Tattoo Tales

Author: Lawral

Pairing: McGee/Abby

Rating: FR7

Summary: Abby thinks back to her first date with McGee and realizes she wants him back.

Note: Written for McabbyforeverAli as Hangman Prize

"I love you, McGee." She said to him, catching his sudden interest. "That should be enough."

He watched as she turned and walked away, counting each step she took. She tried to keep from looking back or showing that she'd been honest in her words. She'd lost her chance with him. He had a new girlfriend and, even though she was screwing with his money, he was totally in to her. It had been four years ago that she'd told him that they should just remain friends. She had been scared of settling with just one guy when she was still so young. He'd gone through many females in that time and each one she'd been jealous of. Even Ziva when she'd first arrived; he'd been so amazed in everything she did and Abby felt she'd been replaced. He'd once looked at her that way. She thought back to their first date.

She'd only heard him on the phone. She didn't know what he looked like and Tony wasn't much help. She'd agreed to go on a lunch date with him partly to see if he was as cute as she imagined. She was sitting in her office at the computer when she heard the distant ding of the elevator. She looked up expectantly and saw a man walking toward her. He was very cute and looking slightly nervous. He looked around the lab and she smiled to herself. She rose to her feet and walked into the interior of the lab. She smiled as he looked to her.

"Abby?"

"McGee." She said, smiling.

Their lunch date had lasted a little longer than planned. He'd found himself at her apartment that night. He was glad he didn't have to work the next day because it was a long drive back to Norfolk. He was sitting on her couch and they were talking. Somehow the conversation had come to Tony and what he'd told McGee about Abby.

"He told me that you wouldn't be interested unless I had a tattoo." McGee laughed slightly.

"One thing you have to know about Tony, don't listen to him if you want to make it as an agent. I'm interested even without a tattoo, Tim." She smiled, gliding her hand up his arm.

"Wish I'd known that yesterday." McGee laughed, shifting a little. "Then it wouldn't be so uncomfortable sitting."

"You got a tat? For me?" A soft smile formed on her face. "No one has ever done that for me."

Tim smiled and shyly looked down to his lap as she continued to rub her hand along his arm. She then jumped slightly, folding her legs underneath her. "Let me see it."

McGee looked up to see her face. She looked like a child on Christmas day who'd been told that they could open their gifts finally. She looked at him expectantly and then batted her eyes playfully. "Please, Timmy?"

He smiled at the childhood nickname that no one called him anymore. Somehow the name spilling from her mouth, he would definitely enjoy hearing it again. He sighed and nervously got to his feet. Her eyebrows raised in surprise as he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. A small smirk took hold of her lips as she watched as he tentatively turned his back to her and lower his pants and boxers.

She leaned forward on the couch to get a closer look. Squarely in the upper center of his left buttock cheek was the small word written in black, "Mom." She could see that the edges of the letters were still slightly red. She took the quick moment to reach out and smack her hand against the fresh tattoo.

"Ow! Hey!" McGee said, lifting his boxers and turning toward her. "That hurt."

"You're suppose to do that." Abby said, innocently.

McGee couldn't believe that she was smiling to him. He wasn't able to be mad after seeing the twinkle in her eye. He knew in that moment that she'd be able to do the worst thing she could think of to him and he still wouldn't be able to be mad at her. He'd never believed in love at first site until he saw her innocent smile after causing him some pain.

A slow grin came to his face and he turned around again, lowering his pants once more. "Do it again."

That was how their first date had started. After that second whack on his tattoo, erupting another painful hiss from him, Abby had taught him the meaning of the word hinky. Now, as Abby returned to her lab, she realized that she'd lost his interest. Her timing couldn't have been worse. She wanted to go back to that time and change things. To force herself to not be so scared of being with Timothy McGee because now that she wanted him again, he'd found someone else. She'd have to work harder to recover his affections. Now she was determined to have him back.