Fic: La Belle Dame Sans Merci [3/13]
Title: La Belle Dame Sans Merci
Author: Jo. R (driftingatdusk)
Rating: FR-15
Category: Drama, Angst, Action, Case-file, Romance, Friendship
Pairing: Abby/Gibbs
Spoilers: Mild for 'Child's Play', 'Hiatus', 'Rule 51'
Summary: When a friend is murdered, Abby will stop at nothing to get revenge.
Thanks to everyone for the support on this; can't tell you how much I appreciate it! *hugs*
****
Abby Sciuto, NCIS Forensic Specialist, walked out of the NCIS Headquarters and just over an hour later, Agent Sciuto, NSA agent, walked in.
The black suit she wore was tailored to her slender frame, complimented by the red blouse she wore beneath the fitted jacket. Ankle high boots with small, slender heels adored her feet in place of her regular thick-soled platforms and she wore her hair mostly loose, black strands kept back from her face by a sliver of silver either side of her head.
His first glimpse of the holstered gun at her hip gave him a jolt but not so much as the whole image she presented.
An attractive but wrong image. Not the attractive but familiar one he'd come to rely on seeing to centre himself.
Gibbs watched her enter the room, still making an entrance but for different reasons than he was sure she was used to. He watched her sharp green gaze pass over the NSA agents already in attendance, assessing them and forming opinions even before they'd had a chance to utter a word.
It was almost like observing himself, Gibbs realised, and it was a strange sensation to suddenly have that particular trait in common with his previously lab-bound specialist.
She didn't look like the woman he knew and cared for, and that unsettled him. The warmth and humour he'd come to love seeing in her face was gone from her features, replaced by a cool detachment he found he didn't like anywhere near as much.
The NSA agents who'd been casting Gibbs and his own team what could only be called resentful looks immediately sat up straighter in their chairs, their attention drawn to their leader.
Abby seemed to hesitate for a moment when she reached the head of the table, faltering as she tried to settle on a side to sit on. Gibbs watched with approval as she chose a chair midway between the nearest members of both teams and the briefing began.
****
It was the photographs of the children that got to her the most, especially with the image of her niece sitting on her mother's knee so fresh in her mind. The conversation she'd had with her family in MTAC had been brief but had assured her they would be safe as well as serving to remind her that she was overdue a visit home to see her loved ones.
Two of the five victims had had children who had also died at the hand of their murder; one with twin little boys the same age as her niece and one with a teenage girl.
A smiling family portrait of happier times was attached to one side of the file while on the opposite page, a crime scene photograph of the two limp forms of the once lively little boys. A picture of a teenager in formal wear, beaming at the camera as she prepared for some kind of prom was filed beside an image of the girl's lifeless eyes as she lay in a crumpled heap where her killer had left her without remorse.
Abby had stared at those photographs for so long she was sure she'd be seeing them in her nightmares for weeks if not months to come.
Two of the four NSA agents under her command were out carrying out interviews in two of the homicides in case someone remembered something they hadn't already reported in their statements. Ziva and Tony were handling the other three. McGee, along with the remaining NSA agents, was settled in the conference room sifting through her old NSA case files while Abby herself sat in silence as Gibbs drove them towards the shooting range, trying to push the case momentarily from her mind.
Neither of them had spoken since leaving NCIS; neither was really sure of what they could say.
Being in the field was different to being in the lab and Abby found she hated it as much as she'd always thought she would; being out in the real world away from the four brightly painted walls that offered her shelter from the evils beyond them made her closer somehow, made it all seem far too real.
Without speaking, they got out of the car, signed in and headed to the range. They chose booths next to each other, each donning the protective equipment waiting for them.
The first round of shots were made in silence, both using the experience to rid themselves of some of the frustrated tension they'd been feeling since the day had begun.
As the targets, complete with bullet holes, came closer, Abby sensed Gibbs approach and removed the coverings from over her ears, turning her body slightly into his as he surveyed her handiwork over her shoulder.
