When you are hit, do you run or kiss

Gibbs gave Abby the fortune cookie he'd been holding onto for all these years, the one that read "today's' friend is tomorrows' family", then he stood and left Abby alone to think about things.

Abby heard the elevator ping. Gibbs was on his way out, on his way home

"Stop!" she yells. Abby jumped to her feet and ran to join Gibbs at the elevator.
"Why did you keep this?" she asks him.
"Why not?" he says "seemed like sound advice"

Abby looked at him hard "why?" she asks again almost demanding a better, a fuller answer.

Gibbs hit the stop button, he knew when to give in to Abby, there was a look that crossed her face, and know was one of those times "because from the day I met you, you have meant something to me, can't explain it, you're special Abby"

Abby blushed and looked at the floor "no I'm not"

Gibbs placed a finger under her chin, forcing her head up, he made eye contact with her "Yes you are. You affect people Abby. You make people happy. You make people believe in themselves. Hell, you made me fall…." He stopped then, he had already said too much. Abby could not know about his feelings for her. Everyone he had ever loved had been hurt, and he made her a promise a long time ago, he'd promised himself to, that she would never be hurt.

"What Gibbs. I made you do what?" Abby asked him. She knew what answer she wanted, it was something she hoped he would say for along time. Yet, deep down she knew he would never say the words she wanted to hear.

"You made me fall in love again" he almost shouted at her. Gibbs hit the stop button again causing the elevator to resume its path down to the parking level.

Abby hit the button for a third time causing the small metal box to once again halt "you don't get away that easily Agent Gibbs" Abby said almost cursing him "you can't tell a woman you love her then run away"

"Why not?"
"Because I'm not any woman."
"No. No you're not" he said almost letting a smile cross his face.

Abby took a step closer to him; he took a step back, his back hitting the wall. He really didn't have any were to hide now.

"Do you mean it? Do you…" Abby gulped she could barely let the words cross her lips "do you love me?"
"Its not like I've not told you before"

It was true, he had said it before, usually in sign language, usually when she had broken a case but this time was different "Gibbs. Talk to me. Please" she begged him. Slowly she reached out and touched his hand "you…you do know how I feel, don't you?"

Gibbs looked at there joined hands. It felt right and wrong all at the same time "I think so." His voice barely more than a whisper "tell me"

"You first"
"Abby I'm serious. Technically I'm your boss and I'm so much older….."
"Shut up!" she shouted "age doesn't matter and...well… you've always been more than a boss to be you know that. For gods sake Gibbs I'm in love with you" Abby stepped back, just once, she could tell Gibbs needed space.

There was silence.

A smile slowly crossed Gibbs face "you have no idea how long I've waited for you to say that"
"Really?"
"Yes, really. I thought perhaps you did, but I didn't dare trust my gut"
"You mean to say you ignored the famous Gibbs gut?" She smiled "never ever ignore your gut Gibbs, you taught me that"

A very wicked grin crossed his face "well my gut is telling me to do something now, should I do it, Abby?"
Abbys eyes locked with his, her gut was telling her something as well. "Yes"
Gibbs took that final step and captured her lips with his. She tasted so sweet. She tasted of cafpow and candy, she tasted just like Abby should.

Suddenly he stepped back. Leroy Jethro Gibbs had kissed his lab rat, his scientist, his friend. What the hell was he doing?

"What is it?" Abby asked "did I do something wrong" worry and fear threaded her voice.
"No. Never."
"Then…?"
"I shouldn't have done that"
"Why?" this time Abby took a step closer to Gibbs "it's what you wanted"
"Was it what you wanted?" the words left his mouth before he could even think about them
"Yes!" Abby replied automatically
Gibbs smiled "you want to think about that for a moment"
Abby smiled back "yes Gibbs, it's what I wanted." And just to prove she meant it she kissed him.

Abby placed her hand on his face and she kissed him, like he was the air that she breathed, like he was what she needed to survive, like…like he was the one things in this crazy world that kept her sane. And he was.

They broke for air.

