Fic: "My Mind it Kind of Goes Fast" Gibbs/McGee, PG
Posting this here, so as to have in my journal and NOT just in ncis_puppylove. Prompt was: Abby knew she was early for the team barbecue at Gibbs house, but she didn't care. She headed for the backyard and saw her Timmy kissing Gibbs!
Beta-ed by
jeeps She kicks so much ass :)
My Mind It Kind of Goes Fast, from Congratulations by Blue October (feat. Imogen Heap)
“Gibbs! I’m here!” Abby slammed the front door behind her, dropping the paper bags she held in both hands then bending over to unbuckle her boots. “Tony’s bringing steaks, Ziva’s bringing Ducky, and Jimmy’s bringing his girlfriend,” she informed the empty room, kicking her boots under the side table beside the door, then snatched up her paper bags again and made her way towards the kitchen.
“Couldn’t get a hold of Timmy, but he said he would be here when we said goodbye last night. Said he had a date, maybe he’s rushing out her door as we speak!” she declared, giggling as she pictured McGee trying to extract himself from some handsy lady gracefully while remaining ever the gentleman.
“Gibbs! Get up here and start hosting!” she called, placing her bags on the dining room table. She put a little stomp in her stockinged-step over to the basement door, wrenching it open and poking her head through. “Are you buried under sawdust?”
Receiving no reply, she closed the door, yelling, “Gibbs! Where are you?” Walking back over to the table, she began to rifle through her bags, pulling out two six-packs of beer and taking them to the fridge. “You know, it’s very rude to ignore your guests, even if we’re used to your silent façade. I personally see right through it to the huggable teddy bear underneath,” Abby stated, snickering, thinking if anything would get a rise out of her silver fox, being compared to a teddy bear would do it.
But again, silence met her words. “Backyard,” she whispered to herself, and slipped back through the living room to the den where the sliding door to the patio and yard was. Walking through the den, she noted absently the laptop sitting closed on the desk.
The sliding glass door was open a crack, so she pushed it further and stepped through, and froze.
Now, Abby had seen a lot in her life, and very little shocked her anymore. She could clearly remember the first time she’d seen a same-sex kiss, when she was ten and her best friend’s older sister was making out in her room with her girlfriend. She hadn’t been scared or grossed out, simply curious. It was simply something she’d never seen before. Kind of like the first time she saw a pierced tongue, or a tattoo, or a mangled car after an accident, or the body of a raccoon decomposing in her grandma’s yard.
And what she saw now was much the same. It wasn’t gross, or off-putting, but it was confusing and intriguing as hell. She knew she was early, at least an hour, but Gibbs knew she would be early, she was always early for their team barbecues. She had to make sure the grill had gas, that the drinks were cold, that the salad was finished, and that the roll-out mats were handy in case it turned into a repeat of the first team barbecue after they’d gotten Ziva back, where everyone drank too much and the house ended up resembling a killer’s bloodless rampage. Except for Ducky, who’d passed out in the easy chair in the living room, and Gibbs, who’d wandered downstairs and done the same in his nearly finished boat, everyone had lost consciousness at least near one of the pads Abby had bought in case of emergencies, or for the future camping trip she was hoping would happen someday.
Gibbs had even said to her last night he’d be ready for her, Caf!pow and all. Well, she hadn’t seen a Caf!pow in the fridge, or anywhere else for that matter, but she did see something that woke her up better than any caffeine-heavy drink could.
In the back of her mind, she corrected her earlier guess as to McGee’s location, and there was very little “graceful parting” going on in the back corner of Gibbs’ yard, in the mid-afternoon shadows behind the garage. Her Timmy, the man she knew she didn’t technically have a hold over any longer but couldn’t quite bring herself to give up completely, was being kissed by Gibbs!
They were just far enough away from the house for them to have not heard her yelling in the house, or for them to have heard her slide open the smoothly gliding door. And since she hadn’t said anything yet, let alone emit the squeal that was threatening to escape her lips, she was able to stand and watch for a moment.
