NCIS and all of its wonderful characters – no they don't belong to me. Sigh, they never will. Some of them do belong to each other, though, don't you agree?

Sawdust and Gunpowder – Abby and Gibbs draw closer and the lines begin to blur, moment by moment, day by day, crisis by crisis. Some of those moments follow:

Rating – T at this time, may change in later chapters.

FWandFS (Fair Winds and Following Seas): First Fanfic in this Fandom. Have written others as FeliciaMaplewood for Scarecrow and Mrs. King…Yes, I am dating myself by admitting that.

Chapter 4 –

Fraternization

Gibbs arrived in the lab with a Caf-Pow delivery, hoping against hope that Abby would have something new for them. They were spinning their wheels upstairs and it was driving him around the bend. To his surprise, the lab was empty though he knew Abby wasn't entirely Abbsent as he heard the driving beat of 'Android Lust' in the background.

The monitors were blank, so he headed into her office to see if she was working on anything at all that could lead them in a new direction. Inherently nosy, he clicked open her web browser and raised his eyebrows in surprise as he read her screen from the Marine Corps handbook:

The Marine Corps fraternization policy is contained in Marine Corps Manual 1100.4.

Fraternization is the term used to describe improper personal and business relationships among Marines of different ranks or positions. When contact and relationships exceed these standards and become those of "buddies" or peers, then fraternization exists. Under the Marine Corps policy, commanders are instructed to look at the facts and circumstances of each case:

(1) Is there a compromise of the chain of command?

(2) Is there an appearance of partiality? (REMEMBER: when dealing with the subject of fraternization, perceptions are as deadly as reality).

(3) Is there the potential for good order, discipline, morale, or authority to be undermined?

If the commander determines that the answer to any of the above questions is "yes," then he/she may determine that the offense of fraternization occurred.

The responsibility for maintaining the customary and traditional standards of conduct lies with the senior. The line between acceptable conduct and fraternization will not be crossed unless the senior allows it to happen.

"Gibbs!" Abby squealed as she whipped into the office to find him seated at her desk. "No ninja moves sneaking into my lab. You scare me when you do that!"

He looked unapologetic as he cocked his head at her and turned the monitor towards her. "Whatcha doin', Abbs?" he asked with restrained impatience.

Abby grabbed the Caf-Pow and took a drawn-out sustaining sip. "Research," she replied laconically.

"The case, Abbs?"

"Nope – already gave you everything I can on what I got from you and Ducky. Went over it with a fine tooth comb. Can't do more forensics 'til you give me something to work with, Gibbs."

Gibbs drummed his fingers briefly on her desk in frustrated acknowledgement of what she said. He tapped the monitor. "Research?"

"Uh-huh. I'm looking for antecedent and precedent for all of 'Gibb's Rules.'" She said with a sunny smile.

"And this would be…,"

"Rule 12, of course!" Abby responded perkily. "I found the Marine Corps are pretty clear about relationships that cross boundaries of rank. Once a Marine, always a Marine – I get that. So, it explains the origins of Rule 12. You can't have a relationship with a subordinate."

Gibbs nodded in reluctant agreement.

"For instance, it would explain that it would be most inappropriate for you to fraternize with Ziva, Timmy or Tony because it could compromise the chain of command or create an appearance of partiality and that could be very destructive when you are out on call." Abby took another sip and rattled on, "In fact, according to the Marine's point of view, there are very few people that you can 'fraternize' with because of your rank which would translate to 'department head' here at NCIS."

Gibbs eyes darkened and his lips tightened, he eased her chair back and rose to standing.

"Of course that explains why you can socialize with Ducky, because as M.E. he is head of his own department and therefore of equal rank." Abby sounded remarkably like a first year law student. "And, as head of the lab, it also explains why I should not fraternize with McGee because he would be a subordinate to me, that makes it downright hinky."

Her voice became husky as she looked up at him. "Do you realize, Gibbs, that virtually the only woman at NCIS you could legitimately have a relationship with would be me? I don't report to you, I report directly to Director Vance just like you. And while we work together, I don't technically work for you."

Her office suddenly felt entirely too small and intimate for his comfort. He gripped her shoulders with a warning squeeze. "Abbs, I…" Gibbs gazed down at her pale face dominated by those emerald eyes and his train of thought left the station. They were close enough that he caught the faintly acrid bite of gunpowder perfume. He swallowed reflexively.

Abby's eyes held a teasing glint as she wrapped her ruby lips around the straw and took another pull of Caf-Pow. "I was thinking about Tony and Ziva, of course. Since she is no longer a probationary agent, there is no difference in rank and therefore no conflict – if you adhere to Marine Corps regulations, that is." Her eyes opened wide in playful surprise. "Why Gibbs, did you think I was saying?"

He had the sensation of being a catnip mouse held between the paws of a half-grown kitten. Being toyed with was an unfamiliar sensation. "I think you've been hanging around lawyers too much," he growled before giving her shoulders another warning squeeze and easing his way around her desk. "I'll call you when we have something for you to work on Abbs." He said, signing 'see you later' as he backed out of the lab.

His last sight of Abby was as she cocked her head to the side, hand on her hip, "I'll be waiting." A subtle smile played across her lips, making her look like a sleek black cat with a saucer of cream.

Gibbs waited for the elevator doors to close before striking himself sharply on the back of the head with a resounding headslap that would have left Tony seeing stars. His thoughts had no business going down the road they insisted on traveling. Abby thought he loved her like a daughter, for God's sake. She had been talking about Tony and Ziva, hadn't she? But her eyes seemed to tell a different story. He took a shaky breath and tried to focus his thoughts back on the case. God, he could use a cup of coffee.

Striding back into the bullpen, he was all business.

"McGee! Anything back on Petty Officer Curtis' background check?" Gibbs barked. They were stalled in the investigation and Gibbs was downright edgy since coming up from the lab. The investigation had been going for a week and they had almost nothing to show for it.

"Nothing significant, Boss. He drove back from leave with his family in Providence and was on his way back to base. Nothing crops up in his financials, last credit card charge was at a highway rest stop in Maryland for gas. Last phone call was to home." McGee rattled off the essentials as he stared at his computer screen.

"Tony!" Gibbs voice was no less sharp. "Local LEO's?"

Tony held up his index finger as he finished a phone call. "Got something, Boss." He sprung from his desk chair and approached the wall monitor. "Can't say what the overlap is with Curtis', but there have been four deaths now with blood-work showing Rohypnol and truth serum. Local LEO's didn't see the connection because they've been spread out. Two in New Jersey, one in Delaware, and on in Virginia – all spread out over the last six months."

"Sonofabitch!" Gibbs muttered before grabbing a case file and striding to the staircase.

"McGee…" he started.

"On it Boss!" He was already running the names DiNozzo provided him.

"Ziva, Dinozzo!" But as he started taking the stairs up to Vance's office two at a time, he saw them already on the phone lines. Like a well-oiled machine, they synced their research efficiently. He knew by the time he returned from the director's office they would be ready to roll. Their military-like precision as they functioned as a unit – that made him proud. That was the reason for his rules, just for moments like these. The streamlined chain of command and the ingrained discipline was integral to their success.

Nothing could change that. Failure was not an option. And fraternization – or anything like it - would just weaken the chain. His mind wrestled with his heart and won the battle, at least this time.

TBC

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