Fic: Rewriting the Rules 19 - Tell All [1/1]
Title: Rewriting the Rules 19 - Tell All
Author: Jo. R (driftingatdusk)
Rating: FR-7
Pairing: Gibbs/Abby
Spoilers: 8x19 Tell All
Category: Post-ep, Friendship, Romance.
Summary: What's broken can be fixed, and rules can be rewritten.
****
The scent of pizza greeted her as she opened the door, letting herself into the house that had become her home. The sound of a low, masculine chuckle she loved and recognised floated towards her and she found herself smiling as she closed the door behind her. The rumble of voices told her her lover wasn't alone but Abby Sciuto didn't mind; it'd been a while since Fornell had visited and she knew Gibbs liked spending time with his old friend, even if he'd never admit it.
She walked through to the small dining room, her stomach growling appreciatively at the sight of the open pizza boxes on the table, showing several slices still there for the taking.
The conversation stalled when they caught sight of her but Abby merely smiled, shaking her head. "I'm just here for the pizza. I'll grab a slice and leave you boys in peace."
"No need for that, Abby." Tobias Fornell gave her a warm grin from where he sat at the table, pushing his chair back. "I was going to head home soon anyway."
"Don't leave on my account, Tobias, really." Abby rolled her eyes at the arched eyebrow Gibbs gave her at calling Fornell by his given name but let him snag her by the hand and tug her closer.
Aware of Fornell watching them from the corner of his eye, Gibbs pulled Abby down but kept the kiss he gave her brief, hiding a grin at the smile on her face when he allowed her to pull away. "There's beer in the fridge if you want to join us."
"Might take a bottle upstairs with me." She shrugged a shoulder at the questioning expression on his face, letting her gaze fall to the invitation on the table beside the open pizza boxes. "You guys keep talking. My beer and I have a date with a hot bath full of bubbles."
She made short work of scooping up a slice of pizza, balancing it in one hand as she snagged a bottle of beer from the fridge before waving it at Fornell as she headed out of the kitchen. Abby was halfway up the stairs when she heard the sound of their conversation resume, a small smile curving her lips when she realised it meant Fornell was going to stay.
****
"So you're not going to the wedding tomorrow," Fornell said as Gibbs walked him to the door almost an hour later. "You're not even curious to see the guy she's marrying?"
Gibbs shrugged a shoulder, his expression suggesting he wasn't. "Can't say I am. It's got nothing to do with me who she's marrying."
"You were at my wedding," Fornell pointed out, arching an eyebrow.
"I wondered if you were really going to go through with it. Thought I'd have a car on hand in case you saw sense and changed your mind." The tone of voice he used was only half-teasing. "Worked out, though," Gibbs added with another shrug. "You got Emily out of the deal."
A half-smile formed on Fornell's face at the mention of his daughter and he nodded his agreement. "She's definitely worth it." The smile faded a little. "She's looking forward to the wedding tomorrow. I'll probably end up seeing Diane when I pick her up afterwards."
"Diane'll be drunk on champagne by that time." He'd meant to be assuring but the thought of their ex-wife under the influence of alcohol caused both men to pause, identical sighs escaping them at the thought. Diane was hard work when she was sober, Gibbs remembered. She was impossible when she was drunk. "Maybe she won't even know you're there."
"Maybe." Fornell sighed and turned towards the door. He stepped over the threshold and hesitated as the cool air hit him. Glancing over his shoulder, his expression turned sly. "You know Emily's thrilled about being a bridesmaid. She's probably not gonna stop going on about it until someone else gets married and she has an excuse to wear a pretty dress."
It took a moment longer than he'd like to catch on to what his friend was saying. Gibbs arched an eyebrow, only just managing to stop himself from looking back to see if Abby was in sight before he answered. "I'd tell her not to hold her breath," he said mildly. "Not unless you're seeing someone you haven't mentioned?"
Fornell shrugged a shoulder instead of answering the question, his gaze following the path Gibbs' wanted to and looking up the empty staircase meaningfully. "You guys have been together for a while. Must be getting pretty serious by now." He waited for Gibbs to take the bait, unsurprised when the NCIS Agent didn't. "You ever think about it, though? Making her the fifth and final Mrs. Gibbs?"
He couldn't lie and say the thought had never crossed his mind so Gibbs shrugged instead. He'd thought about it, sure, but he'd come to the conclusion that his relationship with Abby worked perfectly fine without a piece of paper saying they were committed to each other. What they had was better than most of his marriages, stronger, and he believed the old saying - if it isn't broken, why fix it?
