Disclaimer: WE DON'T OWN NCIS. ... I wish we did3
Notes: Co-write between Headslapdiva and I. Hope you enjoy our Crazy AU. Yay for AU's.
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Jenny got out of the car, kicking the door closed and making her way toward the hospital entrance. Kate had been there three days now, and she herself had just seen Ziva off. After Gibbs had killed Ari. She frowned at the thought, making sure her car was locked. She walked toward the doors, checking the paper to make sure she knew where she was going. She took her hair down while she walked, getting a headache from having it up so long. Pawing at long red hair, she hit the button for the elevator and stepped inside, glancing at the paper again for the room number. She got off at the floor she was told to go to, inspecting the hall signs as she walked. Hopefully this Kate girl wouldn't just kick her out without listening. She knocked softly as she walked in, smiling a little at the woman. She'd seen pictures, she knew this was Caitlin Todd. "You alright for a visitor, Miss Todd?" She asked quietly, giving her the option.
Kate sighed and stared blankly at the TV. She hadn't expected to take a bullet to the shoulder at the warehouse raid. True, she had been expecting to get shot at. Being Gibbs' protection detail while Ari was out to kill him, it came with the territory. But being trapped here, with nothing to do while her arm was suspended above her in a sling, it wasn't her optimal situation. She was trapped watching an infomercial about Oxyclean when there was a knock at the door. She tore her gaze away from the pitchman screaming about how well Oxyclean worked. "Of course," she said, nodding to the empty chair next to her bed. "Anything's better than what's on TV right now." She couldn't even hold onto a book to read, and that bothered her.
Jenny smiled a little, sympathetically. "Sorry. You probably are wondering who the hell I am. And why I'm coming to see you." She sat down, having trouble breaking down the formal attitude from work. Being Director alone was something she was going to have to get used to. She inspected her arm for a few moments, relaxing a little. "How is it?" She asked, nodding at her arm and not yet telling Kate who she was and why she was there. She wanted to at least make sure she was aware of things and not too heavily medicated before she threw work at her again.
Kate sat up a little straighter, wincing as she accidentally jarred her arm. "It hurts. I was told it was a through and through, and I almost lost my arm." She looked at the woman who sat next to her. She was pretty, long red hair and bright green eyes. She struck Kate as a very assertive woman who had the tendency to get what she wanted. "The painkillers only help so much, but it feels like they don't help at all sometimes. I'm sorry, who are you?" She wasn't sure how this woman knew her. For all she knew, she could be another of Ari's operatives, like that jogger he had used in an attempt to seduce Tony.
She smiled, "I'm sorry, I probably should have said that when I came in. Don't need you thinking someone else is out to get you." She moved to shake her hand but stopped and settled it back next to her, blushing slightly. "Jenny Shepard. Director of NCIS." She tucked her hands down beside her and smiled warily, curious as to how this woman could stay so coherent on medication. More than she could say for herself. "I didn't want to come in so formally, and considering we're both off duty, I figured I'd try now. I would have come sooner, but things around NCIS have been pretty... Well, hell." She stated, looking over her carefully. Even though she was stuck in a hospital bed, something about her just struck Jenny. She wasn't sure what it was, but she didn't want to leave now. She didn't want to look away.
Kate's eyes widened. "Morrow left NCIS?" That was surprising. What had she missed since she had been shot? "Well, it's about time they put a woman in charge of a federal agency." And this woman, well she would definitely have a hard time following agency guidelines about relationships. "What did I miss while I've been stuck here?" She hoped that Abby hadn't been shot. She couldn't imagine her friend and sometimes lover dead. "Oh God, did Ari try to go after someone else?" Then she started to worry about Gibbs. Ari was after him, after all. And while she was trapped here, Gibbs could be lying on a slab in Autopsy and it would be all her fault.
"Calm down, Agent Todd, no one else was hurt, Except Ari." She was glad they were in a private room so things like this could be discussed. "Ari is dead- As far as we know by the hands of Gibbs. Abby was almost shot, but Tony saved her and she was put with protection for the rest of the time. That's all you've missed, other than me." She spoke quietly, "Please calm down though, I really don't want you hurt anymore than you already are. From what I've heard you're a damn good agent and we both know NCIS can risk losing any of those." She teased, leaning back in her chair.
