Author's note
As requested here is the continuation of Alone, the GAbby ending. If you haven't read Alone yet, you may want to because I am writing this as a pure continuation, there will be few flash backs, or explanations of past events.
So for all you GAbby fans like me, sit back and enjoy!
As always please feed me, and leave feedback; good, bad, plot lines, the lot, I love it all!
Ps, I have missed a few episodes, so if at any point they have shown the rest of Gibbs house, other than the basement I apologise, I didn't see it so am making his house up!
Chapter 1
Abby and Gibbs rode to his house in silence, she had taken the first step, Abby had crossed the path to her apartment, the place that she had been attacked, and she had done it alone, but not by herself. Gibbs had stood and watched her from the road, a feeling inside him that was a mixture of pride and fear, along with something that he refused to even acknowledge. The important thing though was the fact that Abby had faced her demon, and had one this round. And Gibbs new from experience that it was only the first round, but it was the most important. It was the one that set the tone; if she had failed this one she would never have had a chance to win the rest. But he had every belief in her strength, even if she herself didn't.
They pulled up onto his drive, and Gibbs stopped the car
"Hey can I go see your boat?" Abby said as she eagerly got out of the car, she knew Gibbs enough to know that eventually he would want to talk to her about everything that was happening, Gibbs was not one for letting things go and she feared she was his next project. And that made her unbearably sad because deep in her heart she knew she wanted more, but just as deeply she knew she would never take that first step, because if he rejected her she would loose not just the chance for his love, but the friendship they had, and she needed him too much to take the risk. He thought she was strong, how little did he realise, just how weak she was, she thought bitterly.
"Yeah, but can we get inside first?" Gibbs said with a smile "I need a coffee" he said to himself as he went up his steps and unlocked the door. He stepped aside and let Abby walk inside first; this was a side to Gibbs that she rarely saw, one that none of them did, the old fashioned gentleman. When at work, Gibbs was very focused and single minded; courtesy like stepping aside to let herself or Kate go in first had no place there and so rightly, Gibbs left it behind. There he was the boss and the women around him were his minions, to defer to him at all times, including him entering a door first, but outside in his personal life he reverted to his upbringing and that fascinated Abby, the fact that there could be two Gibbs.
"You always need coffee" Abby called after him, as he headed for the kitchen after placing her bags next to the stairs. "You drink too much Coffee" she said as she wandered around his living room, she had been here before, thy all, had but this time it seemed different, maybe it was because the situation wasn't normal, or maybe it was because she wanted to understand him more, she wasn't sure, but she wanted to explore his world and find out just who Gibbs was.
"And you don't?" he asked leaning against the door jam, that separated his living room from his kitchen. Abby looked up and grinned
"Caf pow, does not count, it's a soda" she said with authority, Gibbs raised an eyebrow and headed back to the kitchen, Abby trailing behind him
"Hey Gibbs? Do you really live here?" Abby asked looking around at the immaculate room, the same way that the living room was.
Gibbs looked at her with a question in his eyes
"Yes Abby" he said patiently, as if to a child "I live here, Why?" he asked knowing that asking any question to Abby, no matter how simple could leave you with a raging headache, or the desire to throttle her or to ki…" Gibbs halted that train of thought abruptly, slamming his cupboard open for a cup.
"Because it is way too neat and clean for a bachelor, not that your really a bachelor, cos you've been married three times, so maybe they trained you, or it could be because your a marine and they …" Abby rambled in her usual way, especially when nervous, and for some reason she felt really nervous at the moment.
"I get the picture Abby" Gibbs said, handing the wandering Abby a cup of coffee "I think it is a combination of being a Marine, and hating mess, so its easier to tidy up after myself" he told her opening a door at the back of the dining area of the kitchen.
Abby watched as Gibbs went down the stairs that led to his boat, the love of his life,
"You coming?" he called from half way down the stairs
Abby paused and then ran down after him.
Gibbs stood against a wooden bench that formed a T in the corner of his basement, the coffee cup was in his hand and he was drinking form it, his eyes running over the shell of what would one day be a beautiful boat.
"Can I help?" Abby said as she came to rest next to him, her eyes taking in the boat and the hand tools
Gibbs looked at her quietly for a moment and then nodded
"Yeah but first lets get some dinner, do you want take out, or shall I throw some steaks on the grill?" he said watching her in the dim lighting, enjoying the way her face was so expressive, the way it scrunched up when she was thinking, even on something as simple as dinner
"Steaks" she said finally and decisively, "I love to watch the way the fat makes the flames roar, did you know that …" Abby started
"Don't explain anything that would turn me of my steak" Gibbs cut in warningly, a smile on his face, that reached all the way to his blue eyes, knowing that Abby had a store of knowledge of the gory, scary and down right disgusting things in life, he was rightly worried about what she was going to say
"You're no fun Gibbs" she complained, watching him slowly walk up the stairs and back to the kitchen, sneakily admiring the way his body moved, she grinned to herself, for such an old guy, she thought impishly