Disclaimer: NCIS and its characters are the property of Belisarius Productions and CBS. No copyright infringement is intended.

Title: Lock and Key

Rated: T

Spoiler: None

Pairing: Abby/Gibbs

A/N: Written for the Gibbs/Abby Shipper Forum weekly 2012 Creative Drive for the prompt 'drinks'.

When Gibbs walked through the door, two thoughts entered his mind:

What the hell?

and

I'm gonna shoot DiNozzo!

The young woman who had admitted him to the house was already slipping a long strap over his head, on the end of which hung a small key. "The women all have locks and the guy's keys," she told him, glancing down at the tool box he carried in his left hand. "Oh, nice touch," she winked.

Gibbs stared at the room filled with mingling people, most with drinks in their hands. Two seconds later a youngish blond invaded his view and stalked towards him, lifting the padlock that hung on the strap around her neck. "Wanna see if it fits?" she asked coyly.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at her.

"Your key," she giggled. "If it unlocks me, I'm all yours tonight." Again she giggled.

Lifting his key, Gibbs hoped like hell that it wouldn't open her lock.

When it didn't, the blond shrugged and looked around, surveying the crowd. "Oh, well, I know he's here somewhere."

Before she walked off, Gibbs spoke for the first time. "Where's the kitchen?"

"See that long table over there with all the drinks?" she said, pointing to the far side of the room. "Right behind it, sweetie."

She walked off and Gibbs started making his way across the room, side-stepping around many of the guests. He didn't get far before another woman blocked his path. "Think we're a match?" she asked.

Gritting his teeth, Gibbs tried his key in the lock she held up for him. In the end, she was disappointed and he was relieved.

Two more steps and another woman impeded his progress, holding up her lock without a word. There was a lustful look in her eyes as she watched him work his key into the slot. When it didn't work, she looked at him suspiciously, as though she thought he had tricked her. With a silent nod, Gibbs continued across the room.

It took him nearly half an hour to make it to the kitchen. The women had practically lined up along his path, each one with eager anticipation as he tried his key in their lock. Fortunately for him, none of the locks had sprung open.

Entering the kitchen through a swinging door, Gibbs was relieved to find the room empty. Moving to the sink, he opened the doors below it and went to work on repairing the leak that DiNozzo had called him about earlier.

Abby stood alone on the patio steps that led down to the outdoor pool area. No one was swimming and the lights reflecting off the water presented a tranquil atmosphere. Breathing in the night air, she let the scene relax her nerves. Tony had persuaded her into coming to this single's party at his friend's house and he had even given her a ride. But it only took him three minutes after they got here, before he disappeared into the crowd and she hadn't seen him since.

She had spent the last two hours accepting drinks from strange men and letting them try their keys in her lock. None of them had been a match and the excitement of it all had worn thin. Now she was thinking about going home to where two of her favorite men were always waiting. Ben and Jerry. However, all those two had to offer was Rocky Road. Ironic.

"Abby!" a woman behind her squealed.

She turned and watched the woman clack her way over on high heels. Her name was June, or was it July? April, maybe?

"You have got to come see this guy that just showed up," she gushed.

Abby scarcely stopped herself from rolling her eyes before making an excuse. "I have to go. Maybe another time."

June grabbed her arm. "Oh, no! This dude is hot, hot, hot!" She tugged Abby back towards the house. "He's in the kitchen."

Letting herself be drug through the throng, Abby didn't see any women until they neared the drinks table. Every woman at the party had to be packed into and around the kitchen, which made her suddenly curious.

"His key hasn't opened anyone's lock yet," June, July, or April maybe, babbled on. "Make way, coming through," she shouted as they pushed into the doorway.

When they got to the center, where everyone's attention was focused, Abby grinned. This hot, hot, hot dude was lying on his back, half concealed inside the cabinet under the sink. His muscled legs were bent at the knees so his feet rested flat on the floor. He wore a gray t-shirt that wasn't tucked in and rode up his stomach as he stretched this way or that, while doing his job. Every time the crowd of women caught sight of the bare skin on his firm stomach, they all gave a collective gasp followed by dreamy sighs.

