Something much better

"Abby, you're pushing it too far." Gibbs growled at her as he and Ducky were in her laboratory. Abby was explaining something, but dodging Ducky's questions and Gibbs' look.

"I'm what?" Abby took a sip of her Caf-Pow!, the one the Marine had given her a few moments ago.

"Abigail, what's the short version of the story?" Ducky's British voice sounded. Normally, Abby listened to the calm voice of the ME when she was hyper. This time, it was different.

"It's not a story, Duckman!" she playfully hit him softly on the shoulder. "I'm trying to tell you something, I need your input! I need… ideas!"

"You called me down here for no reason?" Gibbs took a step closer towards his girl. He didn't care if Ducky noticed that he and Abby were involved. In fact, Gibbs knew that Ducky knew, as the eccentric doctor knew him better than anyone else. Abby looked up to Gibbs, like a deer caught in headlights. She knew she was getting in to trouble. Gibbs moved his head slowly towards her ear. "Or do you want to get into trouble?" he whispered sternly.

"No sir!" It slipped Abby's mouth without her really realizing it. "I need your help." She continued in a more normal voice. "Honest. I don't understand…"

"Why won't you call McGee?"

"But I thought…" Abby started and then decided to chose her words carefully. "I thought you said that he was busy, Gibbs." She swallowed, hard.

"Call McGee. Don't waste my time, or Ducky's." he shot at her.

"Jethro, you really should cut down on the coffee." Ducky said nearly patronizing. "Or sleep more."

"Don't you have an autopsy to finish?" Gibbs shot at his long time friend, barged out of the lab and headed upstairs, to see if DiNozzo had made any progress in finding relatives of the dead body laying on the slab in Ducky's autopsy room. If not, he might just kill his senior agent right on the spot.

For some reason, Abby's call to come down to the lab had made him feel cranky. Ducky was present too, which had been unusual, and when Abby couldn't give coherent information he felt the need to do something. He should have taken the Caf-pow! away from her. She was having too much of it and he really started to wonder if Caf-Pow! destroyed brain cells in the black haired beauty's brain. He made a mental note to himself not to bring so much Caf-Pow! to his girl any longer. "McGee, go and help Abby." Gibbs snapped at him and sat down behind his desk. The younger agent looked at his leader. Gibbs saw confusion written all over McGee's face. "Don't worry, I'll put out the BOLO and call for information on his bank account. I know you've been put on hold, so I'll wait for it. Go and help Abby."

Gibbs was working on his boat that evening. For some reason, it had a therapeutic influence on him, it calmed him down and de-stressed him. He'd apologize to Ducky the day after, and probably to Abby as well, but she had deserved his crankiness. He knew, that next time she'd come to see him, he'd add another rule to the list for her. Easy on the Caf-Pow!.

The Marine heard his front door open and softly close. Sounds of someone putting keys on the side table, hanging up the coat and he knew that it was only a matter of seconds before he'd hear the crack in the wood of the basement doorstep for someone to come in. According to the sounds of the footsteps, it was his girl. He decided to ignore her until he was ready to acknowledge her presence. This wasn't unusual. The rule was, that whenever Abby came to his house, she'd be completely his. If he went to her house, they would decide together if they would play or not. The second rule of coming to his house, meant that Abby should sit at the top of the stairs, quietly, until he would talk to her. He remembered the time when he was so busy with his boat and his own misery that he hadn't heard her coming in.  He'd accidentally made her sit there for at least five hours straight.  He hadn't meant to, but she didn't seem to care and had just been happy to be with him.

He reached for his bottle of Famous Grouse and took a sip out of it. This bottle had been a gift from Fornell, as Tobias didn't want to drink paint stripper on a visit to Gibbs. He turned to his girl, who was still sitting on the stairs. "Something on your mind?"

Abby shook her head. "No sir."

"It's okay, you can tell me." He slowly climbed the stairs, not taking his eyes off her. "Are you here because you feel like I owe you an apology?"

"No sir!" Abby nearly jumped.

"Good." Gibbs nodded. "Because you're not getting it."

