A/n: I still don't own NCIS, but if I did, it would be all Abby/McGee romance in the underlines of the plot. But that's just me. If there are any guesses/ suggestions you readers would like to make, be my guest. Nobody's stopping you. Just please keep the flame reviews to a minimum. I might not listen to all of them, but I promise I'll read them. Review, review, review! And above all…do not go to Tony for romantic advice. Ever.

Chapter 2- Secret

Everyone thinks I'm the bad guy, McGee thought as he drove through security that morning. Well, hopefully he'd be able to prove them wrong.

"I've already broken one rule, I can't break another," he said to himself in reassurance, parking the car and getting out. Besides, it's better for her to move on. No way would he be right for her in the long run, what with their dangerous jobs putting everyone in danger every day, including them. But sometimes McGee wondered if their paychecks were worth it. He was so deep in thought on the elevator that he didn't notice the Director on his way out.

"You do know it's Saturday, right?" Director Sheppard said. McGee shrugged.

"Murderers don't have days off," was his calm response. "So why should I have one?" She rolled her eyes and got on the elevator just as he got off.

Far away from NCIS

"I have located Dr. Hernandez," Ziva whispered into her walkie-talkie.

"Good. I need you to terminate him," Gibbs instructed. "Use your sniper, because it already should have the silencer attached," She slowly crawled forward in the grass, adjusting the position of her sniper. She was well prepared for this mission, given that she was wearing camouflage to blend into the grass and dirt like a chameleon. The serial killer was just yards away and completely unaware of her existence. Ziva carefully aimed the sniper toward the base of the spine…when her cell phone vibrated. Dr. Hernandez shifted slightly to the right, continuing a conversation with his partner. She cursed under her breath and answered the phone.

"What, Kate?" she growled. "I'm a little busy right now. You trying to get me killed?"

"Sorry, Ziva! I meant to call someone else…" The phone went dead. Ziva looked back at her target. He was still there.

"…and we shall adjust the blue prints. Carlos, make it look like it was poor planning with the constructers. Do not hesitate to kill any members of NCIS that get in your way," he was saying. Ziva pulled the trigger without any hesitation. The large man stopped mid-sentence and collapsed. In a second, he was dead. Ziva squirmed through the grass and killed the assistant as well for good measure. The she melted into the bushes as if nothing had happened.

Abby's apartment

Abby wearily stared at the date on the calendar. Today is Saturday. Not even one week yet, but Thursday night already felt to her like a million years ago. Sighing heavily, she got out of bed at last. Her phone rang, and she answered it at once.

"Hey, Kate. What's up?"

"I…heard about what happened, Abby," she said. "Is everything…?"

"Everything's fine," she answered, too quickly. Kate paused, analyzing her answer.

"Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes. I'm sure. All's quiet on the home front,"

"All right then. Let me know if you need to talk," She hung up. Abby immediately went over to her computer, intending to work on a computer program she had started to create last night. But the second she got over there, all she could think about was Mc-him. Her energy left her, and all she wanted to be laying in bed. So she did. Luckily there was a television nearby. She turned it on to a drama show that she liked. Abby lost track of the time, absorbed in the marathon. Her cell phone rang again. She ignored it, getting up to go find a snack. She managed to find some frozen yogurt in the freezer. Half a serving later, her phone rang yet again. This time, she answered it, knowing it was Kate.

"Abby, I really think we should talk. Is there a place we can meet?"

"My apartment is fine enough," Abby said. "I'm not going anywhere this weekend." Kate hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"All right. I'll see you soon," The phone went dead. Abby turned back to the TV, but didn't feel like watching it anymore. She turned it off and went to go get a shower. The heat and steam cleared her head and seemed to make the pain fade away momentarily. She quickly got dressed, brushed her teeth, and was just blow-drying her hair when there was a knock on the door. She put down the hair dryer and ran to go get the door. There stood Kate.

"Hey, Abbs," she said, smiling nervously. She had never been in Abby's apartment before, though she knew where it was located. Gibbs gave her directions to the place in case she needed to be there as security at any time. Abby let her in and went back to the bathroom to brush her hair. Kate went to sit on the couch in the living room. After a minute, she came out, feeling clean and refreshed, not at all like this morning.

"Hi, Kate. Don't you have an assignment today?" She shook her head.

"The mission was given to Ziva. From what I heard, she was successful and had no trouble," Abby nodded, accepting this information. She sat on the couch next to Kate.

"I…was wondering," Kate said slowly. "What did it feel like? Being with him, I mean," Abby hesitated, thinking it over. Her mind traveled back to a week before the split, a Monday night…

Flashback

McGee laughed. His laugh was pleasant, like a summer breeze after running all day. Abby smiled. One month and three weeks together and they were already doing this? But there was no time frame for love, she thought, looking at him with content. Love also knew no limits apparently.

"You sure you want to do this?" he asked quietly, climbing into bed with her. "Sex before marriage isn't advised, you know," She rolled her eyes. Such a rule follower, she thought.

"Only if you think we should," she breathed into his ear, enjoying his mere presence so close to hers. Her world was a light burning brighter and brighter. And that world was nothing but McGee at this point.

"Well…here goes," he said, snuggling closer to her. Time had no meaning as they did nothing but lay on top of each other for whole minutes at a time. There were so many new sensations for Abby to comprehend and absorb. But, after a time, she rolled over onto her back.

"Whoa…" he said. It pretty much summed up what she was feeling too. Sometimes she thought he could read her mind, according to some of the things he did or said to make her feel better, whether it was on purpose or not. That was one of the things she loved about him.

"You were a virgin?" Abby asked, amused. She was too, before tonight, but he didn't have to know that.

"Were you?" he returned, smiling in the low lighting. She just smiled back, kissing him. He immediately responded, continuing their wonderful evening right where it left off. If love was so incredible, why did it have to be so forbidden in so many ways?

Abby shook her head, clearing it. "I…well, it was incredible," she admitted, looking down at her lap. "The most wonderful thing I ever experienced,"

"Was there anything else that happened?" she asked.

"I…no, no there wasn't," Kate didn't quite believe her, but let it go for now. Everyone had their own secrets to keep, but it looked like Abby's were too big to hide. At least, not forever. She had to confess sometime. But confess what, was the question. Kate wasn't even sure she had anything to confess, but something in her eyes suggested there was more to the story than what was already told. Something major. She shook her head and sighed.

"Okay…if you say so," she said finally. "But it's time to move on, you know? Get on with your life as if nothing had happened. Moping about won't do you any good. Are you trying to set yourself up for a depression?" Abby blinked in surprise.

"No, not at all," she exclaimed. "You have no idea what he left me with to think about, what thing he-" She stopped suddenly, her gaze shifting slightly. Kate narrowed her eyes.

"You just have no idea what I'm dealing with right now," she finished.

"Okay, what are you dealing with?" Kate demanded. When she said nothing, Kate sighed in frustration and left her there alone. Let her suffer, if she won't talk, she thought bitterly. Silence only creates a worse punishment for secrets. But as she started her car, she felt a small twinge of guilt. Maybe she shouldn't have left like that. Abby probably needed her. She'll talk to her in a couple days. Maybe then she'd be ready to talk. Yes, that was it. By the time Kate made it back to NCIS, the guilt was gone as mysteriously as it had come. As she approached Ziva's desk, she abruptly put something away. Everyone had secrets, something to hide. The only question was, who's secrets were worth being told?