Tada! I know! Shocking isn't it?
I have been so focused and inspired to work on my other story that I let this one slide away from me. I'll try to shape up.
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The first day at work had been hard. The second day had been tolerable. The third day was progressing nicely. She had kept her dealings with Gibbs to a minimum. He also seemed to avoid her somewhat. She knew it was because of the kiss. She really should talk to him about that. Her nausea had been better so far and she hoped it would stay that way. There was only one thing that really bothered her. They way that Shepard woman kept looking at Gibbs and trying to be as close as possible. She sighed. There really wasn't anything she could do about that. Suddenly the kiss made her smile and actually relaxed her a bit. If Gibbs, despite his amnesia, had kissed her then maybe he had feelings for her. Then what ever Jenny Shepard would do shouldn't matter. She decided she needed to talk to someone.
Gibbs heard the movement and looked up to see Kate leaving her desk. He wondered where she was going. He threw down the pen and rubbed his eyes with a hand. He couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. How could he have been so stupid? She hadn't said anything and she did not seem to be mad at him so he figured she had forgiven him. This week was getting to him. Having Jenny bother him on and off didn't help either. He was sure the other's had noticed by now. Since when did she get so clingy? And there she was again, walking down the stairs. He was glad that there was no one around this time. This really needed to stop.
"What do you want?" He barked at her as she came closer.
Jenny frowned. She had not expected that sort of tone. He sounded mad.
When he did not receive an answer he went on without even bother to look at her. "You've been down here so much it's really starting to irritate me."
She knew she had overdone it but she couldn't help herself. Kate was right there so who knew what could happen? "Jethro, not too long ago you had an accident. Naturally I would be concerned about you."
He doubted that. "More like you keeping tabs on me. Don't trust me to do my job?" Somehow he knew it was more than that.
"Of course I do." She didn't get a chance to say anything else when he spoke next.
"Then get off my back!"
She was stunned. There was venom in that voice. Ok, she needed to step back and let him have his space. She would do that, for now
Out of the corner of his eye he saw her move away and head back up to her office. Hopefully she would stay there.
Downstairs Kate peeked inside the lab and spotted her pigtailed friend by the computer. "Abby, you got a moment?"
Abby twirled around and smiled. "Absolutely. What can I do for you?"
Kate hesitated but she needed to talk about this. She moved closer towards Abby. "You know when Gibbs came to see me? When you and Ducky were there?"
Abby laid down the file she had been reading. This was important. "Yes?"
A deep breath was taken and then the words just came. "We talked and… and he kissed me."
Abby jumped from her chair and over to hug Kate. "That is awesome." When she didn't get a response she withdrew and looked at Kate. "That is awesome isn't it?"
Kate backed away slightly. "I don't know. I didn't kiss him back."
Now Abby was perplexed. "Why didn't you?"
"I just froze. I had not expected that so I froze and by the time my thoughts were in order he had already stopped." She felt utterly horrible as she remembered seeing Gibbs' face afterwards.
Abby drew Kate back into another hug. She wished there was something she could do for her friend. "Aww, it's ok. This is a good sign. Can't you see? He is falling for you all over again."
This time Kate returned the hug. "I suppose one could see it that way."
"Or it could be that he always had those feelings for you in the first place. Even before he lost his memory." She tightened her arms around Kate.
That had occurred to her but it didn't help the situation anyway.
Abby knew just what to say next. "Kate, the next time he kisses you, you will kiss back. That's an order."
She laughed. Talking to Abby was just what she needed.
'''''''''''
Gibbs watched as Kate got back into the bullpen. She seemed to be in better mood. He was surprised when she walked over to him but he stopped what he was doing and tried to ignore the smell of her perfume as she got closer.
She took a deep breath trying to ignore the all familiar feeling that was creeping inside her. "Listen Gibbs about what happened. It's ok. Don't worry about it."
He could only nod. The way she said it he knew she was telling the truth.
She felt it so much stronger now. No please not now. "So we are ok?" Oh she was not feeling good at all.
"Yeah." Something was not right with her. He had seen that look before. Suddenly she bolted and almost ran away from him with a hand covering her mouth. He quickly got up and followed her.
She hurried inside and almost did not make it to the toilet until she started to throw up.
As he got in after her he saw her clutching the toilet. He kneeled down behind her and started placing soothing circles on her back. It worried him to see her like this. Just what was wrong with her?
She knew that he was there behind her and at this moment she was grateful for it. She was already exhausted from the vomiting she had done. She felt like crap. She leaned back and felt him hold on to her. "Thanks." She barely got it out.
"Ducky should check you out." He started to stroke her arms gently.
She shook her head hoping she wasn't going to be sick again. "No, I'm fine. Just something I ate."
He didn't believe her. He didn't know why but his gut told him this was more than some bad food. "I'm taking you down to see Ducky."
She sat up with such a force she almost knocked him of his feet. "NO!"
Something was definitely going on. "What's wrong Kate?" Alarm bells starting ringing. "Are you sick?"
"Well, yeah I just threw up." She spat back at him and regretted it right away. She tried to stand and with his help she did. She started to clean up the small mess that was on the seat and then flushed. "I'm fine Gibbs."
He knew she was lying. He hated the idea that something might be seriously wrong with her but they needed to know. "Kate, something is wrong with you and you need to find out what that is."
