NCIS When NCIS Starts To Grow On You

_a/n: This is just something I want to see happen in 12x05 San Dominick. But I know won't. Because of course-in my opinion-there is no way we could get lucky enough to have Diane Neal on the show full time. _

_DISCLAIMER: I-SADLY-DON'T OWN IT_

* * *

She followed him down that rickety staircase of his. He went straight for the bourbon, but she stayed where she was-third step from the bottom. Holding onto the railing she bounced her weight on it some, hearing the ominous sounding creaking and groaning.

"Gibbs," she announced loudly, "you need to build yourself a new staircase."

"Hmmm...I'll get right on that." He answered, his back to her.

Shrugging (if he fell and busted his ass on his staircase it was his own fault), her booted feet trampled lightly down the rest of them. Safely on the concrete landing, she tried to ignore the awkward wondering of what she was suppose to do with herself.

She hadn't followed him home with any intentions-or planning for that matter. They had-_finally_-docked after those training exercises, and the next thing she knew she was firmly telling him that she was going to follow him in her car.

He had grunted noncommittally, and considering he hadn't tried to shake her on the route she assumed he really hadn't given a damn.

Her eyes scanned his form warily...What had started as simple joint training exercises which had been meant to be hell for the younger agents, and fun for _them._

Had ended with them being out at sea for over twenty-hours, and hell for them _all_. Though maybe it would be fair to say that for Gibbs it might've-_could've _easily been infinitely worse.

A shudder went down her spine at the memory. And she would have liked to be able to say that it was because of the simple fact that they both _smelled _like they'd been at sea for over a day.

"Hey! You gonna keep staring or can I drink your bourbon?!" Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she saw that Gibbs had turned back to face her-two mason jars of alcohol in hand.

With her long strides she crossed the distance to him quickly. Snatching the jar he held out to her, she leveled him with a faux affronted glare and said, "of course not! Besides I wasn't staring-I was glaring, I'm still mad at you!"

"And why are you mad at me?" He drawled taking a sip of the amber liquid.

She scoffed, and in astonishment said, "oh! I don't know...It couldn't possibly be because you went onto a ship taken hostage by _pirates_-alone."

"I wouldn't of gotten on the ship if I'd known the pirates were on it!"

"Yes, you would've!" She snapped, "and we both know it!"

"You would have gone too," he growled in defense as he watched her walk around the boat-trailing a hand lightly on it, "if you hadn't gotten held up!"

"You should have waited for me," she bit back without thinking about it. Backtracking slightly she covered with the words, "or you should've at least taken DiNozzo. Hell Gibbs, Omagi would've been decent backup for you."

She wasn't looking at him, but he hoped that her calmer tone meant that the little mini-fight was over. He tried to inflect some humor in his next words.

"C'mon, you know Omagi doesn't like me..."

He saw her smirk, but barely heard her murmured words of, "more like he's afraid of you..."

They were comfortably silent for the moment. Both sipping their bourbon, she slowly made her way back to standing beside him-the countertop digging into her back.

"Wasn't like there was much support they _anyone_ could've offered."

"Yeah," she rasped shortly, she had been on the other side listening to the whole thing-she didn't need the reminder, "I know."

* * *

Sitting her mason jar down, she propped her hands behind her and lifted herself up onto the wooden surface. Her feet dangling down onto the shelf below-she felt the familiar acidic burn at the back of her throat when she brought the jar back to her lips.

Since she didn't particularly want to continue the losing fight she had going with Gibbs. She decided a change of subject was in order.

"So, what are you naming this one?" She asked, indicating the barely formed boat in front of her.

He didn't ask her how she knew that he named him. Though he didn't remember mentioning it to her, it was just as likely that the _other _Abby had been filling her in on some pieces of information. He knew Abs, Ducky, and DiNozzo seemed to be in cohorts where he and Borin were concerned.

"...you naming it after Ziva?" She prompted finally when no answer from him was forthcoming.

"Naw. Ziver shouldn't have to have one named after her."

Looking up at him, she eyed him with mild curiosity. "I don't think you meant that meanly."

"I didn't."

He honestly hadn't, he named boats after people...that he'd lost. Grant it Ziver had left them, and he did miss her. But she wasn't lost to them, she was still out there in the world-living and breathing. And for that he was grateful, in his eyes naming a boat after her would be like signing her ticket to impending doom.

"Anyway...Bishop seems to be fitting in well."

"I guess," he said, "..why?"

When she didn't reply, he turned his to her. Eyeing her as if she were a suspect he was trying to extract information from, he grunted a little teasingly, "...you jealous?"

That got her to snort, in amusement she replied, "why would _I _be jealous? After all, I was offered the position first."

"Which you turned down," he pointed out unnecessarily.

The smile faded a little as they eyed each other. Biting her bottom lip, she softly said, "I told you Gibbs. It isn't something that I haven't-."

"Thought about before," he finished for her. "Yeah, I know."

He was hedging around the question that was hanging in the air heavily before them. And Borin knew that she wouldn't be able to leave until he'd asked it...But she had some things she wanted to say too, before the visit got cut short by his question or a-_god forbid_-call from dispatch.

"Gibbs."

"Yeah?"

Looking into his icy blues, she was ashamed to say that she lost her nerve to say what she'd originally intended. Instead she hedged a little and asked something else.

"Who's the big baddie over there?" Looking over at the headshot he had pinned to his wall. She leaned in closer to try and see the name at the bottom that was hidden in the dark, but Gibbs shifted slightly and blocked her line of vision.

