"Midnight Rendezvous, Part One"

--Chapter One--

It was 6:00 in the evening at NCIS HQ, and the team was getting ready to head home for the night. Everyone could feel the tension in the air as Gibbs walked back around the corner into the bullpen.

"So how'd it go with-" Tony started to ask, from where he sat at his desk.

Gibbs only growled as he reached his own desk.

"I think that means it went badly, Tony." Kate remarked.

Tony shot Kate a dirty look from his desk.

The last two or three days had been a nightmare for the team. Gibbs had really been on them about finding out the identity of the terrorist that had broken into Autopsy a while back. So far they hadn't been able to turn up a single lead since it happened.

Gibbs plopped down into his desk chair, and turned towards his own desktop computer.

"Uh, B-Boss," McGee stammered.

"What McGee!" Gibbs barked across the bullpen.

McGee winced at Gibbs' harsh-sounding voice.

"Gibbs," Kate spoke up before McGee could work up the nerve to try again. "Its getting late--maybe we should call it a night, and pick it up again tomorrow." she suggested.

Gibbs sat silently staring at his computer screen for a few brief moments before speaking up again.

"Fine." he growled through gritted teeth. "Go home, all of you--but be back here, tomorrow, at 7 sharp." he told them threateningly. "Or else." he hissed.

Gibbs could feel his blood pressure rising dangerously, and the tension that was building up inside him felt like a tightly coiled spring just waiting for all of its built-up energy to be released.

Tony, Kate, and McGee all gathered up their things and began to make their way towards the elevator.

Gibbs growled once again.

"Kate!" he called her name out, as he jumped up out of his desk chair and walked, quickly, towards the elevator.

He managed to catch her just before she reached the elevator.

Kate waved to Tony and McGee, motioning for them not to wait up, and that she would catch the next elevator going down. She turned around to face Gibbs as he approached her.

She sucked in a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves, and at the same time hoping and praying that this was not about what she feared it was about. She swallowed a lump in her throat as he stepped up to her.

"G-Gibbs." she said, trying her best to sound calm and cool.

"Kate." he said her name, and it sounded cold and icy as it rolled off of his lips.

Her heart sank in her chest. He WAS gonna do it.

"My house. One hour." he instructed her in a low voice, coldly, pointing a finger at her.

Kate smiled a fake smile, and hoped that he would not catch on to it.

"Yes sir." she replied, still trying to sound calm and cool.

"Don't be late." he added, and then he turned and walked away from her.

Her knees almost gave out beneath her--right then and there. Tonight was not going to be fun at all, and she knew it all too well. It had been a bad day for all of them, including Gibbs--and she knew that Gibbs asking her to his place, with a set dead-line was a bad thing.

Though, for some reason, every time this happened she couldn't help but convince herself between leaving work and actually arriving at his place that it would be different 'this time'--he'd be over his frustration, and everything would be alright. But it never worked that way--ever.

Most people would probably have called it quits by now, but not her. No, she couldn't. She loved him. She would admit that it was kind of strange, but she didn't care--she just didn't.

Everyday she did things like wear new perfumes, wear her hair differently, or wear a new outfit--all just to get his attention. She even tried to flirt with him--her flirting with Gibbs. Tony would have a ball with that one, she knew. Yet, when he did finally come around, and they did 'get together' it was a night she would never forget.

He'd admitted to watching her from afar, and he'd even admitted fantasizing about her at times. She'd thought that it was cute, as she giggled at him that night as he sat there in his recliner in the living room of his house.

Then the way that he took her that night. The way he filled her, moved her--LOVED her. It was magical to say the very least, and she had prayed all night long that the moment would never end; but it did (anyway).

And so the last few months had been 'complicated', but she believed in her heart that the two of them could work things out somehow for the better.

She looked down at her watch. One hour. That would give her just enough time to get home (barely) shower, change into something more 'comfortable' and then haul ass over to Gibbs' place before she got herself into trouble.

She shook her head, and let out a sigh as she pressed the button for the elevator. A few seconds later it pinged, the doors opened up, and she stepped on board. She pressed the button to take her down to the parking garage, and then waited as the doors closed and the elevator car began to move slowly in the desired direction.







Later...

She just barely made it to Gibbs' front door about a minute before 7:00. She knocked on the door, but got no answer. She tried again--still no answer.

She blew a frustrated sigh, as she dove into her purse--searching for her key to the house. She pulled it out, and quickly unlocked the door and let herself in.

"Gibbs!" she called out as she re-closed, and locked the door behind her(self). No answer.

"Gibbs!" she tried again, but still no answer.

She brushed her hair back behind her ear, and set her purse down by the door. She walked through the living room, and headed towards the kitchen.

She had seen his car in the driveway so she knew that he was home. Suddenly a thought crossed her mind, and she rolled her eyes, as she made a course-correction and headed for the basement.

She took the steps down into the dimly-lit basement slowly. "Gibbs?" she said aloud, uncertainty evident in her voice.

"Here." he called back, in a gruff voice.

She descended further into Gibbs' 'private lair' moving slowly.

"Gibbs, I thought you'd be waiting for me-" she said, as she reached the bottom step.

He stayed silent as he worked on the boat that he was building.

She walked towards him.

"I shouldn't have asked you to come." he said quietly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, stopping short of where he was sitting on a stool.

"I've been hurting you." he replied, not looking at her. "The whole way home I was thinking about all the things I was gonna do when you walked through my door--" he stopped short. "I realized what I was doing." he admitted.

Kate took another step forward towards Gibbs. "Gibbs-"

Gibbs stopped what he was doing, and set his hand-sander down on his work bench behind him. He looked up at the beautiful brunette standing there before him.

"I'm sorry Kate." he said quietly, his eyes moist and red.

She reached out for him from where she stood.

"Can you forgive-" he started to ask her, but before he could finish the sentence she smashed her lips against his.

"Don't." she said quietly, her own eyes now moist with emotion.

Gibbs pulled back. "Kate-"

"I never blamed you--for any of it." she told him, trying to kiss the silver-haired man again.

"Kate, no-" Gibbs said, trying to push her back again. "We can't."

"Wh-Why not?"

"I don't wanna hurt you anymore." he told her, turning away.

"You won't--You haven't." she told him, moving towards him again.

"I'm broken Kate!" he snapped finally, jumping up from his stool. "I can't be fixed." he added.

"I don't care what you are, Gibbs." Kate said, stepping towards him again. "I still love you." there were tears in her eyes.

She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him again. "I know you want me Gibbs," she said, between kisses.

"Kate-"

"Just like I want you." she added. She pressed her body against his.

Gibbs couldn't help himself anymore, at this rate--if he was lucky--he might just barely make it to the bedroom in one piece.

He grabbed her around the waist, and pushed her back against the workbench.

Kate gasped in surprise at the suddenness of his movement(s).

"Kate," he murmured, as he kissed her passionately. "I want-" he restrained himself at the last minute.

"Gibbs-" she started to say, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

"Say it." he begged her, under his breath.

She moaned as he traced a path of kisses down her neck/throat. His slid his hand inside the loose folds of the neck of her dress, and his hand brushed against her right breast--she wasn't wearing a bra. He should have guessed. She never wore a bra when she came over to his place--well at least not when she was expecting this.

"Gi-Gibbs..." she moaned.

"Say it." he growled, in a low whisper, through gritted teeth--in her ear, as he nibbled at the tip of her ear lobe.

She moaned again as he tenderly caressed her supple breast in his hand.

"I want--I want you to fuck me." she moaned, her eyes now meeting with his. "I want you to-"

Gibbs swept her up off of her feet, and practically raced for the stairs.











--Chapter Two--

In The Bedroom...

He entered her slowly, and then waited for her body to adjust to him before continuing.

She moaned as he entered her.

"God, Kate," Gibbs groaned, as he waited for her body to adjust. "You feel so good around me." he said, as he bent his head to steal a kiss from her luscious lips.

She couldn't wait for him to make the next move. She bucked her hips against his--hard.

"K-Kate." he groaned.

This time she kissed him as she tried to buck against him once more. This time though, Gibbs met her half way and thrust his hips down, hard, against hers.

"Fuck me. Now." she hissed.

Gibbs chuckled, as he began to move inside her--slowly at first.

"Be careful what you wish for, sweetheart," he whispered against her lips. "You might just get it."

She wrapped her legs around his waist, inviting him in deeper and deeper with each powerful thrust.

He kept the rhythm going for a good while, until Kate's taunting and trash-talking forced him, to his great pleasure, to break-out the big guns.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, panting heavily.

Gibbs clicked his tongue against his teeth. "You know the penalty for trash-talking and unsportsmanlike behavior." he pointed out.

He stole another quick kiss from the beautiful brunette. "Hands and Knees." he growled, playfully, in her ear.

She rolled over onto her hands and knees, and steadied herself as he propped himself up as well. He entered her again, from behind, but this time he did not wait for her to adjust--this time he started immediately, and pounded away at her hard and fast.

It wasn't long before they both began to reach the limit(s). She was practically begging for release, but Gibbs leaned close and whispered in her ear "Not yet, Katie." softly.

She groaned out his name, as she fought back the urge. "Yo-You Bastard." she swore.

Gibbs chuckled, but he too was reaching the point of no return, and his restraint was starting to fail him--quickly.

Finally he leaned close, again, and whispered in her ear, "Now."

As if on cue, her whole body convulsed, and the shock waves that rippled out from her epi-center threatened to shatter her into pieces. "Ga-God." she moaned, as she collapsed forward, unable to hold herself up any longer.

Gibbs groaned out her name, as he gave one, last, hard thrust, and then his release washed over him like a series of intense tidal waves crashing against a far away beach. He collapsed against her, panting heavily.

"Kate," he gasped.

He rolled away from her a few minutes later, and laid beside her for a few more minutes. Together they waited for their vital signs to return to normal.

