A/N: So this is the end, and it is bitter sweet. On the one hand, a really fun ride in this fic is ending, but it frees me up to begin a new one! I am so glad that this fic got the response it did and I want to thank Forensic Girl 554, teal'c08, Hope06, EO-6313-4015, Sophie's-Welt, dramaqueen321, STLFAN, power214063, jediyam, Frankies Girl 21, LabRatsRule, slytherinfan, Roxie-Lee, abbyfan95, KateCayce, peppe1951, JonasBROgirl8815, GibbsGirlAbby, cai-ann, ascifigirl, crs529, firedrakegirl, KellyRoxton, diana teo (hey girl! wassup??), Unfinished Perfection, finlaure (good to hear from you again!), FillmoreFan, Aunt Kitty, purple. bookworm .girl, GardenRiver, Katherine8790, purpledragonfly74, Raven, TardisCalling, Sara, Madison-Gibbs, Just me and myself, 0melting. snow0, TheatreActress, CharlieBlue1977, Eliza-angel, Julie507, LittleSpooky, MoonlightAngel220, Tragicpoetry1, Berlain and Aqua Mage, who have all left me at least one if not multiple reviews. You guys are awesome. That's right, YOU. So this one is written especially for you reviewers, I give thee: el FIN, enjoy! -pj

Bobby usually had an insatiable curiosity that bordered on obsessive. Abby couldn't remember a time when his hands weren't flying around in enthusiastic inquiry and wide eyed fascination.

Yet the entire ride back to Gibbs' house the boy sat motionless and silent beside his sister, content to let unanswered questions lie. Maybe he was afraid he already knew the answers.

Gibbs, who usually relished in the quiet gaps between conversations, felt for the first time a bit uncomfortable in the silence. With Abby around, he'd grown used to the quiet being filled with her rambling banter and shameless humming.

He glanced in the rear view mirror and saw Abby with her chin resting on Bobby's head, gently tousling his hair. He knew she was more than relieved to have him back, he could also see the uncertainty and turmoil boiling just beneath the surface in her eyes.

Late that night Abby was finding sleep elusive. She hadn't been able to avoid the subject any longer once they got to Gibbs' house and the sight of Bobby's crumpled and tear-stained face floated in her mind, refusing to allow her to sleep.

She padded into the kitchen, leaving Bobby to snore peacefully on the couch, and quietly poured herself a glass of milk. She was about to slip out the back door to the porch when she noticed the door on the other side of the kitchen was open and a pale light was streaming up the basement stairs.

She tiptoed over and poked her head inside. The rhythmic sound of sandpaper on wood traveled up to her and she could see Gibbs moving about downstairs, kicking up sawdust and sipping on bourbon.

She was sure he knew she was there, but didn't say anything as she slipped down the stairs to sit at the bottom, watching him work.

"You should be in bed, Abbs," he said after several minutes, he still didn't look up at her.

Abby didn't respond and when he glanced over at her, balled up with her arms wrapped around her legs, he got the distinct feeling she wasn't with him. Not really.

He continued work on his boat, feeling it was better to allow her to come back to earth on her own.

That was how he preffered to do it, in moments like those.

After a few minutes he saw her stand and move to walk around the boat, pausing when she came to the stern and studying the letters of the name written there.

"He called me 'Abbs' too."

Gibbs paused in sanding to look at her. She was tracing the letters with her finger.

"My grandfather. He called me Abbs. He called Bobby 'Old Man'," the corner of her mouth kicked up and she fought not to blink because she knew her tears would escape if she did. Gibbs pretended not to notice as her voice disintegrated into a whisper.

"Pop pop loved nicknames."

Silently Gibbs turned and put his sanding block to the bench.

"He called my grandma 'toots'," Abby sniffed, slow, fat tears rolling down her nose. She ignored them, continually tracing and retracing the 'K' of the boat's name.

Gibbs walked over to be right beside her, close enough to see that she was shaking but leaving enough space for her to pull away.

"He said nicknames were more important than given names," she forced herself to take a breath and pulled her hands inside her sleeves, crossing her arms tightly over her chest, eyes still locked on the letters of the boat, "because nicknames are given after you know someone...from the inside out," another deep breath and she was able to even out her voice a bit more, "who is Kelly?"

Gibbs narrowed his eyes, he wasn't expecting the change in subject.

"My daughter."

This caught her attention and Abby looked at him, her eyes momentarily clear, "daughter?"

Gibbs nodded, turning to look at the boat, laying a big, calloused hand against the smooth wood, "she died eight years ago. She and her mother."

Abby gasped, her eyes immediately filling with tears, "I'm sorry."

When Gibbs looked back at her she was studying her bare feet, curling her toes into the concrete and sniffing hard.

"I called her 'Scout'."

Abby gasped out a sob and nodded, biting her lip. "I bet you were a good father, Gibbs," she whispered, you remind me of my," she choked on a sob and lifted her eyes, "my father sometimes."

Gibbs would have smiled, but despite the confession and the tears, he knew this wasn't the source of the turmoil he'd seen earlier. The anxiety and fear that he was seeing bubbling toward the surface now. He waited. He had learned that, with Abby, if he waited long enough, she would tell him what he wanted to know.

"I don't think I can do this." She blurted out immediately, as if relieved he'd seen through her charade.

"Yes you can."