Abby couldn't help but admire the man's physique, the part she could see anyway. It was obvious that he was very fit and if she were among the few left to try his key, maybe she would get lucky… real lucky. She licked her lips at the thought of running her hands up under that t-shirt and sliding her fingers down along the thin trail of hair that disappeared below his belt buckle.

Just then a grunt emanated from inside the cabinet and his slim hips bucked into the air as he seemed to struggle with something under the sink. Abby wouldn't have been surprised if several of the women around her had fainted dead away with that move of his. Instantly they were all chattering, almost squealing, excitedly.

"Can someone hand me a crescent wrench?" he growled as his hand reached down near his hip.

All the women looked at one another with wide quizzical eyes, so Abby stepped forward, knelt, drew the wrench out of the toolbox, and placed it in his hand. He went back to work without even a thank you, and Abby stared into the dark cabinet, irritated by his lack of manners. "You're welcome," she stated sarcastically.

All movement in his body suddenly stopped. "Abbs?"

She froze. "Gibbs?"

A loud thunk and he slid out from under the sink rubbing his forehead. "What are you doing here?" he asked in confusion.

"What are you doing here? At a single's party, Gibbs."

"DiNozzo called me to fix the sink. Didn't know there was a party going on."

With a gentle hand, she brushed his hair off his forehead to look at the bump. "You'll live," she smiled.

His eyes didn't wander from her face even though they were surrounded by the lustful looks of many beautiful women. "I just have to tighten the flange then I'm getting out of here."

As his torso disappeared back into the cabinet, Abby chewed on her bottom lip. "Could you give me a ride home?" she asked hesitantly.

Another grunt and thrust of his hips sent the crowd into gasps and giggles once again. Re-appearing, he dropped the wrench into the toolbox and grabbed a rag to wipe his hands. "You ready right now?" he asked, pulling himself up.

Abby stood and reached for his hand. "Let me lead the way."

Within moments, they were out the door and heading down the walk to Gibbs' truck. "Who owns the house?" he asked.

"A friend of Tony's." The fact that he was still holding her hand didn't go unnoticed. "Jeff… something."

Hoisting his toolbox into the back of the truck, Gibbs turned to open her door and guided her onto the seat. With a bounce in his step, he rounded the hood and slid in behind the wheel. "Are you hungry? We could get some food and something to drink," he offered as they drove through the quiet neighborhood headed for the freeway.

Abby shook her head. "Nothing for me, thanks. I've had so many drinks tonight, I feel like a camel preparing for a trip across the desert. There's coffee at my place if you want to come in."

Gibbs didn't respond to the offer, instead asking about the party they had just left. It was comfortable conversation all the way to Abby's apartment as they talked about how to compensate DiNozzo for his thoughtfulness, the week at work they had just finished up, and the plans they had for the weekend ahead. Before they knew it, Abby was unlocking her door, and Gibbs was closing it behind them.

"I'm going to change into something more comfortable," she stated, heading for her bedroom.

"Coffee pot still in the same place?" he asked.

At the bedroom door she turned and smiled. "It is, but it's empty."

"Not a problem," he responded and they went about their individual tasks.

A few minutes later they met up in the living room and sat together on the couch. Abby had slipped into an old t-shirt of his and faded pajama bottoms. Her hair lay loose upon her shoulders. "You're still wearing your lock," Gibbs observed as his gaze lingered on her breasts.

"And you've still got your key," she responded with a raised eyebrow. "Should we see if they're a match?"

"You want me to slip my key into your lock?" he asked in a low timbre.

The implication of that question made Abby re-adjust herself on the cushion. She bit her lower lip and spoke softly, "Only if you want to."

She watched with nervous anticipation as Gibbs' long fingers lifted his key. "I've wanted to for a long time," he stated.

Abby's breath caught in her throat. "Gibbs?"

"You at that party, I didn't like it."

"I go to lots of parties, you know that."

He rubbed the key between his fingers. "Those women looked at me like I was a piece of meat. You must have got the same looks from those men."

"We all get lonely, Gibbs, and we're just looking for some company."

"Is that the kind of company you want, with a stranger?"

