Authors Note: I want to thank everyone who subscribed to this story to be alerted when I updated. I want to apologize to everyone who got an alert that I had updated the other night. After thinking about it, I went back and deleted the new chapter because I just couldn't get away from not liking it and I felt I really needed to redo parts of it. So, I apologize if you want to read it and got a dead link and that's why. : )
Thank you to everyone for reading. Now, on with the story. : )
After three days, Kate followed up with her regular physician. But three days didn't quite cut it, as far as the doctor was concerned. He wanted her to rest a few more days, and then she could return to work. Although disappointed, she complied with his instructions.
Abby stayed with her for the first couple of days to make sure she was okay. Gibbs constantly checked on her. The whole team sent her flowers and a get well card. Everyone was wonderful.
However, Kate decided not to tell her family about her unfortunate ordeal. She didn't want to worry them, especially her father. He was doing well enough, considering, and she was not about to add any stress and make things worse, not for a simple bump on the head.
By the time she returned to work, she had been out of work for a week. On the morning of her return, she couldn't get out of her apartment fast enough. She was greeted with lots of "hello's" and "are you okay?" greetings, to which she replied she was fine and just ready to get back in the swing of things. After being back for a couple of days, you'd never have known anything had happened to her…that is, until her head started spinning.
It wasn't bad at first. She'd be up walking around her apartment or down a hallway at work, and she'd feel a little dizzy. She'd steady herself on a wall, a piece of furniture, or a doorway; she'd stand still for a few seconds and she was fine.
But it got worse.
One day, as the team is finishing up with a crime scene, Kate begins to feel a major dizzy spell coming on. As they are all walking to the car, she stops in her tracks.
"Kate?," Tony says, noticing she doesn't look well. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I uh… I…" She staggers sideways and falls to the ground.
Gibbs, Tony, and McGee all rush to her side, as do Palmer and Ducky in the seeing the commotion.
"Kate…," Gibbs says, worriedly.
"I'm fine," she says, sitting up. "I just got a little dizzy."
"Duck, take a look at her, would you?"
"Of course. Let's get her over…"
"Don't worry about me," she interrupts. "I'll be fine."
"This isn't a request," Gibbs says, helping her up and over to the car.
"Caitlin," Ducky says, looking her over. "How long have you been having these dizzy spells?"
"Just a little while."
"Why didn't you say something?," Gibbs asks.
"Because I didn't think it was a big deal. So I got a little dizzy."
"A little?," Gibbs asks.
"Okay, a lot. But…well, this is the worst it's been so far."
"Caitlin, I think you may be suffering from something called post concussion syndrome. It happens to a lot of people after they sustain a concussion. But I would highly suggest you confirm that with your regular doctor to be safe."
"But, what can be done about it if that's what it is?"
"Well, unfortunately all you can do is treat the symptoms. They'll usually subside over a period of time."
From there, Kate takes Ducky's advice and goes to see her doctor. She's relieved when her doctor concurs with Ducky's opinion. Her doctor also states that not everyone who suffers from this exhibits the same symptoms. To be on the safe side, her doctor schedules her for an MRI to make sure nothing else is going on.
Kate isn't too worried about it, but nothing could have prepared her for what the results would show.
"Agent Todd," she answers her phone while at work. "Yes, doctor…Okay…I can probably come in tomorrow, but can't you tell me my results now?…Please, just tell me…" Her face falls. "W-What?…O-Okay…Alright…Thank you…"
McGee watches on, concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"Uh…Yeah. Everything's….Excuse me." She gets up from her desk and runs away.
