He had amnesia. He took a deep breath through his nostrils. Amnesia. The doctor had said that it could come back in a few days, months or even years. Then there was the possibility of never getting it back at all. He supposed he could live with that. He did not really have much choice. He wondered if anything had happened during that missing year. No, someone would have told him if it had. If he was seeing someone that person should have visited him by now. But still he had amnesia.
He moved and seated himself on the bed. He remembered being told about the accident. How Abby had let it slip that Kate was ok to which of course she had to explain that Kate had been in the car with him. He worried about her then even though Abby had just told him that Kate was fine. He wondered why it had taken Kate so long to visit him if she was indeed fine. Everyone he had asked had told him that Kate was probably feeling guilty about the accident. Guilty? There was no reason for that. She couldn't help that a drunk driver had slammed into their car.
It wasn't until Kate had come to see him that he had finally relaxed and got to see for himself that she was unharmed. Still her visit bothered him a bit. Even though he had told her it wasn't her fault he couldn't shake the feeling that she blamed herself. Still there was something else that felt wrong about her whole visit but he supposed it was because of the accident. He leaned back into the pillow and closed his eyes. Once again he tried to remember the accident or anything before that. Nothing. It was all like a dark whole with no light in sight. He opened his eyes and sighed. Well at least he still had his job. Although Jenny had insisted on some desk work in the beginning. He supposed it could have been worse. His thought's drifted to Kate. Yeah, it could have been much worse.
Another deep sigh was the only sound in the room he occupied. Jenny Shepard. It was nice to see her again and it seemed they had worked well together since she became the new Director. At least that's what she told him and he really had no reason to doubt her. He had briefly remembered Paris but that was then. He didn't have those feelings for her anymore. So it should not be a problem to work with her. He was sure Jenny was going to be, no already was a good Director. He wondered about the way she had caressed his arm though and the way she had looked at him. She didn't hope to rekindle something between the two of them did she? He hoped not. Those feelings were long gone. He had feelings for someone else now. Someone who would never know how he felt. Still he could dream. And with that he closed his eyes again.
'''''''''''''''''''
Abby yelled as she walked through the front door to Gibbs' house. "Kate? Are you in here?"
"Hi Abby." Kate came rushing through but was soon gone again.
Abby hurried after her in to the kitchen. "What are you doing? I thought that you already had collected everything."
"I forgot a couple of things." She opened the cupboard and took out a mug. "Mine" She waved with it in her hand as she left for the living room.
Abby followed her yet again. "I still think you should leave an object or two to jump start Gibbs' memory."
Kate sat down and packed the mug in the little bag she had with her. "And we've talked about this. The doctor said we shouldn't tell him things but let them come naturally."
Abby sat down next to her. "Leaving something behind isn't telling."
"I am not going to leave anything behind besides it's not guarantee it would work anyway." She paused briefly to look at Abby. "I am still not leaving anything so don't even continue that though." Kate closed her bag. "Look, if he remembers us being together then that is great."
"And if he doesn't?"
Kate didn't answer that. She didn't even want to think about that possibility. Not now.
"You seem to be in a better mood today." Abby knew what Kate was doing. "I know you are keeping it together but you do know if you need anything you call me right? I know Tim and Tony feel the same way."
Kate patted one of Abby's hands. "I know. Ducky and Jimmy have told me the same thing. I do appreciate it. I really do. Anyway, I'm just going to use the bathroom and then I am off. Want to grab some lunch?"
"That sounds great." Abby watched as Kate stood up and walked away. As she heard his footsteps fade she turned her attention to Kate's bag. She opened it and was careful as she looked through it. There had to be something she could use. Kate might not leave something behind but that didn't mean that she couldn't. Then her hand came across something rather soft to the touch. She pulled it out from the bag and saw that it was a pair of panties.
"Perfect."
She got up and although she was in a hurry she walked as quietly as she could. It didn't take long before she was in the bedroom. She walked over to the side she knew Gibbs used to sleep and hid the panties under the bed. As she stood up she wasn't entirely happy with the way one could easily miss them if one didn't look so she kneeled down and brought them out just a little bit.
"This is for you Kate." She whispered right before she left.
''''''''''''''
"So nothing about their relationship and nothing about Kate being a Vampire?"
