(Disclaimer: As much as we would like to, The Caff-Pow Kid and The Cappuccino Queen - Kelsey & Rie - do not own NCIS or anything to do with it. We also don't own the song mentioned later in the fic - as much as it is amazing. Damn.)
One year previously...
Abby's hands were trembling as she unwrapped the tiny parcel; smoothing the ribbon and folding the paper; until nothing was left to unwrap. In her hands was a small; square; velvet box. Her heart beginning to beat fast in her throat; she opened it slowly. In the lid of the box was a tiny; framed photograph taped delicately into place. It was a picture of her and Tim together; arms round each other; both alight with happiness. And beneath it was an exquisite ring; a delicate silver with one dark red stone – it brought to mind a perfect drop of blood, shining in the moonlight – with a pristine diamond on either side. Inside the ring was a final scroll; with a red ribbon this time. Abby pulled it out gently; unrolled it; and read;
Abigail Sciuto; if you love me
I hope that you will now agree
To marry me; and all my life
I'll be your husband – you, my wife...
Present Day
'McGee, stop checking your watch and relax for once in your sad probie life' Tony DiNozzo smirked as McGee glanced at his wristwatch again, looking anxiously at the church door over his shoulder.
'But what if something happens on the way? What if they're held up or the car breaks down-'
'Or what if little green men kidnap your blushing bride and steal her away to their home planet before the ceremony?' Tony interjected sarcastically. Seeing McGee's stricken face, he rolled his eyes. 'I was kidding, Probie - sorry, McGee' he corrected himself. 'You need to stop watching all that sci-fi crap, it gets to you'
'It's not crap! It's good stuff' McGee argued, but Tony wasn't listening. A tall young man with spiky jet-black hair and a girl with wavy hair of the same colour, both wearing Abby's gothic style of dress, had approached Tony and whispered something conspirationally in his ear. He nodded, took two slips of paper and - McGee's eyebrows shot up at this - two twenty dollar notes from them and deposited them in his pocket. They muttered something and walked back to their seat.
'What was that all about?' McGee hissed as Tony turned back around. 'If you're planning anything that'll upset Abby-'
'Calm down, Mrs. Probie will be fine. I -' he glanced guiltily at McGee- 'started a little bet a couple of months before today about what exactly Abby will wear on her big day. And you can't shoot it down!' he added quickly 'because even you don't know, McGee'
McGee had to admit he didn't, his fiancé had been very secretive about her wedding dress. But trust Tony to try and make a money-spinner out of it. 'Have many people joined in?' he groaned inwardly.
'Oh...our whole team...the janitor...his wife...half the people who work on admin at NCIS...a lot of Abby's friends...my family...the Director...your sister...you get the idea' he reeled off, while McGee sat horror-struck. 'A lot'
'Why do you do this to me, DiNozzo?' McGee said, putting his face in his hands. 'Abby will kill us if she finds out'
'She won't. And besides, there's no way I'm stopping now. The betting pool's like winning the lottery. You won't be the only one who's happy when Abby gets here' he said. 'And don't even think-' he grabbed McGee's wrist, covering the watch face 'about checking the time. Lighten up, McGee. It's your wedding day!'
Indeed it was, McGee thought to himself, as Tony released his wrist and settled down...
He couldn't believe it was a year ago today he had asked Abby to marry him. After months of agonizing over how, when, and where to ask; getting Abby's mother's permission - and then, with Abby's father dead, Gibbs' permission for good measure; choosing a ring Abby would love, finally deciding how to ask her and when. Valentines Day - the most romantic day of the year. It seemed fitting that Abby should be engaged and married on the same date, a year apart. McGee had to be a little pleased with himself for picking that day to propose. The poem and the roses had helped, too - but sometimes he felt like it was still just luck that Abby; who he thought the most beautiful, inspiring, amazing female alive; had agreed to marry him. And today was the day. He was going to marry Abigail Sciuto and though he was positively spilling over with happiness he was impatient for Abby to arrive and nervous to boot.
The church was packed. Almost everyone from NCIS - even people he barely knew and had just passed in the corridors occasionally with a nod or a smile - were in the pews, chatting animatedly about the wedding and what a lovely couple they made. McGee's family were all there - minus his sister, Sara, who he and Abby had unanimously agreed should be a bridesmaid, and would be arriving with Abby. Abby's mother Gloria was in the front row of the bride's side, speaking in fast ASL with Abby's brother and occasionally dabbing her eyes with a hankie. A lot of other members of Abby's family sat around them - and towards the back were a whole host of her friends, dressed in varying degrees of Gothic clothing but nevertheless looking happy to be there. McGee even recognized a few of them. However scary they may look, he knew from the fact that they had all arrived to see Abby marry him that they really were nice people. He wasn't sure about the chalk-white death mask and heap of chains one of them had silently presented him with as a wedding present earlier, but he supposed it was the thought that counted.
And here he was now. Timothy McGee, the school geek, the high-school joke, the butt of everyone's jokes at NCIS. Standing there in the smartest formal suit he had ever worn in his life, with jangling nerves and a black rose - Abby's personal preference - through his buttonhole. The church bell chimed for eleven o'clock - the time set for the wedding the begin. The excited whispers from the pews rose to fever pitch like a swarm of bees in the steeple. Tony finished counting dollars in his pocket and rose to stand next to McGee. As much as he had ridiculed and embarrassed him in the past, McGee had to admit he couldn't think of a better best man - or friend - to have with him on his wedding day. Though he was a bit dubious about allowing him to keep hold of the rings until the ceremony began.
'Nervous, McGee?' Tony asked him. He swallowed.
'A little'.
Tony looked at McGee's sweating palms and tense expression. 'More than a little. You planning to swim back down the aisle with Abby?'
McGee looked guiltily up at him. 'Okay, I'm a lot nervous. Happy, Tony?'
Tony's expression softened. 'Hey, I know what it's like to have commitment make you nervous. Girls have made me run a mile just by hinting that they want to take things further. You're going to spend the rest of your life with Abby. Trust me, McGee-' he clapped him on the back and smiled at him. '-doing this, going through with it, committing yourself to Abby - you're probably the bravest probie I've ever met'
McGee was touched to hear Tony say this, and nodded, feeling a little less nervous. 'Thanks, Tony'.
'No problem. Just relax. We know you love Abby, and she loves you just as much. So enjoy your wedding, make the most of it. It's meant to be the happiest day of both your lives. I'm sure it will be'
McGee wondered what Tony had been inhaling before he came to the church to provoke this heartfelt speech. He decided to stock up on it-
'But Abby's like a sister as well as a friend to me and if you treat her wrong I'll break both your legs a hundred time over and harder than Gibbs would'.
Spoke too soon.
McGee gave a shaky laugh. 'Don't worry, Tony. I'll look after her'
Suddenly, all heads turned to the back and the whispering stopped as they heard a car draw up outside.
'They're here!' someone at the back called. Tony grinned.
'Good luck, McGee. Go get hitched'.
McGee's heart seemed to jump into his throat as a cluster of figures at the door blocked out the sunlight streaming in. Then. the organ began to play, and after one fleeting look at the church door McGee's anxiety disappeared.
Ziva, Sara and the director entered the church, dressed in identical, midnight-blue dresses and holding bouquets of blue, black and purple roses - all three smiling radiantly. They looked lovely. McGee swore he heard Tony swear under his breath as his jaw dropped, looking transfixed at Ziva walking towards him. Sara winked at McGee, scattering rose petals from a basket across the floor as she did so; and the director gave a smile and a slow, serene nod as they finished their slow walk up the aisle. Ziva caught Tony's eye and he immediately moved round to stand beside her. McGee didn't miss the way their hands linked at their sides, and smiled. It was their Valentines Day too, after all.
Then, the three bridesmaids stood to the side and three more figures appeared in the church door. Elated sighs and gasps echoed all around the church, as everyone stood and the wedding march began to play. Now it was McGee's turn for his jaw to drop.
Abby took her first steps into the church, with Gibbs on one side and Ducky on the other - both of them smiling like proud fathers. With Abby's father not able to walk her up the aisle they had been unable to choose between Gibbs and Ducky as substitutes and after weeks of dilemma simply gave up and asked them both to act as 'father of the bride'. They were wearing suits the same as Tony's and walked with slow deliberate pace, smiling at each other, McGee, Tony, the bridesmaids, the congregation and with proud, fatherly glints in their eyes, the radiant young woman walking on their arm.
Abby was wearing a floor-length, lightest blue dress with the finest hint of purple in it and an intricate, corset-style bodice. The back of her dress was longer and trailed along the floor behind her, over the rose petal that Sara had dropped. She wore a veil that covered her face, and though he could not see her clearly McGee could see she was smiling blissfully. The roses in her hands were a deeper, richer and more beautiful purple than those the bridesmaids carried, and in the sunlight streaming in through the church windows her engagement ring glittered in the light. McGee felt a smile spread over his face just to look at her.
She reached him and he lifted her veil carefully from over her face. Her green eyes shone with happiness as she look at him.
'You look beautiful, Abby' he whispered.
'You look amazing too' she replied. 'Ready to get married?'
'Of course' McGee answered, and he meant it one-hundred per cent. They smiled at Gibbs, Ducky, Ziva, Tony, the director - who they noticed was holding hands with Gibbs as Ziva was with Tony - before turning to the altar. The priest, a short, smiling man, beamed up at the two of them.