"Not bad," he murmured, eyeing the gathering of holes neatly clustered together. "A little to the left but we can fix that."
A few minutes later and he was standing behind her, a new target in front. She found herself holding her breath when she felt the warmth of his chest against her back, a small shiver they both pretended didn't happen going through her when he tugged her back against him further with a hand around her hip.
She bit back a sigh when his leg moved slightly to nudge hers apart, swallowed a gasp when he made no attempt at moving it away from between her thighs and felt his body's response to their closeness against the small of her back. She heard his swift intake of breath when she inadvertently pressed closer and felt the tightening of his hand but decided not to acknowledge it.
His breath was hot against her ear as he murmured instructions, helping her adjust her stance and line up the target. The hand that wasn't resting on her hip moved to cover hers over the gun, asserting a little pressure to encourage her wordlessly to pull the trigger.
His body supported hers through the recoil, once, twice, until the cartridge was empty.
The sound of bullets being fired rang in her ears but still didn't seem as loud as the blood thudding through her veins in time with her pounding heart.
They didn't speak as they repeated the exercise, didn't move more than was necessary and always seemed to find themselves returning to exactly the same position.
Close, intimate.
When their allotted time was up, Gibbs led her from the range, turning to her only when they reached his car. He studied her intently, blue eyes searching hers, nodding a little to himself when he found what he'd been looking for.
"You'll get through this," he told her quietly, seriously, almost a promise.
Abby tried to smile to show she believed him and opened her mouth to speak but whatever she'd been planning to say was cut off by the softest touch of his lips against hers.
"I'll get you through this," he murmured when he pulled away, his eyes dark with promise as they met her stunned gaze. "Then we'll talk. No more secrets, Abby. I don't want any secrets between us anymore."
She nodded, unsure of what to say, not sure she'd have been able to speak even if the words hadn't failed her.
In silence, they got back into the car and drove back to Headquarters the same way.
****
Author: Jo. R (driftingatdusk)
Rating: FR-15
Category: Drama, Angst, Action, Case-file, Romance, Friendship
Pairing: Abby/Gibbs
Spoilers: Mild for 'Child's Play', 'Hiatus', 'Rule 51'
Summary: When a friend is murdered, Abby will stop at nothing to get revenge.
Thanks to everyone for the support on this; can't tell you how much I appreciate it! *hugs*
****
Abby Sciuto, NCIS Forensic Specialist, walked out of the NCIS Headquarters and just over an hour later, Agent Sciuto, NSA agent, walked in.
The black suit she wore was tailored to her slender frame, complimented by the red blouse she wore beneath the fitted jacket. Ankle high boots with small, slender heels adored her feet in place of her regular thick-soled platforms and she wore her hair mostly loose, black strands kept back from her face by a sliver of silver either side of her head.
His first glimpse of the holstered gun at her hip gave him a jolt but not so much as the whole image she presented.
An attractive but wrong image. Not the attractive but familiar one he'd come to rely on seeing to centre himself.
Gibbs watched her enter the room, still making an entrance but for different reasons than he was sure she was used to. He watched her sharp green gaze pass over the NSA agents already in attendance, assessing them and forming opinions even before they'd had a chance to utter a word.
It was almost like observing himself, Gibbs realised, and it was a strange sensation to suddenly have that particular trait in common with his previously lab-bound specialist.
She didn't look like the woman he knew and cared for, and that unsettled him. The warmth and humour he'd come to love seeing in her face was gone from her features, replaced by a cool detachment he found he didn't like anywhere near as much.
The NSA agents who'd been casting Gibbs and his own team what could only be called resentful looks immediately sat up straighter in their chairs, their attention drawn to their leader.
Abby seemed to hesitate for a moment when she reached the head of the table, faltering as she tried to settle on a side to sit on. Gibbs watched with approval as she chose a chair midway between the nearest members of both teams and the briefing began.
