"Welcome to Abbyville!" Abby said as Gibbs entered her lab, standing by the Mass Spectrometer where she was analyzing blood samples.
"You got something for me, Abs?" He asked, holding a Caf-POW! just out of reach.
"Actually, I just discovered the trajectory of the bullet that had to be maintained for Petty Officer Johnson to hit his commanding officer," Abby said, turning from the spectrometer and to her dual screen moniters. "From where he said he was, a fatal heart shot would not have worked. Also, this is Johnson's gun, but no other prints were on it. However, there was a grease-like substance, mainly axe hair-gel, in the chamber. I was able to get a hair out of it, and DNA matches it to another Petty Officer - Jacob Daley."
"Good job, Abs," he said, kissing he forehead and handing her the Caf-POW!.
"But Gibbs, the shooter was there, in the doorway," Abby said. "Officer Daley, with the way the CO was standing, would also have been one of a very few people on that ship who could pull it off. It's all in my report, bossman." She handed him the papers.
"Thanks, Abs," he said, turning to go.
Abby looked at him, gathering up her courage. "Gibbs, wait. I need to talk to you about something." She said, and Gibbs turned around and walked back towards her. She had set her Caf-POW! down, looking into his eyes, trying to discern how he would take this. "Gibbs, I.."
Gibbs looked at her intently, wondering if she was finally going to admit to her what Ducky had noticed along time ago. Abby sucked in her breath, but couldn't speak. "It's OK, Abby," he said gently, taking her hand. "Just say it."
"I..." Abby stuttered, unsure, then took a deep breath. "IloveyouGibbs," she said in a rush.
"Slow down, and try that again," Gibbs said.
A tear began to form in her eye. "I said, I love you, Gibbs."
"I know that, Abby," he smiled. He knew what she really meant, but he needed to hear her say what it was.
"No, I mean I love you, as more then my bossman or like my dad," she whispered. "As in, I want to be the one that matters most to you, that you come home to at night."
"Oh, Abby," he said, pulling her close. "I've been waiting months for you to finally tell me."
"You've known for months?" she said, pulling slightly away.
Gibbs nodded. "I didn't want to rush you, especially when it seemed you weren't sure about it yourself," he replied. "And Abs? I love you too, if not more then that." With that finally said, he looked into her eyes, and finally kissed her softly, as he had been waiting for forever to do, it seemed.