If she ever gave him any indication that marriage was what she wanted... Maybe.
"Don't need a piece of paper to know she's mine, Tobias. Or vice versa."
If his friend was surprised by the answer or the certainty in which it was spoken, he took care not to let it show on his face. Instead, Fornell nodded, either in acknowledgement or agreement, Gibbs wasn't sure.
"Guess we both got the better end of the deal," was all Fornell said. "I've got Emily, you've got Abby."
"Wouldn't have it any other way, Tobias." It was said simply, without malice towards their ex-wife.
"Me, either." Fornell nodded once more and turned towards the street and his car. "Have a nice weekend, Jethro."
"You, too." Gibbs stood at the doorway, waiting as always until the FBI Agent was safe inside his car with the engine started before stepping back. He watched the taillights of the car disappear from view, glancing over his shoulder when he heard the telltale creak of the stairs.
"Is Tobias okay?" Abby asked as she walked down the stairs towards him, her day clothes replaced by comfortable sweat pants and his old NIS t-shirt. Concern shone in her green eyes as he closed the door, locking it securely before turning to her. "Diane getting remarried seems to have hit him hard."
"He'll be fine." He wrapped an arm around her middle when she was close enough, smiling to himself at the way she melted so effortlessly into his side as they walked through to the living room. "Think he knows we're both better off this way."
Abby waited until they were sitting curled up on the couch before tilting her head, gazing up at him. "You sure you feel that way? You've been a little off since you got the first invite."
He tightened his arm around her shoulders, closing the gap between them to brush his lips against hers. She returned the kiss eagerly, as he'd known she would, and allowed him to shift their positions until they were lying along the back of the couch, his arms wrapped around her middle as she faced him. "Just sometimes wish the past would stay there, Abby."
"The past made us who we are," she reminded him quietly, closing her eyes as she cuddled into him, listening to the soothing sound of his heart beating beneath her ear. "And as long as we don't let it, it can't affect our future."
He tightened his arms around her and closed his eyes, savouring the feel of her warm body pressed against his. He thought about Fornell's question, about the idea of making her the fifth and final Mrs. Gibbs.
Maybe, he repeated to himself quietly. Maybe one day.
****
End
Author: Jo. R (driftingatdusk)
Rating: FR-7
Pairing: Gibbs/Abby
Spoilers: 8x19 Tell All
Category: Post-ep, Friendship, Romance.
Summary: What's broken can be fixed, and rules can be rewritten.
****
The scent of pizza greeted her as she opened the door, letting herself into the house that had become her home. The sound of a low, masculine chuckle she loved and recognised floated towards her and she found herself smiling as she closed the door behind her. The rumble of voices told her her lover wasn't alone but Abby Sciuto didn't mind; it'd been a while since Fornell had visited and she knew Gibbs liked spending time with his old friend, even if he'd never admit it.
She walked through to the small dining room, her stomach growling appreciatively at the sight of the open pizza boxes on the table, showing several slices still there for the taking.
The conversation stalled when they caught sight of her but Abby merely smiled, shaking her head. "I'm just here for the pizza. I'll grab a slice and leave you boys in peace."
"No need for that, Abby." Tobias Fornell gave her a warm grin from where he sat at the table, pushing his chair back. "I was going to head home soon anyway."
"Don't leave on my account, Tobias, really." Abby rolled her eyes at the arched eyebrow Gibbs gave her at calling Fornell by his given name but let him snag her by the hand and tug her closer.
Aware of Fornell watching them from the corner of his eye, Gibbs pulled Abby down but kept the kiss he gave her brief, hiding a grin at the smile on her face when he allowed her to pull away. "There's beer in the fridge if you want to join us."
"Might take a bottle upstairs with me." She shrugged a shoulder at the questioning expression on his face, letting her gaze fall to the invitation on the table beside the open pizza boxes. "You guys keep talking. My beer and I have a date with a hot bath full of bubbles."
She made short work of scooping up a slice of pizza, balancing it in one hand as she snagged a bottle of beer from the fridge before waving it at Fornell as she headed out of the kitchen. Abby was halfway up the stairs when she heard the sound of their conversation resume, a small smile curving her lips when she realised it meant Fornell was going to stay.
****
"So you're not going to the wedding tomorrow," Fornell said as Gibbs walked him to the door almost an hour later. "You're not even curious to see the guy she's marrying?"
