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Chapter 3
Slowly the evening had turned to night, and Abby still suffering form her attack left Gibbs to his boat as she went to bed, as she lay in the crisp clean covers of his bed, she found sleep difficult. She lay looking at the room in darkness, the room that was so much Gibbs. The furniture was dark, heavy and traditional and very strong, yet there was a beauty to it that defied definition, none of the pieces technically matched and yet each blended in with the other. The colours were reach dark earth tones, which screamed of the outdoors, yes this room was Gibbs, and it even smelt like him, woody and earthy and rich.
Abby pulled the cushion to her and held it tightly, her face buried in it, and slowly she drifted to sleep.
Gibbs worked on his boat, his mind trying to seek the peace and calm that normally came from working with the smooth wood, but tonight it failed, there was no peace to be found, there was no calm in the soft contours of the hull, instead he saw softly rounded curves as his mind followed Abby sanding and stretching, instead he saw dark hair and dark eyes, laughing as they worked. And he hated himself for it. Abby was his colleague, his lab rat, his friend and that was all she could ever be, should ever be.
You can go in and see your daughter
His mind threw at him, the words of the doctor when he had bought Abby into the hospital, he wondered just how many years difference there was and he began to add it up, before stopping, telling himself he didn't really want to know, all he needed to know was that he was old enough to be her father, and that made his feelings for her wrong.
Abby looked up to him, respected him, and considered him a friend and that was it. There was no way she could feel anything else for him, they were too different and that didn't include their age gap either; she was a techno wizz, and he didnt even konw how to use a computer properly; she was a goth, he was an ex marine, who liked the simple life.
Gibbs threw the screwdriver in his hand down in disgust and reached for the bottle of Jack he had fetched earlier, he poured some into the glass and knocked it back, before pouring another.
When that failed to work he slammed the glass down, grabbed the bottle and headed for the den, and sleep that would come only when the bottle was empty.
Gibbs woke suddenly, trying to work out what had woken him, he looked around the room momentarily forgetting where he was, and then the sound came again, a mewling sound, more cry than scream but something not right. Gibbs threw back the cover and bounded up the stairs, his hand automatically grabbing the gun in the drawer in the den. He paused at the top of the stairs, listening for sounds of threat, but he heard none, only the sound of sobbing. He crossed quickly to his room and opened the door, the light form the hallway spilling across the bed and a sleeping, crying Abby. He stood paralysed, not sure what to do when there was no threat to counter, only a night time fear to soothe.
Gibbs gently placed the gun on his dresser by the door and crossed the dark room to the bed, he carefully sat on it, trying not to wake Abby, and he gently stroked her soft arm
"Shhh, Abby, its just a dream" he said soothingly to the sleeping woman, feeling ashamed that he noticed just how soft and warm her skin was beneath his hand
"Its ok Abby, it's just a dream" he whispered as the sobbing began to lessen, Abby turned in her sleep and tried to snuggle into the warmth of his body, Gibbs tried to move away but Abby sobbed softly again, with a sigh Gibbs scooted down the bed and pulled the sleeping Abby into his arms, her head resting comfortably on his chest, tucked beneath his chin
"Gibbs, hurt" she murmured in her sleep, her breath catching on a sob again. Gibbs felt the return of the fear he had felt that night
"Shhh no, Abby, no more hurt just a bad dream" he said gently into her hair, pulling her tighter into his side and stroking her long black hair
"Just a bad dream" he whispered "I have you Abby and I won't let anyone hurt you ever again" he said, gently dropping a kiss onto the top of her head
"Gibbs…" she murmured as slowly the dream receded and sleep returned. Gibbs lay still listening to the cadence of her breathing and slowly fell asleep himself.