Kate relaxed when she heard that Ari was dead, and Abby and Gibbs were safe. "Good. Ari was a bastard. I only wish I had been the one to kill him-" Especially for going after Abby. She was glad that Tony had been there to save her, though. While they had their differences and happened to be at each others throats every day, she knew Tony was a good agent. "Could you thank Tony for me the next time you see him? Abby and I are good friends, and I'm glad he kept her safe."
Jen nodded, "I'll be sure to do that. Although you know I could just send him here and you could do it yourself." She pointed out. She pulled her chair forward a little, getting that she wasn't leaving anytime soon. She rest her arms on the bed and looked up at her. "Well now that I've told you everything you need to know, I can leave if you'd like." She tilted her head slightly, inspecting her face carefully to try and read her.
"No," she said, reaching out with her good arm and placing her hand on Jenny's to keep her from leaving. "I mean, no one's really visited me since I've been shot. Well, unless you count the two agents who stood guard until a few hours ago." Then again, the shift leader, who reminded her of Kojack in looks but lacking in personality, was back, along with the nervous looking Probie he was working with. "Gibbs' doing? A hospital is too high traffic for Ari to attempt to finish what he started." She had seen his picture on news alerts several times an hour in the past few days. And she had nightmares of being shot, and those blurred together into the day she had been taken hostage with Ducky and Gerald.
Jenny watched Kate's eyes cloud with a load of emotions. "Are you alright, Kate?" She asked softly, moving her arm away from Kate's hand and placing one hand on top of the younger woman's. "You look like you're about to be sick." She tilted her head green eyes darkening slightly with worry. Sure, she'd only just met the woman, but it didn't make her worry any less. She was actually finding herself rather attracted to her. Very attracted to her... She blushed slightly, avoiding her eyes for a few moments.
She shook her head, and wound up jarring her arm. "I don't..." she trailed off and scrambled to grab the plastic tray they had given her in case she felt sick. She didn't like feeling fuzzy, so she had gone with the lightest dose of morphine she could get away with, but it made her feel sick. She could feel the slight burning at the back of her throat and the slight acidic taste in her mouth as it watered. She swallowed and fought through the wave of pain until it subsided and she could breathe normally without the fear of throwing up. "The pain gets to me sometimes. I don't like having my brain feeling all fuzzy from pain meds, so I'm on the lowest possible dose right now. Unfortunately, sometimes the pain gets to be too much or the painkillers get to me, and I feel sick."
She frowned, starting slightly with worry. "Why don't you ask for more while you still can?" She asked, fingers of her free hand grazing over the scar on her own thigh. She shuddered at the memory, moving her hand back up onto the bed. "Are you sure you're alright?" She reached up brushing a lock of dark hair from Kate's rather paled face.
She sighed and kept focused on breathing. "I don't want to be fuzzy. You're here to debrief me, right?" There was no other reason for the Director of NCIS to visit a hospitalized agent unless they were good friends prior to becoming Director, or if the agent in question was involved in a big case. "I don't want my statement to be inaccurate." But the hand that gently stroked her hair aside made her feel slightly better and more focused.
"Yes and no." She said quietly, letting her hand stay there a little longer. She brushed her fingers over her temple softly before pulling her hand away. She smiled a little. "I thought you could use the company. And given what I've already been told about you, Agent Todd, I thought getting to know you would be a good idea." She smiled, resisting the urge to caress her hand. Her own hand grew slightly tense as she thought about it. Why was she thinking this way about a girl she didn't even know? She scowled to herself, looking up at her with a slightly troubled expression.
She looked over at Jenny and tried to smile to show her she was feeling slightly better. "I could. No one's been here for a few days. Gibbs and Ducky were here after I woke up, but then it was back to work." She laughed a little. "And I apologize if my boss gives you any trouble. He's not exactly fond of putting women in the line of fire, and I'm not sure how he'd take a female Director." She smiled and reached over with her good hand again. "But I'm all for it. We aren't here with this agency to look pretty and do the research while the boys get to play."
