A/N: Thank you for the continuing encouragement and support for this story, progress is on the horizon...I promise ;) Thanks to WithTheGrain for implanting a certain image in my head, and gosgirl...enjoy the dimples :)

Chapter 8

Abby and Margie returned to the cabin as the sun was setting to find Gibbs and Ray still working on the porch. They had finished off most of the framework and enough of the decking so there was a path from the stairs that led to the front door. Ray smiled at both women as they approached but Gibbs had his back to them and failed to notice their arrival. He was standing on a ladder with a support beam resting across the highest platform. Abby couldn't help but notice the strong legs that were visible below his shorts as he took a step higher. How was she supposed to control herself and take things slow when everything about him made her want to touch him?

When Gibbs lifted the solid block of wood off the ladder and up above his head, Abby found herself fighting back what was sure to be a very unladylike groan. The sleeves of his white t-shirt slid down to reveal tightly strained arms and shoulders. The muscles of his forearms and biceps flexed and then tightened again as he settled his hold, the sight of his fingers as they fastened onto the beam causing her lips to part slightly. All she could think about was having those beautiful but masculine hands on her, caressing her, his fingers digging into her soft flesh.

Abby's eyes wandered down from his hands, noticing how the hairs on his tanned arms stuck to his skin with sweat. As his grip shifted the muscles along his arms corded. The toned curvature of his biceps held firm, rounding into hardened triceps and solid shoulders. Following the path of his t-shirt she stared at his neck. She took her time to memorize its smoothness, wishing she could lick a trail up to where his short silver hair began and bury her nose to breathe in his essence.

As the t-shirt clung to his upper back she could see the taut pull across his shoulder blades, the firmness continuing under his arms, giving her a reminder of what she had seen the day before. Abby swallowed at the recollection of his naked back, her gaze moving lower to stare at the sliver of skin that had been revealed with his shirt lifting higher up his torso. This time the angle of his body gave her a better view of the dimples just above his backside. The small indentations and the narrow hollow at the base of his spine were all pointing down to the impressive ass that was just begging to have her hands on him.

There were many things Abby loved about Gibbs, but the small depressions at the base of his back that had gone unnoticed until this moment, suddenly had her more hot and bothered than she thought possible. If she couldn't have her way with him soon the fading grip she had on her sanity would definitely come undone and the consequences might end up being disastrous. Those perfectly placed dimples were going to keep her awake at night, burned forever into her memory. Whether it was in her dreams or reality, she was determined she wouldn't be denied a taste of the recently discovered hidden treasures of his lower back.

Abby tilted her head to the side as if the gesture would somehow let her see more or get a closer look, as if the new angle would miraculously make his shorts drop so she could see what was concealed underneath. She couldn't look away; she didn't want to look away. Abby had seen more of his exposed skin in the last two days than she'd seen in the whole time she'd known him but it wasn't enough. If admitting her feelings didn't work she was going to have to rely on adrenaline and hormones; his as well as hers.

Abby felt heat flood her entire body; she needed to walk away before she embarrassed herself. Shaking her head to try and clear her lust infused brain she took a step away from Gibbs to find both Ray and Margie watching her. "I, um, I need something to drink."

Gibbs turned at the sound of her voice, almost dropping the support beam, but Abby moved away before their eyes could meet. As she entered the cabin and opened the fridge she heard Ray ask Gibbs if he wanted a beer, his footsteps following behind her. Abby took out some water and held the fridge door open for Ray to take out the two beers. He stopped and looked over his shoulder out through the front door, making sure they were alone.

"If I've learnt anything about Gibbs in all the years I've known him it's that he's as stubborn as they come, but you can break through that just..." Ray trailed off, a hopeful expression on his face. "Don't give up on him."

He was gone before Abby had a chance to say anything, leaving her alone and wondering exactly where to go from here. She wasn't going to bring anything up while they still had company but she could at least reassure Gibbs that what had happened in town earlier was forgotten. His possessiveness was the least of their worries; if they were going to move forward they had to start on equal footing.

Walking back outside Abby grinned at Gibbs, not failing to notice the way he was leaning against the ladder. Approaching him she took the beer from his hand, swallowing several mouthfuls before handing it back. It was her silent way of saying she wasn't angry at him anymore for the way he'd acted, that they were okay. He still looked stressed, though not as badly as when she'd left with Margie and she hoped it was because he and Ray had been talking. She also figured working with his hands would have helped ease some of the tension. Just like when he worked in his basement, after a few hours of manual labour he seemed to be in a better mood.

