Authors note; Not sure about posting this one. I really don't hate McGee, at all, but my last fic was pretty dark and this was soooooo much fun to write. Abby's opinions in this are for the most part, my own. Thanks to Abbyforever for beta'ing.
Warning; mild McGee (and Orlando Bloom) bashing ahead.
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It was becoming a habit. McGee would show up two or three times a week, having driven the distance from Norfolk. He was obviously keen. It amused Gibbs and DiNozzo to no end. They had seen Abby go through a number of guys over the years, they all stayed around for a while, kept her happy, made her smile but none of them seemed to really *get* her. Eventually, they would stop coming around after she'd make some good natured comment about not wanting commitment and life would go on.
This was the first time they had seen McGee after work, signifying an evening date. Previously he had been around at times during the day, taking her to lunch or for coffee. Night-time outings were a step up in the Abby-dating-guide; she didn't like the sun and with no work timetable constraints it probably suggested more time together, as well as being a generally more traditional date time.
"Ah, Probie, you shouldn't have," said Tony, nodding to the box of expensive chocolates in McGee's hands.
McGee flustered visibly, he was never quite sure where he stood with Tony, but thankfully he was saved from stammering out his answer because Gibbs appeared behind his subordinate and smacked him firmly around the head, gathering in McGee with a look as he strode past.
"Taking Abby out again, McGee?" If Tony confused the green agent, Special Agent Gibbs down right scared him. He could never quite read the look in the other man's eyes.
"Yes, sir," he replied with a blush, dropping his gaze to his shoes. Her team was bad enough; he was glad he had yet to meet her family.
"Then you had better not keep her waiting…and don't call me sir," Gibbs growled. It was so much fun.
McGee nodded and turned away from the group of desks towards the elevator, as he reached it he heard his name called and looked back over his shoulder.
"Hey McGee," it was Agent Gibbs, and he was looking nonchalantly at a file on his desk. He looked up briefly at the nervous young man, "she prefers dark chocolate."
At Kate's nod of confirmation over Gibbs' shoulder, McGee's shoulders slumped and he stepped into the elevator.
The next morning, Gibbs entered the bull-pen to find DiNozzo at his desk, feet on the surface, picking his way through a box of discarded milk chocolates.
Two weeks later and it was another date night.
"Where to tonight, McGee?" asked DiNozzo as he perched on Kate's desk, leaving off tormenting her momentarily to indulge in his less frequently available pursuit of Timmy-baiting.
"We're going to the cinema tonight," replied McGee, straightening his jacket lapels.
"Oh nice," Kate smiled at him sweetly, happy for her friend; he was a …nice boy. "What are you two going to see?"
"A nice date movie, I thought a romantic comedy or something. Abby might enjoy seeing the new Orlando Bloom movie, you know, eye candy to keep her happy." McGee looked to Tony for some solidarity and Tony nodded, with a slightly incredulous although well-battled-for-straight-face. It was especially hard as Kate lost her fight with the giggles just behind him and Gibbs had to look away, attempting to hide his grin.
When Abby stormed through the lab the next morning she was muttering about talentless pretty-boy no-hopers who made her feel queasy every time they opened their mouths. Tony wasn't quite sure if she meant Orlando Bloom or McGee.
"Abby, what is that?" said Gibbs, his eye being caught by something garishly colourful as he moved to leave the room having just received a very detailed report as to why the Petty Officer they had in custody couldn't be the murdered they were looking for. It involved his having been downloading porn somewhere across town at the time, but as long as she could prove it in court, he didn't really need to know the rest.
"A clown doll," she replied, her nose screwed up as she turned to look at the offending item.
"But you hate clowns, they freak you out," he said moving towards the shelf it rested on to examine it.
"Is it any wonder when they are that hinky looking, and not in a good way?" He grinned at her over his shoulder, putting the thing back in its place. "Nothing that scary should be sent to entertain young children!"
"So, why do you have it in your lab?"
"Because it was too scary for my bedroom and McGee picked it out for me the other night at the carnival we went to, I couldn't just toss it."
"Huh. He win it?" asked Gibbs, mildly curious.
"No, I did. McGee pitches like a girl. I let him pick the prize to make up for it."
Gibbs nodded and continued out of the room, leaving Abby looking at the manically grinning face. She shuddered and returned to her work.
McGee had been called in to do some work on Gibbs' computer. Some how the Special Agent had managed to make it emit a non-stop beeping noise of varying pitch that was driving the entire floor crazy. As Gibbs was already black-listed by the in-house computer geeks, and McGee was in town thanks to last nights date with Abby, he was doing them all a favour.
Once the problem had been resolved, he decided to go down and see Abby. The rest of her team had just left on a new case so she wouldn't have any new evidence until they got back.
