You get three times. Abby's hands were steady as she capped the solvent bottle and put it away before throwing out her gloves. She went to her computer, pulling up the test results, managing to look completely calm and professional on the outside--well, as much as she ever did. Next time seals it.

Two weeks ago, and she hadn't been able to stop thinking about it, about that night. The embarrassment of falling apart like that had faded, replaced by the memory of the warmth and safety she'd felt in his arms. God, she wanted that again, but...did she really want it to be for real?

Next time, you're mine. A shudder ran through her and she swallowed.

"Hey, everything okay?" Tony came around the corner; Abby nearly jumped before taking the Big Gulp he held out.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Solvent fumes getting to me." She sucked down some of the soda and put it down on the counter. "What's going on upstairs?"

"Same old, same old. Gibbs is on his fourth cup of coffee, Kate's got a bee in her bonnet about something, and McGee..." Tony rolled his eyes. "I'm waiting for Gibbs to send him down here to fiddle around with Petty Officer Stuart's computer, since he's all but useless upstairs."

"You're too hard on him," Abby said mildly. She took another long pull of the soda and turned back to her computer. "He really is smart, you know."

"And once he stops being afraid of his own shadow, he'll be a good agent." Tony shrugged. "He's getting better."

"Mm-hmm. So...four cups of coffee? That doesn't bode well."

"No, and I don't know why. Something's on his mind."

Third time's the charm, a little voice whispered in Abby's brain. She shrugged. "It's probably just a Gibbs thing. You know how he is."

"Yeah. Anyway--you having any luck with Stuart's personal effects?"

"They're over on the table. Haven't found much yet but I haven't gone over them in any detail." Abby nodded toward the row of bags. "Feel free."

"Thanks." Tony pulled on a pair of gloves and began sorting through them, quiet for the moment. "Hey, Abs," he said after a minute.

"Yeah?"

"You know you can talk to me if something's going on, right?" Tony looked up at her. "I mean--Kate can say what she wants, but you know you can talk to me. Right?"

Abby put down her soda and turned around. "I know. But why are you bringing this up?"

Tony looked worried for a moment. "I don't want you getting in over your head," he said finally. "And--well--"

"I'm a big girl, Tony. I can take care of myself." Despite her words, Abby was worried. What did Tony know--and how did he know it? This did not bode well.

"I know that, but..." Tony sighed. "Look, Abs, I may be entirely off base here. But you've been acting just a little different over the past few weeks, and I'm not so blind as to see it's mostly around Gibbs. I'm not asking what happened, I don't want or need to know unless you decide to tell me. But I don't want you to get yourself into something you can't get out of."

For a long moment, she just stared at him, unable to think of anything to say. "How much do you know?" she asked hoarsely.

"I don't. Not for certain. I just know that something's going on, and it involves you and Gibbs. And I know how you play, and..." Tony grimaced. "I've been around the scene long enough to recognize a Dom when I see one--not that it's exactly hard to miss."

"It was only twice," she whispered.

"So far." Tony put down the bag he was pretending to study. "What happens next time?"

Next time, you're mine. "I...I don't think there's going to be a next time," Abby said shakily.

He just looked at her.

"Oh God, Tony..." Abby slumped against the counter. "Three times, he said. Three times, and..."

"And it's been two already." Tony came around the table to her. "Abby, do you have any idea what you're doing?"

She shook her head. "I don't have a clue. And I don't know whether to run away and never come back...or..."

"How much do you want it?" Tony asked.

Abby closed her eyes, remembering the feel of his hands on her skin. His mouth. The even, measured way he'd spoken to her, telling her what he wanted from her. "I'm in trouble," she whispered. "Tony, I'm in so much trouble."

"Want a hug?"

With a sigh, she stepped forward, resting her forehead against his shoulder. He held her for a long moment before kissing her head and letting go. "If it's what you want, then be happy," Tony said quietly. "If it's not what you want, then don't let him talk you into it."

"He won't," Abby said, shaking her head. "He's left it up to me both times."

"Good." Tony smiled a little. "Be happy, Abs. If this is what you want, then be happy."

"DiNozzo!" There was no mistaking that bark; Abby jumped before turning back to her computer. "I sent you down here fifteen minutes ago. What are you still doing here?"

