Disclaimer: All publicly recognized characters, settings, and dialogue, belong to Donald P. Bellasorio, not me. No copyright infringement intended.
Rating: T
Pairings: Kate + Gibbs Kibbs (yes I know she's dead but I'm in twilight denial OK), Paula + Tony ?? ( I know she's dead but I decided to bring her back anyway ), McGee + Abby McAbby
A/N: Hi! This is my first ever case file and I am having a little trouble creating/bringing up clues, finding chapter breaks, and so on… please bare with me during the duration of this story. I really am trying my hardest. Please, no flames…constructive criticism and encouraging reviews, however, are acceptable. I would also like to thank Sammie28 and csiphile for their stories "The Good Doctor" and "When I'm Gone" (respectively) for their great inspiration toward this piece.
A/N 2: I have stayed almost perfectly realistic in scientific and profiling aspects, therefore you all can try to solve the case on your own if you want to…message me through my profile when you figure it out…
A/N 3: This chapter is a little shorter, but it seemed a good place to cut this one. There is more to come I promise. I would also like to thank hellraiser for beating this chapter. Thanks!
Now Enjoy!…And Review!
Can it be Bliss?
By: Katie Todd
Chapter Two
NCIS HEADQUATERS:AUTOPSY
STEVENSON HOME:KITCHEN
TELOCONFRENCE
NEXT MORNING
"Sounds like a bad case of food poisoning," Ducky states, " I believe it's the water too, Caitlin is not used to un-purified water, you might want to buy a purifier, or an excess of greasy food like pizza, and her systems reacted."
Gibbs sighs tossing a hand through his hair.
"What she need Duck," he barks into the phone receiver the request echoing through the speaker and across the morgue.
"Sleep. She shouldn't eat anything except maybe crackers or a light soup, she shouldn't drink anything either accept purified water, no coffee. She should be better by morning."
Ducky hears a mumbled 'Thanks' before he interprets the blank noise of a disconnected phone call.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
STEVENSON HOME: MASTER BEDROOMSAME DAY
"Kate?" Gibbs hums quietly as he enters her bedroom, "how ya doin?"
She is propped up on a bunch of pillows and watching something boring on the TV that sits in front of her bed. She still looks pale, almost the color of the white blanket she clutches against her body.
"I talked to Duck, he says you need rest."
"Mmmm…" she agrees meekly.
"You still cold?"
The brunette nods no fiercely. Gibbs sits carefully on the edge of the bed looking at her worriedly.
"You're stomach all that hurts?"
"My throat," the former brunette croaks, " and my head."
"You want some water? I think we have some bottles in the fridge. I don't want to risk IV Profin or anything with your stomach."
Kate manages to nod yes.
He rises carefully, checks on an enthusiastic Barney watching Belle, and goes to the kitchen to get a bottle of water. He climbs back up the steps carefully and re-enters her bedroom. He eases himself onto the side of the bed and the gently scoots himself to the middle of it handing her the water.
"Easy now." he murmurs as she rushes to sit up and gulps the water down.
He rubs a hand down her back soothingly and takes the bottlefrom her when she finishes. She lays back sighing heavily, her eyes closed. Gibbs moves closer and slides his fingers over her creased forehead until she falls asleep.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
NCIS HEADQUATERS: BULLPEN
"Anything?" Stan, who sits in Gibbs' chair asks.
"No." McGee mumbles.
"Nope." Tony says popping the 'P'.
"Natta." Abby chirps from her place, leaning against McGee's desk.
"Yes." Paula breaths, " It looks like it is someone who knows the families. None of the pictures show pick marks on the locks and there were no broken windows or anything."
"Show me." Stan orders, relief evident in his voice.
Paula nods and picks up the remote, before she turns to the plasma.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
STEVENSON HOME: FOYERNEXT MORNING
"Bye. I'll be back at 6:00.' Gibbs says.
He leans in closer to give Kate a hug and is surprised when she flinches away.
"I need to go check on Belle." She lies and Gibbs nods a little hurt and a little confused. He opens the door and makes his way to his car. Kate sinks on to floor, her head falls in her lap and she cries from frustration.
