McGee yawned as he pressed the floor button on the elevator. It was bad enough staying late for a case, but what he really needed was a break from Gibbs' overwhelming glare. The case involved a little girl, which had his boss on edge, even more than usual. Besides, it was nice to get down to the lab every once in a while. It was the place he felt the most useful.
He couldn't help grinning at the sight of Abby – head plastered to her desk, giant Styrofoam come clutched in one hand, the other still molded to her mouse.
He leaned down close to her. "Abs."
Instantly, she started awake. "Oh. Hi, McGee. Just loading a file. This guy's computer is from the Stone Age. Did the match come in on the prints yet?"
His grin widened. "Abby, it's three in the morning. You should get some sleep."
"I can't sleep, McGee. There's too much to do. Ha!" She nodded up at the screen. "It's Petty Officer Kendall's prints on the staircase. Ten point match!"
"Look, even Ziva took a nap. And guess who got her snoring on camera?" McGee chuckled, his hand already fishing in his pocket for his phone.
Abby shook her head, swaying slightly from foot to foot. "No time now. I've got the prints on the bottle to run and about ten more locked files to load."
There wasn't any point in staying if Abby didn't need his help. Still, he couldn't help hesitating.
"I don't think that McGregor and Amy are all wrong for each other."
This had the previously desired effect of distracting Abby entirely. She bit her lip nervously. "McGee …"
"But your right," he conceded. "They shouldn't get married in the end."
She half-nodded; thinking the better of it, she turned it into a questioning head tilt instead. The sway recommenced.
"How about," he proposed calmly, I just leave it open ended. You know. For now. Leave it up to the reader's imagination," he added dryly.
Abby pursed her lips, apparently in deep thought. Without warning, she practically leaped across the space between them, wrapping her arms around him. "You're awesome, Tim," she gushed into his lapel.
He squeezed her a little. "I know."
They let go, him a tiny bit reluctantly. "I'd better get back up there. You know how Gibbs gets." McGee smiled his usual lopsided smile, turning around to head towards the elevators.
"Hey."
He swiveled around, one eyebrow cocked in question.
Abby's eyes were widened earnestly. "I think leaving them open ended is perfect."
McGee laughed. "For now?"
"For now," she confirmed.
"Good." Pivoting back around quickly so that Abby couldn't see the sunny expression cracking his face in half, he strode back to the elevators, the case, and Gibbs.
AN: A very short puff piece. Written in twenty minutes at 2:30 in the morning just an hour after seeing "The Ex-Files" online. I've only seen a few completed episodes, because I've only been a fan for a couple weeks, so this means a couple things. One, this is, obviously, my first NCIS fanfic. Two, I don't know all the details about the McAbby relationship. If anything in this story contradicts canon, let me know so I can either fix it or take it down completely. I love these two, I really do, but I don't think they should get together unless Abby makes the first move. No need for my Probie to get hurt again! Anyway, love? Hate? Review!