A few minutes later, Gibbs pulled Kate closer to him(self). They kissed, passionately, and then she pulled back and looked into Gibbs' eyes--her breathing still coming down to normal as she spoke.

"That--That thing," she panted. "Is like 'lightning' in a damn bottle." she told him.

Gibbs chuckled, as he flicked a strand of hair out of her face. "I'm glad you approve." he said, with a satisfied grin. "What do you say we do this again--tomorrow night?"

She thought for a moment, as she laid on her back staring up at the ceiling. "I dunno," she replied, finally. "I guess it depends on whether or not you're willing to play by 'my' rules."

Gibbs cocked an eyebrow at the beautiful brunette laying beside him in his bed. He propped himself up on an elbow, and looked at Kate--suspiciously.

"Have you been talking to Abby?" he asked.

Kate shrugged, with a mischievous grin playing at the corners of her mouth. "Maybe." she replied, trying to sound as innocent as a little school girl.

"Caitlin Todd," Gibbs said, clicking his tongue against his teeth. "You--are a very naughty little girl."

Kate only shrugged again. "What's a matter Gibbs," she taunted him, desire dancing in her eyes as she brought her lips up close to his once again. "Chicken?"

"Hell no." he replied, with a chuckle, as he pulled her close for another passionate kiss.

--------THE END--------

"Domination"

--Chapter One--

Abby sat on a bench in the 'special room' at Gibbs' house--the room that used to be the Guest Bedroom.

She was nervous as hell, sitting there waiting for Gibbs to get home. She knew what would happen when he did finally get home from the office--because he had stayed a little later than she had.

Her body, clothed only in a plain, red bathrobe, shook uncontrollably where she sat.

She had been a bad girl, today, at work. She had spoken out of turn in front of Gibbs--and what's worse, she had tried to kiss him without permission. These were 'no-nos' in Gibbs' book.

The two of them had made a deal about 2 or 3 months earlier. She had wanted Gibbs to be her Dom., but he had refused at first. She finally convinced him to do it, saying that she felt a million times safer with him doing the job as opposed to some stranger somewhere at some underground club--as was her custom formerly.

Gibbs had made one request in return, and that request had been made with the coldest, iciest fire that she had ever seen in his eyes. She had to play by his rules, and if she failed to do so, at any time--the consequences would be severe.

She had only had to 'punished' for her wrong-doings just twice before now. Though she felt a million times safer with Gibbs as her Dom--the ex-Marine Sniper was no cake-walk by any means.

The room that she sat in, currently, was stocked and decorated with all of her little 'toys' that they used during their sessions together here. Her eyes wandered around the room at the different devices and such. In her mind she labeled the ones that were her favorites--the ones that brought her the greatest pleasures to use--and then she labeled, as well, the ones that she absolutely hated--these were the ones that were used mostly when she needed to be 'punished'.

She wringed her hands/wrists as she sat there on the bench at the foot of the room's single, small bed--nervously.

"Abigail Scuito!" Gibbs called out through the house, his voice hard, and cold as ice.

He was finally home. The sound of his voice, cold and hard, made her jump where she sat. He only called her by her given name on nights like this.

It was wicked scary when he used it too.

"In-In here!" she called back, stammering over her words nervously.

A few seconds or so passed by, and the door to the 'special room' opened up, and Gibbs stood in the doorway--glaring at her with that evil glare that he used on nights such as this one.

He stood there, staring at her, for a few minutes before walking slowly towards her.

"Do you know why you're here?" he asked, in a low menacing voice. The iciness in it stung her sharply like a dozen razor blades cutting across her wrists all at once.

She swallowed hard a lump that had formed in her throat. It felt sticky, and dry.

"Y-Yes." she stammered, her whole body shaking more violently the closer he got to where she sat.

"Yes What!?" he barked, now so close she could feel his hot breath against her face.

"Y-Yes sir." she corrected herself.

Without thinking she jumped up to her feet, and faced him. "B-But I promise--I won't do-"

His hand came down hard against the side of her face. She yelped.

"I didn't say you could speak!" he yelled in her face.

She remained silent, tears welling up in her eyes. For some reason, on nights like these (when she was being punished), she (always) felt this genuine rush of fear flowing through her body. Which was silly, really, because she knew full well that Jethro Gibbs would never intentionally push it to far--he would NEVER intentionally cause her serious injury--EVER.

Tears streaked down her cheeks now, and she knew from the moment she lost the ability to hold them back that she had just sealed her fate--her form of torture or 'punishment' had been decided.

"Are you--Are You CRYING?" Gibbs hissed, bringing his face right up against hers.

Abby tried to avoid eye contact with Gibbs.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you Damnit!" he barked in her face.

Reflexively, her head jerked back around and her eyes fixed upon his immediately.

She was still shaking.

"You feel like crying?" he asked, but she did not answer. She knew that the question was meant to be rhetorical of course. "Fine." he told her, coldly. "I'll give you something to 'cry' about." he hissed in her ear.

"Position!" he snapped.

"Please Gibbs don't-"

His hand came down hard against her face for the second time, and she yelped at the stinging sensation that it left behind.

"Position!" he snapped again, an edge of warning detectable in his voice this time. He didn't want to push 'this' any further than he had to, but when he was in his 'Dom' persona sometimes he was afraid that if she pushed it too far--then me might accidentally lose control and she could get seriously hurt at that point.

Abby flinched at the sound of his voice, but she did as she was told this time.

Gibbs watched as Abby dropped the robe that she was wearing to the bedroom floor. Gibbs stepped over and kicked it across the floor to the far side of the room.

Now Abby was completely naked in front of him.

He removed his over coat and his regular coat and tossed them to the side where they came to rest in/on a chair that set against the far wall. He stepped around to the storage bench that she had been sitting on, now that he was only wearing a white t-shirt and his khaki trousers.

Abby moved, on shaky legs, towards the closet door--which Gibbs had sealed shut a few months ago so that it would not rattle or move when she was attached to it by the two wrist cuffs that were attached to it just above where her head would be.

Gibbs opened up the storage bench, and pulled out a special bullwhip that had an extra hard, three-prong tip, at its end-point. He set the whip down on top of the bench.

He walked up behind her, and pushed her the rest of the way--causing her to actually slam into the closet door (though not too hard, fortunately). He grabbed her arms, one at a time and strapped her into the 'wall-restraints' as he spoke.

"Before I am through with you," he told her, in his best, and lowest drill sergeant-type voice. "You will know the meaning of the word--respect." he hissed, slamming her right arm/hand/wrist into the cuff, and then began to close, secure, and tighten the leather straps on the first restraint.
"You will learn--that silence...is...a virtue." he hissed in her ear.

He grabbed her other arm/hand/wrist and repeated the process just the same as before--with her other arm/hand/wrist. "And," he continued. "You WILL learn who your 'MASTER' is!" he hissed menacingly in her ear(s).

Abby's entire body was quaking, now, with fear and anticipation of what she knew was coming next.

He stood directly behind her for a minute or so longer, and then without warning he brought his hand down hard against her backside--making her jump, up, in place in reaction to the stinging sensation that shot upwards through her body.

Gibbs grabbed her around the waist, firmly, and steadied her on the spot. He leaned in close.

"Do that while I'm working," he warned her, threateningly, referring to her 'jumping' motion/movement(s) from before. "And we'll see just how 'HIGH' you can really jump." he hissed in her ear.

Abby swallowed hard another lump that had formed in her throat. She desperately wanted to beg Gibbs' forgiveness, to beg him not to go through with this--that she would be a 'good girl' from now one. But she knew that doing so would only make things worse at this point.

"You know the drill," he whispered in her ear. "Your safe-word won't help you here." he whispered.

Abby nodded, while trying to swallow another lump that formed in her throat.

He spanked her on the behind, hard, one more time--and this time she did not jump--and then he started to move away--finally.

"We'll make a 'good girl' out of you yet." he told her, as he picked up the bullwhip, and held it out so that it unraveled itself without any help or assistance from him(self).

She closed her eyes tight, and waited for the first blow to find her naked flesh.

CRACK! The bullwhip snapped hard against her bare flesh, but she stilled herself to the spot--willing herself not to jump.

CRACK! The same thing all over again.

CRAAACCCKKK! The bullwhip cracked against her thigh this time, and she almost did jump--but she managed to keep herself from doing so (how, she did not know).

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The blows were coming faster and harder now, she had to use everything within her to force herself to stay grounded.

She was sure by now that there were plenty of dark red marks streaking all across her bare, tender flesh.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRAAACCKKK! That last one was the worst and most painful yet. She yelped loudly, as she felt her feet leave the ground. She regretted it as soon as it happened.

Before she knew what was happening, Gibbs had moved forward, and seized her by the back of her hair. He pulled back on he hair, creating tension and pain where he held her in his grasp.

"WHAT'D I SAY!?" he barked angrily, pulling her hair--hard.

She was sobbing by now, the tears flowing from her eyes, and staining her flawless cheeks.

"WHAT did I FUCKING SAY!?" he demanded, yelling in her ears. His chest heaved upwards uncontrollably as his entire body seemed to be seething with rage.

"Please," she begged, trying to shake her head. "Please...no, NO. Gibbs, please...please...I didn't mean," she sobbed uncontrollably her entire body still shaking from head to toe. "PLEASE...Mercy, Gibbs, Merc-"

He grabbed her face with his hand, now, so that she could see into his eyes.

"Mercy!?" he fumed. "You want MERCY!?"

"Please," she sobbed.

"There is no MERCY here!" he barked.

He pulled away from her, and knelt down behind her.

On the side of the wall/closet door was a another set of leather wall-restraints. He quickly pulled them close and anchored Abby's feet/legs down now--just as he had done with her arms/hands/wrists earlier.

Then he stood up, and grabbed the leather restraining strap that was attached just at waist level, and pulled it across/around her waist and secured it tightly. Now she couldn't go anywhere--at all.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! Came the bullwhip down against her bare, tender flesh again and again and again.

