Title: Sleepless
Author: Exposcuz8
Rating: PG (at most) or K
Disclaimer: Not Mine.
Summary: Post-TWILIGHT. Kate doesn't die.
Author's Note: I know these fics have been done to death, but it was in my head and I wanted it out. I made the buildings a little closer together (nowhere near 600 ft. apart). Also, I don't know a thing about boat building, so I'm not sure if what I am saying is true…just go with it.
Gibbs sat straight up in bed, cold sweat dripping down his face. The dream was still fresh in his mind. He could do nothing but watch Kate take the bullet to her head and fall to the ground. Everything was so real; the emotions he felt, the warmth of the sun beating down on his back, and the way the light left her eyes the second the bullet hit her skull. It was so real he had to fight for control so he wouldn't pick up the phone to call her. He comforted himself with the thought of seeing her on Monday morning.
With that thought, Gibbs rolled out of bed and headed down to the basement, knowing he wouldn't be going back to sleep. They had made the "Ari-bust" about two months ago and he still smiled when he thought about it. It had been two months since Kate had dodged the bullet that was aimed for her head and he was still having nightmares. He still wasn't exactly clear how she known. One minute he was telling her that she had done a good job and the next she was tackling him to the ground. Man, that woman could move fast. When he asked her later how she knew, she had said she felt something was off. That something wasn't right.
The events of that day played out in his mind as he sanded down the next plank that was going to go on the boat.
"For once, Tony is right." Gibbs stated as he straightened her coat.
"Wow, I thought I'd have to die before I-"she cut herself off as she launched herself at him.
He hit the ground just as he heard the bullet rip through the air. The wind was knocked out of his lungs and his arms automatically wound tight around her. He didn't even have time to enjoy the feeling of her body pressed tight to his because she jumped back up, her gun drawn and ready to protect. He was up and following her across the roof-top in the next second. They stayed low and moved in a zigzag line to the edge.
"McGee, get to the roof of the building next to us." Gibbs barked into the radio. "Don't let him get away."
Tony, Kate, and Gibbs crouched below the lip of the roof for cover. Gibbs risked a look over the ledge and saw the sickening smile of the one person he most expected to be there. When he crouched down again his eyes were hard as stone while he reloaded his weapon.
When Kate asked who it was, he said one word, "Ari."
She didn't have a chance to say anything before he popped up and fired his weapon two times. When she looked up into his face she saw grim satisfaction cross his features before he stood up completely. Kate and Tony followed suit and looked at the roof-top over. McGee stood over Ari's body.
"Tony go over and help McGee secure that building. We'll take care of this one." Gibbs said quietly, his eyes never leaving Ari's body.
Kate stood next to Gibbs while they both waited for confirmation of Ari's death. Both could feel the tension in the air as if it was a wet blanket surrounding them. After a couple of minutes, they saw Tony emerge from the roof-top door of the building where Ari lay. There was a crackling over the radio before Gibbs heard Tony confirm what he already knew, "Two shots to the head. No pulse. You got him, Boss."
When Gibbs finally turned to her he asked, "How did you know he was gonna shoot?"
She just shrugged and holstered her weapon. "Something felt weird to me. I don't know, everything was just…off."
"It's called your gut, Kate." Gibbs explained simply.
He watched as a small smile graced her lips as she realized that she becoming more and more like him. It felt a little unnerving to realize how close they were, but at the same time he liked it. He liked the idea that one day they would be able to work together and know what each other was thinking.
They stood on the roof-top, starring at each other, until Tony's voice brought him back to himself.
"Uh, Boss, we've secured this building. You want us to come over there?"
Gibbs didn't break eye-contact with Kate as he answered Tony, "No, call Ducky, tell him we've got bodies he needs to pick up. Wait for him down by the car. We'll meet you down there."
When he clicked off, he cleared his throat and said, "Thanks."
Kate was momentarily disoriented, Gibbs never said thanks. But she didn't let it show, she just shrugged, "It was nothing. Don't get me wrong, I'm expecting something in return…eventually. After all, I did just save your life, twice."
"Yeah. Yeah, you did." He reached up to brush a strand of hair out of her face as he said it.
He didn't know how to deal with the emotions he was registering. He didn't know how to hide them, they were rising up in his throat wanting to burst out of his mouth and take life. He couldn't let them. He had already shown too much to her. His hand had reached out, literally, on its own. He could only watch as he brushed the hair off her forehead. He could see the bewilderment cloud her eyes.
He couldn't blame her for the confusion she felt. He knew he couldn't begin to explain, and he was silently thanking her for not asking questions. He knew she could probably tell him exactly what was going through his mind, if he were to ask. But he was just gonna chalk it up to "heat of the moment" stuff.
He cleared his throat again and said, "Good job, Kate."
The he walked across the roof and into the building.
Gibbs' hands worked on auto-pilot as he replayed the scene in his head. He knew now why he'd grown weak for a moment; why he had shown emotion. He was in awe of her. Him, Jethro Gibbs, was in awe of Caitlyn Todd. All because she had saved his life. Twice.
It was a first for him.
All his life he had had women try to take his life. And now, one was saving it. He hadn't known how to react at first, and he'd let his guard down. And in his mind's eye he replayed the scene, but in his version she jumped too late and she caught in the bullet instead. That was when he had brushed the hair off her forehead. Subconsciously he had done it so he could prove to himself she was alive.
It was four o'clock in the morning when the phone rang and interrupted his thoughts. He put down the sander and picked up the receiver.
