Title: A Moment in Time

Author: Gibbsredhoodie

Rating: T

Spoilers: Silver War, Season 3

Summary: Will Abby take a leap of faith and risk a perfect moment in time in the hopes it could become more than just one moment?

Slowly following Gibbs into his house Abby took in the sparse yet familiar surroundings. A subdued light radiated from the living room and kitchen as she walked from the front door, Gibbs closing it behind her.

"Want a beer?" he asked, moving to stand beside her.

"That'd be great, thanks."

Abby didn't really know why she'd turned up on his doorstep. Her emotions were conflicted, she wanted to be near him but was also scared of what she might say or do.

She watched Gibbs as he walked into the kitchen, opening the door of the fridge and pulling out two beers. Allowing herself to take him in, she studied his tall and solid frame. His smooth neck that branched out into broad shoulders and then tapered down into a trim waist.

The dark blue hoodie he had on made him appear bulkier than he was but she'd observed his body enough times to imagine what was hidden underneath. If only she could see him with no clothes on at all.

Fighting back a moan her eyes settled on his ass and the loose fitting jeans that covered him, her gaze lowering down the length of his legs as Gibbs turned around. Abby felt heat burn in her cheeks, and hoped he hadn't noticed she was practically foaming at the mouth at the sight of him.

If he picked up on her embarrassment he didn't say anything, and Abby avoided his eyes in an attempt to save her from having to justify her reaction. She felt like she had a neon sign flashing over her head that said 'I want you' and for a brief moment thought about blurting those same words out just to end her awkwardness.

Sighing inwardly with relief, she said nothing as Gibbs popped the cap the one of the bottles in his hand. He threw the cap on the table and held the beer out for her, his face remaining expressionless.

Abby took it and without thinking lifted the front cover of the large notepad sitting on the table in front of her.

Her hand paused mid-air, her breathing catching when she saw the drawing it opened on. It was her.

As talented as she knew Gibbs was with his hands when it came to woodworking, she wasn't aware that he could draw. There was only one person she could think of that had that ability. And it would make sense that Gibbs had the drawings, he missed her as much as Abby did.

"Did…did Kate do these?" She asked quietly, her voice crackling with unresolved emotion.

Gibbs nodded and took a mouthful of his beer, stepping closer to her. "Good huh?"

Abby didn't answer his question, her eyes finally lifting to meet his. "Where did you find them?"

"They were in one of the drawers in her desk. Ziva found them."

Abby still wasn't sure about how she felt about Ziva…it wasn't so much that she disliked the new member of Gibbs' team, it was more that she missed Kate and wanted her back. Deep down she knew one of her closest friends was gone, but trying to let go…trying to move on without her seemed even more difficult now that there was someone trying to replace Kate.

"I noticed you're back in your normal clothes," Gibbs said, picking up on Abby's sadness and trying to steer her towards other things.

The faintest smile curved at the corner of Abby's lips and she looked down at herself. "Thanks to you."

"Don't like it when you're unhappy…and I wouldn't want you to change."

The honesty in his tone of voice didn't go unnoticed by Abby and for a moment she thought she could see a hint of something in his eyes. Something she had become familiar with herself in the last several months. An emotion that at times left her feeling more alone than she ever had in her life. Longing.

While seeing it reflected in Gibbs confused her it also gave her nerves a boost to try and start a conversation she'd been waiting to have with him for some time. If this was the opportunity she'd held out for, as fleeting and risky as it may be, then it wasn't going to pass her by only to leave her with more regrets.

Abby took a quick gulp of her beer before placing it down on the table, her hand shaking slightly despite her momentary burst of courage. She turned to face Gibbs and bit at her bottom lip self-consciously.

"So you don't prefer me in those other clothes?" she asked him softly. "Thought it might be more your style."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at her. "Want you to be who you are Abbs, not who some paper pusher tells you to be. And like I said, I don't want you to change…you know that don't you?"

Abby nodded but didn't say anything. He took hold of her hands and moved so they were facing each other with barely a foot separating them.

