Tells to the Puzzle

by Moody-Muse

McGee being a meany, Ziva being protective and Abby being a catalyst. Femslash.

Weird story I made up one night. One-shot for now. Seems OOC and twisty to me but I suppose it will have to do for my first major NCIS attempt.

---

Ziva is typing at her desk when her phone rings and she snatches it, "Agent David."

"Ziver, get down to Abby. She's gonna get a puzzle and I need it done in the hour."

"On it sir."

He hung up and Ziva locked her computer, not bothering to save and shut down everything as she was sure she was the only one who knew her password.

She hits the button for the elevator and it opens swiftly, Tim standing with a scowl on his face.

"What is wrong?" Ziva frowns at him and he looks from glaring at the space above her head to her face.

"Nothing."

"Oh."

Ziva waits for him to step out and when he does not she sighs, "McGee, I am trying to go see Abby. Unless you are waiting for the same-" she broke off at his snort.

"Uh-oh, are the children fighting?" Ziva glances over her shoulder at Tony as he leans on the edge of the desk partition and Ziva knows Gibbs must be down talking to Ducky.

"I wouldn't go see Abby Ziva."

Tony blinks at Tim's quiet words, he was sure the fight was between the ninja and the geek, not his favorite goth.

Ziva turns hard eyes on Tim. "Why?"

He scowls again and Ziva steps into the elevator, grabs Tim's arm when he moves to get out and stares ahead. "No. We are going to go see Abby Timothy." The use of his full name helps to clear the haze of anger and Tony feels his mouth turn into a smirk as his eyes grow wider.

"I'm not missing this!" he jumps in as the doors close and the three descend is silence.

The elevator stops and Ziva stands still, absorbing the silence of the lab.

"What did you do Timothy?"

Tony glances at him now, concern on his face as he realizes the fight is actually between the goth and geek and he hopes the woman he thinks of as a little sister is okay.

Tim sighs, "I...I told her..." Ziva waits, not looking at him, just staring toward the lab. "I told her to grow up."

Tony gapes and Ziva turns slowly to Tim, swallows to rid her mouth of the angry taste blooming and nods once before stepping out. Tim and Tony follow almost compulsively.

"No. Both of you go away."

Neither heed her warning though both falter.

When Ziva enters the lab she sees Abby sitting in her chair hugging Burt tightly as black trails of makeup mark her pale skin.

Tony grips Tim's shirt to stop him and get him out as his anger swells at the sight of Abby and he knows Ziva will be upset. He yelps in surprise as Tim shoots froward and the stares.

Tim moves toward Abby who looks up with teary eyes and sniffles, "Go away!"

And then Ziva's fist hits Tim's jaw and he stumbles and her fiery eyes lock on Tony and he nods before grabbing Tim and ushering him out and leaving his little sister to be tended by his partner the ninja.

Abby stares at Ziva and she wants to angry at the assassin for hurting one of her team but she sniffles and mutters, "Good riddance."

Ziva sighs and moves forward before kneeling in front of Abby. She moves Burt from her grasp and then wraps her arms around Abby, the woman embracing her tightly.

"Tell me about it."

Abby sobs and lets go of the words that hurt her, "He and me were flirting around like we always do, ya know? And we were being chummy, like you and Tony! That's all we ever do!"

Ziva nods, she knows the way Abby and Tim act, friends who happen to flirt. The geeky version of her and Tony.

"And then he picked up my phone because it was ringing and I was in the back and...and..."

Ziva rubs her back and waits quietly.

"My friend with benefits was on the other side of the line."

Ziva frowns, "Who?"

Abby sighs and turns red, "She's kinda my girlfriend and she's kinda not. We have sex and that's it. It's called FWB. It means you have someone you have sex with but no relationship."

Ziva blinks and tilts her head, "He was upset, yes? Over the benefit part of the her part?"

Abby blinks and then stares at Ziva being unfazed by her confession. She had expected the Israeli to at least pull back, being here had helped her become slightly comfortably with public displays of affection but Abby knew America would never completely neutralize the foundation that raised Ziva.

Ziva smirks slightly and now draws back, only to cup Abby's face in her gentle, work rough hands. "I knew Abby. It was not my secret to tell or talk about, so I did not. I felt you would tell us, tell me, when ready."

Abby sighs and looks down, tears slowing. She swallows. "I wish it was you who answered my phone."

