This chapter's a little shorter than the others, but I wanted to tuck it in. Deviates from the Gibbs/Tony stuff mostly but I PROMISE the next chapter should make everyone happy (though maybe a little worried at the end). See you again next week!
*Ring ring*
*Ring ring*
"TONY!! What's up?" Abby squealed into her phone.
"Whatcha doing, Abbs? Got any plans for tonight?"
"Nope! Bowling was last night and I did all my laundry earlier today. Why, do you have plans for us?"
Tony grinned, knowing that even if she wanted to, Abby would not be able to turn down his proposal. "Well, La Chocolaterie has a new addition to the menu- Devil's Straight to Hell Delight. Devil's food cake with chopped maraschino cherries, and when you scoop off a bit of the cake, chocolate syrup comes oozing out while the rest of the filling is chocolate mousse…"
"Say no more, Tony! When are you picking me up?"
At the chocolate shop, Abby was digging in to her dessert, acting like a kid in a candy store. "So Abbs…"
"Mmm?" was the only reply he got through a full mouth.
"What kind of dad would you think I'd be?"
He waited for Abby to swallow and she immediately launched into an explanation. "Well if it's a son, he'd do nothing but sit around and watch movies and football. He'd probably beat you at all your video games and trivia by age 7. If it's a girl, you'd probably end up spoiling her rotten and once she's a teenager, you'd definitely be the wacky dad to be embarrassed of. Just for the record, why?"
"Because in four months or so, I will be one."
He couldn't have prepared for Abby's shriek of delight and the huge tackle-hug she gave me when she leaped up from the table. "TONY!! What? How? Who? When? And why didn't you tell me five months ago? I have to start shopping! For her. Or him. I suppose I should wait a little for studs and chains. Do they make NCIS baby clothes? Can I be his or her Aunt Abby? Who's the mom?"
Tony laughed at Abby's exuberance. "Slow down; one question at a time. The mom is a very good friend of mine. We dated in college, but decided we worked better as friends. In other words, we drove each other nuts. Anyway, she was in town and we were having a pity contest, complete with wine. In the end… and two months later she invites me to dinner and tells me. The thing is, she's in some financial troubles, so I said I'd raise the kid. A girl, by the way. And no, we don't have a name for her.
"Wow…omigod, have you told Gibbs yet? Or the director? What'll Gibbs say?"
"Don't worry, I talked to both of them. Actually, Gibbs figured it out and came to talk to me. He's actually been helping me prepare for a while…but listen, Ducky, McGee, and Ziva don't know yet, so don't say anything. I'm telling Ducky this week and I don't know about Probie and Ziva."
"You got it, Tony-bear. Oh my God, she's gonna be SO cute!"
They continued with dessert, Abby insisting on feeding some to Tony. Tony laughed and ate the cake off of her fork because it was easy to be like this with Abby. Unlike McGee, who always remembered Abby as his girlfriend, Tony always considered the goth like a little sister and their flirting was always in just a teasing way. Even if she hadn't been like a sister, Tony knew he wouldn't go for her now. Something inside told him that something else was out there and just hadn't shown itself to him yet.
When Abby finished off the cake (that girl could certainly eat), they went out to a new club. As Tony pointed out, he wouldn't be able to for much longer.
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Meanwhile, Gibbs sat at home in his basement, as usual. Not like usual, however, he held in his hand a picture of a little girl with long red hair and a beautiful gap-toothed smile looking at the camera. He then placed it back in the drawer it came from and took a shot of bourbon. He smiled and looked to his latest project, the boat lying forgotten with a tarp over it.