Tim drove like a madman back to NCIS. After a few Ziva-worthy maneuvers and twists, his car skidded to a stop in the building's parking lot. He got out of the car just as Ziva was exiting the front doors.

"Ziva, do you know if-"

"How dare you?" Ziva asked angrily, closing the distance between them by grabbing a fistful of Tim's shirt threateningly. "How dare you lead Abby on in such a way-"

"Ziva," McGee tried to protest. She responded by bringing her fist up to his neck, constricting his vocal chords.

"You kiss Abby, and then you just happen to have a date with another woman? You could not have bothered to tell her-"

"Ziva!" warned Tim, daring to grab the wrist that was blocking his breathing. Ziva actually growled.

"You need to let me explain."

Ziva stood back, arms crossed and eyebrows raised disdainfully.

"Yes, I did make plans with Lauren, and yes, it was after Abby's and my… incident this morning, but that's not the way it is."

"That is certainly how it appears," scoffed Ziva, still icy.

"I love Abby," McGee sighed. "I've loved her since she left me. But she left me. Even I'm not desperate enough to go after a woman who won't have me. I've been dating other women, but none of them ever add up to her. Tonight, Lauren showed me that. She told me to tell Abby I loved her, before it was too late. I don't ever want it to be too late, Ziva."

Ziva just stared. "Oh," she finally managed to say. "Well, then, by all means, venture forth into that building."

McGee smiled and nodded in her direction before scurrying off to find Abby.

...

Abby was in the Evidence Garage, sorting the various crap they'd used in the Hadlund case into piles of recycling or trash. This was the part she liked least about her job, but as Forensic Specialist, it was her duty to get rid of all the excess forensic evidence.

Two very McGee-ish arms wrapped themselves around her stomach; she recognized his watch right away.

"Tim?"

His only response was to bury his face into her spider-tattooed neck.

"Timmy, are you okay?" Abby asked, a little weirded out but not altogether displeased.

"Abby, I love you, I love everything about you," murmured McGee into her skin.

"Are you drunk? Because if you're drunk, I can get you a ride home-"

"I am more sober than a squirrel," McGee said seriously. It was all Abby could do to stop herself from giggling. His hands moved to her waist and spun her around so that she faced him. "I know exactly what I am saying, and I won't regret it in the morning. Abigail Sciuto, I am in love with you."

Abby didn't know what to say. The commitment-phobic part of her was writhing a little bit, but the much stronger and much smarter part of her was cheering. She blushed a little bit. "I don't know what to say, Tim."

"You don't need to say anything. I just need you to know how much I love you." McGee took both of her hands in his. "I need you to understand."

Abby gazed into his eyes. This was really not the situation in which she'd imagined herself in this moment. She'd always expected it to be over dinner or in bed or even in her lab, but not in the middle of the Evidence Garage when she was tired and covered in sweat and tears and who knew what else. But with Tim looking at her like that, she felt like the most beautiful woman on earth.

"I… I understand," she said in a small, wondrous voice. McGee's face visibly relaxed. Abby blushed again. "Is… is this where we kiss?"

"Yes, yes, I think so," said McGee, obviously very relieved that this was going so well. He closed the distance between them. One hand dropped to the small of Abby's back, and the other held her upturned chin. He carefully lowered his lips to hers. This wasn't like their hasty, embarrassed kiss in Abby's lab. This kiss was soft and hesitant, but at the same time full of so much passion and love that Abby felt her knees going a little bit weak.

This was everything she wanted.

Fin

Thank you all for sticking to this story and making it to the end! Reviews are fantastic, as per usual. Love, Starry