They stood at a slight angle from her, with Gibbs’ back facing the house. Abby watched as McGee’s hands, one fisted gently in Gibbs’ shirt, the other a shoulder, held on firmly as he leaned in to the other man’s body. Gibbs, whose own hands were resting on Tim’s hips, pulled McGee closer, turning his head into Tim’s to deepen a kiss that illustrated for Abby that this wasn’t a new feature in their relationship. Of course, prior to this very moment, Abby wouldn’t have thought there were any features in their relationship beyond those that were work-related.
All at once, behind Abby in the house, Tony’s voice yelled out announcing his arrival, and brought her to the two men’s attention. McGee was the first to look in her direction, only having to open his eyes and raise them to see her. He dropped his hands immediately and nodded towards her to alert the older man.
Tony was still talking to anyone who might hear him, much like she had when she’d arrived, and she glanced over her shoulder to see if he’d figured out where they all were. Turning back to the scene before her, she found Gibbs looking in her direction, his face free of any emotion. There was no anger, no frustration, no sadness, no worry, no happiness, only examination. Abby knew she was being sussed out, by both Gibbs and McGee, even if her eyes were only on the older man.
She knew she had to do something, and do something fast, before she lost her nerve and her chance. Reaching behind her, she pulled the door closed and hopped to the edge of the patio, bouncing in place and looking at the wet ground in front of her. Thinking quickly, she pulled her knee-highs off and walked barefoot through the damp grass, joining two of the most important men in her life in the shadows behind the garage.
“Sorry. I, well, it’s okay, a little bit of a surprise,” she started, and by then she knew she was already on a roll. “I mean, you’re the boss, he’s the McGeek! And Timmy said he had a date last night, I just didn’t realize it was with a guy, let alone El Jefe! Not to say there’s anything wrong with that, or wrong with you guys making out like that. But, it was a shock, you know? I just, I would have never thought that Gibbs, you would be into guys! I mean, I know Timmy is, just, not usually older guys. Not that you’re old, Gibbs! But, yeah, I’m just making this more awkward, aren’t I?”
Fortunately, her blabbering brought a relieved look to Gibbs’ face, and he stepped closer, enveloping her in a hug. She met McGee’s gaze then, and his big green eyes were content and thankful. And she realized, as she saw the happiness and heard the whispered “thank you” in her ear, that she’d been jealous for a moment. For a moment, she’d realized she may not be Gibbs’ favorite Gibblet anymore, even if she knew she would always be his favorite Abby; and she realized that perhaps her chances with Tim were finally all dried up.
Yet, as Gibbs moved back after depositing a kiss to both of her cheeks and her forehead, she understood that nothing had really changed, and nothing important really needed to. She would still be Gibbs’ favorite, a surrogate daughter to a childless father. Being the favorite didn’t mean he loved her more than the other Gibblets, either, just that she was the one that got the kisses on the cheeks and was the one most allowed to hug. She would always be McGee’s ex-girlfriend, too, something she would never tire of admitting, and they would always be connected because of that. What more could a girl ask for, really?
“Hey, why is everyone hiding outside? The food is inside, and Palmer and Ziva look hungry!” Tony jogged over to their little huddle in the shadows behind the garage, looking around them. “What’s up?” he inquired, beaming his usual bright smile, full of teeth and fun.
“Nothing. Gibbs was just showing us where he was thinking of putting in a fish pond,” Abby said, moving under Tony’s outstretched arm and wrapping her own around him.
“The Boss, taking care of overgrown goldfish? Could they survive on a diet of steak and coffee?” Tony teased.
“Don’t forget, that ‘Gibbs magic’ kept you from dying of a medieval disease, and brought Ziva back from the dead,” Abby replied.
“Hah, he did both of those things with my help, might I remind you, and I don’t help with fish, thank you,” Tony came back.
“Jethro, Abigail, what is everyone doing out here?” wondered Ducky as he joined their huddle.
“Enjoying Abby’s cover story for the two love birds, something about Gibbs putting in a fish pond,” Tony answered, winking at McGee.
Abby yanked herself away from Tony, turning a glare on each man in turn. “What?”
“DiNozzo, when you least expect it, the biggest head slap will come your way,” Gibbs trailed off threateningly.
McGee moved towards Abby promptly, bringing his hands up and gripping her shoulders. “Abby, don’t freak out, please.”
Still glaring, she muttered, “Then tell me what’s going on.”
