Disclaimer: In this economy I'm holding on to my handful of possessions with a vice grip. Tragically NCIS is not one of those possessions. It is the sole property of the creators, studio, writers, producers, directors, etc. Lucky them….

I consider myself lucky to be able to take them out to play for a while.

Warning: THIS STORY will CONTAIN NON-SEXUAL SPANKING; ABORT THE MISSION… DO NOT READ… TURN BACK NOW IF THIS ISN'T YOUR THING.

A/N: This story is a complete AU episode tag… based on the S3E: Bloodbath.

A/N: A discussion about reckless behavior and poor boyfriend choices is very necessary in Gibbs' eyes. It's about family… it's about trust.

~*~*~*~*~

It wasn't that she DIDN'T think they were all right to be at least a little miffed at her, but she didn't like it. She was an adult for goodness sake. Even if her judgment in men had been, well as Kate used to point out less than stellar, she was really going to put her foot down on their butting in. Okay, so actually she probably wouldn't take THAT dramatic of a stand. There was no sense in poking the bear (or the bigger cubs). It turns out Tony and Tim weren't any more pleased with her than Gibbs at the moment. Ducky and the Director ran a close third in the ticked-off department. When court was over Gibbs dropped her off at his place before heading back to the Navy Yard to help Tony book and interrogate the smelly little weasel who put this nightmare in motion.

Abby had been sitting in her room/guest room for the last hour.

~*~*~*~*~

It had officially been her room when she was an intern with NCIS working with team Franks until a year later when it became team Gibbs and she became a full time forensic scientist. Her rather seedy apartment in its most questionable D.C. neighborhood had been broken into three times that month. The problem was even though she was petrified staying there she couldn't really afford to stay anywhere else. Once Stan had gotten the truth from her and spilled it to Gibbs she was packed up before the sun set on the day. He collected modest "rent" from her during the two years she lived with him. Then one day without a bad vibe passing between them a decision was made that it was time for the "baby bird" to leave the nest. They had been sitting at the kitchen table after dinner one night when they both managed to get in early enough. As Gibbs slid a dessert plate in front of Abby she slid a folded section of newspaper in front of him. He gave the circled ad a once over and said to her "we'll check it out on Saturday Abs."

He was a man of few words indeed, but when he needed to he spoke with nothing less than complete authority. After asking a myriad of questions, she knew she would never have thought of, Gibbs handed the apartment manager a check for the security deposit along with first and last months rent. Abby was in shock. There was no way she could let him pay all that money. Sure, with her father long deceased, Gibbs had become a surrogate dad to her, but it didn't seem right to take advantage.

Abby had taken to the wilder side of living in the District when she first got there and after her father's death she knew there was really no one to answer to for her choices. Gloria, her mother, was at best still a little bohemian and thought experience with right and wrong along with their consequences was the best way to learn. Once she was at casa de Gibbs for a month and after her third consecutive roll in at 3 a.m. she started having to answer for those choices again in a big way. He was there for the good, the bad and the consequences. Making sure she was always being the most responsible Abby she could be Gibbs didn't hesitate to "correct" when the situation called for it. Being responsible extended to all areas of her life including money, so she knew he knew she could afford the expense of the move. It didn't make any sense but the young Goth girl knew better than to attempt a debate over it in the manager's office. So, she checked out of the conversation while Gibbs took his receipt and didn't mumble a word until she said goodbye to Mr. Coletti.

He knew she was itching to launch into a litany of questions. He had no intention of allowing that to happen.

"You'll have plenty to pay for Abs just think of this as a little cushion. Besides it's your money anyway."

"What? How?"

"What do you think I've been doing with the rent you've been paying me for the last two years?" The smirk on his face told her the answer, but she went for the smart mouth comment anyway.

"I don't know… buying wood for the boat!" This earned her a glare which quickly softened. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. He really did look out for her in everyway. Sitting in the passenger seat of his truck she knew she would always be able to go to and trust Gibbs with everything.

~*~*~*~*~

She hadn't argued when she got deposited back at the house with the oversized red door instead of her apartment. Coming in Abby immediately set about getting out of the uncomfortable shoes and the hideous powder blue court suit. She made coffee and even went downstairs to sand the boat a little. Gibbs didn't mind her touching it or being down there as long as she stuck to sanding. He'd taught her years ago about doing it with the grain. Messing with his other tools near his precious boat is what got her into hot water a few nights earlier.

