It was a cold January night and Gibbs couldn't rid the sadness of a case he had been working on. He couldn't wait until he was home to work on his boat and drown his sorrow in silence, so he stopped at the closest bar to NCIS, only to find that his young agent was already drowning herself with deadly shots of tequila.
He joined her and watched as each shot made her happier and happier, and whether it be good or bad, much more friendly.
"You know Gibbs," she slurred after taking down another shot, "I would hate to have to go home alone tonight. Most importantly I don't want to have to wake up next to one of these losers." Her hand waved lazily around the bar. "So, how about you take me home instead?"
He took another long sip of his bourbon and slowly turned towards her on the squeaky bar stool. They were very close to each other already, but the turn left them almost touching face-to-face.
"Kate. I will take you home." He turned back to his drink taking an even longer sip than before. She smiled as her finger rubbed his ear. "But I will not sleep with you." His eyes kept focus on the sweat of his glass; then the amber colored liquid that barely seemed to quench his thirst. He knew what he wanted, however similar to her wishes, but wouldn't grant them while she was so vulnerable. Kate was all his tongue desired, all his eyes wanted to drown in, but not when she would regret it all in the morning. "Maybe some other time Kate. Another place; but not now, not like this."
Her frown was filled with great disapproval to the rejection and her lips parted ever so slightly with disbelief, a common sober Kate trait.
"Why not?"
"You know why Katie. You're drunk. It wouldn't be right of me to do that." His eyes strayed from hers to her body. Her shirts' buttons had been undone to much lower than professional and the hint of a red bra showed, only making it more difficult for him to say no.
"I don't care what's right Gibbs. I just care about how I feel as of now. I don't worry about tomorrow."
Gibbs knew too well that Kate was not a carpe diem kind of girl, in fact, probably the exact opposite. He felt this drunken Kate was probably similar to the younger Kate she didn't often talk about.
"No Kate."
"Well," she went to take another shot, holding it to her lips, "You could just tell me we were both drunk."
She downed the gold liquid, slamming the empty glass upside down on the bar. As she began to call for another shot, Gibbs grabbed her wrist. "I think that's enough. Let's go." He lay down some money for the drinks and began walking her out of the bar, helping her zig and zag through the crowd of people.
His mind pondered the idea of Kate's. It wasn't all that bad of an idea, except for ethically, he knew the truth and would feel like scum. He could pretend it was a drunken mistake and get to share a great night with her, but he wanted a great morning with her too and he wouldn't receive that now.
He could see Kate pouting beside him as they pulled up to her apartment.
"Are you sure Gibbs?"
With an inward sigh and a nod, he forced out the words he knew he must say. "Yea. I'm sure."
He walked her up stairs and to her door. Her key was in the lock as she turned to face him. "Thank you Gibbs." Her eyes were frozen at his chest. He could see the almost shameful expression on her face.
His finger tilted her head up and he ducked his head so her eyes would meet his. "Kate, if you remember this tomorrow, I will go home with you whenever you ask." His eyes closed softly as he let his lips make their way to hers, warm and plump. "If you tell me you remember this is the morning, I will be here in seconds to hold you every night."
His hand stroked her arm and squeezed her hand gently. He unlocked her door and opened it. "Get some sleep Katie." He dropped her keys in her hand and walked back to his car.
That night, Gibbs sat by his boat praying to hear his phone ringing the next morning and to answer to find Kate's voice on the other end.
The sun faintly made its way into the basement window setting warmness over the floors that were covered in sawdust. Gibbs kept a watchful, almost paranoid, eye on his phone. Thinking maybe it had rang and he didn't notice. He had never had the urge for technology as he did now, the urge for such distant communication.
Time passed by slowly, and around 10:30, his ears finally received the wish they had been asking. "Hello?" He eagerly opened the phone without checking the I.D.
"Hey boss, it's Tony, I was wondering if-"
"Tony, I swear to you that if you're not dying right now, you will be if you don't hang up now."
"You got it boss." He quickly snapped his phone shut.
Gibbs was furious at the stupidity for thinking Kate would remember anything. He threw his phone across the room.
"Damn Jethro. What did the phone ever do to you?" The sweet voice flowed like honey and he looked up to see Kate standing halfway down the staircase in tight blue jeans, a plain white T-shirt, and her hair pulled back lazily into a ponytail.
"Katie. What are you doing here?"
She walked towards him silent; eyes glued to his with a seductive smile on her face. She kissed his lips ardently and whispered to his cheek. "I just wanted to return the favor."