The next time Gibbs saw Abby, it was Anthony who brought her by.  He opened the door to find both of them there.  Once again, Shannon was out.  "Can you watch her for a little while?" Anthony blurted out.

Gibbs再下一次看見Abby時,是Anthony帶她來的。他打開門去迎接他們。又一次的,Shannon出門了。「你可以看著她一下嗎?」Anthony毫不猶豫地說。

 

Gibbs noticed that the young man had a black eye.  "Who hit you?" Gibbs asked, defensive on the boy's behalf利益.

Gibbs注意到這個小男孩有了個黑眼圈。「誰打你了?」Gibbs問,像是要保護這個男孩似的。

 

"I walked into a door," Anthony said easily.

「我走路撞到門。」Anthony輕鬆地說。

 

Gibbs thought he said it a little too easily, like he'd been practicing.

Gibbs在想他說得有點太輕鬆了,像是他已經練習過似的。

 

"Can you watch her?" Anthony asked again, a hint of urgency in his voice.

「你可以看著她嗎?」Anthony又問了一次,聲音裡有著催促的意思。

 

"Of course," Gibbs said.  "For how long?"

「當然可以。」Gibbs說。「要多久?」

 

Anthony thought about it.  Gibbs watched his face, wishing he could read the boy's mind.  Based on his face, Gibbs didn't think he was thinking particularly pleasant令人愉快的 thoughts.  "An hour, maybe two."

Anthony想了想這個問題。Gibbs看著他的臉,希望他可以讀懂這男孩的想法。基於他的臉這樣,Gibbs不認為他正在想的是什麼特別令人愉快的想法。「一個小時,可能兩個小時。」

 

"Is something wrong?"

「有什麼事情不對了嗎?」

 

Anthony chuffed吝嗇的 out a mirthless陰鬱的 laugh, shaking his head, his eyes looking weary疲倦的 and suspicious, even as he said, "Nope.  Everything's fine.  I just need someone to watch Abby for a little while."

Anthony吝嗇地露出了一個有點悲傷的笑容,並搖了搖他的頭,他的眼中看起來滿是疲倦及猜疑,即使他說了,「沒。一切都很好。我只是需要有個人幫我看著Abby一小段時間。」

 

"I'd be glad to," Gibbs said.  "You can stay, too, if you want."

「我很高興能幫上忙。」Gibbs說。「你也可以待在這裡,如果你想的話。」

 

Another head shake.  "Nah."  To Abby, he said, "Try not to talk too much."  Then he grinned at her.

又一次地搖搖頭。「免了。」接著轉向Abby,他說。「試著別說太多。」然後他對她笑了笑。

 

She stuck伸出 her tongue out at him then grinned back.

她對著他吐出個舌頭並也回應了笑容。

 

Anthony sent Gibbs another look, a silent version of the threat from the last time he'd seen him, and then he sauntered閒逛 off down the sidewalk as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Anthony又看了Gibbs一眼,在最後他看他時竟有一種沉默的威脅感,然後他閒逛似地向著走道的一側走去、像是他從未關心過這世界。

 

"What happened?" Gibbs asked.

「發生什麼事了?」Gibbs問。

 

Abby shrugged.  "Anthony and the pretty lady were yelling, and then he came out and said that we were gonna come visit you."  Her eyes lit up, "Did you get the crib done?  Can I see it?"

Abby聳了聳肩。「Anthony和那個漂亮小姐對吼著,接著他就走出去然後說我們會來拜訪你。」她的眼睛亮了起來。「你做好那個嬰兒床了嗎?我可以看嗎?」

 

"Did you see him walk into a door?"  Gibbs pointed at his eye to make sure she knew what he was talking about.

「你有看見他走進什麼門內嗎?」Gibbs用他的眼睛示意了下以確保她知道他在說些什麼。

 

"Nope," she said, "but he always has bruises.  He plays a lot of sports."  Her eyes grew wide.  "Last Saturday, I watched him play football, and like twenty people jumped on top of him.  Crazy, right?"

