Chapter Five

Abby pulled up to Ducky's house five minutes before six and was greeted by a small pack of corgis , their small stump tails wagging as they soaked up the attention that she lavished on each one before heading up the front steps.

"Abigail, my dear." The look on his face suggested Ducky now knew why she had wanted to spend some time with him, though he didn't mention it as he ushered her inside and took her jacket. Ducky was, if nothing else, ever the gracious host. "I've just taken the roast out of the oven. Dinner will be ready shortly."

"Smells wonderful."

She wasn't surprised to see the table set elegantly as though she would have expected for a dinner party for 20, even though there were only 2 plates set out. During dinner Abby was grateful that Gibbs' name never came up. Between the two of them they had enough stories to keep each other entertained for hours without even the mention of work. Afterward, Abby stowed the leftovers while Ducky loaded the dishes into the dishwasher.

They moved out to the living room, Ducky bringing a tray with tea and cookies. "It certainly has been a rough few weeks, hasn't it?"

"That's an understatement." She wanted to say she wished she'd never gone to Mexico in the first place, but if she hadn't gone, Gibbs wouldn't have his girls back. "Big news today, huh?" There was no avoiding it, so she might as well get it out of the way.

"I am still in shock about the news. I can only imagine what Jethro must be going through. It seems there are still so many unanswered questions." Ducky poured them each a cup of tea. "You didn't seem so shocked this morning."

There it was. He knew.

"I already knew."

"For how long?"

"No no… I mean, I knew, but I didn't know. Tony said he had taken the day off and Gibbs never takes the day off. I was worried so I went over there and… and I saw them."

"Oh. I see. What did he say?"

"Nothing. I walked in and I… I didn't stay."

"And that's why you came to talk to me about tonight?"

Abby nodded.

Duck read her nervousness like a book."You'll need to talk to him eventually. You know he would have told you first, before everyone else, if he'd gotten the chance. I suspect he came to tell the rest of us so that you didn't have to carry that secret around."

"He doesn't owe me a special explanation, Ducky."

"There is something going on between the two of you."

"Ducky-"

"If the two of you have figured it out or not, I don't know. But otherwise, why did you leave work to check on him this morning?"

"I was worried! Ducky, we all worry about him. He never takes time off of work."

"They why did you leave without saying anything?"

"I didn't want to interrupt their moment anymore than I already had."

"And then at work? You left before you introduced yourself."

Sometimes he could read her too well. "The director came in; I had important evidence to get started on in my lab. I met Kelly the day before… before I knew who she was. I'm sure Gibbs filled them in on who I am."

"I see," Ducky sipped his tea.

"See!" Abby sat back with a smug grin. "We're just friends. I was just shocked and… yeah." Her grin slowly faded.

"So you've almost convinced yourself then? Because I believe none of it." Abby's gaze dropped and Ducky watched as she all but admitted defeat. "You've always been close, but with the way the case in Mexico up-ended nearly everyone, something changed between you."

Abby shrugged. She knew she could talk to Ducky and that he wouldn't go back and tell Gibbs everything she'd said. "We… we were going to talk, last night, about us. But then he came down and told me that I should go home and get some sleep. Then he kissed me and told me we'd talk later."

"And here you are, avoiding that conversation?"

"Yeah," she tried to play it off like it was no big deal. "It's not a conversation we need to have. I understand."

"Why is that?"

"He's got Shannon back. He won't give her up again, and I don't want him to. He's happy, Ducky, for the first time in 18 years." Abby offered a sad smile.

"Abby," Ducky set his tea down and sat forward to grasp her hands. "You make him happy too. I'm not saying he'll walk away from Shannon, but don't underestimate how much you mean to him."

"Yeah." Her reply didn't sound as confident as she had hoped it would.

"I think he would have walked away from NCIS a long time ago, had it not been for you."

"No, he already walked away once. I tried to stop him." Abby glanced around hoping to find some way to change the topic. Mercifully, Ducky took the hint.

"She looks like him, has his eyes, doesn't she?"

"I don't know how I didn't recognize her." Abby yawned and settled further into the couch. "She was just like him when I talked to her. There are so many similarities. It's funny to imagine someone else so… so Gibbs-like."

Ducky noticed her yawn and smiled. "The guest bed is made up, if you'd like to stay."