"You trying to keep me out of the loop on something, Gunny?"

"Yep," he answered simply. She noticed that his jaw was clenched tightly, and she wondered why he didn't want her involved in a new chase-she felt vaguely offended.

"I've heard about those legendary chases of yours Gibbs," she mused, "you've taken down a lot of bad guys in big ways...So why wouldn't you want me involved in one?"

He stared at her, and he could tell that his eyes were going hard at that thought. Yes, she may of heard of some of the incidents revolving around his team. But he knew for sure that she was in the dark on some of the more _personal _vendettas that had come back from the past to haunt them.

He had no doubt that Borin could be of some major help when going up against the Russians.

But the thing was...he didn't want her getting involved in this revenge mission for Haswari. She hadn't known Kate, and her name was no where near the people who would be harmed if this were to turn into another Reynosa incident.

He wanted to keep it that way.

Trying to lighten his tense muscles-subtly. He, noticeably, tried to lighten his tone when he answered her. "Got no doubt that you could take 'em down singlehandedly. But you don't get to be involved in the chase unless you join NCIS."

Taking the bait he'd thrown out, tilting her head back and grinning tightly she said, "hmmmmm. You drive a hard bargain Gibbs."

That question hanging in the air between them seemed to get ten times heavier.

* * *

"Well," she said, "thanks for the drink Gibbs."

Sighing heavily he hopped off the counter. Leaving her drink, and him, behind she walked towards the staircase.

"Mmmm," Gibbs hummed, his eyes on the last few dregs of his drink-he didn't see her pause. Setting his drink down by hers he'd turned-prepared for a long night of working on his boat, and he'd been met by the sight of her standing on the concrete landing.

"Did ya forget something?"

"You know what?" She said, whirling around-that question was still unsaid. "You should be grateful to know how great of a team you've got."

"I am," he answered-facing her head on, and being otherwise silent.

"You really should be," she continued, as if he hadn't spoken, "because I saw the look on DiNozzo's face when he heard..."

Her rant lost a little bit of it's wind, and he watched as she started pacing back-'n-forth.

She was steadily picking steam back up.

"When he heard those words-_'say goodbye'_," she blurted out in a scarily good imitation of the pirate captain that had held him hostage.

"He-_we_, heard those words, and then a gunshot! Nothing else! Hell, Gibbs we didn't even know if you were still alive until they got the helicopters there!"

That roused him into the argument that she seemed to be itching to have with him. At first he'd been determined to stay cool and calm through it, but he couldn't sit there and allow her to accuse him of things that were out of his control.

"What was I suppose to do?!" He roared, "ignore the gun being held to my head and pick up the radio to tell DiNozzo I was still alive?!"

"No! Don't be a smartass, Gibbs." She growled..."He was scared."

She crossed her arms over her chest, and came to a stand still. But Gibbs didn't cower under the weight of her glare...didn't even tremble

Instead he simply fired back...

"Was he the only one?"

"I'm leaving," she hissed.

"Fine."

Turning she made it past the creaky step and onto the fourth before he spoke up. Neither of them could let her leave with the question still unspoken.

"Hey!"

"What?!" She shouted down at him, stopped on her perch she eyed him from above.

"You decide you want that change yet?"

And there it was...that damn question.

* * *

Rooted to the spot...her mind was racing.

Oh, she knew what she wanted-had known what she would _like _for a while now. She'd mulled the idea over, and simultaneously shot it down so many times. It was almost instinctive to make herself say something to him, putting off not having to answer that question until the next time they ran into the MCRT.

But...the thing was, she was _sure _there had to be a compromise in there somewhere. One that she desperately wanted to find.

And before she could give herself another chance to tell herself that her half-cocked idea was stupid. She was racing down the steps.

He saw her streaking towards him. Only years of practice in catching Abs, allowed him to keep both of them from falling over when she barreled into him.

Her hands clutched handfuls of his shirt, and he only had a moment to catch the determined look in her eye before she was pulling him to her.

The kiss was hard, she had a tight grip on his shirt front, and his hands would leave bruises on her hips. Their lips parted, and it seemed to be only a second later and she was pulling back.

"I'm not ready yet," she whispered.

He cocked an eyebrow in question, "what was that for?"

"I'm not ready yet," she repeated and easily breaking his hold on her, she stepped back-heading to the stairs.

"But when I am. Let's just say...NCIS is starting to grow on me."

Turning around fully-this time she made it all the way to the top. Before _she _stopped, leaning over the side she called down playfully to a shocked Gibbs.

"Besides Omagi's still got a lot to learn!"

She was out of the basement and heading through the house when Gibbs finally collected himself to yell back...

"Hell, _I'll _teach the kid!"

The sound of her laughter was cut-off by the slamming of his front door.

A hesitant sort of _smile_, took Gibbs by surprise as he picked up a sander and headed to the side of his boat. That Omagi kid was a slow learner, and Gibbs had the feeling that he still had a lot to pick up on.

But that was okay-it wouldn't stop Gibbs from asking and Borin from answering _the _question. And that was something they both look forward too.

Shaking his head slowly at his own stupidity, Gibbs couldn't help but think...

_'Until next time, Borin.'_

* * *

_a/n: I LOVE Borin and Gibbs. Almost as much as Jenny and Gibbs! I'm honestly surprised that there aren't more fics for the two of them! _

_This is what I would like to see happen on Tuesday, but I doubt it will :( So this was just from my own imaginings._


End file.

NCIS, Drama