Fears in the dark

Disclaimer: I do not own any one of these characters…I thought of this story last night on a whim when there was a storm outside my window, I'm not the best with the thunder and lightning lol I stayed awake all night until it was done before going to bed.

Kate remembered the same phobia that she possessed when she was little; thunderstorms, they had always petrified her. The crashing of the thunder and the clashes of the lightning had always brought out a little girl in her, but nothing she had ever felt was equivalent at what she was feeling right now; a scared helpless child.

"I love thunderstorms," Tony exclaimed from his position by the window; his nose squished deep against the glass as he gazed through the night sky at the liveliness of the sky.

"What's so special about them?" McGee asked as he slowly went and joined Tony at the window, keeping his dignity he kept his hands in his pant pockets.

"You kiddin' McGeek, nothing compares to the boom of the thunder and the bolts of lightning," They all waited an extra second when the whole sky erupted with a loud boom and lightning that brightened the view for miles.

Kate had jumped at that moment her eyes slowly dodging everywhere, she tried so hard to appear ok and safe, but truth be told the only thing keeping her from breaking down was the sole fact that she would never hear the end of it from Tony if he learnt of her fear.

Don't get her wrong she found them bearable during the day, the noise could be matched or bypassed and the light appeared to blend in with the grey skies, but now in complete darkness the electric bolts seem to contrast against the night sky and the thunder echoing through the night air.

She went back to typing, hopefully trying to get passed the storm, when all of a sudden the over light twitched and the whole room was bathed in darkness.

"This is awesome!" She heard Tony declare from his same spot at the window as another set of thunder and lightning made their presence clear through the sky.

"I suppose that the backup generator will kick in right?" McGee asked as he blindly made his way to his desk, feeling with his hands outstretched in front of him and occasionally him hitting his knee on a piece of office furniture.

"Nope the sucker's fried," Tony said as he pressed his nose against the glass one more time if possible.

Kate's breathing hitched a bit as she sat immobile in her chair her hands hovering over her keyboard; them not moving an inch since the power had gone out.

They all turned when they heard a door slam down the hall and knew from fluent cursing that it was Gibbs coming back from his many coffee runs.

"Damn storm knocked out the power at the coffee shop so they couldn't brew anymore," he said as he cautiously held out one hand and led himself over to his desk. "DiNozzo what are you doing?" Gibbs asked as he located his chair and sat in it as he saw Tony's silhouette from the next surge of lightning that sent Kate in overdrive.

It's okay you can do this, just get on the ground, curl up in a ball and control your breathing. Kate repeated over and over in her mind as she slowly lowered herself to the ground with a small squeak of her chair. The noise brought some unwanted attention on her.

"Hey Kate, haven't heard from you yet, come over here the view is incredible," Tony said as another boom of thunder and clash of lightning followed suit.

She let out a little squeak as she brought her arms over her head on the ground and lay underneath her desk, her breath a little raspy.

"Everything okay Kate?" Gibbs asked his eyebrow hiking up a bit with a little curiosity as the little squeak was heard across the room.

"P…Perfect," Was all she said, the rest was muffled from the next explosion of sound and light.

Kate squeazed shut her eyes against the assailment of nature; all of them oblivious when boots thudded on carpet.

"I just love thunderstorms!" Was all that needed to be heard from their spunky gothic lab technician.

"Hey Abs, you too eh?" Tony said as he moved over a bit to leave Abby some room.

"Sorry Tony, but I'm here to see how Kate's doing," she said as she looked over at Kate's desk as did everyone. The lightning lighted up her desk and they were all surprised to find the cubicle empty and her chair completely vacated.

"Hey Kate how are you doing?" Abby cooed as she walked over as did the others. Gibbs heart fell to the pit of his stomach when he saw the display in front of them. Kate was in a ball at the foot of her desk, her body shaking and her arms covering her whole head.

"Katie?" he asked gently as he leaned down to ground level and put a hand on her trembling shoulder.

The thunder that came next made her shudder and she flinched.

"Kate you okay?" Tony asked now fully concerned for his friend. He and McGee moved over her desk a bit and they were all on their knees gently talking to her.

"Come on Kate you can tell us," McGee said as he timidly ran his hand up and down her arm hoping to console her.

