Chapter 3

The car trip home was a very quiet one. Abby tried to make things normal again by chattering away like she normally would but Tim wasn't playing. His answers to her questions while not exactly clipped, were definitely short and to the point. He wasn't happy and Abby was starting to worry that she wouldn't be able to fix this as easily as she normally would.

Taking a deep breath Abby reached for Tim's hand. He loved holding hands while they were driving. Not this time apparently. While he gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze he let go immediately and took hold of the wheel again with both hands.

Abby's mind was starting to go into overdrive. What if I've really done it this time? What if he doesn't love me anymore? What if he wants to break up with me? While she knew in a way she was being completely irrational she was just plain scared and she wasn't sure why. She knew one thing though... things were not right between them.

Tim felt like a total heel. He wasn't even that angry anymore. Everything had turned out ok. It was time though that he made a point to Abby and he intended to do that tonight. No more hiding things and doing what she wanted and to hell with the outcome. This was it. He wanted her to know that he had a voice, that his opinion counted.

Then she took his hand and he almost melted. He had to pull it away or by the time they got home he would have been telling her that everything was alright and letting her get away with murder as usual. He loved her more than anything but he needed to make his point.

Ok, it's now or never. They were home.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

As they entered they're apartment Tim grabbed hold of Abby's arm.

"We need to talk." he said quietly.

"So now you want to talk to me. I don't think so!" Abby muttered as she tried to pull away from Tim's grasp. Tim sighed. He hoped that she would be more reasonable but he should have guessed that this would happen.

She was on the defensive now.

"Cut the attitude Abby and sit down. I'm not the one in the wrong here." Tim's own defences were up now and he could feel his anger resurfacing.

"I WILL NOT!" Abby yelled from where she stood firm. "I AM NOT A CHILD AND I WILL NOT BE BOSSED AROUND LIKE I AM !" She stamped her foot for emphasis. Tim almost laughed at the irony.

"I can see that Abigail." he said dryly. "But seeing as how your ACTING like one you can get your ass into that corner over there until you can sit down and talk to me like responsible adult instead of a spoilt child."

Abby's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"NO WAY MCGEE! TRY AND MAKE ME!" No sooner were the words out of her mouth than she found herself spun around and propelled to the corner with three very smart smacks to her bottom.

"STAY there Abby! There's plenty more where that came from." Abby turned and opened her mouth to argue only to feel the burning in her rear end reignite with another sharp smack. "I said stay there". Tim's patience was wearing very thin.

He waited a minute to check that she was going to stay there and then he decided to put away their work things while Abby cooled off. He picked up their bags and went to deposit them in the closet when he noticed something sticking out of the top of Abby's bag. When he realised what it was and the date on the ticket his face went scarlet. Stalking up to Abby he thrust the paper where she could see it.

"Shit!"she said with a wince. Smack, smack smack.

"Is that all you have to say Abby!"

"Ummm I'm sorry and ouch ouch ouch ! That hurts McGee stop doing that!"

"Ohhh, you have no idea! I'm going to go and have a shower and cool off then you and I are going to have a BIG TALK. If you know what's good for you, you won't move one inch from that spot . Clear?"

"Crystal!" Abby buried her face back in the corner and didn't move except for the nervous twirling of her pigtails until she heard Tim's quiet breathing behind her.

TBC

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