Closer Reality

Chapter 53 – Scoring Points

On his way to the front door in answer to the doorbell, Gibbs heard the laughter coming from the living room and shook his head, fighting a smile himself. Just as on Christmas Day, the house was full and once again his dad was lapping it up. Being surrounded by friends, by family, suited his dad's gregarious nature and he knew Jackson was making the most of it before he went back to Stillwater on Sunday.

The only change from last week was that Gloria was here instead of Tony, and she was currently being fussed over by both Ducky and Jackson. With Fornell joining in, Gloria looked as if she was enjoying all the attention.

Abby and Emily were in the kitchen and he could hear their animated voices, interspersed with laughter. Before they all went to the fireworks this evening, where he and Fornell had cooked up a surprise, everyone was at their house to spend the afternoon.

Gibbs paused as he reached the door, taking a second to absorb the warmth in the atmosphere and the rightness of how it all felt; a reminder of how family gatherings should be... how they used to be.

The doorbell rang again and when Gibbs opened the door, it was to see Carol leaning on the wall outside the door, a mischievous smile on her face, and Fisher standing next to her. "You get lost on the way to the door, big guy?"

"Get your butt in here, half pint... Hey Fisher."

Carol ushered Fisher ahead of her into the house and Abby emerged from the kitchen, calling out a greeting, and the young boy ran towards her and was swept up in a hug. Carol shrugged out of her coat and headed into the living room.

Jackson and Ducky were sitting either side of Gloria as she leafed through a photo album and the older woman signed a hello at Carol. Fornell was sprawled in the recliner, reading the paper, and he reached out to snag Carol's hand as she approached and pulled her in for a hello kiss.

Emily walked past Gibbs and squatted in front of the fireplace, kneeling on the rug and Carol joined her. Fisher tugged Abby by the hand into the living room and ran towards Fornell, who pulled him onto his lap, listening at the small boy started talking about his morning. Abby leaned into Gibbs' side where he stood in the doorway and he wrapped an arm round her shoulders, kissing her hair.

Carol looked round. "Well, I like this. The house is full of hot men again... Awesome."

"And full of beautiful women." Fornell countered.

Abby giggled. "Crawler. Do they teach that at the Feebs?"

Fornell grinned. "I can grovel with the best of 'em, Abby."

"It's just like Christmas, I'll give you that, Caz." Abby slid her arm round Gibbs' waist, laughing at his eyeroll.

Emily piped up. "Except one hot man's missing, Abby. Tony's not here."

"Emily!" Fornell burst out.

"What, dad?" Emily protested, rolling her eyes and blushing. "He's cute."

Fornell stared at his daughter. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"But he is... very cute," agreed Abby and felt Gibbs turn his head to stare at her, and she gave him her most innocent look.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "Cute, huh?"

Abby nodded vigorously, smiling. "Uh-huh."

Gloria signed something and Abby started giggling. Fornell looked between the two women. "Do I even want to know what that was?"

"Great..." Abby glanced at Fisher and changed what Gloria had actually signed. "Stern aspect," she finished and Gloria laughed.

Carol nodded "Oh, I'll agree with that... and I think Sister Rosita will too."

Emily giggled. "Oh yeah. I remember when we moved you in Abby, Sister Rosita kept..."

Fornell interrupted, shooting a glance at Carol. "Yeah, yeah, we all remember what she did. Emily!"

Gloria waved to attract his attention. "I wasn't there, remember?"

"Nor was I," Jackson put in, looking as if he was enjoying Fornell's panic.

"I was." Ducky interjected, amused. "It's a good story. There might even be a photograph in here, Gloria." He picked up one of the albums on the coffee table and started leafing through it.

As Emily turned to explain to Gloria, Fornell jumped in, inclining his head in Fisher's direction. "Emily, can we change the subject please? Jeez..." Emily followed his glance and clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.

Carol mouthed to Gloria, I'll explain later and the older woman gave her a thumbs up, grinning.

