Abby

Fifteen minutes later Abby spotted Gibbs pulling in the drive and raced across the hall to alert Tony. He had been buttoning up his new shirt, but jumped up and made his way down the stairs two at a time, buttoning the last of the buttons as he jogged. He glanced in the living room to make sure that Linda had stayed put, then slipped into the kitchen.

Jethro came in and dropped the mail on the foyer table before heading towards the kitchen and coffee pot. Tony popped his head out and pointed, "Hey, Boss, there's a lady here who says you are taking her to supper tonight."

Gibb nodded but didn't comment. Reversing his steps, he made his way to the living room, and Tony heard the two voices in conversation, hers a bit higher pitched.

Quietly making his way to the kitchen doorway, he watched Abby, who was standing poised at the top of the stairs. They smiled conspiratorially at each other and Abby winked. Tony waited for the voice level to change, and then watched Gibbs from behind. Counting down with three outstretched fingers, then two, then one, he motioned Abby.

Abby descended the steps noisily, making sure that everyone knew she was in the vicinity. Gibbs looked up from where he was sitting beside Linda, his body facing her, when he heard Abby. He frowned when he saw her outfit.

"Oh, hey there, Gibbs. I didn't know you were home." She leaned down and perched on the arm of the chair facing them, and smiled innocently.

Tony called from the kitchen, "Hey Abbs, what time are you going out?"

Abby pretended to think for a second. "I'm good now. I should be ready in just one more sec. I need to find my gold rhinestone collar."

Gibbs shook his head and ordered quietly, "Go change."

Linda looked from Gibbs to Abby, then started to speak. She was interrupted.

"Change?" Abby questioned irritably. "I just did. This is my outfit for tonight."

Gibbs put his hand firmly on her back and repeated sternly, "Go change."

"Gibbs," she began to argue, then turned to the visitor with a whine. "Look, hey, do you see anything wrong with what I am wearing? This is ridiculous."

Their guest curled her lip, but Abby ignored her reaction. Instead, she jumped up and twirled. Tony clamped his hand to his mouth to keep from laughing- she had outdone herself with the outfit on display. The plaid skirt barely covered her derriere, and the blouse she had was so closely cropped that it barely covered her bra.

"I don't…" Linda began, annoyed that Jethro's attention had transferred from her to Abby. Before she could finish, Gibbs interrupted firmly.

"Now, I am not going to tell you again. Get upstairs and change right now, young lady."

Abby puffed out her lip and sighed dramatically, then flounced to the steps. Tony stood rooted in his place in the kitchen doorway, watching as Abby disappeared for round two.

The intruder raised her eyebrows at Gibbs. "That is exactly why I never had children."

The conversation resumed. Tony strained to hear, and discovered that the two were deciding on their after dinner activities.

Abby popped back down within five minutes and Tony had to bite his lip to keep from exploding with laughter. This time she had chosen a black dress that came to mid thigh and actually had a semblance of sleeves. However, the dress was covered with row upon row of cut outs, so that she had more skin exposed than with the first of her selections.

Jethro's head snapped up when he saw Abby and he shook his head forcefully. He was obviously annoyed, and trying to keep his temper in check.

Abby immediately frowned, but before she could speak, Linda decided to comment.

"Where is it that you are planning to go?"

Abby responded to the antagonist by mimicking the same sarcastic tone Linda had used on Tony and her earlier, "Well, that's really none of your business, now isn't it?"

Linda actually sucked in a breath in surprise at the retort. Clearly, she was used to having people intimidated and afraid of her. She narrowed her eyes, taking a better look at her opponent.

Gibbs was furious with the response and his voice rose sharply. "Abby, you do not speak to a guest in this house that way!"

Linda tried to cover up her delight at the victory. Jethro had taken up for her, not the girl.

Abby stood contemplating the reprimand for a moment, then turned to the woman. "Ok, sorry, then-" With that lukewarm rejoinder she started leisurely out of the living room.

Gibbs called her back, "Get right back here, Abbs." When she reappeared, he held up his hands and pointed towards the stairs and her bedroom. "You are not leaving this house in that dress."

Abby argued heatedly, "There is nothing the matter with this one! I just changed already, and I haven't got time to keep putting on one outfit after another because you don't have a clue that this is what everyone is wearing these days!"

Gibbs narrowed his eyes, "I really don't care what everyone else is doing. Go change, or you are not going. It's that simple."

Abby stood glaring, tapping her foot a few beats before she turned with as bad a display of attitude as she felt safe to display, and stomped back up the stairs. Turning at the landing, she flashed Tony a smile and he mimicked applauding her act.