"That's right Mr. Palmer. The Doctor wants Jethro to remember on his own so let's not force anything on him."
"You think he will remember?"
"I do hope so."
"And if he doesn't?"
"Let's not cross that bridge until we get there shall we? Now I do believe we have a man who needs our attention." Ducky pointed to the body on one of the slabs. He so hoped Jethro would regain his memory. Poor Caitlin had not been the same since he woke up. It was rather heartbreaking to see her in such a state. Even though he had heard that she seemed to have pulled herself together he wasn't sure how long she could keep it up.
"Yes. Doctor Mallard." Jimmy couldn't help but to feel sad about the whole situation. Gibbs' had seemed different since he and Kate started seeing each other. He was still the same but there was a spark in him that had not been there before. He had smiled more. Maybe in time his memory would be back. That was all one could hope for.
''''''''''''''''''
Tony threw a piece of crumbled paper onto Tim's desk. "The whole thing sucks. It really does."
"Yeah. Did I tell you that I saw Kate this morning? She seemed to be doing a lot better given the circumstances." Tim reached down, took the piece of paper and threw it in his trash can.
"You told me. I still say she is putting up a front. You should have seen her after she had been to see him. She was a wreck."
"It can't be easy for her." Tim couldn't imagine what it must be like to love someone that didn't remember loving you back. No one deserved that. "Didn't Gibbs think it strange that it took her three whole days to see him after he had woken up?"
Tony thought about it for a moment. "If he did she didn't say anything. Besides that first day he was pretty out of it anyway."
"It's Gibbs. He might have noticed. Well she was there when he was unconscious. We couldn't get her to move and boy did we try. I don't think she slept at all those days." Tim could still see Kate sitting there next to the hospital bed and holding one of Gibbs' hands in hers.
"It was easier then. We didn't know about the memory loss. We all just hoped that when he would wake up that he would be his normal self and everything would be hunky-dory." Tony took a pencil and played with it in his hand. "When you think about it was really by chance that he woke up one of the few times she wasn't there."
"God thing Ducky was. He knew how to handle it."
"Yeah." Tony was a mixed body of emotions. He was really happy with the chance to be team leader but truth be told he would rather have Gibbs back and the older man's memory returned. And yet he hoped it would just take a little while longer before that happened. Just so he could get the feel of being in the big man's shoes so to speak. Then he immediately felt guilty for thinking like that. He knew what it was doing to Kate. Kate. He might tease and joke on her behalf but he cared about her a great deal. "What a mess Probie."
Tim looked up from his computer. There was no denying the emotions in that short statement from his friend. He knew that Tony was conflicted by relishing in getting a chance to be team leader but also feeling guilty how it came to be. "It will work out you'll see."
Tony's eyes drifted over to Tim and a small smile was on his lips. "Let's hope it does."
'''''''''''''''
The accident had rattled her. Really brought focus back for her. At first she had been worried about Kate as well. Would hate to lose a good agent and she didn't deserve to die. So once she had seen that Kate had been ok she could return her attention towards Jethro. There had been some worry filled days until he woke up and then, amnesia. As soon as she learned it was only the last year that had been wiped out from his mind she felt almost giddy. It felt too good to be true. It was almost as if someone had provided her with the answer she had been looking for. Perhaps now she could finally get him back. She had a few ideas up her sleeve but wasn't sure which one to use and when. He was still in the hospital so all she could do now was to wait until he was out. She knew he would most likely be surrounded by someone during most times anyway. She wouldn't have much of a chance to get to see him alone again. She had been fortunate that she had already seen him alone once.
Darn it, sure it had only been a few months but she had really hoped that Jethro would have been done with Kate by now. Kate couldn't possibly be who he wanted to be with? She wasn't even a red head. Sure she seemed feisty, she was young, very pretty and probably excited him at first but surely he had grown tired by her by now? Maybe he didn't want to disappoint her or risk changing the team dynamo. He could be rather chivalrous with the women. That didn't matter now. Now here he was and didn't remember anything about being with Kate and it was too good of an opportunity to miss. She realized that she was going to risk a lot here. However the prize was too good to pass up. And if the worse would happen? She knew Jethro well enough to know how to work him if things should go wrong. No, the worse would not happen. He would be back with her soon. And for Jenny Shepard that day could not come soon enough.
