My Bell Chapter 7
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Jethro Gibbs didn’t believe in apologizing, but even he knew there was a time and a place for, if not an apology, an attempt at making amends. Which was why he brought a bottle of the oldest brandy he’d been able to find at the only liquor store open at 10 in the morning, before stopping and buying the largest cup of “CAF-POW EXTRA!!!!!”, the newest (and now completely FDA approved) formula of Abby’s drug of choice, before heading to the office with both. He’d stopped at his desk to drop off his coat when he heard Tony snort, Gibbs couldn’t resist turning and raising an eyebrow at him. Tony’s grin only grew, “Going to war boss?”
Gibbs grinned back, “Somethin’ like that, now get back to work DiNozzo.” Gibbs grabbed his “weapons” of choice and headed toward the elevator before his agent could respond. Tony spent most of his time joking around to keep himself amused, and Gibbs didn’t mind. Tony got things done; he was productive so he was allowed a certain amount of wiggle room when it came to playing around. As Gibbs thought of Tony’s antics a thought hit him from nowhere; he had no real idea what people in general did for fun. And he was now responsible for keeping an 8 year-old girl entertained, challenged, and mentally stimulated; Gibbs was at a loss.
Still he attempted to shake off the harrowing thought as he walked into Abby’s lab, not that she paid him very much attention. She barely looked up as he stood in the doorway, “Sorry boss-man, the results are most definitely not done on those tests that Tony ordered. I mean he only sent them to me like…an hour ago. I’m good but no one is that good Gibbs.” She grinned as she spotted the Caf-Pow, “oh I get it, a bit of incentive huh? You’ll have your results in 20, since you obviously love me so much.”
Gibbs blinked as she all but snatched the gigantic cup and went back to her computer, “Hey Abbs, what’d you do for fun as a kid?”
Abby shrugged but didn’t turn around, “I dunno, I was a bit of a boring teenager really. I probably looked a lot more fun than I was; I spent a lot of time reading. I was a member of the ASL club…oh and we had this unofficial book club. But seriously, we didn’t get out much. Why?”
Gibbs shook his head, “Not that kinda kid Abbs, like 8 year-old kinda kid.”
The younger woman tapped a button before turning to look at Gibbs, “That’s a deep one Gibbs, lemme think.” She paused and bit her lip, “I remember a lot of retarded make believe games, my mom tried to get me into Girl Scouts once. It failed, miserably; but mainly I remember running around riding my bike and trying to beat the boys in my neighborhood with sticks.” Gibbs blinked at her, and she shrugged “I was 8, it didn’t have to make sense.”
“What didn’t have to make sense?” Zeva strode in looking curious, closely followed by Tony.
Abby grinned, “I beat guys with sticks for fun when I was 8, what’d you do Ziva?”
Zeva paused, tipping her head to the side thinking. “I believe that was the first year I participated in the regional Judo competition.” She gave a satisfied smile, “I won.” Tony and Abby both looked at her silently for a few moments before she shrugged, “I also enjoyed playing piano?”
Tony laughed, “Talk about flip sides of the same coin.”
Zeva shrugged again, “Both teach you to focus. But I think then I’d have to say that I enjoyed the Judo more, practicing was never my favorite chore.”
Abby smiled, “Yeah, I know the feeling. What about you Tony? I bet you played sports out the ying-yang.”
“Yeah, I kinda did I guess. Football, baseball, basketball, if it involved a ball my dad made sure I participated. Which I’m pretty sure he lived to regret, but I think the most fun I had as a kid was well…” He paused and looked at Gibbs searchingly for a moment before continuing, “I enjoyed gardening with my mom. Which sounds horribly girly, but I really liked having all her attention on me. It was like our thing, you know?”
Abby smiled at him and punched his arm lightly, “You big ol’ softie you! Seriously Tony, nice! That’s really sweet. I bet that makes you want to call your mom huh?”
Tony smile turned a bit wan, “Yeah, yeah it does. I forget to think of those times sometimes.”
Abby scowled a bit at him, “You should call her. Like right now. And tell her. I’m seriou-”
“Abby.” Ziva’s voice broke through Abby’s mid-sentence, “Does that flashing light not mean your test is done?”