She smiled, "Don't worry. We've met." She smirked, catching Kate's hand and settling it back down onto the bed so she wouldn't hurt herself. "Careful. I don't want you hurting yourself. Can't have you doing that, not enough women around there as it is." She smiled sweetly, relaxing more and studying her carefully. "I think you just need to try and relax. You don't have anything to worry about, Ari is gone and everyone is alright."
Kate blinked, feeling sparks when Jenny's hand touched hers. She blushed, wondering if the other woman felt the same thing. "You've met? And you still want to be Director?" She laughed and wished that she had that touch for just a little bit longer. "You're a brave woman." And she had a point. Everyone was safe, Ari was dead, and there was nothing else for her to worry about. "Well, can't we just get the debriefing out of the way before we get to know each other? It'll be so much easier once we get that done."
She nodded, "Of course." She said softly, going into her purse and getting out a writing pad. "Call me old fashioned." She chuckled, "Lighter than carrying a computer, and more efficient than a phone call. Tell me what you can remember now," She moved her hand up, brushing it over Kate's again. "But take your time. I don't have anywhere to be." She didn't want the woman overdoing it and getting sick.
Kate nodded slowly, careful not to jar her shoulder too much. "Well, we arrived at the warehouse in Newport News, and Agent Gibbs lured them out with a shotgun blast to a hanging lamp near a receiving door. While Agent McGee tried to jam the stolen drone filled with explosives, Gibbs and I stormed the warehouse while Agent DiNozzo made sure the roof was clear for us." She told Jenny about the assault on the warehouse and how they had taken out the drone. "I noticed an assailant hidden behind an access door and took a bullet meant for Agent Gibbs. I stayed down until Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo neutralized the assailant. Upon helping me up, Agent Gibbs pulled me roughly out of range of a sniper bullet, but he wasn't fast enough, as you can tell," she said with a slight grimace. "And that's all I have to say. After being shot and waking up here, I don't really remember what happened."
She nodded, still writing a few moments after Kate had finished. She looked it over a few times and then put it away. "I think that will do for now, Agent Todd." She said, looking up at her finally and smiling warily. "Maybe you should rest, you aren't looking so well." Aside from being as pretty as you are. She blushed deeply as her mind wandered, swallowing hard and looking down. Why was she having so much trouble keeping herself together. She'd never had this problem before.
Kate smiled. "You can stay for a while. I can always call a nurse for more pain medication." She blushed slightly. It wasn't the fact that this woman was her first visitor in several days. She was just really attracted to her. She always had a thing for women with bright green eyes like that. "Besides, you're more entertaining than watching TV all day, and seeing as how I can't hold open a book and turn the pages one-handed just yet, I would love to have you here a little longer."
She smiled, feeling a little awkward and tense. "I might as well. Besides, this can be completely off the books. I don't have to be at work tomorrow. I can stay until you tell me to leave." She said quietly, very slowly moving her hand up over Kate's. She smiled a little, glancing out the window at the darkening sky. Was it already that late? Surely if they tried to kick her out, she could just tell them she was the current protection detail. She smiled at the thought, finding she wanted to stay for a while- a long while.
She smiled and felt the sparks again when Jenny took her hand. "I'd like that. And I'm sure you could get away with that. Perk of carrying the badge, after all." She pressed the call button and a nurse came to give her another dose of pain medication. The nurse glared at Jenny, but Kate coughed. "She's my protection detail for the night. If you have a problem with it, you can take it up with Special Agent Gibbs." The nurse's eyes widened, and she ran out of the room. "Gibbs scared the poor girl half to death when he was here. He really needs to lighten up sometimes."
"He hasn't. He never will." She said softly, smiling a little and watching the woman take off. "He's an aqquired taste." She smirked, brushing her thumb along the back of her hand and breaking that smirk into a smile. "As long as you know how to deal with him, he's not so bad." She nodded, "But why don't we stop talking about him, and you can tell me something about you. I want to get to know all of my Agents." Maybe you a little more than the rest... She blushed, but didn't look away.
