Part Fifteen
After the events of the past few weeks, Abby didn't feel like she could worry her NCIS friends with her concerns about the man she suspected was following her. She didn't want them worrying unnecessarily and there was still a voice in the back of her mind that was reluctant to believe the man's presence was more than just a creepy coincidence.
As for telling Gibbs... Part of her really wanted to. He was the one she almost always went to, the one she knew she could always rely on to protect her and keep her safe. She hadn't gone to him when Mikel had began stalking her, though, because she'd felt self-conscious about her chosen boyfriend and hadn't wanted to have to tell the man she was – at that point – only just beginning to feel romantic feelings for that her questionable ex-boyfriend wasn't willing to accept it was over. Telling him now...
She dismissed the thought after an hour's deliberation, quashing the impulse to run to him. With their relationship in the early stages of its shift, she didn't want him to feel like he was obligated to do something about it. That, and she didn't want him getting into trouble if it was all in her head.
Needing to talk about it with someone, she called her best friend and the bride-to-be, Carol Wilson. They'd gone to college together and had remained close ever since. Locking the sliding security door of her office behind her, Abby checked through the glass that there was no one around before picking up the phone and dialling the familiar number.
Carol answered on the third ring, her voice so full of enthusiasm that Abby had to smile. "Hello, my favourite maid-of-honour! Are you all set for the bachelorette party on Friday? I can't wait! It's going to be so good...!"
"Remember to breathe, Carol," Abby advised with a laugh. "And yes, I'm looking forward to the bachelorette party but that's not why I'm calling..."
"Is it about the final dress fitting tonight?" When Abby didn't immediately say anything, Carol gasped. "Oh, God, tell me you didn't forget! Abby!"
"I didn't forget!" Abby lied, reaching for a pen with her spare hand so she could scribble a reminder to herself on a piece of paper. "I'm meeting you and Hanna there at six, right? Then we're going to grab something to eat?"
Carol laughed in evident relief, her tone light when she spoke. "If you can tear yourself away from that silver fox of yours long enough to spend some time with us, yes. How are things going there, anyway?"
A smile tugged at her lips despite everything. "Things are going great," Abby answered softly. "Better than great, actually. But I'll tell you all about it in person tonight."
"Can't wait to hear the details!" Carol teased. "So, if you're not calling about my wonderful bachelorette party, our dress fittings or anything else related to the wedding of the century, what are you calling me about?"
Her smile fading, Abby glanced again at the glass doors. "It's... I don't know if I'm overreacting," she said with a heavy sigh. "Remember the guy I told you about, the one who walked into me in the coffee shop and I thought it was deliberate?"
"Yeah," Carol answered after a momentary pause. "I remember telling you you were paranoid..."
"And I might be," Abby said with a shrug, "but I keep seeing him everywhere, Carol. He was at the mall the other day, and seemed to be everywhere I went. He was at the coffee shop again this afternoon, watching me."
"Watching you, or just there drinking a harmless cup of coffee?" Carol offered. "I'm playing devil's advocate, Abs, because you don't sound so sure yourself."
Abby sighed and leaned back in her chair. "That's what I want you to do. It's not that I'm not sure, it's that I don't want it to be real. I don't... Things are going so well, Carol. Everything's getting back to the way it should be and things with me and Gibbs are better than normal... I don't want to go around upsetting everyone again if I can help it. But this guy..." Her voice trailed off and she sighed heavily. "He's everywhere I go. If it was just seeing him again in the coffee shop, I'd forget it but it's the way he looked at me, Carol, like he knew me, like he'd been waiting for me to notice him."
"If you've got concerns, you should tell someone," Carol advised her gently. "I'm sure your Agent Gibbs wouldn't mind checking up on the guy..."
"That's exactly why I can't tell him," Abby replied glumly. "If I do, he'll want to protect me. And I love him for that, I do, but I don't want him overreacting and getting into trouble if it's all in my head. I don't know, maybe it's just a lasting side effect of the caffeine poisoning? Paranoia is one of the side effects..."
"But the doctors said you were fine, right?" Concern entered Carol's voice. "You're over it? I mean, I know you won't be completely over it for a while but physically, you're okay?"
"I'm good, yeah," Abby hurried to assure her. "I wouldn't be back at work if I wasn't deemed fit enough." There was a short pause. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and Abby hit the unlock mechanism just in time for Gibbs to walk up to the doors and activate the automatic sensor. "So, I'll see you later?"
"I take it you've got company?" Carol murmured, dropping her voice as though she could be overheard from the other side of the phone. "Our appointment's at six, so be there just before. And I'm not taking no for an answer now, Abby, you're coming out for dinner after so we can finish this conversation."
Abby nodded, though Carol couldn't see her. "Dress fitting, then dinner," she agreed, rolling her eyes for Gibbs' benefit. "Though we'll have to make it a small dinner so we both still fit our dresses."
"If you say so!" Carol replied. "See you later, Abs. Love you!"
"Love you, too. Bye." Abby waited until she heard the dial tone before hanging up. She looked up as Gibbs approached, smiling at the speculative look on his face. "My other lover," she explained. "You don't mind if I meet him tonight instead, do you...?"
Gibbs merely shrugged. "Since you said you'd both be wearing dresses, I can't say I'm feeling all that threatened..." He tugged her out of her chair and pulled her against him. Kissing her even as she opened her mouth to explain, he felt her arms move to wrap around his neck. Pulling back after several long, intense moments, he gazed down at her. "Still want to meet your other lover?"