Every time she felt the tip of the whip crack against her flesh she was immediately slammed forward (only an inch or two) into the wall/closet door.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

"PLEASE!" Abby begged Gibbs, through her uncontrollable tears. "PLEASE...I won't do it again, I promise!"

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

"I PROMISE!" she wailed. "Please...I promise I'll be a 'good girl." she swore through her tears.

Gibbs suddenly stopped swinging the whip. His anger was draining away, and a new calm was settling over him at last.

"I promise..." she sobbed.

Gibbs dropped the bullwhip down on top of the storage bench, and then walked towards Abby. He reached out and carefully undid each restraint, one-by-one.

As soon as she was free of the restraints, she crumpled to the floor. Gibbs caught her, though, and gently lowered the both of them to the floor.

Abby clung to Gibbs' white t-shirt, sobbing as she did so. "I'll be a good girl." she sniffled, more quietly now "I'll be a good girl."

Gibbs kissed her forehead gently. "I know you will." he whispered softly. "I believe you."

She hiccuped as they sat where they were on the floor.

"I'm soo sorry." she apologized to Gibbs.

"I know." he replied, softly, brushing her now matted-up hair away from her face. "I'm gonna make it all better." he told her, as he gathered her up into his arms, and lifted her up as he stood to his feet.

He carried her gently to the bed and laid her down in the center of it.

The sound of clothes rustling followed shortly there-after. And then a minute or two later Gibbs crawled up onto the bed, naked, and hovered over Abby.

He kissed the top of her nose, gently, and then smiled a soft, warm smile at her. "Everything's gonna be alright." he promised her, speaking softly.

She spread her legs apart, for him, without being asked or prompted to do so. He kissed the top of her nose once more, and then he entered her--slowly.

She winced as he entered her, and then gasped as her muscles tightened around his hard, throbbing erection. It filled her so perfectly.

He moved inside her slowly and gently, as she wrapped her legs around his waist--hesitantly at first--but then when he kissed her nose again she knew that it was alright.

Thrust for thrust, she felt her own physical pain beginning to subside finally.







A While Later...

Finally, a while later, Gibbs gave it one last, hard, thrust; and then he and Abby both hit their climax simultaneously.

Fireworks erupting all around them, as their bodies convulsed involuntarily in reaction to the completion of their 'little dance'.

He waited until the convulsions began to subside, and then he nuzzled her nose with his own--gently--and she responded by gently pressing her lips to his. It was as if she were an innocent young school girl who was just experiencing her first kiss.

He pulled out of her, finally, and she winced slightly as he did so. He sat up, and looked for his clothes while she laid there in the center of the bed, still breathing somewhat heavily.

Once he had managed to retrieve and pull on his boxer's and his t-shirt. He walked over to the storage bench and retrieved a medium-sized canister from within it.

The canister contained a special cream or lotion that he used just for occasions like this. He used the cream to soothe the fire that burned in the red marks that covered her tender flesh.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, opened the canister, and dipped his hand inside. "This'll help." he told her softly, as he began to gently rub the cream into/onto the sore areas as indicated by the pig-tail wearing Goth Forensic Specialist lying in his 'bed'.

After he finished that he returned the canister to its resting place, and then he helped Abby wiggle herself up under the 'beds' covers--where he tucked her in nice and warm (and safe).

He knew that by now she would be tired, and that she would need to get some sleep.

He kissed her on top of the forehead, gently, and then whispered in her ear. "Sweet dreams...my 'good girl'." he whispered softly.

He picked up the rest of his clothes on his way to the door. He reached the door, finally, and switched off the lights as he quietly slipped out of the room.

"Sleep tight." he whispered behind him(self), as he closed the door carefully and quietly.









--Chapter Two--

"Good morning." Gibbs greeted Abby as she walked slowly into the kitchen/dining room the next morning. "Sleep well?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes sir."

"There's a package of Breakfast wraps in the refrigerator." he told her, nodding towards the refrigerator.

She scurried over to the refrigerator, and retrieved the package of Breakfast wraps greedily. She was starving.

Gibbs chuckled.

"Hungry?"

Abby nodded, as she opened the package up, and pulled out two of the Breakfast Wraps. She placed them on a plate, and then poured herself a glass of orange juice from the carton in the refrigerator. After she had done all of this, she joined Gibbs at the small table for breakfast.

Gibbs folded up the newspaper that he was reading, and set it down on the table in front of him(self).

"Abby," he said her name quietly. "Last night...I took no pleasure from what I did--to you." he told her.

"I-I know." Abby replied, in a small voice, setting her breakfast wrap back down on the plate. "But...I deserved it." she added.

"I broke the rules," she continued. "And therefore, I had to pay the price." she added.

"Abs...I can't...I don't know if I can keep doing this." Gibbs said finally, in a quiet voice, as he rubbed his eyes with one hand.

Abby's head shot upwards, and she looked across the table at her silver-haired Boss (and Dom). "You're quitting?" she asked, somberly.

Gibbs looked across the table at the pig-tail wearing goth forensic specialist and in her eyes he could see the whole reason why he had agreed to do all of this in the first place. Those fierce, sorrow-filled, green eyes staring back at him told a story of a life-time of heart-break and abuse.

She had only been working for him for less than a few months, back when he first discovered her dark secret.

The secret of how her father had abused her for years, before finally leaving her mother--never to be seen by anyone in that family ever again. How, when she started College--after graduating from high school--the problems began.

She would spend endless, restless, nights wandering through bars and strip clubs, and other rather shady places/hangouts and what not, searching for someone--anyone--who would show her even the slightest little bit of affection (or approval).

This seemingly endless cycle continued, unchecked, until that fateful night when she had really hit a rock-bottom low, and had finally reached out to him (Gibbs).



------FLASHBACK------

There was a knock at the door of the motel room that Abby was in. She couldn't get up to answer though--even if she wanted to.

"Abby!?" A familiar voice called through the door.

Then another series of knocks/raps against the wooden door.

"G-Go...Away." she moaned.

Abby sat curled up in one corner of the dank, little motel room that she had checked into just a few hours earlier with a 'new' guy.

"Abby?" The man called through the door again, concern in his voice.

"I said, GO AWAY!" she moaned, a little louder the second time, tears running down her cheeks.

Rain beat down, heavily, on the roof of the building and echoed through the small room. Thunder clapped outside the motel walls, loudly, and lightning could be seen arcing against the dark sky outside through the rooms single, half-covered window.

From outside the door there came a grunt, and then the door flew open with a loud cracking sound, and Abby could just barely see the tiny wood splinters that showered down onto the room's carpet.

"I said GO Away!" Abby screamed at the figure standing in the doorway, his face hidden by the darkness that now invaded the small room from the outside.

"Abs," the man said, moving quickly toward her. "Its me."

He knelt down in front of her, and reached out a hand (to touch her) towards her.

Abby swatted the hand away, without thinking about it, and hissed at the man kneeling down in front of her.

The man grabbed her hands out of the air as she tried to claw, furiously, at him. "Abby." he said, more sternly the second time, pulling her closer to him. "Look at me." he ordered her.

She stopped struggling against the man, and actually took the time to let her eyes re-adjust to the dark, dank room.

"G-Gibbs." she said finally, after her eyes had finally re-adjusted enough to see in the dim light.

He looked like hell, she thought to herself as she starred back at her silver-haired boss. He was soaking wet, his silvery-hair was a total mess, and the leather jacket that he had thrown on as he left his house to come here was probably ruined at this point (from standing out in the rain for so long), and his eyes were blood-shot looking.

"Gibbs..." she began to sob, quietly.

To Gibbs, Abby did not look much better than he did at the moment. Her pig-tails were a mess--with clumps/strands of hair sticking out all over the place. Her usually evenly applied make-up was running down the length of her face, and her clothes had tears and rips all through them/it.

"Abs, what happened?" he asked quietly. Then he felt something warm, and liquid-feeling on one of her hands.

He pulled her hand closer so that he could see it better. He gasped. It was covered in blood.

"Is this-?" he started to ask.

Abby nodded, sniffling as she did so.

"Oh God."

"Just leave me," she begged him quietly. "Just leave me here...I want--I want to die--please."

"What happened?" he asked again.

Tearfully, she pulled her other hand free, and reached for her (clothing) top. She pulled back the folds of fabric and revealed her body to the silver-haired man.

Gibbs' breath caught in his chest at the sight that she was showing him right then. Her upper body/torso was covered in cuts and bruises. There was even a decent-sized gash that ran down her right breast.

Tears filled his eyes as he sat there staring at the wounded young Goth Forensic Specialist.

"Come on," he said softly, finally. "Lets get you out of here--and take you somewhere...'safe'."

That one word--'safe'--echoed in Abby's mind as she felt herself being lifted up off of the cold, hard ground and into the strong, warm arms of her boss.







The next thing she knew they were back at Gibbs' house. The sound of running bath water echoing off walls, and then finally filling her ears.

She opened her eyes, and looked around at her surroundings. She was sitting in a bath tub filled with warm, bubbly water. Her wounds, she noticed now, had been pre-cleaned prior to her getting into the bath tub. The rubber bands that held her pig-tails in shape had also been removed prior to the bath tub entering the equation.

"There," she heard Gibbs say. "That should do it."

She looked up at the silver-haired man as he turned off the bath tub faucet(s). She watched him reach behind him(self) into a cabinet just below the bathroom sink, and from the small cabinet he pulled out two wash clothes, and a small sponge.

He handed her one of the wash clothes, with a smile, and she accepted it from him.

"Here," he said, handing Abby the first wash cloth. "You do your front...and I'll do your back." he added.

He dunked his wash cloth into the warm, soapy bath water, and then began to gently clean away the remnants of the blood and grime that covered her back (area). He was so gentle and careful, with her, as he worked.

She felt the wash cloth go from her lower back, and work its way slowly up the length of her spine, and then back down again. He moved the wash cloth up around the back of her neck and head--gently massaging the muscles in her neck and shoulders all along the way.

