Chapter 4 – Nothing To Hide

When they got to Abby's apartment, Gibbs hesitantly followed her in. He closed the door and hovered near it, uncertain of how quickly things would go back to the way they had been before Ryan had turned up. He wanted them to continue as if nothing had happened but he was also aware they could learn from it.

Gibbs believed Abby when she said she trusted him. It would take him time to fully get over how she'd jumped to the worst possible conclusion but he refused to let himself be weighed down by it. He could understand why Ryan's appearance had not only upset her but scared her as well...it had sent an unpleasant shockwave through him too. But he wanted to put that behind them and try and focus on making it so neither of them had to go through this again.

He watched Abby disappear into the kitchen as she went to put on some coffee, taking another step in and suddenly feeling the same kind of nerves overcoming him that had on the night he'd told her he loved her. Gibbs was determined to make sure their relationship only got stronger from tonight's events, and if the right moment arose he still wanted to give her the set of keys to his house.

She belonged there...she belonged with him. Despite what Ryan had thought, what she'd said, Abby was perfect for him in every way. In some aspects they were opposites, but not in a way that set them apart. Their differences complemented each other, made them unified as a whole rather than two individual people wandering blindly through life searching for meaning.

When Abby realized Gibbs hadn't walked into the kitchen with her, she retraced her steps to find him lurking near the door.

"You can come in, Jethro...unless you've changed your mind."

Gibbs saw the worried expression on her face and walked over to her. "Haven't changed my mind, won't change my mind...about you or us."

Abby smiled, her eyes lighting up for the first time that night. She linked her arm around his elbow and pulled him towards the kitchen. "Come and get some coffee...or do you want bourbon, there's still a bit left over from the bottle we opened last week."

She'd bought it the night Ducky, Palmer and the rest of Gibbs' team had all been invited to her apartment to tell them the news about their relationship. Abby had thought that if things didn't end up going the way she hoped, with everyone giving her and Gibbs their support, then she could use the bourbon to get ridiculously drunk instead of using it for a toast.

In the end, she'd had nothing to worry about, everyone had congratulated them with a resounding 'finally' with Tony trying to convince them all he'd known weeks ago. As much as he liked to joke around, Abby thought given his skill as an investigator it was entirely possible he'd discovered their secret and kept it to himself. And for that she was thankful, that he'd remained silent until she and Gibbs were ready.

"Probably shouldn't have any bourbon if I've gotta drive home," Gibbs answered as they moved into the kitchen.

"You could stay here tonight," Abby said hopefully.

"Wasn't sure you'd want me to."

She wanted him to stay but didn't want to make him feel like he had to if he needed to spend time away from her, or in his basement. He hadn't spent a lot of time in his man cave over the last several weeks, partly because she'd kept him busy with other pursuits but also Abby felt like she'd started to provide Gibbs with the emotional stability he'd been without for so long. Her body willingly supplied the physical stimulation he needed while her heart and mind took care of everything else.

Abby stepped in front of him and slipped her arms around his waist, aligning the front of their bodies. It was the closest they'd been all night, their stomachs pressing together, Gibbs' hands smoothing up and down her arms.

"I do want you to stay," she told him. "All I could think about today was spending the night alone with you, waited all week to have this weekend together. I might've managed to put a bit of a dampener on things but I want you here, want to fall asleep in your arms and wake up next to you tomorrow."

"Want that too." Gibbs smiled, leaning in so his nose nudged alongside Abby's.

Her skin was soft next to his, her smell leaving him feeling drugged...how could he ever exist without her? He hadn't felt this consumed, this intoxicated, by anyone since Shannon. Even though they hadn't been together that long, loving Abby had already become second nature to him; it was in his blood and he could no sooner stop it than he could tell himself to stop breathing.

"I'm sorry," Abby whispered against his lips. "I trust you...more than anyone...I was just scared."

"You scared me too," he admitted, gently brushing his lips over hers.

The kiss was barely there, Gibbs listening to the sound of her breathing deepening, his gaze holding hers when he spoke.

"Wouldn't ever cheat on you, Abbs, with anyone."

"I know you wouldn't, and I'll never forgive myself for making you think I doubted you." Abby pressed her lips more firmly to his, lingering and trying to savor their softness. "I love you...a lot, you know that right?"

Gibbs nodded. "I do, love you a lot too."

She deepened the kiss further, parting her lips and tentatively nudging the tip of her tongue into Gibbs' mouth. His hands settled on her waist, the hardness of his body pressed against the softness of hers; now that he had a hold of her he didn't want to let her go.

