Ducky was just stitching up the gash in Gibbs' side when Kate burst into autopsy, moving at almost a run. He'd never been more relieved to see her, grimy and blood-stained as she was. She was glaring, and for someone who had survived both combat and three divorces, Gibbs was terrified. Kate looked as though she'd love nothing more than to tear him limb from limb. At the same time though, he was so thankful to see her standing in front of him, not dead.
"What the hell was that?" she demanded, crossing her arms.
He winced as Ducky kept the stitches going. At the moment, instead of getting angry and yelling back, he was too busy looking her over for injuries. She was still moving under her own steam, despite a couple of bruises on her face. "Nice to see you too Katie," his voice was raspy from the smoke. "You hurt bad?"
"I'm fine." The way she was moving said otherwise, but he'd question her later. For now, he could see that all of her limbs were still attached. What struck him though was that she wasn't exactly eagerly checking up on him, just glaring at him, unimpressed.
"Tony and McGee?" He asked, remembering the other two. He felt momentarily guilty, but pushed it out of his mind. He had no right to be guilty, when Kate, his girlfriend, was his priority. His number one.
"A couple of gashes. Tony has a slightly busted nose. McGee sprained his wrist. Between the two of them, they absorbed a lot of glass. Paramedics haven't released them yet. They promised they'd be coming soon."
"Katie… they're both hurt?" His voice was softer then, and he'd almost forgotten the fact that he was shirtless, sitting on a table in autopsy, as Ducky put stitches in his side. There was a bloody piece of glass sitting on the autopsy table next to him. Subconsciously, he moved the piece of glass further away from Kate, trying to ignore the fact that it had his blood all over it. The last thing he needed was to be stabbed.
"They're not going to die, but Gibbs, so help me, I will kill you." She took another few steps towards him, and he saw something in her eyes, heard the underlying fear in her voice.
He flinched away at her tone of voice, but Ducky spoke before he did, "My dear, I don't think you should talk to poor Jethro like that. The man's had a long day."
"We've all had a long day, Ducky, it doesn't make up for acting like an idiot."
"Katie. Come here, you're hurt." Gibbs held out a hand, trying to look as contrite as he felt. Christ, he hadn't done anything to feel guilty about, and here he was, about to get down on his knees and beg his girlfriend to stop looking like he'd died in front of her.
"I told you, I'm fine." She backed away, wincing. He winced too, watching her move in pain.
Ducky looked between them, and sighed, "Jethro, you'll be fine. Nothing too strenuous though, you cannot keep throwing yourself around like you're twenty."
"That's what I keep telling him," Kate said, her voice ice.
"Caitlin, I think I should look you over too." Ducky patted Gibbs on the back, "Dismissed, Gibbs. Take a seat on the other table, while I tend to Caitlin here."
Gibbs thought it over as he hopped off the table.
They'd been called to a crime scene, just like any other day. A bomb had gone off, and the team- the team he was supposed to be looking out for- had been close enough for all of them to be injured. There were no other fatalities, and only minor injuries among those nearby.
Tony had a busted nose, and was full of glass. Ditto for McGee, only swap out the busted nose for a sprained wrist. If it was a bad enough sprain, he'd be out of commission during a time when they were usually working full throttle, and always getting cases. Gibbs himself had had several pieces of glass removed from his side, including a piece that had it gone any deeper, would have pierced his kidney. And Kate, though she was moving under her own steam, looked about as battered as the rest of them.
"They absorbed a lot of glass?" he asked, holding out a hand to Kate as she limped over to Ducky.
"To quote Tony, he had more glass in him than a chandelier."
Gibbs smiled wanly at the joke, "And you?"
"Gibbs,"
Ducky took a step towards her, "Come my dear, up you get. You're not one of my usual customers for this table."
"Yeah," Gibbs grinned at her, "Ya know the difference?"
"I'm breathing?" she snarked back, but she looked like she was softening towards him. And then he saw her lower lip quivering. She took a deep breath, as Ducky looked her over.
"Caitlin are you quite all right?"
"I-," she swallowed hard, "I'm uh… fine. Ducky. Thanks."
"No, Katie," Gibbs walked over and leaned against the table next to her. "You're not fine."
"And you're a bastard." Clearly she was still barely holding it together, he could hear the wavering of her voice as she held back the tears.
"What's wrong?"
"I saw you go down, Gibbs, and I just… I got scared. Thought you were hurt."
