7

Safe Haven

When had she first started to see him differently? He looked different it was true. In fact now that he'd lost some weight he looked even more handsome, and Abby had always liked the way he looked….and felt. So when had she taken that second look?

Was it when he had been so badly let down by Amanda? When she had seen the bleak look in his eyes, the deep sadness that surrounded him, she's wanted to hug him tight, but he seemed distant, distracted, and she didn't want to intrude…she'd made some snide comment about how much she enjoyed working with Eric out in LA and left him at his desk. Why had she done that? It was cruel and unnecessary, but thinking back, wasn't that how she sometimes got when she was worried about Tim. Instead of telling him how much she cared for him she pushed him away.

Or was it when he went to Somalia with Tony? When he put his life on the line to find Ziva and bring her back home safe. They had all been determined to get her back, but it was Tim who had surprised her the most, putting himself in a war zone, with only Tony for company. She smiled at that; Tony had thought he was the only one worried about Ziva, shows how well you know us Mr Super Investigator! Her smile broadened as she remembered singing the goat song with Tim, his smile that day was something she held to herself while he was away. Then when he came home, bruised, battered, but oh so welcome, what had she done? Ignored him completely and held on to Ziva, almost as if she didn't want the rest of the squad room to see how she felt.

Had she pushed him away once too often? He was still friendly, it was true, but he seemed a little more distant, more self-possessed and it made her sad, more sad than she would have thought possible. She wanted her old Tim back. No, that wasn't true, she wanted this new Tim, but she didn't know how to show him….and then fate took a hand. The draw was made for the NCIS Secret Santa gift exchange, and Abby gasped with delight when she saw the name on her card, Timothy McGee!

Abby was a strong believer in the spirit of Secret Santa and she was determined to stay within the price limit, but it was really tempting to go online and buy Tim the first edition of one of his favourite comic books. After hours of online searching she finally found something that was quintessentially Tim, and she was smiling as she typed in her credit card details. The delivery date was fine, and she should have it in plenty of time to gift wrap it, and hand it in to Ducky who was in charge of collecting gifts this year.

They had been working non-stop for the last 10 days, and almost unnoticed it was now Christmas Eve. Abby, Tim, Tony and Jimmy had all had to alter their holiday plans, and they weren't the only ones....Director Vance had tried to free up as many people as possible, taking particular care that those with children got away as early as possible. But the cases they were dealing with were important, and if it was at all possible Vance wanted them closed before he released everyone for their Christmas break.

It was just after 18.00 and heavy snow had been falling since lunchtime, when Gibbs' team had time to sit down and open their gifts. There were a number of polite, but less than heartfelt, expressions of gratitude, and then a loud cry of unbridled delight.

"It's perfect!"

Abby was sitting, watching Tim, and when she saw the expression on his face she knew that she had made the perfect choice. He glanced across the squad room and treated her to one of those smiles that transformed his face. She returned his smile and gave a small nod; of course he knew who had sent it. Who else at NCIS would buy him a Tardis shaped 4-way USB port?

Content that the gift had been well received, she set about opening the wrapping on the parcel she had been given.

The glossy black box with its red ribbon was carefully opened, and it was Abby's turn to let out a cry of glee. Nestling on a red velvet cushion was the most delicate black, hand crocheted choker, decorated with black glass dropper beads, and at the centre, a pewter spider. She looked up to see him gazing at her, and this time, regardless of who was watching she ran to him and hugged him tight. Ducky observed the hug and gave a little smile of his own, it had been slightly beyond his remit, but he didn't think anyone would blame him for ensuring that Abby and Tim got each others names in the draw.

Abby pulled away from the hug, and asked Tim to put on her choker. As he was fastening the clasp he asked.

"What are the odds? The two of us buying for each other…"

"Maybe Fate is trying to tell us something Tim."

"Like what?"

"Maybe…that we are meant to be together. Tim…I know you were going to you family for the holiday, but now…do you have plans for tonight?"

He shook his head.

"Not really, I was just going to take Jethro for a walk and then see what I had in the freezer."

She was unusually hesitant as she asked him.

"Could we, I mean could I come round tonight Tim? I don't want to be alone on Christmas Eve…."

"Any port in a storm Abs?"

"No! Never that Tim, I'd like us to have a talk, we haven't talked together, just you and I, not for a long time. And…say no if you want, but could I stay over?"

