Friday December 10th 12:01 AM
Kate looked at the illuminated numbers on the digital clock that sat at the corner of her desk.
"Happy Birthday to me.." she thought with a yawn, "This is pathetic..."
As she looked around the now darken floor that only a few hours ago was covered with agents and lights and noisy telephones, she couldn't help but wonder why she was the only one who was here this late, night after night. She turned around and looked at Gibbs, who was reading a file under the single dim lamp he kept on his desk, with his glasses on the tip of his nose. He didn't seem concerned with the time or the fact that they had been working for much too long. He was a big part of the reason she stayed. Since the day he stepped foot on Air Force One, Kate couldn't shake the intense attraction she had towards him. She was always looking to do her best on a job, but here at NCIS, her goal was to please Gibbs just so she could see one of his rare smiles, or here those words never uttered, "Good Job." She, unlike most people, could see past his "hard-ass" facade that he put up day after day.
Kate wanted so badly to pack it up and call it a night, but the large pile of files that sat in front of her would either have to be completed tonight or tomorrow, and since a few of her friends planned on "kidnapping her" or so they said, for the Birthday party they would be throwing her in about 20 hours, she wanted to finish her work now before the weekend festivities began. So she turned around, found her cup of coffee, which she had to drain in order to stay awake, and looked back at her computer screen. But before she could continue working on her file, an e-mail alert flew across Kate's computer screen and blocked her path.
Inbox (1) – Abby Sciuto – Happy Birthday!
Capturing Kate's interest, she opened up her e-mail and found Abby's message. It read:
My dearest Kate,
Since I know you sooooo well, and I know that you are most definitely still sitting at your desk, working side by side with our silver haired fox even though it's past midnight AND it's your birthday, I wanted to be the first one to give you a gift. Check your bottom desk drawer. Hope you like it!
Love always,
Abby
Laughing to herself, Kate reached down and opened her bottom desk drawer. Inside was a flat square gift, wrapped in black shiny paper with skulls and blood stamped all over it. God, I don't know what I would do without that girl, she thought. As she began to pull off the paper, Gibbs lifted his head and looked in Kate's direction. He watched as she recognized the object to be a CD case. The CD happened to be made by Abby and included a bunch of Kate's favorite songs.
A big smile grew on Kate's face when she saw what was hidden under the wrapping paper. She couldn't help but be so glad to have friends like her around, to pick her spirits up when she needed it most. She flipped the CD case over to read the titles of the songs that Abby had picked for the mix. Kate had only read about half-way down the list before she heard Gibbs say, "Who's that from?"
"Oh, it's just a gift from Abby," Kate replied, "You know her...," not wanting to hint at the fact that it was her birthday. She never liked to make a big deal out of the day, it just seemed so unimportant to her. She also knew that it wouldn't mean anything to Gibbs anyway, he would still be his same, unattached and unemotional self to her, regardless of the time of year.
But almost as if he knew what she was thinking, Gibbs interrupted her.
"Happy Birthday, Kate."
"Thanks, Gibbs," she responded with a yawn, "Do you mind if I listen to it here," she said, lifting up the CD to show him, "Maybe it will keep me awake."
"As long as it's not that junk she blasts in her lab"
"Don't worry, it's not, Metal and Punk rock isn't exactly my first choice in music"
She popped the CD into the CD-Rom drive on her computer, and within seconds the first song began playing.
So I look in your direction,
But you pay me no attention, do you?
I know you don't listen to me,
'Cause you say you see straight through me, don't you?
Coldplay was one of Kate's favorite bands. But she never realized before how much this song completely described the current relationship between her and Gibbs before. Of course, she thought, Out of all the times I choose to be casual with Gibbs and the song lyrics are saying what I can't. How Ironic... Kate continued to write as she listened to the music.
But on and on, from the moment I wake,
To the moment I sleep,
I'll be there by your side,
Just you try and stop me,
I'll be waiting in line,
Just to see if you care.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Did she want me to change?
Well, I change for good.
And I want you to know,
That you always get your way,
I wanted to say,
Don't you shiver, shiver, shiver...
Somewhere inside, Kate hoped and prayed that Gibbs was listening to these lyrics. She wanted so badly to be able to work up the courage to say this to him herself. But there were so many complicated factors that made working up this courage seem pointless. For one, there was the fact that they worked together, which not only completely violated Gibbs' rule # 12, but would probably get one or both of them transferred to a different department if they were to be discovered.
I'll always be waiting for you,
So you know how much I need ya,
But you never even see me, do you?
And is this my final chance of getting you?
But on and on, from the moment I wake,
To the moment I sleep,
I'll be there by your side,
Just you try and stop me,
I'll be waiting in line,
Just to see if you care.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Did she want me to change?
Well, I change for good.
And I want you to know,
That you always get your way,
I wanted to say,
Don't you Shiver, Shiver, Shiver...
Sing it loud and clear.
I'll always be waiting for you.