「沒。」她說。「但他總是帶著瘀青。他玩很多種運動。」她的眼睛接著瞪大了。「上週六,我看他在玩足球,而且場上幾乎有二十個人都比他高。很瘋狂,對吧?」

 

"Did he get hurt?"

「他有受傷嗎?」

 

She shook her head.  "No, he got right back up and played some more."  Her eyes were filled with stars as if she thought the moon rose and fell with Anthony.

她搖了搖她的頭。「沒有,他好好的而且還玩得挺開心的。」她的眼睛充滿著星星好像Anthony就是那個會讓她繞著旋轉的月亮一樣。

 

Bruises associated聯想 with sports was plausible貌似有理的 enough, but Gibbs still thought Anthony had been lying about the door.  Regardless無論如何, he had an unexpected houseguest, so he welcomed her inside, and then took her back to what would be the nursery育兒室 when it was completed, to show her the crib.

把瘀青和運動聯想在一起似乎足夠合理,但Gibbs仍認為Anthony所說的那個門是個謊言。無論如何,他有了個意外的家庭訪客,所以他開門歡迎她進來,然後他可以帶她去後面看已經完成的嬰兒房,秀給她看那張嬰兒床。

 

*****

 

Over the next two weeks, Gibbs saw Abby once or twice a week, and she somehow timed every visit for when Shannon was out of the house.  Gibbs would have thought she was doing it on purpose if Abby, despite her fondness喜愛 for spies, had had an ounce一點點 of guile狡猾 in her.  She was the most open person Gibbs had ever met.  Not that Gibbs had spent much time with children before, but she just had a way of pulling you into her orbit that was endearing.

接下來又過了兩周,Gibbs一個禮拜可以看到Abby一次或兩次,而且很巧地、她每次來拜訪的時間Shannon都不在家。Gibbs幾乎要想Abby是否動了什麼手腳之類的,除了她喜歡當個間諜之外,但肯定她有一點點狡猾。她是Gibbs所看過心靈最開放的人。不是因為在這之前Gibbs很少跟孩子相處,而是她就是有辦法讓你心甘情願地跟著她起舞。

 

Gibbs saw Anthony a few times as well, but it was only when Anthony was either dropping her off, or picking her up.  One time, he'd had a bruised cheek, which he wrote off to football.  Another time he was limping一瘸一拐的.  "Basketball," he said, before being asked.

Gibbs倒是很少看到Anthony,只有在Anthony丟下她的時候,或是來接她的時候。有一次,他的顴骨瘀青了,他解釋是因為足球。其他時候他會跛著腳走路。「我打籃球。」他說,在他問之前。

 

This time, as he stood at the door, he had his arm in a splint夾板.  "Skateboarding," he threw out, once again, before Gibbs could ask.

這次,當他正站在門口,他的手臂被上了夾板。「我玩滑板。」他只丟出這句話,又一次的,在Gibbs開口問話之前。

 

Gibbs might have believed him if it wasn't for the anguish極度的痛苦 in the boy's eyes, and how he wouldn't make eye contact for more than a second.  "Abby," Gibbs said, "do me a favor, and get my hammer from downstairs, would you?"  It was a nonsensical無異議的 errand差事, but one Abby could easily do.

Gibbs可能真的會相信他、如果不是那男孩的眼中有著莫大的痛苦,還有他從不把眼神接觸的時間放超過一秒鐘。「Abby,」Gibbs說,「幫我個忙,幫我去拿樓下的鐵鎚,妳可以嗎?」這是個不重要的任務,不過卻是Abby可以簡單做到的。

 

A flash of fear crossed Anthony's face, and he took a step back.

罕見的恐懼劃過Anthony的臉龐,接著他退了退。

 

Anger seared through Gibbs, and as soon as Abby was out of earshot, he demanded, "Who hurt you?"

Gibbs感覺到一陣憤怒,在Abby的聽力之外用最快的速度,他要求地問,「誰傷害你了?」

 

Shoulders hunched, Anthony said, "Nothing I can't handle."