****
It was the photographs of the children that got to her the most, especially with the image of her niece sitting on her mother's knee so fresh in her mind. The conversation she'd had with her family in MTAC had been brief but had assured her they would be safe as well as serving to remind her that she was overdue a visit home to see her loved ones.
Two of the five victims had had children who had also died at the hand of their murder; one with twin little boys the same age as her niece and one with a teenage girl.
A smiling family portrait of happier times was attached to one side of the file while on the opposite page, a crime scene photograph of the two limp forms of the once lively little boys. A picture of a teenager in formal wear, beaming at the camera as she prepared for some kind of prom was filed beside an image of the girl's lifeless eyes as she lay in a crumpled heap where her killer had left her without remorse.
Abby had stared at those photographs for so long she was sure she'd be seeing them in her nightmares for weeks if not months to come.
Two of the four NSA agents under her command were out carrying out interviews in two of the homicides in case someone remembered something they hadn't already reported in their statements. Ziva and Tony were handling the other three. McGee, along with the remaining NSA agents, was settled in the conference room sifting through her old NSA case files while Abby herself sat in silence as Gibbs drove them towards the shooting range, trying to push the case momentarily from her mind.
Neither of them had spoken since leaving NCIS; neither was really sure of what they could say.
Being in the field was different to being in the lab and Abby found she hated it as much as she'd always thought she would; being out in the real world away from the four brightly painted walls that offered her shelter from the evils beyond them made her closer somehow, made it all seem far too real.
Without speaking, they got out of the car, signed in and headed to the range. They chose booths next to each other, each donning the protective equipment waiting for them.
The first round of shots were made in silence, both using the experience to rid themselves of some of the frustrated tension they'd been feeling since the day had begun.
As the targets, complete with bullet holes, came closer, Abby sensed Gibbs approach and removed the coverings from over her ears, turning her body slightly into his as he surveyed her handiwork over her shoulder.
"Not bad," he murmured, eyeing the gathering of holes neatly clustered together. "A little to the left but we can fix that."
A few minutes later and he was standing behind her, a new target in front. She found herself holding her breath when she felt the warmth of his chest against her back, a small shiver they both pretended didn't happen going through her when he tugged her back against him further with a hand around her hip.
She bit back a sigh when his leg moved slightly to nudge hers apart, swallowed a gasp when he made no attempt at moving it away from between her thighs and felt his body's response to their closeness against the small of her back. She heard his swift intake of breath when she inadvertently pressed closer and felt the tightening of his hand but decided not to acknowledge it.
His breath was hot against her ear as he murmured instructions, helping her adjust her stance and line up the target. The hand that wasn't resting on her hip moved to cover hers over the gun, asserting a little pressure to encourage her wordlessly to pull the trigger.
His body supported hers through the recoil, once, twice, until the cartridge was empty.
The sound of bullets being fired rang in her ears but still didn't seem as loud as the blood thudding through her veins in time with her pounding heart.
They didn't speak as they repeated the exercise, didn't move more than was necessary and always seemed to find themselves returning to exactly the same position.
Close, intimate.
When their allotted time was up, Gibbs led her from the range, turning to her only when they reached his car. He studied her intently, blue eyes searching hers, nodding a little to himself when he found what he'd been looking for.
"You'll get through this," he told her quietly, seriously, almost a promise.
Abby tried to smile to show she believed him and opened her mouth to speak but whatever she'd been planning to say was cut off by the softest touch of his lips against hers.
"I'll get you through this," he murmured when he pulled away, his eyes dark with promise as they met her stunned gaze. "Then we'll talk. No more secrets, Abby. I don't want any secrets between us anymore."
She nodded, unsure of what to say, not sure she'd have been able to speak even if the words hadn't failed her.
In silence, they got back into the car and drove back to Headquarters the same way.
****