"No. You don't understand. I gave up," she gasped a short breath, "I gave up on my family. I ran away so much they sent me to live with Pop Pop. I'm not a good person, Gibbs, I can't be what Bobby needs now. I can't-"

Gibbs grabbed her by the shoulders, "you are what he needs, Abby. You're his sister. His family," he paused, and she hardly dared to breathe, "that's what's important."

Abby clenched her teeth hard and clutched the sleeves of his shirt.

"Gibbs," she squeaked, and he didn't hesitate to pull her against him.

He felt her sobbing urgently against his chest and he stroked her hair, holding her steady and strong. A few moments later found him leaning against the side of the boat, Abby still folded into his chest, though the tears were silent and her breathing even. Gibbs rubbed her back and she stared at the shapes his footprints had made in the sawdust on the floor.

"How did Bobby end up at the Morgan's?" he asked after a while. Abby blinked, returning to the present and looked at him, pulling away to wipe her eyes.

"Bobby likes birds. He likes to watch 'em." She explained, running a finger along the smooth edges of the finely crafted wood, "he used to say he wished he could hear them but it made Gloria angry so he doesn't anymore. He climbed out of the window onto Grandpa's roof to watch the birds in the pine tree in the back yard. He smelled the smoke inside and climbed down the tree to run to a safe distance."

Gibbs' watched her as she pulled away and moved to the stern of the boat, staring at the letters of Kelly's name again.

"Mom and dad used to pound it into our heads, if we ever smelled smoke we were to run. Run away until we were safe. Never to stop and look for them because they wouldn't hear us calling them. Bobby either," a bit of self loathing seeped into her voice, "how many times did I get up at night to change the battery in the smoke detector and the one time it mattered I wasn't there?" she continued before Gibbs could protest. "He says he got lost among the fire-fighters afterward and the Morgan's took him in. They thought he was lost."

Gibbs kept staring at her and after a moment she met his gaze.

"Thanks Gibbs," she said quietly, "for everything," she started toward the stairs and then stopped, never looking up she added quietly, "Kelly was a lucky kid."

Gibbs tilted his head slightly to the side and watched her leave.

The next day found Abby packing up her clothes and what few things her brother had as they waited for their ride. Bobby was sitting out on the front porch watching the birds search for breakfast in the grass. Gibbs spied him as he walked through the kitchen with a coffee in each hand. The young boy had his chin on his knees, picking at the cracked wood of the steps with one hand.

"How is he?" He asked, holding the mug of coffee out to Abby.

One long pigtail flipped out of her face as she whirled around to look at him, dropping the duffel he'd given her on the floor.

She shrugged, "seems okay, I guess. Not sure how much he understands, though."

Gibbs just nodded, watching her carefully over the rim of his cup.

"I liked the red stuff better," she commented, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "the stuff you brought to the lab the other day."

Gibbs' brow furrowed in thought, "Caf-pow!?"

"Yeah, that was it."

Gibbs just shook his head, walking toward the window so he could see Bobby outside, "that stuffs not good for you Abbs."

Abby shrugged and came up beside him, "none of the fun stuff is."

They grew quiet a moment, watching Bobby as his sharp, blue eyes tracked a hawk flying overhead, it's shadow laying down circles on the grass.

"What will you do now?" Gibbs asked quietly, his eyes dropping briefly to the packed duffel on the floor beside the couch.

"We're going to stay with my Aunt Viv." Abby volunteered.

Gibbs had been wondering why she was packing their bags.

"It was Bobby's idea. I haven't seen her in years but I guess he remembered her. He handed me my phone early this morning. She was on the other end."

She sipped her coffee, her eyes glazed over in thought and memory. "She's my dad's sister, she lives in Baton Rouge. I'll go back with Bobby. Make sure he's settled and then…I'm not sure." She looked over at him, her eyes wide, as if searching for approval.

Gibbs nodded and then, "You'll have a standing offer at NCIS once you get your degree."

Abby's head whipped over to him, the way the words slipped so casually off his tongue made her breath catch.

"Really?" She asked, almost afraid to believe.

Gibbs finally looked at her and nodded, "Harris has nothing but good things to say about you and you are the one who found Zoe's car on the tapes. You're good at this."

Abby just stared at him, silently searching his soul for so long he was fighting not to fidget.

"Gibbs," she said, her voice breaking, and put down her empty mug in order to throw her arms around his neck.

He barely held his ground under her attack and hesitantly returned her hug, he thought he could feel her smiling into his shirt.

Bobby burst inside, clapping and pointing and Abby pulled away to look outside, "our ride is here."

Gibbs put down his own mug to pick up the bag and followed the children outside.

"I could've taken you to the airport, Abbs." He said giving the taxi a suspicious look.

"No, Gibbs," she shook her head vehemently as he placed the duffel in the trunk, "bustling, impersonal airports are no place to say 'goodbye'." She stepped forward, hugging him again, this time he didn't hesitate to return it, "even if 'goodbye' is only 'see you later'."

She pulled back and was smiling.

"I will be seeing you again, Gibbs. I plan to take you up on that offer."

Bobby watched shyly from inside the cab, but happily signed 'see you soon' when Gibbs waved.

After she had gotten in and the cab pulled away, Abby rolled down the window to stick her head and hand out.

See you soon. I promise.

Gibbs waved. He thought she would probably keep that promise. And as he turned to go back inside, something in his gut told him he was right.

END - sorry if it was too sappy at the end, lol, i tried not to, but it's hard! I hope everyone enjoyed it, thanks again for reading (and reviewing, lol)!!