~*~*~*~*~

The whole Mikel mess had had her freaked out and acting out. Slipping down to the basement, getting into his costly bourbon then touching his boat were sure fire ways to turn a rotten day into a painful night. She was too far gone by the time he came down to tell her Tony called about Mikel's capture to abort her behavior and make a hasty retreat. The decision she made was to rant for about ten minutes then take a chisel and mallet to the boat. To his credit Gibbs did try gentle coaxing, reverse psychology, and his tried and true stoic silent listening. But, every time she seemed to calm something set her off again.

"Okay, fine so it's not my fault he's some sort of mental defective freaked out homicidal nut job! What the hell does that make me, because I picked him? I liked him. I bought him a fu…"

"Don't you say it!"

"Just because you don't like to hear it doesn't mean I don't say it Gibbs. Guess what I do it too!"

With that he was on his feet snatching tools from her hands, that she'd picked up again, and reaching to haul her upstairs. Abby had different plans though and thought running from him to the other-side of the boat would be more fun.

"Abigail it's late and you are this close to crossing the line."

"You know what if you don't lighten up Gibbs I'm gonna go home. Mikel's been caught you said so yourself. My place is probably a regular fortress by now. So there!!!" She stuck her tongue out with her hands on her hips and then burst into giggles.

He was exhausted, knew she was too and failed to find any of their exchange funny. "Last warning Abs go to your room and sleep it off."

Reaching for his hand she pretended to cooperate. Then like a football player she faked right then left bolting up the stairs. Taking them two at a time Gibbs caught her as she reached just inside the living room archway.

"Wrong direction he said gripping her around the waist from behind." She was facing the front door and the seemed to have her eye on the keys to his truck that were sitting on the end table by the couch.

This set her off. Abby started screaming at the top of her lungs to be let go. Her language far more colorful then Gibbs would normally tolerate or that she'd normally use. She was on emotional overload.

"Put me the hell down Gibbs! If you're so worried about your fucking boat and fucking bourbon then I'll just leave you alone with them! You are SUCH A BASTARD! PUT ME DOWN!"

Down was exactly where she went. He barely made it to the couch with his man hood in tack with all of her kicking. The first smack to her bottom had his desired effect. The room fell silent and she stilled immediately. Alcohol dulls the senses and he knew it was taking a second for her to register just how far she had pushed. Now, with more control Gibbs pulled her across his lap fully for the first spanking she'd gotten in a few months. Lifting his oversized t-shirt he began spanking in earnest. Her backside got thoroughly peppered and the sweat pants she was wearing was no match for Gibbs' calloused workman hand. He was a good fifteen in when he started speaking.

"I've had enough for one night Abby and so have you. Settle down enough is enough. Do you understand me?"

Her response was too delayed. A volley of swats loosened her lips quickly.

"Yes Gibbs…OW!! I said…STOP GIBBS PLEASE…OW, OW, FRICKIN' OW!!! I said yes."

"Get up those stairs and get in the bed right now. Any detour will been punished as direct disobedience and the next thing you feel will be my belt. Am I clear?" With a final firm smack to her seat Gibbs pulled her up. Pointing to the stairs he said, "Go."

He was shaking almost as much as she was. Gibbs didn't like punishing out of frustration and usually took much more time to cool off before spanking not only Abby, but any one on his team. If he didn't he'd of 'killed' DiNozzo years ago. She was just so out of control. He was almost dreading the discussion they'd have to have tomorrow regarding everything else that had happened over the last few days.

As she walked up the stairs she got midway and turned back around to face him. When he looked in her eyes he saw his girl in there again not the screeching wreak of the last half hour. She needed part two as much as him.

Taking a breath Gibbs softened his tone considerably. "Go ahead Abs I'll be up in a minute."

She gave him a small smirk and took off for her room suddenly very tired. When he got up there about ten minutes behind her she was already situated on her stomach in as comfortable a position as she could achieve considering she really preferred to sleep on her back. Her lids were heavy with sleep. The aftermath of bourbon and a sound Gibbs spanking can have that affect on a girl. Sitting midway on her left side the old stern Gunny was gone. He'd been replaced with the relieved and doting father. Both of their breathing was back to normal. She tossed a little murmuring her pleasure at the way he was rubbing her back.