She noticed that Jenny was blushing, and she smiled softly at her. Perhaps this attraction was mutual. "Well, I joined NCIS right after leaving the Secret Service. It was a case that Gibbs was involved in, but I quit for...other reasons." She told Jenny about her family, and bit her lip. She wasn't sure just how much Jenny wanted to know about her. "I swear, if my mother complains that I'm nothing like my sister, and that I need to settle down, get married to a nice Irish-Catholic boy, and have a large family, I'll scream."
Jenny let out a small laugh. "I think I would too, I'm glad my mother was never like that." She cut herself short of words, glancing away. She looked up at her, trying not to be as blunt as usual. "You're not the marrying type either, hmm?" She said softly, changing the subject slightly. "Me either." She left out the part about that being only because she'd only loved Jethro, and other than that it had been all women for her.
"No," she said, wondering if a lie was better. "I just...never found the time. I dated a few guys, but they never were anything too serious." Truthfully, half of the men she had dated since joining NCIS were really women, organized in her phonebook by last name. Only Major Kerry and Dwayne were among the handfuls of dates she had since joining the agency. "Law enforcement is a hard field to arrange a love life around. Not to mention the fact that most men are intimidated when a woman can out-man them in the job department."
She smiled, deciding to go the more blunt route. "That's why you learn to give up on the men." She smirked, knowing Kate was a smart girl, and she'd get exactly what she meant. "Sometimes, you have to look a little closer to yourself." She moved slightly when she could suddenly feel the sting of scratches along her back from the night before, when Ziva had left. She blushed, looking down. "Sometimes, It's alot easier to find the answer in someone a little more like yourself."
Kate nodded. "I know exactly what you mean. I haven't dated a man in over a year." Dwayne had been her last man, and it really hadn't been that hard to embrace that she was into women. "It's just so much easier when you find someone a little closer to home, more like yourself than you know." Despite the fact that her religion claimed what she was doing was a sin, she couldn't picture her life any other way. It was one of the tenants of the Church she didn't' agree with.
"Women are better anyway." She broke the very, very thin ice they tread. "Yes, I know what you meant. I haven't been with a man for nine years." She'd leave out the fact that the last, and only man she'd ever been with was Gibbs. She smirked, devious green eyes meeting hazel. Perhaps she'd found someone more like herself than she'd even intended.
Kate smiled; glad she wasn't the only woman at NCIS who felt that way. Abby was fun to play with from time to time, but she wasn't looking for anything long-term. Plus Abby was bi, and sometimes the way she would tell Kate about a date with Tony wasn't exactly the sort of thing she wanted to hear. "I take it you found other ways to have fun, then," she added with a smirk. "I've been with a woman off and on for the past year and a half, and while that's fun, she's not always available, and I'm not always available, and we'd get killed if a certain someone found out. But I'd like something a little more consistent."
She smirked, tilting her head slightly. "Well, I mean. If you ever come back to NCIS, and I mean, I know it's breaking rule. Number. Twelve...." She hadn't noticed she was standing slightly to get a little closer to speak more softly. "I'm sure something could be arranged." Her smirk grew more devious as she studied her carefully, red hair falling over her shoulders and brushing along Kate's bare forearm.
Kate's eyes slid shut at the touch, and she smiled. "I can't think of any reason why I wouldn't come back, and rule twelve's been broken too many times on that team." She smirked, remembering those few weeks with Gibbs, before he felt comfortable letting her go on her own. Proximity and a mutual need of something they hadn't quite realized had brought them together. Then, nights spent with Abby in the lab, in her coffin, not to mention every surface of her apartment. And then the security footage of Gibbs and Tony together when they thought they were safe. Oh, if only Jenny knew.
Jenny tilted her head. "What was that? That smirk. What was that about?" She asked, leaning a little closer and starting to get dangerously far into Kate's personal space. She didn't know why, she'd only been there an hour and a half and already she felt comfortable enough to get close to her. Of course wanting more, but that wasn't going to happen- not now.
