Q: How much did we love 'A man walks into a bar'?
A: So much we have to write fic!
Seriously, how could you not write follow-up fic for this episode? It was fantastic! Even if the writers don't rekindle the McAbby romance (here's hoping!), I would be very happy just to see more on-screen moments of Tim/Abby. The two of them haven't had scenes together in ages. This fic was inspired by the latest episode and a wonderful vid on YouTube done to Daughtry's song "Used to" about our favorite couple. So read this Valentine fic and then go see the vid - it's fabulous!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot line of this story.
Abby loved Valentine's Day. After Halloween and Christmas, it was her favorite holiday. It didn't matter if she had a special someone in her life or not – that wasn't what the day was about. Valentine's Day was about showing the people in one's life how much you cared – and Abby cared a lot.
Gibbs always got a special imported blend of coffee beans from Colombia. Ducky got a box of shortbread and a selection of breakfast teas. Palmer got Hershey kisses, and Tony got a box of assorted Godiva chocolates. Ziva also got Godiva chocolates, along with her favorite blend of tea.
McGee was always the hardest one to shop for on Abby's list. When they had been dating, she had gotten him personal, intimate gifts that had made him blush and her laugh. But she knew that he secretly liked them and that he still had them, tucked deep in his closet somewhere. In the most recent years, she had just gotten him a card and chocolates but this year. . . .
Rachel's visit had definitely rattled her. She still couldn't believe the psychiatrist lady had been Kate's sister! She should have figured her out . . . her asking about Kate, about things that happened years ago. Abby blamed the doctor entirely for dredging up memories and emotions about Tim. Now she couldn't stop thinking about him and how things used to be.
Tim was worried about Abby. Ever since Rachel's psych evaluations, she had been acting "un-Abby". Gibbs had sent him down to her lab to check on the status of a ballistics test and the silence had nearly deafened him. No music was blaring from her speakers.
"Hey, Abs, what's up? Are your speakers broken?" Tim asked as he set a fresh Caf-Pow next to her computer.
"No, why?" She turned to look at him.
He gasped. "Abby, are you all right?"
She shrugged. "Just a little tired."
Tim fought down his worry, taking in her paler than normal skin and the dark circles under her eyes. "Maybe you should lay off the Caf-Pows," he smiled.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Is there something you wanted, McGee, or did you come down just to tell me to lay off the caffeine?"
He swallowed. "Gibbs wants to know if you have the results of that ballistics test yet."
"No. He'll know when I have something, he always does." She picked up a remote and hit a button, filling the room with ear-splitting music and effectively ending their conversation.
Tim backed hastily out of her lab.
He only saw Abby from a distance the rest of the week. On Friday he saw her cursing and kicking the vending machine in the break area because it was out of candy bars. Tony was getting a soda out of the other machine, and he was quick to point out that it still had lots of Milky Way bars. Abby turned on him, fire in her green eyes.
"They have nougat in them! I HATE nougat!" she cried, giving the machine a final kick before blowing by McGee without acknowledging him.
Tony laughed before taking a big swig of his Coke. "I think it's our forensic scientist's time of the month."
Tim rolled his eyes. "I think it's more than that, Tony."
"Oh, really? Ok, McSensitive, what's your theory?"
"I'm not sure – but something's been eating at her since Rachel's evaluations."
Tony stilled. "You think Rachel said something to her?"
"About Kate?" Tim shrugged. "I don't know. But I do know that Abby still misses her."
Tony took another long drink and then chucked his empty can in the recycle bin. "Don't we all, Probie."
Abby walked into the bullpen to find it deserted on February 14th. Taking the opportunity, she placed her gifts on everyone's desks, pausing a bit at McGee's. She had been avoiding him all last week and it hadn't been his fault. He was probably wondering what he had done wrong. Biting her lip anxiously, she grabbed a pen out of his organizer and drew a heart on his envelope next to his name.
She smiled at the sight that greeted her when she walked into her lab. The vases of black roses, a black teddy bear clutching a Caf-Pow, and two boxes of chocolates. Abby put her lunch in the fridge and hung her cape up before settling in to read her valentines – each and every one making her smile. It wasn't until she read the last one that her smile dimmed and her eyes filled.
Timothy McGee hadn't given her a valentine this year.
"Are you sure, Abby? You looked everywhere?" Ziva asked.
Abby nodded, her glossy pigtails bouncing. "I looked in both offices, both desks – everywhere I could think of – and there's nothing from McGee."
Ziva frowned as she looked over Abby's shoulder towards MTAC. "It is not like Tim – he always gets you a Valentine's Day present."
Abby paced in front of Ziva's desk. "Maybe he didn't have time because Gibbs called you guys in early on this case. Did he give you a present?"
Ziva suddenly found the papers on her desk fascinating.