肩膀弓了起來,Anthony說,「沒什麼、我可以的。」

 

"That's not what I asked you," Gibbs bit out.

「那不是我問你的問題。」Gibbs繼續逼問道。

 

It was the wrong tone of voice to use, because Anthony shut down, stepping back outside to the porch門廊.  He yelled, "Abby, come on."

但他用錯了語調,因為Anthony閉上了嘴巴,並退離了門廊。他高喊著,「Abby,快點。」

 

"Anthony," Gibbs said softly.  "You can talk to me."

Anthony,」Gibbs輕聲說。「你可以和我談談。」

 

A hopeless chuckle left the boy's lips.  "Right.  Abby!  Come on."

一個不帶希望的笑聲從男孩的口中逸出。「是啊。Abby!快點。」

 

Abby came running up the stairs, hammer in hand.  "Here," she said brightly, holding it out for Gibbs.

Abby迅速地跑上樓梯,手裡拿著鐵鎚。「給你。」她歡快地說,並將之遞給了Gibbs

 

He took it, and when he looked up, Anthony was half way to the street, calling for Abby over his shoulder.  Abby smiled at Gibbs and then skipped out after Anthony.

他拿過了鐵鎚,而當他抬眼時,Anthony已經走到了街道的一半,遠遠地回頭叫著AbbyAbby對著Gibbs笑了笑後也掠過他身邊追著Anthony去了。

 

"Damn it," Gibbs said to himself. 

「該死的。」Gibbs對自己說著。

 

*****

 

Abby wasn't her usual cheery self when she next came over.  She sat at his kitchen table, running her fingers through the condensation on the glass, her feet swinging, and said nothing.

Abby再下一次到來時她失去了往日的精神。她坐在他廚房的桌子上,將手指頭扣著玻璃杯不動,她的腳游泳似地滑動著,然後一句話也不說。

 

Gibbs frowned.  "What's wrong?"

Gibbs皺皺眉。「有什麼不對嗎?」

 

"I don't like living at that house anymore."

「我不喜歡再住在那個房子裡了。」

 

Alarms started going off in Gibbs' head.  "Why not?"

Gibbs的腦袋裡響起了警報。「為什麼不?」

 

"Everyone's so mean.  Well, except for Anthony.  And Rosalia and Maria.  Well, and John.  He's the chauffeur汽車司機.  And Edward.  He takes care of the horses.  Him and Martin.  He's nice, too.  Oh, and Manuel is nice, too.  He mows割草 the grass, and does the gardens and stuff.  I like him."

「每個人都太嚴肅了。好吧,除了Anthony之外。還有RosaliaMaria。好吧,還有John。他是那裡的汽車司機。還有Edward。他是負責照顧馬的。他和Martin都是。他也很好。噢,還有Manuel也很好。他是幫草坪割草的,還有負責照顧花園。我喜歡他。」

 

Gibbs' eyebrows went up.  That was a lot of staff.  For the first time, and he was a little chagrined at this, he wondered exactly where, and with whom, Abby was staying.  "So, who's mean?" he asked.

Gibbs的眉毛攏了起來。那聽起來有很多職員。這是第一次,他對此有些懊惱,他想確切地知道在哪裡,和誰住在一起,關於Abby所待的那個地方。「所以,誰很嚴肅?」他問。

 

"The pretty lady, and the mean man," she said.

「那個漂亮小姐,還有那個嚴肅的男人。」她說。

 

"What are their names?" Gibbs pushed.

「他們的名字?」Gibbs繼續追問。

 

"Anthony calls the pretty lady Melissa, although," she added, her eyes bright with a secret she shouldn't know, "he calls her a bitch, too."  She covered her nose and mouth with one of her small hands and giggled.  "I know that's a bad word," she said.