Ziva's eyes harden again at the mention and she sets her jaw. "What exactly did Timothy say?"

Abby looks at the ceiling and her hold on Ziva tightens, only to have the assassin rub her thumbs along the apples of her cheeks, catching and smearing some of the tears.

Just outside the door Gibbs stands with the box of parts that once made up a desktop tower and monitor set and a two laptops. He listens carefully, having joined the males on his team in the elevator and witnessed Tim's bruising jaw.

"He hung up on her and then he yelled at me. He said-he..." Abby sobs and shakes and Ziva makes soothing noises as she leans her forehead to Abby's, comforting her as she always wished to be comforted. She does not mind the PDA, knows Abby welcomes all affection.

"He said I was a horrible person for stringing along his emotions and playing him for my need of constant attention. He said I was needy and that I was manipulative and that I just used him until I could get to my girlfriends. He told me to grow up and to stop...to stop grabbing onto to anyone who happened to look at me twice."

Gibbs tightens his hold on the box and then turns to the elevator silently.

Ziva growls and stands swiftly, pulling away easily from Abby and moving to the elevator. Gibbs pauses as the doors open and glances back to see Ziva's form turned toward his might-as-well-be daughter as she grips her arm.

"Zee, please, leave him alone now. Just..stay down here with me?"

Ziva sighs and pulls her arm, Abby's grasp sending her forward and Ziva gently disengages Abby's grip and the goth shakes her head but then smiles and laughs slightly as Ziva hugs her close.

Gibbs smirks and moves into the elevator. He'd be back after he dealt with a few things. His girls needed time to get it together before they tried putting together the smashed pieces.

Ziva moves Abby back to the chair and sets her down, kneeling again and holding to the shaky goth.

"Do you think he meant it?"

Ziva thinks about the small whisper that finally breaks the silence and then sighs. "No. Abby...Timothy could not have meant it. He is...men do not always understand the line that separates friends and lovers. It can blur and it can change with each man and woman, yes?" Abby nods and listens. "He misunderstood and so bashed out from hurt, to hurt you as well."

"Lashed."

Ziva smirks slightly, "Yes. That is what I said."

Abby shakes her head, "No, you said bashed."

"But the term is lashed and that is what I meant."

Abby giggles and rolls her eyes and Ziva smiles, "That is better. There is the pretty girl we know and love." Abby stills as Ziva wipes her tears and looks over Ziva's concentrated face.

Abby's breath catches as she is struck by the thought that Ziva was so open and tender, so gentle and patient with her and she hopes for a second that maybe Ziva looks at her without the shock and disgust because she feels more than friendly.

Of course, she pushes the train of thoughts away as being more than friendly had here here in the first place.

"What is wrong?" Ziva frowns at her breath catching and now concentrates on her face, examining to see if any more upset resides on Abby's face.

Abby musters a smile, "Nothing. Just...nothing."

Ziva sighs and resigns herself to not pushing the peppy goth. She sits back on her haunches and watches Abby bite her lip before the pale woman slides to the floor and adjusts her position so that she is knees to knees with her. Ziva pulls back, sets on her bottom and beckons Abby forward again. Abby crawls and Ziva keeps her eyes off the swish of Abby's hips encased in tripp pants with red stitching along the seams. She thanks her training for being able to notice every detail without outright looking.

Abby sighs as she settles with her legs off to the side, body nestled with her right side to Ziva's front as she sits between the ninja's open legs and holds her about the waist, feels warm, soft, feminine and muscular arms encircling her shoulders. Her legs sit with the knees bent, updrawn slightly and feet resting on the floor so that she does not hinder Ziva's leg that rests under her raised knees.

Ziva pulls her legs closer, wraps them almost touching Abby and rests her cheek on her temple.

"Do I need to grow up?"

Ziva starts to answer, Abby rushes on as if she can not stop. "Is he right? Am I just an attention-whore? Do I just seek affection from anyone who so much as smiles my way?"

Ziva rubs her hands along Abby's shoulders and pulls her closer.

"Abby,"

"Ziva, be honest!" Abby looks up at her now, feeling as if Ziva will begin to patronize her.

Ziva tilts her head slightly and blinks, cocks an eyebrow that seems to request and challenge all at once. Abby keeps quiet to let her go on.

