Tim and Abby
McGee rubbed his eyes as he studied what he had so far which really wasn't much. The whole morning the team was looking for Joseph Landen, an infamous arms dealer that has been on the most wanted list of NCIS and the CIA and has been spotted in the D.C. area, which only meant one thing, both agencies want to catch him first and get all the credit.
So all morning he was looking for any information on the arms dealer but he couldn't find anything they didn't already know and nothing they did want to know and with nothing to do out in the field he had nothing else to do. He was looking forward to the afternoon so he could head down to Abby's lab and take her to lunch.
He leaned back in his chair with his hand behind his head and just stared at his monitor without looking at anything in particular. As he was starting to feel hungry when his phone rang. He immediately picked it up happy to finally do something else.
"Hey McGee its me," said an excited voice on the phone.
"Hey Abby," McGee responded, "What do you need?"
"Um can you come to the lab when you have time, I need your help with something."
"Uh sure, I'll be right down."
"Thanks."
As soon as he hung up, McGee went right to work finishing up. Down at the lab as soon as Abby hung up, she started to get really nervous. The reason she wanted to see Tim was so she can finally tell him what she wanted to tell him for the past few of weeks. She decided that today was the day she'll tell him. Yesterday she thought that was the day but when the time came she decided that today was better. She was now trying to decide how she should say it. She was so lost in thought she didn't notice McGee enter and walk up behind her.
"Hey Abbs," McGee said behind her.
Abby jumped so high in surprise she almost hit the ceiling.
"McGee what are you doing here," she said quickly.
"You asked me to come here."
"Oh yeah. Well there's um something I have to tell you."
"What?"
"Um well, I um"
Abby could feel her hands sweating. She suddenly realized she was wringing her hands so she put them behind her. She never felt so nervous. Now she knows how McGee use to feel.
"What it is it," McGee asked again.
"Um are you hungry," Abby said quickly.
"What?"
"Are you hungry. It's almost lunch so you must be right?"
"Uh yeah I'm am actually."
"Good then lets go to lunch."
She grabbed McGee's arm and walked to the elevator with him. She saw McGee's cheek turn a bright red as they walked, which made her smile but hopefully he couldn't see her biting her bottom lip.
xxx
Later at the Panda Express they decided to eat outside but throughout the whole meal they didn't say much. Many times Abby was close to saying what she really wanted to say but every time she opened her mouth to say it, she panicked and just stuffed food in her mouth. She actually choked on some noodles one of those times but luckily she was able to swallow it. This is the first time she remembered feeling this nervous. Usually she's able to stay calm under pressure and she has told him before but not in the way she wanted to say it now.
When they were done they sat there in silence. While McGee looked up at the gray cloudy sky, Abby was looking at McGee and tried to work up the courage to tell him. She could feel little droplets of rain hitting her skin.
"McGee there's something I been meaning to tell you for a while," Abby was finally able to say.
"What is it Abs," McGee said looking at Abby.
"Well um you know how we been um you know close?"
"Uh yeah."
"Well I just wanna say that I-"
She was suddenly interrupted when McGee quickly stood up almost knocking over his drink.
"Call Gibbs," McGee said.
"What, why," Abby asked concerned but when she turned around she got her answer.
She saw the blonde-haired Joseph Landen step out of his SUV and walk into an alley between two apartment buildings.
"Stay here and call Gibbs," McGee ordered as he pulled out his gun and held it up against his chest under his coat.
"What are you gonna do," Abby asked even more worried.
"I'm gonna keep an eye on him and see where he goes."
"I think you should wait for the team."
"I'll be fine."
"McGee."
"I promise."
McGee was starting to walk off when Abby spoke up again.
"McGee I-"
Her mind was racing. Her mouth was open but no words came out. She wanted to say it so badly over and over again but she just couldn't so she sighed deeply.
"Please be careful," she finally said.
McGee smiled, kissed her on the cheek and ran off crossing the street and towards the alley.
Abby touched the spot where she was kissed and smiled. The spot where his lips touched her skin felt warm. Even the increasing drops of the rain evaporated as it touched her cheek. She wished so badly she could have just told him then, which would have been the perfect moment.
When she snapped back into reality she immediately pulled out her phone and dialed Gibbs.
"Gibbs," said the voice on phone.
"Gibbs you need to get down here quick," Abby said rapidly.
"Where? What's going on?"
"At the Panda Express on Ramon Road. McGee and I found Joseph Landen. McGee's following him-"
Her words were interrupted by a series of three loud pops followed by a large bang.
"Gibbs get here quick," Abby said quickly before hanging up.
All around her people were either running inside or ducking behind their cars. She recognized the first three shots as McGee's gun but the other must of came from Landen.
She didn't know what to do. She knew she should stay where she was but she was worried about McGee.
More gunshots rang out from the alley and echoed through the streets. That's when she decided to go into the alley. McGee will kill her and Gibbs will kill both of them but she didn't care as long as she knew McGee was ok.
She ran as fast as she can across the street being careful not slip on the wet road but immediately stopped when she reached the alley and cautiously walked in.
Everything was eerily quiet. The only sound in the alley was of the rain hitting the pavement. The sounds of the street sounded distant. She was wondering why there were no sirens yet. It now starting to pour but the air still felt tense as if something could happen at any moment.
The alley was narrow but was big enough for at least two people to walk through. When she reached a mini intersection between four buildings she looked around but she couldn't see anyone. She continued down one of the alleyways until she reached the end of it. She turned around and was walking back when the silence was shattered by a loud bang followed by a cry that Abby recognized as McGee.
She ran as fast as she can down the alley looking for the source of the scream. In the distant she could hear sirens starting to approach. When she reached the intersection she looked around frantically for McGee hoping to god he wasn't hurt.
Suddenly a door crashed open in one of the alleys and McGee stumbled out. Abby was starting to feel relieved till she saw the blood gush from McGee's side.
TBC in the next chapter…