"He did, didn't he!" Abby hissed. "What was it?"
"Abby, it was nothing special. McGee got me a picture of the American Beauty Rose for my apartment."
Abby's eyes narrowed. "Why that picture?"
"He said it was to celebrate my being an American citizen now – and something about my being an American beauty too," Ziva laughed. "I think he is picking up lines from Tony, yes?"
Waves of nausea rolled through Abby at Ziva's words. She was flashing back to a Valentine's Day she and Tim were together and she had given him a stunning portrait of a gothic angel. After a toe-curling kiss, he had breathed against her spider web tattoo: "Now I have an angel from my angel."
"Abby?"
She flinched at the sound of Ziva's voice and began backing away from her desk. "I have to get back to my lab."
"Abby, it does not mean anything." Ziva stood and placed a hand on Abby's arm. "Tim cares for you much more than he cares for me."
Abby's eyes swam with unshed tears. "But you got a Valentine and I didn't." She turned and fled, her red skirt flaring briefly with the quick movement.
"The day is not over yet," Ziva murmured.
Tim hated Valentine's Day. If he could have called in sick and stayed home with his dog Jethro and spent the day writing, he would have. But even spending time with his lovable mutt reminded him of Abby, since it was all her fault he had taken Jethro in the first place. He had wanted a dog for years – but not the one who had literally tried to take several bites out of him the first time they met. It was only with Abby's persistence that the dog was proved innocent and spared a mercy killing. When Jethro needed a home and Abby's landlord refused to budge on the "no pets" rule, she begged and he caved. He never could say no to her.
Taking care of Jethro was something they did together, at least in the beginning. As time went by, Abby distanced herself not only from him but from his dog as well. She used to come over every weekend to play with Jethro, take him for walks, and hang out with Tim.
He couldn't remember the last time Abby was here. Work was all she did anymore – she hardly even talked about bowling with the nuns anymore. He wondered if she was seeing anyone, if she was going to concerts, or hanging out with her other Goth friends.
Tim hated Valentine's Day because he remembered all the time he spent with Abby and what he used to have with her. He still had the picture of the Gothic angel she gave him. In fact, it often served as his inspirational muse when he was writing. The impersonal chocolates that he got from her every year just didn't have the same meaning as that picture – though he kept the cards. He knew she signed all her cards "Love, Abby", but he could pretend she signed just his that way, right?
Another reason Tim hated Valentine's Day was crime. The criminals never took the holiday off. A day or two before the 14th, there would inevitably be some grisly murder that would be a crime of passion, earning the nickname of that year's valentine murder.
This year's criminal waited until the actual day. Gibbs called Tim just after one in the morning to meet them at the crime scene and as usual, it was a bloodbath. The suspect's computer was heavily encrypted, so as soon as the scene was processed, Gibbs sent Tim back to headquarters to MTAC to work on cracking it.
Tim had been working on the hard drive for several hours before he realized he forgot to call and confirm his floral delivery to Abby's lab. Cursing, he pulled out his cell just as Ziva slipped into the seat next to him.
"Abby is mad at you."
"Why?"
"She did not get a valentine from you."
Tim groaned. "My flowers didn't come?"
Ziva shook her head.
Tim scrolled down his contact list. "I'll fix it."
"Good." Ziva stood. "But I do not think flowers will be enough."
Tim looked up at her, confused. "Should I get her some candy, too?"
Ziva slapped the back of his head.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"I think Abby is jealous."
"Of what?"
"She did not like that you gave me a picture and you gave her nothing."
"I gave her roses – they're coming!"
"She looked like she was going to cry."
"Really?" Tim sighed.
Ziva nodded.
"I'll fix it."
"I have a delivery for a Miss Abigail Scuito."
Abby looked up from her computer to see a grinning Tony holding a vase of roses that were such a deep red they were almost black, but not quite.
"Oh!" Abby breathed, crossing the room and taking the vase from him carefully. "They're beautiful, Tony! But I thought you gave me the teddy bear?"
"I did – these are from McGee."
She set the vase in her fridge, her heart thumping wildly. "Really? That must be why they're not black. He bought them today after the stores were out when he heard how mad at him I was for forgetting to get me anything." She slammed the door shut.
"Abs, I overhead McGoo ordering those flowers last Tuesday," Tony said softly.
Abby narrowed her eyes at him. "Really?"
Tony nodded.
Her face broke out in a smile. "Then why didn't he bring them down to me himself?"
"He didn't want you to throw them at his head!" Tony laughed. "Besides, Gibbs has him locked in MTAC trying to crack Pearson's computer." He turned to head back upstairs. "Oh, I almost forgot – he wanted me to give you this, too." He handed her an iPod.
"McGee's? Why would I want his iPod?"
"Beats me. He told me to tell you to open your email and that would explain everything." Tony shrugged and walked out.
