DISCLAIMER: See part one for it.
A/N: Hi guys, I'm back. Sorry that it took so long to update. But I hope you like this one.
Part 28
Time moved on and the wedding was only two weeks away. Most of the preparations were done. All guests had confirmed that they were coming, even Gibbs brother Michael would come from Russia.
Just one little thing was missing; the wedding-gowns for Kate and Max. Director Morrow didn't give the team lots of work since they were all occupied with the wedding.
"Hi." Abby said entering the office.
"Abby, what takes you up to us?" Kate asked looking up from the file she was reading.
"Do you have anything urgent to do?"
"Well, not really. Is there a reason you are be asking?" Kate asked, knowing that there must be a reason for her asking.
"Well, I don't have anything on my hand either. And there is still something important missing for the wedding. How about some shopping? Max would be able to come, too."
"Okay, what is the shopping for?" Kate asked, not being really up to date with the preparations.
"Oh Kate, the most important thing is missing; your dress. And I think it will be save to buy it now. It's only two weeks until the wedding and I think the dress will still fit in this time."
"Abby, do you think that I'm fat?" Kate asked.
"Not fat, just pregnant. So are you up for shopping." Kate nodded and the two women left the office. Abby first went to pick up Max from her home, and then they went to the shopping mall. Abby had found a store where they were selling maternity cloths.
So the three of them entered the shop and were immediately surrounded by sellers.
"Is there something we can help you with?" One of the sellers asked.
"We are looking for wedding-dresses for those two lovely ladies. The wedding is planned for the first Saturday in April. And it is going to take place outside." Abby told the store-woman.
"That's a lovely time for a wedding, dears. Any more details on the wedding, you know because of the colors of the dresses." The woman asked Kate and Max.
"Well, the brides don't know anything about the wedding. I'm the one who is taking care of everything. If you just show me where I can find some gowns we'll be fine."
The selling-woman wasn't happy about this answer, but nonetheless she showed Abby the way. Kate and Max were following close. Abby went in search for the dresses she was thinking off while Kate and Max looked around in the shop.
"Girls, do you have one minute. I think I have found something. Want to try it on?" Abby asked.
Kate and Max went to her and looked at the dresses Abby had picked out. And those were many dresses. Abby handed about five dresses each and shooed them into a changing cabin.
Both brides-to-be tried on several dresses but none of them Abby liked. She was looking for the perfect dress and she knew that she wouldn't find it in this store.
"Okay girls, you can get dressed again." Abby said to Max and Kate then she turned to the seller-woman.
"Sorry, but the right dress wasn't among the ones you have. I'm terrible sorry, but thanks for you time."
Only minutes later both Kate and Max reappeared and left together with Abby.
"Abbs, why didn't you buy one of the dresses? Some of them were really nice."
"The perfect dress wasn't among them. I have to agree, that some of the dresses were nice, but they weren't the way I was thinking of."
"So, any more shops you know or are we going in jeans to our wedding, Abby? Not that it would matter to me. " Max said.
"I have a better idea than more shops. I just have to do one call." Abby said, pulling her cell out. She called Gibbs, telling him that they wouldn't come back to headquarters today. Gibbs was okay with that.
"So we are free all day. Now we have one last shop we need to see and than we are finished for the moment."
The two other women sighed. They had enough of shopping for the next few weeks. And visiting a new shop with Abby wasn't something they looked forward.
Abby drove through the city until they reached there goal. But this wasn't a normal shop; it was a shop for sewing business.
"Okay, you two will wait in the car. And I mean in the car. I will just hop inside this store and get some things. Shouldn't take long." With that said, Abby went to the store. Once inside, she was greeted by the shop-owner. "Abby, long time no see. What brings you up this part of the city?"
"Business, Christine. My two best friends are going to marry in two weeks and I'm the one who is taking care of the preparation. All we need are the gowns. We were at a shop, but I didn't like the things they had. So I'm going to do it myself."
"Okay, sounds like you could use my help. What do you need?" Christine asked.
"I need white satin and dark red organza. Hey, don't look like that. That's not for me, remember. White will fit perfectly to Kate and Max is more the darker one. She tried on several light-colored dresses but they didn't fit her. You get this and I look around what else I could need."
Christine went to the back of the shop and got the material Abby asked for. She even got the right colored yarn.
Meanwhile Abby looked through the shop and found several things she would need for the dresses she was thinking of. Abby paid and left the shop. Arriving at the car she put her earnings into the trunk and went to the driver's side. Then all of them went to Abby's house.
"So girls, you go inside and start on the lunch. You will find something in the kitchen. I have two things to take care off." Abby said and gave Kate the keys, so they could get into the house. Seconds later Abby followed with her purchases.
She went to the room next to the kitchen. Both of her guests had no idea what was behind that door. About ten minutes later Abby returned with a sketch block and some pencils. She sat done on the sofa and started to run the pencils over the paper.
Kate and Max watched her. They didn't know what Abby was doing. They didn't even know Abby was into drawing; usually it was Kate's job.
"Abby, lunch is ready." Max said after a while. Together with Kate she had made something to eat, while Abby was still drawing something.
"I'm coming girls." Abby said, putting her work aside for the moment and went into the dining room.
