Author's note: This occurred to me randomly at work last week. It's a smidge OOC, but I wrote it anyway. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS, unless you count 7 seasons of DVDs.
Abby shut the last computer down for the night and turned to flick her stereo off. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted McGee in the outer lab, apparently waiting for her. Smiling- it had been a while since he'd come down to see her- she went out to greet him. "Hey McGee."
"Hey Abs." His answering smile didn't quite reach his eyes. She faltered a little; she knew that look, she'd seen it too often for her liking. 'Not again' she thought to herself. Keeping her voice level, she asked "Tim? Are you ok?"
He half shrugged, a pensive expression on his face. "Becky broke up with me" he admitted. Wordlessly, she put her arms around him and hugged him tight for a moment, getting a small smile in return while she seethed mentally. Tim was a great guy; why could none of these women he dated see that?
She let him go and grabbed his arm instead. "Come on, Tim; I'll buy you a drink."
...
They went to a quiet place that she knew he'd like- more his kind of place than hers- and sat at a table, both nursing one drink; tomorrow was a work day, after all. By unspoken mutual agreement, they talked about work, Jethro, her bowling league- anything but his now ex-girlfriend. Finally as it got late, he stood and told her he'd see her home.
It was their own small ritual. He'd follow her home and walk her upstairs before saying goodnight and going back to his car. Tonight though, there was something different. Tonight he leant with his back to the wall next to her front door, watching as she fumbled with her house keys. Not saying anything; just watching. Long experience with Timothy McGee told her that he was leading up to something. Just as she got the key into the lock, he finally spoke.
"It's my fault."
She expected the words- McGee had almost zero self confidence when it came to members of the opposite sex- but the tone wasn't what she anticipated at all. It wasn't that note that came close to self loathing that she'd heard before- it was something else.
"I drive them away. No one wants to be with someone who's dreaming of somebody else." Startled- who was McGee dreaming of that she didn't know about? - She turned her head and looked at him.
There was a hunger in his expressive eyes that she'd never seen before, making her breath catch in her throat. She felt her heart skip a beat, and then start racing. Suddenly it occurred to her that her best friend was one very attractive man. Why hadn't she noticed that before?
In a low, husky voice he continued "I never got over you, you know. Not really. And I'm tired of hiding it, Abs."
Her mouth was dry. She licked her lips, fighting for composure even though her heart was pounding so hard she could hear her own pulse. "It's the alcohol talking, Tim."
He laughed, still on that low husky note that sent a thrill down her spine. "I've had one beer, Abby." He straightened up and stopped leaning on the wall, taking half a step closer to her. "But if that's what you want to believe..."
He was giving her an out. She knew she should take it- he was her best friend after all, and they didn't do things like this anymore, hadn't for years-but somehow she couldn't force herself to say the words. He lifted his hand to cup her face, lightly caressing her cheek with his thumb, murmuring her name. Unable to stand the tension any more, she leant forward and pressed her lips to his... and immediately realised she was in big trouble. A shaft of desire, stronger than she'd ever felt before, shot through her, leaving her weak at the knees. He supported her as he twisted the key she'd abandoned in the lock, opening the door and guiding her inside.