Title: Before It's Too Late
Show: Navy NCIS
Pairing: Gabby or Gibbs/Abby
Summary: Contains Spoilers – When news of Jenny's death reach Abby's ears she decides to tell a certain silver-haired fox her true feelings before its too late.
Looking into his steel blue eyes, I knew that I couldn't just leave it at how snappy he dressed. Without another word after speaking I pulled back and touched his face, which even though weathered by age looked even more so than usual with the news of her death.
"Gibbs?"
He looked at me and knew that I didn't want to be this person, staring at him in a body bag knowing that I had never been sincere with him, "I love you."
As the words fell from lips, I felt the secret that had been weighing down my steps since I started working here leave my shoulders. It was as simple and as complicated as I made it sound.
"I love you too Abs," and he had just provided me with an out. I could just smile and move back to my computer and we can pretend like this never happened. He simply believes I love him like I love everyone in my world.
As I glance at the director's blood-streaked clothes I know I can't take the easy way out, "I love you Gibbs, in the way a man loves a woman. I love you for everything you've been through and for putting up with a crazy Goth forensic scientist who I'm sure drives you crazy at all times, I love you for being and I needed you to know that."
The courage I had exhibited only moments before now left me and I was feeling stunned that all of the words in my heart that I had never spoken aloud were now out there, I closed my eyes and prepared to be let down gently but even as I heard the gentle sound of his breathing I knew our lives would never be the same after this moment.
"Abbs?" I felt the gentle touch on his face as my eyes fluttered shut as I tried to hold back the tears, of course he didn't feel the same about me, and that was okay. I didn't need his pity I just needed to know that the little bits of affection he granted me with wouldn't cease to happen.
I reached up and cradled his face in my other hand, "Its okay Gibbs, I know that you don't," I was stopped from speaking as a weathered finger was placed over my lips hushing my next thoughts.
"I love you too Abby."
I'm glad I was being held up by a Marine otherwise I would've slid to the floor, "You love me?"
As his fingers dropped from my face and his hands grabbed my face in his and I was brought against his lips I had never felt more protected or loved. I opened my mouth gently under his urgings as his arms slid around my waist, and we deepened the kiss.
Pulling away I breathed heavily and then looked into his eyes, "I wanted you to know that I loved you before it was too late but I never dreamed that you loved me back."
His eyes lit with humor cupped my chin as he spoke, "I was worried I was too old for you, I am worried I am too old for you but…," In my usual bubbly fashion I butted in and spoke, "I don't care about your age, it's a non-factor. All I care about is that you love me and I love you."
Kissing him forcefully on the lips, I stepped back and felt the tears well in my eyes as I hit the box with the director's clothes and it reminded me why I was here, "I'm going to do a good job on this one Gibbs. I promise."
He smiled softly, "You always do a good job, on everything Abby."
Abby shrugged and said, "I'm going to do an excellent job on this one because she deserves nothing less and because I know she loved you."
I let the words fall from my lips easily as I looked at his pained look and knew that he was feeling guilty for not being able to reciprocate her feelings, "It's not your fault, Gibbs."
The haunted smile that crossed his lips spoke otherwise to his true feelings but I refused to let this one go, I knew that he would beat himself up unless he focused on the hatred he had inside of him for the man who had taken her away, "She loved me still, Franks told me that and I think I destroyed her, like I have the ability to destroy people in my life…I don't want that to happen to you Abs."
I knew where he was going with this, he was going to give me the argument that I was better off without him and that all the love I had for him I needed to keep to myself to protect my heart. "That's bull Gibbs. They got hurt because they wanted to, Jenny is dead but it wasn't your fault. Don't let yourself lose out on us because of your fears."
I was certainly getting bolder with my boss and the man that I was in love with, looking down I tried to focus on the evidence in front of me because I knew that it was the only way to keep my sanity, not even moments before I was looking at a future with Gibbs and now he was shutting the door on any of those possibilities for his fears.
I felt the tears rise again and then he moved behind me and laid his hands on my shoulders and kissed the back of my head. I bit my bottom lip and waited for him to respond, "It's not too late for us Abby if you want it to be. It's your choice."
Exhaling nosily I turned in his arms as I pulled him in my arms for a hug and pulled back, "I don't want to end up regretting what could be the greatest moments of my life for fear, I want to do this Gibbs before its too late." He smiled a haunted smile and leaned forward and gently kissed me and I silently sent up a prayer of thanks for allowing me to be honest with the man in front of me and for a chance to live our lives together without secrets.