"I think you seek out affection, you certainly are not afraid of it. I do not think you get it from just anyone. You-Abby," Ziva sighs and hugs her closer. "You look at people and see them. So if you decide someone is worth the risk of hurting and you allow yourself to be affection and to get affection, it means they must be special. Many people smile at you and I doubt all of them would meet your standards."

Abby stares up at Ziva, head tilted so she look at her profile.

"And you do not need to grow up. You are a grown woman, so what if you enjoy watching cartoons sometimes and have the kind of attitude that keeps us all smiling? We need you like you are Abby, everyone knows it is you who helps to keep us together when we are flustering."

Abby closes her eyes with a smile and rests her head completely in the crook of Ziva's neck as she feels Ziva's hands rubbing her shoulders.

"Right. You're right. And if anyone needs to grow up it's Tim for being so immature and mean. And Tony, I guess."

Ziva chuckles, "Yes. Your cartoon habit has nothing on his movie addiction."

At that moment, Gibbs speaks, "I pay you two to play grab-ass now?"

Ziva snorts, "No. You pay us for the work we do before the grab-ass."

Abby giggles and starts to stand, looking at Gibbs and taking in the two coffees, Caf-Pow! and large evidence box.

Ziva releases her and stands first, helps Abby up and keeps an arm around her waist with a look at Gibbs that dares him to mention it.

He smirks, nods once. He offers up the Caf-Pow! and one coffee and Gibbs watches his girls smile.

"Thank you boss."

"Thanks Gibbs!"

He chuckles and glances at the box, sipping his own coffee. "Need this done pretty quick. Our suspect walks in two hours."

Ziva frowns, "Not one hour?"

"No. I found a few things to keep her for a while. Might be up to a day once the director and Tobias see the interview on the news. Jurisdiction issues."

Abby smirks, "You've been busy being naughty!"

"Had to give you two time to put it all together."

Ziva smiles her thanks to Gibbs, glad Abby will not need to rush even more after the emotional strain caused by her least favorite team member at the moment. As if hearing her thoughts, Gibbs turns to leave.

"McGee's out for the rest of the day, searching the rest of the dumpsters in the apartment complex for any more evidence. If you need Tony, he's starting paperwork."

"You will be with our suspect, yes?"

"That, or with his favorite FBI man and Vance."

Gibbs pauses at the door. "Oh, and Ziver?" She looks up from the box as her thumb absently swipes back and forth over Abby's hip. Abby seems not to mind and Gibbs smirks. "Your knuckles are bleeding all over Abby."

With that, he departs and Abby looks at Ziva, sets her cup down and grabs the hand on her waist to examine the split knuckles that had connected with Tim's jaw.

"It is nothing Abby. Go clean up, we must get this done before Tony arrives to bother us."

Abby rolls her eyes and shakes her head, "You need these looked at!"

Ziva pulls her hand away and takes a drink of coffee before setting her cup aside as well. "I am fine Abby. It was for a worthy cause. Now, we must stop with the grab-ass or Gibbs will send Tony just to punish us."

Abby giggles and then leans close to Ziva, presses a kiss to her cheek on impulse and pulls back. "Thanks Zee."

Ziva nods, not trusting her voice as she turns to pull on gloves. They set to work and Ziva wonders if Abby likes her now, if maybe she realizes the secret she keeps. She brushes the thoughts away, chalks the kiss up to Abby's thankfulness and rationalizes that if Abby has any feelings for her romantically it is because of her defense of her. The feelings would be nothing more than a short lived case of hero worship with Abby the damsel in distress and Ziva as the knight in shining armor.

A sigh escapes her lips and she ignores Abby's questioning look as she pretends to struggle with the pieces before her.

After ten minutes of silent work Abby snaps the gloves off, moves to turn on music and dons a new pair of gloves before resuming. After another ten minutes she asks, "How did you know?"

Ziva glances up and smirks, "I suspected the night you told us of your friend's concert, when you came in the morning after you were very happy. There was different music on-the music you play after you have had a night of...fun. It was easy to notice the pattern with the men and I could not help but pick up on it with the women."

Abby blushes and looks down, Ziva hopes she does not know that there were more than one ways she could tell. She feels bad for the omission of facts but to say more would be to tell Abby she can recognize the signs of a female wanting another female, of a woman about to go on a date with another woman versus with a man and of a woman who has been spending her time with other women. She can not reveal that she knows the signs though she almost wishes she could so she could help Abby hide the tells better so as to protect her from those who could pick up on them and use them against her.

