Chapter Text
Abby Scuito considered herself to be a smart person. Usually. Being a triple degree scientist at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service building in the Navy's headquarters was not for nothing. In any way. Despite her own unique peculiarities about herself, Abby was pleased that all her hard work had paid off so long ago to get her the best job she'd ever had. And loved. Her life was in that building. And her team? They had had become her family. She cherished the bond.
But now... because of a 'life hiccup,' as she thought of it, she found herself on the doorstep of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The team leader. A port in a storm. Like the actual downpour that had soaked her to the bone. Just what was Abby doing there? Questioning her life choices.
Abby entered the dwelling after a few moments more and called out, "Gibbs? Are you here? It's Abby. Uh... I know the hour is late, but I don't want to be alone and..."
Abby's words just petered out as the heaviness of her predicament began to crash in on her. She wanted so badly to be at her family home in Jefferson Parish, but Gibbs' place? It'd do.
There then came footsteps from another part of the house. One of the occupants had come to investigate. But... It was literally the last person that the scientist had expected to see here. At all.
Pajama-clad and with slippers on her feet, Jenny Shepard had emerged from the kitchen to find her friend in the receiving hall. She knew full well about Gibbs' open-door policy. But this was the first time she'd experienced the situation for herself. And... The man the house? Not in the room.
So, very surprised, the redhead blurted, "Abby? What are you doing here?"
Abby sputtered, "I... uh... Same question to you."
"I stay here sometimes. But please keep that to yourself." Jenny turned on the hallway light. "Jethro is working on the boat. He didn't hear you because he's kind of in La La Land."
"Why?" Abby said blankly.
But Jenny deflected the question by beckoning. "Hey. Come here please."
"Promise you won't judge me?" now Abby closed the door behind herself and left her packed bags at her side. "Hell opened up in my world tonight. And I had no place to go."
"You are very safe with us." Jenny beckoned to her again. "Please come here."
Abby followed through. And by the time she drew level to her friend, Jenny's heart sank. Evidence of a recent crying jag was all over Abby's face. But... So was a darkening hand-shaped bruise. It covered the right side of her face, lips, and chin. The mark had missed Abby's eye. But only just.
She'd been hit. Someone had hit her. Someone had hit Abby. Quite hard.
Extremely horrified, Jenny called over her shoulder for her other half to join them before turning back to Abby as she said, "Who did this to you?"
But Abby's throat clogged up. Reality came crashing down on her even more. And now she couldn't get the words out. Just her tears.
Arriving fast from the basement, Gibbs’ heart sank as fast as Jenny's had, but he spoke very gently to their guest. "What happened?"
Just then short-circuiting, Abby mumbled, "C... Cold..."
So Gibbs and Jenny worked together to get Abby out of her wet things. They even found a fresh sweatsuit for her to wear. Abby was grateful. And she felt very loved. Most of all... she appreciated that her friends were patient.
"Wow." Abby remarked as they at last sat together on the couch. "I appreciate it all. Thank you so much."
"Anything for you." Gibbs told her.
"Mhm." Jenny draped a spare blanket over Abby's shoulders. "May we ask what kind of hell opened up?"
Abby sighed. "I was in a dating relationship with someone. But I just kept it to myself because..."
Jenny guessed, "It's your first serious relationship in awhile?"
Abby nodded. "Mhm. And I really loved the guy. Dean used to be a lieutenant on the U.S.S. Nevada."
"You mean," Jenny furrowed her brow. "The ship that sank about three years ago after being torpedoed by pirates in the East Indian Ocean?"
"Uh-huh." said Abby. "Dean was on the mission before its final one. But then he was transferred to Fort Runnymeade. And tonight? We had an argument. The worst ever."
Gibbs' tone was gruff. "That still gives him no right to hurt you. But you are definitely welcome to stay here tonight. We promise."
Jenny bobbed her head. "Uh-huh. Do you have anything else to share?"
Now Abby's heart flip-flopped. "I do. Uh... Dean has kids."
Both Jenny and Gibbs bleated, "What?"
Abby handed Jenny a photograph that she'd stuck in her sweater pocket. "Here you go. This is Maximos. First thing she told me when we met is that she prefers to be called Max. Her third birthday is on Christmas Day."