She finally decided to begin work on her front section/area, and so she dunked her wash cloth down into the warm, soapy water. She brought the wash cloth up to, what she knew would grow into a permanent scar, on her right breast. But just barely touching the tender area was enough to make her yelp in pain.

She tried again, this time in another spot, and got the same result there too. She tried again, and again a few more times--but she just couldn't seem to escape the pain that awaited her touch.

"No, no." Gibbs told her quietly, as he moved his other hand around to take her wash cloth away from her finally. "Like this." he added, softly.

He took her wash cloth, dunked it back into the warm, soapy water (once again), and then brought the small piece of fabric upwards out of the water--gently caressing each tender area of her upper body. He moved the cloth against her stomach, around her bellybutton, and up towards her breasts.

She didn't move, not once, or yelp in pain or wince at his touch against all of the tender, sore areas that dotted her front side. He was just as gentle (and maybe even more so) with her front side as he had been while washing her back-side area.

He ran the wash cloth over her left breast, first, and then moved the cloth over to her wounded, right breast. His touch was warm, and soothing as he moved the wash cloth gently over the deep-ish cut that ran over her tender, supple breast.

"How was this possible?" she wondered to herself as she stared up at/into Gibbs' face as he worked his 'magic'. A moment ago she had not been able to even think about touching herself in these areas for the searing pain that it caused her.

His hand, and the wash cloth, then began to move Southward from her breast(s), after he had finished washing them really good. He moved the wash cloth down her stomach, around her bellybutton again, making sure that he had gotten all of the grime off/away from these areas. His hand, and the wash cloth, then continued down even further southward past her abdomen--which he made sure that he went over twice before continuing on to her sides.

He gently scrubbed her side(s) (areas), and also ran the soapy wash cloth down across her firm buttocks. He moved the wash cloth around to the front, again, and gently scrubbed it over the tops and sides of her thighs, and then when he moved to the inside(s) of her thigh(s) she tensed.

Her eye-lids fluttered shut at the feel of his hand/the wash cloth on the inside(s) of her thighs, and she gasped under her breath. It was a unique feeling. Although it was, by no means, the first time that she had been touched down there--this time it felt--different. It felt--right.

When she finally re-opened her eyes, Gibbs had moved his hand/the wash cloth away from her 'most sensitive area', and she noticed a red-tinge to his cheeks now. He looked--embarrassed--by what he'd just (accidentally) done.

"I-I...er...um--n-never-mind." he said finally, in a low, quiet voice. He cleared his throat, before speaking up again. "Al-almost finished." he told her quietly.

He laid the wash cloth that he'd just finished using down over the side (railing) of the bath tub, and picked up his first wash cloth once again.

He dunked it into the warm, soapy bath water again, and this time he finished washing off the top of her chest and shoulders (and also neck/throat). He got the space around and behind her ears, and then moved around, finally, to her face.

"Close your eyes." he said softly.

She did as she was told, and closed her eyes. She felt him run the wash cloth, gently, over the surface of the soft, smooth skin of her face. He was very, very careful--she noted to herself.

The wash cloth moved away from her face, after a few minutes or so, and she waited--eyes still closed--for Gibbs to say that it was okay to open them back up again.

"Keep'em closed." he said softly, as he moved around, making noises with objects that Abby could not see through her closed eyes (eye-lids). "Just a little longer." he added.

Gibbs pulled a small bowl, forward, that was full of warm bath water which he had removed from the tub earlier before he added the bubble bath mixture to the water.

He dipped his small sponge into the bowl of warm water, and let it fill itself up before removing it again.

"Just sit still." he told her softly (quietly) and soothingly. "I promise this won't hurt." he added, reassuringly.

He held the water-filled sponge just slightly above her face, and then gave it a tiny squeeze. Warm water dripped down out of the sponge, and trickled down over Abby's face washing away any remaining soap residue from the soft, smooth skin.

Once her face was cleared of soapy residue Gibbs moved on to the rest of her body.

"You can look now." he told her softly, as he dipped the sponge back into the bowl of water that sat by his side on the outside of the bath tub.

Abby opened her eyes back up just as Gibbs was bringing the now refilled sponge up over her back (area). He gave it a squeeze and watched as the water dripped down, once again, and washed the soapy residue from her back and shoulders.

Next came her front (area), and the procedure re-started all over again. He squeezed the sponge, and watched as the water droplets rained, gently, down from it. They trickled and danced their way down her front, over her breasts, and down her stomach and abdomen (area), until they finally disappeared into the bath water--taking the soapy, filmy, residue with them as they went.

Gibbs returned the sponge back to the small bowl, and then pushed the small bowl off to one side and out of the way a little bit.

"There," he said softly, as he gently popped a soap bubble, that had somehow managed to linger behind on her nose, while its brethren had disappeared into the vast ocean of bath water below. "All clean...well, almost." he added, with a gentle smile.

He reached back, and picked up a medium-sized bottle off of the edge of the sink behind him. He handed the medium-sized, pink bottle to Abby, who accepted it from him with a sort of semi-confused look on her face.

"I'm gonna let you wash your hair," he told her, with a gentle smile. "While I go and find you a towel...and something to wear." he added, with a soft, gentle chuckle.

Abby watched as Gibbs stood up, and exited the bathroom leaving her all alone with the medium-sized pink bottle that she now held in her hand(s). Only now did she notice the bottle's label. It wasn't a name-brand that she was used to, but it indicated that it was a '2-in-1' Shampoo/Conditioner combo.

She carefully opened up the top of the bottle, and poured a little, small amount of the matching pink liquid into the palm of her hand. She re-closed the bottle, and then set it down on the edge of the bath tub.

She began to work the pink liquid into a lather, a minute or so later, and then started to work it into the individual strands of her dark hair. She took great care to make sure that she coated her entire head (of hair) as evenly as she possibly could--before leaning backwards, and dipping her head/hair beneath the warm bath water to rinse the soapy liquid from her hair.

She leaned forward, once again, and began gently squeezing thickets of her hair in order to remove any excess water from her head.

The bathroom door opened up, and Gibbs walked in quietly--as she was finishing her water-removal ritual. In his arms he carried a neatly folded light-blue towel, and a silky, light purple night gown.

Abby cocked her head to one side, slightly, examining the light-purple colored night gown that the silver-haired man was carrying in his arms.

Gibbs noticed that Abby was staring at the night gown as he was setting the two items down on the top of the downed toilet (seat) lid.

"Oh, um...uh" he stammered, clearing his throat, as the tinge of red from before returned to his weathered cheeks. "It belonged to my first wife...Shannon." he told her, quietly.

Abby nodded.

She couldn't help but think the way the silver-haired man blushed, and acted all embarrassed, was just the cutest thing she'd ever seen.

"I-I'll let you dry off, and get dressed--a-alone." he told her, quietly. "I know its late, but I figure you still could maybe use a bite to eat." he added.

Abby nodded. Actually, now that she thought about it--she did feel a little bit hungry. "Yeah," she thought to herself. "I could eat."

She noticed, now, that Gibbs had changed clothes since she'd really seen him last--at the motel. Now, instead of what he had been wearing when he'd found her earlier, he was wearing an old, gray NCIS t-shirt, and a pair of pajama bottoms.

"I'll, um, be in the kitchen--when you get finished." he said, and then with a small nod, he backed out of the bathroom again.

She pulled the plug from the bottom of the bath tub, and watched as the soapy bath water began to swirl its way down the open drain--sucked away from around her by that mysterious, and invisible force called Gravity.

She stood up, finally, and surveyed her body for the first time since she'd awoken to find herself sitting in Gibbs' bath tub. It was remarkable. She could still see the bruise marks, though they weren't as dark as she remembered. The cuts, especially the one across her right breast, were not oozing blood anymore like they had been before.

Still, seeing herself this way in this openly-lit room made her flinch. In her mind she couldn't help but picture herself as being like one of those monsters from one of those old horror films of the 1950s.

She grabbed the light-blue towel from off of the toilet-top, and began to dry herself off as she stood there. She lifted each leg out of the tub as she dried them off, until she was no longer standing in the tub; but standing on the actual bathroom floor(ing).

She wrapped the towel tightly around her body, and then checked her face in the mirror that hung over the bathroom sink. "Flawless." she thought to herself, though not out of arrogance, but just merely observation.

She picked up the light-purple night gown, next, and held it out in front of her (body) and examined it a little bit more closely now. It looked like it might actually be the right size for her--which said a lot about Gibbs' first wife.

She shrugged her shoulders, figuring what the heck, and then slipped the silky night gown over her head and shoulders. Once she was fully covered in the garment she pulled the towel out from around her body and slipped it out from underneath the bottom of the gown.







Abby entered the kitchen a few minutes later, and there she found Gibbs standing in front of the stove. She watched silently as he used a spatula to flip something over in the pan that he had sitting on the appliance's front left eye.

She stood there in the doorway until Gibbs finally noticed that she was standing there. He turned and smiled at her sheepishly, and motioned with his hand towards the pan that set on the stove before him.

"There almost ready." he said quietly.

Abby nodded, and looked around the small kitchen--surveying its setup as she stood in place near the door.

In the center of the kitchen was a small breakfast table that had very little actually sitting on it--accept the two plates that Gibbs had just recently laid out

"Its alright," he told her, noticing that she was still standing by the door. "You can go ahead and have a seat." he added.

Abby made her way, slowly, to the small breakfast table in the center of the kitchen, and pulled up a seat near one of the place settings that Gibbs had laid out.

A minute or two later, Gibbs stepped up to the table carrying the medium-sized frying pan in his right hand, and a spatula in his left hand.

"I-I hope you like grilled-cheese," he said, as he scooped one of the grilled-cheese sandwiches from the frying pan and slid it out onto the center of her plate.

She nodded.

It smelled really good, and it looked really good too.

"Looks delicious." she replied, quietly.

Gibbs served his sandwich up onto his own plate, and then returned the frying pan back to the stove top from whence it came. Then he turned to the refrigerator, and opened up its door.