"Sleep well Abs… night." Kissing the top of her head he went out to get some well deserved rest of his own.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey boss it's getting late I can wrap up the rest with Probie." Tony was a little worried about Abby being alone too long after what she'd been through that morning.

"She's fine DiNozzo. Both nut jobs are behind bars and she's perfectly safe in my house."

McGee looked over at Tony. They were silently communicating that they had a completely different worry then Gibbs. Of course Tim wasn't willing to ever push as much as Tony especially after the fiasco at his apartment that first night. His ears still rang a little from the knock upside the head he got from Tony and Gibbs and his knees were still bruised from three hours without his desk chair.

Staring at them both Gibbs said, "She knows what to expect boys and she's fine. Now finish up."

"It's the knowing that makes the waiting suck so much." Tony mumbled.

"You want to repeat that DiNozzo?"

"Ah, nothing to repeat Boss, just a little something caught in my throat."

Rolling his eyes Tim went back to the report he was working on. Sometimes he really thought his partner was an idiot. There was no time to dwell on Tony's risk taking as the Director descended on Gibbs' desk. He gave her the not hear look and they proceeded to the elevator presumably up to her office.

Tony snatched up McGee's phone on the first ring. "McProbie's desk… very special agent Anthony DiNozzo at your service."

That got him a serious headshake and eye roll from Tim.

"Hey Abby… nope he's still here… no nothing went wrong. That smelly little freak is going away for a long time… yes, Abs the other one too… with the Director… I don't know… no more than usual… stop worrying we all know you're there so you know he can't kill you… sorry it was supposed to make you laugh… fine here's the Probie."

Handing the phone over to Tim he went back to his desk.

"Hi Abs… well, he hasn't yelled at me anymore today… yeah, but yelling at Tony is normal. You want me to give him a message… I don't know, but I'll text you when he heads out if you want."

Elevator

"Is this really over Jethro?"

"Yeah, Jen it is and she's safe believe me. You have nothing to feel guilty about. It's your job to make sure we all cooperate with the courts. You had no way to know that little weasel was behind everything. If not knowing makes you guilty then we all are."

"First, her lab assistant, which I force on her, now a defendant and his lawyer that I make her cooperate with…"

"Hindsight Jen… it's always 20/20. Look we're all going to move past this tomorrow."

"Don't you mean tonight? I thought maybe we could all get together for dinner."

"Abby and I still have some things to discuss, but if she's up to it I'll call and we can get a late meal."

"Is there something with the case she needs to still go over?" Seeing the look in his eyes she quickly realized that there discussion would not be case related.

He smirked at her sudden awareness and started the elevator back up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Timmy's text didn't make her feel better at all. She finally had to leave her room as it did take longer than she would have liked for Gibbs to get back home, but it seemed as soon as she relaxed and settled into a movie the dreaded beep on her cell let her know the end was near. Alright, her thoughts may have strayed into the drama zone, but only a fool looked forward to a spanking… that wasn't for fun. Turning off the television Abby thought it best to wait in her room. No sense ticking the man off more by acting like she was there to just hang out and have fun.

McGee was almost a time telling savant because twenty minutes later she heard the front door slam. He'd been expecting her to be wearing a hole in his mahogany floors.

"Abs come down here please."

'Great!' She thought I didn't even get this part right.

She came down the steps with a lot less Abby bounce then usual. "Hey Gibbs."

He held his arms open and she practically catapulted into them. Running his hand up and down her back he kissed her temple simply holding her. Relief washed over them both at the thought that this ordeal was finally over.

"Come on let's sit down and talk."

She was hesitant, but tried not to let it come across in her body language. Abigail Sciuto was a terrible liar… even non-verbally.

"Let's go it's just a conversation for now." Once they were seated he disentangled himself from her and put them at arms length knee to knee on couch. "I want the whole story Abby. Don't skip over anything."

"But Gibbs you already read the file," she attempted to turn her head away from his penetrating gaze.

He took her chin in his hands and forced eye contact. "I want to hear it from your mouth and I want to hear about what wasn't in the file, now Abby."

For a half hour Abby went on about Mikel. The odd circumstance of their meeting, how sweet he was in the beginning, the reason Kate thought she should dump him and how she let him back in her life for a brief time after Kate's death. Gibbs' face went back and forth between concern and fury. He failed to find amusement in straight jackets as presents or restraining orders. He also didn't much care that Abby knew self defense and wasn't afraid to fight back. He didn't like her being in the position, of her own free will, to have to defend herself. His biggest disappointment however was that when all of this was going down she didn't come to him.