Kate laughed. "Oh, just thinking about all the times the team broke rule twelve." She was rather immobile with her arm up in a sling, but she tilted her head to lean closer to Jenny. "When I first joined, Gibbs and I were together for a few weeks. We were still kind of confused about what we really needed, and that just brought us together somehow." The she smirked. "But if you ever need it, I happen to know a girl who can get you a DVD of Gibbs doing things to Tony that are a clear violation of rule twelve."
She raised her eyebrows, sitting back in her chair. She grinned deviously, the look in her eyes dangerous. "I knew it. I so knew it. The whole damn time." She purred, getting up again and leaning on the bed again. "I assume that girl is Ms. Sciuto." She laughed softly, getting dangerously close to her again. "I don't need to see it. I already suspected it. The things I want, I can get on my own." She purred, caressing Kate's hand slowly.
She laughed. "Yes, Abby is my source. Only a select few know about it." And by select few, it was really just the three of them. She sighed, wishing that Jenny's hands were caressing more than just her hand right now. "She's also the one I'm on again off again with. But she's flexible and likes to keep her options open." But Jenny was definitely someone she wanted to get to know better.
"I don't. I'm selfish. And I'm not afraid to admit it." She murmured, glancing up at the monitors on the other side of the bed. Her lips brushed across Kate's cheek ever so slightly. "I don't like to share once I have what I want. I think it comes with being an only child." She smiled slowly, sitting back down and trailing her fingers slowly up Kate's forearm. She watched as her heart rate increased the slightest bit and the most satisfied smile crossed her lips.
Kate purred softly and reached up to gently caress Jenny's cheek. "Good, because I'm looking for something with a little more commitment than a few nights every month until she starts dating someone." She had been rather jealous of McGee when they had started dating, and was relieved when the pair had ended it. "Well, I'm a younger child, so I don't like sharing either." She smirked and wished that the other woman would kiss her.
She got up again, stretching and leaning on the bed. Her movements were tentative. She didn't want to induce pain on this woman. She looked at her carefully. "I want to kiss you. But I don't want to feel like I'm taking advantage of you because you're on medication..." She said quietly, moving her hand up slowly and touching her face softly.
"I wouldn't be saying these things if it wasn't the truth," she said softly, leaning into the touch. "The medication doesn't have a whole lot to do with this." She didn't feel fuzzy yet, so that was a good sign. "I want you to kiss me, please."
Jenny looked over her shoulder, pulling away from Kate reluctantly to pull the curtain along to stop anyone from seeing. She made her way around the bed, inspecting the machine and muting it. She turned and walked back to Kate's good side, sitting up on the bed and looking down at her. "As long as you're sure." She murmured, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her lips softly. She let her eyes fall closed and one hand move up very tentatively to the side of her face.
Kate's eyes slid closed and she returned the kiss slowly, not wanting to push Jenny further than either of them were willing to go tonight. Her good hand slid up to tangle in Jenny's long red hair, and she purred softly. This felt so right, so good and she wished they were able to go further than this. But here, in the hospital, it wasn't a good idea.
She pressed back against her hand, drawing the kiss a little deeper. She moaned softly, pulling herself away a little. She tried to catch her breath, blushing a little. "I-I'm sorry, that was just... a little... overwhelming." She swallowed hard, leaning forward and kissing her softly. "I... Just don't want to take it too far and hurt you." She said quietly, nodding to her arm.
Kate huffed softly, but nodded. "I don't want that to happen either. You're a great kisser, by the way." She could still taste Jenny, and smiled happily. "We can always wait until I'm better." Or at the very least, when she wasn't in so much pain. Who knew, perhaps visits from Jenny would help keep her busy while she was on leave.
She smiled a little, leaning forward and kissing her again. She pried her lips apart gently, drawing the kiss deep. She would keep it here, and that was all. She caressed her cheek softly, pulling away again. "You're not so bad." She grinned.
She laughed a little and nuzzled Jenny's hand. "Thanks." She couldn't wait to get out of the hospital and healed up a little more so she could go further with this woman. This felt so good, so right, even better than what she felt with Abby. "You wouldn't mind coming to visit me while I'm recovering at home, would you?" she asked with a smirk.
