DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!
DREAM GIRL
Ch. 1
He woke with a smile playing on his lips. As he swung his feet over the side of the bed, he shook his head. It wasn't the first night his dreams had conjured up the face that enticed him. It wasn't as if he believed she even really existed. But if she did he would be curious what she was like.
Most of his dreams were black and white. But from them she'd appear, her hair a color he'd never really encountered before: an orange that drew his eyes from everything around her. It framed her face with soft curls down to her shoulders. She would send him a flirtatious smile that reached her blue eyes and he'd find himself smiling in return, only to wake up and her vision vanish.
Each time he saw her in his dreams he remembered her more after he awoke. It wasn't something he gave a lot of thought to, dreams weren't something worth contemplating. Still, when he found time to relax, her image would permeate his thoughts unwarranted. It never interfered with the job. He'd never allow anything to make him lose his focus.
Gibbs entered the squad room surprised to find his team all at their desks working. Slipping in, not wanting to disrupt them, he sat down in time to answer the call on his phone. Three heads lifted to hear what news had come in.
"Grab your gear," he ordered as he hung up, "Dead Petty Officer." He grabbed his coffee and used his phone to call Ducky, flipping the keys to Tony who smiled at his groaning teammates.
The crime scene was a crowded one though the local LEOs appeared to have it taped off well enough. Gibbs meandered his way through the people, the team following close on his heels. Once they got to the location of the body, Gibbs gave out the orders and each agent got to work.
All the pertinent information was taken from the officer first on the scene who had also set aside a couple of eyewitnesses. As Gibbs recorded all the details in his notebook he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He cast a few furtive glances at the throng of on lookers but couldn't pinpoint who it could possibly be.
"DiNozzo," Gibbs called to the senior field agent who was taking pictures of the crime scene.
"Yeah, Boss?" Tony asked hurrying to his side.
"Make sure to get some shots of the looky-loos with that thing," he indicated the camera in his hands.
Shrugging a shoulder Tony replied, "Sure thing, Boss." He made sure to get different angles to include the people in the background. He noticed someone evading the camera's lens and was pleased when he finally captured her.
He smiled looking at her face in the display. She was certainly a unique looking woman. Not really his type, but she caught the eye. Tony wondered if Gibbs would find her attractive with her shoulder length wavy hair that wasn't red, but orange in color- didn't they say that orange was the new red in fashion? That hair combined with her eyes that were a shade of blue reminding him of sunsets over the ocean brought a smile to his face. A tap to the back of his head brought him back to the job at hand as he finished taking the final shots and left his musings to himself.
In the end the witnesses' accounts were enough to aid in identifying the murderer. The Petty Officer had died a heroic death stepping in to prevent the abduction of a young woman. It was his misfortune that the would-be abductor wielded a knife he didn't hesitate to use in slitting open the sailor's throat.
"Guess you won't be needing the crowd shots then," Tony mentioned while handing in his report.
"Maybe," Gibbs stated distractedly. The feeling of being watched that day had taken a backseat when all the evidence had built up. "Actually DiNozzo let me have that memory thing," Gibbs held out his hand.
Tony went to his desk and fished the card out from under some papers and tossed it expertly into Gibbs' open hand. Without looking up Gibbs slid the card into his pocket and thanked the puzzled agent.
As the last of the team bid him goodnight, Gibbs leaned back in his chair with his hands intertwined behind his head. He thought back to that day and wondered if maybe he was losing it. Shaking his head and sitting up he took the memory card from his pocket flipping it between his fingers. He slid it into the slot on his computer and forwarded through the pictures, smirking at some of the shots Tony had taken of his teammates.
When the pictures began to focus on the crowd he slowed down and took a closer look. He noticed what Tony had- the woman avoiding the camera. Something about her was familiar, but he couldn't believe it was possible. It only took a few shots before the final picture appeared and he stopped, staring, unsure he was seeing what was in front of him.
