(oops – sudden spam of one-shots. They are from the gabby forum and I just haven't gotten around to posting them here). Also, I'm a good 30 pages into a Gibbs/Abby/Tony three-some. And if that isn't your thing, I've got the workings for a longer Gibbs/Abby as well as a shorter one being written for Jo.R)

Prompt: Resistance

It wasn't that he couldn't have her – it's that he shouldn't. He shouldn't allow himself to open his heart to her, not because he's worried he'll break her heart (he would die before allowing himself to hurt her) but he's scared she'll hurt him. He knows she'd never hurt him on purpose – but the idea that if he truly let her in and then she was taken away from him scared him more than anything.

"Gibbs?"

"Hmm?"

"What're you thinking about?"

Gibbs glanced back over his shoulder to see that she had made herself comfortable sitting on the workbench. "Nothing."

"Oh."

"What're you thinking about?"

"Stuff."

The way she sounds so small when she says it, has him setting down his sanding block and turning toward her. "Stuff? Like what?"

"Nothing much, really. Thanks for letting me come over."

Gibbs nodded as he stood beside her, leaning back against the workbench. "You're always welcome here, you know that."

"I know, but sometimes I just feel bad that I always call you first when my heating goes out or when the building is fumigated. I always tell myself to call Tony or Timmy or Ziva, but then I always find myself calling you." She smiled softly and nudged him gently with her shoulder.

"Wouldn't offer you a place to stay if I didn't want you here."

"You saying you want me here?"

No, he was resisting her, right? "One of the better houseguests I've had."

"Only saying that because I make you dinner and it doesn't involve a microwave or anything frozen."

"DiNozzo made me fettuccini alfredo once."

"Ooh, he does do that well. He's made it for me before, too."

He glanced at her again, finding it hard to keep up the wall he'd carefully constructed. "Easy on the eyes too."

"Wait, you referring to me or Tony?"

"You really want me to answer that?"

"You probably should. I'm betting on Tony, you've resisted all my advances." She tried joking about it, but it fell a little flat.

Gibbs turned to her, cupping her cheeks in his hands. "Not because I want to."

"Then why-"

Gibbs quieted her with a gentle kiss, pulling back when she sought to deepen it. "Because if I keep you at an arm's length, I can keep you safe."

"That's the biggest load of bullshit ever. And you know it."

He half expected her to jump down and walk away, but she sat still in front of him, waiting for him to speak. "Can't lose you too."

"If you keep pushing me away, you will. I can't wait around forever for you to get over whatever it is holding you back."

"Abbs, I can't…" He moved away, ignoring the tightening of his gut as he did.

"Okay." She hopped down from the work bench and with a final look, headed up the stairs.

Gibbs felt his knees go weak as she walked past him and up the stairs. He didn't want her to leave, he didn't want her anywhere but with there with him. But he couldn't lose her. If they started something, and then she was taken away from him, he wasn't sure he could survive it.

But the idea of her moving on, finding someone else to love. The idea that she would spend the night in another mans bed made his stomach churn. Wasn't that just another form of losing her? He wasn't sure where she would be headed, his first guess would be Tony's apartment. She had only just left – if he left now, he'd beat her there.

Gibbs rushed up the stairs and flipped the light off before grabbing his keys off the small table by the door.

"Where are going?"

Abby's voice startled him and he spun around to find her stretched out on the couch. "I thought you left."

"My heat is out. You might not… want me, but you promised a couch to crash on. Where else would I be?"

Gibbs went to the couch, and nudged her hip so he had room to sit. "I'm going to stop."

"Stop what?"

"Resisting you."

"Oh?"

Gibbs gave a little nod. "But you still need to make the first move Abbs. I'm not going to push you in to anything."

"You don't want to rush, I get it."

"Thanks," Gibbs smiled softly.

"Take your time," Abby pushed up off the couch.

"Where ya headed?"

"Upstairs. I'll be in your bed when you're ready."

Gibbs was ready.