When Every Second Counts

Rated: K+ for chapter 1, M for chapter 2

Pairing: Gibbs/Abby

Written for the prompt 'desperation' on the Gibbs/Abby shipper forum.

Disclaimer: NCIS, its characters etc are not mine.

A/N: The first part was for the prompt...the second part is an extra added sequel :)

Abby's heavy footsteps clomped across the tiled floor as she paced back and forth in her lab.

He was late.

He was never late...not with this, and not when he knew how much she needed it.

She tried to reason with herself that he'd been caught up with something else, because he never usually left her waiting like this.

Turning to her computer and getting back to work she tried to focus on the words on the screen in front of her, but her eyes instead wandered to the clock in the bottom corner of the monitor. The numbers taunted her, another minute innocently ticking over while her desperation increased.

"C'mon, Gibbs," she muttered nervously under her breath.

The first thing her senses picked up on was his smell, the subtlest hint of cologne floating up into her nostrils. The fragrance mixed with tinges of sawdust and coffee was unmistakable. She knew his scent intimately, just as thoroughly as she knew the rest of him. Gibbs was engrained in every one of her senses.

His body soon invaded her space, warm against her back, one hand settling on her waist as the other moved into her view. Even though they were barely touching she felt like he was completely surrounding her, his body like a cocoon around her.

"You waitin' on something, Abbs?" His voice was low and rough next to her ear as he placed her long awaited caf-pow down in front of her.

Abby clutched onto it, one of her hands covering his as she greedily drank from the cup, swallowing several mouthfuls and feeling the cool liquid rush down her throat.

"You get a kick out of teasing me, don't you Gibbs?" She grinned, letting out a relieved sigh now that some caffeine was making its way through her bloodstream.

Removing the hand on the cup out from under hers, Gibbs lowered it and smoothed it across her flat stomach. "In more ways than one," he growled.

She leaned back into him, noticing from the outstretched arm that he was wearing a different jacket to what he'd had on a couple of hours ago when they'd left his house.

Placing the caf-pow down and turning in his arms, Abby's jaw dropped, her eyes widened and her breathing temporarily stopped. The grey jacket and light green polo he'd been wearing with charcoal colored pants had been replaced with a black suit, complete with navy blue dress shirt and a dark mauve tie.

"Gibbs..." she managed to gasp, the rest of her words lost as her hormones ran riot throughout her body.

The black jacket sat perfectly on his broad shoulders, falling down and framing his solid and toned chest. Abby lifted her hands to slowly run them over the contours of his chest, her fingers sliding under the lapels of his jacket.

His crystal blue eyes smoldered as he watched her, his strong jaw line and confident smirk telling Abby that Gibbs understood pretty clearly the effect he was having on her. And Abby couldn't deny it either. He looked as good as he smelled, and she devoured him with her eyes the same way she wanted to devour him with her fingers and lips.

"Not that I'm complaining, but why are you wearing that?" She leaned forward to bury her face in his neck, unable to stifle a groan as she nuzzled against his skin, their bodies pressing against one another.

"Gotta go on the job for a while. That's why I was late, had to get briefed and change clothes."

Her hands slipped under his jacket, on top of the crisp smooth shirt, sliding over his ribs and around his back. Even though everyone was aware of their relationship, they weren't usually overly affectionate at work. They tried to keep the line that separated personal and professional obvious, but this time Abby just couldn't help herself.

Then suddenly realization dawned on her and the length of her body tensed; if he was going into the field undercover or to protect someone else, he would be in even more danger than he normally was.

She pulled back slightly to look at him, trying to gauge what he was thinking. His body language gave very little away because of the way they held each other, but Gibbs was also good at hiding his emotions. "Should I be worried?"

"You always worry, Abbs, but I'll be careful...got my team with me."

"Why didn't you tell me about this before now?" She narrowed her eyes on him.

"Only found out a couple of hours ago, it's only a protection detail, it'll be all over before the sun goes down."

While she had always trusted Gibbs' judgement as an agent, and loved his confidence, it didn't help make her less anxious. Abby worried about his safety, and that would never change.

"Promise me two things then?" She leaned into him again, resting her cheek against his and gently rubbing her skin over his.

"Anything."

Gibbs' gravelly voice sent a shiver through her entire body, his hands sliding further under her lab coat to rest over her lower back and the top of her backside.

"That you'll call me the second it's over." Her voice dropped to a barely audible whisper when she continued, "and that you'll let me remove that suit, one piece at a time tonight as soon as we get home...though I'm tempted to make you leave it on..."

Abby temporarily drifted off as visuals of her wrapped around him still wearing at least the top half of his suit filtered into her mind. There was just something about the blackness of the jacket that highlighted his silver hair, the navy blue shirt making his eyes sparkle, their depths so endless that Abby could lose herself in them.

"Think I can manage that." Gibbs broke into her reverie. "I better go."

"Love you," she sighed contently, pulling him tighter into her embrace.

"Love you too, Abbs."

Although Abby had gotten used to hearing him say it to her, each time always seemed like the first. It sent a rush of different emotions flooding through her knowing that Gibbs loved her the same way she did him.

Reluctantly they broke apart, Gibbs cupping the side of her face with his hand. "I'll call...try not to worry okay?"

Abby nodded her head, her eyes flickering closed as he pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek. It didn't take much for her to be completely overwhelmed by Gibbs; the gentlest of touches from him could bring her world to a standstill, not to mention what it did to her heart rate.

When she reopened her eyes again, Gibbs was on his way towards the door of the lab. Abby's gaze longingly followed him, staring after him, even long after he was gone.

"Don't forget your other promise to me," Abby teased as she spoke to Gibbs on the phone several hours later.

"Not likely to forget that, Abbs."

She noticed the tone of his voice quietened, and smiled at the thought that the boyish grin she loved so much was probably lightening up his face.

"Good, coz I have plans for you and that suit."

"Lookin' forward to it...I gotta finish up here, but I'll come and get you once I'm done."

They ended the call and Abby put her phone down on her desk and let out a long sigh of relief. She'd always worried about all of Gibbs' team getting injured, but since she'd been a relationship with Gibbs that anxiety at times became almost unbearable.

The only way she knew how to make up for it was to live every moment with him like it would be her last; tell him and show him how much she loved him as often as she could, and cherish every moment with him.

All of which she did...and intended to do tonight.

Now that the desperation that had been hanging over her all day was gone, she could let an entirely different type of desperation take over her...a need to have him.

The corners of Abby's mouth curved up into a wide grin as she leaned back in her chair, Gibbs had no idea what he was in for.

TBC...