As Jenny took in the sight of the little girl, her heart fluttered. Maximos looked like a doll. Then Jenny's heart jumped. Maximos had a rounded face and freckles abounding across the bridge of her nose, but her hair was jet-black. One couldn't help thinking of Abby. How curious. The director felt her heart then go back to fluttering. Maximos was not only dressed up in a bee costume, but she was grinning broadly for the camera. Like she hadn't any cares at all.
"Wow." Jenny remarked. "That little girl is beautiful."
Gibbs gave a nod of agreement after surveying the photo. "What's her story?"
"Long. For starters. But," Abby accepted the picture back from Jenny when she held it out. "Max witnessed my argument with Dean tonight. Now... I don't know if I'll ever see her again."
"Oh." Jenny rubbed Abby's back. "Where is Max's mother?"
"All I know is that she eventually fell from whatever ordinary life she had to become an addict." Abby said blandly. "Never once mentioned to Dean that he'd gotten her pregnant until she turned up on her doorstep with Max."
"Ever learn Max's mother's name?" Gibbs wanted to know.
But Abby shook her head. "No. And I am not sure I want to learn. The rest of the story goes that Max's mother left her there, the moment Dean left the room. Even relinquished her custody over Max. Dean found papers to prove that."
"And," Gibbs already felt dread. "What became of that woman?"
"According to Dean," Abby sighed. "Max's mother was found very dead from an overdose a few hours later. And Max paid the price for that woman's addiction."
"Oh." Gibbs connected the dots on his own. "Did Max's mother's drug habits inhibit Max's development? Somehow?"
Abby nodded. "Uh-huh. Another long story short is that Max is very hard of hearing. Dean couldn't afford hearing aids for her until was almost two. At present, Max has only had them for a year."
"I see." Jenny responded. "Can she speak well?"
"Yes. Max loves to talk. But she's also a fast learner. I have been teaching her to sign." Abby pocketed her picture of Max before pointing to her middle. "Just found out that my darling little bumblebee is to be a big sister. I'm over the moon. But Dean is not."
Tears fell down Abby's face. But she didn't make a sound. Only because the whole tale hadn't been told. Yet.
"Everyone will definitely look out for you and your kid." Gibbs told Abby. "No matter what."
"We," Jenny said of Gibbs and herself. "Will definitely look after you like parents do. Since yours are in Louisiana."
"Wow. Thanks." Abby's bottom lip wobbled. "That is more than I could have ever hoped for."
Gibbs asked Abby, "Does anyone besides us and your ex know about the baby?"
Nodding, Abby said, "Ziva does. But she figured it out on her own and has been covering for me."
Now Jenny quipped, Jenny commented, "Ziva's a good person like that."
"My fight with Dean was about the baby. I told him that I want to be a mom," Abby sighed haltingly. "But then he told me that he took Max in to begin with because he didn't have a choice. Then he told me that he refuses to be involved this time. At all. I just want to talk to Dean. One more time."
"When you do," Gibbs told her. "Just promise us that you'll be careful."
Abby nodded. "I promise."
Later...
Abby fell asleep in the spare bedroom after takeout was ordered and had. The rain outside lulled her to sleep. Fast. And it was only eight-thirty.
Back downstairs, Gibbs told Jenny, "Now Abby knows that we're together. And I'm glad. But we need to tell everyone else. ASAP. It just means nixing a rule."
Jenny looked up at him, "Ever done so before?"
Gibbs shook his head. "No. Should be interesting. To say the least."
"And hopefully," Jenny raked her nails against her lower middle. "That rule is nixed at the same time we tell them that Abby's kid is getting a playmate from us. Next year."
Jenny and Gibbs had recently chosen to give things another go between them. But what surprised them? It happened that their love had made a baby. After they'd wrapped their minds around it especially because they weren't exactly spring chickens, they were excited. All the way. And Jenny was even in progress of packing up her house and moving in with Gibbs. Life couldn't be better for either of them.
"Okay." said Gibbs. "We will definitely tell them soon. I promise."
Next morning...
The event of the night came crashing in on Abby. Like a freight train. But, quite pleased that she was feeling zero nausea, she got ready for the day. Even made her bed. It was the least she could do. Breakfast with Gibbs and Jenny was pleasant. And Abby was felt grateful for that. Normalcy was everything.