McGee sighed, shooting a death glare of his own at his work partner. “Tony and Ducky are the only ones that know. We were going to tell everyone tonight after dinner. Well, I was going to tell everyone after dinner.”
“But you said you went on a date last night,” Abby pointed out through gritted teeth, feeling Tony rest a hand on one of her shoulders comfortingly.
“I did, we did. We went out to dinner with Sarah and my parents. I wasn’t sure how Dad would take my seeing a man, and I figured if he met Gibbs he might take it better.”
“Did he?” Abby asked, momentarily forgetting her own anger and remembering the touchy relationship McGee had with his father.
“Yeah. He was cooler about it than I thought he would be, actually. Though you’d have been surprised at how ingratiating Gibbs was,” he said, smiling almost whimsically.
“Well, good,” she said, allowing a small smile to light up her face momentarily. But then she quickly remembered her anger, and the smile was replaced by a frown. “But that still doesn’t explain anything. You lied to me.”
McGee looked to Gibbs, and the couple had a silent but quick conversation. Turning back to her, Tim spoke. “Ducky found out by accident, I told Tony a few weeks ago when Gibbs and I made a decision.”
Those words sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt her eyes go wide in fear. “You’re not leaving NCIS, are you?”
“No, no one is leaving NCIS.” McGee grinned indulgently, erasing any fear she felt.
“But we’re breaking up the band,” Tony stated melodramatically at her side.
“What?” Abby said, turning her gaze to her other friend.
“What Anthony is saying is Team Gibbs is to become a different entity, and Team DiNozzo will be the secondary team in the agency based in D.C. And Timothy will be Anthony’s senior agent.” Ducky, for all of his skill with long, drawn out stories, fortunately also had a talent for getting to the point when necessary.
Abby turned a curious look to McGee, then to Gibbs, thoughtful. The older man was still watching her, silent and waiting. Slowly, it came to her, and she nodded. “Rule 12.”
“Yup. Rule 12. Don’t date co-workers. Though I still say that you’re breaking the rule, seeing as how you both still work for NCIS, and therefore still co-workers, but I digress,” Tony asserted, raising an eyebrow as he turned a glare on his partner-soon-to-be-Senior Agent.
“Stuff it. DiNozzo,” McGee grumbled good-naturedly. “Tony and I started talking months ago about wanting to take over for Balboa when he retires and Fitzgerald transfers to OSP. He just didn’t know it was also because I was starting to realize that Gibbs wasn’t ready to retire yet.”
Nodding again, Abby turned to Ducky. “Wait, how did you accidentally find out about them?”
“I’ll be inside,” Gibbs mumbled, depositing the first head slap of the day to a snickering DiNozzo.
Abby giggled. “Must be embarrassing,” she speculated. Noticing McGee’s quickly reddening skin and Ducky’s humming and hawing, something the oldest member of their little mixed up family rarely did, she joined Tony in out-and-out laughter for a moment or two.
Trying to talk over their amusement, McGee said, “Let’s just say Ducky won’t be walking into the basement unannounced ever again.”
That made Abby laugh even harder, and she and Tony stood side by side, holding each other up as they guffawed. When they started to wind down, and the laughter turned to giggles and chuckles and Tony and Ducky started back to the house, Abby turned her eyes to her friend. Tim was watching her intently, trying valiantly to hide those last strains of worry he had concerning her and her new found knowledge.
She stepped over to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a typical Abby hug, and she felt him breathe out some of that tension. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been mad.”
“Yes, you should have been. We all know how lying-or at least not being completely honest with you- makes you feel. We wanted to wait until everything was set in motion.”
“No, McGee, Timmy, it’s okay, really.” She drew back enough to look up at him, something that was rare with all of the platform shoes and boots. “I understand. Rule 12, it’s a big one for Gibbs. We all know it. Heck, that was at least part of the reason we broke up. And it’s hardly like two guys in a same-sex relationship is going to be something that will go over well in NCIS. I mean, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell still hasn’t been repealed, but it’s coming, I can feel it. OH, OH, but, are you getting married? I mean, DC allows same-sex marriage! I could be your best man! Or maid of honor? Best woman? Wait, no, that’s Tony’s job, Ducky would be Gibbs’. OH, I know, I can walk you down the aisle, Ziva can walk Gibbs! Or vice-versa!”
