**Chapter One -- Here In Your Arms**
**June 7, 2010 -- Tony's Apartment**
"Oh...God..." Abby cried, her body shaking as she collapsed on top of her lover, both of their bodies covered in sweat. "Jesus...what a way to start a Monday."
Tony chuckled, pulling the sheet up over their cooling bodies. "You know...for being a God-fearing Catholic, you sure do curse Him a lot."
She buried her face in the crook of his neck as her body relaxed against him. "Not cursing. Praising."
"For what? Orgasms?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and flipped them over, nipping lightly at her collarbone.
"For amazing sex with the man I love." She smiled, running her hands through his disheveled hair. "And for orgasms."
"Hmm..." He leaned up and looked into her eyes, a playful grin on his face. "I know I could go for another this morning."
Abby chuckled, kissing him as she pushed up on his chest. "I bet you could, Sex Machine. But you're gonna have to..."
"Have to what?" Tony asked, sitting up in time to see the smile fade from the Goth's face as she ran into the bathroom. "Abby? You alright?"
He rolled out of the bed and followed her into the bathroom, pulling her hair back as she gripped the toilet bowl. "Told you. You shouldn't have had those oysters at dinner. Never in a month without an R."
She leaned back against him when she was done, reaching for the wet washcloth he handed her. "Yeah, I know. I've learned my lesson."
He kissed her temple and helped her to stand up. "You okay now? Or do you want me to call Gibbs and tell him you're sick?"
"No, I'm fine." She assured him, leaning over the sink to brush her teeth. "I'll go see Ducky later if I'm still not feeling well."
"Okay..." The Italian conceded. "You promise?"
Abby smirked at him through the mirror. "I promise. Now start the shower, we're already running late because you decided to..." She was interrupted when Tony pressed a kiss to her lips.
"You liked it. Get over here, missy."
She giggled as he pulled her into the shower with him, lathering up her sponge and washing her back. "Have I ever told you how much I like group showers?" He whispered, pulling the showerhead down and rinsing off her back.
"Just every time we have one." The Goth smirked, stealing the showerhead back and rinsing the shampoo out of her hair. "Although..." She whispered, pressing herself against his chest as she kissed him. "Usually they end with us in a compromising position."
Tony growled playfully, his hands finding her hips easily. "I'm sure we could...work something out."
"We're late, remember?" She chuckled, kissing the tip of his nose and pulling away from him, stepping out of the shower and wrapping herself in a towel.
"You..." He said, turning the water off and joining her. "You are evil."
"I try." She smirked again, dropping the towel as she walked over to her dresser and pulled out her outfit for the day. "Coffee on the way?"
"Yeah, I guess." He whined, digging through the closet for his suit. "You owe me tonight though."
"I'll make good, pinky promise."
She giggled quietly to herself when she heard him sigh loudly, finally settling on a suit. Dressing quickly, she headed back into the bathroom to pull her hair up into her standard pigtails, smiling when she felt him wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.
"Love you." He murmured, lowering his lips to her shoulder.
"Love you too, T. Now come on. Before you make us even later."
**NCIS Headquarters**
Pulling up beside her lover in the parking garage, Abby threw the hearse into park and climbed out of the vehicle. She swallowed hard, her stomach turning as she caught the scent of the breakfast burrito in Tony's hand. It was all she could do to keep from getting sick, though she managed to force a smile for his benefit.
"You alright, Abs?" He asked, slipping flawlessly into 'work mode'. They weren't actively hiding their relationship, it was more a fear of Gibbs finding them being inappropriate at work that worried them.
"I'm...fine." She smiled, stepping into the elevator with him, thankful she only had to ride one floor before she got to her lab. "I'll see you later, okay?" She said, leaning up and pecking him on the lips quickly before stepping off the elevator.
Tony smiled at her as the elevator doors closed behind her, shrugging as he opened up his burrito and took a bite. When the doors opened again on his floor, he stepped off, wiping his hands with a napkin and straightening his suit.
"Good morning!" He grinned, dropping his backpack behind his desk and sitting down.
"You are in a good mood this morning, Tony. Your date night went well, I take it?" Ziva questioned, smiling at her partner.
She was glad that he was in better spirits than he was a mere 6 months earlier. He even looked better, more well rested, although she suspected that was due to having sex on a regular basis more than anything else. She knew that she had made the right choice, and seeing him smile was proof enough for her.
"It was great. Abs had some bad oysters though, she got sick this morning." He mentioned offhandedly, sorting through the paperwork on his desk.
Ziva looked up at him curiously. "Is she okay?"
"Oh yeah," He waved her off. "She's fine. Just a little food poisoning. She said she'd have Ducky check her out later if she felt sick again."
"Haven't you told her about your oyster rule, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, walking into the bullpen with his coffee in hand.
"I did, Boss. She didn't believe me."
