He lay awake for about an hour when he heard footsteps in the hall before his door cracked open and she tiptoed into his bedroom. Without speaking she stood there in the door waiting.
"Come here" he whispered softly into the dark holding up the covers next to him, watching her as she crossed the length of the room toward his bed in the darkness. He felt her crawl into bed next to him, coming close to cuddle against his side. Her head came to rest on his shoulder and he softly kissed the top of her hair. His fingers began to draw lazy circles on her back, waiting for her to speak.
"Bad dream" she states, listening to his soothing heartbeat. "I feel so lost, Gibbs."
"You're not alone. Go to sleep, I'll be here."
Lying beside her in the dark he watched her as she began to drift away. Being this close to her felt somehow right. Sighing and chiding himself for his thoughts he closed his eyes. Feeling more relaxed then he did for a long time, he fell asleep, holding the woman beside him close.
When he woke up the next morning he smelled coffee. It was barely light outside. After a short shower and dressing he made his way downstairs only to find a fresh cup of coffee on his kitchen counter with a note attached to it.
"Thanks for being you. See you at work. Abby"
He couldn't help but smile at her statement. He thought she must be the only person in the world who was glad he was the way he was. Except maybe Shannon but he was another man entirely then. Not as dark, not such an old cranky marine. But he knew Abby didn't see him that way. He knew she loved him for who he was, even if he didn't deserve her. But he tried being there for her, not to disappoint her too much.
Looking around his empty house he suddenly felt cold. Once he had loved the loneliness and quiet. But now he just missed his girl and he wondered how she was after that revelation yesterday. Grabbing his coat and the coffee he made his was to his car and to the Navy Yard.
Abby was just putting her lab coat on when her Gibbs-radar went off. She looked around smiling at him standing in her doorway watching her.
"Hey Gibbs"
"Abbs"
She couldn't help but think about this morning. When she woke up she was tangled around him. Her bare legs entwined with his. Her head still on his chest. She shook off the mental image and the tingling it brought to her stomach.
"I see, you found your coffee"
"Did. You left early."
"Yeah. I had to change and everything." she stated with a shrug.
"You ok?"
She knew his eyes were on her but she just couldn't look at him, so she turned her back pretending to search for something on her desk before she answered.
"Sure. I'm fine, Gibbs"
Just as he was about to say something his phone began to ring. He answered the call, trying not to sound too annoyed with the person on the other end. When he closed his cell a few minutes later he looked in Abby's direction.
"We have a case. Have to go, we'll talk later."
"Gibbs, I'm fine. Really. Of you go."
With a last look in her direction he turned around, not convinced at all.
She saw the look on his face and knew he would try to make her talk later. About her parents, her new found brother Kyle, and Luca and the whole adoption mess. Sighing she made her way back to the front room to begin her work for the day.