22:00. Everyone had long since gone home but he hadn't seen his lab rat come through the bullpen so Gibbs decided to check up on her. The smells of baking assaulted his nose as he stepped out of the elevator and strode into the lab. "Abby?" he called out not seeing her immediately when he walked in.
"I'm over here, Gibbs!" she replied cheerfully. Walking out of her back office she waved a spatula at him. "I still don't have anything yet on the Petty Officer's DNA and won't for at least another hour so while I'm waiting I thought I'd bake some cookies in the incubator. Want some?"
Gathering her in his arms, he pulled her into a tight embrace and looked over her shoulder at the tray of vaguely bird-shaped biscuits browning underneath the heating unit "What kind of cookies are those?" he murmured into her hair inhaling the scent of gunpowder and patchouli that now joined the mix of aromas in the room.
"Well, tomorrow is Ducky's anniversary with NCIS so I thought I would bake some shortbread ducks for him. Ziva, Jimmy and I are going to surprise him with a tea party, " Abby explained. She kissed him swiftly on the cheek "Ooh! They're going to burn!" she exclaimed as she jumped away from him and quickly moved towards the incubator.
"Here, let me get them for you," Gibbs offered, grabbing the spatula out of her hands. "Where's the plate?" Abby turned around and picked up the platter.
"So do you want to try one? They're my Great Aunt Beulah's special recipe!" Abby beamed at him as he carefully transferred the freshly baked cookies from the baking sheet to the platter.
"Sure, but shouldn't we wait until they cool down?" he asked as he picked up the last one and put it on the platter.
"Oh, I guess you're right." Abby pouted, "I just wanted you to taste them while they're warm and soft, Gibbs!" Looking at her frustrated face his eyes lit up.
"I have a better idea," he smirked, "C'mere." She walked back into his arms and he slowly lowered his lips to hers. "Now, THIS is what I'm talking about warm and soft." He nipped at her bottom lip. " And so delicious."
"Mmmm…" she murmured back as she allowed him to deepen the kiss. And they promptly forgot all about the shortbread.
FIN
