I Know You Can Feel This Too

Author: Gosgirl
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended. NCIS and its characters are the property of DPB and CBS. If I had a silver-haired, blue-eyed Marine to play with, do you think I'd have time for writing?

Summary: Gibbs becomes jealous when he suspects Fornell is hitting on Abby. Will this push Gibbs to make a move, or are things not quite what they seem? Set during the latter half of Season 7 after Jack Knife. Originally written for the Live Journal Ficathon.

A/N: The prompt request from v_angelique was: Fornell starts hitting on Abby, preferably in subtle ways, and Gibbs gets onto it and doesn't like what he sees. Could be Gibbs/Abby established relationship, or could be that Gibbs' jealousy cues him into his interest in Abby.

Big hugs to Zivacentric and Bamacrush for being my betas on this one, and their continued support and encouragement for all my writing. Can't tell you what it means, munchkins (a year's supply of Greek yoghurt and bananas on their way!).

Chapter 1 – Business or Pleasure?

"That doesn't look like a dress for a business dinner, does it?"

"No, McHawkeye, it doesn't. That looks like a dress you'd wear for a date. Well, perhaps not what you'd wear for a date," smirked Tony, "unless there's something you want to tell me, but something our Abbs would wear. Our Mistress of the Dark looks gorgeous tonight, doesn't she?"

"She sure does, Tony." McGee's tone was wistful as he gazed at his former lover.

"Wonder where she's going?" pondered Tony as they loitered by the filing cabinet pretending to work but both taking a good long look at Abby's outfit. Tony suddenly straightened up.

"And I'm wonderin' when you two are gonna do any work," commented the deep voice of their boss as he strode into view, carrying his trademark coffee, causing his agents to scatter hurriedly back to their desks.

Tony kept a curious eye on Gibbs as he slowed when he passed Abby as she stood talking animatedly to Ziva at her desk. Abby gave him a wide smile as he greeted them both.

"Hey Abbs, nice dress."

Ziva rolled her eyes at the typical male understatement. "It is much more than nice, Gibbs. Abby looks absolutely beautiful."

Ziva was right.

The dress was a shade of green that drew out the colour of Abby's vivid emerald eyes and the satiny fabric clung to her curves, falling elegantly to swirl just above her knees. The slender heels she'd chosen to wear offset her long, shapely legs and her dark hair was pinned up in a delicate bun, a few wispy tendrils curling into her neck over the spider web tattoo.

Combined with a subtly more dramatic make-up than normal, she looked stunning.

"Aaaw, thank you, Ziva." Abby gave her friend a bright smile, acutely aware of Gibbs' eyes on her.

"Going somewhere nice?" asked Gibbs, as he moved on to sit at his desk.

Abby nodded, practically bouncing on her heels in her excitement. "Yup, I'm going to the Ritz Carlton, so I thought I oughtta dress up a bit." Her face took on a mischievous look, lips curving, and her next words caused Ziva to snort with amusement. "I didn't think they'd let me in there in my pigtails and boots."

Gibbs mouth twitched in a small smile. "What's the occasion?"

"It's that time of year again, remember?" Abby reminded him. "It's the FBI's annual attempt to poach me."

That explained where she was going but he'd overheard DiNozzo's comment and had to admit that he was right. It didn't look like a dress you'd wear to a strictly business dinner.

Is that why his gut was churning?

Abby had a right to dress up when she went out for dinner. It hadn't bothered him before... too much. So why did it make him uneasy now?

The sight of a dapper looking Tobias Fornell striding from the elevator now may have had something to do with it. His friend was smartly dressed in a formal suit and had obviously made an effort to spruce up. But then what man wouldn't if he was taking a beautiful woman like Abby Sciuto out to dinner?

Gibbs watched Abby smile a greeting at the FBI agent, before gathering up her black wrap and walking to meet him.

"You look really lovely tonight, Abby, are you ready to go?" By contrast, Fornell was fulsome in his praise. He helped Abby sling her wrap around her shoulders.

"I certainly am, I'm starving," Abby responded. "What time is our table?"

"Eight o'clock but we've time for a drink in the bar beforehand if you'd like?" Fornell returned her smile and offered her an arm which she accepted readily.

Abby turned to wave goodbye to everyone, rolling her eyes at the wolf whistle Tony sent her way. Gibbs watched the two of them walk arm in arm to the lift, chatting away with what seemed to be the ease of close friends.

Why was she going to dinner with Fornell all dressed up?

If this was their annual dinner when Fornell was under orders from his Director to try and poach Abby away from NCIS, Gibbs knew the FBI agent usually just took her somewhere... ordinary. Somewhere that didn't need both of them to be dressed up to the nines and looking like they were going out on a date.

After they'd left, Gibbs continued with his report reading, but before long he realized that he'd been reading the same paragraph several times. Slamming the file shut and grabbing his jacket, he stood up, announcing brusquely, "I'm going for coffee."

Gibbs strode out of the bullpen, leaving his agents looking after him thoughtfully.

TBC

A/N: Reviews welcome as always.