Chapter 7 - Close Encounters

Once Gibbs had ordered them some food he made his way to the bathroom to find Abby already in the shower. He stood watching her through the open door, the water cascading over the smooth curves of her body, her figure accentuated by the light shimmering on her skin.

Abby had her eyes closed and hadn't seen him appear so he took a moment longer to observe everything about her, his chest tightening at the realization that this beautiful woman really was going to remain a permanent part of his life.

When he eventually joined her they let their hands wander, re-experiencing and teasing with each sensual touch, exchanging gentle and languorous kisses. Gibbs had been told there would be a thirty minute wait for their food so he was in no rush to let Abby out of his grasp.

They took their time washing each other, content to enjoy the intimacy of every caress and gasp, eager to let go of the fear from earlier that night and just cherish being close to one another.

They were out of the shower and dressed barely a minute before their food arrived, Gibbs answering the door fully clothed while Abby stayed out of view clad only in her underwear and one of Gibbs' old t-shirts that she'd acquired.

"So what were your plans for us this weekend?" Gibbs asked a short while later as they sat on the couch eating. "Sounded like you had pretty specific ideas."

"I did," Abby blushed, "but mostly they just involved us being naked. Was there something you wanted to do?"

"Nope, so long as you're there I'll have all I need...not gonna complain if you're naked though."

Abby grinned and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "We can go over to your place tomorrow if you like, it'll give me a chance to try out my new keys."

Gibbs could see the excitement in her face as her eyes sparkled, it meant a lot to him that she'd accepted his offer and taken the keys. It wasn't the same as her moving in but he didn't want to rush her, this way she still had her freedom but could stay at his house whenever she wanted, even if he wasn't there.

Gibbs knew he wouldn't feel like he was being invaded with her there like he had done with his other relationships since Shannon. Apart from the three women he'd married he'd trusted no-one else enough to give them keys, nor had he wanted to protect someone so much that he'd actually wanted to lock the door in the first place.

Abby gave him his own space when he needed it and she respected the things within his house that carried memories for him as well understanding that sometimes he wanted to spend time in his basement. It was a stark difference from the way Ryan had spoken about some of the most important things in his life...the memory of his girls and the sense of calm he got down in the basement both things that were used to make him feel small and pathetic.

"Best decision I made in a long time," Gibbs said, reaching out and trailing the back of his fingers down her cheek, "apart from telling you I loved you of course."

"Thank you...for having so much faith in us. It means a lot that you still gave me the keys, even after what happened."

"I know you have the same trust in us too, Abbs...don't for a second think that I believe anything other than you're serious about us being together. Told you, what happened tonight was just a bit of a bump in the road."

"I am serious," she smiled, leaning into his touch. "And I'll get better at dealing with stuff like this."

"You will, I've learnt a few things from being married four times...and you've got nothing on Diane, so don't be so hard on yourself okay?"

Abby appreciated how hard he was trying, and reassuring her, but she knew she'd have to work at showing Gibbs how much she trusted him again, if only for her own benefit. Even though he was doing everything he could to reduce her burden of guilt, it was something that would stay with her for a long time.

As they continued to eat they moved on to talking about more relaxed subjects and how their work day had been. This was what had become normal for them at the end of the day and how Abby had envisioned them spending the night. She was glad most of the nervous tension had been eased and that things could start to go back to the way they had been.

As she watched Gibbs eat though, a whole different kind of tension started to build in her. It was as if the very fact that he was there with her heightened her desire for him and Abby needed to keep reminding herself that physically he wasn't going anywhere.

When her plate was empty Abby put it down on the arm of the couch and took Gibbs' plate from his hand. He watched on with a raised eyebrow as she straddled him, wordlessly parting his lips when Abby fed him the last couple of mouthfuls of food.

"Had enough?" She asked, putting the plate down on the couch beside him.

"Food? Yes. Of you? Definitely not."

Abby grinned confidently at him and skimmed her lips quickly over Gibbs', before she stripped her t-shirt over her head and hastily discarded his as well.

"So this is where the whole naked thing comes into it?" Gibbs teased.

"Yep," Abby declared, standing before him and unhurriedly lowering her panties.

