A/N:

Sorry this is such a little tiny chapter… the Muses are at work again, doing strange things, partially in response to a recent request (although several people have asked for the same thing.)

So… the rest of this story will move between New Jersey, DC, and Cardiff, and will answer a request for "more Gibbs." It will also work in the accounts of Children of Earth, which I have not seen yet, or read even one single spoiler… I'm (im)patiently waiting for the 20th!


Chapter Five –
on the Other Side of the Atlantic…

"A friend is someone who understands your past,
believes in your future,
and accepts you just the way you are.
"

Author unknown


"You want me…?" Donald 'Ducky' Mallard gaped at the black haired, green eyed woman sitting across from him in the little café in Haddington, the small town about twenty miles from Edinburgh, Scotland, to which he had retired last year. She'd driven up from Cardiff to see him, entirely unexpectedly of course, although the unexpected was the expected when it came to Abigail Schuito and Ducky knew it. "I'm flattered, of course, but are you quite certain about this, my dear?" he queried.

"Yes, absolutely."

"What about Jethro—or Jack?"

"See, that's my problem!" she explained, her outburst disturbing the otherwise quiet room. She ducked her head and lowered her voice. Not that her over all appearance hadn't caused a bit of a stir when she walked in the door. Snug black pants full of zippers and clunky black boots that looked as if they might have been stolen from Gene Simmons' wardrobe weren't the norm in Hadington. "Ducky, if I ask Gibbs, it would hurt Jack's feelings, and if I ask Jack, I would hurt Gibbs' feelings. I can't hurt their feelings, I love them! But they can't both walk me up the aisle! Neither of them would be upset if you did it, they both love you—well, you know," she said. She had her suspicions about just exactly how Jack Harkness loved Ducky, but she would really rather not go there. Gibbs loved him in an entirely plutonic way, and vice versa. "I hope you don't feel like my third choice are something," she added quickly. "Because you're totally not."

Ducky chuckled and sipped his tea. "I would be flattered even if I were your third choice, Abigail," he assured her. "And I suppose in the effort to keep the peace—or at least to prevent bruised feelings—I would be delighted to give you away," he told her honestly. He could easily imagine what it would do to either Jack's or Jethro's delicate—not to mention over inflated—egos to have Abby chose one man over the other. Not that either would admit to ever either a delicate or an inflated ego, mind… he sighed. He wasn't entirely certain he wanted to get Jack and Jethro in the same room together. Either they would get along famously or it would be a complete and utter disaster… but perhaps for Abby, they'll both behave themselves. Stranger things had happened. They'd even managed to get through last Christmas without anything more serious happening than a few Blowfish landing in Cardiff. "Have you set the date yet?" he inquired.

She nodded, grinning a broad red lipsticked grin. "Next month. The thirty first! It's a Saturday. Ianto helped me get everything booked," she added. She never could have done it without him. "But you have to promise not to say anything to Gibbs," she told Ducky in a pleading tone.

He gave over an inquisitive look.

"Jack said that since it's been so quiet, he can spare me and Timmy for a weekend—even though Bobby and Wendy are in New Jersey. They should be back on Saturday, anyway. We're leaving for DC first thing in the morning. Gibbs doesn't know we're coming. Heck, I didn't know we were going until this morning when I told Jack I was driving up to see you to give you the news. That's when he said we could take a couple of days to go tell Gibbs in person too."

"Far be it from me to ruin the surprise," he agreed. "However, I insist that you give me all the details. How did Timothy propose?"

Abby gave him a sly little look. "It was very… Timmy," she grinned at him.