A/N I want to thank the four of you who reviewed and everyone who read it, and especially donnag76 for her encouragement and kind words. Y'all are great! Here is chapter two with more McAbby, as promised. My first time writing McAbby, so please let me know what you think.
Ch. 2
Ziva was partly incorrect when she told Tony that keeping an inter-workplace relationship secret would be impossible. Abby and McGee have proven it difficult, not impossible. They'd been dating again for the past six months. After the first time they dated and drifted apart, they'd, well, they'd drifted back together. Working very hard to keep it a secret, they barely touched, even when they were alone in the lab.
About a week after Ziva showed up at Tony's door, McGee and Abby were working on a case, waiting for Major Mass Spec to finish processing a strange liquid from a crime scene. They spent the time lying next to each other on the floor, like Abby does with an overnight case, but instead of cushioning her head on Bert, she used McGee as a pillow. McGee himself wasn't quite sure why they were staring at the ceiling, but Abby had wanted to show him something and then they got distracted and began talking about the past half-year, and what it held.
"Timmy, when do you think we'll tell Gibbs?" Abby asked quietly.
"When do you want to tell him?" McGee asked carefully. He knew Abby felt guilty for keeping things from Gibbs, essentially a father figure, but he also knew that Gibbs would shoot first, ask questions later when it came to the happy Goth.
"I don't know. I feel like he deserves to know, but in no way does he need to know, you know?" Abby said in her typical confusing manner. But, strangely, McGee once again knew exactly what she meant.
"What does Gibbs not know?" Ziva asked from behind them.
"That McGee and I have been dating for the past six months," Abby said casually. McGee stiffened in surprise beneath her.
"Abbs—" McGee started and sat up, but Abby cut him off.
"She's guessed for a while. And she just walked in on our floor-snuggling. It's not like I'm telling Tony. Besides, we only agreed to keep it a secret from Gibbs," she said.
"Is 'floor-snuggling' a thing, or just another Abby-ism?" Ziva asked.
"The fact that you have to ask should answer the question," Abby said. "But you won't tell, right?"
"Of course not," Ziva reassured them both.
"What aren't you telling whom, Ziva?" Gibbs asked, appearing in the entrance in his usual abrupt style. McGee was very glad he and Abby had moved to a less incriminating position, although he would love the freedom to hold her at work. "And why are the two of you on the floor?" Gibbs continued, gesturing with the Caf-Pow in his hand.
"Uh, it's extremely comfortable, Boss," McGee said, standing and helping Abby to her feet. He held her hand longer than required, but only Ziva noticed. She smirked at them.
"You're starting to sound like DiNozzo, McGee," Gibbs said. "Whatcha got, Abbs?"
"Uh, Major Mass Spec should be done . . . now," a corresponding beep came from the machine. Abby quickly explained her findings to Gibbs, gave him the lead he needed, and waved as Ziva and McGee followed him out. "Go get 'em guys!"
~o0o~
That night, after the murderer was behind bars and all that was left was to file paperwork, Ziva paid a visit to the lab. "Hey, Abby, can I ask you something?" Ziva started without preamble.
"Of course. . ." Abby paused. "This is about a guy!" she grabbed Ziva's hand and pulled her down onto a rolling chair and took a seat beside her, "Shoot!"
Ziva took a deep breath, "When did you decide that being with someone was more important than keeping your job or breaking the Rules? How do you know?" she asked, knowing that she was giving everything away in one breath.
"Oh, my gosh, Ziva, I'm so sorry!" Abby said quietly, squeezing the other woman's arm. "It's Tony, isn't it?"
Ziva looked away and then back to Abby, "He told me he loves me and I—I could not hide my emotions enough to deny my own feelings."
"If he knows then why aren't you . . . " Abby trailed off uncertainty. Then she reached over and gave Ziva a hug. "You told him no, didn't you?" Abby asked over Ziva's shoulder.
"Yes. I said I didn't want things to change, but they have and I do not know what to do," Ziva felt tears in her eyes as Abby finally released her from the hug.
"Is it something Tony might do? I know he has a reputation but he wouldn't run out –or around— on you. Not to someone he loves."
"How do I convince him he shouldn't love me?" Ziva asked.
"Why would you—"
"I might be able to help with that," came a familiar and angry voice from the doorway.
Ziva spun around and jumped up. "Gibbs! I was just—"
"Save it, Ziver, I heard," Gibbs looked around, "Where is DiNozzo?"
"Right here, Boss. Sorry, we took the stairs . . ." Tony came in, McGee a step behind. "Are you okay, Zi?"
"DiNozzo, elevator. Now!"