「雖然Anthony叫那個漂亮小姐Melissa,」她補充,她不知道她的眼睛因為說到秘密而亮了起來,「他也叫她婊子。」她用她的一隻小手遮住了口鼻並格格笑著。「我知道那是很難聽的話。」她說。

 

"Who's the mean man?" Gibbs asked, through narrowed eyes.

「那個嚴肅的男人是誰?」Gibbs問,瞇起了眼睛。

 

"I don't see him very often.  Anthony says he works away from home a lot.  But, when he comes home, he and the pretty lady yell a lot.  Anthony puts me in his room, and tells me to stay there when they start yelling."  She leaned forward.  "They can yell a lot.  And sometimes, she throws things."  Rolling her eyes, she said, "Rick never threw things."

「我並不常看到他。Anthony說他經常出差。不過,當他回家時,他和漂亮小姐常常互吼。Anthony會把我帶到他的房間,然後告訴我在他們開始亂吼時要待在那裡。」她垂下視線。「她們可以吼很久。而有時候,她會丟東西。」她翻了個白眼,說,「Rick從不丟東西。」

 

Abby had a point.  Rick may have too much love for body art, and not enough common sense, but Abby clearly doted on him.  Sometimes Child Protective Services got things right, and sometimes they got things wrong, too.  Gibbs wondered if he should give them a call.

Abby說到了重點。Rick也許是太愛身體藝術了,顯得不夠平常人,但很明顯地Abby就是很喜歡他。有時候兒童保護中心是對的,但有的時候他們也會錯辨。Gibbs希望自己可以打電話給他們談談。

 

"The other night," Abby said, as if telling a particularly riveting饒有興味的 ghost tale故事, "the mean man was stomping down the hall, yelling a lot."

「在其他晚上,」Abby說,像是正在說一個特別吸引人的鬼故事,「那個嚴肅男人會在走廊用力踩腳,還有大聲吼著。」

 

"Yelling what?" Gibbs asked.

「吼什麼?」Gibbs問。

 

"Like 'where is she', and 'you can't keep hiding her', stuff like that.  Maybe he was looking for the pretty lady.  Anthony came into my bedroom, and we snuck out the window!" she said in excitement, as if nothing could be more fun.  "We went to his friend's house, Joel's, and watched TV until I fell asleep.  That was fun.  But I don't like it when the mean man yells.  That's kind of scary."

「像是她在哪裡,還有你不能把她藏起來的,這類的。也許是他正在找那個漂亮小姐。Anthony會跑到我房間來,然後我們會從窗戶溜走!」她興奮地說,像是什麼事情都有樂趣一樣。「我們會去他的朋友家,Joel他家,然後看電視看到我想睡。這很好玩。不過我不喜歡那個嚴肅男人大吼的時候。那挺嚇人的。」

 

"Are you ever alone in the house?"  He felt sick to his stomach, sure that Abby was the 'she' in question.

「妳曾經在那房子裡落單嗎?」他覺得反胃想吐,當然Abby會知道問題是出在〝她〞身上。

 

"No," Abby said.  "Anthony doesn't like me to be alone there.  He always tells me to make sure he's there before I go in, and if he's not, to come over here, or go to Joel's or Rick's.  He gives me money so I can take a cab if I need to."

「沒有。」Abby說。「Anthony不喜歡我在那裡落單。他總是告訴我在進去之前要確定他在裡面,如果他不在,就離開那裡,或是去找JoelRick。他有給我錢、所以我可以在我需要的時候搭計程車。」

 

Gibbs stared at her in consternation驚愕, dismayed that he hadn't pushed harder about her situation.  He was also astonished驚訝的 at how Anthony took care of her.  "What does Anthony call the mean man?" he asked, still not sure if he was their son or another foster child.

Gibbs驚愕地看著她,並對自己無法更加保護她的處境感到沮喪。而他對於Anthony保護她的方式也更加地驚訝。「Anthony怎麼叫那個嚴肅的男人?」他問,仍然無法確定他到底是他們生的孩子還是領養的。

 

Abby clapped her hand over her mouth.  "He uses really bad words," she said through her fingers.  "You know, the 'f' word."

