It was noon before Abby felt like she was somewhat back to normal. Her shower and breakfast from Donny had helped, but something told her it was the comfort of the sweatshirt and the scent of saw dust and Gibbs that eventually put a smile on her face.
Fornell arrived home just as Abby was headed upstairs to start on her hair and makeup. Cocktail hour was from five until six, with dinner starting promptly at six. Fornell called her back down and they took a few minutes to go over the layout and the schedule one last time.
Abby stood in front of the mirror in her bathrobe as she decided what do with her hair. She was nervous. She had to play the perfect girlfriend, and at the same time watch for anyone that resembled Vincent. She hadn't taken a good look at him when he had knocked at the door, but she could remember his eyes. She was sure she would always remember his eyes.
She decided to pin her hair up, sticking with a 50's style to match with dress. She wanted to leave the spider web tattoo uncovered, but Fornell had been eyeing it as she talked about how to do her hair, so she dug out her foundation and covered it. She leaned in close to the mirror to line her eyes and apply a few layers of mascara and then picked out a vibrant red shade of lipstick.
Abby's fingers trembled as she tried to work the clasp on the pearl necklace. She had been mentally preparing for tonight, but now that it had finally arrived, Abby felt the butterflies move relentlessly around her stomach.
Her eyes were closed as she focused on working the clasp and for a brief moment; when warm hands covered hers, she let herself believe it was Gibbs helping her get ready for their date to the jazz bar. She opened her eyes and smiled at Fornell before dropping her hands and letting him work her necklace. "I guess I'm just a little nervous."
"It's okay. If all goes to plan, if Vincent is following like we suspect he is, it'll all be over after tonight."
"And if he doesn't show up?"
Fornell sighed and turned her around to face him. "We'll figure something out. Let's worry about tonight first, okay?"
"Yeah. I'm ready to go. I'll just grab my shoes and meet you downstairs."
"I'll be down in a few."
---
Abby smiled as she stepped into the ballroom at the swanky hotel the FBI had chosen to host the event. She knew it was formal, but she hadn't expected the FBI to put so much effort into decorating. To the left there was a stage at one end where a band was set up, then a large expanse of hardwood floor for dancing. To the right was a large group of tables where people were milling about and searching for their place cards. Abby stuck close to Fornell during the cocktail hour, trying to converse politely with the people she was introduced to as well as keep watch for anyone suspicious. She saw several faces she recognized, and several more that she didn't.
She watched as waiters in black and white moved around the crowd, carrying trays of finely arranged food and drinks. She avoided them, though, since her stomach was doing flips and she wasn't sure if anything would stay down. People slowly began drifting towards their seats so that the evening could begin.
The MC tapped on the microphone and introduced himself as Lee Sheridan, saying a few words about himself and his job at the FBI. Abby mostly tuned him out as Fornell led her to her seat between himself and Donny Cunningham. She smiled at Donny, glad to be sitting between two people that she knew. She settled into her seat and scanned the crowd, trying to commit all the faces to memory.
"Now I would like to introduce Devon Mitchell, the recipient of the 2009 community leadership award. Devon, come on up."
Abby looked toward the sound of a chair scuffing across the floor. Looking past the crowd her eyes caught sight of Gibbs pulling out a chair at a table on the far side of the room. Devon stood up halfway between where Abby was sitting and where she had seen Gibbs, blocking her view.
"Gibbs," Abby leaned in to whisper to Fornell. "He's here. I saw him. Over there." With Devon making his way through the crowd, Abby nodded in the direction she had seen Gibbs, but with so many people, she couldn't make out where he was. "I saw him, I swear I did."
Fornell nodded and turned his attention back to the stage where Devon was describing his work in the community and expressing his gratitude.
With Fornell seemingly ignoring her claim to having seen Gibbs, Abby leaned over to Donny. "Is agent Gibbs on the guest list? I swear I just saw him."
"Not that I'm aware of." Donny looked to Fornell, but the slight glare told him not to ask. "I don't know."
Abby kept searching the crowd throughout dinner. Every time someone stood or shifted in their seat she swept over the crowd with her eyes in hopes she could prove herself right.
"I'm sure you were just seeing things, Abby." Fornell dismissed. "Why would Jethro be at an FBI event?"
Abby frowned. "I don't know, I just thought…" Abby chatted politely with the rest of the people at the table as she tried to think of why Gibbs would be at the dinner. Having successfully forgotten about Vincent and the fact that there was a target on her back, Abby excused herself to use the restroom. Fornell nodded at a woman two tables over and she got up to follow Abby to the ladies room.
Abby rolled her eyes as the agent Fornell had gestured to, Marie Whitson, followed her into the bathroom. "I don't need a babysitter."
"I know, but I'm just doing my job. I've got to earn a paycheck."
"Want to earn an extra fifty?"
Marie moved next to Abby in front of the mirror and fluffed her hair. "How?"
Abby dug her phone out of her clutch and brought up the photo of Gibbs she used on his caller I.D. "Can you go take a look and see if this man is here? I swear I saw him, but now I can't find him. I really need to talk to him."
"I can't leave you here alone, but when we go back out there I don't see why I can't take a look."
"Good. Tell Agent Fornell he owes you that extra $50." When Abby was finished, she headed back to the table, scanning the crowd for Gibbs. Dinner was over and people were beginning to mill about again until dessert was served. Back at the table, Abby tried to focus on what Fornell was telling her about the leadership award, but she had a hard time concentrating. Eventually Donny managed to get her attention away from Fornell and they chatted quietly about trivial things – the price of a decent lap top, the way Abby missed Major Mass Spec, and how Donny needed to loosen up and go clubbing now and again - while Fornell discussed budget cuts and other FBI business that Abby tuned out.
Abby was mid-conversation with Donny when firm hands gripped her shoulders. She was about to shrug off the hands but stopped when Donny smiled nervously. "Hello Agent Gibbs."
"Gibbs?" Abby struggled to jump up from her chair, but Gibbs held her in her spot so she wouldn't make a scene. He loved the contrast of the lacey fabric of her dress and the soft skin of her shoulders under his fingers. "What are you doing here?"
"Agent Cunningham." His greeting to Donny was short, cold and dismissive. He still hadn't forgotten that Donny had been Abby's partner in crime when she snuck out of Fornell's place a few nights prior. "Hey Abbs." He gave her shoulders a slight squeeze in lieu of a kiss to the cheek. "You look beautiful tonight."
"Thank you." Abby smiled up at him. "You look real good too, Gibbs. I don't think I've ever seen you dressed up so nicely. I like it." Abby loved the boyish grin she got out of the compliment. She didn't know what to talk about with Donny and Fornell right there, but she wasn't ready for Gibbs to go back to wherever he had been hiding, and she had given up on him explaining why he was at the party. She noticed that people were starting to dance. It would be the perfect place for them to talk quietly without Fornell listening in. She hadn't seen Gibbs in two weeks, and she just wanted to relax in the safety of his arms as they moved around the dance floor. Ask me to dance, ask me to dance, ask me to dance.
Gibbs saw that the dancing had caught her eye. He wanted to ask her, he wasn't sure it would go over well, but…
"Abby," Fornell leaned in before Gibbs could ask. "We should probably make a few rounds and then hit the dance floor."
Abby looked at Fornell and back to Gibbs hoping he would step in and ask her to dance. He didn't.
"Have fun, Abby." This time Gibbs didn't resist dropping a quick kiss to her cheek before he walked away.
----
TBC…