“Abby, Abby,” Tim attempted, trying to break into the roll Abby knew she was on again. She didn’t stop until he covered her mouth. “No, we haven’t talked marriage, I’m not sure we will. Yes, we are concerned how our relationship will be taken at NCIS, which is why we wanted to tell everyone once we had a plan. And,” he started, pulling her close again, “you will always be my best girl.”
Abby squeezed her eyes tightly then, trying to stifle the tears that wanted to fall. She wasn’t sure if it was because what chances she’d thought they might have still had were gone, or because Team Gibbs as she’d known it for so long was coming to an end.
Or if it was purely because McGee had once again worn his big giant heart on his sleeve, making her realize why she’d probably never quite gotten over him.
“Hey, come on, Probie, it’s Ziva’s and Palmer’s turn for the big news! I’m thinking of taking bets about what Breena will say!” Abby looked to the house, finding Tony leaning against one of the support beams for the awning, arms crossed and, of course, grinning.
Arm in arm, Abby and Tim joined their friend on the small deck. She stood up on her toes to kiss McGee on his nearest cheek, repeating the same thing on Tony. Pulling on her socks again, she looped her arms through both men’s this time and pulled them towards the door.
“I’ve got money on Breena liking the idea, she seems very open-minded, and everyone knows when someone is in love they always love seeing others in love,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Perhaps we can do a double wedding!” she announced, ignoring McGee’s groan of resignation.
“Ha, Gibbs isn’t getting married again. I think at this point he’s lost all faith in that institution,” Tony said.
“Well, at least he hasn’t lost all faith in love,” she added, smiling up at the target of that love.
McGee smiled warmly down at her, and as the three of them walked through the den, she again noticed the laptop on the desk; it was McGee’s new one, the one he’d just bought, and something about it made her realize it was comfortable where it was, that it was meant to be there. It might only be a computer, an inanimate object, but it was Tim’s computer, and if it was there, lying partially on top a pile of what looked to be bills, it occurred to her she had a whole bucket full of other questions to ask. But first, she wanted to see the looks on Ziva and Jimmy’s faces when they learned of the big surprise, so she entered the dining room, still on the arms of two of her favorite people, ready for anything.
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Beta-ed by
jeeps She kicks so much ass :)
My Mind It Kind of Goes Fast, from Congratulations by Blue October (feat. Imogen Heap)
“Gibbs! I’m here!” Abby slammed the front door behind her, dropping the paper bags she held in both hands then bending over to unbuckle her boots. “Tony’s bringing steaks, Ziva’s bringing Ducky, and Jimmy’s bringing his girlfriend,” she informed the empty room, kicking her boots under the side table beside the door, then snatched up her paper bags again and made her way towards the kitchen.
“Couldn’t get a hold of Timmy, but he said he would be here when we said goodbye last night. Said he had a date, maybe he’s rushing out her door as we speak!” she declared, giggling as she pictured McGee trying to extract himself from some handsy lady gracefully while remaining ever the gentleman.
“Gibbs! Get up here and start hosting!” she called, placing her bags on the dining room table. She put a little stomp in her stockinged-step over to the basement door, wrenching it open and poking her head through. “Are you buried under sawdust?”
Receiving no reply, she closed the door, yelling, “Gibbs! Where are you?” Walking back over to the table, she began to rifle through her bags, pulling out two six-packs of beer and taking them to the fridge. “You know, it’s very rude to ignore your guests, even if we’re used to your silent façade. I personally see right through it to the huggable teddy bear underneath,” Abby stated, snickering, thinking if anything would get a rise out of her silver fox, being compared to a teddy bear would do it.
But again, silence met her words. “Backyard,” she whispered to herself, and slipped back through the living room to the den where the sliding door to the patio and yard was. Walking through the den, she noted absently the laptop sitting closed on the desk.
The sliding glass door was open a crack, so she pushed it further and stepped through, and froze.
Now, Abby had seen a lot in her life, and very little shocked her anymore. She could clearly remember the first time she’d seen a same-sex kiss, when she was ten and her best friend’s older sister was making out in her room with her girlfriend. She hadn’t been scared or grossed out, simply curious. It was simply something she’d never seen before. Kind of like the first time she saw a pierced tongue, or a tattoo, or a mangled car after an accident, or the body of a raccoon decomposing in her grandma’s yard.
