Notes/Disclaimers: The title of this piece comes from the song of the same name, performed by Adele. If you've never heard it, definitely YouTube it. It's a beautiful song. As always, I do not own NCIS, its storylines or characters, and I am not making a profit from this fic. This is not a song fic, but the lyrics need to be included here.
I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited Never mind, I'll find someone like you
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded
That for me it isn't over.
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don't forget me, I beg
I remember you said,
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead
Tim sat in his car outside of Abby's apartment building. He could see her light on in the window. He wasn't sure what made him drive over here at midnight. He'd been lying in bed, reading, and the next thing he knew, found himself in the car, driving.
That's what I get for reading so late at night, Tim thought to himself, putting his head down on the steering wheel. Why did I drive here? It's been years since we broke up. She doesn't want me back, not like that…
His thoughts were broken when Abby's form came into view in the window. He looked on to see what she was up to. He by no means wanted to be a peeping Tom… he was just merely curious, since he drove all that way.
He watched Abby pick up what looked like a wine glass, and put it to her lips. He remembered the first time they spent the night together. He'd brought her wine. She giggled as she opened the bottle. They went through the bottle in an hour, and ended up in her room. As the memory floated in his head, he caught himself staring at Abby. He quickly averted his eyes for a moment. Anyone walking by would think he was some kind of pervert, spying on her the way he was.
He brought his eyes back to the window for a split second, and noticed that another figure had appeared. It was that of a man. He, too, was holding a glass of wine. Tim turned away from the window immediately. He'd seen enough. Abby was doing just fine tonight. He turned on the Porsche and pulled away from the curb.
NCISNCISNCIS
Tim hesitated outside the lab. He could see Abby at her lab table, running tests. Gibbs had sent him down for the results on the fingerprints they'd extracted from the body of a dead Marine. He'd protested at first, but a glare from Gibbs sent him on his way.
He moved slightly, and the doors swooshed open, giving him away. Abby turned around, and smiled as he entered.
"Hey, Timmy!"
"Hey Abs. Gibbs wants to know if you have anything from the fingerprints yet."
Straight and to the point. Get your results and get out of there!
"Nothing yet. I'm still running it through AFIS. I'll call up when I get something."
Tim shuffled his feet.
Stop! She'll know! Stand still!
"Okay, call me when you get something." Tim quickly turned and left the lab, leaving Abby scratching her head at his strange behavior.
Tim rushed into the elevator and jabbed at the button, his chest heaving. He hadn't realized what he was doing at the moment, but he'd practically bolted from the lab. As the doors slowly closed, he was terrified to see Abby running at the elevator. He didn't make any attempt to stop it, but that didn't stop her from sticking her arm into it to make it reopen. She stepped in and pressed the button to close the doors. As soon as they were closed, she pulled the emergency stop.
"What's going on?" She asked, crossing her arms.
Tim looked down at his feet. What was he supposed to tell her?
"Nothing, Abs. I'm fine." He turned the elevator back on, and she immediately reached and stopped it again.
"You were ridiculously awkward in the lab just now, Tim. That's not like you. Spill it."
"Seriously, Abby, I'm fine. I have to get back upstairs."
"You're not going until you tell me what's wrong."
Tim looked at the floor again. How was he going to tell her that he spied on her and saw her with another man? She'd never speak to him again. He couldn't just not tell her, though. Sucking in a breath, he brought his eyes back to her.
"I uh, drove to your place last night. At midnight."
"Why didn't you come in?"
"I saw you in the window. You had a man there last night."
"You were spying on me?"
"No! It wasn't like that! You'd walked in front of the window as I was about to get out of the car, and then there he was, and—"
"Stop, Tim. I get your point. You were jealous. Let me tell you something," she said, poking his chest with her finger. "If you had stayed last night, or had just been honest with me this morning, I would have told you that theman in my apartment was Palmer! He gave me a ride home last night, and I offered him a glass of wine. That's all. He drank it and left."
"Palmer?"
"Yes, Tim, Palmer."
"I'm sorry, Abby. I'm an idiot. I don't even know what made me want to drive over to your place in the middle of the night in the first place."
"The last time you did that, you were reading in bed. Do you remember?"
Tim smiled.
"Yeah. I was reading Browning, if I recall. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height, My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight, for the ends of Being and ideal Grace…."
Abby smiled. He remembered. She chimed in.
"I love thee to the level of everyday's, Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light… was that right?"
Tim smiled and moved toward her, but she stopped him in the middle of the elevator, putting her hands lovingly on his chest as he recalled another quote from the poem.
"I love thee with the passion put to use, In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith…"
They were nose to nose, chests heaving, when Abby recited the line that had put her over the edge the last time Tim recited it to her.
"… I love thee with a love I seemed to lose, With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life…"
Tim leaned in and kissed her passionately. She pushed him against the wall of the elevator, returning his kiss with renewed passion. About ten seconds later, the elevator dinged.
"What the hell are you two doing!"
Abby broke the kiss and Tim turned around. Tony and Gibbs were standing at the open elevator. Tony was grinning from ear to ear, and Gibbs looked beyond pissed.
"Boss! I'm—I—"
"Stop trying to apologize, and get your ass back to work, McGee! You've been holding up the elevator for ten minutes!"
Cheeks flushing, he bravely pecked Abby on the cheek before exiting the elevator. Gibbs head slapped him on the way out. He then turned to Abby and glared at her. She shrugged innocently.
"What?"
END
end notes: Poem recited by Tim and Abby is: Sonnet 43 – "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning