Title: Just Good Friends

Author: Cat Chester

Rating: T

Paring: Tony/Abby

Disclaimer: Not mine. Please don't sue as all I own are 3 dogs. Actually, you're welcome to the dogs.

Spoilers: None

Summary: Inspired by Tony and Abby's flirting in the JAG pilot. This is my ides of what their relationship might have been, pre series one.

III

As Tony looked through the peep-hole he was surprised to see Abby on the other side, but not unpleasantly so.

"Hey Abs," he greeted her.

Abby ignored him, walking past him and into his living room. Tony couldn't help but smile at her mood because, for once, he could be certain it wasn't his fault. Tony was good at pissing people off, but even he couldn't do so without contact of any kind.

He paused at the kitchen to get Abby a beer before joining her in the living room. He handed her the bottle as he sat beside her.

"You know, when you told me you had a date tonight, you might have mentioned it was with me. I didn't even have a chance to get you a corsage."

Abby didn't smile at his joke, but her frown did lessen.

"Come on, tell me what happened?" he prompted, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him.

"Guy was a total jerk," she told him, sounding very sullen. "He said UFO's were a myth only idiots believed."

Tony winced, that could not have been pretty.

"I mean, I'm not saying there are actual aliens or anything since there is no documented proof of that. Or if there is proof, I don't have the security clearance to access it. But there is definite hinky stuff going on. UFO's are real," she insisted. "They are unexplained flying objects. It's not like I said they were the USS frekin' Enterprise."

"No arguments here, Abs. You're the one with all the degrees, I'll take your word for it."

Abby snuggled closer. "I knew you'd understand."

Tony smiled. In truth, no, he didn't understand her obsession with all things weird. Crop circles was another mini obsession with her. And he tried not to think too much about the coffin she slept in.

What he did know was she was the most clever woman he'd ever met and he would never even attempt to beat her in a debate.

"Is that a new dog collar?" he asked, trying to distract her.

Abby sat up and beamed at him. "Yes. Special order from England, hand made and it took forever to get here."

Tony reached out to feel the spikes. "Oww!" Unlike most of her collars, the points hadn't been rounded off. "Anyone who argues with you while wearing that has got to be insane. Or have a death wish."

"Believe me, I was tempted to test it on him."

"Don't let him get to you, Abbs. You can do so much better than him."

"Is that all you've got? That's lame, Tony."

"Plenty more fish in the sea?"

"Not too bad."

"A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle."

She chuckled. "That's more like it." She sipped her beer, her frown gone. "Can I stay here tonight?"

"Sure, as long as you remove the collar and you promise you wont feel agoraphobic not being in a coffin," he teased. Abby punched his arm. "Oww! Is that anyway to treat your host?"

"You're not my host, Tony, you're my friend."

"Friend with benefits," he corrected.

Abby smirked. "Well, I guess you do have your moments."

Tony smiled. "Keep it up, I'll call you a cab."

"You wouldn't kick me out," she said with certainty. She reached forward and picked the remote control up of the coffee table. "So what are we watching?" she asked, handing it to him.

"Suspicion, with Carry Grant."

"Oh, I love that movie. It's so totally creepy."

"Want me to go back to the beginning?"

"Nah, I'll catch up."

Tony pressed play and Abby took her collar off so she could rest against Tony without worrying about hurting him.

In the end they only saw about half of the movie before Abby began putting the moves on Tony, straddling his lap. They didn't bother moving to the bedroom and this wasn't the first time they'd made love on Tony's couch.

As Abby's climax abated, she smiled down at him. "Thanks, I needed that."

"You're very welcome, it just so happens that I enjoyed that."

Abby smiled and pulled her top back as Tony tucked himself in again.

"You know, one of these says we're going to have to try an actual date," Tony mused.

"Don't even go there, it would spoil everything."

"Says who?"

"Me. Tony, I am way too freaky for someone like you. You might put up with my weird hobbies as a friend, but you're a rich, society kid at heart, you couldn't live with them. Hell, you wont even sleep over at my place."

"Yeah, well I draw the line at sleeping in a coffin. I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

"See? Plus, you go through women like I go through latex gloves. No offence, but I'd rather be your friend than your ex." Abby moved so she was sitting beside him and rested her head back on his shoulder. "Besides, Gibbs would kill us if we ever dated."

Tony wrapped his arm around her shoulders again. "That's a good point. I don't know about you, but me he'd kill me for sure." He was silent for a moment before asking. "Do you really think Gibbs doesn't know about us?"

"You're still alive aren't you?"