And what she saw now was much the same. It wasn’t gross, or off-putting, but it was confusing and intriguing as hell. She knew she was early, at least an hour, but Gibbs knew she would be early, she was always early for their team barbecues. She had to make sure the grill had gas, that the drinks were cold, that the salad was finished, and that the roll-out mats were handy in case it turned into a repeat of the first team barbecue after they’d gotten Ziva back, where everyone drank too much and the house ended up resembling a killer’s bloodless rampage. Except for Ducky, who’d passed out in the easy chair in the living room, and Gibbs, who’d wandered downstairs and done the same in his nearly finished boat, everyone had lost consciousness at least near one of the pads Abby had bought in case of emergencies, or for the future camping trip she was hoping would happen someday.
Gibbs had even said to her last night he’d be ready for her, Caf!pow and all. Well, she hadn’t seen a Caf!pow in the fridge, or anywhere else for that matter, but she did see something that woke her up better than any caffeine-heavy drink could.
In the back of her mind, she corrected her earlier guess as to McGee’s location, and there was very little “graceful parting” going on in the back corner of Gibbs’ yard, in the mid-afternoon shadows behind the garage. Her Timmy, the man she knew she didn’t technically have a hold over any longer but couldn’t quite bring herself to give up completely, was being kissed by Gibbs!
They were just far enough away from the house for them to have not heard her yelling in the house, or for them to have heard her slide open the smoothly gliding door. And since she hadn’t said anything yet, let alone emit the squeal that was threatening to escape her lips, she was able to stand and watch for a moment.
They stood at a slight angle from her, with Gibbs’ back facing the house. Abby watched as McGee’s hands, one fisted gently in Gibbs’ shirt, the other a shoulder, held on firmly as he leaned in to the other man’s body. Gibbs, whose own hands were resting on Tim’s hips, pulled McGee closer, turning his head into Tim’s to deepen a kiss that illustrated for Abby that this wasn’t a new feature in their relationship. Of course, prior to this very moment, Abby wouldn’t have thought there were any features in their relationship beyond those that were work-related.
All at once, behind Abby in the house, Tony’s voice yelled out announcing his arrival, and brought her to the two men’s attention. McGee was the first to look in her direction, only having to open his eyes and raise them to see her. He dropped his hands immediately and nodded towards her to alert the older man.
Tony was still talking to anyone who might hear him, much like she had when she’d arrived, and she glanced over her shoulder to see if he’d figured out where they all were. Turning back to the scene before her, she found Gibbs looking in her direction, his face free of any emotion. There was no anger, no frustration, no sadness, no worry, no happiness, only examination. Abby knew she was being sussed out, by both Gibbs and McGee, even if her eyes were only on the older man.
She knew she had to do something, and do something fast, before she lost her nerve and her chance. Reaching behind her, she pulled the door closed and hopped to the edge of the patio, bouncing in place and looking at the wet ground in front of her. Thinking quickly, she pulled her knee-highs off and walked barefoot through the damp grass, joining two of the most important men in her life in the shadows behind the garage.
“Sorry. I, well, it’s okay, a little bit of a surprise,” she started, and by then she knew she was already on a roll. “I mean, you’re the boss, he’s the McGeek! And Timmy said he had a date last night, I just didn’t realize it was with a guy, let alone El Jefe! Not to say there’s anything wrong with that, or wrong with you guys making out like that. But, it was a shock, you know? I just, I would have never thought that Gibbs, you would be into guys! I mean, I know Timmy is, just, not usually older guys. Not that you’re old, Gibbs! But, yeah, I’m just making this more awkward, aren’t I?”
Fortunately, her blabbering brought a relieved look to Gibbs’ face, and he stepped closer, enveloping her in a hug. She met McGee’s gaze then, and his big green eyes were content and thankful. And she realized, as she saw the happiness and heard the whispered “thank you” in her ear, that she’d been jealous for a moment. For a moment, she’d realized she may not be Gibbs’ favorite Gibblet anymore, even if she knew she would always be his favorite Abby; and she realized that perhaps her chances with Tim were finally all dried up.