All he got in return was a little cry that made him think of his 4 year old niece.

"She doesn't do to well in thunderstorms," Abby explained as she ran her hand down Kate's hair offering her comfort.

"Hey Abs, let's bring her down to your lab, you have blankets and pillows down there right, you can't see the lightning from there," Gibbs instructed as they all nodded in agreement.

All of them gently brought Kate's trembling arms down and each of them held a part of her arm as they slowly brought her up to stand. She straightened herself for a second before another pass of nature occurred and she buried herself in Gibbs's arms for safety.

He wrapped his arms around her out of instinct and cooed her slowly.

"Shh, its okay Katie, it's alright okay?" he said in the smallest voice either of the others had heard him use, it was the voice he kept tucked away for children when they bypassed them on their job.

Seconds later he felt a little nod against his chest as Kate sniffed a bit against the tears that began to fall. "Come on, we're all going to Abs's Lab," he said as they began to slowly walk. Gibbs kept an arm protectively around Kate's shoulder, Abby held her hand, Tony rubbed her back and McGee led the way slowly sprawling his arms out in front of them as they reached the staircase.

When they made it down to Abby's Lab she let go of Kate's hand as she scurried around her Lab to retrieve her flashlight. When she found she pushed the button and the room lit up with light.

"I have candles around here somewhere, Tony can you get the bed stuff, it's in that cabinet," Abby directed as everyone except Kate and Gibbs who were leaning against the wall; Kate still buried deep in Gibbs's arms. He looked down at her with deep concern in his eyes when he heard the next set of nature's calling ring outside the building. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over at Kate, whose shaking had started up again. Gibbs's kept one hand on her back and the other running it through her hair gently giving her his full support.

Tony opened the cabinet and brought out the blankets and pillows that were encased in the metal drawer. Abby whooped in happiness when she opened the drawer by her desk and pulled out a handful of candles. She ran back in the main room and began placing them on every countertop, desk, and cabinet, lighting them on the way.

Tony had abandoned the bed attire on the ground as he and McGee pushed the display table against the far wall to make room for their make-shift beds.

A few minutes later they were sitting down on the ground everyone in a circle; the men had taken off their sports jackets and all adorned their undershirts and sweatpants or shorts, except for Gibbs's in which he had on a plain white t-shirt. Abby had fetched her two pairs of pajamas from another set of drawers in which she handed one to Kate. Kate accepted them as Abby held out her hand for her to take. The storm was over but the fear still remained. Abby led them both to her office in which she closed the door for them to change.

While the girls changed Gibbs, Tony and McGee all setup the blankets and pillows on the ground, the heavy blankets on the ground and the lighter ones for covers.

A second later Abby and Kate came out of Abby's office barefoot in pajamas.

Abby had on flannel pants and a black t-shirt that adorned Batman's logo on the front. Kate whose hand was still tucked in her gothic friend's wore a pair of black pajama pants and a black tank top that had a teddy bear on it with fangs for teeth, under it were bold light letters saying 'Bite Me'. Gibbs smiled a bit as he moved over for Kate to sit back beside him. When she did she lay down against the pillow and took a deep breath of relief as he tucked her in and everyone followed suit.

"Thanks," she whispered still a little shaken up but still correspondent.

"My pleasure," he said as he laid down himself. Kate scooted over and he welcomed her small body against his side he hugged her to him as everyone settled in under the haze of a little candle light throughout the room.

Out of the blue Tony's voice filled the air.

"I'm afraid of spiders," he said low, as if a little uncomfortable.

"How can you be afraid of spider's they're so cool!" Abby said from her spot on the ground as she took out her two pig tails and shook out her black hair before settling down her head on her pillow.

"They're not cool when they're the size of your hand and they are crawling up your arm," McGee said as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Oh thanks McGee, now you can just rock me to sleep tonight!" exclaimed Tony as he brought his covers a little higher until they covered his chin.

"I never thought you would afraid of spiders Tony," Kate whispered as everyone calmed down and were happy to hear the voice they had all grew to love over the years. "You must have been freaked when we all watched 'Eight Legged Freaks' last week then eh," she teased a bit in a low voice.

