Hehe, I'm so glad everyone seemed to like the random lovin' in the last chapter. And the story continues…

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Abby woke early the next morning, quietly sliding out of the bed without waking the man beside her. She found Jack in the kitchen frying up some bacon and eggs.

"You're up early."

"Yeah, I usually am when I sleep at a new place." Abby sniffed the air. "Smells good."

"Nothing special , but I hope you enjoy." Jack dished up two plates adding toast to teach and then set one in front of Abby before sitting across from her. "Can I ask you something? About my son?"

Abby set her fork down and look at Jack. "Sure."

"You said you've worked with Leroy the past 7 years or so?"

"Yeah."

"What can you tell me about his life? I feel like I know nothing about the time after Shannon and Kelly passed away. I just found out last night that he's been married three other times."

Abby thought for a moment. "I'm not sure it's my place to fill you in on the details. Ask him, I'm sure he'll tell you. He doesn't volunteer details very often but I'm sure he would answer your questions."

"I know, it's unfair of me to ask you, but I just want to know what's going on in his life. I've missed out on so much."

"Well, I'll tell you this much. You should be very proud of your son. He works so hard and it isn't about the money, it's about the people and bringing justice to the victims. He's won the Meritorious Service Medal six times in the past few years, but he doesn't care. There is a drawer in Tony's desk where we keep the medals for him. I don't even think he knows about that, but anyway, he's done some amazing things." Abby smiled. She was proud of Gibbs and all the selfless things he had done for others.

"I am proud of my boy."

"You should tell him that."

"He doesn't want to hear that from me."

"You might be surprised." Abby gave a little shrug and returned to the breakfast before her. "Can I help in the store today?"

"Sure, if Leroy will let you. I'm sure he'll want to give you a tour of the town. Maybe take you out to the woods. He spent a lot of time out there as a kid."

"Leroy," Abby emphasized, "doesn't let me do anything. I just do what I want."

A hand clamped down over Abby's mouth. "She's right, she does what she likes – whether I like it or not." Gibbs bent down to speak closer to her ear. "You call me Leroy again and you'll be Caf-Pow-less for a week."

They both knew the Caf-Pow threat wasn't real, but Abby pouted anyway. They were both well aware that if Abby went without Caf-Pow for long she was miserable. It was common knowledge that if Abby was miserable, Gibbs was miserable.

"The woods, huh? Is that were you learned to be so sneaky?" There was a slight twinkle in Abby's eyes as she spoke.

Gibbs ignored the question and placed a kiss to the top of her head. "You should've woken me."

"You need your sleep."

"And you don't?"

"I always wake early in a new place, you know that."

Gibbs had moved to the kitchen to dish up some breakfast and moved back to sit at the table. "Still, you could've woken me."

Jackson finished his own breakfast and cleared his plate. "Well then, I will see you in the store."

"Yes you will." Abby finished her breakfast and then headed down the hall to shower and change. Gibbs was still drinking coffee and reading the local paper when Abby returned. She crawled into his lap for a quick cuddle and a kiss and then headed down to the store.

Gibbs decided to shower and then after checking that Abby was still happily working in the store, he headed out for a walk through Stillwater. He gazed longingly at the store front where he first had seen Shannon and then walked on, stopping into the bakery to pick up a few pastries to bring back. He knew both Abby and his father had a sweet tooth.

Gibbs stopped to watch a young family play in their yard, a soft smile on his face. He had had that once. He found himself smiling more over the memories lately rather than wanting to hurt someone.

"She's a little young for you, don't you think?"

Gibbs cringed. "Leave Abby out of whatever issues you have with me." He didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"But that's the thing, Agent Gibbs. You brought her here, flaunting your young mistress around town for everyone to see." Chuck Winslow knew just how to push Gibbs' buttons.

"Mistress? A little over the top, don't you think, Chuck?"

"What would Shannon think?"

"Shannon would want me to be happy."

"I always knew she was too good for you. At least this new one seems a little more at your level."

Gibbs had heard enough. "You leave Shannon and Abby out of this, and you stay the hell away from Abby. You even look at her…"

Chuck rolled his eyes and lifted his hands in mock defeat as he backed away. Gibbs didn't realize that his hands were clenched tight until his hands started to cramp. He watched Chuck disappear around the corner and the continued on. He walked on until he came to the train station where he had first spoke to Shannon, taking a seat on the old bench and watching the as the small town bustled around him.

He could practically feel Shannon sitting beside him, so he offered a quiet 'Hi.' Slowly he felt the tension drain from his body. "It's been six months and I haven't screwed it up yet, Shannon. I haven't screwed it up."

He knew Shannon would be smiling at him and the fact that he was so proud of his relationship lasting a mere six months so far.

He used to feel Shannon around him all the time, but it was something that he tried to ignore unless he was drunk in his basement, sniffling like a baby because he missed them so much. Now, as things had progressed with Abby he had felt Shannon's presence less and less, yet she was always there when he needed her, so he wasn't worried about losing the connection.

He waited until a majority of the anger left his body before he stood to leave. He looked back at the bench and smiled before he headed back towards the store.

Gibbs returned to his father's store to find Abby chatting happily with a few of Jack's friends. Once word had gotten out about the raven-haired beauty with a tattoo on her neck, Jack's store had been busier than usual.

Abby noticed Gibbs slip in quietly, but continued her conversation.

Jack stepped up beside him, noticing something was off. "Everything okay, son?"

"Yes, just a few words with Chuck."

"Ah, they aren't going to find him dead in the morning, are they?" Jack was only half joking.

"Nah."

"Good." Jack shifted his stance and nodded towards Abby. "She's good for business. She's charmed everyone who has come in. She even got old Hank to bring home a bit of chocolate for Mildred."

Gibbs laughed, "Yeah, Abby does have a way with people."

"I can see why you fell for her."

"Yeah."

"Chuck said something about Abby, didn't he?"

"Yeah."

"Well? What'd he say?"

"Said that Abby's too young for me, and that Shannon was too good for me and at least Abby is on my same level. Called her my mistress, said I was parading her around town."

"You know its hogwash. He's just angry about you putting his son-in-law Nick Kingston in jail last time you were here."

"I know. I just… He's just always known the right buttons to push."

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TBC…