Abby急忙用手蓋住了她的嘴巴。「他用了真的很難聽的字。」她說的說話聲從指縫中鑽出。「你知道的,那個F開頭的字。」

 

"Where's Anthony now?"

Anthony現在在哪裡?」

 

"He said he'd pick me up here at six."

「他說他會在六點時來接我。」

 

Gibbs wondered what they would have done if he hadn't been out on medical leave.  Normally, they wouldn't have had someone at their beck and call to drop in and visit so often.  Gibbs was thankful that he'd been able to fulfill完成使命 that need for them, but he was almost healed enough to return to duty, and in fact, had gotten new orders today. 

Gibbs不知道如果他這次沒有休這個病假的話他們還會做出什麼樣的事情。照這慣例來看,他們沒有那樣的一個人當他們的靠山並且讓他們經常的去打擾及拜訪。Gibbs感謝自己可以完成他們需要他的使命,但他的傷已經快要痊癒到可以回去部隊執行勤務了,事實上,他今天已經拿到了命令了。

 

Abby subsided again, the brief story telling done.  "I really don't like it there," she said quietly.  "I wish me and Anthony could go somewhere else."  She glanced around Gibbs' house, not saying anything, but it was clear that she wished she could stay with Gibbs.

Abby再次坐了下來,這個簡短的故事也講完了。「我真的不喜歡在那裡,」她靜靜地說。「我希望我和Anthony能夠去別的什麼地方。」然後她環視了Gibbs的房子,沒有說什麼,但已經很明白地表達出她想留在這裡和Gibbs一起。

 

"I wish you could stay here, Abby," Gibbs told her honestly, "but we'll be leaving in a couple of weeks."

「我希望妳可以留在這裡,Abby。」Gibbs坦白地告訴她。「但是我們將會離開幾周的時間。」

 

"What?" she cried, appalled.  "You're leaving?  Why?  When?"

「什麼?」她開始哭泣,帶著驚訝地。「你要離開?為什麼?什麼時候?」

 

He hadn't meant to break the news so bluntly.  His new orders had included another move, something Shannon had not been happy about.  They had hoped to stay here for at least another two years.  "We're moving to South Carolina.  I have to move there for my job."

他從來不想把這件消息說得這麼直接。他的新命令還包括了另一次的搬家,這也是Shannon所不喜歡的事情。他們希望能夠待在這裡至少再兩年。「我們要搬去South Carolina(美國南卡羅來納州)。我必須為了我的工作搬到那裡去。」

 

Abby burst into tears.

Abby開始崩潰地哭著。

 

"Abby," Gibbs said, "I'm sorry."  He wished he could take her with him.  Her and Anthony.  He moved to her and hugged her.  "I'm sorry."

Abby,」Gibbs說,「我很抱歉。」他希望能將她帶走。她和Anthony都是。他向她靠近並且抱住了她。「我很抱歉。」

 

"But, where will I go?" Abby wailed嗚咽

「但是接下來,我要去哪裡?」Abby嗚咽著說。

 

That Gibbs could do.  He'd call Child Protective Services and make sure they put Abby back with Rick.  It was the least he could do.  Maybe he could even go meet Rick.

這是Gibbs能做到的事。他可以打電話給兒童保護中心並確保他們會把Abby帶回Rick那裡。這是至少他所能做到的。也許他甚至可以去見見Rick這個人。

 

There was a knock at the door, and Gibbs glanced at the clock and saw it was too early for Anthony to be there.  Patting Abby on the head, he walked to the door and opened it up.  What he saw made him want to punch someone.  It was Anthony with another black eye, a badly bruised cheek, and a busted lip.  "What the hell happened to you?"