"I'm fine, Katie," he said quietly, "But you're not."
"I'll live," she was fierce again, the full-of-spitfire woman he'd fallen in love with.
"Caitlin, dear, you're bleeding." Ducky's voice cut through the moment, and Kate broke the eye contact.
"What?"
"Your bracelet," Gibbs noticed, and heard a sharp intake of breath from Kate as Ducky tugged the bracelet Gibbs had given her from her wrist.
"Caitlin, honestly, it looks like an abrasion caused by flying glass. It'll need a stitch or two, but I should clean off your bracelet."
He took out a handkerchief and started rubbing at the blood coating the inside of the bracelet. Gibbs held his breath, the stitches in his side burning as he did so. At any moment, Ducky would see the inscription on the inside. Ducky squinted at the inside, and then his eyebrows went up.
He stared between Kate and Gibbs, and then shook his head. "When?"
"When what?" Gibbs asked, trying to ignore the unease he felt twisting inside him under Ducky's stare.
"When did the two of you become an item?" Ducky asked, crossing his arms. Kate nearly smiled, her lip dripping blood, but the smile disappeared when she saw the face he was making. He wasn't impressed, and suddenly all she could feel was a bolt of shame through her belly, worse than any flying glass. Next would be the professional consequences, of course.
"Ducky, we-,"
Gibbs looked at her, and then she sighed, hanging her head. "Duck, it's exactly what you think it is." His voice was quiet, but sincere. He gave Ducky a lopsided smile, before turning to Kate.
"You mean-," he looked between them, clearly surprised despite his suspicions. "The two of you… Jethro..?"
"Duck."
Ducky stared at both of them, one eyebrow raised. And then a smile slowly spread across face, and he clapped Gibbs on the back, "Well done, Jethro. I thought you'd never come to your senses!"
Kate and Gibbs exchanged a look, and Kate grinned, wincing at the pain. "What?" they both asked.
"Really, both of you, I'm amazed it took you this long! When?" Then he narrowed his eyes, "Carlisle."
"Apparently spending Christmas together is great motivation, Duck." Gibbs wrapped an arm around Kate's waist.
"Really, both of you. You've been keeping this a secret since December?"
"Yep." Kate nodded, fighting the urge to grin. "And Ducky, really, we're sorry, we just weren't sure-,"
Ducky stepped forward and took Kate's hands, "Oh my dear, no, don't apologize. I understand completely. It reminds me of this one lady I knew…"
"Duck. I think Kate here needs medical attention," Gibbs cut him off.
"And I'd like my bracelet back."
"Oh, yes of course!" Ducky stared at her, before looking over at Gibbs, "Jethro, you look like you're dying to make sure she's okay, so please, go ahead."
Gibbs turned Kate to face him, "You good Katie?"
"'M fine. I'm up and moving anyway."
"Well, what matters is you're here."
"I couldn't find you when they building went," Kate mumbled, not meeting his eyes, "I was scared, Gibbs."
Ducky was watching, fascinated, but it didn't stop Gibbs from leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"I'm here, Katie. We're fine."
"You better be fine, or I'll kill you."
"Ahem," Ducky stepped forward, looking Kate over, "What hurts, Caitlin?"
"Everything."
"Okay, allow me to be more specific. What pain is noticeable?"
"My ribs hurt."
"Gibbs I'm going to have to ask you to leave us for a few moments, while I take a look at Caitlin's ribs."
Gibbs hoisted himself onto an autopsy table, and grinned, "Aw Ducky, it's nothing I haven't seen before."
Ducky fixed him with a glare, "Be that as it may, Caitlin is my patient."
"And you're testing my patience," Kate glared at him, grimy and blood stained, and intimidating. He made a face, but stood up anyway. "Go get a coffee, LJ, you look like you're about to drop."
"I'll be back," he warned, heading out the door.
Ducky smiled at Kate, "I'll be back, I just need to tell Jethro something about his treatment." He jogged after Gibbs, and caught him waiting for the elevator. "Jethro!"
Gibbs turned, and tried to smile, "Duck."
"I do admit to being a little hurt you didn't tell me."
"Ducky, it was…"
"Rule 12?" He smiled knowingly. "Jethro, my boy, if you thought that rule 12 was going to keep you and Caitlin apart, you are a fool."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Fate, my dear. You were resisting the inevitable by hiding behind rule 12, but it wasn't going to work forever. Especially not with someone like Caitlin."
