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Prompt #43: Matchmaker - Abby giggled as she hacked into the elevator controls and triggered the stop function. "If they don't at least kiss in there, I'll owe you twenty bucks," she said to an aghast McGee.

Words: 849


"What's the matter with them now?" asked Abby with an exasperated sigh.

"Don't ask, Abby," McGee warned. "They've been twitchy all week. This case has got them both on edge."

Abby gave a wicked little smile. "Hey, where are they right now?"

"They were packing up to head home when I came down to see you. I think they're heading for the elevator now." A look of confusion, then realization, bloomed into abject terror. "Abigail Sciuto, don't even consider doing what I think you're considering."

She pouted. "Tim, they're stuck. They're stuck in the friend zone. We, as their friends and coworkers and family, must ensure that they get out of the friend zone and into the dating zone ASAP."

"Don't take the moral high ground. You just want to play matchmaker."

"So?"

Knowing when he was beat, McGee sighed heavily. "Fine. Just don't ever let them know it was us."


"I'm gonna kill McGee," grumbled Tony as he slapped the emergency stop switch a couple times.

"He does not have the stones to do this alone," Ziva said, trying to slip her fingers into the crack of the elevator door. "When we get out, I am going after Abby. You are welcome to join me."

The Senior Agent made a snorting noise in his nose. "You kidding me? We won't get five steps of her before Gibbs stepped in front of her. You're welcome to take him out first. I'll be cowering behind my desk."

Scowling, Ziva refocused on trying to pry the doors open. They didn't give at all, which only made her madder. With a last huff she gave up and slumped against the side of the elevator. "It is impossible. We are trapped here."

"I gotta give Abby props, she can set a good trap," Tony said grudgingly. "Never thought she'd do it, though."

"What do you expect? Obviously she expects some firecrackers to happen."

"Fireworks, Zee-Vah," he corrected absently. "I don't get why. We're just friends."

"Perhaps she is bored," Ziva guessed. "She has done crazier things." Dark brown eyes looked up at her partner. "Perhaps she is retaliating for something. Have you irritated her lately?

Tony scoffed again. "Please. I like my personal life as uncomplicated as possible. So no, I haven't irritated the Princess Goth. What about you?"

"No, I have not pissed Abby off." The former assassin crossed her arms and huffed in anger. "She's being a matchmaker again."

"Again?" echoed Tony.

"You cannot tell me that you did not notice all the attempts to get us alone today."

When the Senior Agent thought over the course of the day, Ziva could see the way his eyes widened as he realized the truth in her words. "That little - It's Valentine's Day, that's why. She wants us to hook up on Valentine's Day."

"And why is that?" Ziva prodded, at a loss to understand why.

"The pool."

She frowned. "She wants to go swimming?"

"No, the betting pool on whether we've hooked up or not. She wants to win it." Tony scrunched up his face in annoyance. "Must be good money if she's resorting to sabotage."

"Why is the business of everyone in the building if we've slept together or not?" Ziva asked, throwing up her hands in exasperation. Catching his gaze she lifted her index finger in warning. "Don't even start, DiNozzo. We talked about this."

"Why not just put the rumors to rest?"

"We talked about it," she repeated. "And we decided not to. Need I mention Rule 12?"

He stepped closer to her, soulful eyes meeting hers with enough heat to make her heart speed up painfully. "Is that really your only defense?" he asked softly.

"No," Ziva whispered. "But I do respect Gibbs, and I will not willfully disobey him. And I know you will not do so either."

A wry smile twisted Tony's lips. "But it would be - "

Her smile was somewhat wistful and teasing at the same time. "Perhaps," she agreed.

"We should at least give Abby something to go to the bank with," he said.

"Oh, very well." Grabbing his tie, Ziva yanked him down to press her lips against his.


"Yes!" Abby crowed, punching the air in triumph. "McGee, we have lip-lock!"

He shook his head with a dumbfounded look on his face. "I never thought they'd actually do it."

"Told you!" She continued with her victory dance, leaving McGee to re-engage the elevator and release their coworkers.

They were so distracted that they never saw the dirty looks that Tony and Ziva shot the camera before they exited the elevator.


Hahaha, love matchmaker!Abby dearly!

Review please!

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