"I've got water--or beer." he told her, looking inside the frig for something that she might could drink.

"Water, please." she replied.

Gibbs reached in and pulled out two water bottles--one for Abby, and one for himself.

He returned to the small breakfast table, and handed one of the water bottles to Abby.

Abby had already bitten into her sandwich, and was swallowing the hot piece of grilled-cheese sandwich as she accepted the bottle of water from the silver-haired man.

"Thanks."

"No problem." Gibbs replied, with a smile. "I know its not much, but--I haven't had company over in quite some time."

"Its--its great." Abby assured him, with a weak smile.

"How--How long have I been here?" Abby asked, between mouth-watering bites of grilled-cheese sandwich.

"A little over a day (or so)." Gibbs replied, between bites of his own sandwich.

Abby's jaw dropped at hearing those words. "R-really?"

"What time is it?" she asked.

"6:00." he said, looking down at his watch.

"Oh."

"In the morning." he added, as he took another bite of his grilled-cheese sandwich.

"I-I, um, cleaned you up as best as I could when I first brought you here," he explained, avoiding eye contact with the dark-haired Goth Forensic specialist sitting across the table from him. "I treated your cuts and scrapes--put some antiseptic on them after I got the bleeding to stop." he added.

"So-So you saw-" she started to say, as she was opening up her bottle of water.

Gibbs looked away, nervously, as he tried to swallow another bite of his grilled-cheese sandwich.

"I-I didn't look-" he stammered, nervously. "I closed my eyes when-" he struggled to find the words, but none came. He blushed.

He quickly grabbed his bottle of water, twisted the cap off, and downed a few swigs of the cold liquid before replacing the cap and setting it back down on the table top.

Abby was utterly dumb-founded. She was seeing a whole other side of her silver-haired boss that she had never seen before. It was strange--confusing. Here, in front of her, Gibbs seemed vulnerable, and Abby had never seen Gibbs as 'vulnerable'--much less even thought of him in those terms.

"Its-Its fine." she reassured him. "Its fine. I didn't mean to upset you." she apologized.

Abby swallowed down her last bite of grilled-cheese sandwich, and then drowned that with a couple of big gulps of water.

"Abs," Gibbs said, a little more serious now. "What happened?"

Abby, uneasily, relayed the story of what had happened just prior to Gibbs finding her in that dark, dinky little motel room that she was all balled up in. About how, after nearly 12 years, her father finally re-surfaced--about how he asked to meet her at some dumb hotel/motel that he was staying at because he wanted to see her.

She even relayed every excruciatingly, painful detail about how, when she got there, he proceeded to beat and rape her. And then finally ended with how he just left her there--to die practically--and how she had tried to call Gibbs, but at the last minute (just as he answered the phone) she decided that it was just no use--living was just too hard for her--and so she had hung up on him after saying only three words to him--'Good Bye Gibbs'."

When she finished she was nearly in tears where she sat.

Gibbs wasn't sure what to say--or if he should even say anything, really.

"Abs, why didn't you come to me?" Gibbs asked, concerned.

"What could you have done?" she replied, through silent tears.

"I could have-" he started to say, but then he turned away, tears forming in the corners of his steely-blue eyes.

"Abby," he said, finally turning back to face her once again. He reached a hand across the table and took hers in it's firm grasp. "As long as I'm here...no one will ever hurt you like that again." he told her, his voice a little shaky as he spoke. "That's a promise."

She sniffled a little bit, as she stared back into her silver-haired boss' steely-blue eyes.

He squeezed her hand, gently, and then motioned for her to stand up and follow him.

He led her down the hallway until they reached a door that led into a spare/guest bedroom. He opened the door and motioned her inside.

"I've already spoken to Director Morrow," he told her. "He thinks you've got the flu--so you'll have the next three days off." Gibbs added. "You can use this room for as long you decide to stay here."

"What?" Abby replied, a little bit confused by her boss' words. "But what about all the case, and-"

He stopped her with a finger pressed against her lips.

"We'll manage without you," he said, with a warm smile. "You've been through...hell--you need your rest, so you can heal properly." he told her.

He placed a gentle kiss atop her forehead, and then patted her on the shoulder.

"I need to get ready for work," he told her finally. "We'll talk more when I get back home from work." he added.

He turned and left the room, and left her standing there near the spare bed in the room.







Gibbs stood in his own (master) bedroom, undressing from his sleeping clothes, a few minutes later or so. His work outfit was hanging up on a hanger in the center of the opened closet door(s).

He had already taken off his t-shirt, and tossed it back onto the bed which set just behind where he was standing in front of the/his closet.

Suddenly, he felt as though he were being watched. He looked in the direction of the door (which stood only cracked-open), and saw a shadow standing just outside.

"Abs..."

The door opened up, all of the way at that point, and Abby stepped inside the room. She was staring at the silver-haired man's muscular chest.

"Something wrong?" He asked, a little confused by her presence.

After a minute or so, she crossed the floor until the two of them were standing face-to-face. She lifted up on the balls of her feet, and without warning, kissed Gibbs full on the lips.

After a brief moment, Gibbs tried to pull back. Abby stared up into his eyes. "Abs, you shouldn't-" he tried to say.

Abby pressed her body against his, and held it there. Through the layers of fabric that separated them she could feel his erection growing harder and harder.

Gibbs growled, under his breath.

"Abs...please, stop-"

She seized his lips with her own once again, and this time as she did so she pushed him backwards towards the bed. After a few seconds he fell backwards onto the bed--on his back.

Abby crawled up on top of him, and stared down into his steely-blue eyes for a few seconds more or so, as she thought about what she was about to do, and who she was about to do it with.

She kissed him again, and then pulled back. She undid the draw string on his pajama bottoms and loosened them up. She then crawled down off of the bed and gently pulled his pajama pants and his underwear off of him--letting them drop harmlessly to the floor.

Now, as she looked on, his impressive erection stood proudly before her--hard and throbbing--awaiting her next move.

Gibbs watched as Abby climbed up on top of him again. "Abby," he tried again. "This isn't--this isn't right." he told her, as he tried to hold her at bay.

She looked up at the silver-haired man pleading with her eyes for him to let her continue was she was doing. He finally gave in, and let go of her.

She hovered over his erection now, admiring its impressive stature. Never before had she seen anything so marvelous in her life. She ran her hand up and down its length, gently, causing Gibbs to wiggle beneath her--a gasp escaping from his throat as he laid there.

She looked up at Gibbs as she began to trace a line of gentle kisses down the length of his erection--teasing him slightly.

He gasped again. It had been quite some time since the last time he had been stimulated this much.

He watched as she brought her mouth back up over the tip, where she nibbled on it (gently) in a playful manner. And then she kissed the tip once more, before lowering her mouth down entirely over it.

Just the sucking noises she made over his throbbing erection as she raised and lowered her mouth over it were enough to bring Gibbs to the brink, and he could have lost it all right then and there; but Abby stopped just short of that, bringing her mouth off of the throbbing hardness. She licked it once more, at its tip, before she continued on to the next step.

The next part would be easier, because she was only wearing a silky night gown--but no bra and no panties.

She raised herself up over his mid-section, and gently lowered herself down over his throbbing erection--gently.

He stopped her before she could get very far. "Wait." he breathed. He pointed towards the night stand on the right side of the bed. "Top drawer." he told her.

She rummaged around in the top drawer until she found the item that he was talking about--a silver-foil packet. She swallowed at the sight of it. A warm feeling spread through her body--"What a gentleman." she thought to herself. "Concerned about her enough that he would insist on using a condom." it almost brought tears to her eyes.

She quickly made short work of the silver-outer package, and then slipped the thin latex tube over his erection.

She raised herself up over his mid-section, again, and gently lowered herself down over his throbbing erection--gently.

She finally settled down over it, and gasped for air several times as she felt her body readjusting to Gibbs' enormous size. It was the most magnificent feeling she had ever experienced--to date.

Gibbs groaned at the feel of himself sheathed inside of her.

"Abs..." he groaned.

Abby leaned forward and the two of them shared a few kisses.

She began to rock her hips against his, slowly at first, as she pulled herself back up away from his face.

"Abs..." he groaned, once again.

"Shhh." she whispered softly, laying a finger against his lips to silence him.

She rocked, and bucked, and wiggled against his throbbing erection as she danced an exotic dance for Gibbs--all for his pleasure and amusement.

She whimpered and moaned as they neared their breaking point together.

Finally, Gibbs gave a groan and clutched at Abby's hips as his entire body convulsed with his release. "Abs..." he moaned her name, as the spasms rocked his muscular body.

Abby leaned forward, unable to hold herself up any longer, her whole body--at this point--crying for release.

Gibbs looked into her fierce green eyes as she laid whimpering against his chest, and realized that she had not yet hit her climax--as he had just seconds before.

He kissed the top of her head, gently, as he began to wiggle his own hips against her bottom--helping her...pushing her up those last few steps to reach her own satisfying release.

"Uh, uh, Oh--oh." she whimpered, as she felt her climax growing nearer now.

"Ready?" Gibbs whispered in her ear, as he clamped his hands around her waist for support.

Abby nodded, pleading for him to finish the job. "Yes." she whimpered.

Gibbs braced himself, and then he thrust into her, once...twice...three times, and-

"UH, ohhh, oh...oh." she moaned, aloud, as her body suddenly rocked with the explosive force(s) of her release. Later, in her mind, she would compare it to the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima, Japan back in 1945.

She laid there, collapsed against the silver-haired mans' chest, as their body's slowly returned to normal.

"Did--Did you love it?" she asked, finally, her voice reminding Gibbs of that of an innocent little girl asking for her father's approval on something that she had just done/completed.

Gibbs chuckled, quietly, and kissed her on the top of the head. "You were...amazing." he told her, with a warm smile.

Abby could now feel herself being pulled down into a deep, deep slumber.