"No, I think I'll head home. A night in my coffin sounds relaxing." She stood and put her tea back on the tray. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ducky. Thanks for dinner."

"And thank you for the company. We really should do this more often."

"Maybe when Dr. Hampton gets back, you two can come bowling with me again."

"I'm sure Jordan would love to, but I may have to sit out."

Abby smiled and put her arm around him as he escorted her to the front door. "Aw, Ducky. She didn't beat you by that much."

"Enough that my fragile ego is still recovering." He winked at her. "Drive safely, my dear."

"I will, thanks again."

Ducky watched as she drove down his driveway. "Come on, old boy," Ducky looked down at one of the dogs that had followed him out. "We've got a quick call to make before we can retire for the evening." After locking up, Ducky grabbed his phone and dialed.

Gibbs hadn't wanted to leave the lab, but Johnson had a case to wrap up, and it was obvious that Abby was uneasy at the prospect of being alone with him. And that hurt. It hurt that Abby, of all people, was uncomfortable around him. She had always had complete faith in him, even when she'd found out that he had killed Pedro Hernandez, she hadn't balked, only asked how she could help.

He wasn't sure what would happen between Shannon and himself. Could they go back to what they had before? Would they start over - date and get to know each other all over again? Was that what he even wanted?

He needed to talk to Abby, but he had no idea what to say.

"Tell me about her."

Gibbs smiled at Shannon as she sat beside him on the couch. "Who?"

"Abby. She's obviously an important part of your life. I'd like to know about her." She tried to sound as non-threatening as possible. She didn't want him to get defensive over his relationship with Abby –whatever it was – and shut down. He had gotten agitated when she'd asked about his ex-wives, and she didn't want a repeat of that conversation. She genuinely wanted to know about Abby.

Gibbs thought for a moment. "She's my forensic scientist."

Shannon held back a smile when he referred to her as his forensic scientist for the second time.

"We've worked together for nearly ten years and she's probably been the one thing that lasted longest in my life since…. The whole team, they've been my family."

"What about Jackson? Or my mother?"

"Your mother always blamed me for taking you away from Stillwater. I saw her a few months ago. She's doing well. You should visit her soon."

"I will. And Jack?"

No easy way to put it. "I shut him out of my life after your funeral."

Shannon's smile faded and she reached out to touch his arm. "Jethro, no…."

"A case brought us to Stillwater nearly two years ago. We've been working things out."

"I want to see him, and I'm certain Kelly will want to see him as well. She doesn't have many memories of him, but she's got a few of being in the store. He still has it?"

"Of course. The day he gives up the store is the day he dies. He's got some help now for a few hours here and there. But he loves it." Gibbs pulled her into his side. "But tell me more about the past 18 years. How did Kelly do in school? Did she play any sports? You never… remarried?"

"I couldn't. No one except Tom knew I wasn't Darby and I couldn't live a lie with someone I loved. So I didn't let myself."

"Tom. Was he around much?" He couldn't help the flair of jealousy. He knew he had no right to feel jealous, Tom had only been doing his job. But it was a strange man who had made the decision that Gibbs would no longer have a family.

"Every couple of months. Kelly didn't like him at first, but he knew she missed having a father. He tried to time his visits so he could be there to cheer for her at a soccer game, or be a familiar face for music recitals and graduation." Shannon felt him tense beside her. "He didn't replace you as a father, if that's what you're thinking. It was just nice to have another familiar face in the crowd."

"I should have been there." It suddenly dawned on him that Kelly hadn't come in. "Where is she?"

"Going through all the stuff in her room. She's amazed that you kept everything."

"I couldn't let go…." Gibbs shrugged. He had promised Stephanie that he would turn it into a nursery for their child, but she had never managed to get pregnant. Gibbs had been unsure if he was relieved at not having to change the room or disappointed at not having a second chance at being a father.

"What time will Abby be here?"

Gibbs' head snapped up and he saw Kelly leaning against the door frame. He hadn't heard her come down the stairs. "I don't know that she will."

"Why not?" She circled around in front of the couch. "You invited her, she said she'd try."

"Johnson's team is close to having all their evidence in a row to make an arrest. I'm not sure she'll leave her lab tonight." He could tell Kelly was worried that Abby was avoiding them because of her and her mom. He was worried for the same reason, but Kelly didn't need to know that.