'Are you Timothy McGee and Abigail Sciuto'
'Yes' they replied, clasping hands.
'Wonderful' he said. Then he addressed the congregation.
'If anybody here knows of any just cause or impediment why these two people should not be lawfully married, please say so now'
The church remained silent. You could have heard a feather fall.
'Then let us begin. Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to bring this man and this woman together in holy matrimony. Do you, Timothy McGee, take Abigail Persephone Sciuto, to be your lawful wedded wife?'
'I do' McGee said loudly. Abby's mother could be heard sobbing in the front row.
'And do you, Abigail Persephone Sciuto, take Timothy McGee to be your lawful wedded husband?'
'I most certainly do' Abby replied. McGee smiled, and squeezed her hand.
'Do you have the rings?'
'I got them' Tony said, stepping forwards. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a handful of betting slips, some money, a lollipop and several condoms before finally pulling out the box containing both Abby and McGee's rings. 'Sorry...about the...here' he said, turning red and stuffing the various items back into his pocket. Abby was struggling not to laugh, and Ziva was staring with raised eyebrows at Tony. McGee shook his head in amusement as he and Abby joined hands and turned to face each other.
'Then, Timothy, if you would repeat after me...I, Timothy...'
''I, Timothy...' McGee opened the box. Inside were the two rings he and Abby had had made for the wedding - two silver bands, with a single large amethyst set in Abby's. Engraved on the inside were their names and the date of their wedding. Abby's eyes shimmered like the gem in her ring as McGee removed it.
'...take you, Abigail Persephone...'
'-take you, Abby - sorry, Abigail Persephone'
'...to be my wedded wife...' ...and so it went on.
A single tear spilled down Abby's cheek as Tim slipped the ring onto her finger. He squeezed her hand gently, and kissed it, and she blinked back her remaining tears of happiness. Ziva and Sara also looked a little tearful - Gibbs and the director were rolling their eyes at each other. Then, it was McGee's turn.
'Abigail, if you'd like to repeat-'
'Don't need it' Abby said, smiling. Taking McGee's ring from the box and placing it on his hand, she recited:
'I, Abigail Persephone, take this man, Timothy, to be my wedded husband from this day forward, to have and to hold, for better for worse, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, from this day forward, 'til death us do part'.
McGee grinned at Abby. The priest looked on in amazement.
'Well, I suppose that'll do' he smiled.
'Then with the giving and receiving of these rings, in the eyes of the Lord, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss-'
Now it was McGee's turn to cut the priest short. Pushing Abby's veil back from her face even further, he took her face in his hands and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him as she kissed him back. There was a collective sigh and choruses of 'aaah!...' around the church. Tony kissed Ziva on the nose and she snuggled into him. Gibbs, Ducky and the director looked on proudly, beaming at the newlyweds. After a while, Abby and McGee broke apart
'Oh, and by the way, Mrs McGee...' he whispered, cupping her face in his hands.
'Happy Valentines Day'
'You too' she replied softly. 'Care to walk me back down the aisle?'
'My pleasure' he grinned, taking her hand. And with that, Mr and Mrs Timothy McGee walked blissfully out of the church; followed by Tony and Ziva, Gibbs and the Director, and finally Sara and Ducky ("Hey, Dr. Mallard, do my brother and Abby get it on it the lab often at work?"). Everyone stood up and applauded the new couple as they went to stand outside the church for their first photograph as a married couple.
'So, Mrs. Probie, what's it like to be hitched?' Tony asked Abby as the wedding guests crowded together for the photo, gossiping happily about the service.
'Love it, Tony' she grinned back.
Tony leaned in to Tim and whispered 'Abby's brother and Gibbs collected on the wedding dress bet. Nobody expected the bride to wear blue. I could have sworn I heard her tell Ziva about a vampire costume-'
'Oh, I did' said Abby cheerfully, leaning around Tim. 'But that's not for me to wear until our wedding night...'
Abby winked, Tony gave a low whistle and Tim coughed awkwardly.
'Smile!' the photographer called, and everyone beamed into the camera lens as it flashed. 'Lovely. How about a shot of the bride tossing the bouquet?'
'Oh! I've always wanted to do this!' Abby said, stepping a few paces forward and lifting her bouquet. 'Ready?'
'Yes!' everyone replied.
Abby threw her bouquet of dark roses high into the air. Everyone gasped as it spiralled through the air towards a knot of young women. In the middle was Sara, who held up her hands...
...before Ziva jumped up with a skill and height that would have shamed and pro-ball player, and deftly caught the bouquet. Tony, Sara, McGee and Abby looked at her stunned. A few people applauded,
'Sorry, girls' she said, smoothing her dress and smiling a little. 'I guess it's my wedding next'
Tony raised his eyebrows as Ziva walked back to him. McGee and Abby creased laughing.
