All the lonely people – A very special Christmas

A./N. Third and last bit. Thanks for your lovely comments and thanks for reading this in general. This is going to be much shorter than the first two parts. You can see it as a kind of epilogue... or the start of some new story. Who knows?

PART C

Abby woke up with a start. The building was still quiet and empty but she could tell with one glance to her watch that it would soon be the usual beehive again. She had a look around. The lights on the Christmas tree were still burning. The two pizza cartons were lying on the floot and she had slept in a half sitting position next to Tony DiNozzo who still had wrapped his arms around her. He looked at peace in his sleep. His breathing was deep and regular.

Okay, so she had not been dreaming. Last night had actually happened. But that did not change a thing did it? He was still the classy guy and she was still the Goth lab-rat. He'd wake up and ask her not to tell anyone what he had told her last night and to behave as if last night had not happened. He'd be polite but would make clear there was no future to this incident. It was just one of these moments that only happen because two desperate people meet in a confined space.

But - Abby sighed and let her fingers run through his hair and along his jawbone.

He moved and then suddenly opened his eyes.

"Abby", his voice was hoarse.

"I know, I know. Let's not talk about it, clean up the mess and behave as if nothing happened."

She got up but Tony's hand closed around her ankle and almost made her fall over.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you'll probably tell me in a few seconds that whatever happened yesterday is supposed to not have happened and that you want me to forget about it and never mention it."

Tony frowned.

"You really think I would say that?"

Abby shrugged.

"Pretty much, yes."

Tony got up.

"Ouch, my back. I'm going to have a limp for the rest of my life."

He stretched and then turned back to her.

"I agree with the clean up the mess part though."

With these words he picked up the cartons, folded then and pushed hem into the next bin, before he got the wine bottle and the glasses and went to hide them under his desk in the bullpen.

When he came back, Abby was about to vanish through the door to the forensics lab. He caught her half running, made her look into his eyes.

Her make-up had worn off, the lipstick was gone and the black eyeliner was not as thick as usual.

"Please, Tony. Anything you say will only... I'm all right if that is what you want to hear."

Tony stared at her.

"Abby. I appreciate you're not going to tell everyone else in the team I am a hoax and a psycho, but would you please stop running away?"

And with that he pulled her close again and pressed his lips on hers.

"Wanna have lunch later? If nobody gets himself killed and we're called out in the meantime that is."

Abby stared at him. She didn't seem to believe he was serious.

"You want to have lunch with me?"

Tony grinned.

"Hell, yeah!"

"Don't you think it would look... strange?"

"What? Why?"

"Well you... and me..."

"Abby, I don't really care. I want to have lunch with the girl who told me she could fix my heart. The only question is does she want to have lunch with me?"

For a second they only stood in the doorway her hands in his. Then a smile crept onto her face.

"Hell, yeah", she answered, "I'd love to."

I WISH ALL OF YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AN AWESOME NEW YEAR 2013!