Gibbs smiled as he knew the old Kate was coming back to them. He posed a kiss on her hair before he regarded Tony.

"Psshh you would be too, they were like 5 feet tall…each!" he exclaimed as he shuddered under the covers.

Everyone chuckled a bit.

Next came McGee.

"When I was younger, my mom signed me up for the Diving Team," he started but was interrupted by snickering that came from Tony's lump on the floor.

"Sorry, keep going," Tony said as he coughed his laughter away.

"Anyways, it was my first day, and the minute I stepped onto the pool deck and looked up at the diving board I froze on spot. It was so high up and I was so far down I thought as if I would be jumping from heaven and landing…you know," he said as he shifted in spot waiting for someone to say something.

"Did you wear nut huggers?" Tony asked as he burst out laughing accompanied by a little chuckle from Gibbs and a smirk from Kate who had her head in the crook of Gibbs's shoulder slowly falling asleep.

"No…they were just really tight shorts," McGee said in defense. Everyone looked at each other from their position and in unison called out.

"Nut huggers," everyone laughed, even McGee let out a little chuckle.

Abby wiggled under the blankets and prepared for her discovery.

"I hate bats,"

"Bats?" everyone exclaimed blown away. Abby was the last one you would think would be afraid of bats since she slept in a coffin shaped bed.

"Yah you know Dracula's minions…anyway they fly around your head, they get tangled in your hear and you can't get them out, I mean don't get me wrong the Count's awesome it's just his evil spawn that creep me out," she said after shuddering .

Every one laid there immobile to reflect what they had just learned about their co-workers. Gibbs cleared his throat and against character revealed his secret.

"My biggest fear out of work are clowns," he said as he felt Kate's warm body shift in hi arms as she placed her head on his chest; she turned her head up and looked up at him.

"You, afraid of clowns?" Abby asked blown away. "But they're so funny, and happy,"

"That's just it, they're too happy, their sole purpose is to make kids happy, I can respect that, but when they cross the line and go after the adults…me in specific, because as Kate calls it I'm usually being a Gloomy Gus, they're as good as dead," Gibbs declared as he wrapped his arms around Kate more snuggly.

"I never thought you were afraid of anything," Tony said seriously. Truth be told that night had done a number of things to him. He just noticed that was so many things he didn't know about the people he spent almost every minute of the day with, and it rocked him to the core.

"My at work fear? Every time I pick up the phone for a new case," he mumbled as everyone sat up and crossed there legs. Even Kate who would never move for she was in pure bliss brought her knees up to her chin from her sitting position.

"Why?" Kate mumbled softly as he absently tucked a strand of fallen hair behind her ear before he continued. She smiled at him before he re-took the stage.

"Most of the calls we get are no big deal, mostly a homicide right?" he said as he sat up and leaned his head against the wall. "But the rest are either from a Terrorist Cell, serial killers or psychopaths. And when it does come to that I fear that one of you guys…" he stopped in mid sentence, he was pushing his own limits here far beyond what they've been pushed before.

"Come on Gibbs, you can tell us, we're your family," Abby said as she got up and walked over to her freezers and came out with one of her big 'Caf Pows" she took a sip and passed around.

"That one of you guys get put in danger, wounded, put in a hospital, or god forbid, a resident at Ducky's lab." He finished as the cup of fruit explosion was passed to him.

Against his better judgment he took a sip, puckered at the sourness then passed it on to Kate who was so engrossed in his story that it took her a minute to get her bearings.

"I speak for everyone in saying that that too pretty much sums up all our fear," McGee said more to himself then the others.

"I agree with McGee, but it doesn't help when your leader is too stubborn to wear a Kevlar," Tony said as he took a big sip from the huge cup in his hands.

"Yah what's up with that, I remember a case we did when you and I went undercover as recruiting officers, you were specifically told to wear you vest by Fornell, the Director and me. Next thing I knew I get up for some water and find your vest nicely tucked beside your desk," Kate said as she reaccepted the slushie and downed it.

"I hate those things, they're constricting and they unable me to move," Gibbs said defensively.

"That is not true and you know it boss," Tony said as everyone chuckled a bit.

A lot was learned tonight, every body's fears were put out in the open, their secrets revealed, and none of them, not even Gibbs regretted it.

