A/N: ok, so random little one-shot...I never really liked how Abby just seemed fine with it when Gibbs came back in season four. I mean really... wouldn't you be just that little bit angry and hurt if you were her? Set throughout season four...And for those who are reading my fic "Bearings of Pain" I am just having trouble with the next chapter. I want to make the story longer, but I can easily end it with the next chapter... So I am debating whether or not to finish it with the next chapter. Until i decide, obviously I can not update. Sorry...

"Abs, have I ever let you down before?"

"Well yeah Gibbs, you have."

McGee looked up from the computer screen in shock, Tony let his mouth hang open and Ziva's head snapped over to the direction where Abby was standing. Abby turned her back on Gibbs and started going through the evidence that Tony and Ziva had just bought in for her while saying, "McGee, I need a Caf-Pow."

McGee quickly took the hint and stood up from the computer and left the room. Ziva turned to leave, expecting Tony to follow suit. When he didn't, she grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him from the room but before he could protest, she cupped her hand over his mouth.

Feeling the muscles around his mouth move she hissed, "Bite me Tony, and there will be consequences." Immediately Tony decided against his idea of biting her hand.

Once Ziva pulled him into the elevator with her, she released him and wiped her hand on her pants. He wiped his mouth and turned on her. "Zee-Vah," he drawled, "you realise you just pulled me away from a once in a lifetime experience? Abby taking on Gibbs? It's like the—"

"Tony I am not interested in listening to one of your movie references! Clearly they need time alone to deal with whatever it is that is going on between them!" Ziva bit back at him.

Tony looked at her with a blank face. "You mean the boss and Abby-?"

"No Tony," Ziva looked at him disapprovingly, "Get your head out of the drain."

"Gutter," he corrected absentmindedly, "what do you mean? I haven't noticed anything different."

Ziva looked at him and sighed. "No, of course you haven't," she stepped out of the elevator and left him alone inside. She didn't need to turn around for him to hear her add, "You never do."

Gibbs didn't say a word until the others had left. He didn't need to ask what she was talking about; he had been expecting it since he had returned. In fact, he was surprised it had taken this long for it to come out. He suspected she had been holding it in for as long as she could so that their dynamic of their relationship wouldn't change, but all it would take was one bad day on her behalf and it would come out; and today was that bad day.

"That kind of hurt Abs," he said quietly, completely unlike himself.

"Yeah well it didn't exactly tickle when you left either," she replied, still not looking at him.

He walked up behind her and placed his hand on hers to stop her going through the evidence. She stopped and sighed, then began chewing on the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from saying anything else.

"You should have said something Abs."

She spun around to face him, "And what? Risk losing you again? It's no fun being abandoned Gibbs."

Gibbs went to open his mouth to reply, but eventually closed it when he realised he had nothing to say to that. Realising that he had nothing to say Abby spoke instead, "Rule number 15 Gibbs, Always work as a team. What you did, wasn't working as a team. Rule number three, Never be unreachable, you were unreachable Gibbs."

"You had my number Abby."

"I mean this type of unreachable," she poked him gently where his heart was.

"I'm never that kind of reachable Abs," he pointed out, a little sadly. It wasn't an obvious sadness, but Abby saw it. She could always see it.

"For me you are."

Gibbs looked at her and saw pain in her eyes. He could always fix things, but this time he didn't know how to. It hurt him to know he couldn't fix it, but it hurt him more knowing he was the one who caused the pain to begin with.

After looking at each other for a short while Gibbs was about to do something he had rarely done in his life. But before he could do it, a soft finger placed itself over his lips stopping him, and instead of words leaving his mouth, words left the mouth of the woman in front of him.

"Late Latin for the word apologia, apology means the acknowledgement of faults, shortcomings or failings. It's what you say when you regret doing or saying something affecting others. I like your faults, your shortcomings are kinda sexy for an old guy and you've never failed me. I don't need an apology Gibbs."

Gibbs had to smile, "Swallow a dictionary Abs?"

"Nope," she gave him a grin back, "just your pride so you don't have to."

For the first time in a long time, Gibbs was the one to pull Abby into a hug. He kissed her on the forehead then whispered in her ear, "If you don't need an apology, what do you need?"

She pulled her head back from his chest to look at him, "I already have it."

He raised his eyebrow at her and she grinned, "I know that you will always return for me. I just needed you to know I know."

He nodded and gave her another quick kiss, this time on the cheek, let go from the hug and began walking out of the lab.

"Wow Gibbs, two kisses in one sitting?" Abby called out as he was leaving.

"Consider it to be your lucky day," he called back as he left.

She smiled as she turned around and began to properly go through the evidence. She waited to hear the elevator ding to reach out and grab hold of Bert and hug him tightly. She bit her lip as she said out loud to the stuffed animal, "Yeah ok, so I lied just a little bit to him. But I love Gibbs and he loves me so what's the point of being totally truthful and making him feel bad? Where is McGee with my Caf-Pow?"

Gibbs stood silently, hearing the words he knew she wouldn't say in front of him. Once the elevator had arrived he had sent it up to autopsy empty, knowing that Abby wouldn't say anything until she was sure he was gone. Bowing his head in shame he whispered three little words that held so much power to those who knew him best.

"I'm sorry Abs."

And then he left, taking the stairs so that Abby would be none the wiser.

She turned back around, facing the doors and smiled, "apology accepted."