Yet, as Gibbs moved back after depositing a kiss to both of her cheeks and her forehead, she understood that nothing had really changed, and nothing important really needed to. She would still be Gibbs’ favorite, a surrogate daughter to a childless father. Being the favorite didn’t mean he loved her more than the other Gibblets, either, just that she was the one that got the kisses on the cheeks and was the one most allowed to hug. She would always be McGee’s ex-girlfriend, too, something she would never tire of admitting, and they would always be connected because of that. What more could a girl ask for, really?
“Hey, why is everyone hiding outside? The food is inside, and Palmer and Ziva look hungry!” Tony jogged over to their little huddle in the shadows behind the garage, looking around them. “What’s up?” he inquired, beaming his usual bright smile, full of teeth and fun.
“Nothing. Gibbs was just showing us where he was thinking of putting in a fish pond,” Abby said, moving under Tony’s outstretched arm and wrapping her own around him.
“The Boss, taking care of overgrown goldfish? Could they survive on a diet of steak and coffee?” Tony teased.
“Don’t forget, that ‘Gibbs magic’ kept you from dying of a medieval disease, and brought Ziva back from the dead,” Abby replied.
“Hah, he did both of those things with my help, might I remind you, and I don’t help with fish, thank you,” Tony came back.
“Jethro, Abigail, what is everyone doing out here?” wondered Ducky as he joined their huddle.
“Enjoying Abby’s cover story for the two love birds, something about Gibbs putting in a fish pond,” Tony answered, winking at McGee.
Abby yanked herself away from Tony, turning a glare on each man in turn. “What?”
“DiNozzo, when you least expect it, the biggest head slap will come your way,” Gibbs trailed off threateningly.
McGee moved towards Abby promptly, bringing his hands up and gripping her shoulders. “Abby, don’t freak out, please.”
Still glaring, she muttered, “Then tell me what’s going on.”
McGee sighed, shooting a death glare of his own at his work partner. “Tony and Ducky are the only ones that know. We were going to tell everyone tonight after dinner. Well, I was going to tell everyone after dinner.”
“But you said you went on a date last night,” Abby pointed out through gritted teeth, feeling Tony rest a hand on one of her shoulders comfortingly.
“I did, we did. We went out to dinner with Sarah and my parents. I wasn’t sure how Dad would take my seeing a man, and I figured if he met Gibbs he might take it better.”
“Did he?” Abby asked, momentarily forgetting her own anger and remembering the touchy relationship McGee had with his father.
“Yeah. He was cooler about it than I thought he would be, actually. Though you’d have been surprised at how ingratiating Gibbs was,” he said, smiling almost whimsically.
“Well, good,” she said, allowing a small smile to light up her face momentarily. But then she quickly remembered her anger, and the smile was replaced by a frown. “But that still doesn’t explain anything. You lied to me.”
McGee looked to Gibbs, and the couple had a silent but quick conversation. Turning back to her, Tim spoke. “Ducky found out by accident, I told Tony a few weeks ago when Gibbs and I made a decision.”
Those words sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt her eyes go wide in fear. “You’re not leaving NCIS, are you?”
“No, no one is leaving NCIS.” McGee grinned indulgently, erasing any fear she felt.
“But we’re breaking up the band,” Tony stated melodramatically at her side.
“What?” Abby said, turning her gaze to her other friend.
“What Anthony is saying is Team Gibbs is to become a different entity, and Team DiNozzo will be the secondary team in the agency based in D.C. And Timothy will be Anthony’s senior agent.” Ducky, for all of his skill with long, drawn out stories, fortunately also had a talent for getting to the point when necessary.
Abby turned a curious look to McGee, then to Gibbs, thoughtful. The older man was still watching her, silent and waiting. Slowly, it came to her, and she nodded. “Rule 12.”
“Yup. Rule 12. Don’t date co-workers. Though I still say that you’re breaking the rule, seeing as how you both still work for NCIS, and therefore still co-workers, but I digress,” Tony asserted, raising an eyebrow as he turned a glare on his partner-soon-to-be-Senior Agent.