"I had to ask Abby a question about some evidence, Boss," Tony said blithely. "You need me upstairs?"

Gibbs just looked at him. Tony grinned. "Right." He didn't quite duck Gibbs' cuff upside the head on his way out of the lab.

"How's that coming?" Gibbs asked, nodding at the computer.

She grimaced. "It's kind of hinky. Whoever handled this computer after Stuart did something to the hard drive and it's taking me a while to un-wipe the wipe. I can do it, but it's taking a little longer than I thought it would. Not to mention--"

"Abs," he interrupted. "Just tell me when it's done." Despite his words, he was smiling a little.

"Sorry, s--" Abby shook her head. "No problem."

"It's your choice," he said quietly. "Your decision."

She swallowed and turned to the monitor. "I know."

Gibbs rested a hand on her shoulder. "Take your time to think about it. I'm not going to make you make up your mind right this instant."

"What if I want you to?" she whispered.

"Abby..." Gibbs' voice was a little huskier than usual. "Don't, Abby. Don't force yourself into deciding something if you're not sure."

"I want this, Gibbs, but--" Abby swallowed. "What if you don't?"

Gibbs laughed softly. "Pretty girl, trust me that I want this." He kissed her temple. "I'm not asking you to marry me," he murmured. "I'm asking you if you want to be my girl."

She closed her eyes. "I need--I don't know--"

"Think about it," he said softly. "I'm not asking you for a decision right now." He kissed her temple again. "You know where I'll be tonight."

The rest of the day passed somehow; Abby wasn't entirely sure how. She knew she wasn't working up to her usual standard; fortunately, nothing they were dealing with was insanely urgent and if she had to, she could redo some of her tests tomorrow. And fortunately for her sanity, Gibbs stayed away from her the rest of the day, as did Kate.

Tony came down to the lab around seven, as she was getting ready to leave. "Walk you to your car?" he offered.

"Sure." She grabbed her coat and slung her bag over her shoulder, bumping against Tony as they headed to the elevator.

"What'd you decide?" he asked, hitting the button.

She waited until they were inside to say anything. "He gave me an invitation. If I go to his place tonight..." Abby shrugged. "I don't know what'll happen if I don't."

"Are you going?"

Slowly, she nodded. "Yeah. I am."

"Just be careful, Abby. And I'm not talking about condoms."

Abby leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "I will. I promise."

The drive to Gibbs' house went by in a blur, but she didn't see his car when she parked outside. With a mental shrug, she walked up to the front door; unsurprisingly, it was unlocked. There was a light on in the kitchen, but the rest of the house was dark. "Gibbs?" she called.

No one answered, and when she peeked her head down the basement stairs no one was there. Then she saw the note on the kitchen counter, written in Gibbs' distinctive handwriting.

Last-minute lead on a case. I'll be back when I can. Make yourself comfortable, pretty girl--there's food in the fridge.

She smiled a little and went to the fridge, pulling out sandwich makings, along with a bottle of water. When she was done eating, she wiped down the counter and threw out her trash, stifling a yawn. God, but she was tired.

It was more effort than she wanted to think about to go upstairs and get out of her clothes, falling down on the neatly made bed. She grabbed a spare pillow and curled around it, closing her eyes without even bothering to turn off the light.

By the time he got home, it was after eleven and he was honestly surprised to see Abby's car in front of his house. He let himself in and--for once--locked the door behind himself before taking a quick look around downstairs. She wasn't there, although the light was still on in the kitchen.

The thought of food wasn't appetizing, but water sounded too good to pass up. He took a bottle out of the fridge and twisted off the cap, drinking long and deep. Once his thirst was quenched for the moment, he took another bottle out and closed the fridge. She wasn't downstairs, and he doubted she was in the basement, which meant she was upstairs.

And sure enough, she was curled up on his bed, her hair fanned out against the pillows, sound asleep. She'd undressed, her clothes piled in a heap in the corner. Gibbs smiled, shaking his head. "Pretty girl," he murmured. "My pretty girl."

He pulled his shirt and his undershirt off, tossing them into the hamper as he kicked off his socks and shoes and undid his belt. It slithered through the loops of his pants and he looked at it thoughtfully for a moment, imagining the red stripes it would leave against Abby's pale skin, before putting it down. Not tonight; not for a while, if last time was any indication. She needed careful handling; he'd need to get inside her head before he would take her that far.

