Gibbs is making me write this. I told him this was a one shot and that I was in the middle of two other endless Kibbs fics, but he just gave me the stare. I have nothing I can say to that stare, so here you have it… This was also partly inspired by me finally getting over a horrible cold of awfulness. Funny enough, the antibiotic I have been on for an upper respiratory infection is also used to treat Y Pesits. freaky.
He was pretty sure it was the wheezing that woke him first, but the radiating heat coming from the body beside him pulled him fully from dreams. Gibbs pushed himself up on one arm, the other hand rummaging through bedding to feel her forehead. It was warm, very warm. "Katie?"
"Uuungh," she rasped, wheezing again and falling into a coughing fit when she tried to say anything else.
His gut clenched, fear rising in a split second. It was too much like DiNozzo in the hospital just the day before. It's just her cold. All of her tests were negative for Y. Pestis, and she would have had symptoms a long time ago. "Hang on a sec," he murmured, rubbing her back in assurance as her coughing fit eased.
Pushing up from the bed, he managed to turn on the lamp and find the thermometer. "Open up for me."
One arm pressed over her eyes, but she opened for the thermometer. Kate looked wrecked as she curled around pillows, breaths slow and rasped. Her other hand clutched at the covers, pulling the blankets close as she squirmed into the warm spot he had vacated.
He slipped into the adjoining bathroom and pulled out a container of Vick's and towels. A quick tug had the shower curtain partly closed, and he twisted the water onto hot. It was only a minute or so before he slipped back into the bedroom, arms sliding under her shoulders and behind her knees.
Her warm forehead rested against his shoulder, and she gave a grunt of protest as he pulled her from the warmth of the sheets.
"Ssh, relax, I got ya," he said into her hair, turning slightly sideways as they came into bathroom. It was already starting to steam up, and he carefully set her on top of the bath towel covered rug. "Let me see this," Gibbs urged, easing out the thermometer, a little reassured that it only read 100.7. She'd seemed much warmer than that, but it was a relief that her fever wasn't as high as he'd initially feared.
She huddled where he had set her down, shivering a little and reaching for the toilet paper. "Whad are you doi'g?" Kate asked, toes curling as he reached for the hem of her night shirt and tried to pull it up. "Cold…"
"Breathe deep, and relax," resisting the urge to remind her that she'd never been shy with him before. He gave the shower curtain a little tug, letting out more steam before twisting open the container of vapor rub and rubbing it into her chest and back.
There were times when she sucked it up and tried to be as strong and unaffected as a Marine. When he called her, privately or out loud, 'Captain.' She was always trying to prove she was tough, could keep up. He knew it came from being the youngest in her family, especially from having three older brothers. And then there were times when she was too exhausted to argue, when she was yielding and let him step in. "I should have sent you home before DiNozzo opened that envelope."
She simply relaxed, breath a little less congested as the steam grew thicker yet in the room, the room growing warmer yet. He snagged his USMC hoodie that he'd left on the counter and eased it around her, gently freeing her dark locks from the neckline.
"Will you be okay in here for a few minutes?" he asked, watching her closely.
Kate seemed a little better, still shivering but more lucid. "Yuh." She shifted and let him help her get as comfortable as she could, draping another towel around her for added warmth.
He pressed her water bottle into her hand, urging her to drink and assuring her that he would be back in a few minutes. It wouldn't have been his first choice to leave her alone when she was sick, but he knew he couldn't mix up the concoction he had in mind and stay with her. Not unless he dragged her into the kitchen, and he knew the steam was the best he could do in the meantime.
God, he hoped he had all the ingredients.
It wasn't exactly a prescription, but Gibbs knew this always helped Shannon when she was under the weather. Besides, two AM was hardly the time to call Ducky for help. He knew their ME wouldn't hesitate to come, but there wasn't much else that could be done for a cold. Unless it was turning into an infection. Silently, Gibbs swore to himself that if Kate was still this sick in the morning, they were going to a general physician. The last thing she needed was an upper respiratory infection or pneumonia. It unnerved him to realize that nothing could make him as frustrated and concerned as the thought of Kate in danger.
"He hit you?" Gibbs growled, reaching to cup her chin carefully, fingers avoiding the angry red mark where her bottom lip had split.
Her slender fingers wrapped around his wrist, giving it a soft squeeze. "I almost broke his nose."
"I'll blow his head off," Gibbs growled, anger flaring. He didn't want to blow the guy's head off. He wanted to kill him. Very slowly. Very painfully. Not even coming up behind him and using the snap to the neck would be as satisfying. He hadn't felt raw vengeance like this in years.