“Stuff it. DiNozzo,” McGee grumbled good-naturedly. “Tony and I started talking months ago about wanting to take over for Balboa when he retires and Fitzgerald transfers to OSP. He just didn’t know it was also because I was starting to realize that Gibbs wasn’t ready to retire yet.”
Nodding again, Abby turned to Ducky. “Wait, how did you accidentally find out about them?”
“I’ll be inside,” Gibbs mumbled, depositing the first head slap of the day to a snickering DiNozzo.
Abby giggled. “Must be embarrassing,” she speculated. Noticing McGee’s quickly reddening skin and Ducky’s humming and hawing, something the oldest member of their little mixed up family rarely did, she joined Tony in out-and-out laughter for a moment or two.
Trying to talk over their amusement, McGee said, “Let’s just say Ducky won’t be walking into the basement unannounced ever again.”
That made Abby laugh even harder, and she and Tony stood side by side, holding each other up as they guffawed. When they started to wind down, and the laughter turned to giggles and chuckles and Tony and Ducky started back to the house, Abby turned her eyes to her friend. Tim was watching her intently, trying valiantly to hide those last strains of worry he had concerning her and her new found knowledge.
She stepped over to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a typical Abby hug, and she felt him breathe out some of that tension. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been mad.”
“Yes, you should have been. We all know how lying-or at least not being completely honest with you- makes you feel. We wanted to wait until everything was set in motion.”
“No, McGee, Timmy, it’s okay, really.” She drew back enough to look up at him, something that was rare with all of the platform shoes and boots. “I understand. Rule 12, it’s a big one for Gibbs. We all know it. Heck, that was at least part of the reason we broke up. And it’s hardly like two guys in a same-sex relationship is going to be something that will go over well in NCIS. I mean, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell still hasn’t been repealed, but it’s coming, I can feel it. OH, OH, but, are you getting married? I mean, DC allows same-sex marriage! I could be your best man! Or maid of honor? Best woman? Wait, no, that’s Tony’s job, Ducky would be Gibbs’. OH, I know, I can walk you down the aisle, Ziva can walk Gibbs! Or vice-versa!”
“Abby, Abby,” Tim attempted, trying to break into the roll Abby knew she was on again. She didn’t stop until he covered her mouth. “No, we haven’t talked marriage, I’m not sure we will. Yes, we are concerned how our relationship will be taken at NCIS, which is why we wanted to tell everyone once we had a plan. And,” he started, pulling her close again, “you will always be my best girl.”
Abby squeezed her eyes tightly then, trying to stifle the tears that wanted to fall. She wasn’t sure if it was because what chances she’d thought they might have still had were gone, or because Team Gibbs as she’d known it for so long was coming to an end.
Or if it was purely because McGee had once again worn his big giant heart on his sleeve, making her realize why she’d probably never quite gotten over him.
“Hey, come on, Probie, it’s Ziva’s and Palmer’s turn for the big news! I’m thinking of taking bets about what Breena will say!” Abby looked to the house, finding Tony leaning against one of the support beams for the awning, arms crossed and, of course, grinning.
Arm in arm, Abby and Tim joined their friend on the small deck. She stood up on her toes to kiss McGee on his nearest cheek, repeating the same thing on Tony. Pulling on her socks again, she looped her arms through both men’s this time and pulled them towards the door.
“I’ve got money on Breena liking the idea, she seems very open-minded, and everyone knows when someone is in love they always love seeing others in love,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Perhaps we can do a double wedding!” she announced, ignoring McGee’s groan of resignation.
“Ha, Gibbs isn’t getting married again. I think at this point he’s lost all faith in that institution,” Tony said.
“Well, at least he hasn’t lost all faith in love,” she added, smiling up at the target of that love.
McGee smiled warmly down at her, and as the three of them walked through the den, she again noticed the laptop on the desk; it was McGee’s new one, the one he’d just bought, and something about it made her realize it was comfortable where it was, that it was meant to be there. It might only be a computer, an inanimate object, but it was Tim’s computer, and if it was there, lying partially on top a pile of what looked to be bills, it occurred to her she had a whole bucket full of other questions to ask. But first, she wanted to see the looks on Ziva and Jimmy’s faces when they learned of the big surprise, so she entered the dining room, still on the arms of two of her favorite people, ready for anything.
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