Title: Sucker Punch

Spoilers for Ex-files.

Rating: T

Pairing: Gabby

Written for Hiatus 2012, week 10 prompt, Desperation.

A/N: Thanks to gosgirl for head slapping me around, for keeping me focused and on track, and for her encouragement. Thanks also to iyimgrace for the beta.

A/N2: This goes out to WithTheGrain since she has a little extra time to read. :-D

**********************

Her last glimpse was of Tony, McGee, Ziva and Mann leading Fred Rinnert into the elevator as she glared at him one last time before the doors closed on his bloody face.

"That was a hell of a sucker punch, Abbs," Gibbs said admiringly. "You broke his nose."

To tell the truth, he was damn glad she had punched Rinnert . . . before he punched the bastard. Over the past days, he had watched Rinnert flirt with Abby. He had tried to calm McGee, but inside Gibbs was just as pissed. It had taken all his self control to hide the jealousy and possessiveness he had felt, especially since he had Hollis, Jenny and Stephanie, as an audience. DiNozzo only thought he'd seen a train wreck . . .

"I hope so! He deserved it, Gibbs," Abby shrieked. "He played me, tampered with evidence, and killed a man. And, worst of all, used my beloved "Elements" song to hide his account numbers. Bastard!" Abby was still pissed about the way geeky Rinnert of the DIA had played her and taken advantage of her good nature.

Gibbs grabbed Abby by the shoulders. "Calm down, Abbs. He'll pay for his crimes now. Thanks to you."

Abby beamed. That was high praise coming from Gibbs. It always made her feel really warm and tingly inside when she made Gibbs happy.

"But . . . you and I need to spend some time in the gym."

This was a surprise.

"Why, Gibbs?"

"You need to blow off some steam, and I have some things to teach you. If you're gonna go around punching people, you gotta know how to defend yourself when, not if, they punch back."

"Uh huh. I'm a big girl, Gibbs. I can take care of myself." She couldn't do this with him, she thought in desperation. He would be way too close and definitely pick up on her feelings. It wasn't time to fight. It was time for flight.

"I know you can, Abbs. But, while that was a hell of a punch, you left yourself wide open for a left hook, like this." He stepped in close to her, grabbing her wrist with his warm large hand, pulling it up to his jaw mimicking her punch. While she was still reeling from the contact, he swung his left hand up towards her jaw. She could feel the whoosh of warm air as
it sailed past innocently, but proving his point.

"If you're going to throw a punch with your right, keep your left up to block any counter punches." He danced for a moment on his toes, throwing a fake punch with his right, while holding up his left in a blocking maneuver.

Then, while she was still standing there stunned, he grabbed both shoulders and stepped in close, very close, but not close enough. With one leg in between hers, he gave her a gentle push, and knocked her off balance. His firm grip kept her steady as he explained, "Your stance was off balance, and he could have pushed you down and taken advantage, if we weren't there
to back you up."

Abby stared at Gibbs open-mouthed, finally able to speak. "Gibbs, I think that is the most I have ever heard you say." And the most you have ever touched me. I definitely want more of that.

Gibbs grinned. "When I have something important to say, I speak. This is important." You are important. More than you will ever know.

Abby was speechless. For once, she didn't know what to say. This was the stuff fantasies were made of. She was already tingling from Gibbs' brief touches. She could hardly imagine being in the ring with Gibbs, grappling, as Kate called it. Gibbs in shorts, muscles flexing . . . Abby drifted off into Fantasyland.

"Abbs? Gibbs broke into her thoughts. "You got anything to work out in?" He was probably going to regret asking that question. What the hell was he thinking? His mouth shot off before he thought. Did he have the control to work out with her? God, he hoped she wore something short . . . He shook his head in a vain attempt to remove the thoughts of Abby sitting astride him in a very short skirt.

"Yes I do. So, you want to do this now?" Please god let him want to do this now.

"Tomorrow morning, 0600, training gym. That too early for you?" He so wanted to do this with her, and so much more, right now, but he had that date with Hollis she had cajoled him into. He would much rather be in the gym with Abby. If he went now, he would never make his date with Hollis and there would be even more hell to pay. He really needed to end it with Hollis,
he just didn't know how to tell her he was in love with someone else. Hollis probably thought it was Shannon, and it was just as well.

He wasn't sure just how to tell a rigid, disciplined, yet vulnerable, Army Colonel he'd rather be with a tattooed lab rat. It wasn't going to go well. He was going to have to tell her tonight. And he'd have yet another ex. This was why he would never declare his feelings to Abby. He couldn't bear having her as an ex. He couldn't imagine not talking to her or seeing her every day, if things went south.

"Tomorrow?" Abby was so confused and disappointed. He seemed eager at first, and it was his idea. Now he was hesitant, putting them off until tomorrow, and she wanted to get this going before he changed his mind. This might be her chance to show him what she was made of. She didn't hold out any hope he would fall in love with her, didn't hold out any hope he was in
love with her but maybe she could impress him a little. She'd been taking care of herself since she was a kid and, while she hadn't taken self-defense classes, she could hold her own... in the ring with Gibbs, she was prepared to hold anything he wanted her to...

Okay, focus, Abigail... he's speaking...

"Yeah, Abbs. Tomorrow. Get some rest. You'll need it." He shot her that sly smirky grin that never failed to send a zing of arousal straight to her core.

That's not all I need, she thought as she watched him stride quickly out of the bullpen towards the elevators.

************

NCIS Training Gym, 0500.

As he rode down the elevator to the training gym, Gibbs was still reeling from a rough night from hell. No sleep, no peace, just tossing and turning all night until he finally gave up, got up and made his first pot of coffee somewhere around 3:30 a.m. Tired, subdued and frustrated, he decided to head into the training gym and warm up before Abby arrived.

