Disclaimer:I own nothing. These characters belong to CBS and whoever else holds the rights to them

Pairing: Abby/Ziva

Summary: A look at the progression of their relationships through the seasons.

Timeline: Starting with Boxed In, in season 3 and spanning through to the sixth season

Spoilers: Various episodes are mentioned throughout. This chapter specifically mentions Judgement Day 1&2

Rating:G for now. But it will be raised for later chapters.

Author's Note:

elfspirit7 Thanks for reading, and replying. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

Chapter 6

The funeral service was nice. A lot of people came. Friends and collegues from across the country, all with kind words and pleasant memories, gathered together to pay their final respects. Since Director Shephard had no living relatives the team was invited to sit in the first row of seats, the one usually reserved for family.

Abby sat in the middle, between McGee and Palmer, both of whom looked handsome and somber in their dark suits. Palmer held her hand through the service and McGee kept tapping his foot against hers, a gentle, rythmic touch that was both distracting and soothing.

Ducky got up to say a few words. Ziva sang, something in Hebrew that Abby didn't understand the words of but was beautiful and haunting and brought tears to her eyes.

A wake was being held at the home of one of Director Shephard's friends. An old college roomate, or something like that but Abby didn't really want to go. She wasn't in the mood to make small talk with a bunch of strangers. Instead she asked Tony, who she'd driven to the church with, if he'd mind dropping her off at work only to find out he'd been planning on heading there himself. They all were, it seemed. It was fitting, in a way.

Almost as soon as they got there, Vance signalled Gibbs for a word and the team headed up to his office so Abby went down to her lab. She had finished everything in her inbox before she'd left the day before but she knew that there would be something new waiting for her. There was always something pending, a toxicology report that needed to be run, ballistics that needed to be matched or half a dozen other scans or tests for the various teams that worked out of the Navy Yard.

She donned her lab coat, turned up her music and lost herself in her work.

Tony was the first one to come down. He looked more ashen now than he had at the funeral and didn't even crack a smile as Abby danced her way over to him.

"Tony?"

He didn't say anything, just stood there looking at her intently.

"Tony, what did Vance say?"

"He's disbanding the team."

Abby swayed unsteadily on her feet. "What?"

"Probie's going over to the geek squad. Ziva's being sent back to Israel. And I'm going to be an agent afloat."

"When?"

"I fly out tomorrow."

"For how long?"

"Indefinitely."

Abby covered her ears, as if by not hearing anymore she could make it untrue.

Tony reached up and gently peeled her hands away from her ears and clasped them in his own.

"I have to go. I need to get my apartment squared away and pack up. But, I'd really like one of your patented hugs before I do."

Abby felt tears stinging her lids as she wrapped her arms around Tony and squeezed as tightly as she could. For once, he didn't complain about needing to breath. Instead, he clung just as tightly.

She couldn't believe Vance would do this. Well, she could believe it, she just didn't want to. They'd just lost a friend and collegue, what they needed was to be together to heal not get scattered to the wind.

They stood like that for a long time. And they were both reluctant when they pulled apart.

"I'm going to miss my daily dose of Abby when I'm at sea."

"I hate this, Tony."

"I know, Abby. Me too."

He gave her another squeeze then stepped back, a sad smile gracing his lips.

"You better write."

And then he was gone. Abby sagged against the counter, staring after him, willing him to come back with a smile and a laugh and say it was all a joke. But he didn't. And deep down, she knew that he wouldn't.

McGee came to see her next and the two of them sat around her office talking about how different things were going to be and how much they hated the idea of not being able to work on the same cases and see each other every day.

When McGee stood to leave, Abby hugged him, hard, and made him promise that they would still see each other all the time.

She sat in her desk chair for a long time after he left, staring with unseeing eyes at the foot traffic outside her windows.

Ziva came down several hours later. So much time had passed since McGee had left that Abby had been starting to wonder if Ziva had left without saying goodbye.

"So, I hear you're heading home."

"I am going back to Israel, yes," Ziva said as she paused a foot or so away from Abby and crossed her arms over her chest, then uncrossed them and tucked them behind her back.

"When?"

"My father wants me there as soon as possible. There is a flight out tonight."

"Well, you don't waste any time, do you?"

All these changes being thrown at her at once combined with the emotions of her goodbye to Tony and the anger and sadness that had started to build when she thought Ziva had left without coming to see her, not to mention the fact that she'd just come from a funeral left Abby feeling tense and edge and looking for a fight.

And Ziva just happened to be the one to walk through the door.

"I'm surprised that you even bothered with goodbye, you're in such a rush to get out of here."

Ziva's brow furrowed and she tilted her head at Abby but she did not rise to the bait.

Abby knew that she was doing it again. That she was taking her anger and frustrations out on Ziva, saying things without thinking, purposefully trying to be hurtful in an attempt to get a rise out of the other woman. But, as always, Ziva did not rise to the bait. Instead, she stood silently, which only irritated Abby further and she dug deeper into her anger and lashed out even more.

After a few more minutes of ranting though, she started to run out of steam and after another couple of pointed jabs fell silent.

"Are you finished?" Ziva asked.

Abby nodded, the guilt setting in as some the hurtful words she'd said in a flurry of emotion setttled in her mind and she remembered that Ziva was a friend now. They were supposed to have gotten past the stage where Abby used her for target practice.

"Ziva, I-"

"Abby, I did not come down here to fight with you," Ziva interrupted her. "I have only a few hours left and then I will be on plane headed for Tel Aviv." She shifted from one foot to the other and then took a step closer. "I do not want to leave. But I have my orders. Vance does not want me here. My father would like me to return to him. So, I am going. But, before I do, I would like a hug and to say goodbye."

Abby stared at her, dumbfounded. Ziva had never asked her for a hug before. She tolerated the ones Abby gave her. Sometimes she'd even return them but never once has she initiated the contact. Even after Abby had told her all she had to do was ask, she had never asked. Not even once.

Ziva was undaunted by Abby's lack of response. With the faintest of smirks she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Abby's waist. Abby's arms came up automatically to return the embrace.

Ziva's body was solid and warm against hers. Her breath against the side of Abby's neck sent shivers skittering down her spine. And the faint brush of lips against her skin as she murmured something into the side of Abby's neck had her imagining, just for a second, pulling back and kissing her. Had her considering inviting Ziva back to her place for awhile.

There was still a few hours until her plane left. They could spend a couple of those in bed.

Then, Ziva's words registered in her conscious. "I am glad that you stopped hating me long enough for us to become friends." and the idea fell away.

It wouldn't have to complicate things. They would just be two women enjoying each other's company for the evening. Two friends seeking pleasure in each other.

And Abby had no doubt it would be amazing.

But her friendship with Ziva was still so new and not yet fully defined. She didn't want to treat it casually or with even the slightest breadth of disrespect.

"I'm going to miss you,"

At Abby's words, Ziva squeezed even harder.

"I will miss you too," Ziva said as she dropped her arms and stepped back. She offered up a sad, half smile.

"You take care of yourself, Ziva David." Abby blinked against the tears that welled up beneath her lashes.

"And you as well, Abigail Sciuto."

And then Ziva was gone. She strode out the door without looking back and Abby was left alone.

The entire team, save Gibbs, was gone. Everything had been turned upside down.