Five Weeks Later
"Is it possible to die of extreme boredom?"
She huffed. It was slowly becoming true. She—Caitlin Todd—was indeed going to kill her fiancée. She had to remind herself once more that he was injured. That he couldn't go down into the basement and occupy himself by working on the boat. And five weeks ago, she thought that was a wonderful thing—being able to spend quality time with him. And on top of that, she had taken two weeks vacation starting yesterday. She had brought some work home with her for the two weeks—which she was having trouble getting done because someone kept interrupting her with stupid questions.
"Kate?" An open ended question.
"Gibbs, you can't die for extreme boredom. But if you don't let your fiancée finish this damn report, said fiancée will not be held accountable for her future actions," she hissed.
He leaned slightly towards her—as much as his propped up right leg on the coffee table would allow. "Am I annoying you?"
"That's the understatement of the day."
He groaned, "It's just that I'm bored."
She facetiously stated, "No, really? I couldn't tell." A ghost smile graced her face as she returned her attention to her laptop—which was situated in her lap—and resumed typing.
"Are you ignoring me?"
And another stupid question which would be followed by a stupid answer. "Now, what would give you that idea?" Another paragraph done. Only two more pages to do. Thank God, it was double spaced. "What do you want me to do, Gibbs?"
"Kiss me. Play with me."
She resisted the urge to glance at him, but she quirked her eyebrows as she still—with a lot of effort—focused on her laptop. "Mmmhmm. And how am I supposed to play with you with that knee of yours? Remember, the doctor said absolutely no strenuous activity." She gestured with a hand at his right leg—propped up on the coffee table.
His hand softly caressed her soft thigh and felt a shiver from her. "He said no strenuous activity on my part. You on the other hand…" He trailed off as his hand moved down to cupped her knee.
Her voice faltered, "Gibbs…"
"Kate, put the laptop on the floor. Then get your ass over here onto my lap."
This time she did look at him with her eyebrows quirked. "Bossy much?"
"Nope. Just miss you."
"Gibbs, I've been with you the last five weeks. How can you miss me?" She did indeed put her laptop on the floor—after saving her document. Then she folded her legs underneath her and faced him. "Now, I'm all yours."
He toyed with the hem of her t-shirt—which was really his—before tugging it gently. "Come over here." A boyish grin appeared. "I'll make it worth your while. Please."
"Well," she drawled, "since you said please, how can I refuse such a request." She crawled the short distance to him and sat down on his lap—her legs straddling his thighs. "Are you okay? Not putting any pressure on your knee? Please, let me know…"
His lips settled on hers, bringing an end to her rambling. He nipped at the corners of her mouth and her bottom lip—bringing forth a soft moan from Kate. Automatically her arms went around his neck and her fingers dived into his hair, nails scraping his scalp as she allowed his tongue entrance. His fingers tunneled in her auburn tresses to hold her pliant mouth against his as he plundered it—literally.
"Gibbs, please tell me if I'm hurting you," she whispered against his lips.
He nipped at her lips once more. "You'll only hurt me if you stop what we're doing." His lips trailed down over her chin and kissed a trail down her neck.
"And what are we doing?"
A rough laugh came from him. "Do I really need to explain it to you?" His hands grasped the hem of the t-shirt and pulled up and over her head—casting it aside. He splayed his hands on her lower back as he leaned forward and nipped at her clavicle bone causing her arch toward his mouth.
"Jethro," she moaned as his mouth littered tiny kisses over the tops of her breasts.
He traced his tongue around the edge of her bra. "Still need me to explain what we're doing?"
"Umm…no, no."
Smiling against her skin, he reached up and unclasped her bra. Then reached up and drew the straps down her arms before throwing it aside. His index finger traced around her nipple, drawing a soft moan from Kate's lips.
"Are you going to kiss me or just play?"
He softly laughed. "What do you want me to do?" His thumbs brushed over her nipples.
"I only get one choice?"
"Mmmhmm." His tongue laved one of her nipples and felt Kate shiver in his arms.
