"Miss us, Kate?" Tony asked Kate as she walked on over to her desk.
"No." A Simple single syllable reply.
"Visiting Gibbs? Abby?"
"Working."
"I thought you decided to take a couple days off."
"I did."
"Like two, Kate."
"A couple is two. Hence, a couple is made up of two people. Any new cases?"
"Nope. We've got one case and it's yours. Can you even work your own...case?"
"What do we have on my case?"
"Everything but Haswari so, the Boss isn't really in a great mood-," Both Agents winced as Gibbs's hand met the back of Tony's head, "Morning, boss."
"Kate, are you ready to be back? It's only been-." Gibbs asked her.
"I'm fine."
"No one's gonna think less if you take some more time."
"Like I said, I'm fine, Gibbs."
Gibbs realized that Kate wasn't going to take any more time off unless it was an order and he didn't want to do that. Kate could be stubborn but she knows when to stop.
He could tell that Kate wasn't fine. No one would be fine after going through what she did. He was pretty sure that she had barely slept. There were dark circles covered up by make up under her eyes. He'd heard her pacing late into the night as he had worked on the boat.
"Where's McGee?" Gibbs asked or rather demanded to know.
"McGeek went to the lab. Said he was going to try and do some computer thing to find," Tony glanced at Kate, "Haswari."
"I would think that he's probably still in the country and I bet he has the F.B.I protecting him otherwise. He wants to stay close enough to watch us try and find him and to watch you suffer. He has a vendetta against you. You probably remind him of someone, maybe his father who hurt him. He's getting payback at whomever hurt him by making you, someone who represents this person in some way suffer." Kate told them, remembering how as she was being raped he had told her that NCIS hadn't and wouldn't catch him.
"DiNozzo, go get McGee, update him."
"On it, boss."
Gibbs motioned for Kate to follow him when his phone rang. Kate stood still waiting for further instructions.
"Dead marine. Go get DiNozzo and McGee." Gibbs ordered her.
Kate reluctantly headed to the lab where Abby would of course be. She loved Abby but she really didn't want to bombarded with questions and concern over her wellbeing. As she stepped out of the elevator, she heard the blaring music coming from the lab.
"Tony! McGee!" Kate yelled as she entered the noisy lab and got no response.
Kate went over to the stereo and turned down the music which got everyone looking at her, "Dead marine. Let's go!"
Tony and McGee jumped out of their seats and headed to the elevator. Kate began to follow after them, but just as she had guessed Abby stopped her.
"How are you doing? It's only been a few days, Kate and you're back at work?"
"Abs, I'm fine. Working is good for me. Keeps my mind off it."
"Gibbs treating you well?"
"Of course. Overly concerned at times, but leaves me to be for the most part."
"Yeah, he cares about you, Kate. A lot."
"Cares about you too."
Abby raised an eyebrow, "In a different way. Kate, I'm saying you like Gibbs and he's totally head-over-heels for you."
"Abby, stop."
"Kate, I'm not joking. Go see for yourself."
"Okay. I'll see you later." Kate rolled her eyes.
"Bring me back some goodies!" Abby shouted as Kate headed towards the elevator.
Kate never had a problem before being so cramped in inside the truck, but today she couldn't stand it. She couldn't stand each time Tony would accidentally bump into her. She didn't want anyone touching her. Gibbs was already driving over the speed limit, which she normally hated however right now she just wanted to get to the damn crime scene and get out of the truck.
Her heart was racing. Breathe, Kate. Just breathe. Maybe she should have taken some more time off.
Gibbs glanced over at Kate and Tony who were being unusually quiet. Kate was pressed up against the door and breathing quick. Her eyes were shut even though she was awake, unlike the senior field agent between them.
"Deep breathes, Kate." Gibbs whispered as to not wake DiNozzo and not to embarrass her.
Her eyes shot open and she turned her head away from him embarassed that he'd seen her so...uncomfortable.
The moment Gibbs put the truck into park she jumped out followed by Tony. She leaned against the side of the truck, hands on her knees trying to breathe normally.