As he suspected, she was tinkering with one of her machines, getting it ready for the evidence that would be with her soon. She smiled at him as he entered her domain and jumped to her feet.
"Hey Timmy, how's it going?"
"Just fine thanks, Abby. Here I got you a Caf-Pow." He thrust the over-sized cup at her with the excitement of a small puppy.
She took it and placed it on her desk, next to her morning coffee cup that Gibbs had provided her with. "Thanks McGee," she said with a beaming smile…but still, "it's a little early for the bubbles, but I'll get to it." She was in earnest, he could see that… but still. He smiled back at her, a small smile, and left her to her tweaking.
Hours later, he was still hanging around. He didn't need to be back in Norfolk for three days, anyway, and their cases were always more interesting here at HQ. This one was no exception. As he followed the team into the lab for Abby's findings he saw Gibbs hand her a Caf-Pow, and watched in dismay as she sucked it down between threads of scientific babble. Apparently now was the time for bubbles.
Abby was suffering from a particularly nasty bout of food poisoning. It had started that morning when she had felt dizzy. For a while it had been fun, but then came the nausea, the vomiting, the listlessness and finally the fever. By the time Ducky had ordered her to the hospital after she had been dragged to see him by a very anxious Gibbs, she needed an IV drip for re-hydration, a healthy dose of pain killers, and a lot of rest and relaxation.
Kate and Tony had showed up after work and were sitting joking with the Goth about being paler than usual when Tony noticed the flowers in Abby's sink. "Who are the flowers from, Abbs?"
"McGee. He felt guilty; he took me out to dinner yesterday and wanted to order for me."
"Ouch," said DiNozzo, around an amused chuckle.
"Oh," Kate grimaced, "and he brought red roses?" she said, a sympathetic look when Abby nodded.
Tony noticed the look between the two women and shrugged, "what's wrong with red roses?"
"Abby," said Gibbs as he entered her private room, stooping to kiss her on the forehead, "prefers Gerberas and Tulips. She thinks roses are fussy and hates them unless they are black."
Abby nodded, happily grinning and then gasped in delight as Gibbs brought a bouquet from behind his back. In it were blood red Tulips and Gerberas that had been dyed navy blue.
On seeing her rapture Tony piped up, "Hey Boss, maybe you should be the one dating Abby." A resounding slap was his reply.
On Kate retrieving a vase from the nurses' station, Gibbs bouquet were given pride of place by her bedside and returned home with her the next morning. The roses were sent to the children's ward, she only had one vase at home.
When Abby was released, Gibbs took her to his place ‘where he could keep an eye on her.' He then invited the rest of the team around to keep them company, he knew they were all worried abut Abby and a night in with a DVD was probably a good idea for them all.
They were all scattered around his living room when he returned from the rental store. He had stopped off and brought provisions for the night and he handed Kate a sprite, Tony and Ducky a Bud each and Abby a Caf-Pow. He then retreated to his kitchen to put the coffee on and the rest of the drinks in the fridge. When he returned to the lounge he was holding 4 bars of Green and Blacks 70% chocolate and a stuffed hippo.
Sitting down on the couch, he noticed the strange looks he was getting and thrust the hippo out to Abby, placing the chocolate on the coffee table. "He wanted to belong to you," he said, shaking the hippo when she didn't reach for it. She took it from him and, as her hands clasped against its stomach, it let out a loud farting noise. The shocked, incredulous look on Kate's face, combined with the noise, had everyone killing themselves laughing.
"I love him," gushed Abby as she got herself back together, pulling the hippo; "Bert", to her chest as she reached for a bar of chocolate. Handing it around, she watched in horror as Tony stuffed a line of blocks in his mouth and started munching mechanically.
"Tony! What the hell are you doing? You've got to let it melt on your tongue. That is the only way to eat dark chocolate. You're eating it like it's a Dairy Milk or something!" He shrugged and swallowed with a gulp, taking a swig of his beer to wash it down as she mumbled "Heathen" under her breath.
"What movie did you choose, Gibbs?" asked Kate, as the other two bickered good naturedly.
Ducky reached into the bag and answered for him, "Dogma, not seen it myself but Abby raves about it."
"Kevin Smith; way to go Gibbs," said Tony reaching for the box and turning to the player. Abby squealed and hugged Gibbs, bouncing in her seat as she straightened.
"I take it you like Kevin Smith films too, my dear?" asked Ducky with a tolerant smile.
Abby shrugged and said "Sure, but I love Alan Rickman more," with a huge grin.
"You love Alan Rickman?" asked Tony, mildly disgusted, "that guy is old enough to be your father."