“Huh? Oh! It does! Thanks! One sec and I’ll print it off for you guys.” Abby tapped her keyboard a few times before running to her office to the printer.
Tony nudged Ziva, “Thanks.”
Ziva looked a bit stiff, “It was no trouble. She isn’t aware, and she would not want to…”
“I know. But thank you.” Tony’s smile was still a bit drawn on the edges.
“It was a good memory though, yes?” Ziva’s voice sounded uncertain. But she smiled more softly than Gibbs was used to at Tony’s nod, “Good then, we should think of those times more often.”
Gibbs was confused, frustrated, and terribly aware that he was missing something blatant. It irked him to no small degree that obviously Ziva knew something about Tony that he didn’t. It only irked him more when Abby bustled back into the lab and began explaining the fairly complicated ballistics report to his two agents. It didn’t take long for the two to get what they needed and with brief nods to Gibbs leave. And so he was left alone with Abby again, and Gibbs continued to lean and wait for her to focus on him.
It didn’t take long before she turned and put her hands on her hips, “Ok, what gives? You come in here not even aware I’m doing a test, you start asking these philosophical questions, and now you’re watching me for no reason. Spill Gibbs.”
Gibbs smiled a bit before sighing and rubbing the back of his head, “Well Abby, there something that I probably should have told you a while ago. But I never really got around to it per say, and Ducky found out from someone else over the weekend…and I figured you should hear it from me so-“
Abby was across the room and gripping his shoulders in a flash, “Tell me you aren’t dying Gibbs.”
“What? NO!”
She relaxed and shrugged, “sorry, that’s just so something you would do. Slowly waste away from something and not tell anyone.” She paused before glaring at him, “You are not allowed to do that Gibbs.”
“Ok Abby, but that’s not what I need to tell you.” He paused again, before shrugging “About a month ago my sister was in a really bad car wreck and died. I sort of inherited my niece, so she’s living with me now.”
Abby blinked at his bland statement before, again, throwing herself at him. “Oh Gibbs.” One of the things Gibbs loved most about Abby was that despite his glares and general “Bastardness” she was never unwilling to give him a hug. He hadn’t admitted, even to himself, that he needed a hug until she was giving him one of her tightest. He buried his face in her neck, unsure of why he was suddenly feeling like there was a tennis ball lodged in his throat.
They stood like that for an amount of time that Gibbs couldn’t quantify, but when he pulled back he felt just a bit lighter. And Abby was smiling, “So when do I get to meet her? Huh? Could you like bring her into work? Or should I stalk you to your place sometime?” Gibbs gave her a sheepish smile and she frowned narrowing her eyes, “Gibbs.”
“Well…you see Abbs, she sort of ended up coming here in the evenings for about…uh a week or so?” he rubbed the back of his head as Abby glared at him.
“And no one told me? I need to have a very serious talk with Tony. He’s been holding out on me.” Gibbs winced; the last thing he’d wanted was to get Tony in hot water with Abby as well. Those two could gossip worse than a couple of cheerleaders on a Monday after homecoming; but it made something in Gibbs’ chest burn to think that Tony had purposefully not mentioned Michelle to Abby.
Gibbs shook his head, “Don’t be mad at him Abbs, you know he was just trying to keep my secrets. He’d do the same for you, and you know it. But seriously, you can meet her whenever you want. I swear.”
That seemed to soothe Abby’s anger and she smiled, “Ok, then I’m making you both go bowling with me.” Gibbs felt his eyes widening and it only made Abby smile brighter, “And then I’ll cook you dinner. How does that sound?”
Gibbs smiled and nodded, if that’s what it took to keep Abby happy then he definitely didn’t mind. And for all Gibbs knew Michelle was a closet bowler, who’d been missing the lanes and was itching to get her hands on her Bowling Ball again; he doubted it but he knew so little about his niece that he wouldn’t be too horribly surprised. “If that’s what you want Abbs, who knows maybe Michelle will enjoy it.”
“That’s her name huh? I like it, I wonder if she’s named for the Beatles song…” Gibbs rolled his eyes, what was with people and pointing out the obvious. He wondered just how long it’d take before Abby started calling her Belle like Tony did, and if Tony would even have to clue her in on the nickname.