It was her. As impossible or improbable as it could be, it was definitely the woman he'd seen in his dreams. She wasn't smiling though. She looked unsure and confused, probably similar to how he himself most likely looked about now. 'What could've caused her to appear that way?' he wondered.
Knowing she was really out there, he knew he had to find out who she was and where she could be found. How he'd go about doing that without raising suspicions wouldn't be easy. Hell, with his agents' curiosity, it would be nearly impossible.
He printed off a copy and decided to try on his own to get a name at least. They had a list of people from the crime scene perhaps someone there would know her. Gibbs disengaged the memory card and shut down the computer. He left the bullpen with a lighter step than he had in years.
That night he let her enter his dreams, almost willed her in. He was no teenager, but he didn't mind letting his imagination take him along for the ride as he imagined how she'd feel to his touch as he caressed her smooth skin and ran his fingers through her hair. How she'd close her eyes basking in his closeness and drawing him ever closer to her. How her lips would part slightly in anticipation of meeting his; her tongue lightly moistening them. How it would feel to kiss her and hold her close; their bodies each responding to the hunger heightened by the intensifying kisses.
All too soon the alarm woke him. With difficulty he abandoned the dream and got out of bed. He went for a run to clear his head, stopping for a cup of coffee before heading back. As he stood drinking the steaming cup he was thinking of where to begin his search and when. If a new case came in that would certainly take precedent over his personal quest.
Lost in his thoughts he was uncharacteristically surprised by a voice very close behind him.
"Excuse me," a soft voice uttered full of uncertainty.
He turned sure he knew who he would see. He smiled correct in his assumption. The orange hair, the blue eyes and at this moment a shy smile that he returned with a half smile of his own was exactly what he expected.
Using all the experience of remaining unreadable he replied, "Can I help you?"
Her eyes looked down mirroring the uncertainty of her voice. "I was wondering, as cliché as this sounds, if we've ever met before." She lightly shook her head thinking he'd find her to be out of her mind or something of the like.
"No. I don't believe we have," he saw her about to turn away in embarrassment so he quickly added, "But there's no time like the present."
She stopped and looked at him for any sign of sarcasm. Willing to go with her gut on what she'd imagined him to be like in her dreams she introduced herself, "My name's Karin Mackey."
"Nice to meet you Karin. Jethro Gibbs," he held out his hand hoping to make some physical contact with her and have that proof he wasn't still in a dream.
She put her hand lightly in his not sure herself that he was really standing in front of her. Though she'd seen him at that crime scene, she wasn't able to believe she'd truly saw the man that invaded her dreams on and off for weeks.
When their hands touched there was a sense of completeness neither had thought possible to experience again. Gibbs hadn't felt that since he'd been with Shannon and lost her. How many years now had passed? Was this his second chance? Karin had a first love of her own taken away from her when he was fighting in Iraq seven years ago. She never expected to even think about love again, let alone dream one into existence.
Time seemed to stand still as they remained frozen staring into the other's eyes and marvelling in the reality of their dream love in the flesh. Gibbs was the first to break free knowing that he had to return home to shower and get to NCIS. Trying to find the words that would convey he wanted to stay, but had to go, he glanced at his watch and she immediately reacted by pulling her hand back.
"You're going to leave. Aren't you?" she almost accused.
"I wish I could stay," he began and seeing her defeated look he added, "I really do." He put his arm out stopping her from turning away from him with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I have to get to work though," he smiled at her hoping she'd see his sincerity.
She smiled back. "Yeah, I guess you do. Will I really see you again?" she inquired still trying to accept he was directly in front of her.
He nodded, "Yeah. Here's my card." He pulled one from his pocket glad hat he had one in his wallet to give her. Unable to resist but still hesitantly he leaned in and kissed her lightly on the cheek as he passed. As he walked through the door he looked back and gave her an open-handed wave and a smile.
She stood watching him as he picked up his pace into a steady run while holding his card against her chin. His kiss had left a deep permeating warmth, not unlike how she'd felt in her dreams. She gathered her things and left the coffee shop to go back to her apartment. She had some work of her own to finish and this afternoon a phone call to make.