Abby laughed and darted back to her computer, her fingers flying over the keyboard. She opened her personal email, seeing the message from Tim right away.
"Abby, I'm sorry your flowers were late. Please don't think they were an afterthought. I really did order them last week. I've been worried about you this past week, Abs. You've been very un-Abby and I hope meeting Kate's sister, when we didn't even know that's who she was, didn't upset you too much. I know how much you still miss her and her friendship. I miss our friendship, Abby, and how close we used to be. Do you? There's a song on my iPod I'd like you to listen to. It's in the 'Abby' folder. I called it that because all those songs remind me of you in some way. Anyway, the song I want you to listen to is called, "Used to" by Daughtry. If you're not busy tonight, I'd like to take you to dinner – if Gibbs lets me out of here."
Her curiosity was definitely peaked now. Not wanting any interruptions, Abby got up and locked the outer door of her lab. Then she located the song on the iPod and leaning back in her computer chair, she listened as the song started to play.
You used to talk to me like
I was the only one around.
You used to lean on me like
The only other choice was falling down.
You used to walk with me like
We had nowhere we needed to go,
Nice and slow, to no place in particular.
Flashes of memories passed through Abby's mind with the lyrics: meeting McGee for the first time, showing him around her lab, talking forensic science over lunch and asking when she could see his "Mom" tattoo, their first kiss in the parking lot of NCIS. The night at the coffee shop when he asked where their relationship was going and brushing him off. Her telling him "I love you, McGee. That should be enough." -and knowing that she only meant it as friends.
We used to have this figured out;
We used to breathe without a doubt.
When nights were clear, you were the first star that I'd see.
We used to have this under control.
We never thought.
We used to know.
At least there's you, and at least there's me.
Can we get this back?
Can we get this back to how it used to be?
I used to reach for you when
I got lost along the way.
I used to listen.
You always had just the right thing to say.
I used to follow you.
Never really cared where we would go,
Fast or slow, to anywhere at all.
The first time with McGee in her coffin. The time in her office, when Gibbs almost caught them and Kate did; Tim holding her all night when Michael was stalking her and her returning the favor after Tim lost his best friend in the suicide bombing. The crazy fan holding her at gunpoint and McGee saying, "I really do love her, Landon. It just took me awhile to figure it out." The trip to Mexico that she hadn't wanted him to go on with her – when he had acted like an overprotective brother and she had treated him like crap and then shut him out.
When nights were clear, you were the first star that I'd see.
We used to have this under control.
We never thought.
We used to know.
At least there's you, and at least there's me.
Can we get this back?
Can we get this back to how it used to be?
I look around me,
And I want you to be there
'Cause I miss the things that we shared.
Look around you.
It's empty, and you're sad
'Cause you miss the love that we had.
Can we get this back?
Tears were streaming down Abby's cheeks as the song ended.
"Oh Timmy! What happened to us?" she sighed.
Tim really hated Valentine's Day. He had finally cracked the code on the hard drive and Tony and Ziva had located Pearson. He had been brought in, talking about being the "hand of God". His fiancée had been an evil woman, prostituting herself and when he had found out, it had been God's order that he kill her. Tim was felt physically sick, especially when Ducky told the team the woman had been pregnant.
They had a confession and the case was closed. Gibbs told them all to go home and he left the building, no doubt heading for his basement and boat.
"Plans, Ziva?" Tony drawled as he turned off his computer.
Ziva shook her head. "Ray is not in town, as you know, so I am on my own."
"Me too."
"What? No hot date, Tony?" McGee teased.
"With our schedule, it's kind of hard to make one, Probie. Want to grab some dinner, Ziva?"
She shrugged. "Why not? McGee?"
Tony glared at Tim and the younger man laughed. "Thanks, Ziva, but I have plans with Abby, I think. You guys go ahead."
The lights were still on in Abby's lab but the music was off and Tim didn't see her when he walked into the room.
"Abby?" he called but was met with silence. He walked into the inner office and stopped at the sight that met his eyes.
Abby was asleep at her desk, her head atop her crossed arms. He took a moment to admire her fishnet covered legs before he moved to her side. She had taken her hair out of her pigtails and he reached out and ran his hand through some of the silky strands, exposing the spider web tattoo on the left side of her neck. He shivered slightly, remembering what it felt like to kiss her skin.
Tim leaned down and breathed into her ear. "Abby," he whispered.
She stirred and moaned throatily, the sound doing nothing to help ease his arousal. He noted the tear tracks on her cheeks and frowned. Unable to resist her any longer, he leaned down and placed a feather light kiss behind her ear.
"Abs, wake up."
"Hmm, Timmy," she moaned. "Can we get it back?"
He jumped back. "What?"