Gibbs just shook his head, “Look Abbs, I have to go attempt to convince Ducky that I didn't mean to hide something from him.”
Abby snorted, “Good luck with that. He can be worse than a woman.” She watched him silently as he left the room, “And he's vindictive.” She blinked and shook her head, Gibbs could take care of himself.
~~``~~
Ducky was waiting for Gibbs in his office, and hardly looked up as the younger man made his way into the room. He did glance up as Gibbs firmly placed the bottle of brandy on his desk, “You know Jethro, I should hope you aren't trying to bribe yourself into my good favor.”
The bland glare forced Gibbs to quash the urge to fidget, “Look Ducky you know how I am, I kept meaning to tell you about Michelle but it just...never came up I guess.”
Ducky pursed his lips, “Yes Jethro, I know. I know your nature better than most, and the oversight definitely wasn't meant in a barbarous manner. In fact I'm well aware that you were simply being your own absentminded self.”
Gibbs blinked, “Yeah.” He narrowed his eyes at Ducky silently, he couldn't help but think that it'd been a bit too easy. “so you uh, don't want to talk or...anything?”
Ducky smiled benignly, “Only if you want to my dear boy, after all who am I to insist. Although, it'd be nice if you did eventually speak with me about it; but hardly something I'm going to pitch a fit about. After all I haven't pitched a fit in years.” the older man went back to his paperwork.
Gibbs snorted, “Sure you haven't Ducky,” he surveyed his friend for a long moment, “Michelle doesn't remind me of Kelly. Kelly always was if anything too vocal about what she wanted from me.”
Ducky looked back up at him with a smirk, “And who exactly do you think taught her that trait, hm?”
Gibbs blinked, he'd never actually thought of it like that. “Shannon?” At Ducky's silent nod, Gibbs smiled wryly “She always did know me too well.” Gibbs sighed, “still though, I never have this much trouble reading kids.”
“Don't you?” Ducky leaned back in his chair and surveyed him silently, “You haven't been in this role in a long time Jethro. And you've never had to go it alone, you're lucky that young Antony doesn't seem to mind helping you out now and again. How is the dear boy lately, he hasn't been to see me in a few days.”
Gibbs frowned, “Tony's fine, he's working a cold case.” Ducky nodded silently with a smile, and there was a long pause before Gibbs cleared his throat. “What did you mean the other day?”
Ducky smiled at him innocently, “What ever are you talking about Jethro?”
Gibbs forced himself not to growl at his long time friend, “You said Tony had secrets, well I want to know...”
Ducky was shaking his head with a smile, “You said you already knew my dear boy. And besides, there is such a thing as patient/doctor confidentiality.”
Gibbs scowled, “That'd only count if you were his therapist.”
Ducky gave an almost smirk, “...or his personal physician. I'm Antony's general practitioner so by law anything we might discuss of a private nature is indeed subject to that law as well.” Gibbs blinked at him, and Ducky gave a half disgusted snort. “Did you think you were the only one on my permanent patient list, Jethro? No. And if you want to know his secrets you honestly should discuss it with Tony, and at the same time you might to do some explaining of your own.” The front room passed between them silently, as Ducky met Gibbs' famed death glare with his own no less vehement glare.
Finally Gibbs sighed, “You're right Ducky. I'll talk to you later, alright?” Gibbs left for his desk mulling over what Ducky'd told him. Only to be met with a grinning Tony as the elevator opened, “I cracked it Boss, Ziva has him in interrogation room four.”
Gibbs looked at Tony silently for a moment wondering why he felt like he couldn't breathe. But he slowly allowed himself to smile, “Well DiNozzo, Rule #38: Your case, your lead.” Tony's grin if anything widened as he nodded and all but raced off towards the interrogation room, and Gibbs knew in that moment that there was no way he could deny he feelings anymore. His relationship with bourbon might be a bit shaky, but he wanted nothing more than a mug. Gibbs shook his head before making his way to the break room; it was barely 11 am so he'd have to make do with a coffee or four.
Chapter 8