They work quietly again and then Abby's gloved hand grabs Ziva's. Ziva looks at her in question and Abby tugs her away from the table, eyes fixed on her hand. Ziva glances down and sees blood dripping on her wrist and coating the inside of the glove. She sighs, reclaims her hand and pulls off the gloves over the trashcan. She uses a tissue to wipe up the blood and then grabs three gloves, putting one on her injured right hand and snapping a rubber band around the wrist of the glove so as to hold in any dripping blood and placing another glove to cover the band. She resumes work and Abby shakes her head.

"When we're done you're going to Ducky for stitches."

Ziva pouts, "It is not my fault his jaw was so bony. Though I know he is worse off than I am."

Abby sighs, "Of course. My hero!"

Ziva chuckles tightly and Abby frowns slightly, wondering if she's making her friend uncomfortable. She is about to ask when Ziva nudges her hip with hers, "Look," Ziva holds half of the laptops hard drive with three other pieces, completing the piece of equipment. Abby grabs the camera and catalogs it.

"You're still going to Ducky." she grumbles.

After an hour and a half, the computers are together and Abby is recovering random pieces of data. She pinpoints where the small bomb was planted on the Marine's monitor and plugs the numbers into a program, generating a reenactment of the blast of the bomb that destroyed the computers and burned the woman to death.

"Why is this case itchy on jurisdiction?"

"Iffy."

Silence. Abby glances at Ziva who still has her right hand in the glove and rubber band. "Gibbs suggested that she was responsible for civilian deaths. Which just means I have to run her print against the one on the bomb remnant and show it doesn't match the other files and we have her."

Ziva nods and then watches as four positive matches show up.

"Uh-oh."

Ziva calls Gibbs but he ignores her, strides in with Tobias at his heels.

After a short explanation of the findings Abby finds herself watching Gibbs and Tobias in the room with their suspect.

Ziva stand wiping her knuckles off and Abby glances over, sees that they are not even scabbed over yet. She worries her lip between her teeth as Tony enters.

"Ouch ninja. Ya know, his jaw looks way worse. And now he stinks."

Abby grins to Ziva who winks at her, a flutter jumping in the goth's stomach.

Gibbs turns to look into the one-way mirror and Ziva grins a Cheshire-Cat grin. "This will be fun."

She leaves the room and Tony smirks, "Poor Susan, never gonna know what hit her."

Abby watches Tobias and Gibbs wait as Ziva enters, the two men clear out as Ziva leans on the wall and wipes her knuckles slowly.

"What? You the one who roughs up the women when they can't get a confession?" Susan's voice is bitter and full of contempt but Ziva hears the undertone and she knows Abby hears it as well. She almost feels a twinge of regret at having to show Abby all her cards now. Well, most of them.

"How long she gonna take? Our hold ends in twenty minutes."

"Easy Tobias, Ziva's got it."

Abby smiles, "She'll be quick."

Tony watches between Ziva working and Abby spectating and feels a suspicion rise in the back of his mind.

Ziva tosses away the tissue and walks to the table, leans her palms on the edge so she is bent slightly and looking center at Susan. She smirks ever so slightly and the woman looks over her face. Her eyes flick to her cleavage on display and Ziva tilts her head as she waits for her eyes to come back up.

"Did you know that when you are aroused your voice takes on a warm tone? Huskier. It can not be covered by anger or fear. Or anything. I have learned to hear that little undertone."

Susan's face reddens and she splutters, "Listen you bitch, I am not attracted to you!"

Ziva smiles, "Maybe. Maybe not. But, your voice had that tone when you talked with McKenzie. Is that why you took so long to kill her? You actually felt for her?"

Susan stands and Ziva does not bother to move as the woman leans closer, "Go to hell!"

"Been there. Sit down Susan." she purrs the words and the woman pulls back, eyes looking over Ziva.

Ziva sighs, stands and rounds the table, she sits on the edge and looks into Susan's eyes.

