Stepping Up

I love you's not enough, I'm lost for words...

-Redundant, Green Day

I realise that's probably not how kidnapping things work and all that kinda stuff but that's what's happening here haha!

I hope you're enjoying!

Ziva, McGee and DiNozzo were standing in the hallway outside of the interrogation room, waiting for Gibbs. They all looked at each other nervously, worried about the outcome of what was going to happen. Would he give up the location of where Abby was? Would he tell them what had happened? None of them knew and it made them even more worried than they already were.

"DiNozzo, I want you to interrogate him." Gibbs ordered as he made his way past them to observation, Ziva and McGee following.

"On it, Boss." Tony replied as he entered the interrogation room. Harry was sat with his arms folded, slouched in the chair. His body language told the team everything.

"So, Harry." DiNozzo started, "We seem to have stumbled onto the little shrine you have in your wardrobe." Harry stared Tony in the eyes but didn't answer. "Do you mind explaining why you have all these photos of Abby Sciuto?" DiNozzo emptied the folder of photos onto the table and spread them out in front of Harry. He looked at them briefly.

"You had no right to search my apartment!" Harry stated, frustration in his tone.

"You had no right to kidnap Abby, but these things happen." DiNozzo shrugged his shoulders and leaned back into his chair, putting his hands behind his head.

"You have no proof that I kidnapped her." Harry answered defensively, leaning forward slightly.

"You see, that's where you're wrong. We actually have enough proof to arrest you - right now." Tony stated as messed with his tie.

"What proof do you have then? And why haven't you arrested me if you can?" Ziva noticed a flicker of nervousness cross Harry's expression.

"For starters, we found two partial prints at the scene. Now, because you kidnapped our forensic scientist, we had to have someone else run those prints, and I should be getting those results pretty soon. And you know what?" DiNozzo leaned forward, closer to Becket. "My guess is that they're your prints! How about that?!" DiNozzo leaned back into his chair again. Just as Harry was about to answer, Ziva walked in with a folder. She smiled briefly at Tony as she handed it to him.

"Thanks, sweetcheeks." He winked as she left the room and headed back to interrogation.

"Would you look at that? These are probably them right here." DiNozzo opened up the folder and glanced at the results. He closed the folder and placed it on the floor next to him. DiNozzo grabbed his phone out of his jacket and started playing Tetris.

"Well?! What do they say?" Becket asked with an annoyed tone. Tony looked up from his game briefly at Harry, then put it back into his pocket.

"Why don't you tell me?" Tony folded his arms and leaned them on the table. A few seconds passed and Tony could see Becket's brain going to work.

"I met her at a concert a few weeks ago. I thought she was amazing." DiNozzo watched him intently as he continued. "I wanted her, but I knew she would never go with someone like me." Tony interrupted him quickly.

"Abby's actually very accepting of everybody so you'd be surprised. But why did you think she wouldn't be with someone like you?"

"It doesn't matter. I just knew she wouldn't even consider it. A few days after the show, I found her on Facebook and I just fell more in love with her. I had to be with her somehow – so I started following her."

"And taking pictures?"

"So I always knew what she looked like. Then she got with that guy – McGee. I couldn't bare that she wanted him but not me. I knew the only way I could have her was if I took her. So I did." Harry chuckled to himself.

"You say she wanted him and not you, but how do you know that?"

"I just know she wouldn't. It doesn't matter now anyway, I give up. She's in the warehouse next to the one you guys searched." Harry's finally changed expression – to sadness.

DiNozzo stuck his thumb up to the one way glass for someone to come and arrest him.

"McGee, I'm giving you the honour of arresting him." Gibbs half smiled and McGee smirked.

"Look, what you did was super wrong on a lot of levels, but don't think so bad of yourself. Get yourself to therapy and work on your confidence." Tony nodded and got up to leave. McGee came in just as he was walking out and read Harry his rights before handcuffing him.

Ziva, Gibbs, Tony and McGee got in two separate Chargers and headed to rescue Abby. With Ziva driving, her and Tony managed to get there in just under ten minutes. They decided they better get straight to Abby without waiting for McGee and Gibbs. They headed into the building and up the stairs, guns drawn – just in case.

"Abby?" DiNozzo called out into the first room at the top of the stairs.

"Tony? Is that you?" Abby replied, sounding as if she was about to cry. Tony followed her voice to a room to the right of the stairs.

"Oh my god." Tony rushed over and cut Abby loose. She stood up and ran into Ziva's arms.

"It's ok, Abby. You're safe now! I'm so glad you're alright!" Ziva hugged Abby back as tight as she could. She pulled back and hugged Tony too.

"Took you long enough!" She punched Tony playfully in the arm and laughed.

"Tony? Ziva?" Tim called out, Gibbs by his side.

"In here, McGee. It's the room on the right."

"Abby! Are you alright?!" McGee ran over and embraced Abby tightly. He pulled back shortly after and kissed her.

"Let's get her home, McGee. Look after her." Gibbs ordered and McGee nodded.

The team headed out of the warehouse and separated. Gibbs drove McGee and Abby to Tim's apartment. Tony and Ziva headed back to the Navy Yard to grab their gear and head home.

"I'm so glad she's alright." Ziva voiced as they stepped out of the elevator.

"Yeah, me too. It could've been a lot worse." Tony replied, walking over to his desk. Ziva sat in her chair and started typing.

"I just have to finish this last paragraph then I'll be ready to leave." Ziva proceeded to finish her report. Tony decided to sit down and wait for her. He realised that Abby being kidnapped had taught him something. His heart pounded in his chest and he decided to take the plunge and just go for it.

"I love you, Ziva." He paused for a moment to take in that he'd really said it. "Our job is dangerous. Anything could have happened to Abby – to any one of us even. I'd never forgive myself if I lost you and you didn't know how I really felt about you. It shouldn't have taken something like this for me to tell you, but I just couldn't bring myself to say it until now." Tony stopped and felt his heart feel as if it was going to explode.

Ziva stopped typing and stared at Tony for a few seconds. She felt as if her heart had stopped and the world around her had slowed down.

"I...I...oh god." Ziva managed to stutter before getting up and running to the stairs.

Tony sat in his chair, completely shocked and not able to move. It was as if his brain wouldn't let him go after her.

"Shit..." Tony said to himself as he banged his hand on the desk.

I'm not sure whether I'm happy with the last part but it'll have to do. Thank you for reading!