Title: Unusual Behavior
Author: lunarmoth131
Rating: T
Spoilers: none, I think
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS characters; I'm just playing with them.
Author's note: Any pairing (including f/f or m/m) may occur briefly in the story but don't take it too seriously; there is a reason.
Day 1 -- 2200
Jenny Shepard didn't go down to the lab very often, but on this evening she wanted a change of scenery. She smiled as the elevator door opened and she was treated to a high-decibel rendition of the new Android Lust song. She paused to listen for a moment. Actually, she mused, the beat wasn't too bad. Usually she turned Abby's music completely off, but this time she lowered it just enough for comfortable conversation.
Abby spun her chair around when she heard the door, but the disappointment was evident on her face. "Director," she acknowledged.
"Sorry I'm not Gibbs." Jenny smiled to hide the hurt that she felt at Abby's reaction.
Abby's lips slowly curved upwards, responding as much to the emotions in the Director's voice as to the smile. "Can I help you?" she asked brightly.
"I just came down to chat." Jenny sat back against the desk, hands gripping the edge. She liked the music but her heart was pulsing rapidly along with the rhythm and it was making her feel a bit faint.
"You never come here to chat," Abby said, her eyes staring curiously at the slight flush on Jenny's cheeks. "Why are you really here?"
Jenny was accustomed to the Goth's boldness but she had never found it appealing before now. She and Abby had clashed over many issues from proper NCIS dress to budget constraints; oftentimes Jethro had to intervene.
Come to think of it, Jenny had never realized how attractive Abby was, either. The pigtails now seemed more cute than silly, and the spider web on Abby's neck was begging to be touched. Jenny leaned closer. "You know," she said, her voice growing husky, "you're really very pretty, Abby."
"Erm… thank you, ma'm." Abby wasn't quite sure what was happening, but the temperature of the room had increased at least 5 degrees.
"Call me Jenny." The director took Abby's hand in her own, stroking it with her thumb, and Abby felt a tingling warmth run through her body despite herself..
"Wha – what –"
"It's okay, Abby," Jenny whispered. She laid her other hand against Abby's cheek, feeling its coolness. "Do you want me to stop? I will, if you say so. But I don't want to."
"I – I think it would be better if you stop," Abby replied slowly, trying to ignore the desire she was feeling.
Jenny sighed and folded her hands behind her back. "Goodnight, Abby," she said, turning for the door. It was all she could do to force her legs to move. She didn't understand why her body was suddenly on fire for the young forensic scientist. It had certainly never happened before…
Abby watched Jenny, trying to absorb what had just happened. It was a shock roughly equivalent to sticking a metal object into a 220 outlet. There was no denying that she was attracted. Was it worth the risk? She was not known for refusing a challenge, and the danger factor made it even more appealing.
Her voice stopped Jenny just before she reached the door. "Wait." Abby sashayed across the room with a seductive smile. "Director, if you want to play –" She grasped the redhead's lapel with both hands and pulled her closer, "—then let's play."
Day 2 – 0500
Abby stirred in her sleep, a small smile flitting across her face as she dreamed. Jenny lay propped on an elbow beside her, making light swirls across Abby's bare breasts with her other hand.
Abby sat up with a start. "Director! What are you doing at my house?"
Jenny smiled. "If you look more closely, Abby, you'll see that this is my house."
"Oh." Abby noticed at that moment that she was naked, and her mind was flooded with memories of their night together. She grinned. "I had a good time, Jenny…. did you?"
A fiery kiss was Jenny's answer. The next thing she knew, Abby was above her and it became obvious they would not make it to work on time.
Day 2 – 0705
"I have new odds," said Tony in a conspiratorial whisper. He sat down at his desk, having quickly ascertained that Gibbs was not around.
"New odds?" Ziva did not comprehend at first. "Oh, you mean the pool about Abby and Gibbs."
"Oh yeah," Tony confirmed. "Abby's hearse was here all night, but Steve in Security said she left the building at 2215. The bossman left 5 minutes later. That proves –"
"Proves what, DiNozzo?" Gibbs voice was behind him, and Tony knew a hand was poised to headslap him.
"That Tony is an idiot," Ziva finished with a smirk.
Hand made contact with head as Tony winced. "Ziva's right, I'm an idiot." 'An idiot who might get very rich, though,' he thought to himself with an inner grin.
"Tony, get your mind on your work for once," added Gibbs as he set 2 cups on his desk. "Ziva, are you busy right now?"
She cleared her screen. "Nothing that cannot wait, Gibbs."
"I'd like you to train Abby in dirty fighting," he said, with a half-smile. "She can defend herself pretty well already, but you can make her faster and more versatile. I think she's down in the lab now." Tony started to snicker, then thought better of it and restrained himself to a grin.
