Chapter Two

Abby brought her fingers to her lips as she watched him go. Something was wrong, but his dizzying kiss had effectively distracted her from pinpointing exactly what it was. She chewed nervously on her lip as she picked up around the lab and switched off her machines for the night. His kiss had been reassuring, but at the same time she couldn't help but worry that he had changed his mind and just needed the extra time to come up with a way to let her down gently.

With Bert snuggly place on the shelf above her computer and her lab coat hung by the door, Abby grabbed her stuff and headed for her car. She sat behind the wheel a few moments, unsure of where to go. Although exhausted, she wasn't ready to head home and Gibbs had made it clear he didn't want to spend the evening with her. Checking that the latest forensic journal was in her bag, she headed for her favorite coffee shop – the one with the faux fireplace and the big cozy chairs. The one that conveniently sold Caf-Pow! as well.

She was second in line at the counter behind a young woman with wavy brown hair. Abby gazed up at the menu, scanning for any additions, even though she knew what she wanted.

"What can I get started for you?" One of the baristas caught her attention.

"Caf-Pow! please."

"What size, mini or regular?"

Abby was irritated at the mere thought of a Mini-Pow! "Regular."

The woman in front of her turned with her coffee, not realizing Abby was right behind her. Although she managed to pull up just in time to keep from completely running into Abby, some of her coffee sloshed out of the cup and on to Abby's arm and shirt. "Oh my gosh, I didn't see you!" She set her coffee on the counter and grabbed handful of napkins. "I'm so-"

"No need to apologize, it was an accident." Abby smiled and accepted the napkins, wiping the coffee from her arm and then soaking it up from her shirt. It wasn't the worst thing she'd ever had spilled on her. "Really, it's no big deal."

"But still, let me pay for your drink. You ordered a Caf-Pow! right?" The woman handed her a few more napkins. "There is a table right there. Why don't you have a seat, I'll bring your drink over."

At the woman's persistence, Abby moved over to the table and sat down. She watched as the woman paid for her Caf-Pow!, shoved an extra dollar in the tip jar, and then brought both of their drinks over.

"Again, I'm so sorry. I'm just a bit jittery today."

"And the coffee will help?" Abby smiled. The woman was obviously worked up about something and she didn't want to add to the stress. The coffee hadn't even been that hot.

"Yeah, the coffee keeps me sane."

Abby laughed; such a Gibbs thing to say. "I guess I'm the same way when it comes to Caf-Pow! Why are you so jittery?" She couldn't help but ask.

"I'm Kelly by the way. And, well, I'm hopefully going to see my dad tonight. For the first time in nearly 20 years."

Abby's eyes widened. "Wow! Oh, I'm Abby. But wow, you haven't seen your dad in almost 20 years? Then I can understand why you've got the jitters."

"Yeah, my mom is talking to him first and then, assuming he wants to see me," Kelly shrugged. "I'll see him."

"Why haven't you seen him?"

"It's a long and complicated story."

"Ah. Well, way to make my problems seem like a drop in the hat."

A look of concern flashed across Kelly's face. Her eyes were bright blue and Abby found that she couldn't quite look away. "What's your problem?"

"There is this guy… it's always a guy, isn't it?" Abby leaned back in the chair. "It's probably nothing."

Kelly grinned. "It is always a guy. What's wrong with yours?"

"See that's just it. I don't know if he's mine. We've been friends forever and there has been a lot of," she shifted her gaze down to her drink. "A lot of drama lately. We've always been close but after everything, I think we're even closer. We're supposed to talk about what we are and what's happening, but then suddenly he came down to my lab and said he had some stuff to get done and that he couldn't see me tonight. Which, I mean, it's fine, but there was something different. Something happened. Sorry, I babble."

"You really love him, don't you?" Kelly wrapped her hands around her coffee and looked at Abby with a soft smile. "I can see it on your face."

"Yeah, I do. I have since the first time we met, I think. But… it's up to him, I guess." Abby shrugged. "Whatever happens...happens."

"Has he given any sign that he's not interested?"

"I… I don't think so, but he's pretty closed off. He's been through a lot and has had his heart smashed to pieces. He knows I'd never hurt him, but I think he's scared he'll hurt me. But I know he won't."

"You've got it bad, girl. What is he like?"

"Oh I – oh, no. I don't have a photo of him on my new phone yet. I call him my silver fox. There is a bit of an age difference, but not as much as people assume when they see us. Sorry, I don't mean to unload all of this on you."

"I don't mind, it's keeping me from thinking about my dad, and you seem like you could use someone to talk to."

"I normally talk to him about all my issues. He's a good listener and lets me babble on until I've got it all out. But… and I can't talk to my friends at work either. He's our boss. Well, their boss, not really mine. I mean, I do what he needs, but technically he isn't my boss, I don't think."

"Work-place romance? Isn't there some sort of rule about that?" Kelly teased.

Abby laughed. "You have no idea, but sometimes rules are meant to be broken."

"Very true. I've done my fair share of rule breaking over the years."

"A rebel, I like it. You've had the whole work-place romance?"

Kelly shrugged. "We didn't work together, but in the same building. I broke up with him, but he doesn't quite get it. It's part of why I hope things with my dad go well. I'd like to move back to the area. I mean, I'm 26, I don't need my daddy to take care of me, but it would be nice to have him be in my life again."