"Abby." That was the only word Gibbs could say, he was actually speechless. He never thought this was possible. The girl, no the woman, he wanted, actually wanted him. He didn't know what to do so he once again set the elevator in motion.
"Gibbs?"
"We need to talk"
Abby nodded, she didn't trust herself to use words.

After all the starting and stopping of the elevator they were at the parking lot in a few short minuets. As soon as the doors opened Gibbs walked out.

"Gibbs!" Abby said almost racing after him "wait"
Gibbs turned and smiled at her, she stopped. The kids of smile that can stop a heart "what are you doing tonight?"
"Nothing"
"You are now"
"Oh?"
"Dinner at mine. One hour" and with that Gibbs turned and headed for his car.

Abby sat in her car and wondered what to do next. She had gone to Gibbs for dinner before, hell, she had even stayed over. Tonight was different, she could tell. They had never kissed like that before. There was something new there, something that they had both chosen to ignore. They could no longer do that. There was one very important question on her mind though: what should she wear.

Gibbs got in his car and headed straight home without casting another glance at Abby. He couldn't. If he did he might change his mind like he had done a thousand times previous. She had come round for dinner before, so what made tonight different. The kiss, or should that be kisses, that's what had changed things. He could no longer hide his feelings for Abby knowing that she felt the same.

Abby got home as fast as the speed limit would allow. She made herself a nice large, strong coffee and headed to her wardrobe. If this was a date, and she highly suspected that that is what Gibbs intended, then she needed the perfect outfit.

After trying on at least a dozen different outfits, she settled on a pair of black trousers with a skull motive down the side and a white button up shirt with a skull on the breast pocket. She teamed this with black boots and an red belt jewelry and was ready to go.

Gibbs walked in his front door and sighed heavily. What had he done? He had not only kissed Abby and confessed his feeling for her but had invited her to dinner. This could go horribly wrong; his track record with woman was not good and Abby knew that. He set about making chilli-con-carne for dinner, all the time wondering if he was doing the right thing. Abby had told him to trust his gut, so that's what he was going to do.

While the chilli was simmering Gibbs went upstairs to get changed. Usually when Abby came round it was very casually, jeans and a t-shirt casual if he was taking a woman out on a date it was a suite and tie. What was tonight? How should he dress? What impression did he want to give? He smiled to himself, he'd not felt like this for a long time. After staring at his clothes for about 15 minuets he chooses a pair of black jeans and a short sleeve black shirt. Leaving the top button undone gave the ensemble a smart casual feel.

Abby parked her hot rod on Gibbs drive, checked herself in the mirror and headed for the door. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might jump from her chest at any moment. There was no reason to feel like this, it wasn't as if she hadn't had dinner with Gibbs before.

As Abby raised her hand to knock, Gibbs opened he door, her small fist fell on to Gibbs chest. She dropped her hand quickly, but not before realised there was muscles under Gibbs shirt. Muscles she hadn't noticed before

"Abby"
"Gibbs"
"I saw you through the glass" Gibbs said answering Abbys unspoken question.
"Oh"
Gibbs moved aside and let Abby enter "beer"
"Please" Abby said following Gibbs to the kitchen "something smells good"

Gibbs handed Abby a bottle from the fridge, as he did their hands touched and their eyes locked "I'm not good at this Abby"
Abby could see the struggle behind his eyes "not good at what?"
"Do I have to say it?"
"Gibbs, we've been friends for years, we've shared a lot of dinners and a fair few bottles of beer" Abby smiled and stepped closer to him. "We are good at this, it's just me Gibbs"

Gibbs let his hand drop from the bottle "I know. That's why I think we need to talk, I can't loose you Abby.
Abby smiled a million what smile, the kind that made his heart sour "I'm not going any were"

While Gibbs dished the chilli Abby sat at the table, she'd not noticed how nice it looked. Gibbs had certainly made an effort this evening with a table cloth and candles. Abby didn't even know Gibbs owned a table cloth; the more she looked at it the more she smiled. It wasn't a table cloth at all, not really, just a plain white sheet, but it made the old wooden table look much better.

"Here you go" Gibbs said placing a bowl in front of Abby
"Thank you"

They ate in silence for a while, until Abbys patience started to get the better of her "Shall we talk now"