"Need a minute," Kate jumped, "Didn't mean to scare ya." Gibbs's way of apologizing.
"No, I'm good."
"Don't look too good. No one's gonna think any different if you sit this one out."
"I'm fine."
"Fine. Bag and tag," Kate turned away, "and Kate when you're ready to admit you're not fine I'll be here." Gibbs could have sworn in that moment he had seen a tiny glimmer of hope in her pained eyes.
He watched as she went to work, bagging evidence. She avoided eye contact as best she could. Why did this happen to her? Why Kate? She didn't deserve this pain. How could terrorists walk free while Kate, an innocent woman was condemned to pain? Sometimes he hated this world.
Kate avoided conversations with the rest of the team, she gave short answers and was straight to the point. She could feel everyone's eyes on her.
"Caitlin, could you see what's taking Mr. Palmer so long? I'd like to get this young lad out of here."
"Special agent Caitlin Todd...Hello Caitlin...Miss me, Caitlin?" Ari's voice echoed in her mind. Oh how she hated her name more than she ever had.
"Caitlin?" Ducky called out to her.
"Of course." Kate rushed out of the room.
"Jethro, she should take some more time off."
"She won't take it, Duck. Stubborn as hell."
"Has she spoken to anyone? The trauma that follows a sexual assault is not easy to go through especially alone. Caitlin is going to need a lot of help, Jethro."
"She just has to ask." Gibbs replied glancing around the room to see if Kate had returned.
"Ah and does she know this? It's important that she knows that there are people who want to help her. You know, she may just want a friend right now not necessarily a therapist."
"Thanks Duck."
"What've we got?" Gibbs wanted to know as he entered the bullpen.
"Lieutenant j.g Thomas Gillbert, 25. Enlisted right out of high school and has been on the fast track ever since." Tony informed them.
"He doesn't have a criminal record. Not even a speeding ticket." McGee said.
"Girlfriend couldn't think of anyone who'd want him dead. Hard core patriot living the American Dream." Kate added.
"Bank statements? Calls?"
"Going through them right now." McGee told their boss.
"Forensics?"
"Shot with," Kate paused she felt dizzy, "He was shot three times with his..."
"Kate, you feeling alright?"
"Yea, I just need...to sit down."
Kate walked slowly as her whole world was spinning and her head pounding and then nothing.
"KATE," Gibbs yelled as she fell backwards, rushing to her side, "Kate? Can you hear me. Dammit someone call an ambulance!"
"On it." Tony replied.
"Come on Kate open your eyes. You're gonna be fine."
"What happened?" An EMT asked.
"She just passed out. She was looking a little pale."
"She's got a lot of bruises. Where are they from?"
"Rape. She was raped five days ago."
"Could be physical trauma from that." The EMT whispered to his partner as they loaded her on the stretcher."
"Stay here. Find out who wanted the Lt. dead." Gibbs ordered the two agents watching anxiously.
"You're gonna be fine, Kate." Gibbs squeezed her hand.
Gibbs couldn't stand just sitting around waiting for someone to tell him what was wrong with Kate.
"Mr. Gibbs?"
"Yeah?" News finally.
"Your wife is fine but her blood sugar was dangerously low and she was dehydrated not to mention exhausted. We're giving her fluids right now."
"Can I see her?" Kate was going to kill him if she found out that the doctors thought he was her husband.
"Of course. She's sleeping right now. Now, I realize that just a few days ago she went through great trauma, but she's got to take care of herself. She has to eat and rest." Gibbs nodded.
Gibbs sat at her bedside waiting for her to wake up. Why hadn't he noticed just how bad she was doing? Hell she was living with him.
"Sorry, Kate."
Kate faintly heard Gibbs apologizing for something, which was a violation of his own rules. What had happened? She felt cold.
Her eyelids began fluttering and finally opening. She looked around confused, scared and then her eyes met his.
"What happened?" Kate asked. She was in the squad room going over the case what happened to end her up in the hospital?
