Title: Not Counting In Sequence, chapter 3
Pairing: Tabby
Rating: PG-13
Summary: the end of the story, haha

Tony got off the elevator at the main floor again, grinning like a madman, and Ziva zoomed in on him, ready to fire questions at him.

"So, what happened?"

Tony sat down at his desk, doing his best to ignore her. "Is Probie around?"

"Why would I care where McGee is?" Ziva asked, frustrated. "Why would you - aha, something happened down there that you don't want McGee finding out about."

Tony looked at her. "He'd find out, anyway. I wanted to see if he was willing to give up his Monster Sledge tickets."

"Are you taking Abby on a date?" Ziva gasped, saying it loud enough so the few people around them raised their heads to look at her.

"Tone it down, big mouth," Tony shushed her. "If Gibbs finds out..."

"If I find out what, DiNozzo?" Gibbs appeared from nowhere, suddenly right behind Tony.

"Geez, how do you do that, Boss? It's like you're the Invisible Man or something."

"Answer the question, Tony. If I find out what? Maybe that you're getting involved with a certain forensic scientist who works here at NCIS?"

Tony narrowed his eyes and spoke cautiously. "Who told you that?"

"You wouldn't believe what giving a Caff-Pow! to someone will make her say," Gibbs smirked.

"Dammit!" Tony cursed. "So, I suppose my ass is grass, huh, Boss?"

"Only if you break her heart. Then you'll have to answer to me," Gibbs said, leaning in toward Tony. He straightened himself out again, barking, "Get back to work!"

Ziva walked back to Tony's desk after Gibbs left. "So he's okay with it. That surprises me."

Tony glared at her. "And why would you say that? I'm not going to use Abby." He looked down at a pile of papers and said softly, "She means too much to me."

Ziva heard Tony's comment but chose to ignore it. She saw that Tony was finally maturing, realizing he didn't have to sleep around with 25-year-old big-breasted bimbos to be happy. It was funny that the woman to make him realize that was someone who acted like a child when she was on her Caff-Pow! highs.

She smiled to herself at the thought, then saw McGee walk back into the bullpen and hunkered down for the ensuing argument.

"Hey, Probie, I got a favor to ask of you," Tony said, rising from his desk.

"I'm not really in the mood, Tony," McGee sighed. "Abby just shot me down."

"Ouch," Tony grimaced, pretending to be sorry for him. "Say, I suppose you won't be using those Monster Sledge tickets, then, will you?"

McGee looked at Tony strangely. "Why do you care? You don't even lis- oh my God." Realization swept over McGee like a sheet of rain. "You're the reason Abby dumped me."

Tony gave him a sheepish smile. "You were bound to find out eventually," he said.

"This is unbelievable," McGee muttered. "Isn't it enough that you could have any woman in the world? You just had to take the one who was actually interested in me. Thanks a lot, Tony."

"I can't believe you think that."

McGee turned around slowly at the sound of Abby's voice behind him. "Abby. I didn't realize you were standing there."

"Obviously," she said, a flash of anger in her eyes. "I'll have you know that this wasn't Tony's idea." She switched her gaze to Tony. "I was the first to admit to any feelings." She looked at McGee again. "It's not even about you, Tim. I've known Tony longer than I've known you, and he's always been a really good friend, and after everything that's happened lately, I guess I just feel a lot closer to him, and somewhere, my feelings turned romantic."

"How sweet," Ziva muttered from her desk, not looking up from her paperwork.

Abby looked at her for a moment before turning back to McGee, a pleading look on her face. "I hope you believe me."

McGee sighed. "Of course I believe you, Abs. I want you to be happy." He scowled. "Even if it is with Tony."

"Thank you, Timmy!" Abby squealed, throwing her arms around him.

"Yeah, thanks, Timmy," Tony said. McGee glared at him and he flashed a goofy grin back. "So, about those Monster Sledge tickets..."

McGee just shook his head and walked away. Tony turned to Abby and she shrugged, saying, "Oh, well. I can think of better things to do."

"Like?"

"Anthony DiNozzo, I'm surprised you even have to ask."

"Oh," Tony said, confused, then it dawned on him what she was referring to. "Ohh, I got ya. That definitely DOES sound better than Monster Sledge."

Abby moved over to him and slipped her arms around his shoulders. "Nothing sounds better than Monster Sledge, but I'll take what I can get." She leaned in to kiss him, but was interrupted by Ziva clearing her throat.

"People are trying to work here," she said, like the idea had just crossed her mind.

"You don't say?" Tony said sarcastically. He turned back to Abby. "We'll continue this after work," he told her, and she nodded firmly and tweaked his nose before heading back to her lab.

"Aw, you're so cute," Ziva said, making her way to Tony's desk once more. "Two beans in a pod."

"'Peas,' Ziva. Two 'peas' in a pod. Besides, your mocking doesn't faze me. We all know you're just jealous."

"Yeah." Gibbs suddenly appeared in the room again. "Of you." Ziva started laughing, and Tony just glared at them both.

"Not funny, Boss," Tony said. "Not funny at all."

The End!