"Don't blame her, I wouldn't have either." He smirked slightly, pulling some files from his filing cabinet. "Ziva, take these down to Abby."
Tony frowned slightly, going back to his paperwork. He watched as the Israeli picked up the files from Gibbs' desk and headed for the elevator before he spoke up again.
"So, Boss..." He started, standing up and walking over to Gibbs' desk. "I was wondering if, you know, Abby and I would be able to take off this weekend."
Gibbs simply looked up at the younger man and Tony immediately started walking backwards toward his desk.
"You know, Gibbs? Nevermind, 'cause I know that..."
"How's the hole comin', DiNozzo?" He asked, shifting his gaze back to the files in his hand.
The Senior Agent nearly tripped over his trashcan as he reclaimed his seat. "It's deep, Boss. Shutting up now."
**Abby's Lab**
Ziva stepped out of the elevator and headed for the door to the lab when she heard soft crying coming from the bathroom. Slipping the files under her arm, she opened the bathroom door and saw Abby standing at the sink, rinsing her mouth out.
"Abby, are you alright?" She asked, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder gently.
"I'm fine, just food poisoning." The Goth explained, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Yes, Tony mentioned that you got sick this morning. Bad oysters, yes?"
"Mhmm."
Ziva frowned, seeing the distant look in her friend's eyes.
"Abby…" Ziva started, making eye contact with the Goth through the mirror. "Have you considered the possibility that you may be…"
"Considered it, dismissed it. Please don't bring it up again."
"Would it be such a horrible thing if you were?" She questioned. "You and Tony…"
"He doesn't. Trust me." Abby sighed, looking away from the Israeli. "He's great with Jack, but he's always told me he doesn't want kids."
"It is something he would get over, Abby. He loves you."
She shook her head, dropping her eyes to the floor. "Its not that simple, Ziva."
"What is so 'not simple' about it, Abby? He loves you, I see it in his eyes every day. Why do you think he would not embrace a child?"
Abby sighed, looking away from her friend. "It's complicated."
"I really *hate* when people use that word. You do not have to spare my feelings, Abby. If you do not wish to talk about this, just tell me. Do not attempt to beat around the lawn." Ziva said, turning toward the door.
"Beat around the bush." She mumbled. "You want an answer, Zee? He's selfish." Turning back toward the mirror, she sighed again. "He's selfish, and he's not ready to put that part of himself aside yet. I don't know that he ever will be. I mean, he's one of the most generous people I've ever met, but not about stuff like this. He...I don't know. He just isn't interested in having a family."
Ziva placed her hand on the scientist's shoulder. "Perhaps, if it is bothering you, you should speak to him about it. If you would like, I can be there with you."
"No." She said firmly, pulling away from her touch. "You can't say anything to him about this. Promise me."
The Israeli eyed her momentarily before she nodded curtly. "Very well." She said quietly. "If you need anything...well, you know where to find me."
Dropping her hand to Abby's shoulder again, she squeezed reassuringly before she headed for the door.
"Abby..." Ziva hesitated slightly at the door. "Tony loves you. The two of you will work this out." She said softly before she left the bathroom.
Sighing heavily, the Goth leaned against the sink, looking at herself in the mirror momentarily before pulling out her phone and calling Gibbs.
"Whatcha got for me, Abs?" He answered, surprising her with the fact that he checked his caller ID.
"Um...nothing, actually. Just letting you know that I'm not feeling well. I think I'm gonna head home for the day."
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before his response finally came. "Okay. You get some rest, Abby. Feel better."
"Th..." She was interrupted by the sound of a dial tone, and she snapped the phone shut between her fingers. Walking out of the bathroom, she made a quick pit stop at her lab to grab her purse before she turned off the lights and headed home.
**Bullpen**
"Is Abby okay, Boss?" Tony asked. His ears perked up when he heard his Goth's name, and he was instantly concerned. "Did she get sick again?"
"She's goin' home. Just said she wasn't feeling well." The older man looked up at Tony and eyed him carefully. "She's fine, DiNozzo. She can take care of herself."
"I...I know that, Boss." He said incrediously, rolling his eyes. "I'm not allowed to worry about her?"
Gibbs simply nodded, going back to his paperwork.
The Italian pulled out his cell phone and texted Abby, asking her to text him back when she got home, letting him know how she was feeling. Putting the phone away after he sent the message, he frowned, going back to the pile of work on his desk grudgingly.
After about an hour of checking his phone every 5 minutes for a text from his girl, Tony started getting antsy. He was worried about her, and while he knew that she was most likely at home in bed, he needed to know for sure.
"Uh, Boss?" He spoke up, noticing the silver-haired man walking back to his desk from yet another coffee run. "I'm not feeling so hot."
"You look fine to me, DiNozzo."
"Yeah, but...my stomach's doin' that flippy thing...I think Abby got me sick."
"What were you doing that makes you think she got you sick?" McGee spoke up, looking curiously over at the older man.
Tony smirked. "Wouldn't you love to know, McVirgin."
Gibbs rolled his eyes, taking another sip of his coffee. "Thought she had food poisoning. Last time I checked, that wasn't contagious."
"Well, yeah, but...I don't know for sure that it was food poisoning. Coulda been the flu. Swine Flu. Oh, wow, Boss. I should really head home, in case it is. Wouldn't wanna get you guys sick."
"Nice try, DiNozzo." The older man said, turning back to his computer screen.
"I'm serious, Boss. I think I'm gonna puke." He whined, holding his arm over his stomach.
Gibbs simply stared at him, as if he was waiting for the younger man to vomit in his trash can.
"Okay!" Tony conceded, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not gonna puke. But I really don't feel good, and I do think that Abby got me sick!"
"But like Gibbs said, food poisoning isn't contagious, Tony. She couldn't have gotten you sick." McGee pointed out.
He turned and narrowed his eyes at the younger man. "I know what he said. And *I* said that I wasn't sure if it was food poisoning." He looked back to Gibbs, hopeful that he would finally give in and let him go home. "I mean, she's still sick, right? So, it could be something more serious."
Ziva smirked as she watched Tony beg to be allowed to go home. She watched with amusement as Gibbs simply shrugged, giving the other man a small smirk.
"Come on, man! I'm not feeling good over here! Who do I need to plead my case to?"
The silver-haired agent shook his head at the younger man, knowing that he was only going to be a nuisance until he got his way. "Go. Go home, DiNozzo. Take care of Abby. You both had better be in tomorrow."
He jumped up and grabbed his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder before taking his Sig out of the desk drawer. "Thanks, Boss."
He headed for the elevator, only to be stopped in his tracks by Gibbs calling his name again.
"On time tomorrow."
"Got it, Boss."
**20 Minutes Later -- Tony's Apartment**
He pulled up outside of the brick apartment building and parked the car, grabbing the small bag off of his passenger seat. Heading upstairs, he unlocked his apartment door and slipped off his shoes, dropping his service weapon and keys on top of the table that sat near the door.
"Abby? You home, baby?" He called, walking into the kitchen and setting the bag down on the counter.
He moved to the cabinet to pull down a bowl when he heard his girl retching in the bathroom. Setting the dish down, he entered the bathroom, kneeling next to her on the ground.
"Hey..." He said, pulling her hair back and rubbing her back lightly. "You alright?"
The Goth whimpered as she heaved again, gripping the toilet bowl tightly.
"I'm here, sweetheart." He whispered.
When she finished, she sat back on her heels, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'm fine, T. You're supposed to be at work."
"Gibbs let me come home to take care of you." Tony pressed a kiss to her temple and stood up, getting her a damp washcloth. "I got you a surprise, if you're up for it."
"What kind of surprise?" She asked, letting her lover help her up. "And how did you manage to con Gibbs into letting you come home just to take care of me?"
She started brushing her teeth when Tony darted into the bedroom, coming back a few seconds later with a pair of her sweatpants and one of his well-worn t-shirts. "You don't worry about that." He smiled, kissing her neck. "Change into these, then meet me in the living room."
He walked out into the kitchen and pulled out the container of soup that was sitting on the countertop, pouring some of it into a bowl. Grabbing a spoon and some saltines, he went into the living room and set the food down on the coffee table before turning on the TV.
"Is that what I think it is?" Abby asked, padding into the living room wearing the pajamas Tony had picked out for her.
He smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist. "If you think its the chicken noodle soup you love from that little sandwich shop on the corner, then yes, it is what you think it is."
"Aww, thanks, baby. You didn't have to get me anything." She leaned up and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you."
"I love you too." He smirked, leading her to the couch. He sat down and pulled her down next to him, arranging their bodies so she was resting against him while she ate. "I thought we'd watch one of our classics, Evil Dead."
"Mmm..." She nodded, taking a bite of her soup. "Sounds good to me."
Tony started the movie, relaxing against the couch while Abby ate her lunch. "How is it?"
"Very good." She smiled, finishing off the bowl. "I feel a little better already."
"Good." He took her bowl and set it on the table, pulling her back down against his chest as he ran a hand through her hair. "C'mere." He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close to him as he shifted on the couch, laying down and stretching his body across the dark leather.
"I think I might fall asleep." Abby smirked, leaning her head back to kiss him before settling her head against his arm.
He grinned, pulling her back against his chest. "That's okay, baby. You'll feel better after you sleep."
He rubbed his hand over her arm and leaned down, burying his nose in her neck, smiling to himself when he felt her body relax and her breathing deepen. He followed suit only a few minutes later, happy to fall asleep holding his girl close to him.
Chapter End Notes:
"Here (In Your Arms)" by HelloGoodbye