With a huff, Abby sat back into the couch. "What choice have I got? I'm not going to sit home wishing for someone that I know I'll never have. I get tired of coming home to a silent apartment." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe it doesn't bother you to go home alone every night, but I'd like something more."

"It bothers me sometimes," he admitted. "Who's this someone you'll never have?"

Abby cringed and regretted having said that part. "It's no one. It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me," he said, sliding closer and taking her hand. "You matter to me, Abbs."

"Really?" she accused, suddenly irritated. "Sometimes I wonder just how much I do matter to you!"

Gibbs was stunned. "Just what is it that you want, Abbs?"

Abby pulled her hand out of his grasp and wanted to get up, but he was leaning towards her and that irritated her even more. "I want you… all of you!" She really needed to stand up and move before she exploded, so she lifted her hands and pushed back against his shoulders. He didn't waver an inch and she tried again with the same results. "Damnit, Gibbs, let me up!" she shouted and this time she slapped at his shoulders.

He grabbed her wrists, pushed them over her head, and leaned in so their lips were a mere inch apart. "You couldn't handle all of me, Abbs," he ground out.

"Try me!" she retorted.

Gibbs slammed his mouth onto hers and immediately sought entrance with his tongue. Abby whimpered and arched up beneath him. His hands left her wrists and drove into her thick black hair, holding her steady as he angled his mouth over hers with enough pressure to bruise. With her hands now freed, they fell to his back, clawed beneath his shirt, and she raked her nails up then down the entire length.

Gibbs' hand slid to her hip and he guided her beneath him, to stretch out on the couch. His mouth nipped and kissed across her cheek, jaw, and down her neck, eliciting tiny squeaks and whimpers. When her hips bumped up against his, he ground down against her in response.

Abby tore his shirt off over his head, the sight of his muscled chest sending her heart into frenzied irregular beats. His large hands roamed up under the front of her shirt to encompass her supple breasts, unhindered and bare to his touch. Within seconds, her shirt joined his on the floor.

Their hips undulated in a synchronous rhythm as his eyes raked over her nakedness. Becoming impatient, Abby threaded her fingers into his silver hair and pulled his head down to one of her nipples. His tongue lapped and his lips tugged at the hard nub, sending zings of pleasure straight to her core. Kissing his way to her other breast, she writhed beneath him and reached for his belt buckle.

Suddenly jerking back, Gibbs got to his feet, breaking all contact. Abby stared up at his broad chest, covered with sparse silver hair, rising and falling with his heavy breathing. "We should talk about this before going any further," he panted.

Sitting up, Abby reached for his belt buckle again. "Go ahead, talk."

Gibbs closed his eyes and tried to clear his head as he felt his belt tugged from around his waist. "We don't have to do this. It's not too late to stop." Her fingers released the button on his jeans.

"Not gonna stop," Abby murmured, sliding the zipper down over his obvious arousal.

"Abby…" he growled and grabbed her hands, stilling them.

Leaning forward, she pressed kisses against his chest and down his stomach before he drew away.

"Okay, how 'bout this," she said standing up and facing him. "We'll try the lock and key. If they're a match, we spend the weekend together, naked in bed." Lifting up on her tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to his lips then nibbled down to his neck until she felt his hands settle on her hips and pull her closer. "If they don't match," she mumbled against his skin, "then we just spend tonight together and renegotiate tomorrow." Her hand slipped into the front of his pants and rubbed along his hard length, eliciting a moan from deep in his chest that vibrated through her lips straight down between her legs.

Lifting her chin, he devoured her mouth once again and felt his jeans fall around his ankles. Kicking them free, he started backing her towards the bedroom. "Either way, we spend tonight together," he whispered against her lips.

Increasing the size of her backward steps, Abby drug him along by the hands and smiled up at him from under her lashes. "Uh huh…" she nodded.

Gibbs didn't make it easy for her to lead him to the bedroom as he teased, "I should try the lock and key and find out what I'm getting myself into."

"The only thing you're getting into is me," she smirked and dropped his hands as she stood in the doorway, leaving the final decision up to him.

He said nothing as she waited and trembled.

"Then guide me in… all the way," he grinned and held out his hand.

The End.