Gibbs shrugged a shoulder, his expression suggesting he wasn't. "Can't say I am. It's got nothing to do with me who she's marrying."
"You were at my wedding," Fornell pointed out, arching an eyebrow.
"I wondered if you were really going to go through with it. Thought I'd have a car on hand in case you saw sense and changed your mind." The tone of voice he used was only half-teasing. "Worked out, though," Gibbs added with another shrug. "You got Emily out of the deal."
A half-smile formed on Fornell's face at the mention of his daughter and he nodded his agreement. "She's definitely worth it." The smile faded a little. "She's looking forward to the wedding tomorrow. I'll probably end up seeing Diane when I pick her up afterwards."
"Diane'll be drunk on champagne by that time." He'd meant to be assuring but the thought of their ex-wife under the influence of alcohol caused both men to pause, identical sighs escaping them at the thought. Diane was hard work when she was sober, Gibbs remembered. She was impossible when she was drunk. "Maybe she won't even know you're there."
"Maybe." Fornell sighed and turned towards the door. He stepped over the threshold and hesitated as the cool air hit him. Glancing over his shoulder, his expression turned sly. "You know Emily's thrilled about being a bridesmaid. She's probably not gonna stop going on about it until someone else gets married and she has an excuse to wear a pretty dress."
It took a moment longer than he'd like to catch on to what his friend was saying. Gibbs arched an eyebrow, only just managing to stop himself from looking back to see if Abby was in sight before he answered. "I'd tell her not to hold her breath," he said mildly. "Not unless you're seeing someone you haven't mentioned?"
Fornell shrugged a shoulder instead of answering the question, his gaze following the path Gibbs' wanted to and looking up the empty staircase meaningfully. "You guys have been together for a while. Must be getting pretty serious by now." He waited for Gibbs to take the bait, unsurprised when the NCIS Agent didn't. "You ever think about it, though? Making her the fifth and final Mrs. Gibbs?"
He couldn't lie and say the thought had never crossed his mind so Gibbs shrugged instead. He'd thought about it, sure, but he'd come to the conclusion that his relationship with Abby worked perfectly fine without a piece of paper saying they were committed to each other. What they had was better than most of his marriages, stronger, and he believed the old saying - if it isn't broken, why fix it?
If she ever gave him any indication that marriage was what she wanted... Maybe.
"Don't need a piece of paper to know she's mine, Tobias. Or vice versa."
If his friend was surprised by the answer or the certainty in which it was spoken, he took care not to let it show on his face. Instead, Fornell nodded, either in acknowledgement or agreement, Gibbs wasn't sure.
"Guess we both got the better end of the deal," was all Fornell said. "I've got Emily, you've got Abby."
"Wouldn't have it any other way, Tobias." It was said simply, without malice towards their ex-wife.
"Me, either." Fornell nodded once more and turned towards the street and his car. "Have a nice weekend, Jethro."
"You, too." Gibbs stood at the doorway, waiting as always until the FBI Agent was safe inside his car with the engine started before stepping back. He watched the taillights of the car disappear from view, glancing over his shoulder when he heard the telltale creak of the stairs.
"Is Tobias okay?" Abby asked as she walked down the stairs towards him, her day clothes replaced by comfortable sweat pants and his old NIS t-shirt. Concern shone in her green eyes as he closed the door, locking it securely before turning to her. "Diane getting remarried seems to have hit him hard."
"He'll be fine." He wrapped an arm around her middle when she was close enough, smiling to himself at the way she melted so effortlessly into his side as they walked through to the living room. "Think he knows we're both better off this way."
Abby waited until they were sitting curled up on the couch before tilting her head, gazing up at him. "You sure you feel that way? You've been a little off since you got the first invite."
He tightened his arm around her shoulders, closing the gap between them to brush his lips against hers. She returned the kiss eagerly, as he'd known she would, and allowed him to shift their positions until they were lying along the back of the couch, his arms wrapped around her middle as she faced him. "Just sometimes wish the past would stay there, Abby."
"The past made us who we are," she reminded him quietly, closing her eyes as she cuddled into him, listening to the soothing sound of his heart beating beneath her ear. "And as long as we don't let it, it can't affect our future."
He tightened his arms around her and closed his eyes, savouring the feel of her warm body pressed against his. He thought about Fornell's question, about the idea of making her the fifth and final Mrs. Gibbs.
Maybe, he repeated to himself quietly. Maybe one day.
****
End