When he finished undressing, he slid into bed behind her, drawing her into his arms. She sighed a little and snuggled back against him, her body soft and pliant under his touch. "Pretty girl," he murmured again, kissing her throat.

"Mmm..." Abby made a low sound, almost a purr, and stretched lazily. Gibbs knew the instant she woke up--she tensed all over before relaxing, realizing where she was. "Hi," she said shyly.

"Tired, pretty girl?" he asked, settling her more firmly against him.

"I was, sir. A little."

"It's all right. Do you want to go back to sleep?" What he had in mind could wait, and if she needed to sleep...

Abby shook her head. "I slept for a few hours, sir. I'm fine."

Gibbs kissed her throat again. "I like seeing you naked," he said softly. "When you're with me, you'll stay that way. Clothes off and legs open, pretty girl. Understand?"

"Yes sir," Abby whispered.

"I'm not a harsh master, pretty girl, but I do expect to be obeyed. I don't have many ground rules--break the ones I do and you won't like the consequences."

"Sir...what rules are there?" She sounded a little skittish, probably afraid he'd make her learn by trial and error.

"Not many. Clothes off, legs open. I expect obedience--I don't want a meek, timid girl in my bed, but push me too far and you'll regret it. And as long as you're my girl, your body is mine. You don't touch yourself, you don't come unless I give you express permission. I'll leave the games alone at work unless I think you need it." Gibbs kissed her temple. His hands stroked her breasts and her belly, light enough to be arousing, firm enough to be soothing. "That's about it. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Abby whispered with a shiver. She arched into his touch, sighing a little.

"I'll take care of you," he said quietly. "I'll give you everything you need, so long as you're mine."

"And if--"

He didn't need to be a profiler to know what was going through her mind. "If it doesn't work, we can discuss it then. But I don't want you to worry about it. Just relax, pretty girl. Just relax. I've got you. I'll take care of you."

Abby sighed a little; some of the remaining tension eased out of her body. "Good girl," he murmured, kissing her temple again. "That's my girl."

She twisted in his arms, leaning back to kiss him. He let her, shifting her so she faced him, holding her close. His hand ran down her back and up again, closing around the back of her neck. Abby gasped, shivering, and when he tightened his grip she moaned.

"You have no idea what I want to do with you," he said softly. "No idea what I can do with you. You've played before, but that's all it was. You've been looking for something more for a long, long time, haven't you?"

Her lips parted slightly, her eyes falling closed. "That's it," Gibbs said, keeping his voice quiet and even. "Fall for me, pretty girl." He kissed her gently, his tongue flicking over hers.

She was down hard; he saw it from the subtle change in her breathing, the way her head fell back to expose her throat. He let go of her neck and ran his hands down her arms, pulling her wrists over her head and holding them. "I could cuff you like this," he said, squeezing her wrists. "Bind you like this, tie you to the bed, hold you down. But I'm not going to. Do you know why, pretty girl?"

Slowly, she shook her head. "No, Master," she whispered.

The honorific surprised him, probably more than it should have. She was his girl now, after all, and she knew what that meant. He smiled slightly and kissed her as a reward; she yielded to him eagerly. "I'm not going to tie you because you're going to hold still for me," he said, pulling back slightly. "No matter what I do to you, you're going to hold still. Move, and I'll punish you. Stay still, and I'll reward you. Understand, pretty girl?"

"Yes, Master." Abby shivered a little, licking her lips instinctively.

Gibbs kissed her again, hard and deep, shifting his grasp on her wrists so he had one hand free and the other was wrapped around her thumbs, holding them in place. He rolled her onto her back, nipping at her jaw, her throat, smiling to himself at the way she shuddered under his touch. "Mine," he whispered against her skin.

Her legs fell apart and she arched under him, whimpering softly. He could feel her heat, smell the musk from her arousal; it made his mouth water. "Hold on to the headboard, pretty girl," he told her. "And don't move." Another time, he'd let her move, let her writhe under him and squirm under his touch, but not tonight. This was about control.

