Things That Come Together

Rated: M

Pairing: Gibbs/Abby

Disclaimer: Gibbs still isn't mine, and neither is the rest of it. This is just for fun.

A/N: This is a Valentine's Day fic and a sequel to 'Things That Go Bump in the Night'. It'll be the second in a series of stories based around the titles of 'Things That...'. You can read this without reading 'Things That Go Bump in the Night', but some of it may not make much sense.

Chapter 1

Abby smiled as she walked from the elevator and into her lab. In the past she'd never really given in to the notion of Valentine's Day much, mostly because she'd never been able to share it with the one person she'd wanted to. It had merely been a day that had added to her anguish and served as a reminder of what she couldn't have. This year it was different, everything had changed.

Taking the several steps to cross the distance between the door and the desk in the centre of her lab, she bit her bottom lip when she saw what sat next to her keyboard. Arranged in a crystal vase was a bunch of black roses with two red roses placed perfectly in the middle. Black roses were her favourite, he'd sent them because he knew that, but the pair of red roses they framed meant so much more to her. It was about him, about them. In all their simplicity the roses signified love, trust, passion and loyalty. And with Gibbs she had all that.

They had been together just over a month since their heated exchange under his desk in the bullpen, which later culminated in one of the most erotic experiences of Abby's life. Thinking about it now still sent a shiver through her and made her more excited at the thought of what the day, and night, might hold for them.

She'd woken up in his bed this morning, a gentle kiss to her forehead rousing her from sleep as he whispered that he had to go to a crime scene. When her alarm had gone off a short time later she'd rolled over onto his side of the bed, entwining her naked body in the sheets where he had slept. Even though they had gone cold it was the closest thing she had to touching him. Tangling in the softness she'd tried to infuse the scent of him into every pore of her skin, inhaling him with every breath she took.

The new flush of their relationship was still extremely passionate and apart from Ducky no-one else knew that she and Gibbs were now a couple. They had decided to keep it that way to start with so they could enjoy these early stages without gossip and interference. More than once both Tony and Fornell had turned up at Gibbs' place to find the front door locked and Abby there. There had of course been questions from both men since it wasn't normal for Gibbs to lock his door, but he had explained and lied his way out of it, keeping their secret safe. But Abby was starting to tire of having to hide her feelings for him, she'd kept them to herself for so long as it was and she was ready for everyone to know.

Gibbs seemed to be doing a better job of hiding things than she was and Abby knew it wouldn't be long before she slipped up. It had been a while since she'd been this happy and her workmates were no doubt beginning to become aware of the subtle changes in her. The way she'd always acted around Gibbs and how he treated her as his favourite had at least made their small displays of affection seem like nothing out of the ordinary, but it was only a matter of time.

Every day she discovered something new about Gibbs. Sometimes when they were in his basement or even in the middle of the night as he slept, she would just watch him. He seemed at peace knowing that she was there with him and that she intended to stay with him permanently. When it was just the two of them he was able to let his guard down, his need to protect himself gone. He'd always been more open with her than the rest of the team, but now he held nothing back from her. There was nothing for either of them to hide and Abby knew when they did reach the first hurdle in their relationship they would face it together.

Leaning forward she delicately lifted the red roses from among the black ones and inhaled their fragrance. Their two green stems were perfectly interwoven, the deep red petals like silk to her touch. She pulled the small envelope out from under the vase and slid the card out, a bout of giddiness overcoming her when she read the elegantly scrolled three words. When they were alone Gibbs made a point to make sure she knew he loved her but it still took some getting used to actually hearing the words or seeing them written down. He hadn't signed his name on the card but there was no need, and it was safer this way.

"What ya got there?"

The sound of Tony's voice behind her made her jump and Abby turned to face him, clutching the card to her chest. "Haven't you heard of knocking Tony?"

One of his eyebrows rose at the tone of her voice and his gaze narrowed in on her. "Never needed to knock before."

"Well maybe you should start."

"Who are the flowers from?" Tony asked, trying to peer over her shoulder. "Got a secret admirer Abbs?"

"Maybe he's secret, maybe he's not," she taunted him and tried to slip the card into her pocket unnoticed. She knew Tony was probably the last person she should tease because once he got a sniff of something he wasn't meant to know about he'd never give up.

"What's the card say?" he persisted.

"Tony! A girl doesn't kiss and tell."

"So there's been kissing?" He grinned at her, his eyes lighting up before he continued. "If you give me the card you won't need to tell me anything."

Abby tilted her head forward and did her best to look at him sternly. "Not happening."