"I already know what it is." She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. She felt his hands on her shoulders and opened her eyes as he turned her to face him.
He did not want to ask this but he had to know. "What is it Kate?" Was this something he had known about before?
She realized he really believed she might have some serious disease. Then this might not be too bad to tell him. Still she would have liked to have had more time before he found out. "I'm pregnant."
The words hit him like a ton of bricks. He removed his hands from her shoulders. "Congratulations." It was fast and automatic. The only thing that made him feel the slightest bit of happiness was that she was not ill in some way.
She gave him a small smile. "Thank You."
Pregnant, she was pregnant. She was carrying a man's child and it hurt that that man was not him. It felt like his chest was tightening. It was that painful.
She sighed and hated that she could read him so well. She could see the hurt all over his face. "I was going to tell you just not yet but I suppose it's good that you know."
He nodded not trusting his voice just yet. Kate was pregnant. She was going to be a mother. She would be a wonderful mother and that made him smile.
That she had not expected. "What?"
He had to get out of there. He needed to get away from her. "You'll be a great mother." He leaned in and kissed her cheek and turned to walk away.
She couldn't move. Those words in such a tender tone and that kiss, albeit on the cheek almost made her cry. Her knees buckled and she sat down on the floor once again. This was going to be so hard.
When Tony saw Gibbs emerging from the ladies restroom he had to ask. "Checking up on the ladies Boss?" The stare he got back was cold.
Should he tell Tony what Kate had just told him? "Kate is… She is…"
Now Tony got worried. Gibbs was never speechless. "What? Is something wrong with Kate?" It clicked in the back of his head. "Is she sick again?"
That statement made Gibbs look at Tony differently. "You know don't you?"
He had a pretty good idea what Gibbs was talking about but didn't want to say anything. Especially since Kate had not planned to tell Gibbs just yet. "I know what Boss?"
Oh yeah, Tony knew. "That Kate's pregnant."
Tony sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I know."
Gibbs also knew there might be more to this then Kate had said. "You're going to do the right thing aren't you Dinozzo?" For the first time ever he was actually jealous of his senior agent.
Tony was taken aback. "What?"
Gibbs was getting annoyed and honestly a little angry. He took a step closer and was right in front of Tony when he spoke next. "I hope you are not going to make Kate go through this alone."
"Of course not Boss. I'll always be there for her." He was rather insulted that Gibbs would think like that.
Gibbs nodded satisfied with his answer, for now.
Tony tried to ignore the insult and spoke again. "We all will be there for her."
And just like that Gibbs was getting angry again. "Damn it Dinozzo, I better not hear that you have abandoned Kate or I'll make your life a living hell."
To say that Tony was confused was putting it mildly. "Why would I abandon…." Suddenly it hit him. Did Gibbs think? No way! He saw Kate coming out of the restroom looking slightly pale. "Kate, you ok? Want me to drive you home?"
Gibbs turned to look at her and had to agree with Tony. She needed to go home. A nod followed by a shake was answer enough but Gibbs wouldn't hear of it. "You are going home Kate."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine." She was too tired to argue. Maybe that's why it took her a moment to notice the tension between the two men. "What's going on?"
"Kate, before Boss here decides to kill me could you please tell him I'm not the father." Tony looked at Gibbs again.
Gibbs saw Kate's eyes turn huge and turned back to face Tony. It would seem he had made a big mistake.
Kate walked up to them and laid a hand on Gibbs arm. "Gibbs, it's not him."
He looked at her and had probably never felt so foolish in his life. He turned his attention back to Tony. "Look Tony, I thought…."
Tony waved a hand in the air. "It's ok. I know you were only looking out for Kate and that is why I'm going to let it go." He smiled and got back to his desk. The truth was out and that was a step in the right direction.
Kate removed her hand and headed for her won desk. "So Tony, are you taking me home?"
"Neh, I'm sure Boss can take you. Otherwise he'll think we stopped along the way for a quickie." He knew he would get away with this one but he did get another Gibbs glare.
Kate took a pen and threw it at him. "Shut up, Tony."
Tony laughed as Gibbs turned to face Kate. "Come on, I'll take you home."
She had grabbed her coat and stopped. "You don't have to."
"Come on." He placed a hand gently on her back. "You have the fort, Dinozzo."
Tony saluted them as they walked past him.
As they arrived by the elevator Gibbs pushed the button and his mind was still going so fast he had a hard time catching up. No wonder she didn't want to kiss him. Especially since she was pregnant with someone else and he could not believe how much that hurt. Focus, he needed to focus. "Does the father know?" Why did he ask that? He had no right to ask that.
"He knows." It wasn't exactly a lie and yet it was.
"He will be there for you won't he?" Right, what was he going to do about that if the father wasn't? Look him up and force him? When she didn't answer right away he felt he knew the answer.
How to respond to that? Why was the elevator taking so darn long? "It's… it's complicated so I doubt it."
His decision was made then and there. He turned his head sideways so he could see her. "I'll be there for you. Anything you need and you let me know."
She couldn't look at him at that point. She was so scared she was going to cry but she held it together. "I appreciate that."
He wondered why she wouldn't look at him. "No one should go through this alone."
A tear ran down her cheek. She felt a hand that wiped it away. "Hormones." She lied.
He nodded even though she might not notice that as the elevator doors opened. They stepped inside. Each with their minds filled with too many thoughts.