"I'm sorry for my behavior today." She spoke softly. "I must have had a dozen liters of Caf-Pow!."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Drink less?" she replied and winced a little.

"Unless you like it that I'm not happy with you on a sugar rush."

"No!"

"Good, because if it wasn't for Ducky being present…" Gibbs started.

"I know, Sir." Abby nodded. "And I'm sorry."

"Good girl." Gibbs planted a kiss on her forehead and continued to go up the stairs. He walked towards the kitchen and decided to warm up some leftovers as he hadn't eaten yet. "Are you hungry?" he called out to her.

"No, Sir." Abby's voice sounded out of the basement. "I had pizza."

"I honestly can't believe you can live on that stuff." Gibbs shook his head and put his plate with Chinese food in the microwave. "Abby, go upstairs." He said after his meal had warmed up and hadn't heard a word from his girl. He had the feeling something was bothering her, but that she didn't want to say what. He knew he'd get it out of her eventually. Telling her to go upstairs always meant that she had to undress, sit down on her knees, hands behind her back and wait until he'd come for her. Today, he decided, he'd go easy on her.

He sat down at the kitchen table and started to eat while he heard the Goth girl go upstairs in silence. Once upstairs he heard her walk around like she always did and then it was quiet.

After he had finished his meal, he put the plate in the sink and went upstairs. As expected, Abby was waiting for him, on her knees, hands behind her back, eyes facing towards the ground. "Pretty girl, come sit on the bed with me." He helped her up and put his arms around her while he directed her towards the bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled his girl close to him. "What's wrong?" he asked softly and started to stroke her hair. She looked absolutely beautiful. If it was up to him, Abby could walk around naked at work as well, as her tattoo's could easily pass on for body paint. He just wasn't sure if he'd allow DiNozzo to come to work though, as his senior agent usually lusted after every woman he saw. Even after Abby, with still her clothes on. But Abby belonged to Gibbs… so it wasn't a very good idea.

"It's nothing." She half mumbled.

"Well it is something." Gibbs's hand trailed off towards her back and started to trace the cross tattoo with his index finger. He knew Abby's stunning body so well, that he didn't need to look at what he was doing, or where the cross was placed on her back. He just knew. "Other wise, you wouldn't react like this."

"I know it's not good to take your work home with you." Abby sighed. "But…"

"Abby, you're a damn fine forensic specialist. Don't let the lack of evidence get to you." Gibbs interrupted her.

"I can't believe but thinking I've done something wrong." Abby shuddered. "It's like Chip all over again."

"I have faith in you." Gibbs softly kissed her on her lips. "You're amazing on and off the job." He continued. "You might have an old man like me wrapped around your little finger…"

"You're not old!" Abby blurted.

Gibbs chuckled. "That's my girl." he gently pushed her down to the bed so she was laying down. Her big green eyes were looking at him in amazement when he tucked her in.

"You chuckled." Abby noted surprised.

"Yeah? So?" Gibbs replied as he undressed himself and crawled in bed next to her. He took her in his arms and stroked her hair. "All you need, is a good night's sleep." He planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Really?"

"Really." Gibbs nodded. "Go to sleep, Abs." he said softly while he turned off the lights.

Since they hadn't solved the case, Gibbs spent more time at Abby's house to make sure she slept long enough. When she pulled an all-nighter at work, he stayed with her and made sure she stayed awake. He helped her when he could but she was doing fine without him.

"Hey Duck." Gibbs walked into Autopsy and noted that the body wasn't laying on the slab. "Done?"

"Yes, Jethro." Ducky said, without a hint of happiness in his voice. "I need to talk to you."

"About?"

"Your relationship with Abigail, dearest." Ducky started. "Haven't you learned from dating a co-worker when you were working under cover in Paris with Jennifer?"

For some reason, Gibbs always felt like a sub when Ducky talked to him like that, patronizing, grandfatherly. It wasn't wrong, but it made him feel really uncomfortable, and Ducky knew that. "It's different now." Gibbs told him. "I know what I'm doing."

"It is no secret to me, Jethro, and I could stop you."

"Are you jealous, Duck?" The Marine tilted his head. "Do you really want to tell Jen about me and Abby?"

