Kate new Gibbs wasn't exactly the romantic type. He had warned her when they first started dating and she hadn't really minded. In fact, it was a nice change to not have to find somewhere to put a bunch of roses every other week.
But what she hadn't expected, was for him to forget her birthday. He had called early in the morning to tell her he had training all day and that she should come over for dinner. During the conversation he did not say once 'Happy Birthday'. She wanted to be upset and angry with him, but she tried her best to keep herself occupied with her classes and then a quick shift at work before finally heading over to his place as suggested.
As she pulled up outside his building, she couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. She looked around the street which was all but deserted, turned and grabbed her bag, got out headed inside.
She closed the door behind her and didn't have a chance to put her things down when a loud 'Happy Birthday' was shouted at her and the lights turned on.
"Jesus" she said clutching her chest as she turned to see Gibbs, Ashleigh Abby and Zoe grinning at her. She looked around his living room and noticed the Birthday banner over the fire place and the balloons everywhere.
"You organised this?" she asked him as he walked over and kissed her cheek. He smiled and nodded.
"I asked Abby what I should get for your birthday and the idea just kind of came together" he explained as Zoe poured her a drink and brought it over.
"I spent all day thinking you had forgotten my birthday" she looked up at him as she took the drink.
"Far from it" he leaned down and kissed her softly.
"Alright, plenty of time for that later" Abby declared and turned on the music. Kate couldn't believe her friends and her boyfriend had organised this. Especially since her boyfriend was not one for surprises.
Kate couldn't help but think she was the luckiest girl in the world right now. She smiled and laughed as she listened to her friends tell her the whole story of how this surprise came together. She never heard the phone ring, but she did see Gibbs walk over to go and answer it. She watched him closely as it didn't seem like a positive conversation. His shoulders were tense and his free hand was balled in a fist. He hung up the phone and bowed his head. She excused herself from her friends to walk over to him and placed a gentle hand on his back.
"Hey, who was that?" she asked softly. He took a moment before answering. He turned around and looked at her seriously.
"That was my Sergeant. We are being deployed in three days" he says quietly. Kate just stares at him for a moment, not really sure what to say.
"How long for?" she finally asks.
"I don't know the details. But it's usually a few months at a time" Kate didn't like this answer. She put her drink down and ran her hand through her hair.
Abby who was watching the two noticed something was wrong. She walked over, stopping her conversation with Ashleigh and Zoe.
"Hey, what's up?" she asked both of them. Kate and Gibbs looked at her and sighed.
"Jethro is being deployed in three days" Abby gasped and put her drink down so she could wrap her arms around her friend.
"Oh I'm so sorry. Look we will go so you two can spend more time together. Girls, we are going" she called to the others. After quick goodbyes, Kate and Gibbs were alone. Kate stepped closer to him, wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I know we should talk about this more, but right now all I want to do is this" she leaned up and kissed him, softly at first before he continued to deepen it. He pulled her over into the living room where he had the fire going.
He carefully laid her down on the floor, his hands making quick work of her pants, while hers pulled his shirt over his head and threw it away. Her hands ran over his chest and down his stomach to his hips. She tried not to think about the next time she would be able to touch and taste him like this, but the thoughts kept coming to the front of her mind and it was making her body tense.
"Katie, you okay?" he pulled back and looked down at her. She gave him a soft smile and nod, not trusting her voice. He could see the tears that were waiting to fall in her eyes and sat up, pulling her up with him.
"Hey, what did I do? Did I hurt you?" he asked now worried he had physically hurt her. Kate shook her head, smile still on her face.
"No, Jethro not at all. It's just, I couldn't help thinking this might be the last time we" she had to take a deep breath before she became hysterical.
"I know we still have three days and I know, well I do hope you will come back to me but of course I'm still worried about what will happen" she could feel the tears running down her face and she so wished they would stop. She never wanted to be this woman. Gibbs reached out and wiped them from her cheek.
"I will come back. As long as you are here" he told her softly and she nodded and looked up into his blue eyes.
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I love you and I will be here waiting for you. I promise" she said with a soft sniffle. Gibbs grinned and leaned in and kissed her softly.
"Love you too" he whispered against her lips.
Gibbs reached up behind them and pulled down the throw blanket that was on the couch and draped it over their naked bodies as they sat cuddle up against it, the fire slowly going out.
"I guess I finally know how my mother felt all those years" Kate said as she played with Gibbs hand.
"Was he deployed when you were little?" he asked as he watched her.
"No, well not that I remember. He did a lot of training all over the country" she rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, focusing on his steadying heartbeat.
"Rachel used to tell me stories of when he did get deployed and it was just her and mum at home. They would write him letters and send him photos all the time" she looked up at him "Will we be able to write to each other?" he looked down and kissed her softly.
"Of course you can. I will write when I can too" he smiled and caressed her cheek as he looked down at her. She smiled up at him before leaning up and kissing him again.
