Title: In The Know – Part I (1/4)
Fandom: NCIS
Author: Alidiabin
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Warnings/ Spoilers: general S7/8
Parings: Gibbs/Holly Snow
Summary: McGee is the first to find out about Gibbs and Holly Snow.
Beta: Anonymous033
In the Know – Part I
It was Gibbs' overqualified junior field agent who was the first to find out about her and Gibbs.
Holly Snow, former DC madam and now failed thesis writer sat at her laptop at nearly one am, in Gibbs' dining room. She had turned her attention from a thesis on prostitution and female sexuality in classic art to a tell-all book about the rich and powerful men in DC, and their lustful activities. Her publisher had claimed it would be a widely published book read by soccer moms and academics alike. Holly did not quite believe the young and obviously eager man but it felt good after nearly twenty-five years of false truths and half-lies to finally speak the truth, even if the men were written about under assumed names. Gibbs had even joked over one of their steak-and-salad meals that Holly could turn to writing fiction. She had been tempted to give him a taste of his own medicine and slap him.
Holly looked longingly at the stairs leading to Gibbs' bedroom. In a strange turn of events it had been Holly who had been struck with insomnia and the desire to do something, rather than Gibbs. Usually, on the nights Holly stayed over, which was perhaps once or twice a week, she would wake to find Gibbs up and dressed with more work done on whatever he was building in his basement. At least she woke up to him; on the nights he stayed over at her new penthouse apartment complete with two alarms after her little stalker episode, she would find him gone the next morning. In recent weeks his ability to stay the night had improved because he had found little chores to do in Holly's apartment. He would fix stuck drawers and unblock drains. He had even bonded with Holly's cat Monet. Holly in return had found some attachment to his lone fish he had named Goldie.
There was a faint knocking at Gibbs door. Holly initially thought her mind was playing tricks on her, and concentrated instead on describing every aspect of a Senator's sleazy demeanour without it being too identifying. Then the knocking got louder.
"Boss," a familiar voice cried.
Despite Holly's recognizing the voice she could not quite recall whom the voice belonged to. She grabbed a baseball bat that was lying around Gibbs' untidy but not unclean lounge and walked towards the front door dressed in only one of Gibbs' white undershirts.
She swung the door open, a bat at her side, and came face-to-face with Timothy McGee, Gibbs' underweight and overqualified junior field agent.
"Miss Snow," he said in such a tone that Holly was certain one touch would knock him over. Realisation slowly dawned on his face, as he noticed Holly's messy hair and her choice of apparel. His jaw dropped. Holly did not know what to say. It was then that Gibbs stirred. Holly heard him open his door.
"Holly," he shouted tiredly from the top of the landing. He then ran down the stairs. It was then that McGee saw much more of his boss than he wanted to, as Gibbs was wearing only a pair of tight-fitting grey boxers.
"McGee," Gibbs said, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. The younger man swiveled and without another word rushed down the path, still trying to force words out of his mouth but failing to. Gibbs shut the door and put his arms around Holly.
"Does your team know about me?" Holly asked. Gibbs was silent. Holly crooked her neck so she could see him. "Do they?"
"It's not like I told them," Gibbs said. Holly did not know what to say; had Gibbs not even mentioned he was seeing someone? Sure, she had not told the few friends she still had left that she was seeing Gibbs, an NCIS special agent, but they all knew that after years of faking Holly Snow was finally getting some real love and that she could not be happier.
Was Gibbs not as happy as she was? Did he think she was just a fling? It had been six months – flings did not last that long. Was she doing something wrong? She had not had a proper relationship since her first year of college, as she had never thought it wise to have a relationship while participating in her former profession. She was so unschooled in the ways of relationships. Was she overreacting? Was she being too clingy?
"Why?" she asked.
"Never came up," he said as he wrapped his arms around her, hinting for her to come back to bed. She caught his hint and decided to reject it. She teased his arms off her.
"My publisher wants chapter three by tomorrow morning," Holly told him. Gibbs grunted in return, accepting her lie as the truth. He then collected some clean clothes from the couch and headed down into the basement.
That night it was Holly who left Gibbs to wake up alone, and as she slipped out she wondered if Gibbs would even notice.
A/N: This is semi related to another oneshot called 'Let It Snow' so you can read that if you'd like. This is a four part story and part two is written and will be up sometime this week. Thank you for reading and reviews will be welcomed.