Jenny smirked, "Was that an offer?" She asked, biting at Kate's bottom lip playfully. She sat up on the bed, lying along Kate's side carefully so she wouldn't hurt Kate and wouldn't fall off the bed. She flicked her tongue over her lips playfully, kissing her softly. "Of course I wouldn't mind... as long as I can keep kissing you."
She smiled and kissed Jenny softly. "That was an offer to go further once I get better. And of course you can keep kissing me." She was finding that she really liked it when Jenny kissed her like this. "I wouldn't have it any other way. We can keep this up until I'm ready to go further." She fought a yawn, realizing that the painkillers were making her sleepy.
She smiled, kissing her softly and stroking her hair carefully. "Maybe you should sleep, Katie." She said softly, kissing her cheek softly, and along her jaw, nuzzling her hair softly. She smelled good. Her natural scent mixed with the baby wash they always used in these places for bathing. She smiled, caressing her belly softly and keeping the other hand laced through her hair.
She nuzzled Jenny's neck gently and nodded. The woman smelled good, like perfume, and something sweet and floral that wasn't perfume, but her own scent. "Maybe I should. Stay with me?" She didn't want to wake up alone, or to the agents on protection trying to wake her from the nightmares she had about the times Ari held her hostage.
"I promise I won't leave." She said quietly. "But if you wake up, and I'm in the chair, it's because I lost the feeling in my arm." She kissed her softly, kissing her cheek and nuzzling her hair again. "But I promise I'll stay with you." She whispered, feeling very comfortable with this girl. She'd never adjusted to someone quite so quickly, but this she didn't mind.
Kate nodded and smiled sleepily. She gave into the temptation to give Jenny one more kiss and slowly drifted off to sleep. Thankfully, the nightmares of being alone and trapped with a mad terrorist didn't happen tonight.
Jenny lay silently with her, not bothering to sleep. She caressed her face softly, kissing her temple and playing with her hair to keep her relaxed. She was so beautiful when she slept. She kissed her softly, nuzzling her again and closing her eyes to relax more.
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She awoke the next morning to find the sky bright and clear for the first time in several days, and Jenny lying next to her. She smiled and gently kissed the woman softly. She was glad that Jenny had stayed the night, and she was amazed that she hadn't had a single nightmare. "Morning," she said softly. Her shoulder throbbed gently, but it wasn't like she could help that.
She smiled, waking from her light sleep when the woman stirred. "Morning." She purred, kissing her forehead softly and caressing her face softly. "Sleep well?" She asked, trailing the back of her hand very lightly over her cheek.
"This time at the warehouse wasn't my first encounter with Ari. He's taken me hostage twice." She squirmed, realizing that it was something that she had never really dealt with until now. "I'm sure you know about the time he entered Autopsy hidden in a body bag. He also had his little cell kidnap me and urge me to tell them how to identify Marine One."
She nodded, "I've heard about it all. They let me know these things when I was in the process of becoming the Director." She nuzzled her temple softly. "And apparently. When you're on painkillers, nothing wakes you up. I had to get up twice." She smiled a little, kissing her softly and caressing her cheek. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are when you sleep?"
She shook her head. "No. No one has ever told me that before." She blushed slightly at the compliment. She caressed Jenny's cheek with her good hand. "I wish I had gotten to see you more when you were asleep. You look so peaceful when you're sleeping." She nuzzled Jenny's cheek and tried to wake up more. Another drawback of being on painkillers
She smiled slowly. "Good, because I don't sleep often enough." She stifled a yawn, getting slowly more comfortable, careful not to disturb Kate's arm. She looked up, seeing the monitor was no longer muted. "Oops. I guess the nurses know our secret." She said quietly, laughing softly and nuzzling her softly. She looked over her shoulder at the curtain, which was still closed and turned back to Kate. "Don't try and force yourself awake. Trust me. I've been through this." She nuzzled her again.
Kate nodded, trying to banish the fuzziness of sleep from her head. It wasn't pleasant, but she would wait until she woke up fully. Luckily, Jenny was there to help her wake up a little more. "Oh well. They're all terrified of Gibbs, so they won't say a thing to him. I think our secret's safe." And if worst came to worst, she would think of some reason why Jenny was in her bed.