Truth be told he wanted to spend some time down there alone before she got there. Between her, the case, the machinations between Hollis, Jen and Stephanie, and last night's break up with Hollis, he had a lot of frustration to work off before he got too close to Abby. He wanted to take
out the bulk of his temper on the bag, not on Abby. The way she could read him, she'd pick up on his mood and wonder if she was the cause, and he didn't want her to think that.

This was a really bad idea, placing him and Abby in such close proximity in the gym. He really didn't think this through when he offered to teach her. She needed to learn, but he wasn't the one to teach her, when he couldn't stop thinking about last night and his brief demonstration in the bullpen. The way his skin tingled when he touched her. The arousal he felt as he stepped
close to her body. The frustrated arousal he was feeling now just thinking about her. He delivered a head slap to the back of his own head. Hard.

What the hell are you thinking, Marine? How are you going to teach her self defense with a hard-on? Hell, I'll be the first one she kicks in the balls. He was sure Abby wasn't attracted to him and she was perceptive enough to realize he was attracted to her if he wasn't careful. A hard-on pressed against her leg would definitely clue her in.

Gibbs rolled his eyes, as he exited the elevator, determined to keep his composure and do what he said he would do. Teach Abby to defend herself from attackers. Including himself.

NCIS Training Gym, 0600.

Abby was not prepared for the sight that greeted her as she stepped off the elevator into the training gym. Gibbs, wearing black gym shorts and a red USMC t-shirt, was punching on the speed bag, the muscles working under his t-shirt, a light sheet of perspiration on his face. She took in the slightly damp silver hair sticking out in an untidy but totally sexy way. Abby had a sudden desire for a towel, although she wasn't sure if it was to dry him off or to mop up the drool that seemed to be forming in her mouth. His smirky grin, cocky and confident, exuded masculinity and made Abby's inner slut sit up and take notice.

He could see Abby reflected in the gym mirror as she entered. He tried not to notice the black leggings under a short skirt, the tank top that left little to the imagination, her bare feet, her ponytail, and that damn collar that never ceased to distract him.

Then he heard that husky throaty voice behind him, that always aroused him, stopping him in mid-punch.

"Are you going to teach me to box, Gibbs?"

"Nah, I'm gonna teach you to fight. To defend yourself. Or when to take flight, if you need to."

Oh, god. I think I need to take flight now. I don't think I can do this, thought Abby.

"Lose the collar, though." He hooked a finger under it, tugging gently. "You know it could be used against you in a situation."

Please, please, please, use it against me.

He took her silence for agreement and moved towards the mats. She slowly unbuckled the collar and threw it off to the side. He caught the view of her white, slender neck as she turned towards the mats. God, help me.

"Come on, I'll show you a few things. Let's loosen up a bit."

God, if I get any looser, I'll be lying on the floor naked with my legs spread. . .

Gibbs started circling around her, throwing playful light punches in her direction, as she turned following his lead.

"You can air punch, too, Abbs. Loosens up your shoulders. But watch your toes," he teased, looking down at her bare feet.

"Well don't step on them then," she shot back playfully.

Without really thinking, Abby stepped in with a flurry of punches, causing Gibbs to step back out of range. She kept moving in closer, like she was drawn to him, and inadvertently landed a solid punch to his gut, catching him totally off guard.

Silence. All she heard was the whoosh as Gibbs gasped for air

"Oh my god, oh my god, Gibbs! I am so sorry. Are you okay?"

"It's okay," he managed to choke out, realizing he needed to take her a bit more seriously. She packed a hell of a punch. "That was real good, a thug should think twice before taking you on."

"I told you I could take care of myself. " She continued to orbit around him. "I had a brother and cousins, you know."

"I'm starting to believe you." It was time for some Marine moves, he couldn't let her best him now.

Stepping in close, he grabbed her by the elbows before she could react, and swept her feet out from her with his foot. She went down on the mat, with him doing his best to break her fall. They landed on the mat together with him on top, his firm body pinning her to the mat.

Abby's eyes and mouth were big O's of surprise.

Nice move, Marine. You've scared her, and now you're lying on top of her. Not a good place for you to be, because little Jethro is making an appearance and then she'll really be pissed.

Except she didn't look pissed. She looked happy, and equally aroused.

She wriggled and squirmed to get out from under him, which did nothing to help
either one of them control their desire. It was finally glaringly obvious to both of them that they shared an attraction to each other, and maybe even more.

"I wanna be on top, Gibbs." Abby could see the look of desire on his face, and she wanted nothing more than to hold him down and kiss him senseless, to show him how she felt.

"Well, you got to learn what to do, if you find yourself in this position. You have to distract the guy, knee him or try to poke his eye out. But don't do that now," he added with a grin.

"Gibbs! I would never hurt you!"

"I know you wouldn't, Abbs." The next thing he knew, her sweet lips were pressed firmly against his, and before he could even think about kissing her back, he found himself being flipped over onto his back.

"Well, yeah, Abbs... that'd be distracting enough. Not sure it'd make the guy stop though," he teased. "It's not making me stop."

"Please don't stop," she whispered. "Please." Her wildest dreams were coming true. If only they weren't sprawled on the floor in the training gym.

"That was a hell of a sucker punch, Abbs. You got me good." The grin on his face told her all was okay. She would have punched Rinnert days ago if she had known this would be the result.

"Just wait until later, Gibbs. I'll show you the rest of my moves."

They exchanged a sheepish smile and one more lingering kiss filled with the promise of later.

"I can't wait, Abbs. Let's get to work, so we can leave."

THE END