They had talked later, much later, after reports had been filed and Ducky had checked her over again, declaring her in need of a good rest and some lip balm. It hadn't been a pretty talk, either. Both of them were still worked up over everything, and he wasn't sure for a while if he was more pissed at Kate for climbing into the car with total strangers or at Ari for getting away with everything yet again.
He reached for the rum with a sigh, added it to the water set to boil on the stove, and hoped he had some honey left. Surely there was honey. Kate liked to keep some around to add to the tea she sometimes drank after rough days. Or lazy afternoons. He should have made some tea for her when they got in from the hospital, but she had been so tired. He hoped she was drinking that water—she needed to stay hydrated.
Cloves and a stick of cinnamon went into the mixture, and he searched the cabinet for his flask, taking a small drink of bourbon as he waited for the liquid to boil. It seemed to take forever, but he tried to remind himself that he was only anxious. He was tempted to start some coffee, but he didn't want to bother with it. Better to get this made and into her, then maybe they could get some sleep.
In reality, it took only eight minutes from the time he left Kate until he was pushing the door to the bathroom open again. This time with a coffee mug full of hot liquid.
She was half curled against the side of the tub, head turned toward the mist and her hair dampened by the steam. It was turning a little wavy in the humidity. Bleary eyes blinked open, no doubt at the cooler air that drifted in behind him.
He crossed the room, taking a seat on several folded towels, legs spreading. "C'mere," he urged, easing her to shift and sit between his legs. His arms wrapped around her as she relaxed with her back against his chest, head resting against his shoulder. "Better?"
"Little," she murmured, sounding breathing easier now, no longer wheezing.
He guided her hand to the coffee mug, his hand supporting the ceramic cup. "Sip it carefully. It's still pretty hot."
She didn't argue, merely gave a very small sip followed by a slightly less cautious one. "Whad is it?"
"Hot toddy. Dad's old cure for a cold," he murmured into her hair.
"'s good," Kate murmured, the last thing she said before he softly ordered her to keep drinking it and rest.
It was very hot in the room, and he knew his shirt would be soaked with sweat by the end of it. It was already halfway there, between the steam and her warmth, but she was going limp by degrees against him, and he wasn't going to trade her comfort for his. Not when she finally drifted off before finishing the last of the drink, her breathing almost normal.
He pressed a kiss into her hair, merely holding her for a long while before carefully lifting her and settling her into bed. He turned off the water, now cold, and changed into clean, dry clothes before turning of the lamp and settling in for sleep.
NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS* NCIS
"Morning, Katie," he murmured quietly, fingers brushing her cool forehead. "Feeling okay?"
She yawned hugely and pushed herself up a little in bed. Her hair was wild, and she was still wearing the USMC hoodie that swallowed her slender frame. "Yeah," she murmured, thanking him quietly as he handed over a cup of water and drained nearly half of it. "What time is it?"
Gibbs smiled a little, glad to hear her voice sounding normal again. "Ten AM."
Kate started a little, about to scramble out of bed when his hand caught her and gently kept her in place.
"We're off for a few days. I have one team member in the hospital and the rest of us were working for almost forty eight hours straight. Remember our agreement yesterday? You're staying in bed today." His fingers reached out, carefully catching a stray lock of hair and tucking it behind her ear.
"Oh," she breathed. "That sounds good." She glanced down at the sweatshirt and back up to him. "I get to take a shower, though… don't I? Is there any hot water left?"
His smile spread a little wider. "There's hot water. And breakfast coming up, if you think you can eat something."
"A shower and breakfast sounds good," she answered, accepting his help out of bed.
He was pleased that she seemed sturdy on her feet, nearly back to the normal Kate. Gibbs made a mental note to change the bed sheets while she cleaned up. "Go on," he urged, nodding toward the bathroom and giving her backside a small pat. "Shower, then breakfast in bed."
Kate paused at the door, looking back at him with a half smile. "Hey, can I borrow—"
"There's an extra shirt on the counter in there, Captain," he answered, having anticipated her answer. He'd have to swing by her place later for some extra clothes. She'd manage to hit all this between cases, when her go bag was out of clean clothes and her laundry backed up. Fine by him. He liked seeing her in his t-shirts. And out of the t-shirts.
Her smile was warm, the twinkle back in her eye. "Thanks, Gunny."
Fin. No, really… I don't care what Gibbs says or does. This one is now complete.