Abby didn't miss the way he'd watched her drink from his beer or the way he'd drained the rest of the bottle after she'd given it back to him. One way or another before they went home she would tell Gibbs how she felt about him, and she would just have to trust that Margie understood him as well as she seemed to. Abby knew her brief moments of physical contact with Gibbs were his weakness and she could use it to draw him out of hiding, but she wanted to save that as a last resort.

A short time later when the sun had gone down and there wasn't enough light to continue working outside, Ray and Margie said their goodbyes. Abby was sad to see them leave but was looking forward to being alone with Gibbs again. After giving the couple a hug, Abby watched as the lights from their car faded and disappeared in among the trees, Gibbs standing quietly beside her.

Once they were back indoors Gibbs went to take a shower while Abby looked through the food to find them something for dinner. Remembering she still had her chocolate cake left from that morning she found the small box in the fridge and ate as she waited for Gibbs to come out of the shower.

Now that she was alone again with Gibbs all Abby could think about was her conversation with Margie. It was going to be difficult but she wanted try to go slow. He wasn't some fragile soul she had to treat like a child, but he needed reassurance; to know she was serious about him, about them. And he needed to know that she understood that he would never forget Shannon or Kelly, they were part of him. It was something else she loved about him, his sense of loyalty and trust towards the people he cared about.

When Gibbs stepped out of the bathroom in a pair of loose gray sweatpants and his red hoodie, Abby realized that she may have misjudged her ability to take things slow. Putting another spoonful of cake in her mouth she hoped the chocolate and sugar would suppress the other cravings of her body. That was until Gibbs walked over to her and used his thumb to wipe a smudge of chocolate frosting from her chin. Abby held her breath. He smelt fresh from the shower, his wet hair still unbrushed from being towel dried. She hastily shoved another mouthful of cake into her mouth when he walked away, cursing his red hoodie and its ability to make her feel even more out of control.

"I take it from the way you're devouring that cake that you're hungry, Abbs?"

She swallowed loudly. "Something like that."

Much like the previous night before bed, Abby showered while Gibbs cleaned up in the kitchen and made some fresh coffee. The amount of coffee he drank would be enough to keep anyone else awake for a week, but his body was so used to it now that she doubted it had the same effect on him anymore.

When she walked out of the bathroom she put her clothes away and headed straight for the couch, determined that tonight they would both get more than a couple of hours sleep. Gibbs looked on from the kitchen as she picked up the pillow and blanket he'd used the previous night and took them over to the bed.

"Abby?"

"I'm not listening to you toss and turn all night, Gibbs. And I noticed the stiffness you keep trying to work out of your back and shoulders too. You're sleeping in the bed...there's plenty of room for us both."

She pulled the covers back and threw his pillow on top of hers, piling them up so she could rest her back against them. Sitting down on the bed she looked at him defiantly, inwardly hoping he'd realize she was right. Gibbs walked over to sit next to her. Dressed in loose fitting sleep pants and one of the t-shirts she'd taken out of his bag she suddenly felt like she was being examined under a microscope. He took in every detail of her body and then focused on her face, as she in turn tried to weigh up what he was thinking. Apart from the tilt of his chin and the slight purse of his lips he didn't flinch.

"Okay," was all he said before standing and disappearing into the bathroom.

The fresh sea air and not having to think about work or stress about who wanted what results when had taken one worry off her mind. She'd managed the day without needing a nap, even if she was a little tired now, so all she needed was to sort things out with Gibbs. While the possibility of what might happen between them in the next day or so did make Abby anxious it also filled her with anticipation. And that was what she was going to try and hold onto.

The appearance of Ray and Margie had given her a sense of optimism that she had never let herself consider was possible. They cared about Gibbs, that much was obvious and she believed they would never lead her astray where the life of their friend was concerned. Margie's willingness to help Abby work through her feelings was in her mind like getting their approval. The couple's cover story of just dropping in to see that they had everything they needed had been easy to see through, but Abby found herself grateful for their presence.