He linked his arm through hers and smiled warmly.

"Of course Abs, don't want you spending Christmas Day alone. I have a couch now, so I can sleep there! And you're welcome to share whatever I have in the apartment, could be all I've got is frozen pizza, but I really do have to take Jethro out, even if it's still snowing."

It was her turn to smile.

"That sounds like a great way to start the holiday!"

It was cold and dark, but the two of them were having nearly as much fun as Jethro. He was burrowing through the snow, collecting it on his nose and flicking it up into the air. Abby and Tim were making snowballs, and either aiming at each other or sending them through the air for Jethro to chase. They had been out for forty minutes and it was getting colder by the minute.

"Come on Abs, it's getting too cold, let's get inside…"

Back in Tim's apartment the two of them knelt on the floor, towelling Jethro dry. They were laughing at his antics as he tried to escape from under his cloak of towels, but they weren't letting him go until he was dry. They were both rosy cheeked and their eyes are shining from the cold, but not only from the cold, there was something more, something deeper. Now that Jethro was dry Abby snuggled up to him, and the thought cane unbidden into her mind, here is a living, breathing symbol of the casual, offhand way she treated Tim. She'd foisted Jethro onto Tim when it was the last thing he'd wanted, but Tim had opened up his kind heart and let Jethro in.

As he collected the damp towels, then checked the pizza, Tim started to sing softly, almost to himself. "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire."

Abby joined in "Jack Frost nipping at your nose..."

They sang together, slightly off-key, not always in time, but with joy and a harmony that went deeper than anything musical.

Abby didn't think a frozen pepperoni pizza could ever have tasted so good. They had washed the dishes and were sitting together on Tim's new couch enjoying a glass of wine. Jethro was fast asleep and snoring on the rug, he'd eaten his supper and since then he'd been fast asleep, happily weary after his adventure in the snow.

She rested her head against his shoulder and gave a contented sigh.

"Thank you for a great evening Tim, I haven't had such a wonderful time in ages. It's just a shame we don't have a tree…"

"I never expected to be here for Christmas Abs so I didn't buy one; the place does look a little bare doesn't it?"

She took his hand in hers and gave him a smile of such warmth his heart turned over in his chest.

"It doesn't matter about decorations as long as we're together."

"Do you truly mean that Abs?"

"Totally…this is going to be the best Christmas ever, because I'm with you."

He leaned in towards her, and kissed her with such tenderness that she could swear her soul was reaching out to his. They held on to each other and Tim finally broke the silence.

"My Grandmother used to say; she was a great fan of Dickens' Christmas Carol. She used to say that we should keep Christmas in our hearts, and not worry too much about the outward show….."

"Oh Tim, that's sooo sweet. She's right too, but you know me, I love decorations, whatever the holiday…."

He laughed and held her closer.

"It's one of the many things I love about you Abs, the way you open yourself up to all the joy around you, and the way you share it with everyone around you."

They could hear the bells from a distant church.

"It's midnight Tim, Christmas Day…our first Christmas together, just the two of us."

"Do you think, maybe Abs, it could be the first of many?"

Her eyes glistened with tears of joy.

"If you think….you know, if you want to try. I know it's taken me a while, but….You know you were saying earlier about being any port in a storm. That's not you Tim, I'm just starting to realise, you're my safe haven, and when I'm with you I feel…I feel like I belong, you're the one I want to be with."

"Oh Abs! You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that. I've loved you for so long…but I didn't think you'd ever want me back again, not the way we were before….."

She quickly put her finger to his lips.

"No Tim, we're not going to be like we were before. We're going to be much, much better! I do love you…I'm just so sorry that it took me so long to realise how much…"

It was his turn to silence her.

"No apologies Abs, let's start fresh, no regrets…and next year we're going to have the biggest tree we can fit in…our place."

He waited for her to contradict him, but she hugged him closer to her.

"Our place…sounds wonderful!"

They were both suddenly tired, the emotional roller-coaster of the day finally catching up as their eyes started to close. Abby yawned and whispered.

"Merry Christmas Tim."

Tim nestled closer to her, kissed the top of her head and with a tired smile replied.

"Merry Christmas to you Abs, I love you so much…."

Safe and sound in each other's embrace, they were both asleep before he had finished his response. Jethro lifted his tired head and looked at his two favourite people, he gave a deep, contented sigh as he closed his eyes again, at last, they were all together.

THE END

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