門被敲了敲,然後Gibbs看了眼時鐘並發現現在對Anthony預計說要來的時間還太早。拍了拍Abby的頭,他走向門並打開它。他所看見的事情讓他想狠狠揍向某人。因為Anthony另一隻眼睛也瘀青了,臉頰也有嚴重的瘀青了,還有破掉的嘴唇。「你見鬼的發生什麼事情了?」

 

He watched as Anthony tried to come up討論 with something reasonable合理的.  He must have forgotten to come up with a plausible excuse because, after a few seconds, Anthony just shrugged.  "It doesn't matter."

他看著Anthony並試著要和他討論可能的原因。但他肯定忘了要用能夠讓人信賴點的態度、因為,幾秒後,Anthony只是聳聳肩。「這沒關係。」

 

"The hell it doesn't," Gibbs snarled.  "Who did this to you?"

「這見鬼的當然有關係。」Gibbs咆哮道。「誰對你這麼做了?」

 

"It doesn't matter," Anthony said again, louder.  "You can't do anything about it.  Trust me."  He glanced around Gibbs, saw that Abby was crying.  "What's she crying for?"

「這沒關係。」Anthony又說了一次,更大聲地。「你幫不上任何忙。相信我。」他掃視著Gibbs,然後看見Abby正在哭。「她為什麼在哭?」

 

"I just told her we're leaving.  We're moving to South Carolina."

「我剛告訴她我們準備離開。我們準備搬去South Carolina。」

 

Panic flickered in Anthony's eyes.  "When?"

Anthony的眼中閃過了恐慌。「什麼時候?」

 

"In two weeks.  I just got my new orders."

「兩周內。我剛拿到我的新命令。」

 

"But," Anthony said, almost gasping, "what will I--" he shut his mouth over whatever else he might have said, his lips pinched tight, even though that must have hurt his lip.

「但是,」Anthony說,幾乎要倒抽了一口氣。「那我以後」他閉上了嘴巴並截斷了他可能會說出口的話,他的嘴唇抿得緊緊的,儘管那樣肯定讓他的嘴唇很痛。

 

Gibbs could see the boy thinking ferociously, and his stomach started roiling as he began to realize認識 just how much Anthony depended on him.  "I'll figure something out," Gibbs told him.  "Someplace else you can send her to keep her safe."

Gibbs可以想見這男孩想法會有多驚人,而他的胃因為現在才開始認知到這男孩有多依賴他而感到難受。「我知道你在想什麼。」Gibbs告訴他。「我會找到一個地方讓你可以送她過去並保證她的安全。」

 

Anthony nodded, clearly not believing him, and Gibbs wondered just how many times people had promised to help and then done nothing.  "Who is it that Abby calls the mean man?"

Anthony點點頭,很顯然並不相信他,而Gibbs在想有多少次人們都曾經答應過要幫助他們卻什麼都沒做。「Abby說的那個嚴肅的男人是誰?」

 

"My father," Anthony said tightly.  He looked like he was doing his very best not to cry.  "Can she stay for a couple more hours?" he asked.  Anthony cleared his throat and sniffed, looking away.

「我爸爸。」Anthony緊繃地說。他看起來像是正盡力讓自己不要哭。「她可以在這裡多待幾個小時嗎?」他問。Anthony清了清喉嚨並抽了下鼻子,然後轉開了視線。

 

"Of course.  Why don't you come in, too?" Gibbs asked.

「當然可以。你何不也一起進來呢?」Gibbs問。

 

Anthony shook his head.

Anthony搖了搖他的頭。

 

Gibbs grabbed a pen and notepad from the desk by the door, and wrote down his number.  "Call me if you need me."

Gibbs從門邊的桌子上抓過了筆及筆記本,並寫下了他的電話號碼。「如果你需要我就打給我。」

 

"For two more weeks?" Anthony said hopelessly.  "What then?"  As if he realized he'd revealed too much, Anthony turned and ran.

「即使是兩周後?」Anthony不帶希望地說。「還有呢?」當他理解到自己已經洩漏太多情緒時,Anthony轉身並跑開。

 

"Crap," Gibbs said, watching as the young man vanished消失不見 down the street.

「你這廢物。」Gibbs對自己說,並看著男孩在街道底消失不見。

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