Maybe tonight I'm gonna tell him how I feel Maybe I'll leave well enough alone

Just like every other day that they spend an evening together after work, the same debate sounded inside Abby's head and heart.

Maybe, just maybe, he'll want to be my baby What if he's got plans of his own

The day was a quiet one for once. The last two weeks had been full of cases, some of them required little help from her to solve, and some of them relied solely upon her expertise to lead them to the criminals. Her it was Friday and quiet. They would hopefully get out on time today. They would be able to still get their evening in as planned.

All day she had debated on telling him her feelings. She was afraid that if she told him how she felt that he would push her away because he did not feel the same way. Ever since he had stopped seeing Hollis Mann the flirting, which never really stopped, intensified. She was sure that he knew the effect that he had on her. He was too good an investigator to not be able to observe the changes in her when he was near.

She decided that she could no longer handle the heartache of flirting with him during the day, then going home to her place alone.

There has been no dates for her for sometime. Not since she realised that she loved Leroy Jethro Gibbs. She had realised that she was comparing all of the men that she went out with to him and that none of them would reach such a standard. The only one that could, was the man himself.

She was going to tell him that night! But now to just figure out how and when. It was not something that she was say when he opened the door to allow her, and the take out food that she was to pick up, in. She also did not want to wait until they were, as they often ended up, drinking bourbon in his basement. She did not want him to chalk it up to 'the alcohol talking', she wanted him to know that she was serious and meant it.

I'm waiting for the perfect moment Looking for the perfect phrase

She found the perfect time for her was while they were eating. She had been quieter than usual, racking her brain on how to tell him. Trying to figure out how to broach the subject.

"Abby, everything okay?" she heard him ask from across the table.

She looked up at him and saw the concern in his eyes to match the concern in his voice. "Yeah, why?"

"You've been quieter than usual. What's on your mind?"

The one I finally choose is simply "I love you"

She dropped her eyes to her plate of food, and spoke the words that she had been wanting to say to him for a long time, "I love you!"

As the words came out I heard a voice inside me say

Part of her was cheering her for speaking up, part of her was condemning her for ruining one of the best friendships she ever had. But a quiet, happy, loving voice stood out more than the rest, and she realised that, that voice was her heart.

What made you say that Was it the moonlight, was it the starlight in your eyes

What made you say that Have you been listening to your heart

It's too late now, you don't want to take it back

'Cause I know love's What made you say that

She had spoken at barely above a whisper, but she knew that he would have heard her.

"Abby?" he said, but she still could not look at him.

She heard his chair move back, then nothing, as usual he moved silently. Fearing that he had left the room, but unable to look, she closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to appear.

She jumped when he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. She felt his breath gentle caress her cheek when he whispered for her to open her eyes and look at him. She did as he asked and found his face unreadable.

Placing a hand on each of her shoulders, he gently said, "Say that again?"

Taking a breath, she prepared herself for the worst, while still hoping for the best, and spoke again, a bit louder, and firmer this time, "I said, 'I love you', Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

Look up to see his reaction And a smile slowly spread across his face

He placed a finger under her chin to hold her face looking at him. "I thought that was what you said." Then he slowly smiled. The love that was shining back to her almost took her breath away. He drew her face closer to his, and when their lips were barely touching, he whispered, "You have no idea how long I have been waiting to hear you say that. And I'm not going to let you take those words back, I can see it in your eyes that you finally listened to your heart." Then he ever so gently pressed his lips against hers, in the sweetest kiss she ever had.

He said "What took you so long

That's what I've been waiting on

I thought you'd take forever and a day"

He pulled back, and looked into her eyes, "I love you, Abs. I have for a long time. The day I realised it, was the day that I realised how useless rule twelve had become to me. I had decided though, I would wait for you to figure out that you loved me. I have seen it in your eyes for a while, but did not want to push you into something that you were not ready for. I have no desire to hurt you."

What made you say that

Was it the moonlight, was it the starlight in your eyes

What made you say that

Have you been listening to your heart I

t's too late now, I won't let you take it back

'Cause I know love's What made you say that

A smirk crossed her lips. "What is it that you desire, Jethro?" she asked, her voice husky, telling him just what it was that she had been desiring for sometime.

He felt shivers when she said his name like that. He couldn't wait to find out how he would react to the sound of her voice in other ways. First though, he had to find out how it felt to hear her gasp his name in pleasure.

What made you say that

Was it the moonlight, was it the starlight in your eyes

What made you say that

Have you been listening to your heart

It's too late now, you don't want to take it back

'Cause I know love's What made you say that

He whispered his lips across hers, then moved his lips, kissing her along her jaw to the spot just behind her ear, that made her catch her breath. After tasting the spot with a couple of slow flicks for his tongue, he kissed and licked his way down the pulse point in her throat. Her low moan urging him on. He continued to kiss her spider web tattoo on the side of her neck as one arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her tightly against him, letting the feel of his arousal against her answer the question for him.

His other hand began at her hip, and skimmed it's way up her body to cup one breast through her shirt, his thumb brushing over her hardening nipple.

She placed her hands on his shoulders to help stead herself as she pressed herself against his erection. Flicking her tongue against the shell of his ear, she smirked when he growled in response.

Moving to where her neck and shoulder met, he gently nipped her skin. When she gasped his name, he pulled back to look at her face.

Was it the moonlight, was it the starlight in your eyes

What made you say that

Have you been listening to your heart

The love, desire, and lust, that filled her eyes made his already painful arousal swell even more.

She moved one hand to the back of his head, her fingers in his hair, her nails lightly scratching his scalp. She pulled their faces closer together and kissed him with all the love she felt for him and the passion that he had awaken in her.

As they deepened they kiss, they each moaned into the other's mouth. When they broke apart for air, Abby gasped, "Please Jethro."

Looking at her, he knew what she was asking of him, "Are you sure that you're ready for this?"

"I've been ready for, and dreaming of, this for years."

Her words made his knees feel weak.

He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to his room, to his bed, pausing only long enough for her to lock the door against those that may try to disturb them. Next he was going to find out how it felt for her to say, moan, or scream his name when she reached orgasm.

What made you say that...