DISCLAIMER: These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.
SPOILERS: Set after 5.02 – Family. Mild spoilers through that.
CHALLENGE: Written for Passion & Perfection's Big 5000.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
One of Those Mornings
By Jaina
Abby woke slowly, sounds and smells filtering into her consciousness until she realized that it was morning - or at least very bright outside. She kept her eyes shut, but even through her lids she could see the bright light filling the room. Her head throbbed and her mouth felt as if it was filled with a desert.
All the signs of a nasty hangover. She contemplated trying to go back to sleep, but even as she shifted slightly to get more comfortable, her bladder twinged painfully. She bit back a groan as she mustered the energy to go pee.
And then she froze. Slowly Abby's eyes opened. She glanced towards her shoulder and let her eyes fall shut again. She winced as her head dropped back to the pillow and decided to continue throbbing painfully.
This, apparently, was one of those mornings. It wasn't the first time she'd woken up in bed and had no idea who she was sharing it with and she was fairly certain it wouldn't be the last time that happened either. Still, it didn't stop sucking less every time it happened. There was still the vague attempt to sneak out, at least if she was lucky enough not to be at her place. That was even more of a disaster.
She sneaked another glance at the lumpy shape on the other side of the bed, buried by covers that appeared to be another person. Abby wiggled her arm futilely, but it was no use. She was stuck until the other person moved off of her arm.
Her bladder twinged again and demanded that this be sooner rather than later.
She groaned and sat up. With her left arm she shoved at the bundle of covers. There was a groan that was not her own. The bundle shifted slightly and Abby caught a glimpse of dark hair.
She tried to remember what'd happened last night. She remembered going out for drinks with the rest of the team - Tony, Ziva, McGee, and Ducky. Gibbs had turned them down; working on his boat, she knew. She remembered the boys slowly leaving, first Ducky, then Tony with a tall blonde he'd been exchanging glances with all night. Abby remembered McGee offering her a ride home and then...nothing. She struggled to sit up again, checking the hair again quickly.
Surely it wasn't McGee. She would have remembered sleeping with McGee.
Wouldn't she?
She glanced down again as the figure shifted. Her arm was almost free. As long as whoever it was would just keep sleeping a little bit longer.
"Are you sure, Abs?"
"I'll be fine, Timmy." She glanced back towards their table. "But Ziva doesn't look so good. I'll make sure she gets home okay."
So she hadn't gone home with McGee. She let out a breath of relief. She loved Tim, but maybe, not that way. Sometimes it was just too complicated.
The figure finished shifting off of her arm. Abby pulled it back hurriedly and stepped towards the bathroom doorway. The covers fell away from the person's face, and Abby almost tripped over the shoes and clothing strewn about the floor.
Ziva. Her breath hissed out of her lungs. Now this she hadn't expected.
"Tony is a bastard. He had no right! No right, Abby, to say what he did!"
Abby listened patiently to the now slurred speech. Ziva had been repeating herself for the last half-hour and she was thinking it was time for Ziva and her drink to go their separate ways.
So how had they gone from lamenting Tony (and had that been a surprise!) to ending up in bed? Abby glanced down. She was definitely without clothing, so that would be a yes.
She hurried up into the bathroom and tried to slow down her breathing and think calmly through her pounding headache as she peed.
It wasn't working. Not at all.
And then Ziva opened the bathroom door. Without knocking. Because that would be logical, this being her apartment and all, but Abby was too busy freaking out.
"Hi."
Honestly, Abby wasn't quite sure what to say, but she was sure that she had to say something at least. This awkward moving around one another thing was not working for her.
To her surprise she saw a flush of red spread up Ziva's face.
"Abby, I...am not quite sure what to say."
Abby nodded trying to maintain a neutral expression.
"It's okay. I understand."
Ziva let out a sharp breath. "Well, I am glad you do. I cannot remember a thing."
Abby couldn't help but laugh. It seemed as if they were in the same predicament.
"You know...I can't either really. I mean little bits and pieces -"
"But not all of it," Ziva agreed.
Abby headed back into the bedroom, slowly picking up her clothes. Somehow she was feeling less awkward than when this conversation had begun. She slipped on her shirt and turned back to face Ziva.
Ziva was wrapped in a light silk robe and leaning against the doorway, watching her. There was a slight smile on her face and a look in her eyes that made it Abby's turn to flush.
She suddenly found herself remembering the feel of Ziva's skin against hers, the way Ziva's hands had felt so good. Abby looked away.
They stood frozen for a moment until Ziva coughed delicately.
"Would you like some coffee?"
Abby brightened immediately. "And maybe some advil - possibly a whole bottle."
Ziva laughed. "Of course. And I will give you my secret hangover cure."
"Oh?"
"Yes, it is my own special receipt."
"I think you mean recipe," Abby pointed out with a grin. It had been a while since Ziva had slipped up like that.
Ziva waived a hand impatiently and Abby grinned even wider, as she followed her into the kitchen. Abby hopped up on the counter and watched as Ziva began to fix coffee and her special brew.
Abby leaned back as Ziva stepped in front of her to get the sugar down from the cabinet next to her. Ziva stretched passed her to reach for it and Abby couldn't keep herself from glancing down at Ziva's conveniently gaping robe.
Ziva gave her a knowing look as she stepped away. "Will this make things, as you say, hinky, at work?" Ziva asked her, with her back to Abby.
Abby frowned for a moment. "No, I don't think so. It shouldn't have to." She looked down. "I don't want it too."
Ziva smiled over her shoulder. "I do not want it too, either," she agreed, handing Abby the first steaming mug of coffee.
Abby smiled appreciatively and took a sip. She lowered the mug again and looked at Ziva.
"You know, I don't remember much, but I do remember one thing. How long have you been in love with Tony, Ziva?"
"I...that is...I...why would you think that?"
Abby set down her mug of coffee and used both hands to hop off of the counter. "The way you watch him." She ticked a finger off. "You act like a jealous lover where he's concerned." She smiled without amusement and held out another finger. "You spent half the night in a bar trashing him to me. Sounds like unrequited love to me."
Ziva's mouth snapped shut almost audibly and an angry look slid over her face. Abby managed not to wince. She stepped closer to Abby menacingly.
"That is no business of yours."
Abby sighed. "Fine." She walked out of the kitchen and began to pull her clothes back on. Once she was dressed she grabbed her shoes and headed towards the door.
She paused with her hand on the door and turned back to look at Ziva. "Tony's a great guy," she said softly, "I don't have to tell you that, Ziva." She leaned her still pounding head against the door. "But the only thing he's going to do is break your heart. He's in love with Jeanne. You need to move on."
Ziva seemed to grow totally still at her words. Abby had hit a nerve. "Why do you care, Abby," she asked sharply. "What is it to you?"
Abby scowled and yanked open the door.
"Figure it out yourself," she snapped as she slammed the door behind her.
She was halfway down the block when she realized that she'd forgotten her cell phone in Ziva's apartment and she had no way to call for a cab or even Gibbs.
For an instant she considered going back for it and then resigned herself to the very long walk home. It really was one of those mornings after all.
The End