"Right away, Boss," Tony said curiously, following on Gibbs' heels.
"What did Tony do?" McGee asked no one in particular.
That knocked Ziva out of her stupor. "He fell in love in me," she said over her shoulder, running after them. She made it to the elevator doors as they were closing. Sighing, she pressed the button and waited.
~o0o~
"Boss, what's this about?" Tony asked as Gibbs hit the emergency stop. He knew he must have done something serious, or he'd just have received a head-slap.
"Are you harassing Ziva?" Gibbs asked, taking a threating step toward Tony.
"What? No! Well, not more than usual, if you call that harassing, Boss?" Tony was really starting to get nervous.
"Do you know why Ziva wants you to 'stop loving her'?"
"Uh. . . no, Boss, I don't," Tony swallowed and leaned hard against the elevator wall.
Gibbs softened slightly, "You love her?"
"Well, yeah. She told you?"
"Nope, she told Abby."
Tony took a deep breath, "This isn't her fault. We didn't break Rule 12, not for lack of trying on my part. She turned me down."
"Oh, don't worry, she isn't the one in trouble," Gibbs started the elevator up again and it headed back down. "Just don't try any of your—"
"I don't plan on it," Tony interjected quickly. Then, seeing that Gibbs was still glaring at him, he decided it was time to divert the attention away from him. So he pulled out something he'd been saving. "But, I think that McGee is the one you should be having this talk with, if you know what I mean." Tony added as the doors opened.
Gibbs made a noise and brushed past Ziva, still waiting in front of the elevator, before she could speak and hurried into the lab.
"What did you do?" Ziva asked Tony as he exited the 'meeting room' slower than Gibbs had.
"Threw McGee under the bus."
"Why?" Ziva narrowed her eyes.
"Because he was tearing into me for what happened the other night. Did you tell Abby I'm harassing you?"
"Of course not!" Ziva said defensively, "We need to talk. But not now. Now I have to rescue McGee." Ziva gave him a look and returned to the lab.
~o0o~
McGee and Abby looked up from their conversation simultaneously as Gibbs came barging into the room. "Hey, Gibbs," Abby said nervously, "What did Tony do this time?"
"McGee," Gibbs thundered.
"Yes, Boss?" McGee swallowed, stealing glances back at Abby.
"Is there anything you and Abby would like to tell me?" The couple in question shared a look. So much for deciding when to tell him.
Ziva came in, Tony a half-step behind. "You told him?" Abby asked Ziva, disbelief in her voice.
"I did not," Ziva said quickly, "Tony did. And I did not tell him, either," she added.
"Tony!" Abby exclaimed.
"What? He thought Ziva and I were the Rule breakers, not the two of you. I was just setting the record straight," Tony defended himself.
"More like saving your—"
"McGee!" Gibbs said again, cutting him off, "Get out there!" He pointed to the door.
"No!" Abby yelled, grabbing McGee's arm before he could leave, "Whatever you have to say, you can say to both of us. We broke Rules, not just Tim."
"Fine," Gibbs looked pointedly at Abby till she dropped McGee's hand. "How could you not tell me?" Gibbs demanded, looking at Abby and then McGee.
"We—we're breaking the Rules . . ." Abby said uncertainly, "Why would we tell the being that created them?"
McGee only said, "Rule 4 and Rule 18, Boss."
Gibbs looked at him a moment longer and then nodded, accepting that his second most senior field agent and his forensic scientist would do what they wanted, with his other field agents not far behind. "McGee, if you so much as think about hurting her—" he left the threat hanging.
"Boss, I'm pretty sure she'll get to me first, and leave no evidence," McGee said, looking Gibbs in the eyes.
"Do you really think she'd be able to do that to you?" Gibbs asked, before turning to leave. "DiNozzo!" he snapped on the way out, "Same goes for you!"
"You don't have to worry about me hurting Abby, Boss, she doesn't like me that way," Tony quipped, trying to relieve some tension.
Gibbs stuck his head back in, "DiNozzo, do we need to have another talk in the elevator?"
"No, Boss," Tony said quickly.
"Good," Everyone in the room held their breath until they heard the ding of the ascending elevator.
~o0o~
"I'm sorry I gave away your secret," Ziva said directly to Abby, the first one to speak.
"It wasn't you," McGee said, glaring at Tony, "How'd you know anyway?"
"I'll never tell," Tony said with a smug smile.
Before he could continue, Ziva broke in, "It was still my fault for not being as attentive as usual. I was," Ziva glanced at Tony, "distracted."
"I have that affect," Tony said. Abby was surprised at how casual the two of them were being with each other. Ziva's confession had led her to believe that things were strained. Maybe things were strained, and this whole thing is a show.
