Disclaimer: I own nothing. The show and these characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds rights to them.

Pairing: Abby/Ziva

Summary:A look at the progression of Abby and Ziva's relationship. Eventual femslash.

Spoilers: There are indirect references to a number of episodes but nothing to specific.

Timeline: Starting with the dinner mentioned in Boxed In and spanning several seasons.

Author's Note: Abby's sudden change in behaviour towards Ziva has always bothered me. So I thought I'd take a stab at explaining it, femslash style.

Rating:G for now but that might change with later chapters.

Chapter One

Abby really hadn't wanted to come here. If Ziva had issued the invitation to her when the two of them were alone, she would have said no. But she hadn't, she'd asked Abby in the lab, while Gibbs was standing right there giving her that look. She'd had no choice but to say yes because he would have known she was lying if she said she had other plans. He would have known and been dissapointed and she didn't want to dissapoint him more than she already had.

Abby knew he didn't approve of her behaviour towards Ziva but he had yet to say anything about it. She didn't want to push him into feeling like he needed to step in and do something about it. Especially not when she was pretty sure she might not like what that something was.

For reasons that Abby could not even begin to fathom, Gibbs trusted Ziva. Liked her, even.

Which was why Abby had said yes and why she was now sitting on Ziva's sinfully comfortable couch with Timmy on one side and Ducky on the other, sipping wine and watching as Ziva played hostess to her guests while dinner cooked in the kitchen.

From the moment she stepped though the door, Abby had been thrown off balance by the Ziva she was before her. For one thing her apartment didn't look anything like the bunker she'd expected. It was comfortable and modern and cozy, if not a little impersonal. There were no family photos, no snapshots of friends and adventures or school trophies but there was eye-pleasing artwork on the walls and gently scented insence and throw pillows on the couch and a very cozy looking afgahan tossed across the back of one of the armchairs. The worn coaster and the book on the table next to it painted a picture of normalacy that Abby couldn't quite wrap her head around. She just couldn't reconcile the Mossad assasin with curling up on the armchair with a book and a cup of tea.

Another thing that was throwing her off was the amazing scent coming from the kitchen. It had hit her nose the moment she'd walked through the door. She still didn't know what it was but her mouth was watering in anticipation.

She was also finding it strange to witness Ziva joking with Jimmy, kindly encouraging Ducky into story after story and talking earnestly with McGee. Abby felt like she had stepped into an alternate universe, where everything was backwards and upside down. A world where she could possibly see what her friends saw in Ziva David. A world where she could maybe, possibly, see it for herself.

That's not to say that she was going to start liking the other woman. She had no intention of being friends with her. But she could probably stop hating her.

She had just come to this conclusion when Ziva took a seat on the couch next to her, in the spot McGee had vacated to take a look at the stereo system.

"Hello, Abby."

Abby nodded in her direction, not quite sure what to say to someone she didn't hate but didn't really like either.

"I am glad you came tonight."

'You said that already." That was what Ziva had said to her when she'd arrived this evening. It was the thing she'd said to her in the hour and a half she'd been here.

'It is something that I thought beared repeating."

Abby noddd. "Okay. Why?"

"Why?"

"Why are you glad I'm here?"

Ziva stared at her for a moment, face impassive, then let out a soft sigh. "It was not to fight with you," she said as she rose to her feet. 'If you will excuse me, I must go check on dinner."

Before Abby could protest, Ziva was halfway across the room. She hadn't meant the question as a challenge or antagonistically. She had merely been curious. There was no real reason why she had invited Abby.

She was just preparing to stand and seek Ziva out to apologize, to explain, when the other woman came back into the room carrying a ceramic dish and announced that dinner was ready.

Abby spent the rest of the night trying to catch a moment alone with Ziva but with so many guests in the small apartment she just couldn't find the opportunity for a quiet word. It seemed like every time she turned around there was somebody there.

She tried waiting everyone out, lingering until everyone had gone home but as the others started trickling out the door it appeared that Gibbs had no intention of leaving. He sat on the couch, sippping his coffee as Ziva said goodbye to first Ducky, then Jimmy, then McGee. Abby took the hint and headed for the door as well.

She stopped in front of Ziva and stared down at her, feeling awkward and uncertain as to what to say. Impulsively, she bent down and wrapped her arms around Ziva in a hug. She felt the other woman stiffen at the contact and remain still as Abby gave a gentle squeeze then pulled back.

"What was that for?"

"It was a thank you."

"A thank you?"

"Yes. Thank you. For inviting me. For a wonderful meal."

"Oh. All right."

Ziva nodded but Abby could tell from the bemused expression on her face that she didn't really get it. And she couldn't help but think it sad that the younger woman was so unfamiliar with the concept of hugs that she accepted one so awkwardly and then had to ask why she'd received it.

"Well, you are welcome."

"See you tomorrow."

Abby had to admit, it felt much better not hating Ziva than it ever had hating her.

And now that she wasn't hating her anymore she found that she worried much less about Tony and Tim knowing that Ziva, with all her crazy ninja skills, was watching their backs when they went out into the field. And Ziva did seem to fit in well, she respected Gibbs but didn't appear to be intimidated by him. She enjoyed talking with Ducky. She could trade inuendos and joke with Tony. She was kind to McGee and she was even nice to Jimmy. She hardly ever even called him an autopsy gremlin.

To be honest, Abby was starting to like her. She brought Abby flowers on her birthda and seemed genuinely concerned for her safety when she was being stalked. She'd even given her a taser.

It was just, sometimes she irritated Abby so much. The way everything seemed to roll off her, like nothing bothered her. It was just so infuriating. She couldn't understand how the other woman could be so calm, so emotionless. And sometimes she couldn't help it, she just snapped back to old habits and tried to take Ziva down with a cutting comment. Of couse, Ziva never retorted, which only made Abby try harder. She knew it was unfair but Ziva never seemed bothered by it.

Tony and McGee both kept telling her that it wasn't a good idea to needle the Mossad assasin but sometimes she couldn't help herself.

She knew she had gone too far this time though, even before Tony had called them both down to the bullpen to apologize.

She'd felt horrible for slapping Ziva the moment she'd done it. The sting on her hand nothing compared to the sting in her heart as she'd seen the stricken expression on Ziva's face, the flash of hurt in her eyes the moment before her hand had come up to Abby's cheek.

The slap hadnt even hurt that much. Not nearly as much as it should have, considering Ziva's strength and training. It was clear that she hadn't put much force into it and that should have caught Abby's attention. Should have broken through her thoughts. But, it hadn't and her own hand had come up again in automatic response.

By the time their little slap fight was over, Ziva's mask was back in place but Abby could not forget what she'd seen.

They'd shook on it, at Tony's insistance. And Ziva had accepted her hug but she'd gone back to the old Ziva, the one who stood there stiffly, arms barely returning the pressure before falling away rather than the Ziva of late, who, while still awkward, returned the embrace.

Abby knew that she had hurt Ziva and it made her wonder how many times she'd hurt her in the past without knowing it.

The elevator dinged as the doors slid open and Abby glanced up, then froze in place at the sight of Ziva David. Her eyes were glassy, as if she'd been crying and the hair framing her face was damp, as if she'd splashed water over her face to hide it. She didn't way a word to Abby as she stepped onto the elevator.

As soon as the doors had slid shut, Abby turned to Ziva, staring at the other woman's profile as the other woman stared straight ahead.

"My, God, Ziva, I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I wasn't thinking."

Ziva barely glanced over at her. She turned her head just far enough to be facing her general direction and said, "It is fine, Abby."

Then the doors slid open and she stepped out.

Any and all comments are welcomed and appreciated.