish are alike... they both get into trouble when they open their mouths."
"Hey." Jackson protested, rolling his eyes at Maggie's teasing.
Abby watched the banter between them with a smile, reaching out a hand to Maggie when the older woman turned to her. "I might be out when you get back anyway so I'll say bye now. Come see us when you're both back again, won't you, Abby?"
"I'd really like that, Maggie," Abby nodded eagerly, before wrapping Maggie in another warm hug.
Gibbs raised a hand in farewell as Maggie climbed into her truck and drove off, waving out of the window. Gibbs was in the rear of the boat preparing the motor as Abby helped Jackson step into the boat and settle into his seat at the bow. Before climbing in, she shoved them off from shore and took her seat in the middle.
Abby plastered on the sunscreen and grabbed her sun hat which Jackson took from her, teasing that it was so big, it would probably shade all of them. She poked her tongue out at him as he reached over to jam it on her head and he chuckled, reaching for his camera to snap a quick photo as Abby turned to talk to Gibbs.
Abby rummaged in their supplies. Maggie had packed enough food for the day and a cooler of beer and soft drinks, and a couple of thermos of coffee. She handed over one to Gibbs, watching as he had the top off and was downing a cup of the dark brew in record time, even for him.
"Well, that's Jethro's supply of coffee, Jack. Not sure what me and you are gonna do," she teased, squealing when Gibbs splashed her.
Motoring down the lake, Jackson pointed out landmarks to Abby, explaining the history of the lake. "You see that bay comin' up, Abby?" Jackson gestured at a sheltered bay ahead, grinning fondly at the memory. "We tried that bay for the first time years ago and his mom out-fished the pair of us... she never let us forget that, did she, Leroy?"
Gibbs laughed, shaking his head. "Nope... kept wanting to come back here too." Gibbs gazed at the bay as they motored past and Abby saw he was lost in his thoughts. When they cleared the bay, Gibbs called out. "Where d'ya wanna try first, dad? Jack's stump?"
"Where's that?" Abby asked, curiously.
Jackson turned. "It's up ahead... under that headland where the trees overhang, see? It's an old tree stump the fish hide out under." He looked past Abby to Gibbs and suggested. "We could try there this morning and then troll a bit this afternoon on the other side of the lake."
They motored to the spot and got set up. Maggie had brought her fishing gear for Abby to borrow, including her own tackle box, and Jackson had dug out Gibbs' old fishing poles and tackle box that he'd kept from when he was a kid, to save him bringing his own from DC.
It was also the tackle box he'd used on visits back here with Shannon and Kelly, and his fingers traced the sticker on the outside that Shannon had given him one year as a joke, but which he'd always liked coz of its double meaning... A wise fisherman lives here...with the catch of his life.
Gibbs swallowed against the sudden upsurge of emotion as he remembered how she'd gotten another one for their house and he wasn't sure the last time he'd seen it.
Gibbs looked up, catching Abby's concerned gaze as she rested a hand on his arm. He smiled reassuringly, squeezing her hand and turning his attention back to the tackle box.
Gibbs shook his head as he sorted through it, amazed his dad had kept everything, including the knife his mom gave him one birthday and which he'd left behind on his last trip to Stillwater, just before he lost his girls.
Jackson saw his son looking through it and told him quietly. "Found it a month or so back... thought you might like it again. Been turnin' up all sorts as I've been going through a few things... started to sort out a few boxes and stuff up in the attic."
Gibbs looked at his dad, catching his gaze and nodded. "Thanks, dad."
TBC...