Her eyes fluttered open. "What?" She focused on him. "Oh, McGee!" She flung herself into his arms, squeezing his ribs in one of her bone crushing hugs that he hadn't experienced in quite some time. "I've been waiting and waiting for you and I was beginning to think you weren't coming down tonight!"
"It's only seven, Abs," he wheezed.
"What?"
"Can't – breathe-"
"Oh, sorry!" she instantly released him and the air returned to his lungs.
Tim took a deep breath and smiled down at her. "It's okay, Abs. I just wasn't prepared for one of your bone crushers. It's been awhile."
To his amazement, her eyes filled with tears. "I know, and I'm sorry. I've been holding everyone at arms' length, haven't I? I mean, I've resisted getting close to Ziva because I still miss Kate and I'm afraid of losing someone else. And then when we lost Director Shephard I was like, ok, that's it. I can't afford to get close to anyone else because look what happens. And then Vance reassigned all of you-"
"Abby, slow down, take a breath," Tim said soothingly, putting his hands on her shoulders.
"I can't, McGee! If I slow down I won't get this out!"
"I'm not going anywhere, ok? We have all night."
"Is that all we have, McGee? Tonight?"
Tim frowned at her. "What?"
Abby changed the subject. "Why did you have me listen to that song?"
He blushed. "I-I-"
She smiled. "Why, McGee, I haven't heard you stutter in years!" She stepped into his personal space and ran her fingers up his shirt front, playing with his tie. "I've missed it."
"Damn it, Abby! You know I can't concentrate when you do that."
She widened her green eyes. "Do you need to concentrate?"
He gulped. "If you want an intelligent answer, yes."
She giggled, which only frustrated him more. He pushed her away from him. "I had you listen to that song because I miss you. I miss us. I miss the way things used to be."
"McGee-"
"Don't say anything yet. I'm not asking to restart our romantic relationship, Abs. I'm talking about our friendship. A few minutes ago you admitted the distance you've put between yourself and everyone else. I'm tired of that distance, Abby. I want my best friend back."
Abby stepped back into his personal space and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pressed against him so that he could feel her fishnet stockings against the front of his pants and he wondered if she was even wearing anything under that short red skirt of hers. She smiled wickedly into his eyes and he gulped, knowing that she was probably reading his mind.
"And what if I want more?"
"Than friendship?" Tim's voice came out in a squeak.
Her smile widened.
He groaned as his head fell forward. He breathed in the scent of her – gunpowder, baby powder, and cherries - as he rested against her tattoo. "Don't tease me, Abby. I won't survive getting over you a second time."
He felt her hands lifting his head and then her lips were on his, her tongue sweeping into his mouth. He moaned, the sound of a man powerless in her spell, as he pulled her closer by the hips and held on for dear life. If she was teasing him, he wanted one more kiss to remember her by.
Tim was the one who broke the kiss, pushing Abby roughly away, his chest heaving. "Are you teasing me?"
Abby shook her head.
Tim cocked his head. "When you were waking up, you said, 'Can we get this back'. You weren't talking in your sleep, were you?"
Abby smiled and took a hesitant step back towards him. "No. Can we get this back, Timmy? Can we get 'us' back?"
"Why?"
"I don't want to waste any more time – not when it already took me eight years to realize that I love you."
Tim took a step towards her, putting his hands back on her hips. "Like you love Jethro?"
Abby smacked the back of his head. "Gibbs?" she asked in disbelief.
He laughed. "Our dog."
"No, I definitely love you more than our dog."
"Good." He crushed his lips to hers and this time it was Abby who moaned from the contact. When they broke for air a few moments later Abby said breathlessly,
"Isn't there something you'd like to say to me?"
Tim appeared to think for a minute. "Like what?"
Abby punched his arm. "You finally get me to say the words and you can't even say them back to me!"
Tim smirked as his hands began to play with the bottom edge of her red skirt. "What words are those?"
"I love you, damn it!"
"That's not very romantic," he chastised.
She huffed in exasperation before giving him a brief but loving kiss. "I love you, Timothy McGee."
:"I've always loved you, Abigail Scuito." He gasped as his hands crept underneath her skirt for the first time. "You're not wearing any underwear, are you?"
She smirked up at him. "Why don't you take me home to see our dog and find out for yourself, McGee?" she laughed, dancing out of his reach.
As Abby turned off her machines and put on her cape, Tim grabbed one of his roses from the vase in the fridge.
"Ready, Timmy?"
He turned to see her standing by the door in the low light of the lab wearing a 'come hither' smile. Tim handed her the long stemmed rose and she smiled up at him as he leaned down and kissed her just behind her left ear, breathing in her unique scent.
"Happy Valentine's Day, my angel."
If only this would happen on the show, right? Happy hearts day, everyone! McAbby 4ever! Reviews are LOVE.