"When I heard the tapes of your conversations and read the messages it was...enthralling. You were taken with her. She was not the first woman you killed but she is the first victim of yours to actually receive the tone. And the way you were when you talked of her? My, it must have been quiet the attraction between you two. And I do not doubt it was real." Ziva looks away, at the blood on her knuckles again, "I did not get this roughing up a woman or a suspect. One of my team members upset someone I care about. You see, he answered her phone and it was her lover. He was upset to hear that he was not her type."

Ziva looks into Susan's eyes and the woman understands. She sits and listens, the fact that she could be arrested for real soon fading every time she looks into those warm brown eyes.

"Lesbian?"

Abby watches ensnared in the actions and Tony looks at Gibbs who is studying Ziva and Abby.

"No. We go both ways, like you, yes?" Susan nods hesitantly. Tony starts to make a comment and Gibbs slaps his head quickly. Abby barely notices and Tobias shifts.

"This all true?"

"Family secret." He pauses, "I'm not sure."

The quiet whisper between the two rival-friends is unnoticed.

"Well. She...she is not as tough as she seems, my friend. She...she really is fragile with certain things. One of those things is when she decides she trusts someone enough to be close to them. They have power to hurt her and my team member did. So I hurt him. Did you kill the first one because he had hurt your friend?"

Susan's eyes well with tears. "He didn't hurt her, he raped her! That's beyond hurt!"

Ziva moves closer to Susan, lays a hand to her shoulder. "Why the others? Why McKenzie?"

Susan sobs, "I...I...those men were evil! They hurt people like me and Rhia!"

"Why the women?"

"They were just as bad! Oh, you don't understand!"

Susan shoots up and her hands grip Ziva's upper arms and Abby starts to the door when Gibbs stops her and shakes his head. Abby worries her lip more and wants to protect Ziva as she protects her.

"Those women weren't like us! They didn't understand! And when I tried to tell them it was okay to be who they were they all started off on how I was wrong, they weren't heathen monsters like me! But...but they were every bit of me and Rhia as we were us!"

Ziva nods, "I understand. I also know that McKenzie was known to her family as to having lesbian relationships. Why did you kill her?"

Susan breaks down in sobs, "She...she wasn't out when we met. I told her it was okay and she had me meet her family and...and...and then I caught her with..."

Ziva sighs, "So you employed your punishment for the evil on her for cheating?"

Susan shakes her head, "She was with a man! She told me she loved me! I thought I had found someone like Rhia, that I could protect her! When I saw them, I thought her was hurting her and I burst in and she..."

"She was not hurting."

Susan shakes her head and cries and Ziva hugs her gently and whispers, "I need you to sign a confession Susan. It will help the case. It will give you a chance of escaping the death penalty. Will you sign it?"

Susan hesitates, "Will her family find out?"

"They will know you killed her, yes."

"No. No," Susan shakes her head, "Will they find out it was over a man? They were happy for us. They even wanted a wedding. We were going to her hometown for our three year anniversary. They can't find out about him."

Ziva pulls back and looks at the glass, as if asking Gibbs if it can be helped. Gibbs chews the story around and decides some editing can be done for the press.

"Yes. But, one condition." Ziva speaks as soon as his mind is made up and not one of the people thinks on the connection that binds the team.

"Why did you stop the punishments?"

Susan smiles and looks at her hands. "Because I found an angel, I found someone who made me feel like Rhia did. It was...I couldn't be angry, I couldn't be hidden from her. I told her everything and you know what she said?" Susan swallows and clasps her hands together, rests her chin on them. "She told me it didn't matter what was in the past, even if I'd killed people. She said she had to kill people in battle and she didn't think her purging the world of bad was any different than what I did. She accepted me ma'am. She was...she was my safe haven."

Ziva swallows and nods. She stands and lightly squeezes the civilian woman's shoulder. She moves to the door. "Special Agent Gibbs is going to come back, with Special Agent Fornell. They-"

"Can you stay?"

Ziva turns to the woman and meets her gaze. "I can not be your safe haven Susan. I can only be someone who understands."

Susan drops her eyes, "They won't understand."

Ziva glances at the glass and knows still everyone is watching. She wonders what reactions her words have inspired.

"Agent Gibbs thinks of my friend as a daughter. He accepts her. I am not saying he shall be easy to deal with. He is fair."

Susan takes a slow breath and nods.

"I hope your friend knows she's lucky."

Ziva smirks, reaches for the knob, "I am lucky." Susan looks at Ziva with question, "She is the one who accepts me even though I can not stop hiding myself. The agents will be in, do not worry. It will be over now."