"No." Ducky sighed. "I am not jealous. I am merely warning you to be more careful in showing your affection to Abigail." The Brit continued. "And you should sleep in a bed for once, not in a coffin."

"Duck." Gibbs nagged.

"I am sorry Jethro." Ducky smiled mischievously. "I just had to get that off my chest."

"Well thanks, but no thanks Duck. Is there anything else you can tell me about the body?"

"No."

"Fine."

"Have you dated Ducky?" Abby asked him while they were sitting on her couch watching an old Western movie.

"What?"

"Have you dated Ducky?" Abby repeated the question. "I know you swing both ways."

"I swung both ways." Gibbs repeated. "And no, I haven't dated Ducky."

"Have you been in love with him?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Humor me."

"For a little while, yes."

"Really?" Abby nearly bounced off the couch. "Well, he's cute and he's hot and…"

"Old." Gibbs added.

"You're older than me." Abby defended Ducky even though he wasn't there. "And you said it yourself, he's older, not dead."

"What are you implying, Abs?"

"Nothing." She shrugged. "Though it'd be fun to play with him… I think."

"He's not like that."

"How do you know?"

"I know him for 30 odd years now, Abs, I think I'd know."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Gibbs laughed. "I've been to his house more than once, dined with his perfectly normally aging mother, seen all the rooms in his house, and found no toys, playroom or whatsoever."

"Have you stayed the night at his place?"

"I had to crash there for a few night because of my ex-wives." Gibbs defended himself. He really didn't know why he was defending himself, but he felt the need he had to. Talks like this with his pretty girl weren't unusual when they weren't playing. But he really wished he had asked her to play when he set foot in her apartment this time.

"Will you allow me to find out for myself? I mean… he's cute."

"Too bad, Abby." Gibbs pulled her closer to him and held her tight. "You're mine." He softly kissed her in the neck.

"Am I?"

That question took him completely off guard. "What?" he chuckled nervously. "Of course you are!"

"Well, since we're completely honest to each other… I might belong to you… but every time you and Ducky are in one room together, you slip into this… I don't know… calm submissive mode…"

"I don't."

"You and Ducky aren't in a relationship, but it's clear that you belong to Ducky."

Gibbs looked at his girl. What was she saying, really? "If you want to tell me off, then that's fine, Abs." he replied coolly. "If you feel like I'm not good enough…"

"See? You're doing it right now!" she jumped up and started to jump on the couch. "Every time we talk about Ducky you're starting to become insecure!"

"I don't."

"Gibbs, you're not like any other Dom I've ever had. You seem to be having an inner conflict every single day. Every time we play. It's like, you're physically with me, playing with me, but mentally you're totally somewhere else."

Gibbs didn't say anything. She was right, just for a little bit. But he really didn't love Ducky anymore in the way he used to do when they had just met for the first time. It was in a gay bar, no less and it was Ducky's first official task as a freelance ME for the Military Police. Gibbs had just been a rookie, but he had fallen in love with the older man the second their eyes met. The crush lasted for a few years until he had met Shannon , but being with the gorgeous redhead had been odd. He had never told Ducky this, because it didn't matter. Gibbs was a Marine. Swinging both ways didn't help.

"Sometimes, when you're sleeping, and I'm awake, I can hear you moan his name, Gibbs." Abby started. "Don't you realize that every time you get a hard one when you're asleep that I'm the one helping you to find a release?"

"Can we change subject now? Or watch the movie?"

"No." Abby stopped with jumping on the couch and sat down on Gibbs' lap, facing him. "You're a very good Dom, Gibbs. But it's not you." She put her hands on his cheeks and kissed him tenderly. "Your heart belongs to someone else, your state of mind belongs to someone else. I don't think I can make you feel like Ducky's making you feel like… or is going to make you feel like."

"I'm not in love with Ducky." Gibbs repeated "I love you."

"Ah, but am I not merely a substitute?" Abby grinned. "In my opinion, you're protesting too much."

"And I think, you're pushing it too far right now, pretty girl." Gibbs growled.

"You might love me… but are you *in* love with me?"

"Yes!"

"No." Abby shook her head. "Absolutely not."

"Abs…" Gibbs stammered. "I'm not in love with…"

"Me." She smiled. "And that's okay." She kissed him again. "I love you. I want you to be happy, and you're not happy as long as you stay with me. So… shall I set up a date for you and the Duckman?" she grinned.

"Abs…"

"You're protesting." She warned him. "It'll be classy, nothing too fancy, but classy. Distinguished, like the gentlemen the pair of you are."

He thought it'd be weird now if he'd just throw her off him onto the couch and kiss her passionately. He realized that Abby was right, completely. Her suspicions were spot on and she didn't seem to care. And heck… dreams about Ducky that got a rise out of him was indeed more than substantial evidence. If only his girl wasn't such a good forensic specialist… He realized he had been fooling himself for many years. "Fine." Gibbs gave in.

"Really?!"

"Only if you're sure that Ducky…"

"Oh Ducky is gay. Completely. You should know that, you've known him longer than I have." Abby hugged him. "But that's the power of denial."

Abby had planned the perfect date, according to herself. The location was a good restaurant called 'The way we are' and it had a mixed clientele. There were gay couples, both female and male couples, and hetero couples. There was enough privacy and it wasn't dressed up like a live sized version of a BDSM play room. Gibbs had been in one of those restaurants all too often and it hadn't been pleasant. Abby liked those restaurants so that's why he kept coming back to it.

Gibbs was nervous. He never really got nervous, but he was right now. Abby had told Ducky that she had set up a blind date for him, with a cute and sweet man. Ducky had protested at first, telling Abby that he didn't need her to play match maker, but agreed to it eventually. And now Gibbs was waiting for his best friend.

The NCIS agent saw the ME enter the restaurant, telling the door person his name, and he directed him to Gibbs.  "Jethro? What are you doing here?" Ducky sat down in front of him.

"Abby." Gibbs replied. Abby had been right. Sitting with Ducky in a restaurant felt good, Ducky looked good, his eyes were sparkling with joy and the smell of Formaldehyde was covered up by a good after shave. Ducky was wearing his usual bow-tie and shirt, but it looked different some how.

"Ah, Abigail." Ducky nodded. "But weren't you two together?"

"Yep."

"Then what is the meaning of this?"

"Probably because Abby gave me a wake up call a week ago." Gibbs explained. He had already ordered two glasses of Scotch, so he took his glass and took a sip out of it.

"Abby is good at that." Ducky nodded. "I've had the same experience."

"Really?"

"Yes, but she was telling me that I was going to meet a cute and sweet man." Ducky deadpanned.

Gibbs fell silent. He knew there was a reason why he never told Ducky that he was in love with him. He just knew that Ducky didn't see him the same way.

"She should have told me that I was meeting a hot, caring and responsible man. Then I wouldn't have protested as much." Ducky smiled mischievously. "You see, Jethro dear, I didn't tell you because you weren't ready for it."

Gibbs felt a huge relief. He knew he was smiling from ear to ear. "Really?"

"Yes, dear." Ducky smiled. "I've been in love with you ever since we laid eyes on each other."

"You remember that?"

"How can I forget?" Ducky snorted. "It was in a gay bar, you were still a Probie at the Military Police and I was freelancing as an ME."

"I do too, you know."

"You were clumsy." Ducky pointed out. "And insecure. And blushing."

"I was terrible."

"You were cute. You're blushing right now."

"Duck…" Gibbs nagged. "Please don't do that."

"Let's finish our drinks, and go to my house. Mother is at Mrs. Patterson for the night, and I'll make you some dinner, then we can talk further." Ducky smiled.

Gibbs had spent the weekend at Ducky's, and it had been perfect. It had been right. Abby had been right, and he was thankful for that. He had bought a huge bouquet of black roses and brought it to her in her laboratory.

"Thank you, pretty girl." he smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"It's only right, Gibbs." Abby happily took the flowers, grabbed a vase from under her counter, filled it with water and placed it next to the other bouquet of black roses on her desk. Apparently Ducky had the same idea that morning.