The afternoon passed quickly and when Gibbs came upstairs from the basement with Fisher after showing the young boy the progress on Abby's mirror, it was to find the woman herself sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace waving the remote control and apparently arguing furiously with the DVD recorder.

Fornell sat perched on the coffee table offering either help or hindrance, with Carol looking on, trying unsuccessfully to contain her laughter at their efforts.

Abby eyed Gibbs as he came into the living room "You haven't been fiddling with this, have you, Jethro?"

Gibbs held up his hands. "Not guilty."

She waved the remote. "Coz it's gone totally... hinky. I was trying to find something on a DVD for Fisher, and the damn thing won't let me."

"So why d'ya think it's me?" Gibbs protested.

Abby narrowed her eyes. "Coz you have this thing with technology. You scare it."

"Tell me about it, Abbs," Fornell put in. "He's only gotta walk into my office and my computer crashes. Give me that thing a minute." He grabbed the remote from her hand and started fiddling with it.

"What can I say? It's a talent." Gibbs shrugged, smothering a grin. "What's wrong with it?"

Abby rolled her eyes. "If I knew that, I'd have fixed it by now. Although if it keeps this up, it's going out the window. The DVD tray sometimes opens and sometimes doesn't... and when it does, it sometimes closes before you can get near enough to put the DVD in. I think it's got a sense of humour."

"Have you tried sneaking up on it, Abby?" Jackson offered, smiling as he came in from the kitchen. "You could sidle up to it and hope it doesn't notice."

"Funny guy," Abby poked her tongue out at his dad.

"Want me to have a go?" Gibbs offered.

Abby spun round, looking alarmed. "No! I know your method of fixing things... it usually involves a baseball bat."

"It works."

"No, it doesn't," Abby pointed at him. "You just think it does... it just means McGee usually has to fix it afterwards."

"He could always glare at it," Fornell pointed out.

"All that'll do is make it overheat... like it does me," Abby muttered and Carol snorted.

"If you can play Frisbee, Abby, then you could lob the disc in from the other side of the room. Take it by surprise," Carol put in, smiling.

Abby lost the battle against her laughter. "Okay, okay, we're all comedians... you are all so not helping." She levered herself up off the floor and sat next to Fornell on the coffee table. "Give me that, Tobias... you're gonna break it."

"Like it's not broke already," Fornell protested.

Later, Gibbs helped Fornell carry in a couple of boxes from his car, part of their surprise and as Fornell unpacked one box in the kitchen, Emily joined them.

Fornell eyed his daughter, bundled up in at least two sweaters. "Could you be wearing any more layers, Em?"

"It's cold, dad," protested Emily before realising what she'd said. "I mean... not in here it's cold, I mean it's cold outside."

Gibbs chuckled. "S'alright. Abby'd agree with ya. Says I keep it just right for Eskimos. I'll bank the fire up in a minute."

"Mom and Victor will be nice and warm by now, won't they, dad?"

Gibbs glanced at her. "Oh?"

Emily nodded. "Victor's taking mom away for New Year... they've gone to the Caymens."

Fornell looked thoughtfully at his daughter, before changing the subject. "You ought to get your head down later, Em. Fisher's gonna take a nap. It's the only way he's gonna stay awake till midnight."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, dad. Fisher's just a kid. I can stay awake real easy.

Fornell held up his hands. "Okay, okay... just don't tell your mom you didn't rest first or I'll be in the doghouse... again."

"Yeah, yeah... whatever you say, dad."

Fornell watched as Emily returned to the living room and met Gibbs' gaze. "Oops... said the wrong thing there."

"No kidding. She'll stay awake now even if she's asleep on her feet."

Fornell shook his head, smiling ruefully. "Oh yeah, she's stubborn alright."

Gibbs chuckled. "Yeah... wonder where she gets that from?"

"Jethro... you think Em would rather have gone somewhere hot with her mom and Victor?"

