Everything's Ducky
An Navy NCIS story-dedicated to my best friend MB-who dared me to write
this-and those who said "write something based on something people actually watch!"
(People do watch "Simon & Simon"-only in syndication-so there!)
(All characters belong to the king of action dramas, Donald Bellesario
and are only being borrowed for a little while. I promise to put them
back safe and sound!)
Abby sat, staring at the computer screen, not seeing the report in front of her. Her thoughts,
what were left of them after 14 Red Bulls, kept racing back and forth.
All she could see was his face, not sad, but resigned.
How could she have been so blind, so ignorant of all the signs, oh what the heck, of what was
right in front of her.
She was only playing with McGee, she thought he was fun, even someone she felt was worth
sharing her hidden and not-so-hidden passions with. When Gibbs angrily demanded action and
all but accused them of using the search for Ari as an excuse for "playing house", she had felt
a thrill of, of something.
But not what she wanted, not really. Now, oh boy, now she hoped it wasn't too late to make amends with the one she did want. So he was older than her, he had the youngest heart of anyone, even McGee, that she knew.
And music, damn, the man let her play even the most metal with never a complaint, save too high an amplification. "Ah, a purist!" she had snickered, and he had tossed a smile at her.
Abby decided she had to see if he really wanted her, no matter what the chance of screwing it up was.
She had to know, was Ducky in love with her?
Ducky was just closing up Autopsy when Abby found him. He smiled at her, "Abby, I'm off
to a hot bath and something cold. And you?"
"Um, home, listen, Ducky, if I ask you something and you're not good with it, you can tell me,
right? Cause I don't know but I have to know 'cause I ..really.." Damn, this wasn't coming out
right, she decided.
"What is it, Abby? I promise to tell you if I'm uncomfortable." He gave her a searching look,
then real concern replaced it as she found herself comtemplating the floor.
"I, Ducky, I really like you, no that's not what I mean, I mean, you're important to me, like,
you know me and I don't fit but you still do, oh..." she took a deep breath and looked up.
Ducky was gazing at her, a puzzled expression on his face, then it slowly turned to one of
tenderness. "Abigail, if you're telling me you care about me, thank you. You are one of
the dearest people I know. You make me feel young."
"Oh, that's not what I, I do care about you, but not like that! And what do you mean, feel
young, you have more life in you than guys half your age!" Abby felt like laughing and
crying all at once, why couldn't she say she what she meant?
"Abby, dear, I understand what you are saying, and I appreciate it. But, believe that I
have your best interests at heart when I tell you that you deserve someone else, like
McGee. He'll go far, that young man. A little wet behind the ears, maybe, but..."
She interrupted him, unable to control herself. "Ducky, don't say that, he's a control
freak, he has to know where everything's going to go, and what I mean and how I'm
going to feel tomorrow, and, he doesn't like me the way I am, he wants something else."
Suddenly it came to her, and she knelt down and took his hand, " But you , you
accept me, the clothes, the music, the way I act. Gibbs once told me I hang around you
too much, well, I want to." Abby took a deep breath, then looking up at his face,
blurted out "I love you, life's too short not to tell the people you care about how you feel!"
She saw tears in his eyes, "Abby, you've made me very happy. Maybe I'm being too
cautious, but...." The older man suddenly leaned over and kissed her, then pulled her
up to him and embracing her, kissed her again with feeling.
Surprised, Abby pulled back, breathless. "Ducky, I knew it!" Out of breath, the
older man beamed at her, then cupping her face in his hand, told her "Yes my dear,
I never dreamed I'd have these feelings again, but there you are. You are right,
life is for the living, and that's what I'm going to do!"
Abruptly he tensed, and she realized the elevator was coming down. Releasing her,
he busied himself putting his coat on while she fiddled with her jacket. As the doors
opened, Gibbs came out, then seeing the two of them, jovially said "I thought you two
would burn the midnight oil, time to go home!"
"Why, thank you, Jethro, such a nice thing to do to get the elevator for Abby and I!"
Ducky told him, hustling Abby into the lift. As Gibbs through habit looked in to see
everything was locked up in the lab, Abby pushed the "closed" button.
As the NCIS agent turned around, he was surprised to see the elevator doors closing,
but not before Ducky's voice floated out. "We'll send it back down for you, Jethro,
Good Night!"
Grinning, Gibbs watched it ascend, then shook his head.
"About time, you two!"