I'm here for you

Title: "I'm here for you"

Author: AbbyGibbs Stephjag or Well, I do not own them and that is pretty unfair – they again belong to DPB! Why does he always have to own the best shows and the best characters? Could someone explain that to me? His characters are always suffering too much. So I have decided to borrow them for a little while, the length of a story, but I promise to give them back, though I really wish I could keep them for myself.

Classification: Abby /Gibbs drama and a hint of romance.

Rating: T (+13 as always to be on the safe side, isn't it?)

Spoilers: beginning third season: "Kill Ari" (part one and two), but mostly the first part.

Summery: Abby wants her "silver haired fox" to talk – let go of his emotions after the Kate's death.

Author's note: Yeah, yeah, I know – an Abby/Gibbs fic again, but honestly I can't help it. When I see those two interacting, my mind always sees more. I can't see a father-daughter relationship between those two, sorry. And when I saw how scared they were for each other and that Abby tried to make him talk about how he felt, my mind pictured a story on its own. So here it is. I think it may be considered as a post episode fic, but a 'missing scene' fic should be a better thing to qualify this story. The first scene will be a little different than in the show as well as the dialogues between Gibbs and Abbs – I thought you should know in case any of you guys wanted to sue me. 

As always thank you so much AeroGirl for beta-ing my stories, and I wanted to dedicate it to Jenni, who's such a great support and friend – love you, my little Silver foxy!

The sixth part of "Trapped" is progressing.

Feedbacks: well, I'd love them, of course – who wouldn't? But please, only if you respect my work because it takes a lot of time and energy to get a story together. I love writing; I wouldn't allow anyone to discourage me from doing so, never. I don't have any problems at all with readers who choose not to go for this, but I decidedly do with those who write disrespectful mails just because they didn't get the ending they would have wanted. If you want to tell me what I might have done better within the story I made up, you're always very welcome to let me know. But if your only concern is to rant about it, then please, do it in private, okay? Thank you.

"I hate when he does that," Abby mumbled to herself

Gibbs was pacing from one side of the lab to the other like he often did, asking if she had found anything yet, but she knew better. Abbs knew there was something wrong with her boss-man; he wouldn't let his emotions break free unless he was pushed. So, Abby decided that she would be the one to push him.

She had to wait until McGee was sent out of her lab before she might be able to help Gibbs. She knew that she was the only person whom he trusted enough to let go of his emotions.

Abby's heart tightened each time she saw Gibbs like that, wrapped up in a flood of emotions he wouldn't let out. Holding everything inside wasn't a good thing; sooner or later everything would come pouring out, whether you were prepared for it or not.

Gibbs assigned Timothy McGee a task, and 'Probie,' as Tony called him, went off. Gibbs and Abby were alone in her lab. Like the scientist she is, Abby continued to do her job, and when her boss and friend came to stand next to her, asking if she'd found any fingerprints yet, she looked at him, a hand on her hip, and said, "No. Your gut telling you something?" Clear annoyance was written all over her face.

"Yeah, I need coffee," he answered, starting to move away.

Abby turned and took hold of his arm, determined to make him talk. "No, Gibbs! Come on…" she told him gently but firmly. Then he looked at her, and she could see the pain and sense of failure in his eyes once again, just like when Kate had been trapped with Ducky, Gerald and Ari in the morgue. Abby felt her heart ache for him.

"Oh, Gibbs…" she whispered.

Abby wanted so much to hug him, take him in her arms to comfort him, but she didn't move. She didn't want Gibbs to misinterpret her action, though she was sure he wouldn't. She'd been alone in her lab with her boss a thousand times, but for some reason it now felt strange... Abby had always felt safe and comfortable around Gibbs, but the fact remained that he wasn't open about what he felt, like after what had happened to Kate.

Abby looked at him intently. "Todd was your agent, but Kate was my friend. You know, sometimes it's okay wrong to express what we feel…"

"Abby…" Gibbs started, a hint of lassitude creeping into his voice.

"Gibbs, it's me, Abby – you can talk to me! I'm not anybody, damn it! I know you're in pain and that you are feeling responsible for what happened. I can see it in your eyes, Gibbs. You can't fool me. As Ducky would say, the eyes are the windows of our souls, and yours are telling me that you feel responsible for something you had no control over."

"What do you believe in, Abby?"

Abby Sciuto looked at her boss again and thought about what he just asked her. "You want to know what I believe in. Well, here is what I believe in: coincidences, saying sorry, crying, expressions of feelings, God – sometimes it isn't easy. I can concede that, especially after Kate's death, but damn, Gibbs! You need to let go! It's not your fault! I know you're convinced that you are responsible. You didn't see Ari coming – so what? You're not God! Kate was supposed to protect you and that's what she did! She died doing her job. I'm sure she's okay with it 'cause she saved you… and most important of all… I believe in you."

"No, she's not! Abbs, she blames me for her death," he told her as his voice trailed off.

Abby's heart sank at Gibbs's words and she instinctively moved closer to him, tentatively inviting him into her embrace, and to her surprise he didn't resist her. Instead he held onto her as if she was the only thing on earth he could grasp. It was then that she felt his entire body shaking slightly, and the shoulder of her lab coat getting slightly wet as well.

"That's it, my silver haired fox, let it go," she whispered, tightening her embrace, slowly moving her right hand to the back of his head to stroke his hair gently, tenderly. "I'm here… I'm here for you, and I always will be…"

Gibbs wept silently as he tightened his arms around her once more. Abby just held him, hoping that's she could soothe him a little. She couldn't have said how long they stayed like that, holding on to each other, and she couldn't have cared less as long as it eased Gibbs's pain.

"Kate's gone, Gibbs, and it hurts, but we can't change that. What we need to do now is to focus on what we can change. Nothing else matters. We need to move on for Kate; I'm sure she wouldn't have wanted otherwise. And Gibbs, I need you to be strong for me… because if you're not I'm gonna break down too." Her last words ended in a whisper..

THE END

Stay tuned to see what's gonna happen in the sequel, "Moving on"

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