"And her family won't know?"

"I keep my word."

Ziva steps out of the room and sees Gibbs and Tobias waiting. She squares up to Gibbs and he examines her.

"Abby wants me to tell you to go to Ducky. But I bet you're smart enough to go without my order."

Ziva nods once.

"Good."

Ziva lowers her gaze and Tobias heads into the room, leaving Ziva and Gibbs alone.

"Gibbs, I-"

"Take care of her."

Ziva looks up at Gibbs and starts to protest.

"You didn't see her when you were talking. And you don't pay as much attention to hiding your tells as you think David. Do this right."

Ziva bites her lip, swallows, "I might not know how. She does not need me to hurt her."

Gibbs moves to the door, grazes his hand along Ziva's, "Everyone needs a safe haven Ziver."

Ziva nods and braces herself for going into the observation room, knows Tony is in there as well as Abby.

She goes in. "Right, yeah. We got the suspect, no more dumpster diving. Just hose off before you get in the car. McStinky, I don't wanna hear it! Hey, hey, listen probie-no, but...just get back here so we can do paperwork!" Tony hangs up with a groan, "Abby, c'mon, this guy is so nervous about coming back he wants to search for more evidence! Doesn't that make you want to call of your guard dog?"

Ziva arches a brow and Abby smirks to her. Tony sighs, "Of course, it's kinda sweet. And it helped get our perp. So, I guess you and your guard dog are okay. Aw, you're blushing Abs! Isn't that cute, how long you been crushin' on the ninja then?"

Ziva sidles up behind Tony and leans up on tip toe, whispers in his ear, "Are you done Dinozzo?"

Tony jumps and winces, looks between Abby and Ziva and clears his throat, "Well, uh, I was just..." He tilts his head and steps toward the door, "Ya know, I never woulda guessed you two were...friends."

He ducks out quickly and Ziva rolls her eyes as Abby giggles.

"Nice story."

Ziva looks at Abby hesitantly and shrugs, "It needed to be said to loosen her throat."

Abby smiles and nods, though her heart drops. "Oh. Well. Let's get you to Ducky before you bleed to death for defending my shabby honor."

"Abby-"

"No buts David, don't make me beg."

Ziva swallows her reply and turns on her heel, almost as if to flee Abby and the goth sighs, "So much for random confessions."

Ziva examines her knuckles in the elevator next to Abby and when Ducky receives them with a tray set up she looks at her friend. "I called ahead."

Ducky tends the split knuckles carefully. He releases the Israeli with care instructions and Abby notes them closely.

The two women enter the elevator with departing calls to Ducky who grins knowingly once they are gone.

Ziva shifts her feet and sighs, hitting the stop button as the elevator sits half between floors.

"Ziva?" Abby looks at her and sees her friend staring at the wall with a doubtful expression.

"Zee? Did I do something wrong? I know you don't like getting patched up and I shouldn't have made Gibbs order you but-" Lips press on her own, cutting off whatever was coming next from the rambling.

Ziva pulls back and bites her lip, eyes down cast. She steps back and hits the button again, the elvator lurching on. Abby blinks and moves closer to Ziva, hitting the button and letting her body graze Ziva's.

It stops three-fourths between floors.

"No way."

Ziva blinks.

"You just kiss me and expect to go as if nothing happened?"

Ziva sighs. She moves from Abby and leans in the corner of the elevator. "I care for you Abby. I want to do this right and nothing about my relationships is ever right. I...Abby, I should not have kissed you. You did not even know I cared for you, that I would care for you. We can not-"

Abby sighs in frustration, "Ziva, please! Just...do you wanna go get dinner? We can talk. And you can tell me what I need to know and I'll tell you and we can do this right."

Ziva swallows and closes her eyes, "I do not do things that are not permanent or...unstable. I am over that phase and I do not wish to have a relationship that will not be the relationship we both need."

Abby catches the underlying tone of pleading, the one that tells her Ziva just wants this to be everything they both need so badly. She knows instinctively that her crush fears she will not be able to give what it is she needs.

Abby steps closer and lays her hands on Ziva's cheeks. Ziva's eyes open and she stares into Abby's.