"Like I care, he's dead sexy; ‘I'll cut your heart out with a spoon!…It's dull you twit, it'll hurt more!'" rasped Abby, menacingly in an attempt at a British accent. Then she pretended to swoon, her hands clasped to her chest around her hippo, coming to rest on Gibbs shoulder with a dreamy expression on her face. Her theatrics, along with the large farting sound her teddy emitted set them all off laughing again.
The week prior to Abby's birthday, McGee, Kate and Abby were in the bull pen discussing plans for the celebrations.
"So you and I are still on for shopping and lunch on your actual birthday, right? Because there is this thing I wanna get you but I'm not sure about it," Kate looked slightly unsure of herself but Abby was bouncing, so that was a good sign.
"Of course we're still on and I know I'll love it!" she threw her arms exuberantly around Kate, grinning with delight. Kate's smile was relieved and she squeezed her friend back.
"So, ahem, Abby? Can I take you out the night before your birthday?" The girls pulled back from each other, keeping their arms braced on the others shoulders. They shared an ‘Oops' look, before Abby glanced sheepishly over her shoulder at McGee.
"Well, actually…"
"No, you can't McGee." Gibbs strode through the bull pen, dropping a number of files on to his desk before approaching the others at Kate's.
McGee pressed his lips together and nodded, before looking questioningly at Abby. "Why?"
"Because McGee, *I* take Abby out the night before her birthday."
At Abby's confirming nod and bright beaming smile, McGee conceded to this pre-standing arrangement. Apparently he had no choice.
"The night before that, then?"
"Sure McGee, that'll be just fine," Gibbs accepted for her, and Abby rewarded him with an indulgent smile. She then turned to Tim and nodded to confirm her willingness.
So, two days before her birthday, McGee took Abby out for dinner. He took her to a fancy French restaurant where they ate rich food and danced in the small ballroom. The dinner, dress and dancing were all very formal. It was nice, pretending that she belonged in that world for a while.
On the way home they stopped for coffee. McGee ordered for them as she ‘powdered her nose.' On accepting her cup from him, she smiled sweetly and then sipped the brew. Her smile turned quizzical.
"What is this, McGee."
"Coffee, black like you asked for."
"It doesn't taste right…is this *decaff*?" she was incredulous.
"Um, yeah. I'm guessing you want to sleep at some point tonight."
She smiled again and tried to force some of the muddy water down. "You're right McGee, I am pretty tired. Maybe we should go."
He looked disappointed but walked her home nevertheless. On her door step, he faced her and shyly passed her an envelope. "I really like you, Abby. Happy birthday." Then he kissed her, a sweet kiss that made her smile, and left.
The next night she went out with Gibbs as usual. He took her to a grill and bar with live jazz. They ate steaks and danced along to the hypnotic music afterwards, drinking all the while from the bar. It was just like being back home.
As they stumbled to Abby's at the end of the evening, they were both in fits of laughter. "He really brought you *decaff*?!? That's priceless."
"Do you want a coffee now?" asked Abby, looking up at her door. She turned back to Gibbs and he held her gaze with a penetrating look. He caught her smiling lips with his mouth as he kissed her reverently, pushing her up against the wall of her building, his hands in her hair, framing her face as he took his sweet time.
When he eventually pulled back he leaned his forehead against Abby's and looked into her eyes. "I should go home, Abs, but happy birthday." He kissed her cheek and forced an envelope into her hands that were still clutching his collar for dear life. With a slight groan of reluctance he pulled back. He didn't look at her as he walked away.
It was 3.15pm. She should have finished lunch with Kate by now, where the hell was she? McGee stood pacing outside of the health spa he had checked Abby into for an afternoon of pampering. A shrill beeping alerted him to a text message on his phone.
*Hey, sorry 4 the short notice but I wn't B able 2 make it. I made sure U could get UR $ back on the treatments. We need to talk. 2moro?*
‘We need to talk,' well, they never went well. Still McGee wasn't really surprised. He shrugged. There was a new administrator starting at Norfolk on Monday, apparently she had legs for days.
It was 3.15pm and she was late. He hated waiting. He dumped his now empty coffee cup in a nearby trash can and was about to leave when he heard his named called from behind him. Turning just in time to gather in a flying Abby, he settled her to the ground and captured her lips.
She pulled back with a huge grin, "is this for real?" she was waving a familiar envelope in his face. "Any tat I want?"
"Sure, but…"
"But?" she raised her eyebrows.
He pulled her back into a kiss and murmured "I (kiss) get (kiss) final veto (kiss) on where (kiss) and what (kiss)."
Her eyes sparkled as she grinned at him, "I can live with that." She dragged him by the hand into the tattoo parlour they were stood out side of.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.