Ziva rolled her eyes. "Have a good night, Abby, McGee," she said and left the lab. Tony caught up with her as she entered the elevator.
"Hey," he said, coming in and pressing the button. After a significant pause, he said softly, "Zi, do you know what this means?"
She couldn't look at him, so she didn't respond.
"Gibbs just gave us his sideways permission. You can't hide behind him as an excuse anymore. Please just tell it to me straight, do you want to be with me or not?" Tony leaned against the wall of the slowly moving elevator.
"I don't—" Ziva broke off, sighing, "Yes, I want to be with you, Tony . . ."
"I'm sensing a 'but' somewhere in this," Tony said, sounding resigned.
"There is no 'but'. Unless you have one?"
Tony perked up immediately. "Really? No 'buts' here. Except your extremely sexy one, but I bet commenting on it is considered obnoxious."
Ziva smiled, just a slight curve of her lips that made Tony happier than he'd been all day. "We still need to talk," she said as the doors opened.
"Okay. You want me to follow you to your place?" Tony asked, daring to put a hand on the small of her back. Ziva shot him a look, but didn't say anything, so he left it there, slowly bringing it around until his arm was wrapped around her waist.
"Yes. I can order take-out, if you want," she offered, but he shook his head.
"No, I'll stop and get something on the way," Tony had a plan, "So, I'll meet you at your place in a bit?"
"See you then," Ziva went to go toward her car, but Tony grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him, kissing her. She made a small protesting noise, but slowly became more involved in the kiss. After they broke apart, gasping, they looked into each other's eyes, their faces close together, until Ziva reluctantly and wordlessly got in her car and drove away.
~o0o~
McGee was well aware that Abby had him wrapped around her finger. He didn't want it any other way. His primary concern as Ziva and Tony were leaving (together?) was Abby's reaction to the incident. "Hey, Abbs, are you okay?" he asked, putting a hand on her arm.
"Me? Yeah, Timmy," Abby started gathering her things, "What about you? I'm sorry Gibbs went all 'father-with-a-shotgun' on you."
"More like 'father-who's-a-Marine'," McGee said and Abby snorted. "I expected worse, not, well, not his permission," he sighed, "But I don't think I'll get his approval."
"Aw, Tim. He wouldn't give just anyone," Abby said reassuringly, rubbing McGee's back.
"He never cared about any of your other boyfriends," McGee said bitterly.
Abby laughed outright at that one, "He had nothing to worry about with any of my other 'boyfriends'! He knows I'm serious about you," Abby made a disparaging noise. "You're my first boyfriend I've ever been serious about."
McGee felt his heart speed up, "Really? I'm your boyfriend?"
"Uh, yeah. Did you miss that whole fiasco with Gibbs?" Abby rolled her eyes.
McGee followed her out of the lab, feeling stupid. "Well, yeah, but, Abbs, you don't have boyfriends, you have—"
"Boytoys, I know," Abby cut in sharply. Why couldn't McGee see that he'd brought her out of that stage? "I told you, I'm actually serious about you, and making this work."
"And I think that's great, Abby," McGee smiled but then groaned. "All my stuff is at my desk. I was hoping to sneak away like Tony and Ziva did."
"Wow, Tim, you really are a naught boy, hiding from Daddy," Abby teased, pecking his cheek lightly, "I'll wait for you in the elevator. "McGee rolled his eyes at her reluctance to face Gibbs herself and stepped out of the elevator.
Gibbs was at his desk, drinking coffee and reading what was probably the case file. McGee hurriedly crossed to his desk, grabbed his laptop, bag and coat. Knowing he was insane for doing it, he stopped in front of Gibbs' desk and cleared his throat.
Gibbs glanced up sharply, "What, McGee?"
"Uh, Boss, I just wanted to say that I have no intention of hurting Abby."
"Yeah? Anything else you want to tell me?" Gibbs took a sip of his coffee without breaking eye contact with McGee.
McGee swallowed. This was obviously a test. "I want to do whatever it takes to make her happy, Boss," he said, holding his head up.
"No, McGee. Not good enough. Making her happy is a best friend's job. Promise me you'll do what's best for her, no matter it if makes her happy or not. That is a boyfriend's job." Gibbs set his coffee down.
"I promise, Boss." Gibbs nodded and went back to his case file, obviously dismissing McGee. McGee slipped out, thinking about what Gibbs had said.
A/N
Rule 4: The best way to keep a secret is to keep it to yourself. Second best: tell one other person if you must. There is no third best.
Rule 18: It's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.