'Well, that was a refreshing change, Jen...' Gibbs said to the director as they walked the short distance to the church hall the McGee's had hired for the reception.
'What was, Jethro?' she replied.
'Walking up the aisle and knowing it can't end in divorce' Gibbs smiled.
'Don't give up on that one' Jen replied, winking at Gibbs as they reached the church hall. 'Someone might come along...'
Gibbs was left chuckling bemusedly as the director waltzed into the hall behind Sara McGee.
The wedding reception was perfect. The food was lovely - Ziva had helped Ducky with the catering - with the vanilla sponge wedding cake Abby had chosen in pride of place. Everybody cheered as the bride and groom both held the cake knife to cut it. After an hour and a half, a few of the tables were cleared away to make a fair-sized dance floor. Someone dimmed the lights and Sara and her boyfriend moved to the sound system to turn the music on.
'Let's have the happy couple on the dance floor!' Sara yelled down the microphone. McGee began to protest, but Abby looked up at him and he relented wordlessly. They walked out into the middle of the dance floor; Abby's arms round McGee's neck, McGee's around her waist. The music started, and Abby smiled at the choice of song. 'I like this one'
'Really? I never pictured you as...that sort of girl' McGee said, smiling as he stroked her back gently.
'Yet you married me' Abby smiled. 'No, I love it'
'So do I' McGee smiled, and whispered in her ear 'but I love you more'
Abby kissed him lightly on the lips before the music started properly and they began to dance.
So she said what's the problem baby?
What's the problem I don't know
Well, maybe I'm in love,
Think about it every time
I think about it
Can't stop thinking 'bout it
How much longer will it take to cure this?
Just to cure it cause I can't ignore it if it's love,
Makes me want to turn around and face me but I don't know nothing 'bout love
Oh, come on, come on
Turn a little faster
Come on, come on
The world will follow after
Come on, come on, 'cause
Everybody's after love
So I said I'm a snowball running
Running down into the spring that's coming all this love
Melting under blue skies belting out
Sunlight shimmering love
Well, baby I surrender
To the strawberry ice cream
Never ever end of all this love
Well I didn't mean to do it
But there's no escaping your love, ooh
These lines of lightning
Mean we're never alone,
Never alone, no, no -
Come on, come on
Move a little closer
Come on, come on
I want to hear you whisper
Come on, come on
Settle down inside my love
Oh, come on, come on
Jump a little higher
Come on, come on
If you feel a little lighter
Come on, come on
We were once upon a time in love
We're accidentally in love...
McGee and Abby slowed up after a short while, and by the time the song began to fade they were in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by the other wedding guests. Ducky was dancing with Gloria, Abby's mother. Gibbs and the director were two-stepping coyly together at the edge of the dance floor. Tony had evidently decided romance could take a back seat and was in the corner of the room with Ziva, hands in each others hair, bending backwards over a spare table in a passionate embrace. Everyone was happy - happy for McGee and Abby, happy that there was love in the air. But there was one thing getting at the happy couple...
Abby looked up at McGee, and as the two sets of green eyes met they each knew they understood each other.
'Shall we?' McGee whispered, and the pair of them slipped, hand in hand, out of the church hall into the late afternoon sunlight.
'Hello, Kate' Abby said softly, as the pair of them knelt next to the grave. 'It's been a long time since we last visited, but we guessed this was the right time'
'After all, we chose this church so we could be close to you on our big day' McGee added.
'And because the church architecture rules. You'd have loved the service' Abby said.
'So I guess this is it. Timmy and I are hitched now. I'm Mrs. Abby Persephone McGee' she said, laughing.
'Persephone?' Tim said in wonderment, chuckling. 'And from the look of things Tony and Ziva won't be too far behind us. You'd have laughed to see the way he looked at her when she caught Abby's bouquet-'
'Not to mention the look on Sara's face!' Abby added. 'And Gibbs and the director seemed to be having a good time. You were so right about the redhead thing, Kate. I hope they're happy together'
'We wish you could have been here today, Kate' McGee said softly. He took the single black rose from his buttonhole and passed it to Abby. 'But in a way...you were'
'So thank you for being there, in every way that matters' Abby said, smiling through shimmering eyes as she placed the flower gently in front of the headstone. McGee put his arm around her, and they both stood up, lost in bittersweet memories.
'Goodbye for now. We'll visit again soon' they said softly.
And with that, Tim and Abby McGee looked one last time at the grave of their friend and colleague, before turning and walking out of the cemetery, together; through the gate, towards the church door where so many happy people were still dancing - into married life.
She'll never really leave, they thought silently. This thought - and the thought of the rest of the evening, the rest of the night, and the rest of their lives together, made them both smile.
If Kate had been there, to see two people so in love, she would have been smiling too.
-end