Chapter 18

Gibbs pulled into his driveway and jumped out of the car. He paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the area. But nothing seemed out of the ordinary. And yet he knew Ari was here, with Abby.

He checked his Sig, before slowly making his way up the steps that led to his front porch. Once more he paused and listened, and once more he heard nothing. But he knew, deep down in his guts, in every fibre of his being, he knew Ari was inside with Abby. Gibbs narrowed his eyes as he planned his next action. If Ari wanted Abby dead he would have done so earlier in the day. That wasn't his plan, he needed Abby. He needed her to make sure Gibbs played the game. Gibbs smiled coldly. He was going to play alright, but on his rules not Ari's.

Gibbs opened the front door slowly, his mind and body controlled and ready. He pushed the door open with one hand, his other holding his gun steady and ready. He scanned the entrance quickly, his body leaning slightly away from the entrance. The immediate area was clear. He turned his attention quickly further and that was when he saw her.

His cold blue eyes narrowed in a fleeting but almost undetectable display of anger, before they once more settled into impassivity. He stared down the hallway at Abby tied to the chair, Ari standing behind her with his gun held firmly at her head. Gibbs raised his own gun slowly, his aim sure, if impossible to take. Ari had positioned Abby in such away that there was no clear shot at him. But then, Gibbs thought, Ari had never been stupid.

"Abby" Gibbs said softly, his eyes barely flicking at her as his attention stayed on Ari.

"Hey Gibbs" she answered with a grin. "Can I shoot the bastard?" she asked with a bravado that was almost echoed in her eyes. Only Gibbs could see the fear hiding deep in the dark recess of her gaze.

"Nope" Gibbs grinned back at her, "He's mine" he said as he stepped fully into the house his foot kicking the door shut behind him. This was a family neighbourhood and the last thing Gibbs wanted was a stray bullet heading out the door.

"So very touching" Ari drawled from his position behind Abby. "But rather misplaced don't you think Gibbs?" he asked softly. His gave impassive and intent at the same time as he watched Gibbs move closer to Abby.

"Nope" Gibbs drawled in response. He stopped just a few feet away from Abby and Ari, his eyes quickly taking in the bruising on Abby's face and the bandaged shoulder. He gritted his teeth slightly at the wounds, but showed little other emotions at her predicament.

Ari watched the anger flash quickly across Gibbs's face as he looked at Abby closely. He silently commended him for his ability to mask his emotions. Few people, in Ari's opinion, were able to remain calm in such a situation as this.

"I must apologise for Abby's appearance, but unfortunately she is a rather stubborn woman." He informed Gibbs with a slight inclination of his head, as if in apology. "I had to use rather more force than I would have liked in order to subdue her" he continued goading Gibbs slightly.

"Yep" was all Gibbs said as he stood before them, his gun still trained on them, still unable to get a clear shot.

Both men remained quiet, each assessing the other, each planning their next move carefully.

"I'm bored" Abby said with a grin "Can I go now?" she asked to neither man in particular. Ari laughed softly next to her. Gibbs's face softened as he smiled at her.

"I am afraid not" Ari murmured into her ear, his breath causing the escaped tendrils of her hair to flutter against her cheek, the action strangely intimate.

"I assume you have a reason for this?" Gibbs asked quietly, his gaze hardening at Ari's actions with Abby.

"Of course" Ari said, straightening slightly, but still not enough for Gibbs to get a shot off.

"You plan to share anytime soon?" Gibbs queried when Ari said no more. Ari inclined his head slightly and grinned.

"To finish this once and for all my friend" He said quietly as he stepped from behind Abby, his gun still firmly held against her head, his finger pulling back on the trigger slightly.

Abby heard the whisper of the metal, the sound of the trigger moving and felt her heart freeze. She stared at Gibbs, her eyes wide and afraid, begging him to help her.

Gibbs stared at them both impassively, whilst inside his heart and soul screamed at him to do something to save Abby.

But he knew that if he shot Ari now, his finger would release the trigger and Abby would die in front of him, just as Kate had.

"Why?" Gibbs asked quietly, knowing that Ari would understand the question.

Ari stared at Gibbs, the hatred in him finally showing in his eyes, the way they narrowed slightly and hardened. The black pools of them staring at Gibbs and yet not really seeing him.

"Because it is over for me, and for now for you" he said softly, his accent heavier than usual, his tone conversational but with an edge to it.

"And killing Abby is the end?" Gibbs replied carefully, needing to understand what game Ari was playing.

"To kill you would be too quick; you would feel no real pain." Ari said his voice soft.

"If I kill Abby you will suffer in a living hell for the rest of your life" he told Gibbs, his free hand stroking the side of Abby's head tenderly, his actions a contradiction to his words.

"Nah not really" Gibbs answered calmly his eyes taking in Ari's actions whilst still keeping him in his sights. "I'll just kill you and have my revenge for both Abby and Kate" Gibbs replied with a shrug of his shoulders. His manner clam and relaxed when in reality he felt anything but.

Ari grinned "I don't think you will get over it quite so easily Gibbs. You will always damn yourself for not having killed me before. There will be no peace for you" he informed Gibbs coldly, the muzzle of the gun flicking slightly across Abby's head.

Gibbs fought the urge to throw his gun down and leap at the bastard for touching his Abby, for terrifying her like this. Gibbs was unable to look at her, knowing that if he did and saw the terror in her eyes he would react stupidly, he would allow his anger and hatred to take control. He took a steadying breath quietly before speaking once more.

"Again why?" He asked softly, playing for time, trying to find some way to get the bastard without killing Abby at the same time.

"Because I have failed because of you, because since meeting you I have lived in hell, and know it's your turn. Because I can" he said coldly "Because you're everything that I was never allowed to be" he finished on almost a whisper.

Gibbs stared at him, hating him as he had never hated anyone before. But also hating the parents that had done this to him, the society that had used him, but most of all hating Ari for being the cold hearted bastard he was.

"Do you want me to feel sorry for you?" Gibbs asked softly, his tone cold and hard. His eyes filled with loathing "Because I don't" he said calmly, taking a step closer to Ari. "You made your choices; you are what you are because you choose to be." He watched the anger and perhaps pain, flash in Ari's eyes "I don't buy into that parent blaming crap" he continued "we make our own choices" he finished standing close to Ari, his eyes boring into Ari's relentlessly. "You could have been like me, but you didn't have the guts for it" he finished cruelly, "just like I could have been like you, but chose not to be" he said, watching as Ari sneered at him, watching as his ice control began to chip away.

"You know nothing about me, about my life" Ari demanded angrily, swinging the gun away from Abby and towards Gibbs. In the split second that Ari fired so did Gibbs.