She hated how pathetic this sounded, how desperately she needed him and his approval. But everyday seeing him and being near him lit a spark in her that no one else could start. All of her past relationships had failed because she failed to really be in them. Her job pushed her to work all the time, sure, but she never really put any effort into saving the relationships either. In the back of her mind, she felt like the only relationship she would pour her heart and soul into was one that made her truly happy. Gibbs was heartless and cruel externally sometimes, but Kate could see right past that. She loved him for the man he was on the inside and the outside, although she prefer not to be working with his external side.
Yeah I'll always be waiting for you.
Yeah I'll always be waiting for you.
Yeah I'll always be waiting for you, for you
I will always be waiting...
And it's you I see, but you don't see me.
And it's you I hear, so loud and so clear.
I sing it loud and clear...
And I'll always be waiting for you
So I look in your direction,
But you pay me no attention,
And you know how much I need ya,
But you never even seen me.
The song ended, and Gibbs commented without looking up, "That was good."
"Thanks, I told you I have good taste in music," Kate said with a smirk.
The CD continued playing songs with lyrics that Kate couldn't help but relate to what she wanted with Gibbs. Finally, after another hour or so, she had cut down the pile to a manageable amount for tomorrow, and stretched as she got out of her chair to get her things together. She shut off the music, and looked behind her to find Gibbs snoring in his chair, folder still in his hands. Taking the blanket she kept in her desk out from its drawer, she walked over to Gibbs' desk and move the file out of his hands before covering him with it. There, that's better.... Good Night Gibbs, she thought with a smile before walking out of the bullpen. What a way to start my birthday...
8:00 AM
Kate strolled back into the bullpen. She saw Gibbs, awake and typing away on his computer, her blanket folded neatly on her desk. She walked around her desk, and found a large steaming cup of her favorite Coffee sitting right in front of her keyboard.
"Good Morning Gibbs, and thanks for the coffee," she stated.
"Morning," was his response.
God give me strength for what I'm about to do, she thought.
"Hey Gibbs, uh, a bunch of us..."
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATE!" shouted Tony as he ran up behind her.
Startled, and disappointed, she replied, "Thanks Tony."
Like a child, Tony threw his stuff down on his desk and starting singing as he pulled out the present he had bought for Kate.
"How old are you now, how old are you now
How old are you, Katie, how old are you now?"
Kate turned bright red at this, responding with a None-of-your-business look directed at him.
He threw her his present, wrapped in bright blue paper with a big silver bow on top.
"Thanks, Tony, you didn't have to get me anything!"
"Oh don't worry about it, it's from McDork and I. I just know you'll LOVE it"
She unwrapped the box to find an assortment of small gifts. One was a Mighty Mouse stapler, another was a skimpy bathing suit top, and lastly was a mouse pad that had a picture of Tony's smiling face spread across it.
She lifted the skimpy top and threw it back at Tony.
"Is this the additional piece to that stupid thing you brought back from Puerto Rico? Well, at least I have another Dinozzo to hit when I get mad at you," she laughed placing the mouse pad on her desk alongside the new stapler.
"Your welcome," Tony replied with a smirk
Abby and McGee walked into the bullpen at the same time.
"Happy Birthday Kate!" they said in unison.
"Thanks guys," she said, as she gave Abby a big hug and waved to McGee.
"So are you ready to go out with all of us tonight? We're gonna have such a blast! I'm excited to meet all of your old friends. You guys better be coming too," she said, looking at the three men on the team.
"Of course I'm going! Wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to meet some of Kate's girlfriends," Tony said with a smirk.
"I'm coming too!" McGee replied in competition with Tony
"Gibbs, you're invited too you know!" Abby cried out.
"Mmmmm," was the only response they got out of him without as much as a head nod.
"Well, we're gonna have a good time tonight," Abby continued, "I talked to Ducky and he's coming, and I picked out what I'm wearing, and did you like my present, and what about..." The conversation continued as the two girls walked towards the elevator and work began in the bullpen.
7:15 PM
Kate pulled into a parking spot across the street from McMurphy's Tavern. Fifteen minutes early she thought, I hope the others are here...She walked into the bar, grabbing the attentions of practically every guy sitting in the place with her Black turtleneck mini dress and high black pumps. Within seconds, she spotted some of her girlfriends, along with Abby at one end of the bar.
"Hey I see you guys have already met Abby"
"Kate! Happy Birthday!," cried the girls.
Kate had known the other girls since her training days for the Secret Service. There weren't many of them, but when they found each other, they had to ban together. Anna, her closest friend, had worked with her both on assignments and in the office. The two other girls, Christy and Samantha, she met through her training. She knew Abby would love them, and was glad to see them fully immersed in conversation when she walked through the door.
Soon enough, Ducky, Tony, and McGee met up with them at the bar and everyone was having drinks and talking. Ducky was telling Christy a story about his days in England, Tony was reciting some movie line in an attempt to woo Samantha into his arms, and McGee was sitting next to Abby, who was chatting away with Anna and Kate. No one had noticed Gibbs slip in at the other end of the bar.
Gibbs' eyes drifted to watching one of the bartenders, who looked to be about Kate's age, hand her a drink with a large smile. She seemed to be flirting back with him, and the two girls on either side of her were definitely encouraging her.