Gibbs paused a moment, seeing his friend's worry. "I think Emily wants to spend New Year with her dad... whatever the temperature."

Fornell shot him a grateful look. "Hope so. She sure was keen when she knew Carol'd be here tonight."

"That I can believe." He looked over at Fornell. "Caymens, huh?"

"Hmm, not cheap. Good to know where my alimony's going," Fornell replied dryly. "Though it does mean I get Em for the whole weekend... and it also means she's not flying over DC tonight on her broomstick so we should be safe to set foot outside."

Gibbs snorted. "Emily and Fisher getting on okay?"

Fornell nodded. "Seem to be... no major fights yet, though I'm sure there will be. He's a bit subdued around Emily though. I think she intimidates him a bit. He's only a young boy after all."

"Oh, I bet Emily intimidates the big boys too."

Fornell raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think the big boys are getting anywhere near Emily?"

Gibbs nodded, smirking. "I hear ya... let me know when we need to set up an exclusion zone and man the perimeter, and I can guarantee plenty of volunteers."

"Gonna need those when we're tailing the guy... and for background checks."

"Male volunteers no doubt," Abby's amused voice came from the doorway.

Gibbs turned, returning her grin. "Yup... Tobias, me, Jack, DiNozzo, McGee, Ducky... and probably Fisher'll be old enough by then to lend a hand."

Abby shook her head, coming into the kitchen to hook her arm through his and nudging Fornell. "Honestly, you two... shame on you. I can see when the time comes, I'm gonna have to help Em to plan her escape. There's a brave new world out there... full of hot men."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Fornell observed.

Abby looked down at the box on the floor, peering over Fornell's shoulder. "Whatcha doing?"

"Told you I was gonna take care of dinner, right?"

"Yeah... and that usually involves actual food, Toby. What's with the thermos?"

"For the soup, when I heat it up."

"Soup?" Abby repeated.

Gibbs smothered a smile at Abby's look. "Yeah, Abbs. Soup."

"Okay... soup is nice, especially your homemade soup, Toby, but we might need more to eat than that. And hang on, why do we need one, two... five thermoses anyway?"

"For the soup." Fornell grinned, as she gave him a look.

"Yeah, so you said. Your playback's stuck, Toby."

Fornell rummaged in the box. "And we got bread and chips and cheese and crackers."

"Better be taking coffee too, Tobias," put in Gibbs.

Fornell nodded. "Of course, Jethro."

Abby narrowed her eyes as she looked between the two of them. "Taking? Okay, now I know you two are up to something. You're both trying to look way too innocent."

Fornell began taking out more plastic containers from the other box. "And we got spaghetti and meatballs before we go, if you wanna give me a hand as this is your kitchen, Abbs... this lot's just to keep us going when we get there."

"Go? And get where?"

"Yeah, where we going Agent Meatballs?" came Carol's voice from the doorway. "And you needn't try and look all innocent either, Special Agent Marshmallow."

"Agent what?!" protested Gibbs as Abby giggled.

"Yeah, marshmallow. All chewy on the outside and totally soft on the inside." Carol waved her hand as if it was obvious and Fornell snorted. "And stop distracting me. What are you two up to? Spill."

Gibbs and Fornell looked at one another. "Guess we gotta 'fess up, Tobias."

"Looks that way, Jethro."

"Oh, very funny. You two should be a double act. Come on, give." Abby advanced on Gibbs, hands reaching out, aiming for his ticklish spots and he started laughing and backed away, capturing her hands.

"Follow me, ladies." Fornell beckoned. "Might as well tell everyone at the same time."

"Tell everyone what?" Carol demanded, and Fornell rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand to tug her in the direction of the living room. "Abby put him down... you don't know where he's been."

Abby giggled, looking over her shoulder. "Oh I do."

