Title: Second Thoughts (working title)
Summary: Gibbs finally decides what he wants, but will it be too late for him to tell Holly?
Pairings: Gibbs/Hollis Mann
Warnings: Spoiler for "Ex-File"
There was a lot of work to be done on the boat. Gibbs rolled out his sketches and went over them as he sipped from a glass of bourbon. As he scribbled down a list of materials he'd need to pick up, his watch beeped. He looked down at it to turn it off, and noticed the time.
Holly will be boarding soon, he thought to himself. He remembered Holly asking him if he was going to name his latest boat for her. He'd told her no, but really, he'd already planned to call her Hollis.
He wished she was going to be here to sail on it with him.
He looked down at the sketches, and the bourbon in his hand. What am I still doing here?
He set down the glass and bolted up the stairs. He had to get himself to the airport.
Boy don't wait, don't think, don't lock the door behind you
Run and jump into your truck, hit the gas, burn some rubber up
Yeah your time's running out…Do it now…
He drove like a maniac on the Beltway. She told him she'd be leaving from Dulles. He was hoping he'd make it down there. He couldn't let her board without telling her how he felt. He'd had such a hard time telling her before.
"How long have we been together?"
Gibbs paused.
"Weeks."
"Months!"
"…Which means, many weeks!"
He couldn't even remember how long they'd been together. How stupid could he have been? He finally came to his exit, and sped off the Beltway. He could see the Airport in the distance. He hoped he wasn't too late.
Take a shortcut, take a back road, take the shoulder to the exit
Skip the parking, screw the ticket, hit the curb and leave it sitting
Gibbs pulled up to the pickup area and jumped out of his truck. He bolted into the airport and ran for the security checkpoint. Two guards stepped in his way when the metal detector beeped. He yanked his badge out of his pocket and shoved it in their faces, making up a story about a suspect getting away on a flight to Hawaii. They stepped aside and let him through.
He checked the monitor for her flight number – he'd memorized it, for some reason or another – and took off running again. It figured her gate would be at the other end of the airport. He heard the loud speaker announce that her flight was boarding, and he ran faster.
It's all on the line, do or die time
Getting on your knees time
He felt like he'd been running forever when the gate finally came into sight. He slowed his pace as he neared the waiting area. There was a line formed, and passengers were beginning to board. He spotted Hollis giving her ticket to the stewardess.
"Holly!" he shouted, sprinting toward the gate. He was halfway there when a group of tourists walked into his path. He pushed through the crowd, trying to get through into the waiting area.
"Holly! Wait!" He shouted as he squeezed through the gaggle of tourists and stumbled into the waiting section. Holly stopped and turned around. She said something to the stewardess, who nodded in understanding, and gave her back the plane ticket. Holly stepped out of line and met Gibbs in the middle of the waiting section.
"Jethro, what are you doing here?"
Tell her that you want her, need her, love her, gotta have her
Everything good in your life begins and ends with her
Lose your pride while you can…Come on man, be a man…
"I have to tell you something, Holly."
"What's so important that it couldn't wait—"
She was silenced as his lips crushed against hers. He pulled her into his arms as he kissed her deeply and passionately. The kiss was short lived. He parted from her and let her take a few steps backward.
"Don't go."
"Jethro—I can't just—"
"I'm an idiot, Holly. I can't let you go. Please, stay."
"I—Jethro, I don't know…"
"I need you, Hol…"
Holly looked back at the gate. The stewardess was waiting for her. She looked back at Gibbs. His blue eyes were pleading with her to stay. She wanted to stay with him… but that night in his basement, he'd given her no choice but to leave. How was she to know that if she stayed in DC, that he'd actually give the relationship a chance?
"Jethro… I have to get on the plane."
She watched his face fall as she said it, and she wanted to cry. She kissed him lightly on the cheek. His eyes fluttered closed at the sensation.
"Can I call you when I land?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
"Take care of yourself, Jethro."
He let his hand slide out of hers as she walked away toward the gate and gave the flight attendant her ticket again. She boarded the plane, and was gone.
Gibbs wandered over to the window, and stared at the plane as it moved away from the terminal. He wasn't sure if she'd really call, but he really hoped she would.
They're gonna call her number, She'll sit down by the window
The plane'll leave the runway, And fade into a goodbye sky
You better run while you still got time…