"Since I was a little girl I was petrified of thunderstorms, the sole idea of them creeped me out, my brothers made a sport out of it, each one of them would run outside towards the field and go touch the big oak tree and run back, when I was I think about four or five they decided it was my turn," she paused and took a deep breath. Crawling over to Gibbs she placed herself between his legs and leaned against his chest; where he gratefully enveloped her in his strong arms.

"Michael and David took me by the arms and lifted me off the ground, 'be a big girl, don't be a wuss' they would always say. I remember kicking and screaming my heart out until my throat was raw. They let me go on the porch and shut and locked the door behind me. I recall the worst of the storm opening up at that moment. The winds picked up, the rain grew heavier and the thunder and lightning bigger and louder then ever. I turned around and kicked at the door, begging and pleading them to let me in. Anyway long story short, I crawled around the house, opened the cell doors and I stayed in that pantry for three days, I never came out, not once," she finished and shuddered at the memory.

A few minutes later, the 'Caf Pow' was drained and so to speak and was everyone else, the sound of Tony's snoring filled the room.

Kate had always been a light sleeper and the rumbling of the distant storm long since passed was still fresh in her mind. She and Gibbs were the only ones up and 0200 hours.

"Thanks Gibbs," she said as she picked up her head and slowly went to kiss him on the cheek, at the moment Gibbs picked that time to face her when her lips accidentally pressed against his. Kate's eyes flew open and they stared in each others eyes for what felt like forever before she withdrew quickly. "Oh my god I'm so sorry I didn't mean to do that," Gibbs placed his index against her slightly opened lips to silence her.

"You welcome for your first comment and do you see me complaining for your second action."

"I jus thought that with Rule 12 it was forbidden,"

"I'm pretty sure all my rules were broken tonight, what's wrong with this one?" he asked seriously.

"The fact that romance never works out between co-workers?" she answered with a question.

"Why do you always answer my question with a question?" he said a smirk adorning his features.

"One of my many curses," she said smartly as she too portrayed a dancing smile on her lips.

"I wouldn't call it a curse Katie," he said huskily as brought up the covers to cover them both.

"Then what you would call it…Jethro?" said surprising both herself and Gibbs for using his first name.

"Just another reason to possibly love you more then I already do," was all he said. The only sound that infiltrated the room was Abby's heavy breathing, Tony's drunken sailor snoring and McGee talking to himself every now and then.

"You…you love me?" she asked mystified. Never in her wildest dreams would she expect Gibbs to tell her that.

"More then you ever know Katie, Rule 12 was just a stupid barrier I could hide behind so to make sure I don't hurt you," he explained as he ran his fingers through her medium length chestnut brown hair.

"What would hurt me more then any rejection, or stupid thing you would ever say or do is the fact that you never wear your Kevlar," she added barring a serious line across her lips.

Gibbs laughed; he hadn't expected that, the wholesome sound of his laughter filled the room as it drifted in her ears. Never had she heard him laugh that hard before, and she loved it.

"Now that was a hit below the belt,"

"I love you Leroy Jethro Gibbs," she said out of thin air.

"I love you too Caitlin Rose Todd," he said as he gently placed his fingers underneath her smooth chin and he brought her closer to his lips before after pausing for just a second before his lips descended on hers. The warmth that she felt from that second on flooded her body and soul until her whole body was numb, she brought her hands over his neck as he slowly ran one hand through her hair and the other up and down her back.

They were so engrossed in the moment that when a boom of thunder and flash of lightning assaulted the sky neither of them moved an inch from their lover's embrace. Never would a sound our sight withdraw Caitlin from what she felt now: protected and loved.

A few minutes later Gibbs laid down on his pillows and brought Kate down with him, she leaned her head against his chest as both of them slowly drifted off to sleep.

"Goodnight Jethro," Kate mumbled from his chest.

"Goodnight Katie, you going to be okay with the storm," he asked out of curiosity.

"What storm?" she said confidently as she closed her eyes against the lightning that lighted the sky. Her dreams were filled with old memories but ended with the sheer joy of being protected and loved by the man she cared for most in the whole world.

END

Author's Note: Hope you liked this little one-shot fic. Tell me what you think please.

Brit xox