Gibbs could tell that she was very, very sleepy now/again.

He slid out from under the dark-haired Goth scientist, and helped her scoot up under the covers in his own bed, and then he tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead again.

"I'll see you when I get home, Abs." he whispered softly in her ear.

She smiled a weak smile, from safely under the covers of Gibbs' bed, and then her eyes closed shut, and she was fast asleep--somewhere, now, off in dreamland.

After that he got cleaned up, and then got dressed for work.

He made sure that he left her a note so that she would not get scared, and would know what she could do once she did finally wake up again.

And then he left for work--locking the door behind him(self) as he left.




------END OF FLASHBACK------



Gibbs looked across the table at Abby, and a small smile played across his lips. He shook his head, with a slight chuckle. "No," he said at last. "I guess not."

Abby's face suddenly brightened up, and she resumed eating her breakfast wrap(s).

Most people would call Abby weird, and say that she needed to be in a mental hospital because of the way that she was and the way that she acted. Gibbs knew, though, that Abby was none of those things--she was just a little troubled was all.

After the hellish nightmare her life had already been it was amazing that her condition wasn't much, much worse.

Most of the things that Abby did for Gibbs (and vice-versa) she believed made him happy, and even though Gibbs would not openly condone the behaviors and actions that he witnessed, before anyone else, he knew that if he said otherwise to Abby--then no matter what he did or said after that, she would feel as though she had done something wrong or that she had disappointed or let him down; and then she would proceed to try to punish herself.

He had mistakenly pushed her to such measures on only one other occasion, that he knew of, and he remembered all to well how that had worked out. He had felt terrible (so so terrible) when he'd found out that she had ended up putting herself in the hospital.

The thing that bothered Gibbs the most, though, was the man responsible for Abby being on this road of self-destruction so many times--her S.O.B. of a father. He promised himself, long ago, that if he ever did meet her father--he would make the man regret ever laying a finger on the dark-haired, green-eyed Goth Forensic Specialist--maybe even make him regret even being born (to a degree).

"So, what are we doing today?" Abby asked, as she finished off her breakfast wrap.

They both had the day off from work today (it was a Saturday after all).

Gibbs almost said, 'nothing'; but then he bit his tongue--thinking better of that decision.

He stood up, and walked around to where she was sitting. He stooped over, so that his face was next to her ear. He whispered something, inaudibly, in her ear.

Abby's eyes lit up, and she licked her lips at the though that he had just planted in her mind. "Yum..." she replied quietly, as she licked her lips.

Gibbs stood up, turned away, and headed back in the direction of the bedroom. Abby jumped up from the small table, and scurried off after Gibbs.

As they entered the bedroom Abby looked up at Gibbs. "Do you think, afterward, maybe we could go to the zoo?" she asked.

Gibbs chuckled to himself. One of Abby's favorite places in the entire world was the 'Zoo'. She loved each and every one of the animals there like they were her own little children.

"Sure," Gibbs replied, softly. "We'll go to the zoo."

She giggled delightedly at his answer.

Gibbs knew, though, what needed (had) to come next. He hated this part of his job, but he reminded himself, as he often did, that he did it because he cared. He now had to set a standard for her.

"But only," he added, his voice now stern and serious. "If you do good." he told her.

Abby straightened up a little bit, as Gibbs closed the bedroom door behind them. "Oh, I-I will." she said, nodding her head. "I promise--It-it'll be the best ever. S-sir."

Gibbs planted a gentle kiss on the top of her forehead. "Then get to it." he whispered in her ear, softly.

"Yes sir." she replied, dryly.

She pushed him back onto the bed, and then began to pull herself up onto the bed as well.

"Mind those teeth," he said, sternly, sitting up a little bit.

She nodded her head, nervously, at Gibbs.

Gibbs slipped, seamlessly, back into his 'Dom' persona--though he really, really hated it. "Or I'll break every damn one of'em." he growled, in a low voice.

Abby flinched, a little bit at his words, as she began playing with the drawstring of his pajama bottoms. "Y-Yes sir." she replied quietly, in a weak voice.

"That's my girl." he said. His voice now a little softer, as he watched Abby struggle to pull his pajama bottoms (and his boxers) down his muscular legs.

"It-It'll be the best," she stammered, quietly, as she now grasped his newly hardened erection in her hands.

Gibbs let out a low groan as he felt Abby's hands close around his throbbing erection.

She looked up at Gibbs, at that point, her eyes glistening with emotion. "You'll be proud of me--I promise." she added, as she bent her head and gently kissed the tip of his impressive hardness.

--------THE END--------

"Admired From Afar"

--Chapter One--

(Ziva's Point-Of-View)

Ziva was finding it increasingly hard to concentrate on her work sitting at her desk, in the bullpen, at the NCIS Headquarters in Washington D.C.

She kept getting distracted by the phone conversation that Tony was having with a suspect, or witness, or whoever it was that he was talking to; and she had to finish this paper work for Gibbs before quitting time or she would be in deep trouble.

Her mind wandered from her work again, and she found herself staring across the bullpen at Special Agent Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo. There was just something about him, Ziva thought, that attracted her like a magnet to a piece of metal.

She would spend hours with Tony, acting as though she could not stand to share the same air with him, just to be able to hide her true feelings.

Tony chuckled, and the sound of his voice was like music to her ears. He reached up to his neck/throat and loosened his tie. It sent a chill down her spine.

When she'd first met Tony her first impression of him was childish, immature, and narcissistic (to a degree). Not worth her time, she had said.

But now, after spending two and a half years as his partner here at NCIS in Washington D.C.--she had grown to...well, to like him. She began to find his sense-of-humor sexy, and his knack for turning something serious into a joke quite funny (though she was still prone to rolling her eyes at him). His constant quoting of various film scenarios and how they applied to everyday life as he saw it--she thought that that was rather cute to be honest.

"Lets face it," she thought to herself. "He's the complete package."

She noticed, suddenly, that he was staring at her from his desk across the bullpen, and it startled her. She looked away--quickly.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Come on Ziva," she thought to herself. "Get a grip on yourself."

"He's just...a guy." she told herself. But even as she said the words in her head, she couldn't help but look over at Tony, sitting at his own desk across the bullpen from her. "Just...a guy...a very, very hot guy." she drooled.

"Ziva, you alright over there?" Tony called to his partner, leaning away from the telephone--momentarily.

She shook her head, clearing the fog that had drifted in while she had been completely unaware.

"Uh, uh, yes." she replied, stammering over her words. "I am...fine." she said, turning back to her paper work.

"Okay," Tony said, not entirely convinced. "If you...say so."

The truth was sometimes she would imagine what it would feel like to be in his arms. What his kisses would taste like.

She imagined what he would feel like inside her, moving around like a cave-diver exploring a new site somewhere. She imagined the forcefulness that he would use--pounding her senseless in the dead of night.

Suddenly Ziva's entire body convulsed without warning, and a shudder ran down the length of her spine. Had she--did she just--

She grasped the edges of her desk, as she waited for the spasms to abate. She blinked several times as her senses returned through the heavy fog that had settled in.

She hoped that no one had seen or been paying attention to what was going on behind her desk.

"Did that really just happen?" she thought to herself. She was sweating, and not just under her armpits, so it must have been real. She had just had an orgasm while thinking about Tony.

Oh, if Tony ever found out--she would never hear the end of it. Especially not after the way she had been treating him for the last 2 1/2 years.

She knew, without a doubt, though, that if she ever got him alone--somewhere--she would throw herself at him, willingly, and beg him to take her, right then and there. No questions asked.

She needed some fresh air...now.









(Tony's Point-Of-View)

Tony sat at his desk talking on the phone with a lawyer trying to get her to agree to come in with her client so that Gibbs could talk to them. He wasn't really having much luck so far.

Adding an unexpected degree of difficulty was the fact that he could not seem to keep his eyes off of the exotically beautiful Mossad Officer--Ziva David.

She was--she was certainly something else, that was for sure. The way she butchered the many various idiomatic expressions found throughout the American language--he actually found kind of cute, though he would never tell her that.

She didn't want him. She could NEVER want him, and he just knew it.

But despite this minor set back, he still wanted her. More than anything else on the planet--he wanted her, for himself.

The way she walked when she walked past him, most of the time, swinging those perfect hips--almost in his face. That perfect ass, perfectly shaped and proportioned just like the rest of her body, tempting him, taunting him...calling him.

And that perfectly toned musculature, highlighted by the perfect natural tan shade of her skin. Ziva David, in his mind, was the absolute definition of the phrase 'Exotic Beauty'.

There were times that he wasn't sure he would be able to stand in the same room with her for more than just a few minutes or so.

The way she smiled at him sometimes, and the way she laughed and teased him--and well everyone else she knew. It made him hard.

"Oh shit!" he swore under his breath.

"Oh, no," he said into the phone that he just realized was still held up to his ear/mouth. "Not you--I was just--I spilled some coffee is all." he stammered, clearing his throat.

"Did my pants just get tighter--or is it just me?" he thought to himself. "Oh, not good."

Tony was so preoccupied with what was going on in his pants that he did not notice Ziva getting up, turning in her paperwork, and then heading for the elevator rather quickly.

"Yeah, thanks again." Tony said into the telephone. "Alright. Bye." He hung up the phone as quickly as he could.

"I've gotta get out of here." Tony thought to himself. He jumped up, grabbed the paperwork that he had just finished, his other stuff that he needed, and then he headed towards Gibbs' desk. "Here boss."

Gibbs accepted the manila file folder from the Senior Field Agent, and then waved him off. "Good night." Gibbs told him.

Tony raced for the elevator, and just barely managed to catch it as the doors were closing.







(TOGETHER)

"Damn." Ziva thought to herself as Tony stepped onto the elevator car. "Not good."

The elevator car began to move, but before it could really get anywhere, Ziva slapped the 'STOP' switch into its 'OFF' position. The elevator halted mid ways into its journey down towards the parking garage.