Yesterday had been amazing, apart from the fact she was so sick she could hardly move. Gibbs hadn't left her side for a minute, he had taken care of her and Belle perfectly and effortlessly. She couldn't stand the act, not anymore. She should have refused this offer, turned in her badge and quit, nothing good could ever come from pretending to be his wife, acting like she was a happy mother.
She had thanked him this morning over coffee. He had mumbled off some response about how it was his job. His job to make sure she didn't blow her cover and that a sick, frustrated, and worn out Kate, would've blown her cover. He went on to explain the fact that she needed to be able to handle meeting their neighbors and such, with him not at home, he couldn't have her stressed.
Translation: everything that happened yesterday was for the job, always the job, all his touches had been a lie, a dress rehearsal in a way for what was to come and she didn't think she could handle it any more. Her mind as much as she told it not to, would often trick her into believing Gibbs returned her affections. She just couldn't live a lie.
The baby monitor in the kitchen picks up a cry from upstairs. She sighs, runs a hand over her face, and pushes herself up from her position on the bottom step, to begin her climb upstairs to Belle's room.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
1717 JAMISON ROAD:FOOD MARTSAME DAY
"Apple." Kate pronounces perfectly to Belle who sits quietly, smiling, and playing with her bunny rabbit, in the grocery cart.
Kate places the bag of apples in the back of the cart and starts off to the bread aisle. She quickly grabs a bag of whole-wheat sandwich cut and drops it in the cart, and pats the rabbit's head that Belle is offering and encourages her to keep it.
"What a cutie." a brunette woman behind Kate states and Kate smiles in return.
"Say 'hi' Belle." she instructs but the little girl simply stares at the woman before hiding behind her rabbit.
"Aw, a little shy. How cute," she offers a hand to Kate, "Heather Samen."
"Kathleen Stevenson." Kate says accepting Heather's offered hand.
"You live in Grandview, on the base right? I thought I saw you and your husband move in. I live right next door, all alone I'm afraid. I work as a secretary at the Naval Office."
"Oh," Kate says politely, "yes I think I saw you watering your flowers yesterday, the marigolds look lovely by the way. I'd love to stay and chat but its close to Belle's nap time and I don't want to shop with a sleepy child. Nice to meet you."
Heather smiles and waves.
"Nice to meet you too."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
123 GRANDVIEW DRIVE: STEVENSON HOMELATER THAT DAY
" I'm home." Gibbs gravely voice echoes through the house.
"I'm giving Belle a bath, dinner's on the stove." comes Kate's sharp reply.
Gibbs stares curiously at the top of the stairs.
"Everything OK Kate?"
"Fine."
Gibbs, not one to press, continues to the kitchen and cuts himself a piece of casserole from the dish on the stove and drops it onto a pale blue ceramic plate.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"Shh, shh." Kate slurs as she places a neat mint green pajama dressed Belle in her crib. "Time to go night night."
"Sleep sweet." Gibbs adds from his place behind Kate in the hallway.
Kate kisses Belle's forehead and turns to leave.
She feels teenage and melodramatic but she can't help the angry moisture that fills her eyes when she sees the only man she wants to love her but won't.
"Kate, Katie what's wrong," he questions as she passes him to get to the hallway, "are you hurt?" he grabs her wrist as she tries to pass her and forces her to face him.
"I can't do this Gibbs. I just…I can't…I… l…l…love you Gibbs and to pretend that…to have to act like you love me in return…I was foolish to think I could handle this and I just…I can't-"
"Katie," Gibbs says seriously, "stop."
Kate looks at him curiously just in time to see his lips move towards her. They kiss softly for a minute. This kiss is better than any she's dreamed of and better than any he's had. She's trusting him with more than her life now, her soul, and he's trusting that she wont break his heart, trusting himself to make this work. Gibbs pulls back for a second to catch his breath.
"Wow." Kate sighs leaning into his vast chest.
"That's what they all say." Gibbs smiles and Kate slaps his chest with two open hands before leaning up to recapture his lips.
A/N: What did you think? Did the kiss come too soon, (trust me I have my reasons )? Tell me.