"Whoa! I'm sorry…" a stammering voice broke through the haze of their making out.
"McGee, what the hell? Holy Shit!"
"Damnit, Tony! Wow! Way to go, Kate."
"Why are we all standing in the doorway? Move it people!"
McGee found his voice, "Hold up, Ducky. We have a situation." He nudged Tony back with an elbow in the stomach and got Abby's attention.
Kate plastered herself against Gibbs' chest—trying to hide her partial nudity from her co-workers as she searched blindly for the discarded t-shirt. "We are going to start locking that door." She wanted to be angry—but she couldn't. She laughed at being caught in their current position.
"Not going to argue with that." He watched as she slipped the t-shirt over her head and covered her breasts. "Can you hand me a throw pillow?"
"Why?" A light bulb clicked as his raised eyebrows. "Right. Sorry, my brain is still frazzled." She managed to climb off his lap without jostling his knee. "Are you okay? I can wait a couple more minutes," she asked as she handed him a pillow—which he strategically placed on his lap.
He waved her off. "Don't keep them waiting."
Kate went out into the entryway and opened the front door to four smiled faces. "You guys can come in now."
DiNozzo was the first to pipe up, "Are you sure it's safe? I don't want to interrupt another special moment."
She just laughed. At least this time it wasn't anyone from her family—once was bad enough. "Don't you guys know how to knock?" She asked after closing the door behind them.
Grinning sheepishly, McGee answered, "Well…um…we did at least three times—along with the hundred times Tony pressed the damn doorbell." With that, he flashed a glare at DiNozzo.
"Don't give me that look, Probie. I didn't make you walk in to see if they were still alive."
"That would've been me." Abby raised her hand. "Sorry about that, Kate."
She waved off the Goth's apology. It was then that she noticed all of them were carrying grocery bags—full of food. "Guys, you didn't have to bring food with you. We have plenty."
"We wanted to come and visit and Ducky suggested a barbeque. I guess we should've called, huh?"
This times it was Gibbs who answered, "Don't fret about it, Abs. It wasn't the first we were caught in a compromising position."
Before anyone could comment, Kate ushered them into the kitchen—and they deposited all the bags on the counter and then Kate and Abby shooed all the men from the kitchen.
"So," Abby dragged out the word, "who caught you the first time?"
A nervous chuckle came from Kate as she unpacked the bags. "My older sister, Rachel."
"Mmmhmm." Abby joined in the unpacking—setting aside the hamburger and hotdog rolls and then put the hotdogs in the fridge. "Kate, where are your mixing bowls?"
"Cupboard right in front of you. Top shelf." The potato and macaroni salads went into the fridge and before closing the door, she grabbed two eggs and set them on the counter—new Abby's elbow.
"What were you and Gibbs caught doing?" The Goth smirked as she put the ground beef in a medium-sized bowl—then added the eggs, onion and garlic powders and Worcestershire sauce before mixing it with her hands. "Was the position compromising?"
"To say the least. We were in the kitchen." Kate began rinsing off the fruit—strawberries, grapes, and blueberries—then went over to Abby and reached around her shoulders and withdrew a large bowl. "I was mortified—but I think Rachel was more so than me. I've never been caught before."
"Never?" There was surprise in Abby's voice
"Never. I've caught all three of my brothers—but I was the smart one of the family. Always went to my boyfriend's house and then went away to college." She smiled at Abby as she started capping the strawberries—then slicing them in half.
Abby made her way to the double sink—bumped Kate's hip with her own and Kate moved the faucet over to the second sink, pumped some soap onto Abby's hands and then turned on the water.
Changing the subject. "How's work?"
"Okay, I guess. I miss Gibbs. I miss you and talking to you throughout the day. Paula Cassidy is TAD until you return from vacation."
Now she worked on the grapes. "I'm sure DiNozzo is really happy about that deal." She remembered how much he flirted with Cassidy while in Gitmo. Kate believes that something more happened between Tony and Paula that Tony would comment on. "Who's in charge of the team right now?"