The quietness of the house made every beat of her heart sound like an explosion in her ears, the intensity of his blue gaze causing her stomach to flip over and over. Abby knew she had to speak but wanted to hold onto the moment with everything she was…because once it was broken she may never get it back. If she said the wrong thing, she could not only lose this moment in time but she could lose Gibbs too.

She squeezed Gibbs' hands, trying to grasp onto the right words, and also wanting to give Gibbs the time to steer the conversation elsewhere. As desperate as she was to be with him she didn't want to force Gibbs into a situation that he wasn't comfortable with and one that could cost them their friendship. If things went sour then she would lose far more than just the man himself, Abby would lose everything.

"So…umm…I saw you with the redhead…" she trailed off, taking a moment to gauge his reaction.

Abby had watched Gibbs press a kiss to the woman's cheek as the pair had waited for the elevator in the bullpen. She'd quickly retreated back to her lab before she was seen though. She didn't want Gibbs to get a glimpse of her jealousy, for him to see how much it hurt her that he was with someone else.

He took another small step closer to her and Abby held her breath. "Was a goodbye kiss…if that's what you're wondering. She brought something of mine in, but it's over between us."

Abby tried to bite back her initial surprise, the emotion combining with relief. She knew this was her chance but she also wondered if now was the right time to say something if he was dealing with a break up. She didn't want to add to his pain, but the truth was that he didn't look too upset.

"Are you okay?" She asked, genuinely concerned.

Gibbs nodded.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Not really. It wasn't serious between us, which is why we could part on good terms."

Abby felt his thumbs begin to gently caress over the back of her hands. His long fingers were wrapped around hers, the warmth from his skin and the gentleness of his touch causing her to fight back the impulse to just throw herself into his arms.

It didn't matter what she said or did now, Abby knew she was too far gone, she just hoped that when the night was over that either her heart or their friendship was still intact. She wasn't sure she could have both.

"That's good, I'm glad" she answered, then instantly began trying to explain herself when she realized how it sounded. "I mean…I'm not glad that you broke up…glad that you're okay…that you're still on good terms…"

"Even though it wasn't serious between us, she knew," Gibbs said, ignoring Abby's ramblings.

"Knew what?"

It came out as a whisper, tension burning through her body. She had perfected the art of waiting but now it appeared that time had stopped. Every word and every action was in slow motion, it was a fantasy and torture all at once.

Gibbs bridged the remaining distance so barely an inch separated their faces. "That my heart belongs to someone else. That I belong to someone else."

Abby's heartbeat accelerated and she was certain that Gibbs could hear the loud pounding. The shaking that she'd managed to control earlier trembled down her arms and she felt the large hands around hers grip on a little tighter.

She swallowed and tried to stay calm, her voice cracking as she spoke. "You do?"

Hesitantly Gibbs reached up to push an errant strand of her hair behind her ear. "Think we both know who that is."

Overcome with nerves Abby found herself speechless. She wanted to believe he was talking about her, and Gibbs was giving every indication that that was the case…but it seemed too good to be true.

And then words became irrelevant.

His lips were warm and soft against hers, the gentleness of his first kiss and the release of the tension coiled within her body for so long uncurling as she leaned into him.

Gibbs' hands moved to cup her face, slowly teasing out the embrace when Abby responded. Each kiss was as gentle as the last, their lips brushing together repeatedly until Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and her tongue swept into his mouth.

This time she didn't hold back her moan, their kisses becoming deeper and hungrier. So many times Abby had wondered how he'd feel and taste, but in reality it was overwhelming. He was gentle and masculine, and with just one kiss she was addicted.

Eventually they were forced to break apart for air and Abby smiled at the desire in his darkened eyes, both of them gasping for breath. She felt drugged by his nearness and the realization that the line she thought they would never cross had now been wiped from existence.

Gibbs let his hands drop to her waist and rested his forehead against hers, his lop sided grin sending her already out of control hormones into chaos. He looked like she felt…as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.

Closing his eyes Gibbs sighed and pressed his lips to hers once more before trailing them over the side of her face towards her ear.

Their actions had given Abby all the proof she needed, but when he finally spoke she knew that her decision to turn up on his doorstep that night had been one that would change her life forever.

"It's you," Gibbs whispered next to her ear, rubbing his cheek against hers. "It'll always be you, Abby."

The End.