"Oh, is he like a stalker, the guy you're talking about? I've had a few of those."

"Wait, you've had a real stalker? My guy back home, he isn't that bad. I think he just thinks that he can win me back. Believe me, he can't."

"Be careful, even if you think he's harmless. My ex was stalking me, luckily my fox rescued me, but afterwards they found a suicide note he'd written and then signed my name." Abby reached across the table and grabbed Kelly's hand. "From one woman to another, don't let it go too far if you think he can't let go. I never thought he would hurt me and now he's behind bars for plotting my death."

Kelly's eyes grew wide. "I'm speechless."

"Just be careful."

"Oh, yeah," she nodded. They were both quiet a moment as they sipped their drinks. "So, I don't mean to be rude, so feel free to say no, but can I see the tattoo on your neck?"

Abby laughed. "Sure." She pulled her braid back and angled her neck.

"That's so cool! It must have hurt."

"Yeah, but not as bad as a few of my others did." Abby took mental inventory of all her tattoos. "You have any?"

"I always wanted a tattoo, but my mom wouldn't let me. Then, once I turned 18 we got in a huge fight and I went out and got one without her knowing. I think it was over a month before I had the guts to show her."

"I think I got my first tattoo when I was 15. My mom wasn't impressed, but she figured that it was better than some of the other things my friends were into at the time."

The two women chatted on, jumping from subject to subject - pausing only for a moment when Abby went to get them refills on their drinks. As they continued to talk, an elderly woman passed them, muttering something about Abby's distasteful appearance.

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"Nah. She doesn't know that I've got more degrees than the three of her grandchildren combined and that I bowl with the nuns from St. Mary on Wednesday. I'm not the devil-worshipper she wants to think I am."

"You bowl with nuns?"

"Mmhmm," Abby nodded before sipping from her drink. "Sister Rosita, you have to see it to believe it. She's absolutely amazing."

Kelly opened her mouth to reply, but before any words were formed, her phone started to ring. She looked at the caller I.D. and looked up at Abby, her eyes wide, a semi-fearful look on her face. "It's my mom."

"Answer it!" Abby encouraged. When it seemed as though Kelly was frozen, Abby leaned across the table, plucked the phone from her hands and accepted the call before pressing the phone to Kelly's ear. The coffee shop was too noisy for Abby to hear the other side of the conversation so she tried to make sense of the expression on Kelly's face.

"Okay… yeah. I can do that… yes. Okay." Kelly ended the call without a goodbye. "My dad. He wants to see me." A huge grin broke out across her face.

"Go! Hurry!" Abby waved her away. "Have fun."

"I will!" Kelly jumped up and grabbed her purse. She tossed her coffee in the trash and was almost to the door when she stopped and turned back to Abby. "Your guy, he'd be crazy not to want a relationship with you. Good luck."

"Thanks." Abby watched as Kelly hailed a cab out front and then pulled the journal from her bag. After two Caf-Pow!s she wasn't quite ready to go home yet.

The moment he arrived home and was safely inside his living room, Gibbs was on the phone with Fornell.

Yes, Agent Thomas King worked for the FBI.

Yes, he was involved with the witness protection program.

Yes there had been a Darby and Cathy Staunchfield on a flight from Portland to D.C.

"I can't access the file that has copies of their passports or drivers licenses. You might want to see what Abby can do. Not that I suggest or support you hacking the FBI, but I know a few laws won't hold you back. If they really are people exiting the witness protection program, it could take upwards of three weeks for me to get a hold of their information," Fornell said.

Gibbs sighed.

"What is all this for? Your director might have better connections to get what you need."

"Never mind."

"Alright, oh, and Jethro?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad we didn't lose you in Mexico."

"Try not to sound too overjoyed, Tobias." Gibbs couldn't contain a small smirk.

"Bastard."

They both hung up. Gibbs paced the carpet in the entryway, then the living room, eventually ending up in the basement, and for the first time in several years he was completely unsure of what to do. All of his training told him someone was toying with him and if that were true, he had no idea who this person was or what they wanted. The NCIS agent in him wanted to call Tony and Ziva to come over and send McGee to Abby under the pretense of computer something or other – just in case. He'd nearly lost her in Mexico and he wasn't going to go through that again. He'd lost enough to Mexican criminals already.

But there was something else. Although his gut was screaming, for once it wasn't telling him he was in danger. He still wasn't really willing to allow himself the possibility that it might be true. They might still be alive. The let-down from that was something he didn't want to go through. Waking up from the dreams was hard enough. He had seen the mangled car. There was no way they could have come out alive.

Gibbs was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear the car pull up outside, nor did he hear the soft knock on his door. He continued to run the sander in long, firm strokes along the planks of wood he was using to make his newest boat, The Abigail. Ever since Abby had to take apart The Kelly, she'd been weary of going near anything in the basement. The guilt of having to take apart his most precious boat weighed heavily on her no matter how much he reassured her. He had painted the simple black letters of her name towards the beginning; keeping it covered just in case she dropped by. He'd nearly showed it to her when she had come to him after finding out about Pedro Hernandez, but he decided he wanted to wait until it was finished.

He didn't hear the floor boards creaking overhead, but at his thoughts slowed, he heard the basement door creak and he dropped a hand to the gun on his work bench.

"Jethro?"

TBC…

The reviews have been lovely, thank you.