Fornell rolled his eyes. "Behave... and get in here and stop getting your pigtails in a twist. Okay, people," Fornell raised his voice, clapping his hands to stop the buzz of conversation. "You know we're heading for the fireworks later."

Ducky looked up. "Yes, we were just discussing where we need to park so we don't have to walk too far."

"More for my benefit, I suspect." Jackson acknowledged ruefully. "Can't seem to walk too far these days."

"No need, dad," Gibbs put in, as he signed what Fornell was saying for Gloria's benefit. "We're not walking in, we're sailing."

There was a moment's stunned silence before everyone started talking at once. Fornell grinned at the wide eyed astonishment on Carol and Abby's faces.

Emily burst out. "Sailing?!"

Gibbs inclined his head, smiling at the young girl's excitement. "S'what I said, Em. Rented a boat for the evening." He suddenly found his arms full of Abby as she launched herself at him, and staggered slightly as he took her full weight as she hugged him tightly.

"Oh wow," Fisher put in excitedly. "How big is it?"

Gibbs chuckled. "Not as big as your mom's destroyer but ya can steer her ya want."

"Can I? That's so cool. When can we go? Can we go now?" Fisher scrambled to his feet.

Fornell laughed. "Whoa, cowboy. Not yet but soon."

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, I can't believe it. You actually rented a boat?" Abby echoed, staring at him, her arms wound his neck and Gibbs started laughing as she virtually bounced on the spot.

"Yeah, Abbs... Rented a boat," he repeated. "We can anchor off Old Town, watch the fireworks from on deck."

"Hence the soup, you two." Fornell grinned. "Keep us fed and warm. Could get chilly tonight. But I'm gonna do us something to eat before we go anyway... which I was just about to start when I got interrupted and interrogated."

Carol tugged on his hand and Fornell bent over, grinning as she murmured in his ear. "Do you want your reward now or later?"

Fornell pulled back, seeing the mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Oh, later."

Emily rushed across the room and threw her arms round Fornell. "That's totally awesome, dad. When do we go? Are we gonna be ready in time? What do you want me to do? Can I help?"

"Slow down, Em. You can give me and Abby a hand with dinner."

"Excuse me a minute." Abby grabbed Gibbs' hand and tugged him round the corner into the hallway, pushing him up against the wall as soon as they were out of view. She framed his face in her hands, seeing his smirk just before she kissed it off his face.

He kissed her back, resting his hands on her waist, murmuring against her mouth when she pulled back. "Is that more brownie points?"

She grinned. "Oh, you have no idea. It's a fantastic plan."

Gibbs took in her sparkling eyes and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Thought it'd be a surprise."

"It was a total surprise. This is just wonderful... You sure? Coz I'm guessing New Year's Eves have never been easy these past years." She bit her lip, her brows furrowing slightly.

He shushed her with a finger on her lips. "S'kay, Abbs. Really, okay. It feels right."

Abby examined his eyes seriously before a slow smile spread across her face as if satisfied with what she saw there. "Good." She leaned in for a swift kiss. "And so does this... so, so right," she murmured against his mouth. "And so so does this." She slid her hands round his waist to rest on his ass. "Tony's not the only one with a great stern aspect, in case you were wondering."

"Where's my assistant?" came Fornell's voice from the kitchen, followed by his head peering round the corner. "Will you stop fooling around with the staff, Jethro? The two of you can't be left alone for five minutes."

"Can't even make out in my own house now." Gibbs muttered as Abby's grin widened and he kissed her nose before turning her round and pushing her in the direction of the kitchen.

After an early dinner, they all relaxed in the living room, despite attempts to hurry them up so they could leave early, the kids just as impatient as some of the adults. When it was finally time to get ready to leave, Carol looked round the room at the sprawled bodies and shot Gibbs a mischievous grin as she leaned forward.

"Grab your gear!"

Everyone jumped, startled at the sudden shout. Carol glanced at Gibbs, who grinned back as she smiled. "I've always wanted to say that."

TBC...