"Abby you know better, especially with all that we see on the job, to let something like this get so far out of control."

"I didn't think it was!"

"Stop yelling and of course you knew it was out of control. You got a restraining order. You broke up with him twice. I've held people with less evidence."

"I was just missing Kate so much and he was around."

"So were we. We're your family Abs. We're who you come to when you're feeling low. Besides you thought the best way to honor Kate was to take back up with a guy she hated you being with right before she died."

Tears started flowing at a steady stream. She'd made every bad choice there was when it came to Mikel, but not trusting Gibbs and going against Kate, after her death, made her feel the worse.

"You are so much better than this Abs. I've met some of the guys you dated and I know you know the difference between the good ones and bad ones. Do I really need to screen your dates like you're fifteen years old?"

The mere thought of that ran a shiver down her spine. Sure the ones that were like McGee and Ashton would pass muster, but she was ashamed to say there were a lot more Mikels in the mix over the years that she'd never let Gibbs lay eyes on. She finally shook her head no.

"This better not ever happen again. You will not put yourself in this kind of unnecessary danger again."

"Yes, Gibbs I swear it won't happen again." The tears were still coming although not as fast until he spoke.

"I know, but I'm still going to give you something to think about if you even consider letting something get this far out of hand again. Go upstairs and wait for me."

She'd changed hours ago so there really wasn't anything for her to do except wait. It didn't take long. Gibbs walked in with the belt in his hand and already folded over. All she could think was 'why are Marines always so prepared'. He'd thought about the straight back chair at the desk, but opted to sit on the edge of the bed. It would allow her a little upper body comfort to contrast her lower body agony. Making her stand before him he had her tell why she was about to get spanked.

"Why are being punished tonight Abby?"

"For having lousy taste in boyfriends," seeing he wasn't cracking a smile she continued. "Because I kept secrets from you and everyone about Mikel, the gifts, the website, and the restraining order. When I lie to you then you can't protect me."

"That better be the biggest lesson you take away. I will not tolerate a liar on my team. Trusting each other is too important in what we do. More importantly I will tolerate someone I adore like a daughter to blatantly lie to me while she continuously puts herself in danger. That will never be okay in my book Abby… never."

Pulling her down on his lap in a position that was way too familiar for her he let her keep the sweats up because he planned to use the belt and hold nothing back.

Her breath hitched and she nearly came off his lap at the first lick. "Oh… ow, no Gibbs please no… OW, that hurts… Gibbs…"

A good ten to twelve in and he wasn't lecturing or letting up. Her yelps, cries, and involuntary movement continued to level up. Moving in equal spaces between her fleshiest parts to the tenderest skin at her sensitive under-curve Gibbs was allowing his worry, frustration and most of all love flow through. It would kill him to know he lost another 'daughter' because of nothing other then her reckless behavior and poor choice in men. It made him think of Kate and how her hesitation allowed Ari to live eventually taking her away. No, he would not be easy on her if the only alternative was losing her.

As her grunts and silent tears became gut wrenching sobs he put the belt down and rubbed her back. His other hand went through her hair trying to calm her. Finally she moved to get up. They instantly reached for one another. She was humbled, apologetic and mostly loved. When she finally settled down her eyes were puffy, his shirt was soaked and they were both drained.

"You up for some dinner? Jenny wanted to take us out tonight."

Abby just shook her head. He could tell she didn't want to go out or Jenny to know about her punishment.

"How about I order something in and invite her over here." That got an affirmative head nod.

"Come on let's get you in bed. You've had a long few days and almost no sleep. I'll come up and get you when Jenny and the food arrive."

Slipping in beneath her favorite quilt in Gibbs' house Abby lay on her stomach. Gibbs sat next to her making sure her breathing evened out. He continued rubbing circles on her back while he reminded her how much he loved her and how losing her would rip his heart to shreds. As much as he hated the words 'I'm sorry' he knew as they slipped from her lips that it was probably the most sincere apology he'd ever gotten. Turning on the small table lamp Gibbs headed out of the room to call Jen and order Chinese. Glancing back one final time he took a deep breath and whispered 'thank you 'in the darkness for whatever powers that be that kept her safe.