Except for when they got to HQ. Gibbs made it to his desk in one piece. Jenny and Abby rode the elevator together. This happened occasionally because their workspaces were isolated.
Gibbs had only just exited the lift when Abby flipped the 'STOP ELEVATOR' switch. Time for business.
Quite amused when it all came grinding to a halt, Jenny said, "Okay. My attention is had. What's up?"
Abby lifted an eyebrow. "Just when were you going to tell me that you and Gibbs are going to be part of the 'older parent club,' too?"
"Wow. You are good." the director marveled as she touched her own hands to her midsection. "We have agreed to tell. Just not when. Yet. So can please keep it to yourself?"
"Of course." Abby winked. "I promise that you can count on me."
Even later...
McGee found himself in Abby's lab, feeling puzzled. Why? He'd been at his desk in the bullpen but for a minute before being sent down to Abby's floor. Immediately. But at least he'd remembered to grab a certain gift bag.
"Tim!" Abby hugged her best friend when he walked into the room. "I'm so happy that you're here! How'd the sci-fi convention go?"
McGee said to Abby when they pulled apart, "My flight got delayed while I was on a layover in Chicago. Meant to call you when I got home. But I was a total zombie by the time I did..."
"Oh." Abby realized where this was going. "So all you could do was crash. Did you remember to set your alarm clock?"
"Barely." the man then studied his partner in crime to see that she had some sort of carefully-crafted façade in place. "Abby? Are you okay?"
She shook her head. "No. And I don't want to talk about it right now. All that matters is that you're home. I missed you over the last week. A lot."
"Then," McGee lifted a new treasure out of the gift bag for Abby. "I believe that this is for you."
He presented her with a very splendid Princess Leia action figure. Upon seeing it for sale, McGee hadn't hesitated at all. He knew that Abby loved Star Wars. Just like he remembered that Princess Leia had always been favorite character. So McGee hadn't had a second thought about getting Abby a representation of someone she so loved. But... The man grew to be his most concerned yet when Abby seemed to only just be holding back tears.
"Hey." McGee said gently. "What's wrong?"
Abby hugged the action figure and set on her work table. "I..."
But McGee's phone immediately chirped at him, signaling a new text from Ziva. Terrific.
"I hate to leave you hanging when I was the one who asked the question in the first place," McGee felt very sheepish. "But..."
Abby guessed, "Time to go be a crimefighter?"
McGee bobbed his head. "Yeah. Can we finish this conversation later?"
"Okay." Abby kissed McGee on the cheek. "I'm looking forward to it."
Even on the way to the crime scene a few minutes later, McGee found his head to be in the clouds. But at least Tony was behind the wheel. Abby had kissed him on the cheek before. And plenty of times. But something about that moment in her lab... Well... It had seemed very different. McGee couldn't figure out why. Just that it had something to do with what important conversation they'd almost had.
"Psst!" Tony's voice hissed. "Hey! Ground Control to Major Tom!"
Looking around, McGee found that they were at the crime scene. Finally. But he had migrated there on autopilot. Now they were in a trashed living room. CSU was focused on a nearby pool of blood, and trail of two sets of bloody footprints leading to the front door. Analyzing that would keep them busy. For awhile. So the Major Critical Response Team found themselves congregated just out of the main walkway.
"Right." McGee cleared his throat as an attempt to center himself. "Who lives here?"
"A Marine Lieutenant by the name of Dean Fjord. His little girl, a Maximos Fjord, also lives here. She is nearly three." Ziva reported as she looked up from her notes. "I see no signs of her being abducted. Or that she has wandered off."
"So," McGee realized. "She must still be here. But hiding."
"Everyone spread out." Gibbs told them as he tried not to imagine how Abby would react to this development. "Take it easy. Poor kid must be scared out of her mind."
Ziva found Maximos first. Quite the opposite of her bumblebee picture, Maximos was to be found on her bed. She still had bedhead and her pajamas were still rumpled from slumber. But she was rocking her body back and forth. Continuously. She was afraid. Of something. Did she hear Ziva? Or realize she was there? No. Literally not at all.
This will be tricky, Ziva thought.
But then a sight caught Ziva's attention. Taped to the spot of wall just above the main light switch, an envelope. How strange.
The message written across the front? Just five words: In case of emergency, call Abby.