This is for meg because it was her birthday yesterday. This is sorta a missing scene between my fic If I Should Lose You and it's yet untitled sequel which I am working on.


"You're in sweats?" Gibbs paused in the door frame of his bedroom and watched as Tony pulled an old t-shirt over his head.

"Uh yeah…? It's never bothered you before…" Tony looked down at himself. They were old, but they weren't that old. He'd seen Gibbs in worse.

"Abby's pre-birthday dinner?"

"Well yeah, I figured I'd go for a run, catch a few bond movies-"

"You're not coming with?"

"To dinner?"

Gibbs fought back a heavy sigh. "No Tony, to the opera. Of course dinner." Gibbs understood Tony still had some insecurity when it came to his and Abby's relationship, but sometimes he just wanted to grab the man and shake him until he understood.

"But that's your special thing with Abby."

Gibbs sighed and headed for the closet. "How many people are in this relationship?"

"Three."

Gibbs grabbed a shirt that Abby had talked him into buying. He'd dug his heels in the whole way, but once he saw himself in it, he'd had to preen a bit (silently of course, and never admitting it to Abby). "So there should be three people around the table tonight. Abby will be very disappointed if you don't show."

"Abby… Abby wants me there?"

"Why do you think I asked you today at lunch?"

"You didn't ask me, you just told me it was Abby's pre-birthday dinner tonight."

"Yeah, I told you we had dinner tonight. We, the three of us…"

"Jesus Jethro, I'm not a mind reader." Tony stripped quickly. "Is Abby waiting downstairs?"

"No, she went back to her place to change. Said she didn't have what she wanted here, so I told her we'd pick her up." Gibbs sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed his nicer shoes, pulling them on while Tony dug through everything in the closet.

"You told her we'd pick her up? So she knows I'm coming too?" This time he managed to duck away from the head-slap.

"Wait, how did you get ready so fast?" Tony asked over his shoulder, holding up two shirts to choose from.

"You still not dressed yet?" Gibbs glanced into the closet to find Tony still in his boxers. "Abby's waiting."

"I know, it's just… I want things to be perfect, you know? This is the first pre-birthday dinner since, well… we became us. You know, maybe it should just stay a tradition for the two of you. I can always have some dessert ready. You go ahead."

"DiNozzo, you have 30 seconds to pick something to wear or I pick for you. Abby said it herself that she wanted you along. Get dressed."

Tony gulped at the idea of Gibbs picking something for him to wear and imagined some scratchy sears-brand polo and ill-fitting pants. "Okay, okay. But where are we are going? I need to know to narrow-"

"Doesn't matter, just get dressed."

It did matter to Tony, but once Gibbs made up his mind there was no changing. He decided on a nice button up shirt with a freshly pressed jacket.


Tony's jaw dropped when Abby opened the door. Her slender figure was wrapped in a tight black dress that left just enough to the imagination. Her hair was pinned up and he wasn't sure he'd ever seen her lips that red. "Wow… you… I've never… oh wow."

Gibbs was quick with the head-slap. "You've seen her naked, pick your jaw up off the floor."

"Aw, Gibbs… he was just showing his appreciation." Abby grinned and struck a sexy pose.

Gibbs nudged Tony out of the way and leaned in to press a gentle kiss to her lips. "I know, but he was in my way."

"Plenty of Abby for the two of you," she grinned. She grabbed her purse and a sweater and followed the boys to the car.

Tony rushed ahead to open the door for her and then sat in the back right behind her. "Wasn't kidding, Abby. You are stunning."

Abby turned in her seat to look back at him with a grin. "If you're a good boy, I might let you undress me."

"Yes, ma'am."

"So… where are we going?' She asked as Gibbs started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

"I ever tell you ahead of time?"

Abby turned in her seat, "so Tony…"

"There's a reason I didn't tell Tony either… All it would take is the promise of your mouth on his dick and he would sing like a canary."

"I would not," Tony protested.

"You wouldn't?" Abby looked at him with that pout.

"Okay, if I knew, I would probably tell you."

Gibbs snorted. "Which is why I didn't tell him. But we're nearly there."

"Aww, and I was going to have so much fun trying to get him to spill before we get wherever we're going." Abby sat back in her seat and watched the city fly by as Gibbs took them along the water and eventually parked at the marina. There were several restaurants they could be headed toward, but Gibbs led his lovers past them all and down one of the docks.

"Wasn't sure if she'd be done in time, but…" He nodded at the last boat as it bobbed up and down in the dark water.

The Abigail was smaller than many of the boats on the water, but she was the only one that Abby noticed. "Oh my God, she's beautiful."