Ziva threw herself at Tony, in that moment, pushing him backwards into the wall--making him drop his stuff (on) to the floor.

"Tony..." Ziva moaned, as she pressed her body against his, holding it there, as she kissed him on the lips. "I want you." she told him.

Tony groaned, and nodded in agreement.

"We can't...do this...here." Tony said, between kisses, though if it wasn't for the fact that he was afraid of being caught in the act by Gibbs--he'd have her there in a heartbeat.

"Why...not?" she asked, breathlessly.

"Gibbs." Tony pointed out.

"Where?" she asked, looking up into his eyes, pleading for him. "I want--no--I need it..." she breathed, pressing her body even closer to his.

Tony groaned. If she kept this up much longer there wouldn't be anything left for him to give.

"The lab." he breathed, against her lips. "Abby's already left," he pointed out. "But she had to leave the lab open so that the janitor can wax the floor(s) early tomorrow morning." he explained.

"The lab then." she said, as she flipped the switch to re-start the elevator. Then she pressed the button to take them down to the floor where the lab was located.







In The Lab...

A Few Minutes Later...

"Oh, fuck." Ziva moaned, aloud, as Tony's fingers slipped into the wet folds between her legs.

She stood before him, in the lab, in nothing but her bra and panties. He, on the other hand, still had on his button-down shirt covering his upper body/torso. The rest of the articles of their clothing were scattered about the lab floor--around them.

"T-Tony..." she moaned.

Tony moved his finger(s) in and out of her tender wetness, teasing her.

She reached out, desperately, and ripped his shirt open--pushing it down his shoulders and arms.

He released his grip on her so that she could finish pushing the shirt to the floor below. She grabbed at his boxers, and forced them down his muscular legs (as well) until they hit the floor below too.

"Ziva..."

Ziva grabbed his erection in her hand(s).

"Two can play this game." she teased, as she began to move her hands up and down his shaft.

"Fu-" he started to swear under his breath.

She traced a line of kisses across the top of his chest.

"Oh," he groaned. "That's it...you asked for it Ms. David." he growled.

He grabbed her waist and spun her around to face the lab table.

Ziva gasped, as he spun her around so quickly.

He quickly snatched her panties down her legs, and then bent her over the lab table.

"Hang on tight." he growled in her ear.

She grabbed onto the sides of the table, and held on for dear life.

Tony shoved his way into her steaming wetness, and she gasped for air as she felt his throbbing erection invade her to her core.

She gasped and whimpered, wiggling her hips a little bit, as her body adjusted to his impressive size.

"G-God...Tony...It feels..." she swallowed hard. "S-s-so g-good." she whimpered. "Please," she begged, panting heavily. "Fuck me with it."

Tony groaned as he began to move inside her--pounding away at her forcefully with everything that he had. The erotic sound of flesh slapping against flesh echoing throughout the dimly-lit lab.

"Hmm...yeah...Uh, uh, oh...yeah--harder." she moaned as her body vibrated dangerously with each successive thrust of his throbbing erection inside her.

Slowly the coil inside her wound tighter and tighter, threatening to spring free at any moment.

Ziva came first--her grip on the table tightening so much that if the table had been made of anything less than what it was (made out of) it would have crumpled into dust in her hands.

"T-Tony...I-I'm-I'm gonna-" she couldn't finish her sentence, because at that very moment the coil inside her sprung loose; and a massive, explosive force erupted outward from her center.

Her whole body shuddered and convulsed with her climax.

"Oh-Oh God." she moaned, as she held on to the table for dear life as her release threatened to tear her apart.

Tony groaned, as he too reached his peak, and his release sent shock waves rippling through his body. "Z-Ziva..." he groaned, as he leaned forward against her--bracing himself for support until the worst was over.

They finally collapsed to the floor together, in a heap, Tony catching Ziva and pulling her to him.

"That...was...amazing." Ziva said, panting heavily.

As their vital signs began to return to normal, Tony nibbled at her ear lobe, and then traced a trail of kisses down the side of her neck.

Ziva waited for Tony to say something stupid--like quote a film scenario (which was his custom in moments like these), but there was only silence for the longest time.

"Ziva," Tony said finally. "I think...I think I'm in love with you." he whispered, in her ear.

Ziva looked back at Tony, unsure of whether she had heard him correctly or not.

"Wh-What?" she asked, a little confused.

"I know it sounds crazy," he admitted aloud. "But, ever since the moment I first met you--I think I've been in love with you."

Ziva stared up into his eyes, for a brief moment, searching for any hint that he was just playing with with her--like maybe he was just quoting another one of his stupid movie lines--but she found nothing to indicate anything like that.

She pressed her lips to his, and they shared a long, passionate kiss.

When they finally pulled apart, she ran her fingers, gently, over his lips/face.

"Why don't you come on back to my place," Tony said quietly. "We can talk more there." he added.

"And by talk," Ziva said, huffed, with a small grin. "I assume you mean--have more sex."

"No," Tony replied quietly, shaking his head. "I mean 'talk'."

Ziva was really getting frustrated at this point. Tony was not at all acting like the man that she 'thought' she knew. He was being 'way' too serious.

But she agreed, finally, and the two of them re-dressed themselves, and then headed out for the parking lot to find their cars.







--Chapter Two--

They arrived at Tony's place a little bit after 9:30 p.m.

He closed and locked the apartment door behind them, and then tossed his coat over one of the hooks on the nearby coat rack.

Ziva had never seen the inside of Tony's place before, but it was nothing like she had imagined it would be--nothing like it at all.

"This is...quaint." she said, looking around the main living area, as Tony flipped the lights on so that they could see better.

"Well, its not much," Tony said, with a small chuckle. "But, its me."

"Hungry?" Tony asked, as he headed into the kitchen area. "I can whip up something for us." he told her.

"Like what?" she asked.

"Well, what would you like?" Tony asked.

"If you had some tea--that would be nice." she thought aloud.

"Tea." Tony repeated. "Actually, I think I do have some tea--somewhere around here." he said, looking around in the pantry.

"Aha, here it is." he said, holding up a small box of jasmine tea packets.

"Jasmine be okay?" he asked.

"That's fine." she replied.

A little while later the two of them sat on the sofa sipping hot tea together.

"About before," Ziva said, setting her tea cup down on the coffee table.

Tony shook his head, as he too laid down his tea cup on the small table.

"Forget about it." he told her, trying to act as though it didn't matter. "It was...It was nothing." he added.

"No, no, Tony." Ziva said, sensing that she may have hurt his feelings, and that was the last that she wanted to do. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Its just...its complicated." she told him, looking away.

"Look, Ziva," Tony said, softly. "I never expected you to feel the same way--or return the gesture-" he explained. "I just wanted you to know how I feel."

Ziva stared into Tony's eyes for a moment or two, before sitting up and pressing her lips to his.

She pulled back, slightly, and stared into his eyes (again) for a brief moment. She let go of his face, and stood up--moving away from the sofa a little bit. She was facing away from Tony at this point.

A part of her wanted to tell Tony--No, scream to Tony--that she did love him. That she had always loved him...practically from day one; but then another part of her didn't want to put herself out there like that (knowing Tony as she thought that she did) because she didn't want to wake up one morning to find that he had moved on to another 'Flavor of the Week'.

"Something wrong?" Tony asked, a little confused by the signals that he was getting from Ziva at this point.

"I keep waiting for you to try to compare this to one of your idiotic film scenarios, she said quietly, rubbing her (own) shoulders as if she were chilled or something like that. "Like this should all be just a 'game' to you." she added.

Tony could suddenly feel an air of tension filling the room around the area between Ziva and himself. Something, inside, told him that maybe he had come on just a little bit (too) strong at first.

Tony stood up, and walked towards Ziva. "Is that who you want me to be?" he asked her, quietly. "Tony DiNozzo, the 'Womanizing-Playboy' that the female race has come to know and love." he said, walking with a little swagger to his step (talking in sort of a lame-Elvis impersonator voice).

Ziva was turning back around to face him, at that point. She tried not to laugh, but with Tony--that was just about the hardest thing to do.

"Or would you prefer the company of the greatest spy and lover this world has ever known." This time Tony did his best Sean Connery/James Bond impersonation. "DiNozzo--Anthony DiNozzo." he added, cracking a goofy grin/smile at Ziva.

Ziva couldn't help but laugh at Tony.

Tony stepped up close to Ziva, who had--by now--lowered her arms back down to her sides.

"You've already had the pleasure of spending part of the evening--with the former," he said, still in his Sean Connery/James Bond persona.

He reached out, and pulled Ziva's sweater up over her head--tossing it backwards towards the sofa behind him.

Ziva raised up on her tiptoes (after kicking out of her shoes) and pressed her lips to his.

"Now, you're at the mercy of the latter. Prepare to be loved like you've never been loved before, darling." he told her, still in his Sean Connery/James Bond persona.

Tony began leaving a trail of kisses down the side of Ziva's neck/throat, as he wrapped his hands/arms around her body and held her close.

Ziva uttered a low, soft moan at the pleasurable sensations that his lips were currently awakening.

A minute or so later she heard the sound of a pocket knife flipping open behind her back. "What's-" she started to ask, as she felt Tony nibbling at the tip of her ear.

"Not to worry love," Tony told her (in his Sean Connery/James Bond voice). "I'm just relieving you of this 'infernal' device."

Ziva felt the blade of the knife slide up underneath the back side of her bra. "You will owe me a new one." she whispered, half-jokingly.

Tony chuckled, as he started cutting away around the devices (on the back of the bra) that held the bra in place with a certain dramatic flair. "That's quite alright," he said. "Just send the bill to 'M'." he added.

He pulled the bra away from her body, and tossed it somewhere across the room behind him.

Ziva decided to try to get in on the act, while she could, though she had really only ever seen one of the 'James Bond' films (or maybe she'd seen two or three--she couldn't remember at present--but she did remember the 'one' that she'd seen not too long ago).

