A/N: It seems like Abby and McGee are always just one word or one hug or one scene away from actually being a couple. So I decided to give them that chance.
It was late, sometime after one in the morning, but McGee had lost track of time hours ago. This case had been a tough one. A two year old boy was dead and for one of the first times their fearless leader hadn't been able to make their main suspect crack under the Gibbs stare or the always popular, Truth By Intimidation.
He took the stairs down to Abby's lab, not wanting her to be warned of company by the elevator's tell-tale ding. Kids always hit Abby hard. She had all the forensics from the scene, and everything they'd found since, but it wasn't enough proof to get an arrest. The thing she trusted the most was failing her.
It was dark, all the lights in the lab off except the glow emitting from her machines. No music on either, just one forlorn and dejected Abby, sitting at her desk staring into nothingness. That was odd. Tim cocked his head to the side and looked at her again. Uh oh, Abby's hair was down, all her make up cried or washed off. That was never a good sign.
He'd tried to think up an excuse to come and see her, but decided at last on the truth - he wanted to check and see if she was okay. Clearly she wasn't. He waited for the sliding door to open and casually leaned against her desk.
"Hey Abby."
Pause. "Hi Tim," Abby sniffed. "What do you want?"
"See if you're okay."
Abby wiped her face with her hand. "Just peachy. Just me and Bert, hanging out in a dark, quiet lab."
"Sure you don't want to check your definition of 'okay' Abbs?" McGee's voice clearly showed he did not believe her.
Abby scoffed. "Definitions are just words McGee. What good will words do that poor little guy now that he's gonna be buried in the ground all alone?"
She couldn't stop the tears this time and stood up, flinging her arms around McGee's neck. He held her while she cried, whispering comfort and rubbing her back. He kissed her cheek to get rid of some of the tears. Big mistake. In a moment of charged emotions all the feelings of the past couple years that they'd hidden deep inside burrowed their way back to the surface. He kissed her cheek again, slower, and this time Abby responded, lifting her face to his, their lips touching tentatively at first and then not so tentatively.
Gosh, he'd forgotten how soft her lips were, how good it felt to hold her. He and Abby were buddies, best friends, but they'd always flirted with something more. He kissed her one more time and pulled back, not wanting this time in a dark room where they were alone to get out of hand. They rested their foreheads together, reading everything in each other's eyes.
"Wow McGee, you sure haven't forgotten how to kiss," Abby giggled, making McGee blush.
"Abby," he murmured, still holding her close. Leaning down to her ear he whispered, "You know I've always loved you, right Abbs?"
Abby pressed her face against his neck and cradled his head with her hands. "Me too Timmy, me too."
That was enough. For now it was just them, together and alone, seeking solace in each other and waiting for the spell to break.
