I Know You Can Feel This Too
A/N: Thanks so much... your reviews have made me chuckle! Sooo, the consensus is we like jealous, growly Gibbs then? Oh good...
Chapter 3 – A Feeling of Family?
Friday morning saw Gibbs in the bullpen as Fornell arrived with Emily to drop her off at Abby's lab. Emily rushed over to him for a hug and Gibbs swung Fornell's daughter, who was not so little anymore, off her feet and into a hug. He was very fond of Emily and didn't spend nearly as much time with her as he would have liked.
His agents looked on, indulgently. However much of a hard ass Gibbs was, they'd seen evidence of his natural way with kids many times over the years. It was a nice change to see the softer side of their boss, which only emerged occasionally, except when he was with Abby.
When Gibbs set her back on her feet, Emily chattered away at how excited she was to be spending the day with Abby.
Smiling proudly, Fornell held out a hand to his daughter. "Come on, Em, let's go find Abby."
On his visits to the lab during the morning, Gibbs found Emily absorbed in watching Abby, listening to her explanations and hanging on her every word. As busy as she was, Abby had devised a plan for the day so that Emily could get the most out of her visit for her school project.
Later, Gibbs missed the time when Fornell came by to take Abby out to lunch with Emily, but on a regular run to his coffee shop, he noticed the three of them sitting in the diner next door.
As he waited in the long queue for his usual blend, Gibbs couldn't help watching them as they had lunch. He felt a pang of guilt for spying on them but was unable to tear his eyes away.
They looked like a family, was the uncomfortable thought that skittered across his mind.
Abby's face was always so expressive and she looked happy as she smiled at something Fornell was saying, while Emily eagerly tucked into her food. Gibbs saw Abby reach out to tickle Emily, who squirmed in her seat, giggling as she tried to move out of reach.
What brought Gibbs up short though was the look on Fornell's face as he watched the two girls. The look of fondness and affection on his face made Gibbs' stomach tighten.
Or was he simply reading too much into it?
He'd been angry enough years ago when he first thought the FBI was attempting to poach his forensic scientist away from her lab. And now, while Gibbs was fairly sure that Abby wouldn't leave NCIS... leave him... he wasn't so confident that things weren't spiralling out of control in another area.
What if Fornell was hitting on Abby?
And what if he was?
Abby didn't belong to Gibbs. She didn't belong to anyone. If Abby chose to go out with Fornell, to see him socially, to go on a date, that was up to her... wasn't it?
The rational part of Gibbs' mind acknowledged that Fornell was lonely... just as he was.
It must be difficult for Fornell being a divorced father of a young girl, especially with an ex like Diane who'd never made things easy for him over the years. Gibbs remembered how Fornell was forced to fight for even the limited access he had, and how Diane had used the FBI agent's job against him in an attempt to limit his visiting rights to his daughter.
Fortunately, Emily was approaching an age where she could make up her own mind what she wanted, and make those wishes clear to her mother. There was no doubt Emily wanted her father to play an active role in her life.
Since Fornell had divorced Diane, Gibbs wasn't aware that Tobias had had a long term relationship with anyone. So if he were being a friend, he should be happy for Fornell if he was now dating or in a relationship.
But why did it have to be Abby?
And why not?
She was a warm, vibrant, intelligent, beautiful woman. Any red-blooded man with a pulse would have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to be attracted to Abby.
Gibbs wasn't blind to the spark of attraction that existed between them, unacknowledged and so far not acted upon by either of them... just simmering away in the background for years.
So it wasn't the fact that Fornell should be interested in Abby that was bothering him. That much was a given... It was why Abby might show any interest in Fornell that he couldn't work out... and that was what was causing his disquiet.
But come on, Gunny, look at it the other way.
Why would Abby be interested in a cranky, damaged, thrice-divorced Marine either?
Gibbs entertained no illusions that Abby would look twice at a man like him. Sure, they flirted and teased one another, but then Abby flirted with everyone. If he were honest, he was fooling himself if he thought he had a chance with her.
If Abby was interested in Fornell and vice versa, then Gibbs should be supporting her, and him... shouldn't he? He should be happy for her and not be wanting to get between them, as he was itching to do now.
He'd always wanted happiness for them both... he just never imagined that it would be together.
Gibbs knew he had no right to dictate what either Abby or Tobias did, particularly with what was happening in his own complicated private life at the moment... even if things weren't as they appeared on the surface.
So why did the sight before him, of the three of them laughing and joking together, bother him so much?
TBC
A/N: Think we're stirring Gibbs up nicely?