Disclaimer: hey are not my characters. Which is sad for me.

A/N: I hope this doesn't suck. Also since this is a postep for Chimera, it contains spoilers for chimera (But really, can it be called a spoiler if it aired a week ago?)

Chimera

Abby's Lab

NCIS

After the feed from the Chimera dissolved into snow, Abby had little to do but wonder about how this could end well. So many secrets and spooks hanging about made Abby nervous. The director had been locked up inside MTAC for the better part of the day with some guy who looked more like CIA than Navy, no matter what he said.

"Abby." The director walked in the find the lap spotless, early quiet. She suddenly regretted not bringing the lab tech a Caf-Pow! as Gibbs had recommended.

"Director." She said simply.

"They are on the way back."

"Why didn't you say so?" Abby almost knocked the director over with a hug. The two women smiled at each other.

"Needless to say, no one wants any record of this case." Jenny Shepherd sighed before turning to leave, "But I do."

"Understood Director. NCIS doesn't destroy evidence" Abby answered.

"Exactly. And get some sleep. They won't be back for hours." Jenny Shepard walked out of Abby's lab as Abby returned to her task of logging in evidence and waiting for the team to return.

Gibbs's basement

Four AM

Gibbs worked was sanding his boat with such a high level of intensity that if Abby hadn't slammed his front door shut, he wouldn't have known she entered the house. He knew it was Abby. No one else had the gull to slam his door shut.

"Abby." He called out, before her platform hit the top step.

"I would ask how you knew it as me." Said Abby as she gracefully decided the steps into the basement, "But you always do seem to know.

"Want a drink?"

"Yes." She answered, unusually quiet as she looked around her basement.

"Bottle or glass?" He asked holding up both as he watched her, taking in her worried green eyes and how messy her pigtails were, "Abbs."

"Bottle." She answered, "Makes me feel hard core."

"Bottle it is." He poured himself a drink and handed her the bottle.

"You didn't come to by lab." Her eyes were wide as she looked at him. "When you got back. You didn't come and see me."

"I came to the lab."

"You did?"

"You were asleep. I didn't want to wake you." His eyes followed the curve of her hip as her hand rested upon it.

"Always wake me."

"Now I know that."

"Now you know that." Abby took a swig from the bottle, "You've known me for over eight years and now you know that?"

"Is this when you tell me that you understand why I've been married so many times." He drank from his own glass and walked towards her.

"Yes"

"I should have woken you up when I got back." They stood only inches apart, starring into each others eyes.

"Yes." Abby threw her arms around Gibbs and held him close, "I was so worried Gibbs. I was afraid that you'd never come back." She buried her face in his neck, he could feel the hot tears on his skin and held her tightly.

"You didn't think I'd let some fake pirates get the better of me?" Gibbs laughed softly.

"You take too many chances." She let him go and stood back, he didn't answer as he wiped away her tears, knowing that she was right.

"Next time, I promise to wake you up when I get back. OK?"

"OK." Abby wiped her eyes and nodded, "Now whats this about pirates?"