Abby smirked, "Tony. He keeps trying to act like Gibbs. No one can be Gibbs." She dried her hands and then waited until Kate was finished with the fruit. "Do you have anything to make the burgers?"
Kate held up her hands and wiggled her fingers—bringing forth a giggle from Abby. "Hey Abs—if you need to talk while I'm on vacation—just call me or come over when you're finished at work. Okay?"
The Goth nodded her head while smiling broadly.
Twenty minutes later, Kate shouted for the men—well, the ones who could walk on their own—and asked them to start taking the food outside onto the patio. She and Abby had set up an extra table for the food. Tony helped Gibbs make it outside—and much to Kate's surprise, her fiancée didn't grumble about the assistance. The younger agent helped get Gibbs situated in one of the deck chairs and propped his right leg on a little table.
"Thanks, DiNozzo."
"Sure, Boss. Not a problem." The younger agent then ran over to Kate when she shouted for him—afraid of what she might do if he didn't respond.
Gibbs laughed. Kate had a way to put the fear of God in a man. He watched DiNozzo trot into the house and then return ten minutes later with the large cooler—from the basement.
Watching the commotion—his eyes soon settled on his beautiful fiancée. Auburn hair shining in the late afternoon sunlight; sunglasses perched on the top of her head; the way his faded NIS t shirt hung on her slender frame and almost hid the hem of her shorts. She never looked more beautiful to him. A goofy smile adorned his face when he saw Toni following Kate to and fro.
Much to his surprise—a few minutes later—Kate pulled up a chair beside his and eased down into it. "They told me to relax while Tony went to get some bags of ice for the beer, coolers, and soda that they brought. Ducky and McGee are manning the grill and Abby is entertaining our little one." Kate was referring to the terrier.
Grabbing her hand, he brought it to his lips. "Whatever will we do with ourselves until the food is ready and DiNozzo returns?"
"The possibilities are endless." Just as she was about to lean towards him—shouts came from the grill area.
"Hey, hey, no making out anymore today!"
"Can't you two keep your hands off each other for more than five minutes?"
"Jethro, you should be ashamed of yourself—making Caitlin initiate the kiss."
Kate giggled, "I think the kids just yelled at mom and dad."
"Then let's give them something to really yell at us about." His hand gripped the back of her neck and hauled her the short distance separating them and crushed his mouth to hers—plundering it. Tongues clashing; teeth nipping. With a final swipe of his tongue, he pulled back.
"Really, you two? Do you have to make the rest of us feel inadequate in our love lives?" Tony shouted at them as he went over to the cooler, carrying three bags of ice. He deposited all the ice into the cooler—covering all the drinks.
"Ah, Tony, what did the last girl say this time?" Kate winked at Tony over her shoulder.
Abby piped up, "That he wasn't fit enough for her, so he's been working out every night after work."
"Thanks, Abs," he hissed at the Goth. He grabbed two beers from the cooler—signaling to Gibbs if he wanted one but the older agent shook his head. "Kate?" He turned his offer to her partner.
"Sure, why not?" She grabbed the bottle from DiNozzo. "Who's the designated driver for you guys?" Kate being the ever logical person that she was.
"That would be me." McGee raised his hand.
Kate smiled. "Why am I not surprised it was you, McGee?"
A puzzled look crossed the new agent's face. "I don't understand."
"Of course not, Probie." He popped the top off his beer and took a long pull. "Hey, Ducky, any food ready yet?" DiNozzo made his way over to the ME—who was manning the grill.
"Anthony, patience is a virtue." Ducky motioned for the platter that Kate had brought out earlier for the burgers and hotdogs. Tony handed it to him and the ME started plating the meat. "Let's go people. Time to eat."
As Gibbs watched everyone head over to load up their plates—he couldn't help but be touched by what his friends had done for him and Kate.
Think where a man's glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends.
To Be Continued...
If anyone did not know-the quote at the end of this part is by William Butler Yeats