He sighed and held up an evidence bag with a knife in it. "Gibbs wants prints and DNA."

"Where is Gibbs?" she asked, trying to remain expressionless.

Tony didn't seem to think the question was unusual, his attention still focused on the roses sitting on her desk. "Gone for coffee, your Caf-Pow! won't be too far away if that's what you're asking."

"It is," she lied.

Tony opened his mouth to speak again and Abby knew he was going to interrogate her further so she grabbed his arm and led him to the door. "I'm really busy Tony, I'll talk to you later," she said taking the evidence bag from him and shoving him towards the elevator.

Abby waited until he was safely hidden behind the doors and out of sight before she allowed herself to sigh with relief. Her fingers instinctively sought out the card in her pocket again, a slight flutter of nerves stirring in her stomach as she wondered how Gibbs would react to the present she'd left in his drawer.

Walking up to his desk with a cup of coffee and Abby's Caf-Pow! in hand Gibbs placed the drinks down so he could open his drawer and put his badge and gun away. Pulling on the drawer handle he stopped when it opened to reveal a square red box with a black ribbon around it. He smiled, his thoughts immediately going to Abby. He was surprised she'd left it here for him, where the others would be able to see him taking it out.

Looking around he saw both McGee and DiNozzo were concentrating on their computer screens and Ziva was talking on the phone. He lifted the gift out, the smell of Abby's perfume wafting up into his nostrils as he untied the ribbon around the box. She knew the delicate scent drove him crazy. He was always burying his face into her hair or nuzzling into her neck and smelling her essence.

Sliding the lid off the box he smirked when he saw the brown leather wallet inside. Taking it out from amongst the black tissue paper that surrounded it, he let his fingers glide across the front. Carefully engraved in the bottom corner were the words 'Love You Always. Abby'.

Gibbs knew the wallet itself and finding it in his drawer was meant to serve as a reminder of what had finally brought them together. But the realization that she'd taken the time to have it engraved, and that she'd had her feelings for him clearly etched into something that he would see every day left him completely mesmerized. This morning he hadn't thought it was possible to love her more. He was wrong.

His life had once revolved around having to hide his feelings from her but now everything he did was because of Abby. Going home to her every night and waking up next to her every morning gave him a sense of belonging that he hadn't known in years.

The physical aspect of their relationship had only gotten more intense since their first time at Abby's apartment. When it came to sex they were both insatiable and Gibbs sometimes wondered how he was able to keep up with her. Even in the short time they'd been together their bodies had become perfectly in tune, each time they made love it was different but they always fell asleep exhausted and satisfied.

Her love and acceptance of him was unconditional and she never asked for more than he could give, but every day he gave a bit more. Little by little he was letting go of the past, not forgetting but moving on. Abby understood the life he'd had before her was what made Gibbs the man he was and she loved him regardless of any mistakes he thought he'd made.

Sensing he was being watched Gibbs looked up to find three sets of eyes on him and Tony approaching his desk. "Everything okay boss?"

Gibbs put the top back on the box to hide the wallet and dropped it into the pocket of his jacket. "Don't you have leads to follow up?" he snapped, making his way to the elevator.

Abby didn't flinch when she felt Gibbs come up behind her, his body surrounding her but barely touching. With a quick kiss to the back of her head he put the Caf-Pow!, complete with 'I love you' heart attached to the straw, down in front of her. He placed his hands flat on the desk, his arms either side of her preventing her from moving.

"I wonder which one of my secret admirers that could be," she grinned holding onto the plush heart and keeping her back to him.

"Do I need to get my gun?" Gibbs growled, moving to stand beside her.

Abby smiled, getting her first look at him for the day. Those crystal blue eyes never failed to spark a rush of love and desire through her entire body, his nearness still enough to trigger a bout of fluttering in her stomach. "Well I did have Tony here earlier breathing down my neck."

"You and me both." He took a long swig of coffee and Abby could smell the strong aroma as it wafted around her. Every time she smelt coffee, no matter where she was, she thought of him.

"Yeah...about that..." She looked at him nervously.

Gibbs put his coffee down, his eyes searching for her attention when she tried to avoid his gaze. "You want to tell them?"

"Are you okay with that?" she asked quietly.

"If it's what you want."

Finally she looked at him. "What do you want?"

"You. That's all."

"Gibbs..." she whispered smoothing her fingers down over his cheek affectionately, her thumb brushing over his chin.

Not for the first time, she was annoyed there were cameras in her lab. It was another reason she wanted their relationship out in the open. Abby knew Gibbs wasn't one to show a lot of affection in public but if she wanted to kiss him or touch him then she felt she should be allowed to without worrying about whether they were being watched or not.