Kelly nodded, though she didn't look satisfied with his answer. "Can I go to the basement?" She was still weary of wandering around the house that had once been her home.

"Of course." He waited a few minutes and then, with a nod from Shannon, he followed her down. Gibbs sat on the bottom step and watched as she moved around, touching the various tools laying around, and then leaded against the half-covered shell of the boat he was building.

"Some of my favorite memories are from us building stuff down here."

Gibbs smiled.

"Well, you building stuff, me pestering you and blowing saw dust everywhere." Kelly laughed.

"You were helping."

"Something like that." She shifted uneasily against the boat. "What happened to the boat we, well you, were building?"

"I got drunk and burned it." No point in lying.

"You make any others, or is this it?" she gestured to the boat she was leaning against.

"There were others. Burned all but one, she was named after you. I sent her to my god-daughter in Mexico."

Kelly's eyes widened. "Is this one headed for the same fate? The burn pile?"

Gibbs hoped not. "No."

"Because you named her after Abby?"

Gibbs didn't hide the look of surprise that flashed across his face.

"Lucky guess," Kelly smiled shyly. "You had the same look on your face when I asked if you were going to burn this boat as when you had to leave Abby with that other agent - the rude one."

Gibbs stood and walked over, pulling the heavy drop cloth from the back half of the boat, revealing Abigail painted in large, elegant black letters.

"She know?"

"No."

"Mom and I sure picked the perfect time to come back, didn't we? Things were just about to happen between you and Abby, weren't they?" Kelly sighed heavily.

"Kel…."

"We didn't mean to come and disrupt your life. I… I want you in my life, but I should have waited. I made mom hop on the first flight out here. She wanted to think things through, but I couldn't wait. I'm really sorry, dad. If I had known…"

"Shh." Gibbs gathered his daughter into his arms. "I've missed you so much, both of you. I'm glad you came to me as soon as you did. I don't want to lose another minute with you." He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head and hugged her tighter.

"Will you just call her? I feel really uneasy about everything."

"You too, huh?"

"You always told me to go with my gut." She pulled back enough to smile at him. "I mean, I don't feel like anything bad has happened, but," Kelly shrugged, "she cares about you a lot and our arrival has really freaked her out."

"Why does it bother you so much?"

"The way you were around her, the way you look at her. You completely avoided mom's questions."

"You were spying."

"Maybe. But mom wanted to know more about her, we already know she's the scientist, we want to know who she is to you."

That was something he'd like to know, too. "Kelly…."

"Fine, just call her, okay? She looked so sad when she walked in this morning."

"I'll call."

"Good." Kelly hugged him once last time and then left him to make his call.

Gibbs pulled out his cell and hit the speed dial number assigned to Abby. As expected she didn't answer. He waited until he heard her cheerful voice - It's Abby, you know what to do! - and then hung up. He definitely didn't know what to do, so no point in leaving a message

Kelly looked at him expectantly when she stepped out through the basement door, but kept her mouth shut when he asked if they wanted to go to dinner.

After dinner they were seated around Gibbs' dining table going over photos that Shannon had brought, most showing Kelly's life over the past 18 years, when Gibbs' phone rang in his pocket.

"Yeah, Gibbs."

"Jethro."

"Hey Duck, everything okay?"

"Everything is fine, no need to worry. I just thought I would let you know that I enjoyed the company of a lovely young woman this evening."

"Calling to brag?"

"Perhaps."

"She okay? What'd she say?"

"She was just tired and in need of a decent meal. Mexico took a lot out of her. Her mind is a bit of a mess, but nothing that can't be figured out."

"She spending the night there?"

"No, she headed home a few minutes ago. I just didn't want you to worry. Johnson's case is nearly wrapped up, so she can catch up on some sleep tonight."

"Thanks Duck." He was about to hang up, but Ducky stopped him.

"Don't go looking for her tonight. She's tired, a bit emotional over everything and needs sleep. You'll only make things worse."

"I know." This time Gibbs didn't wait for a goodbye, he just hung up and tucked his phone away. Although Ducky had warned against it, he wanted nothing more to go to Abby and bring her back with him. He had his family back and the one person he wanted to share it with was avoiding him. He looked up to see Shannon and Kelly watching him. "Sorry, where were we?" Gibbs picked up the photo he'd been holding. "You were how old in this picture?"

TBC…