"You passed out. Scared us all."
"I passed out?"
"Kate, when was the last time you ate something like an actual meal?"
"Ate? Um...Monday? I think..."
"You haven't eaten since Monday?" Gibbs asked shocked.
"What's today?"
"Saturday."
"No. It can't be. You mean...," She covered her face with her hands, "He raped me. Oh my god. It wasn't a nightmare was it? He raped me. Oh my god."
Any denial about the rape that she had was now gone. Gibbs saw the look in her eyes as she said it aloud. It was becoming all too real for her.
He raped you. He raped you, Kate. That one phrase repeated in her mind. She felt nauseous it really had happened. He forced himself on her, he had touched her. Why her? What did she do to deserve this?
"You need to eat something. You'll feel better."
"Alright..."
"What do you want?"
"Doesn't matter."
"I'll be back."
Gibbs didn't want to leave her but he wanted to give her some space and she did need to eat. How could he have not realized how bad she was doing? He knew she wasn't sleeping, why didn't he confront her? It didn't matter now, only now he had to make sure nothing else happened to her. He headed back to the room with a sandwich for her and as he did so he could've sworn he saw Kate. He turned around and then he realized why he thought it was her.
"Excuse me, ma'm?"
"Yes?"
"You wouldn't happen to be Kate- Agent Todd's mother would you?" Gibbs asked and the woman's eyes light up with realization.
"You must be Special Agent Gibbs. How did you...? Theresa Todd nice to meet you though I really wish it were under different circumstances."
"Likewise."
"How's my baby girl? Is she alright?"
"She's fine. Follow me. I'll take ya to her."
Before he had entered the room, Kate had recognized the footsteps as his. She really didn't feel up to the talk she was gonna get from her boss.
"Oh Kate, baby! How are you feeling?" It was her mother.
"I'm fine momma."
"You're in the hospital and that doesn't happen easily." Her mother retorted.
"Momma, I'm fine. Really."
"She keeps saying that." Gibbs chimed in and she glared.
"She's stubborn as hell. One time...oh she was five or six years old and she was riding her horse in the yard and the horse stumbled and she fell off. Everyone went rushin' to her side and she just stood up and said 'I'm fine, momma. See?' and she climbed back on that dang horse. Anyhow, a week later she was eatin and I looked at her arm and it was kind of purple so I asked her if it hurt and she told me 'Kinda mom. Only since I fell off Prince, but it's okay.' Well, I took her to the hospital and the girl had fractured her arm in two places. The next day one of her brothers comes in the house and says 'Mom, little Katie is gonna be in trouble.' I asked him why and he pointed outside and there was Kate with one arm in a cast on her horse. When I asked her what the hell she was doing she looked at me very seriously and said 'I'm learnin' how to ride Prince with one arm.'" Her mother laughed and Gibbs chuckled.
"Momma! This isn't story time." Kate groaned.
"You're right it's time to talk. Kate, why on earth haven't you eaten?"
"Haven't been hungry."
"And why are you back at work? You need time. Don't rush things."
Her mother wasn't going to back down and Gibbs had been telling her the same things. This was one argument she wasn't going to win.
"Miss Todd, we have some discharge papers for you to sign and then you're free to go." A nurse told her.
"Okay. Thanks," Kate looked at her mother and Gibbs, "Umm I need to change."
"Oh of course. I'll go get the car. Agent Gibbs, will you need a ride?" Mrs. Todd asked.
"No, no. I'll take the bus."
"No you won't. I'll drive."
"If you insist, ma'm."
Gibbs and Kate's mom walked out of the E.R. Room giving Kate privacy.
"I see all the bruises on my baby. How-how bad was she hurt...physically?" Mrs. Todd asked.
"She's had worse. Cuts and a lot of bruises. A couple stitches."
"And mentally?"
Gibbs sighed, "As you saw, she's not doing well."
"She's too stubborn to ask for help. She's scared. Agent Gibbs, don't let her shut you out. She trusts you."
"I'm not gonna let her do this on her own."
"Thank you."