"Nothing has changed for me," Abby breathed into his mouth between kisses. "If anything I love and want you more now than ever...forgive me?"

"Nothing to forgive, Abbs, was just a misunderstanding that's all, we're gonna have 'em sometimes...neither of us are perfect, though I'm sure you're pretty close."

He was trying to lighten the mood and make it easier on both of them, his unselfishness where she was concerned yet another reason Abby was so drawn to him...Gibbs made her feel like the world revolved around her.

Abby grinned shyly and leaned into him, letting Gibbs completely enfold her within his arms. "Hardly, but thank you for saying so, and for talking about things and not shutting me out."

Gibbs ran his hands up and down her back, letting out a deep sigh of relief. "Told you I'd try...wanna tell you things I've never been able to share with anyone else."

She pulled back from him and smoothed her hands down over his chest. "And I want to listen, whenever you're ready, we don't have to rush..." She paused for a moment, wondering if what she was about to say was too much. But after what they'd just gone through Abby wanted to give him extra reassurance that they would be together for a long time. "We've got our whole future to get to know each other better."

"I like the sound of that," Gibbs leaned forward and pressed his nose into the curve of her neck, breathing in the scent of her. "Speaking of which, I have something for you."

He drew back from her and reached down into his pocket for the keys that were still safely hidden. Taking one of Abby's hands he opened it up and placed the set of keys in her palm. Gibbs gave in to the tug of emotion that caught him unaware, the simple action of placing something he valued, a place that was his sanctuary, within her hold, making him understand to a greater extent what an important part of his life she'd become.

His voice was rough when he eventually managed to speak again. "It wasn't quite how I planned on doing this but it still means the same I hope."

Abby looked up at him expectantly. "Jethro?"

Gibbs barely heard her gasp his name, her eyes widening when he closed her fingers over the small metal objects.

"Keys to the house, thought if you're gonna be staying there a bit you should have them. Need to keep the doors locked now to keep you and anything you bring over safe."

Abby opened her mouth to speak several times. This was the last thing she'd expected and it meant so much that he'd still decided to give the keys to her even after all the emotion of the evening. She'd always felt at home at Gibbs' place, but staying overnight and actually giving her keys were two different things altogether. He was inviting her into his personal space, whenever she felt like she needed to be there.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't have anything to hide from you, Abbs. Your apartment is still your home but I want my place to be your home too...if you want it to be."

"I do!"

Gibbs grunted when she enthusiastically threw her arms around his neck. He returned the hug, holding Abby tightly to him, chuckling as she rained kisses over his face and neck.

He noticed the shift in her emotions almost instantly, her hands moving to cover his ass when her teeth started to nip along the curve of his jaw and lowered over his pulse point. Her breath was warm as it fanned over his skin, soothing and exciting him at the same time, the faint caresses of her lips as she kissed her way towards his ear sending a shiver down Gibbs' spine.

"How did I get so lucky to have someone like you love me?" Abby breathed.

"Think it'd be impossible for me not to love you, Abbs...beautiful, intelligent, caring, sexy, you want me to keep going?"

She felt her cheeks flush at Gibbs' willingness to point out everything he saw as good in her rather than dwell on the negatives of the way she'd behaved tonight.

"I was gonna say the same about you, well maybe handsome instead of beautiful," Abby teased, "though there are parts of you that are definitely beautiful...your hands, your heart."

She placed her hand on the centre of his chest, sighing at the steady thud underneath, it was something Abby would never tire of. Hearing and feeling the beat of his heart wasn't just a physical bond between them it was an emotional one too because she was aware of the things he guarded inside himself so carefully.

"Don't let anyone else hear you say that," Gibbs grinned. "Can't have people thinking you're turning me soft."

Abby returned his smile and rested the front of her body into his side. Her hand remained on his chest, her nose and lips rubbing gently over his cheek.

"Promise I won't tell a soul, that part of you is just for me."

Gibbs kissed her forehead, his lips then slowly and gently travelling down the side of her face. Abby felt his hot breath slide over her skin, a flurry of goose bumps breaking out when his teeth grazed over the curve of her ear.

"Let me touch you." The plea slipped from between Abby's lips on a wistful sigh, her eyes flickering shut. "Wanna feel you, taste you, have you inside me, show you how sorry I am and be reminded that you're mine."

Gibbs could understand her desire to claim him as her own, he'd wanted to do the same with her countless times over the years, and after what had happened with Ryan he too needed to re-establish the connection between their bodies which could only be done by being joined completely.

"I need you too," he admitted.

TBC...