Gibbs' gaze was heated as he watched her step out of her underwear, his pants increasingly feeling more confining with each second. "I knew there was a reason I love weekends."

Their joining this time wasn't as slow as it had been in Abby's bed, Gibbs soon found himself completely naked and pushing inside her as she lay sprawled out along the length of the coffee table. A cushion from the couch supported his knees as he kneeled between her legs, his large strong hands gripping onto her hips with each thrust.

Gibbs' movements quickly gained momentum, his hard and fast strokes forcing Abby to clench her fingers onto the side of the table, her hips rising up to meet his. She gave herself up to the sensations he sent through her body, moaning incoherently, every nerve ending alight and her skin tingling as Gibbs drove in and out of her.

She watched him intently from her prone position, loving the play of emotions on his face; lust, desperation, love and undeniable pleasure. He was barely hanging on by a thread and Abby found herself in the same satisfying predicament, she was moments away from coming undone.

Gibbs once again found himself mesmerized by her beauty, the sight of her skin, the feel of her softness, her warm tightness surrounding him and pushing him closer to the edge. He didn't hold back his groan when Abby tilted her pelvis slightly, changing his angle and letting him slip in deeper.

That was all it took for Abby, her back arching up off the cool wooden surface, a shattering moan echoing through her apartment as she tensed. Her body rippled around him and Gibbs plunged into her several more times before he allowed the wave of his own release to sweep over him.

Resting his hands flat on the table on either side of her waist Gibbs leaned forward, the sounds of their combined harsh breathing the only noise in the room now that their bodies had stilled.

"I'm beginning to think spending the weekend naked is one of my better ideas," Abby exhaled loudly, pushing herself up onto her elbows so she could kiss him.

While they certainly weren't strangers to indulging in the needs of their bodies on their days off or after work, there was a different sense of urgency to it tonight, a yearning to make the most of something they thought they could've lost.

Gibbs lightly brushed his lips over Abby's, nibbling on them gently before pulling back and sighing contently. "We should get some rest, it's been a big night."

Abby nodded, her hands sliding over his biceps as he slipped from her body and stood up. She let Gibbs help her to her feet, her legs a little shaky as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and walked with her towards the bathroom.

They quickly cleaned up and Abby put on Gibbs' t-shirt and her underwear, Gibbs slipping on a pair of boxers. Abby turned the lamp on beside her bed and crawled in under the covers, while Gibbs checked the door was locked and turned off the lights.

When he returned he slid into bed next to her, Abby turning onto her side so Gibbs could curl his body around her. She closed her eyes at the feel of him protecting her; as much as sex was a big part of their relationship it was also the quiet and serene moments like this that she treasured. Times when they were just happy to be together, to listen to the sound of each other breathing and to the beat of one another's heart.

She loved that Gibbs had started to open up and talk to her but he'd always said so much with body language and actions; sometimes what he didn't say was more meaningful. It was moments like this that Abby felt like she was where she was meant to be and that she'd found everything she'd been searching for in Gibbs. He was all that mattered.

Two strong arms wove around her waist, his face pressed into the back of her neck and his legs tangling with hers.

"I'll stay awake until you fall asleep," Gibbs said softly.

It had been something he'd said to her on the few occasions she'd stayed with him while she was having nightmares after the explosion at NCIS. He'd waited until she was peacefully resting until he gave into his own exhaustion. Abby loved him for the sentiment behind it, except this time it was even more special. Gibbs knew even though she hadn't said anything, that she was still battling her own demons over her reaction to Ryan.

"How will you know when I'm asleep?" Abby asked, her question a repeat of what she'd said to him months ago.

She reached out to turn off the light, entwining her fingers with Gibbs' when they returned to their previous position, waiting for the words she knew he'd say.

Gibbs ghosted his lips over the back of her neck, his breath warm against her skin. "I just will."

Smiling, Abby let her eyes drift shut, succumbing to her tiredness within minutes. Thinking only of the man beside her as she drifted off, for the first time in weeks Dr Samantha Ryan was the furthest thing from her mind.

When Gibbs woke the next morning his arms reflexively tightened around the soft and warm body he held closely to his side. He was lying on his back with Abby half draped over him, her hand on his chest and her leg over his groin.