Ziva stood, ignoring Tony. "I will teach Abby."
"Take this." Gibbs proffered the large cup of Caf-Pow! he bought with his coffee. "She'll do anything you want for that."
The merriment in Gibbs' eyes told Ziva that this was a show for Tony's benefit. She nodded, smiling. "I'll keep that in mind, Gibbs."
As she walked towards the elevator, she heard the inevitable "DiNozzo! Don't you have work to do?"
Day 2 – 0715
When the elevator doors opened, Ziva was surprised to see Abby's lab still dark at 0715; usually the Goth woman arrived even before Gibbs, around 0630.
"Abby?" she called, turning on the lights and setting down the Caf-Pow! An uneasy feeling sent one hand inching towards her knife. The former Mossad officer always distrusted anything unexpected or out of place.
She heard the 'ding' of the elevator and quickly turned to see a breathless Abby emerging, her cheeks a faint pink from exertion or cold, Ziva wasn't sure which. "You are late, Abby, yes?" Ziva asked quizzically, relaxing her alert posture.
"Yeah, I left my car here to go clubbing last night, and I got drunk and I took a taxi home, and this morning my bus was late, so I'm late, but I'm really sorry, so tell Gibbs –"
Ziva was smiling.
"What?" demanded Abby.
"You're wearing the same clothes as yesterday," Ziva pointed out.
Abby looked down at herself, her expression horrified.
"Did you forget to change while you were at home?"
"Um… hold on," she told Ziva, acutely aware of the security cameras trained on her lab at that very moment. She went to the back of the office and changed clothes, swearing under her breath. She hadn't meant for anyone to catch her before she changed. Pretending as if nothing had happened, she returned to the main lab and picked up the drink, taking a long slurp. "Ahh!" she sighed. "Thanks, Ziva."
"Courtesy of Gibbs. He wants me to teach you – what were his words – 'dirty fighting'?"
Abby giggled. "Sounds like Gibbs. Let me see if there's anything I need to set up before we go to the gym." Ziva nodded, accepting for the moment that Abby wasn't giving away any secrets. But that would change. She wasn't a trained investigator for no reason.
Day 2 -- 0725
Jenny had let Abby out of the car first, then waited a few minutes before entering the building. She was not entirely surprised to find Special Agent Gibbs waiting for her in her office. He stood looking out her window as she settled in at her desk.
Finally, she asked irritably, "Yes? What is it, Jethro?"
Standing beside her, he leaned against the desk and whispered in her ear, "If you hurt Abby, Jen, you'll answer to me."
She went rigid for a moment. How could he possibly know? "What are you talking about?"
He walked around to face her. "I saw you last night when you left, Jen, you were all over her."
"It's more like she was all over me," she replied, unable to contain a grin. "It was her decision, Jethro. And it's not like you have any say over what Abby and I choose to do in private."
That stung, because both Jen and Abby had rejected him at different times, and he still nursed the resulting wounds. To her, the hurt on his face was obvious. "I'm sorry, Jethro," she murmured, standing to embrace him.
"Not a good idea, Jen –" he began, before her lips crashed onto his in a kiss that rapidly deepened. She could feel his body begin to respond.
"Why not? We share a common interest, don't we?"
"We share a lot more than that, and you know it." His mind reeled, trying to figure out this odd turn of events. He tried to pull away, but when she kissed his cheek, he froze just long enough for her to capture his lips once more, stroking the hair at his temples.
"You smell like Abby," he murmured, catching the scent of gunpowder despite the shower she took that morning.
"Not surprising." She smiled, recalling the night before. Running her hands down his body and pushing one thigh between his legs, she kissed him again, this time more passionately. "Wouldn't you like to hear the details, Jethro?"
"What the hell are you doing, Jen?" He jumped back, feeling confused and somewhat afraid. This definitely was not the Jenny Shepard he was familiar with.
"I'm not sure," she admitted, leaning against the desk, her breath rapid from arousal.
"Well, when you figure it out, let me know." He stalked out of the room, closing the door forcefully.
She sat back in her chair and sighed. 'What am I doing?' She tried to examine her motives but could find no logical explanation; she couldn't even think straight. Her head was spinning with lustful thoughts and confusion, along with a developing ache that centered on her forehead.
She laid her head in her hands and tried to calm her intense desire for intimate contact. She felt like a horny teenager trying to concentrate in class. The phone rang but she ignored it. When it rang again, she stood and slammed a fist to the desk. "Cynthia!"
"Yes, ma'm?"
"Cancel my appointments for the morning and hold my calls. I'll be back." Her assistant nodded, knowing better than to question the Director's orders.
As Jenny left her office and headed for the elevator, she dialed the number for Abby's lab.