"Yeah. Gibbs." He answered gruffly.
When silence was the only answer he received he tried again, "Hello?"
He was about to hang-up when a voice came across the line, "Gibbs."
Her voice was barely a whisper, but he knew it was Kate. He had no idea what to do. So he stayed quiet. Figured if he didn't say anything then it lessened the chance of him saying something that would make him appear weak and vulnerable.
"Gibbs?" It was a little louder this time, as if she was gaining confidence through his silence.
"Kate. It's early." That was safe enough.
"I know." He heard her voice waiver and than a lot of background noise, as if she walking on the sidewalk and a gust of wind blew into the speaker.
"Where are you, Kate?"
"Outside."
"Outside where?"
"On your porch. I couldn't sleep so I got in my car and I drove here. I didn't want to just walk in if you were asleep, so…" her voice trailed off uncertainly.
"So, you figured you'd call me and wake me up, then come in?" His voice held a little humor it, to let her know he wasn't upset with the situation.
"Yeah." He could hear the smile in her voice.
"I'm in the basement. Door's unlocked." He said, and hung up.
He waited until he heard the door open and then picked up the sanding block again. He smelled her before she even set one foot on the stairs. A mixture of sweet scented flowers and woman. That smell was imprinted on his brain ever since the day she tackled him to the ground. Now, he could smell her coming from two miles away. He didn't look up until she was all the way down the stairs. His eyes took in every aspect of her appearance without staying too long in one spot.
Her hair was messily pulled into a ponytail. There were bags under her eyes. She was dressed in old sweats and a plain white t-shirt with a red sweater pulled on half way. But as his gaze traveled back up, it was her eyes that made him stop. They were troubled and almost desperate.
"What's wrong, Kate?" He put down the tool and faced her fully.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He watched as she gathered herself. Something was wrong and being the good boss that he was, he was going to find out.
"Kate, what's wrong?" He said it a little more forcibly this time and took a step towards her.
Her eyes opened and she said, "Don't think I'm insane."
He just nodded, afraid that if he said anything she would clam up.
She was practically vibrating with nervous energy and she started pacing as she talked, "Remember the day we got Ari? Of course you do, what am I saying? Well, I keep having these dreams. I mean, I know it was over two months ago, but almost every night I dream about it. Only, in my dreams I don't get there in time, and he kills you. I wake up in a cold sweat, because I know what's going to happen and I try everything I can to get to you, but I can't and you end up with a bullet in your head. I haven't gotten more than five hours sleep in a night and that's when I even got to sleep. Five hours used to be fine for me, but night after night kinda takes its toll. I don't know what to do Gibbs, I wanna sleep but I can't because I'll dream about your death. So, I've given up on sleeping more than an hour at a time and I function with the help of coffee and energy bars. Tell me what to do, Gibbs."
By the time she was finished he was sitting on the couch, starring at her. He was shell shocked. He had no idea how to respond. He wanted to tell her that he suffered from the same thing. He wanted to tell her that his boat was going to be done way before he ever expected it to be because every night he came down here and worked on it. He wanted to tell her that he had the same dream, only he saw her die. He wanted to tell her all these things, but he couldn't because doing so would admit weakness. And Gibbs was a lot of things, but weak wasn't one of them.
Since no words were coming to him, he did the only thing that came to his mind. He reached for her. And with only the slightest hesitation she took his hand and went to him. He didn't think, he just acted. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.
He sat in the couch with Kate curled against his side and her head on his chest. His thumb moved in random circles against the back of her hand. It was awhile before he spoke. "It's funny that you showed up tonight, Kate. Has it occurred to you that it's four in the morning and I'm wide awake?" He felt her head from side to side on his chest. "I keep having a similar dream. Obviously, in my version, you die. I watch, paralyzed, as you realize too late what's going to happen but you jump anyway. You end up dead and I wake up. Everything is so real, in the dream, that it takes all I have to keep from calling you."
"Why don't you?" She asked quietly, her head still on his chest with her ear against his heart.
He stared down at her head, the scent of her shampoo wafting up until it surrounded his head and all he could do was inhale. "Because, I can't do that. I'm your boss and-"
"You think it would make you look weak." She finished for him, knowing that he would never admit to it.
He huffed out a breath and said, "Yeah."
She picked her head up off his chest and looked him in the eye. "So, am I weak for coming here?"
He answered without thinking, "I would never think you were weak, Kate. You're one of the strongest people I know."
Her eyes softened and she whispered, "And I you."
Gibbs looked deep into her eyes and knew she spoke nothing but the truth. His hand reached out and brushed a strand of hair off her forehead and hooked it behind her ear. But instead of falling away, his hand stayed on the side of her face and his thumb traced the softness of her cheek.
She smiled a little and said, "You did that on the roof. Why?"
"I didn't know what to do or how to act. It was a first for me. A woman had never saved my life before."
Kate seemed to be satisfied with that answer because she resumed her position with her head on his chest. "I had to. It wouldn't do to have you die on me before I got the chance to tell you that I love you."
He was only momentarily knocked of balance, but to his credit he recovered quickly, "Yes, that would be bad."
He felt her smile against his chest and he knew that she knew that it was his way of saying the same thing. He was content to fall asleep where he was, but he knew his back would kill him in the morning.
"Kate, what do you say we take this upstairs?"
She nodded and got up. With his hand still in hers they made their way up the steps and to his bedroom. He pulled back the blankets so she could get in then joined her. He curled up behind her with her head resting on his upper arm and his other arm around her waist, holding her tight to him.
And they slept.