"Just like you. Happy Birthday." Gibbs leaned in for a tender kiss. "You might want to take your heels off though while we sail."

Abby stepped out of her shoes and took Gibbs' hand as he helped her onto the boat. She stepped out of the way so Tony could join them.

Tony was speechless. They had both assumed that the boat that had been in the basement had gone to the burn pile and had decided not to ask about it. "We've spent 5 nights a week together, when did you ever work on it." Tony ran his hand along the railing.

"Here and there." Gibbs shrugged. It wasn't long before he was directing them away from the dock and out into the middle of the bay. He had been at the marina just before going home to pick up Tony and then Abby, getting things ready. Dinner was only Chinese food, but it was easiest to keep warm. And there were two bottles of wine chilling. The inside of the boat was sparse, but he would let Abby fix that.

It was chilly out on the water, so Gibbs shrugged out of his jacket went to wrap it around Abby's shoulders. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I… I'm just… I'm speechless." She looked back at the faint lights of the marina.

"The last year has been stressful; I wanted to give you something we could get away on – the three of us. Out here nothing can get to us." He reached for Tony and together they wrapped themselves around Abby in a tight hug.

"I love it. I love both of you."

"Yeah, and now I've got to come up with a present that can compete with a boat," Tony only half joked. He had picked up a pricey necklace that he knew she would love (and he would love seeing on her), but it seemed so simple compared to a hand-made boat.

"Tony, it's not a competition. You don't have to get me anything. I've got what I want right here," she tapped his chest, "and right here," she tapped Gibbs'. Suddenly her stomach growled. "Okay, almost everything I want. I am a bit hungry."

"Let's head inside, I've got food waiting." He gave her a little nudge and then sent a look of I told you so in Tony's direction.

Together they piled in around the small table and Gibbs dished up their food while Tony poured the wine. He lifted his glass and nodded to Abby. "To the birthday girl. Even if it isn't your birthday for a few hours."

"But it's my birthday weekend, Tony," she laughed. "You have multiple days to celebrate me."

Dinner was relaxed like it normally was between the three, and soon they were relaxing with a glass of wine and strawberries dipped in chocolate.

"You know what I'm thinking?"

Gibbs raised a brow. "With a look like that, something dangerous."

"No," she laughed. "Well, maybe if you've got two left feet. I want to dance."

Gibbs opened his mouth to protest. He didn't really have a reason not to dance, but it seemed a bit over the top and dramatic. He figured the boat was his dramatic gesture – one that should last the rest of his life.

"Good idea, let's go out on the deck. We can use our phones for music." Tony grabbed her hand and turned to Gibbs, "come on, it'll be fun. I promise."

"You two go ahead. I'm going to clean up. Don't need this place stinking like Chinese food." Gibbs watched them go and then gathered up the garbage from dinner. He smiled when he heard some slow jazz coming from the tiny speakers of Tony's phone and he watched from the window as Tony pulled her in close and they swayed to the music. Gibbs chuckled softly as Tony led Abby through a little twirl and then dipped her, both struggling to stay on their feet when the movement of the water caught them off balance.

With everything tidied and nothing left for him to do, Gibbs followed them out to the deck. Abby's eyes were closed and she was nestled in tightly against Tony's chest. Tony gave a lazy smile and reached out for Gibbs.

Gibbs hesitated and then moved up behind Abby, curving one hand around her hip, the other wrapping around the back of Tony's neck, holding them both close as he moved with them.

"You know, I can't think of anything more perfect." Abby smiled when Gibbs pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

"Me either. The three of us, the boat, away from it all. It's good."

"Not to break the lovey-dovey moment, but all this romance has me reaaally turned on. Like, really." He expected the head-slap from Gibbs, but the double tap from Abby was a shocker. "Hey!"

"It's my pre-birthday," she glanced at her watch, "almost my actual birthday. I'm not going at it up against the wall."

"Bed isn't in yet, DiNozzo." Gibbs reminded him, trying to ignore the heat he felt in his own groin.

"Oh come on… a quickie? Then we'll go home and spend hours making you moan." He tilted Abby's chin up so he could kiss her.

Abby groaned and pulled away from his kiss.

"See… you're feeling it too. All hot and bothered and raring to go."

"Keep it in your pants until we get home and I'll…" Abby pressed up on her toes to whisper in his ear.

A wide grin broke out across his face. "You're the best birthday girl ever! Turn this ship around, boss!"

"Boat," Gibbs corrected. He pulled up the anchor and turned back toward the marina. "It's a boat."