"No more lovers. I don't want any other guy or girl Zee. I don't care if you want me to ask permission from your father, okay? I'll do this as right as you need it done and I'm sure we'll have plenty of screw ups that we'll laugh about but I'm willing to try this."

Ziva raises her hands and covers Abby's, twining their fingers and ignoring the twinge of stitches under the gauze wrap. "Actually, I was thinking of asking Gibbs permission but he has already told me he approves so long as I take care of you."

Abby beams. "Really? He kinda told me the same."

Ziva and Abby share a smile and then Abby leans forward, slides her lips over Ziva's and moans softly as Ziva's tongue traces the seam of her lips. She opens for her and then whimpers in frustration as Ziva breaks the kiss to trail her lips down her jaw, moving over her neck and darting her tongue over her pale skin. Abby tries to move her hands but feels them held in Ziva's and she does not want to hurt her stitches.

"Ziva," Abby sighs and leans her head back. Ziva pulls away, placing one more chaste kiss to Abby's lips and then begins wiping away the smears of black lipstick she left on her pale skin.

Abby uses her free hand to clean up Ziva and then starts the elevator. The doors open and the two women see Gibbs standing there. He looks between them and steps in, smirks, "Missed a spot." He indicates his jaw and Abby flushes and Ziva tries to hide her blush.

"So. Rule twelve..."

Ziva and Abby look at each other and Gibbs sees their fear so strongly he almost chuckles.

"Guess that's where fifty one comes in."

"Sometime you are wrong?" Ziva ventures.

Gibbs looks from her to Abby, "Yeah," he murmurs. "Remember this one, both of you-never second guess yourself in relationships or life. Got it?"

They both nod and Gibbs nods once, "Good. And if anyone gives you two shit I'll handle it. We clear?"

Abby smirks now, rolls her eyes and tries to be nonchalant, "C'mon Gibbs, if we catch trouble Ziva can kill them and I can leave no evidence that ties us to it."

Gibbs smiles and jerks his head, indicating it's time to work so he should be followed. Abby steps out of the elevator and walks by Ziva.

"It's just paperwork Abs."

Abby frowns, "Fine. I have to finish logging the computer parts anyway. And put away the home videos somebody left out." Her glance at Ziva earns a smirk.

Ziva leans closer to Abby as she pauses at her desk, "Dinner tonight or later?"

"Tonight. Stop by the lab when you're done and pick me up?"

Ziva nods and Abby beams, walking out of the bullpen.

Tony grins to Ziva. She stares him down and he shrugs, lifts his hand in a show that he means no harm.

"Ya know,"

"You've got work to do. I'm aware Dinozzo." Gibbs snaps the words and his eyes show warning to Tony.

He clears his throat and takes up his pen, going on anyway, "You two are gonna be good together. Scary and intimidating, but good."

Ziva smiles softly. "Thank you Tony."

The elevator opens and Gibbs looks up expecting Abby having forgot something.

Instead, Tim stands there with a set of boxes.

He steps out and nods to Gibbs, looks at Ziva and swallows. He sighs and stands at her desk. "Uh, I, uh...here." He hands her the boxes and she examines them, one white box and one black. "I was gonna take Abby hers but I figured she'd wanna see you before she'd want to see me."

Ziva nods and settles the boxes on the corner of her desk.

"The white one's yours. Don't open it till she opens hers. And...thanks for clearing my head."

Ziva looks into his eyes and clears her throat, nodding. She glances to Gibbs and back to Tim, knowing he needs to be told.

"Timothy," he winces and she knows he expects her to still be angry at the use of his full name. She sighs, "I have a date with Abby."

His jaw drops and Tony and Gibbs pretend to be working as the two stare at each other.

The sound of the elevator surprised them. "Gibbs, you didn't sign the evidence log!"

Abby stops and looks between Ziva and Tim, blinking and shifting her feet.

Tim shakes his head and blinks. "Whoa." Ziva begins to narrow her eyes when he grins. "I'm happy for you guys."

The women blink and Gibbs smirks and takes the sheet from Abby's limp hand as Tony peeks up over his computer.

"You weren't happy earlier."

"It wasn't Ziva on the phone earlier."

Ziva's jaw drops ever so slightly and Abby blinks and stares. Tim walks to his desk and sighs as he settles in, smirking.

"Pay up Tony."

Tony stills and sinks behind his computer as the two women glare at him and Gibbs shakes his head at his team.