Kate was very curious about what Abby was doing outside so after a while she asked her. "Abby, I didn't know that you were into drawing. You know, that it is my job at NCIS. Care to tell us what you are doing out there?"
"That's not really drawing. It's just some kind of hobby of mine. Have a look." Abby said and went to get the sketch block. Then she showed them two drawings of weddings gowns, really professional looking drawings by the way.
"Abby, they look great. Where did you learn that?" Max asked.
"At first Grandma Ashley showed me. She was a designer and worked for Gucci and many other well-known labels. After she passed away when I was seventeen, I took some classes and started to make my own outfits. Most of the things I wear are my own creations. I grew up with Grandma Ashley. I never knew my father and my mom is always busy, she's working with the Government. Even now I don't see her this often. She works mainly overseas. But that's not the topic now. Do you like the drawings? They are going to be you gowns. All I need is to measure you and then I can get started." Abby said showing both of them to her little atelier.
This room had many windows and was very lighten, the perfect place for an atelier. Abby began to measure both women and then she started with the dresses.
While Abby started to work the gowns, Max and Kate cleaned the kitchen. After that, they wandered through the house. It was the first time either of them was there. Kate looked at the pictures on the fire place. There she found a picture of a young girl together with two women, one younger than the other. The older woman looked very kind, with a bright smile on her lips. There was no question; all three of them were related somehow. Kate supposed the younger woman and the child were daughter and granddaughter of the older woman.
The little girl was about five years old. She had the same hair-color as her mother; a reddish brown. The child looked up to both women, very happy to have them all together.
Kate was very curios who those persons were, so she took the picture and went into Abby's atelier.
"Abby, who are those persons in the picture?" Kate asked, showing Abby the picture she was speaking about.
"Oh, that's my little family. Grandma Ashley and my mother Jennifer. That was one of the few days we all spent together and this is one of the few pictures I have of my mother." Abby explained.
"That is you? But the child has red hair."
"Well, that's the way I am. But I don't like the color much so I changed them to black. Much better, isn't it?"
"Yeah, looks much better on you. Where is your mother now? Do you have any contact with her?" Kate asked, eager to learn more about Abby.
"Last time I heard from her, she was Paris. Do you believe if I tell you, she working with NCIS, too? I think she was one of the reasons I started with forensics. Ash wanted me to become a designer just like her, but I rather investigated old burnout cars, trying to find the reason for the fire."
"I'm really glad that you started with NCIS even you are an amazing designer, Abbs." Kate told her and put the picture back on its place.
Kate and Max waited until noon, but Abby was still working on the gowns. She was completely taken by the work and it seemed that she had forgotten about her visitors. But it didn't matter for Kate or Max. There were just one little problem. Abby was the only one with the car. Of course they could call for a cab, but they had a better idea; calling Gibbs to get them. So Kate took out her cell and called her fiancé.
"Hi honey, did you have a nice day with Abby and Max?" Gibbs asked, answering the phone.
"Hello to you, too Jethro. We had a nice day and actually we still have. That's the reason I'm calling."
"What is wrong, my darling? Some problems with the wedding?" Gibbs asked worried.
"No, everything is fine. Abby is taking care of the last big part. We went shopping with Abby's car and in the morning I got to work with you. We don't have a way to get home."
"Oh, I will get you. You are still with Abby I take?"
"Yes, we are still at Abby's. We would ask her, but she is deep in thoughts. No way to get her attention. You know how she can be."
"Oh yeah. I'll be there in 10 minutes. Love you."
"Love you too. See you soon."
Meanwhile Max made some sandwiches for Abby and a note, telling her both of them got home. They didn't want to disturb her, the note said.
Kate and Max waited outside for Gibbs. When he got there, they entered the car and went to 'casa DiNozzo'.
"Did the two of you have a nice day?"
"Oh yeah, it was a very interesting day. We learned much about Abby. Did you know that she grew up with her Grandma? Did she ever tell you that her mother works with NCIS, too? Or that she can draw, and I mean really draw." Max said.
"I personally think better than me Jethro." Kate said.
"No, I didn't know that. She never told me about her past. I don't know anything about her family or what she does besides work. We are friends, but we never spoke about those topics. We just spent some time together, you know having dinner sometimes or going to the cinema or some concerts." Gibbs explained.
"Then we know more than you for the first time. What a feeling." Kate said grinning.
"Don't get used to it. You know, I know nearly everything, Katie." Gibbs smiled back.
"Not everything, Gibbs but you have a good knowledge of nearly every topic."
"Thanks Max. So I don't think you are going to tell me more about Abby's past, aren't you?"
Both of them shook their head no.
"Okay, then would you tell me what Abby got so busy with? Or is it a secret, too?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know if you can call it a secret, but it clearly has something to do with her past and our weddings." Kate said.
"Something I have to worry about?"
"Only if Abby can't get it finished until the wedding day. Abby is making our gowns, Jethro."
"Abby make your gowns? She can do that?" he asked unbelieving.
"Yeah, she can. She got the gift from her Grandmother who was a designer herself. Like Abby told us, for some well-known labels. Most of the cloths Abby wear are handmade."
"I never thought Abby would be someone who handmade their cloths. Abby is a girl full of surprises."
A/N: Did you like it? More to come soon.