He slid down her body, kissing her breasts, tugging each rose-colored nipple between his teeth. Abby gasped when he did; she tensed but didn't move. Gibbs smiled to himself at the feel of her body going taut under him. He honestly wasn't sure she'd be able to keep still. If she didn't, they'd have to work on her control. If she did, they'd be free to work on other things.

When he reached her stomach, he nuzzled her skin, kissing her belly button and making her giggle. On a whim, he ran his fingers up her ribs and made her bite back a shriek, trembling with the effort not to move.

So. She was ticklish. Always a good thing to know.

He moved down a little more, spreading her legs wider, his hands on her thighs to keep her there. "Oh God," Abby whispered, apparently realizing what he was going to do.

"Don't move," he reminded her, right before he bent his head between her legs.

She tasted of salt and musk, silky wet heat on his tongue. He flicked his tongue over her clit, enough to tease, enough to make her whimper. No more than that. Not yet.

He took his time with her, tasting her, licking her, drinking her in a little more each time. He heard her whimpering, moaning, felt her shivering as she tried to stay still. "Please--Master, please--" Her husky voice was raspy now, ragged with need. "Master--"

Gibbs scraped his teeth over her clit in response; Abby cried out and her thighs flexed under his hands before she forced herself to lie back. He raised his head, licking his lips. "I told you not to move," he reminded her. "Am I going to have to tie you?"

"No, Master, I'll stay still, I promise..." Abby's hands were clenched so tightly around the headboard her knuckles were white. There was a fine sheen of sweat over her skin and her face was flushed.

"Don't promise something you can't do." He nipped her thigh as a warning. "Don't lie to me, pretty girl. If you can't do something, if I've given you an order you honestly can't obey, tell me. I'll push you, but not past what you can handle. Understand?"

She nodded shakily. "Yes, Master."

He knelt up between her legs, leaning down to kiss her. With one hand, he braced himself over her; his other slid down her body, between her legs, rubbing her clit lazily. "Don't come," he said softly. "Not until I'm inside you."

Abby whined a little in frustration, biting her lip. She didn't beg--smart girl, Gibbs thought with an inward smile. She wanted to, but she didn't.

Damn, but he was going to have fun with her.

Much as he'd have liked to draw things out, this wasn't a night for that. He was tired, she was probably exhausted, and it was better to save some things until after they'd discussed limits in a bit more detail. So he leaned down to kiss her again, nibbling at her lips, teasing her tongue with his own.

"Pretty girl," he whispered against her mouth. "My pretty girl."

Abby sighed a little, pressing as closely against him as she could. "Master," she breathed.

The condoms were in his nightstand; he had to pull his hand away from her clit to reach them and take one out before sitting back to open it and roll it on. "Move with me," he said softly. "Move with me, come for me...don't hold back now, pretty girl. Give me everything."

With one smooth push, he entered her. Abby cried out, arching under him. Her body was taut with need already and he knew it was going to take almost nothing to make her come. Then again, he could say the same for himself. His control was slipping already.

She wrapped herself around him, her legs around his hips and her nails scratching his back. Every time he thrust into her she clenched around him, shuddering and twisting. "Oh God--oh God--" Her breath caught in her throat; she was panting for air, every inhalation a desperate whine. "Oh--oh God--"

He was going to have nail marks in his skin for days from the way she dug in when she came, but damn if it didn't feel good. He kissed her again, hard and demanding, drinking in her soft moans as he drove her toward climax again. "C'mon, pretty girl," he murmured. "Come for me." He wasn't going to last much longer and he needed her to break before he let himself fall over that edge.

With a near-scream, she came again, her body going limp under his. Gibbs closed his eyes and let the demands of his body overtake him, pushing him harder and faster until he groaned and came inside her, his heart pounding.

He stayed inside her for a little while, just enjoying the feel of her around him. When he pulled out of her body, Abby made a soft sound of protest. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her before getting rid of the condom. "Pretty girl," he said softly.

She was completely out of it. Her eyes were closed, her body was lax against the bed, and he could see from her breathing that she was still floating. "Under the covers, pretty girl," he told her, pulling them back. "C'mon."

Abby didn't move; he wasn't sure she'd even heard him. Gibbs chuckled softly and moved her, tucking her in. He slid in next to her and turned off the light before drawing her against him, kissing her forehead. "My girl," he murmured, stroking her hair. "Mine."