"Very stubborn."
"Yes, and Jethro while I wish you every happiness, I wish you to know…" Ducky paused, and stared down Gibbs.
"What is it Duck?"
"Caitlin is like a daughter to me, so trust me, if you harm her in any way, I will make your life a living hell." His voice was quiet.
"Of course, Duck. I intend to do right by her."
"Do you love her?"
"Without question."
XNCISX
"Well Miss Todd, I think the good doctor recommended bed rest," Gibbs leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen, where Kate was sitting, squinting in the dim light.
"That's got to be one of the worst pick-up lines I've ever heard."
"I'll do anything to get ya into bed."
She grinned, and shook her head, "Gibbs, I am tired, and sweaty. And not in an attractive way. Can I please just go to bed?"
He blinked, innocently. "Isn't that what I just suggested?"
"No. And I'm not."
"You have another suggestion?"
"Yes. I'm showering and then going to bed. Good night Gibbs."
"By the way, if ya read in this light, you'll end up with bad eyes."
"Like you? I saw you squinting in the bathroom this morning," she smacked her book into his chest as she walked past, "And trust me, it's not that small!"
"Hey!" He was offended. He could hear her giggling all the way up the stairs, and reluctantly followed, shaking his head in resignation. "Are ya getting ready for bed?"
He walked in, only to find her examining her bruised ribs in the mirror. She winced, prodding at them. And then she turned, "I must be quite a sight."
"You're always a sight." He teased, "C'mon, get into bed."
Once they were both situated in bed, she ran her fingers over the bandage Duck had placed over the wound on Gibbs' side. He turned, and stared, examining her face in the dim light.
"Katie?"
"What?"
"That cut on your shoulder… will it scar?"
"Ducky doesn't think so. Why?"
"Scars… not exactly pretty are they?"
She muffled a laugh, "Is this the warning from someone experienced in scars?"
"Yep. Lotta shrapnel wounds, for sure."
"Oh?"
"Wounded in Desert Storm," he explained, "Almost died. Was in a coma for 19 days."
"Oh God."
"What's this?" he asked, feeling a scar right above her eyebrow that he'd stared at many times, in an attempt to memorize her face.
"It's uh…" she paused, and then she sighed. "It's from one of our cases."
"Which one?"
"That lady with amnesia, who tried to blow us all up."
"Ah."
"Yep. One of my biggest failures as an agent."
"Well, if that's your biggest failure, I'd call you lucky."
"Give me more time, I'm sure I'll mess up again."
"Well… isn't that how ya learn, Katie?"
"True. If it's scars you're interested in, Gibbs, I've got more."
"Noticed a few."
She snorted. "I bet."
"The one right here," he ran a hand along her leg, finding the spot, "What's this from?"
"Apparently there are a lot of people who want the President dead. And a few willing to act on it."
"You stopped an assassination attempt?"
"It was a good day."
He was silent for a moment, then smiled into the darkness, "Good job, Katie."
"What can I say, lots of balls."
"No, no don't play it off."
"Gibbs, it just meant I was doing my job. I had to do it. I'm sure you've had your moments."
"Ya do things for the job, Katie. You're not always proud of them." His voice was bitter, and he heard her take a deep breath.
"Gibbs… I know that you were disappointed with me."
"For what?"
"I couldn't do it. I had the opportunity and didn't. I failed. I screwed up." The words escaped in a rush.
"Katie, Katie, what are ya talking about?"
"Ari. I messed up, LJ."
"Mercy ain't a sin, Katie."
She reached out, and then placed her hand on the scar from where Ari had put a bullet through Gibbs' shoulder, "He shot you."
"He did. But better me than you, right?"
"It's because of me that he's still out there. If I had just killed him-,"
"Stop. Stop right there. I'm not letting ya do this, I'm not lettin' ya doubt yourself. Kate, you're one of the best agents I've ever worked with. Yes, you made mistakes. Who hasn't? We've all got our scars, Katie. Maybe Ari is one of ours, but we're going to get him, trust me."
She laughed, "How can you be so sure?"
"Oh my brave little frog, I just know these things."
"Brave little frog?"
"Yeah. The ballsy frog. I consider you to be my ballsy frog. Grow your own, remember?"
She giggled this time, and leaned in, kissing him. "Did I mention that you're awesome?"
"And did I mention, you're worth the scars?"