"As if there could be one," she answered with a soft, contented sigh, dropping her arms from around his neck to put a reasonable amount of distance between them. "But I do still have to go and meet Carol for our dress fittings, and I promised I'd go for dinner with her and Hanna to have a catch up. It'll be our last chance before the wedding craziness really sets in."
"Will I see you after?" He asked quietly, following her out into the main part of her lab.
Glancing at him over her shoulder, Abby gave him what was almost a shy smile. "If you don't mind waiting, I can be over at your place by no later than ten, ten thirty?"
"I'll be in the basement," Gibbs returned. "Let yourself in."
"If the door's unlocked, I will." She started to turn away but was stopped by him taking hold of her hand and watched as he reached into his pocket with his other hand. Curious, she tilted her head to the side as he turned her hand over before depositing a small, metal object onto her palm. Staring at the object, she felt her heart flutter in her chest before lifting her head, her gaze searching. "Is this...?"
"A key to my place, yeah." He shrugged when she continued to stare at him. "Makes sense, Abs. I should've had one made for you when I got the new lock fitted."
"But we weren't..." She felt herself blush and fought the urge to roll her eyes at herself. "I mean..."
"The lock was never meant to keep you out, Abby." Gibbs covered the gap between them and kissed her cheek softly, a little closer to her lips than was normal. He closed her fingers over the key gently before moving away. "I'll see you tonight."
"You will," Abby murmured, watching him leave before returning her attention to the key in her palm. Her lips started to form a smile but a nagging sensation in the pit of her stomach kept it from staying in place for too long.
She glanced at her computer, remembering the email she'd received that morning. She'd been so sure Mikel had been the sender when she'd first opened it but wasn't as convinced as she remembered the guy from the coffee shop.
There was no way he could know her email address, though, she reminded herself. Sure, he might've heard her name mentioned in the shop, especially if Elliott and Susan were talking about what had happened to her recently but... She shook her head, trying to shake away the thoughts, and subconsciously tightened her hand around the key she held.
Mikel was the danger, and he was safely behind bars. There was nothing else to worry about.
Nothing at all.
The dress was deep green in colour, with a rich gold sash around her waist. At first, Abby had hated it and decided she would tolerate it for Carol's sake. Admiring her reflection in the full length mirror of the dressmaker's shop, she thought she might have to reconsider.
The long dress hugged her curves in all the right places, gliding over her body like liquid silk. It was respectable enough for the sophisticated ceremony Carol insisted on having but the low dip at the back and the deep square neckline showed just enough flesh to hint at what was hidden beneath it.
Gibbs, she decided, would love it.
"Are you coming out, Abby? It can't be that bad!" Carol called out from behind the curtain of the dressing room.
"Shouldn't she be saying that to you?" Hanna Parker, the other bridesmaid in the wedding party, asked, the grin clear in her voice.
"Hey!" Indignation coloured Carol's tone. "I look fabulous in my dress, and you all know it. You're just jealous."
Abby rolled her eyes as Hanna began her retort and pulled back the curtain, moving to stand in front of them with her hands on her hips. "Children, please. No fighting."
"Oh, hey. You're still here. I thought you'd snuck out a back door or something," Hanna teased. She looked Abby over with a critical eye before nodding her approval. "It looks good. The green suits you."
"Thanks," Abby gave her a grateful smile back. Hanna's dress was the same style but was a dark red in colour, with a gold sash that matched Abby's own. She looked to Carol expectantly, a fond smile curving her lips at the sight of her friend dabbing her eyes with a well-used tissue. "Oh, Carol..."
"I'm sorry, I can't help it," Carol sniffed, waving a hand to dismiss their concerns. "I'm just so happy, and you both look so gorgeous and I'm marrying the most wonderful man and it's all so perfect..."
"Oh, honey." Both Abby and Hanna moved to sit either side of the bride-to-be, each wrapping an arm around her. "You're allowed to be happy."
"And you're allowed to cry," Hanna added, meeting Abby's gaze over Carol's head. She winked and added, "remind me to stock up on the waterproof mascara, Abs. And maybe some waterproofs that match our dresses?"
Abby laughed while Carol glared at each of her bridesmaids in turn. "Laugh all you want now," the bride-to-be huffed. "I'll remember it when it's your turn."
"Not going to happen."
"You'll be waiting a long, long, long time."
Both bridesmaids protested, shaking their heads vehemently.
"Uh-huh," Carol arched an eyebrow. "It'll happen to both of you, just you wait. I always said I'd never get married, that it was just a piece of paper that you don't need if you really love someone and here I am. I'm wearing a cream dress, for crying out loud – with lace! My grandmother would be so proud."
"You look gorgeous in it," Abby was quick to compliment her. "And you only agreed to get married because Harry's parents would have disapproved of you guys living in sin if you didn't."
"Just wait till your silver fox decides he wants to walk down the aisle!" Carol teased, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You'd say yes in a heartbeat and you know it!"
Abby rolled her eyes. "He's been married four times already. I really don't think it's going to be an issue."
"Four times?" Hanna gaped at her. "The guy you're dating has been married *four* times?"
"It's not as bad as it sounds," Abby protested defensively. "There are extenuating circumstances, and it doesn't bother me."
"So you don't mind being his... fifth... wife?" Hanna asked doubtfully.
"Fifth and final!" Carol added with a wink. "Assuming, of course, you guys ever decided to get married..."
"Which will never happen," Abby replied cheerfully. "So moving on with the conversation... If there's nothing more that needs to be done to our dresses, I suggest I get changed and we go get something to eat."