A/N: Written for the first prompt in the Gabby forum's survival-of-the-summer, weekly creative drive!

Spoilers for Hiatus.

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"Gibbs?"

He turned to look up to the top of the stairs. Abby stood with her hands on the banister, gripping so tightly that he could see how white her knuckles were, even at that distance. Even after two months, his memory couldn't be depended upon, but he knew that her shell-shocked expression was rare. Rarer still was that he caused it. "Abbs," he murmured. "It's late."

"I was on my way back from the Navy Yard," she whispered. His house wasn't on any conceivable route between her work and her apartment, and he wondered how often she took the detour to check up on the place. "Does anyone else know that you're here?"

He shook his head. "I just came to get some of my stuff."

Her steps were surprisingly soft on her way down the stairs, despite her heavy boots. "Your tools?" she asked. "Then, you're really staying down in Mexico, aren't you?"

"It's retirement, Abby. Not a vacation." Looking at her face, it served as a reminder to himself as well as to her.

She crossed to the boat instead of coming to his side. "Right," she breathed, running her hands over the wooden ribs. "My mistake. I guess I was hoping you weren't actually ending years of friendship with a single, silent kiss on the cheek."

He moved closer to her, frowning as she eased back. "Is it the end, Abbs? Is that what you think?"

She rolled her green eyes up at him. "Friends call each other when they're in town. They don't hide in their basements and look guilty when they're found out." She sighed heavily when he didn't reply. "I understand, Gibbs, but you can't have it both ways."

Gibbs caught her around her waist as she began to turn away. "Abby," he began, brushing his lips along her cheek before he gave her the kiss he wished he had given her in the squad room that day. He tasted the salt of dried tears on her skin, and she smelled of gunpowder and the sweet fruit that flavored her addictive drink. It had been a long time since he'd felt familiarity and enjoyed it. "Nothing ends with us, unless you say so," he murmured as she trembled in his arms. "I could never do it."

"You're still leaving in the morning," she said, opening her eyes.

He nodded. "Still have some stuff to figure out," he answered. "But not this."

"I'm glad you said something this time." Abby licked her slightly swollen lips and gave him a small smile. "Does that mean you'll call next time you're in town?"

Gibbs stepped away and crossed to his work bench, scrawling something on a scrap of paper. "Anytime you want me to say something," he said, putting the phone number in her hand.

"You, Gibbs?" she teased.

He pulled her close again. "Remind me what I'm missing in Mexico, Abbs. As often as you want."

She beamed up at him. "You'll be back in no time."