Kate had looked over during her conversation with the girls to see one of the bartenders hand her a Cosmopolitan. He was really cute, and Kate couldn't help but blush and giggle at the smile he served up with her drink. She had had a couple of drinks by this point, and was trying hard to forget her disappointment at No-Show Gibbs. She wanted to have fun tonight, and she didn't want to think about her impossible dream relationship, with a man who apparently had no interest in her back.
"It's on the house, Birthday girl," the bartender said.
"Well, thank you!" Kate replied.
"I'm Dylan, and I'll be back here most of the night in case you need anything else."
"That sounds good, but is there any chance you get a break soon?"
"In about 10 minutes, I can come out for a little bit."
"Excellent," Kate replied, as the girls on either side of her looked shocked at her boldness
Ten minutes later, Dylan came out from behind the bar.
Kate noticed him and smiled, as she snuck away from her conversation with Anna, Abby, and McGee. Samantha and Tony were out on the dance floor with a bunch of other couples, and seemed to be hitting it off pretty well. Even Ducky and Christy had headed out there to break up the conversation a bit.
"Hey you, wanna dance?" Dylan asked Kate as he walked towards her.
"Sure!" she said with her best smile.
He pulled her out onto the dance floor and within seconds they were very close to each other, moving to the beat, and laughing. With all of the alcohol she had in her, Kate didn't notice the set of eyes still watching her from the other side of the bar.
Ducky, on the other hand, finally noticed Gibbs, and excused himself from the dance floor. He saw Gibbs sitting with his glass of bourbon firmly in hand, looking distant and angry.
"Why, Jethro, what a nice surprise to see you show up!"
"Thanks Duck. You look like you're having a good time out there"
"That's Christy," he said pointing at her from across the room, "You should come over and meet everyone. I'm sure Caitlyn would be very happy to see you here."
"She looks happy enough as it is, Duck."
He saw Gibbs eyes follow every move that Kate and the bartender made on the floor. Hints of jealousy and sadness were clearly visible to Ducky as he looked at his face, even though Gibbs tried hard to hide his feelings.
"Somehow, I think she would be much happier if it were you she was dancing with..." Ducky said as he pulled up a seat next to Gibbs, and ordered a drink for himself.
Kate was slightly dizzy from all the twirling she was doing. Dylan was a fairly good dancer, and she was having a hard time keeping up. She also found herself less and less interested in their conversation, especially because Dylan seemed to like to talk mostly about himself. She needed some air and decided to take a walk outside for a minute.
"Thanks for the dance, Dylan. I need some air," she yelled over the music as she pointed towards the door
"Ok thanks!" he yelled back, as he scoped the dance floor for someone else to dance with.
As she headed towards the door, she caught a glimpse of Gibbs, sitting at the far end of the room with Ducky at his side. Her eyes stared straight into hers for all of three seconds. All of a sudden, she really couldn't breathe. She rushed towards the door, and leaned against the wall outside. What just happened in there? she thought. I wasn't expecting him, why didn't he come over and say hello? and Why do I feel this way every time he walks into a room? Why do I start questioning myself? Kate was not only semi-drunk but she was tired, and this wasn't helping the fact that she was having a mini panic attack outside the bar in the freezing cold. She put her head in her hands and sighed. She could feel someone standing in front of her, in her space, and suddenly lifted her head in fear.
She looked up to see Gibbs, who immediately moved closer to her, and within seconds, his hands and lips were all over her. At first, Kate was paralyzed in shock, but within seconds, she wrapped her hands around his neck and pushed back into the kiss. They both battled for tongues and didn't come up for air until there was absolutely none left. He stepped backwords, to gage her reaction. She leaned back against the wall, thoroughly confused, and yet dying for more. He could see the genuine shock in her face, and had to look away. What was I thinking? he thought That was obviously a mistake. All of a sudden, he heard her start laughing, and felt her grab at his shirt to pull him closer.
"That was the best birthday gift I've gotten all day," she whispered in his ear.
"Good," he whispered back with a smirk.
"It'd be even better if I could get another one,"
"We should think it through before this happens," Gibbs said as he looked at her, his forehead up against hers
"Gibbs, god, don't you think I've been through this a million times in my head? I'm sure you have too. But something beyond thought possessed you to follow me out of the bar, and isn't that enough right now? Forget thinking, let's just not think for once, please..."
"I just don't want either one of us to get hurt, that's all"
"I don't want that either, but I'm never letting you go now that I have you, so we don't have to worry about that, do we?" she said with a smile
"Are you sure you want this?" he said to her
"More sure than I've ever been about anything." She looked at his unsure face and smiled. "All my life I've played by the rules, never took too much risk, but then I never got any great gain either Gibbs. I want to take this risk, because I want you more than anything else."
He smiled back at her, and leaned in for another long kiss.
Inside the bar, Ducky had saw Gibbs and Kate together and he smiled as he got off of his stool and walked towards the rest of the Gang.
"To Kate!" Tony yelled as he raised his drink in the air, "Happy Birthday!"
"To Kate!" replied the rest.
Little did they know she was outside, receiving the only birthday wish that had ever actually come true.