CHAPTER 2.

"Okay, now you can explain. That lady is gone." Tony said as they watched her leave. They had been eagerly waiting for this one since the little girl confirmed that Abby was her mother and then called Gibbs 'dad'.

"Fine. It's a long story so sit down and shut up." He said gruffly and they complied. They knew the faster they listened the faster he was going to tell them.

"Okay." Kate said and Gibbs glared at her.

"When Abby was eighteen, she fell pregnant to this bastard named Jason Turner. She had just started her first year of college. Before she could decide what she was doing with her life, he took off. Just after Paige was born, he came back and pretended he was going to be a good dad. On Paige's first birthday, they had a party and in front of everyone, Turner proposed to Abby." Gibbs explained.

"Whoa." Kate said unable to shut up for much longer.

"She refused, not able to trust him and he took off again, of course blaming Abby."

"She knew he would." Kate said.

"Yes. So he started to send bull-shit cards for Paige, ring non-stop, and generally stalk them. Abby would not let him have anything to do with Paige." Gibbs said.

"How did she manage that?" Tony asked.

"She didn't put him down as her father on the birth certificate. That way he couldn't ask for custody." Gibbs revealed.

"Didn't he want a paternity test?" Kate asked curiously.

"Not until I adopted Paige when she was five weeks old." Gibbs was starting to get impatient with the agents.

"And?" Kate asked.

"Abby dared him to try and get a scientific test passed us."

"True. So then what?" Kate asked, earning a glare.

"He tried every way to get to Paige, just to hurt us. He doesn't want Paige, he wants to make us suffer. So he tried being nice to Abby, tried threatening her, breaking into her apartment..." Gibbs started.

"How come you didn't shoot him, Boss?" Tony asked.

"Gonna shoot the pair of you to remind you of the meaning of 'shut up'. I did threaten him the first time I met him. Especially if the threats and everything didn't stop, I would be after him." Gibbs said angrily.

"That would have scared him." Tony said picturing it.

"Apparently not. He stayed away for years but a week and a half ago, he kidnapped Paige from her school playground."

"That's horrible." Kate said.

"And as you can see, we just got her back now."

"How was Abby able to act the same? I would be a complete wreck." Kate said.

"You only saw Abby at work. She is able to distract herself here. But at home it was totally different and I had to spend every night Paige was gone with her. And then try to convince her not to go after him with a gun when I wanted nothing more than to shoot him myself." Gibbs said.

"So, you two are closer than meets the eye?" Tony said and the tone in his voice gave away exactly what he was suggesting. It earned him a hard, audible smack to the back of the head.

"You were saying?" Gibbs asked.

"Nothing, Boss." Tony corrected.

"That's what I thought."

"No implications intended but why did Abby ask you to adopt her daughter when she was so young?" Kate asked.

"Turner tried to kill Abby more than once. And since her family disowned her, there would have been no one to look after Paige." He explained. "This way if anything did happen to Abby, I would get Paige."

"Yeah?" Tony said still rubbing his head.

"So, considering Paige thinks I'm her father, there wasn't too much to deal with from her while she was growing up."

"That's sweet." Kate said.

"Paige thinks you're her father?" Tony asked.

"Yes. I was there since she was born and a lot more than Turner ever was. Abby and I tried to tell her the situation but she still thought I was her father. So eventually we stopped correcting her." Gibbs said.

"Angel-Paige, I want you to meet a few people." Abby said as they reached the squad-room in the elevator. "If you're feeling up to it."

"Okay." She said as the doors opened.

"This is Kate." She said pointing to her as they approached the still stunned looking group.

"Nice to meet you." Paige said.

"You too." Kate replied thinking how well-mannered the little girl was.

"And this is Tony." Abby said.

"Nice to meet you, Paige." Tony said.

"You beat me." She complained at him stealing her introductory phrase.

"Sorry." He said seeing that scrunched up Abby face.

"That's cool. I'll have to beat you at something else." She said happily.

"Are you sure she's not biologically your's Gibbs?" Tony asked.

"You would think it, wouldn't you?" Abby said and they both got the Gibbs-glare.

"Dad, can I stay here for a while?" Paige asked jumping up into his strong arms.

"A little while, yes." Gibbs answered.

"Can I help Uncle Ducky?" She asked hearing from her mother that he would be the one angry if she did it.

"Ummm." He said looking passed Paige to Abby who was standing where Paige could not see her. Abby signed to him exactly what to say. "Well, when you are much older we will definitely think about it."

"That's what Mom said." She complained.

"Funny that. Maybe we're right." He suggested.

"But I want to do it today." She moaned.

"Princess Paige. We missed you and want to spend time with you. And what's wrong with helping your mother?" He asked.

"Nothing. I love it. But to be able to cut up a body... " She said.

"Exactly like your mother." Kate said laughing at her.

"Do we have evidence today?" Paige asked getting down.

"Not quite yet. Why don't we go to lunch?" Abby said.

"Okay."

"Your pick." Gibbs said.

"Umm. Can we get McDonald's?" She asked hopefully.

"Sure." Abby said grabbing her hand who in turn grabbed Gibbs'. She bounced between them as they went to the elevator.

"McGee is going to be pissed he's off sick today." Tony commented as the doors to the elevator closed.

"Yeah." Kate agreed robotically. Neither of them had come to terms with everything they had just heard or seen.

**FLASHBACK**

"You're nothing but a whore." Jason yelled.

"I didn't knock myself up, you idiot!" Abby yelled back. "You're just as guilty as me if not more since I actually took precautions. And do you think this is what I wanted, I just started studying."

"Get rid of it." He said coldly.

"Get out!" Abby yelled. She didn't plan it but now that she was pregnant she was accepting of it.

"I mean it." He said again putting his finger in Abby's face.

"So do I. How dare you?"

"Either it goes or I go." He gave her the ultimatum.

"Bye." She said waving at him. "Don't let the door hit your dead-beat ass on the way out."

"You bitch." He muttered as he left the house. Abby had invited him over to her parents house to tell him that she was pregnant. He was the first she told and by the way he was reacting she was not looking forward to telling anyone else.

"Bastard." She yelled out after her. One good thing about having deaf parents was that she could yell all she wanted and they wouldn't know.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

"So, you have known Abby for ten years?" Kate asked when Gibbs returned and Abby stayed in her lab with Paige just making sure the child was alright.

"Yes."

"Can I ask how?" Kate asked knowing that if it had been Tony prying that he would have been whacked again by now.

"You could ask. Doesn't mean you'll find out." He said. There was no way of explaining it to Kate without revealing information of his own past which he never did.

"Okay." She accepted not wanting to push the issue. She could always ask Abby who was only ever secretive about Paige. Every other detail of her life was up for discussion.