Title: Almost Too Late

Rating: Teen for violence, language, and suggested themes

Summary: Tim tells Abby about his mission and things take a turn for the worse in their friendship.

Spoilers: Season 5-8

Chapter 1: Undercover Assignment

Tim was fidgeting with nervousness in the elevator. He was on his way down to Abby's lab. Normally he would be excited and happy to go down to Abby's lab but he had bad news. Well bad news to Abby that is. The news to him was great. It was a chance to prove himself even more to the team.

He was supposed to fly out to New York in about two hours for Gibbs and Director on an undercover mission. He tried to slip out but Gibbs had caught him by the shoulder and told him to say goodbye to Abby. Once again, Timothy McGee could not say no to his boss. But this meant that he had to tell Abby.

He knew that this would not go well with Abby. As the elevator doors opened he closed his eyes and grimaced as he heard her music coming from the lab. He considered pressing the up button and going back but he knew Gibbs would be furious if he found out that he hadn't said goodbye to Abby.

Tim gave a deep sigh and walked across and into her lab.

Abby swayed to her music. She was in a very good mood because it seemed that her work was going by very fast. Every batch of evidence she got she was able to identify and get all the data she could off of it in less than 30 minutes.

Tim stopped in the doorway and took a quick glance at her butt, well, that is what her skirt would let him see. She felt his presence immediately and spun around. Tim was still staring because when she spun he saw a hint more skin.

Abby smiled and said, "So Jerry was right."

Tim remembered the dude that had come down to Abby's lab. He had to recall if he had and then he recalled sneaking a couple of glances while she had turned around. He blushed and reminded himself that if he ever saw that guy again to punch him in the face.

Abby said when Tim looked too embarrassed to speak, "Aww. Don't worry, Timmy. I love the attention, even if given without me knowing." She smiled as she turned back around to her computer.

Tim couldn't help but take another quick peek and then walked up beside her and said, "So, what ya' doing?"

Abby was still smiling as she faced Tim and said, "Well, McPeeper, I am going through the evidence of a Jane Doe's belongings. I have found out who she is and have a theory on how she was murdered."

Tim tried to sound interested but he needed to get this over with. He said, "That's great Abby. I have to-"

Abby put a finger on his lip to shut him up and said, "McGee, if you're going to look at my butt you can pay me the honor of telling you my theory."

Tim sighed and tried again, mumbling against her finger, "But, Abby, I-"

Abby went on and said, "Now I found some finger prints, one index finger and one middle finger. Now this guy must have been holding a rag or something because it is impossible to just hold a knife with only those two fingers. That would be something impressive. I should ask Ziva later if that's possible."

Tim deeply sighed, annoyed. Her theory was already probably long so with her extra commenting it was going to last a long time. Abby heard and felt him sigh. She brought her finger from his lips and gave him a wide smile.

"So after I found those partials I ran them through my computer and came up with a match. Adriane Rivera, he's wanted for crossing the United States border and has not been caught since. I'm guessing he was getting cocky with himself so he decided to kill this woman just out of randomness. Ducky of course scolded me and said that his motive could be stronger and that we should look more into it."

Tim couldn't believe Abby had that much oxygen. He was impressed. He was about to start when Abby asked, "Now, what do you want to tell me that is so urgent?"

Tim finally came back to the reason he was down here and his face fell. She was in such a good mood. He was going to bring her down and he knew it.

Abby was getting worried and said, "McGee, you're worrying me. What's wrong?"

Tim was about to tell her when they both heard a ding form a computer. She turned to face the computer in front of her. Tim looked at it and asked, "What is it?"

Abby started pulling up all her page on her computer and said, "It's not coming from this computer. It must be from the one in my office."

She went to her computer and saw that someone had emailed her from an unknown source. Abby said, "It must be the results from the knife's blood."

She practically skipped to her office and sat down at her chair. Tim slowly made his way to her office. Her music was really loud in the office since it was where the stereo was positioned and McGee had to restrain himself from covering his ears.

"Abby, I really need to tell you-"

Abby was printing out the results and said, "Hold that thought. I have to report this to Gibbs."

She got up to retrieve the results but was startled when Tim grabbed her shoulder and said, "I'm leaving, Abbs." But he had just said it when I heavy metal song came on and drowned out his words.

His eyes rolled and he turned and turned off the music. When he turned he was surprised to see and hear Abby ask, "What do you mean you're leaving?" Then Tim remembered that she could read lips from living with deaf parents.

Tim sighed and continued, "I'm leaving for two weeks to go to New York City to go on an undercover mission."

Abby's attitude suddenly turned. One minute she was having a very happy day and the next her best friend was leaving for two weeks. And going undercover. That would probably mean he would be going close to drug dealers or something like that. He could get hurt. Worse, he could never come back.

Her brain was completely spinning and she felt dizzy for a second. Tim saw her expression and put both his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

When she got over her dizziness and Tim brought his hands down. She slowly started shaking her head and said, "No, you can't."

Tim frowned and thought, 'Oh no. Here we go.'

Mean cliffhanger, I know but hey. I'm almost done with the second chapter. it should be up tomorrow when i get up! :)