Tony cupped her supple breasts in his hands as he attacked her lips in much the same fashion which he had seen James Bond do on so many occasions in the entire run of the 'James Bond' films.

"Ah, just what I was looking for." Tony chuckled.

"Oh, James." Ziva moaned playfully, trying her best to mimic that sing-song tone of voice that all of those women in the "James Bond' films seemed to share, as she ripped open his (own) shirt--exposing his bare (semi-hairy) chest. She discovered, overall, that 'she' (herself) was not all that great at doing impersonations--like Tony did.

Tony chuckled at Ziva's attempt at acting like a 'Bond Girl'. "If you like that," Tony replied, in his Sean Connery/James Bond voice. "You'll love this."

Tony's hands began to move southward. "How about a little trip--south of the border?" he whispered in her ear, with a slight, soft chuckle.

"Sounds nice." Ziva replied, between kisses, still trying her best to act like one of those 'Bond Girls' from the films.

"Good."

His hands finally reached her waistline, and there he dipped only slightly lower--to the button(s)/snaps that held her pants up--and proceed to slip the blade of his pocket knife in between the folds of the delicate fabric. He ultimately made short work of those fastenings (just like he'd done with her bra only moments before) and her pants fell down her legs to the floor.

Ziva, obligingly, stepped out of her pants, and kicked them across the floor so that they would not be in the way.

"Now, we're getting somewhere." Tony told her as he attacked her lips with his own once again.

Ziva pulled back slightly, a mischievous grin spread across her face. "Not quite." she replied, still using that fake sing-song voice from before. "You have yet to reveal all of your secrets, Mr. Bond." she teased.

Tony chuckled. "Right you are, my dear."

Tony stepped back, an inch or two, and quickly shrugged out of his shirt and tie--tossing them somewhere over his shoulder.

Ziva marveled at how chiseled his chest looked, now that the shirt wasn't obscuring the view as it had been doing only moments before. She reached out to touch him, but he moved to quickly for her.

"Tony-"

Tony attacked Ziva's supple breasts, one at a time, with his mouth. He traced a line of kisses around, and up and down each one--first. Then he flicked each tender nipple with his tongue (playfully) grinning devilishly each time he made Ziva arch against him--her body begging, pleading for more.

Ziva gasped, and her body arched against him as his actions sent waves of pleasure rippling through her body.

"More..." she moaned, quietly, as her body, involuntarily, arched forward once again.

Tony chuckled. "As you wish." he whispered, against her delicate skin.

He slid a hand downwards, again, towards her panties now. He grasped the elastic lining, and pulled them downwards--moving along with them--until he reached the floor (level). He tapped Ziva on the ankle, once he reached that point, and she replied by stepping out of her panties for him.

Tony tossed the panties aside, and then stood back up to his feet once again. He pressed his lips against hers, and kissed her passionately, as he slid two fingers deep into her tender folds.

Suddenly, Ziva gasped for air, against his lips, here eyes blinking furiously as waves of pleasure swept through her body--this time actually emanating from her very center.

"Uh, uh-oh," she moaned, her body arching against his fingers.

Tony chuckled against Ziva's lips as he continued to kiss her (somewhat forcefully now). "I thought you might like that." he whispered softly, in his Sean Connery/James Bond voice.

Now Ziva's body was really on fire, and she could feel that coil inside her winding, twisting, and tightening itself up once again/more.

"Yes..." she moaned, as she felt his fingers move slowly and gently in and out, in and out of her tender folds.

"And I'm only just getting started." he whispered in her ear, with a light chuckle, still using his Sean Connery/James Bond voice.

Ziva whimpered against his lips, now, begging him to 'release' her--right then and there.

The next thing that either of them knew--they were both fully naked (on the sofa), again, and Ziva was hovering over him.

"Wait," Tony said, with a groan, as he reached around the side of the sofa for the side table (drawer). He pulled out a small, foil packet and quickly unwrapped it and sheathed himself in the condom's protective shell.

Ziva could hardly believe it. He did care. He actually cared enough to use protection. Her eyes glistened, as she proceeded to lift herself up and then lower herself down over his erection.

This time Ziva had time and presence of mind to explore each sensation as it occurred.

"Hmmm..." she moaned, with her eyes closed. The feel of him inside her was so much better than anything she'd ever imagined. "Feels good." she told him, in a low voice, and a light chuckle.

"I hope you can keep up, Mr. Bond." Ziva said, with a grin, still using her best 'Bond Girl' impersonation voice.

"Question is..." Tony whispered, in his best Sean Connery/Jams Bond impersonation voice, as he leaned up to steal a kiss. "...Can you?"

Ziva chuckled. "We'll see."

She started rocking her hips, slowly at first, against his--steadily increasing the tempo as she moved to the rhythm of the music of their hearts.








--Chapter Three--

This time Ziva and Tony came together, gasping for air, as their own orgasms rocked their bodies to the core--comparable, probably, to the strongest magnitude earthquake ever recorded in human history.

Ziva collapsed against Tony's chest, and laid there, riding out the aftershocks of her release as she waited patiently for her vital signs to return to normal.

"Damn." Tony muttered, under his breath, quietly--panting heavily (his heart beating at a million miles per second).

Ziva chuckled. "Enjoy the rodeo, cowboy?" she asked, with a grin. "Wasn't too much for ya was it?"

This time Tony switched to his best John Wayne impersonation--though this was made difficult by the fact that his breathing and heart rate were still somewhat erratic.

"That'll be the day." Tony replied, with a nod (as if he were tipping his hat to her).

Ziva chuckled again, as she planted a gentle kiss against his lips.

"Tony," she said softly, laying her weary head back down against his chest. "I think...(yawn)...I'm falling in love with you."

Tony opened his mouth to respond, but then he realized that she had fallen asleep against his (semi-hairy) chest.

Tony chuckled quietly. "Sleep tight.?" he whispered softly in her ear, as he wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her, gently, on the top of the head.

It wasn't long after that that Tony, himself, found it far too difficult to keep his own eyes open; and so he silently drifted off to dreamland with Ziva snuggled safely and warmly in his arms.

--------THE END--------

"Rainy Days"

--Chapter One--

Gibbs strolled through the door into the room that he and Tony were sharing for this particular stakeout. The door closed behind him, and Tony turned around in his direction.

"Coffee?" Gibbs said, offering up one of the two cups in his hand(s).

"Thanks." Tony replied, with a weak smile, as he accepted the styro-foam cup of coffee from his boss.

"S'coming down like cats and dogs out there." Tony said, nodding out the window that he was sitting in front of.

"Yep." Gibbs replied, shrugging out of his soaked rain coat, and hanging it up on a nearby coat hook that he had hammered into the wall himself back when they'd first gotten here/there.

Gibbs took the seat next to the one that Tony was sitting in.

"Anything interesting happen?"

"Nope." Tony replied, taking a sip of coffee.

They sat there together for what seemed like forever, after that, in silence. Gibbs had never known his Senior Field Agent to be this quiet--ever.

The two men had been out on this ungodly stake-out for almost three days now, and the days seemed to be dragging on longer and longer each day that passed them by.

They'd received a tip a few days ago that indicated that a piece of high-tech gadgetry, stolen from a nuclear submarine, was going to be passed off to a 'black-market' dealer who would then put the item up for bid to the highest bidder.

This was their last, best chance to catch the thief, and shut down a major black-market ring operating in the area.

"Everything okay?" Gibbs asked, between sips of his own black coffee.

"Hmm--sure. Why would something be wrong?" Tony replied, in a somber tone.

"Dunno." Gibbs replied, between sips of coffee. "You tell me."

Tony shrugged, and stared down at his coffee cup. "Its nothing."

Gibbs knew Tony all too well, to take that at face value. He'd known, practically from the moment that the two of them had first met, that the younger man was troubled--though he usually did a pretty good job of covering it up--it always surfaced at some point.

The first of Tony's problems/troubles was that he was not the womanizer that most people thought he was. The truth was that Tony DiNozzo was 'Gay'--a fact that his own father despised him for, and had even gone so far as to disown the young man. Sometimes, on special occasions when his mother would call to check on him, somehow his father would get involved, and after just 5 minutes or so with that man would have Tony thinking seriously about committing suicide.

Tony tried several, several times to correct the behavior that his father had deemed, so long ago, as 'unacceptable'; but all of these attempts, to-date, had failed miserably--leaving the younger man even more hard-pressed, and heart-broken.

"Your father involved?" Gibbs asked, after taking a sip of coffee.

Tony looked up. "How did you-" he started to say.

"What'd he do?" Gibbs asked, looking at the younger man. He knew that usually when Tony got down and depressed it usually involved DiNozzo Sr.

Tony sat quietly for a few moments. Finally, he sucked in a deep breath and then let it back out.

"He called me last night." Tony said, somberly, as he stared down at his coffee cup. "He was...he was drunk."

Gibbs took another sip of coffee.

"He...said some things." Tony continued, tears forming in his eyes. "I-I don't know...maybe he's right."

Gibbs looked at Tony--shock present in his steely, blue eyes.

"You're actually agreeing with your father?" Gibbs said, surprised and somewhat disappointed.

"I-I don't know." Tony said, shaking his head. "I mean look at me...am I really a man?"

Gibbs set his own coffee cup down.

"I mean...look at me Gibbs--if I'm anything, it's broken." he said angrily, tears beginning to stain his cheek(s).

"That's not true." Gibbs said softly, edging closer to Tony.

"Your father is a selfish Jack-Ass," Gibbs said. "And you know it."

Tony looked up at Gibbs.

"He's just jealous," Gibbs continued. "Because you are a good person, and he's not."

"You think so?" Tony asked, wiping tears from his face with the back of his hand.

Gibbs smiled a warm, loving smile at the younger man.

"No. I know so." he replied softly, kissing the younger man on the forehead.

Tony sighed, as he set his coffee cup down as well.

"You look tired." Gibbs said, placing an arm around Tony's shoulder.


--------To Be Continued--------