When Gibbs came out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth, he slipped his red hoodie over his head and placed it at the end of the bed at her feet. Without him saying a word Abby knew he'd left it there for her, just in case she got cold during the night. He'd never minded her wearing his clothes, and if he thought there was anything strange about it he didn't say so. The fact that it had become normal behaviour for them and Gibbs was so willing to share his things with her also spoke volumes about their relationship. She sought out the things that gave her comfort and some of Gibbs' clothes just happened to give that to her.

If she could just get him to admit his feelings and look past everything else, they might have a chance. Failing that she would have to up the ante and try and seduce him, but one way or another before they left this cabin she was determined to have some kind of answers. For tonight all she wanted was for them to get some sleep and if Gibbs gave her the chance, to hold him. Nothing more...or so she told herself.

Making sure the door was locked Gibbs turned off the light in kitchen. Abby slid down further on the bed and pulled one of the pillows out from underneath her for him to use.

"You need anything else?" Gibbs asked her.

Abby shook her head. "Nope."

Lying down on his back on the empty side of the bed Gibbs sighed and closed his eyes. Abby rolled over to face him, the soft light coming from the bedside lamp illuminating the outline of his features. "You should have told me about Shannon's birthday," she whispered, her soft fingers skimming over the sheet to clasp onto his.

Gibbs turned his head and opened his eyes, blue met green in one of the most unguarded expressions she'd ever seen on his face. "Didn't want this weekend to be about me."

She hesitated before working up the courage to ask. "Why can't it be about us?"

He looked away from her and up at the ceiling. Abby could tell his mind was racing. She didn't want to push him if he didn't want to talk, but she wanted him to know that if he needed to get things off his chest she was there for him. She needed to prove to him that she was willing to fight for him. That no matter what ghosts he still had from his past she deserved the chance to be able to work through them with him. "Nothing you could ever say or do would change how I feel about you...you should know that by now."

Their hands remained entwined, resting on the bed between them, the steady rise and fall of Gibbs' chest hypnotizing her in the quiet room.

"It's hard to let go of something you've held onto for so long," he said quietly.

He had nowhere to run but inside himself and Abby didn't want the barriers he seemed so good at putting up, slamming into place and shutting her out. If he needed to talk she would let him but if he didn't want to then he could listen.

"When it means that much to you, you don't have to let it go, not completely." It was important for Gibbs to know, before Abby even considered telling him how she felt about him, that she understood how Shannon and Kelly would always be a part of him. She wasn't trying to replace Shannon, and she didn't want Gibbs to just forget about that part of his life. But she also needed to make him realize that there was room in his life for her as well.

Abby sat up next to him, crossing her legs and keeping their hands together. "You keep little bits of them...in here." She placed their joined hands over his heart and squeezed tightly. "But that doesn't mean you have to let everything else you have inside you just wither away...Shannon wouldn't want that."

Gibbs trained his weary gaze on her again and Abby noticed the faintest sheen of moisture forming in the corner of his eye before he blinked it away. Abby bent down and lightly kissed him between his eyebrows. "I'll always be here for you, Gibbs."

How many times had he kissed her forehead to offer reassurance? To let her know he'd keep her safe. Her desire to protect him was just as strong and no matter what happened between them Abby would do her best to look after him, even at a cost to herself.

"I know, Abbs." Gibbs smiled weakly at her and pulled the sheet and blanket over his legs, prompting Abby to lie down beside him. For now he had said all he was going to. When he rolled onto his side to switch the light off, keeping their entwined fingers on his chest, Abby pulled the covers higher and moved closer to him.

The heavy sigh he let go of as Abby snuggled against his back was confirmation that he was at least more comfortable than the previous night. He was worth fighting for, that much she was certain of, but just how hard he was going to make her fight was up to Gibbs. She held onto him tightly in the dark, saying a silent prayer that when they woke in the morning he would be more willing to share his burdens with her.

Gibbs' body was warm in her embrace and it took every ounce of strength that she had to not start kissing his neck. The darkness and his closeness intensified her need for him and Abby could easily have whispered that she loved him...but she didn't. As she lay awake into the night she listened as he slept, his soft breathing eventually becoming deeper. When she drifted off her last thoughts were that she was protecting him for a change, her body encircling him and trying to ward off the things which threatened to hurt him.

TBC...