Abby was having the worst day of her life. This was the worst case she could remember. And there had been a lot of bad cases, like the one where Chip framed Tony. A serial killer was running loose; torturing, raping, and murdering Navy women. And he taped the deaths as they happen. And Abby had to process this awful evidence, had to watch these awful tapes. She just wanted to stop hearing the screams of the petty officers on her screen as they were dying, wanted to erase the sight of them. Sick bastard made HER homicidal! She turned to Gibbs as he walked in. He could see the distress on her face. Something twisted within him at the sight.
"Can I ask a favor?" She looked at him with swimming eyes. His heart broke more with each passing second. He wanted to help her; any request would be granted.
"Sure, Abbs. What?" She hesitated for a minute, knowing that her request was so out there. But she needed it. Her sanity depended onit.
"I can't stand the sounds of them screaming anymore! I need to drown them out. It's driving me crazy! Can I... listen to your heart beating. You know... to...not hear them?" She looked at him pleadingly, with a sheepish look on her face, before dropping her eyes to the floor. Gibbs smiled at her soothingly. Only his Abby could need a favor like that; only she would ask him that. And only she would be granted such a favor. There was such a storm in her green eyes. Now, the true task was, could he survive this?
He crossed the distance between them in a matter of seconds to wrap his arms around her. He was so much taller, her head was at the level of his heart without her needing to duck. She pressed her ear against his well defined chest, listening, her eyes drifting closed. The sceams died down in her mind. The images bled away. All she could hear and smell and see was him.
He wrapped his arms tighter, protectively around her. His 'protect Abby' instinict overwelmed any other thoughts; no other desires than to help her. He pressed a gentle kiss against her temple. His heart thumped strong and gentle under her cheek, beating at a slow and steady pace. She began to cry over the lost petty officers and he just held her. Her tears soaked through his shirt, but he didn't care. The very feel and sound under her cheek made her feel better. Just what she needed to soothe her. She stood leaning against him, eyes closed sweetly.
She didn't see Tony walk in and Gibbs shoo him away. Tony understood that Abby needed her 'silver haired fox' (he always laughed at the nickname that she never used around the man himself), and that Gibbs needed to protect her, his life, and everyone else's for that matter, depended on this. Tony also knew that nether would admit that they were in love with the other. The little Gothic matchmaker and insightful Marine that they were. Tony walked away quietly and told the following McGee that Abby had a doctor's appointment and their boss was on a typical coffee run. He knew that McGee would believe it. McGee would believe anything he was told considering who is was about.
Back in the lab, Abby stood there, she counted the beats of her hero's heart one at a time, over three hundred passing before he had to let her go to talk to Ducky. Abby looked up as he turned to walk out the door. She was finally better and turned to resume her part in catching the one responsible.
"Thanks..." Her grateful smile and still swimming eyes broke him even more. He needed to break eye contact with her before he kissed her. BUt he did anyway, a chaste kiss to her cheek as was a custom between them
"Anytime. " He walked away, the mask carefully back in place, still feeling the imprint of her cheek against his now unsteady heart.
"Gibbs...please catch this sicko."
"I will Abbs, I will." If only for the anguish the son of a bitch caused his Abby!