"So, that present you left me..." Gibbs mentioned, placing his hand on the small of Abby's back and guiding her towards the office that adjoined onto the lab.

Abby bounced happily on her feet as she walked beside him. "Do you like it?"

"Sure puts those flowers to shame." He took the small box out of his pocket and placed it on her desk to remove the wallet. "I promise not to throw this one."

"My flowers are beautiful," she retorted, slapping him lightly on the arm. "And those three words on the card, they mean more to me than anything."

The lights were more subdued here than in the other part of her lab and Abby considered sealing the door so she could make up for having to snuggle into the sheets earlier that morning. She watched Gibbs as he placed the wallet in the breast pocket of his jacket, lightly patting his hand on it.

"I've got something else for you but you have to wait until tonight," he said, the corner of his lips curving into a grin.

Abby's face lit up at his suggestion. She reached out and took his hand, walking backwards and leading him out of the view of the cameras that watched her every move. "What if I can't wait?" she whispered, pushing him up against the wall and placing her hands next to his shoulders. Abby imitated the action of kissing him, her lips so close to his but never touching. She was surprised he'd let it get this far since they'd agreed they would try and refrain from showing any affection other than what the rest of the team was used to seeing.

Gibbs' grin grew wider, his confident response of, "it'll be worth it," making her want to throw him to the floor and crawl seductively up his torso and show him just how much she couldn't wait. His hands rested on her hips, the gentle pressure urging her closer, her legs standing in between his as he supported himself against the wall.

Abby decided it was time to beat him at his own game; if he was going to get her so worked up that she could barely think then she was going to make sure he was counting down the minutes until they went home.

"About tonight, I was thinking." She grinned shyly at him leaning her forehead against his. "Being a scientist...there's something I'd like to run a test on."

"What kind of test?" Gibbs tried to move his head back to look into her eyes.

"The kind that involves a certain blue eyed special agent, some handcuffs and a strip search."

Abby was sure she heard his breath catch and then quicken. Ever since he'd frisked her against the wall in her apartment she'd wanted to seek her revenge for the way he had tormented her. It had been an amazing feeling, his hands all over her and the sensation of his aroused body intimately rubbing against her. She longed to do the same to him and tease him until he was begging for her. She wanted him consumed with his need for her and for him to forget about everything except her touch. Gibbs' hands pulled her tighter against him, her hips fitting snugly into the curve of his.

Abby kissed him seductively on the lips. "I want you cuffed to our bed Jethro."

Both of them heard the gasps from the doorway at the same time, turning to find Tony with his mouth hanging open and Ziva, whose expression was much harder to read.

Abby took a step back from Gibbs, her hands on her hips. "How long have you been there?"

Tony smiled wider than Abby had ever seen; he'd known about her and Gibbs for less than a minute and already she was regretting it. "Handcuffs...strip search...bed. Something tells me a lot more than kissing has been going on here Abby."

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs growled.

"Sorry boss."

"Well I guess we don't have to try and figure out how to tell them. What happened to knocking Tony?" Abby glared at him. It was a relief that she and Gibbs wouldn't have to over-think how to tell them but it hadn't been how she wanted them to find out. Seeing her corner and attempting to seduce their boss was probably not high on the list of things they wanted to see again anytime soon.

"Can I tell McGee?" Tony redirected her question, his face lighting up even more.

"No," Abby interjected "I'll tell him."

"How long have you been..." Ziva trailed off and Abby didn't know whether she was searching for the right saying of if she was literally lost for words.

"We've been together a few weeks," Abby finished for her. She reached out to hold Gibbs' hand, entwining their fingers. Abby understood that he might feel uncomfortable talking to his agents about them being together so she wanted to take that awkwardness away for him. She knew it was nothing to do with his feelings for her, he just didn't like being as open and vulnerable with everyone as he was with her.

The four of them were quiet for a few moments before DiNozzo broke the silence. "Well...if you need to borrow some handcuffs Abby I can help you out."

"I've got work to do." Gibbs instantly pushed himself away from the wall, kissed Abby quickly on the cheek and then disappeared out the door.

Ziva shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Nice Tony...we're all going to pay for that."

DiNozzo's head spun around from watching the retreating form of Gibbs to look at Ziva. "Gotta go," he blurted out and strode towards the elevator. Rushing back in seconds later he grabbed hold of Ziva's arm and dragged her with him. "I'm not going up there alone."

Abby watched as they hurried into the elevator, Tony's yell of "Happy for ya Abbs," the last thing she heard before they vanished behind the metal doors.

TBC...