Thanks to quintawrites for proofreading this chapter! :D I posted a birthday story for her today - "A Speedy, Sparkly, Surprise Celebration for Quinta" - as well as an update on "Echoes", in case you want some more reading today!
You've been wanting cute? Here is it! You've been wanting a plot twist? Here it is! You've been wanting to smile? Here it is!
I hope!
Honestly, I think this is going to make you all very happy... so what are you waiting for? Enjoy!
...
Gibbs held the crying Abby in his arms, gently rubbing her back.
This was unexpected.
Abby had arrived at his house half an hour, burdened down by guilt over some lie that she had somehow hid for over five days - nearly an all-time record for her. However, those five days had been torturous for the normally truthful young woman. That lead to confession and a "clearing of the slate" with Gibbs. Thus the tears. Although it was not fun, it was still rewarding to be able to spend this time with Abby and give her some more positive attention now. Lately with his focus on Jenny and Ziva he was afraid that perhaps he had been overlooking Abby a little, possibly leading to her lying and getting away with it for so long without any helpful and necessary intervention. She snuggled against him, blinking away tears, and he wrapped his arms around her.
"I got you, Abs."
But suddenly there was knock on the door.
"Who's that?" Abby snuffled, confused at the sudden intrusion on the time of comfort.
"I don't know," Gibbs said, gently letting go of Abby and standing to look.
Please don't let it be ...
It is.
He opened the door, already dreading the fifteen questions that would immediately fly out of Abby's mouth.
"Hi, Jenny. I see you brought supper."
...
Little Ziva toddled into the house behind Mama - she had insisted that she could walk in from the car all by herself - and peeked up at Gibbs and ... ABBY! Yay! One of her very best friends was there to play with her!
But something was wrong.
Abby was ... was ... crying!
Ziva trotted over quickly and tilted her to the side curiously as she looked up at one of her favourite people in the world. Her lips began to tremble in sympathy.
"Sad?" she whispered softly.
Abby blinked away some tears and smiled down at the tiny willing comforter.
"Hey, Ziva," she sniffled.
"Sad?" Ziva asked again, patting Abby's knee.
"A little," Abby said softly, scooping Ziva up into her arms and kissing the plump cheek.
Ziva giggled at the kiss and wiggled away so she could look at Abby. She patted the young woman's cheek and held up her sticky fingers.
"Cwying?"
"Yeah."
"Why you sad?"
Abby took a deep shuddery breath and shrugged a little.
"I got in trouble."
"You naughty?"
Abby flushed a little at Ziva's innocent perception.
"A ... little."
Ziva considered that confession for a moment, then looked at Mr. Gibbs and then back at Abby.
"Tubbwe?"
"Trouble?" Abby asked in clarification, looking down at the two serious brown eyes trained unblinkingly on her.
Ziva nodded seriously.
Abby flushed an every brighter pink.
"Yeah, I got in trouble with Daddy Gibbs." She smiled up at Gibbs teasingly, her spunk starting to return. He was not exactly what anyone would consider to be a typical dad, but he was loving and kind to her ... and also stern whenever she needed that particular approach.
Ziva wiggled around to look at Mr. Gibbs and gave him an awful glare.
"No Abby tubbwe!"
"No don't think Abby should get in trouble?" he asked.
Ziva nodded sternly.
"She's not in trouble anymore," he said reassuringly, kissing Abby's cheek in demonstration of his forgiveness. Abby smiled and Ziva's little face was cleared from confusion and condemnation and she clapped happily, reaching for Gibbs.
"Me cuddwe!"
Gibbs and Abby both chuckled and facilitated the trade-off. of the baby who happily received her cuddle from Mr. Gibbs. But she was a little miffed when she did not receive a kiss as well. That was what she had wanted, to make sure that she got exactly the same cuddle as Abby did. She could not have Abby getting more kisses than her!
It was time to take action!
...
At dinner everyone could see how Ziva was eagerly copying everything Abby did. This was a pleasant surprise for Jenny, who was happy to fulfill Ziva's demand for "mowe beans wike Abby". Jenny had to announce that Ziva had eaten enough dinner and remove the rest of the veggies from the determined toddler's reach as she began to have a meltdown that she could not eat as much as her role model.
"Don't you want to still have room for a cookie?" Jenny asked over an increasingly loud wail. The tears stopped instantly.
"Abby cookie too?"
"Yeah, I'll have one. If I can?"
Ziva calmed down and beamed as she and Abby both got cookies. She was just like Abby!
Now Gibbs would want to give her lots of kisses too!
...
"I need to get back home," Abby said reluctantly after a rousing game of hide and seek ... or ten. It all blended together to the little one who could not count.
"No go!" Ziva wailed, grabbing onto Abby's leg and holding on for dear life.
"Hey, sweetie. It's okay. I will see you soon," Abby promised, trying to extricate herself from the toddler's death grip.
"No! No go!" Ziva shrieked. She wanted to be like Abby! How could she be like Abby when Abby was not there to mimic?! It was a disaster!
She could feel Mama's hands begin to try to pry her fingers off of their grips on Abby's boot buckles.
"Let Abby go. She'll be back soon," Jenny coaxed, loosening her grip and scooping Ziva up on her hip before she could reclaim her hold on Abby's footwear.
Ziva burst into tears.
"Oh no!" Abby exclaimed repentantly, "I didn't mean to make her cry!"
"It's okay," Gibbs interjected. "I think she's just tired."
Ziva glared and waved her hands around in protest. She was not sleepy! She wanted to know how to be like Abby to get more kisses! But Mama - et tu, Mama? - was agreeing, saying soothingly, "We'll get this little munchkin home and get her to bed. She'll feel better in the morning after a good night's sleep - right, Ziva?"
Ziva just settled into whimpers as frustration at being misunderstood silenced her wails. Abby gave her a goodbye kiss and that was a little appeasing. She watched as Abby gave Gibbs a hug and quietly said, "Again, Gibbs, I"m really sorry about earlier."
"No more apologies. Like I told you - and even Ziva - earlier, you're not in trouble anymore."
Abby smiled. "Thanks." She impishly kissed his cheek and waved on her way out the door. "Bye, Jenny. Bye, Ziva. Bye, Daddy!"
Gibbs smiled and kissed Abby's cheek before she disappeared. "Love ya too, Abs."
That gave Ziva an idea.
When Jenny bundled her up to take her home, Ziva reached out her arms imploringly to Gibbs.
"Daddy kiss?"
Not perturbed by the awkward body language that her innocent comment immediately inspired in the room, the tiny tyrant was delighted when she received her highly-coveted kiss. She gave him one of her own in exchange. There. Everything was right in Zizi World!
...
So ...
What do you want to see next? ;)
Hugs!
MM