He let out a slow deep breath, his fingers lightly trailing over her lower back, a tremor traveling through him at how something so subtle could stir up so many emotions in him. This had become his favorite time of day, waking with Abby in his arms almost every morning since their first night together.

Gibbs allowed himself the comfort and peace that came with being able to watch over her while she slept. It was part of the reason he knew Abby still trusted him completely, even in sleep she remained unguarded, literally letting her life rest in his hands. It was something Gibbs didn't take lightly nor was he about to jeopardize ever losing that.

Feeling Abby stir he kissed the top of her head when she snuggled into him, her face nuzzling into his neck. A spark ignited deep inside him, sending jolts of electricity surging through his body when she ran her leg against his slowly, her hand just as teasing when it sleepily rubbed over his chest.

"Morning," Abby mumbled, kissing along the curve of his neck and down over his shoulder.

"You sure it's still morning?" Gibbs grinned.

Abby felt her heart beat speed up at the sound of his rough and sleepy voice. "Hmm, it might not be since someone woke me up in the early hours."

"I distinctly recall you not letting me go back to sleep when I got back from the bathroom."

She climbed up on top of his body, her legs falling on either side of his waist as she tried to bury her face further into his neck. Gibbs settled his hands on the curve of her backside, the feel of his calluses catching on her skin making Abby moan at the memory of how that had felt just hours ago.

Just as the sun had been rising, what had begun as a few gentle kisses rapidly developed into something more. Making good on her vow from the previous night Abby had tasted and touched every hard and very male inch of him. She'd taken her time to rediscover him, purposely avoiding the part of his anatomy that Gibbs wanted her to touch the most. When she finally did take his hardness between her lips he'd barely been able to stop himself from spilling into her mouth.

Sitting against the headboard Gibbs had let her have free rein, completely giving up his control as Abby had sat astride him. She'd ridden him with abandon, her body rocking sinuously above him while Gibbs watched her taking pleasure from him. Her rolling hips and supple breasts had drawn his attention, Gibbs' hands seeking out her peaked nipples and the swollen bud between her legs.

Abby had held off her own orgasm until Gibbs pushed her over the edge, his finger circling her aching clit as he growled at her to come. He'd followed seconds later, his hands digging into her ass and holding her in place, Abby's fluctuating muscles bringing on his climax as he exploded inside her.

"That was one hell of a night...and morning," Abby mused.

"One to remember," Gibbs agreed, one of his hands rubbing along her spine. "Was thinking I'd go out and get us some breakfast from that bakery you like a couple of blocks away."

Abby lifted her head to look at him, leaning in closer to nudge her nose against his. "Thought I was meant to be spoiling you," she said nervously.

"Ya don't need to, Abbs, we're good." Gibbs cupped her cheek in his hand. "Let me do this okay?"

"Okay." She smiled and turned her head to kiss his palm. "But you're taking your clothes off as soon as you get back."

"Yes, ma'am," Gibbs chuckled and gently moved her off him, searching once again for the remnants of his clothes on the floor.

A few minutes later he had his jeans on and had found his keys and wallet in the living room. Since Abby was wearing his t-shirt, he picked up the one she'd borrowed from him weeks ago where it sat on the couch and slipped it on over his head. Going back into the bedroom he walked over to Abby and kissed her, the embrace becoming much more intense than he'd intended.

"Don't move, I'll be right back," he whispered when they broke apart.

Abby watched him stride out of her bedroom, hearing the front door close behind him a few seconds later. She collapsed back onto the bed and drew the sheet up to her face to inhale Gibbs' unique scent, even when he wasn't near he overwhelmed her, his smell bringing on an instant replay of last night's event in her mind.

Her body ached in the most wonderful way and she was certain Gibbs had marked her several times, with both his hands and teeth but there was no denying that body, mind and spirit Abby felt complete.

Getting up to use the bathroom, she laughed when there was a knock at the door.

"You didn't lose the key I got you did you?" She shouted out happily as she walked closer. "I'll be fine for a couple of minutes anyway Gibbs, no need to lock it when you're only going..."

Abby's voice caught in her throat, her heart dropping when she opened the door and came face to face with the last person she wanted to see.

"I guess I should make this quick then...hello, Abby."

"Doctor Ryan, what are you doing here?"

TBC...