Title: Christmas Time
Author: Brandy
Category: Romance
Rating: PG
Pairing: Gibbs/Todd
Spoilers: None
Summary: One of the team has no where to go for the holidays.
Night settles over the bullpen at NCIS Headquarters, it's one week until Christmas and I have no place to go. I don't really have any family. My mother and father died when I was a child. I sigh and stare at my computer.
"Hey Kate, what are you gonna do for Christmas?" Tony asks.
"Nothing Tony."
"Why not?"
"Because I have no family to go home to." This catches Gibbs attention and he looks over at me. He doesn't say anything, he just looks. His blue eyes dart to Tony to figure out what he's thinking and then he turns towards me again.
"Gee Kate, I didn't know." Tony says with concern.
"Don't worry about it Tony." I wave him off. Staring at my screen, I hope Gibbs won't walk over here and notice there's nothing on my screen. I pull my sketchpad out of my bag and turn to a fresh page; I pull out one of my pencils and start to doodle. Nothing really, just whatever pops into my head, as if I didn't know what that would be.
"You don't have any family." Gibbs finally asks, his voice soft.
"Nope."
"What are you doing?" Tony asks and I have the mind not to answer him as my drawing comes to life. "Kate what are you doing?" Tony asks again.
"I'm drawing Tony?" I smugly reply.
"What are you drawing?"
"None of your damn business."
"Okay." Tony's shocked. He knows not to piss me off and right now, I am particularly pissed off. I hadn't told anyone that I didn't have any family, but the know now. I sigh wishing I did have family and in a way Tony and Gibbs, Abby and Ducky have become my family. I want it to be more with Gibbs, somehow , if only. God, why did you have to bless this man with the bluest eyes I've ever seen? Oh and thank you by the way. I look at my drawing and realize it's Gibbs I'm drawing. Dear Lord why? I don't know way but I decide to finish the drawing.
"You could come and spend the holidays with me." Tony says suggestively.
"If I did that Tony, I'd have to be either drunk, stoned or just stupid." I retort. I hear Gibss laugh and Tony's mout his hanging open. I smile and turn to see Gibss smiling; he's working on his comptuer, which gives him a clear and unobstructed view of me. I can't tell what he's looking at but I'm hoping it isn't my drawing. I turn to face him, that way he can't see the sketchpad, or at least I'm satisfied he can't see it.
"Ouch Kate don't you think that was a little harsh?"
"Aw, did I hurt the little baby's feelings?"
"Come on now."
"What?"
"I'm heading out." Tony says and gathers his stuff and leaves. Which leaves Gibbs and me alone. How do I get so lucky? There's still no conversation between us. He's working and I'm drawing.
"Aren't you going home?" I ask after a few moments of silence.
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Kate, all I go home to is an empty house so why would I want to go there? And plus, I have work to do."
"Okay." That's all I say, I don't want to ask and figure he'll tell me if he wants to. But now both of us are in the same boat. I wonder if he has kids with any of his ex-wives. He's still working and I have no idea what he's working on but he looks busy.
"You know Kate, we could get outta here. Everyone's gone for the holidays." Gibbs says, his eyes still on his work.
"And do what?"
"Would a walk be objectionable to you?" He asks, finally looking at me and I can see a sparkle in those blue eyes of his.
"No, I'd like that." I smile. I get up and get my coat, he gets his and we walk out together. We walk in silence, I have no idea where we're going just as long as I'm with him. I can see him smiling. "What?"
"Nothing."
"It's something I know it."
"How do you know?"
"Because you hardly smile."
"Well then I have to do it more often then." He smiles even more, damn that man and his smile. I have to smile too, it's contagious. And it's Christmas time, I don't know why but I feel safe walking with him. Even though I know well that Washington isn't the safest of places. I snake my arm through his and I'm surprised that he doesn't pull away. I want to hold his hand, so I sank mine down to his and he squeezes it. Much to my surprise.
"If I didn't know better I'd say you wanted to hold my hand." I smile.
"Now why would I want to do a thing like that?" He teases.
"I don't know you tell me." I get a smile in reply. He doesn't say anything just smiles. "Okay then I take that as a yes."
"You can take it whichever way you like, Katie." He says the last part so softly I almost don't hear him.
"What?"
"I said..."
"I know what you said. But the last part, what did you call me?"
"Katie." I smile, I didn't give him permission to give me a nickname but somehow with him I don't mind. Now if it was Tony I'd bite his head off. He sees my smile and smiles as well, holding my hand. For some reason I forgot my gloves at home and I suddenly notice he isn't wearing any either. Interesting. "You know, my cousin's name is Katie."
"I didn't know you have a cousin."
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me."
"For instance?"
"For instance, I like ice skating."
"You?" I laugh and stop in my tracks. He stops and looks at me.
"Yes me, is that so hard to believe?"
"Actually yes."
"Okay." He shrugged it off. I start walking again, our hands still entwined.
"So what else should I know about you?"
"I'm not a bastard." I pitifully try to suppress a laugh and fail. "Okay well maybe I am but not all the time."
"Okay, now that I can believe."
"Okay." He slips his arm around me, holding me close. I am shivering and his arm around me feels so good, it keeps me warm. He's such a gentleman, but the way he acts you would never know it by looking at him. Oh and that smile. God, that smile could melt icebergs I want to see that smile more often, a lot more often. "I guess we should get back and get our stuff." He says solemnly.
I nod. "I guess we should." We continue moving, his arm is still around me. I feel safe and warm, something I've never really felt with a man but with him it's different, with him everything is different. I love it we keep walking and just looking at the pretty lights up in the windows as we walk past. "It's cold." I comment.
"I have my arm around you and you're still cold?" He comments.
"Yes, could we please go back to the office?" He stops and turns around, offering me his hand again. I take it and start walking with him.
"Kate would you like to come spend the holidays with me?" He asks suddenly.
"You really don't have anyone to call to come for the holidays?"
"Nope, I told you I didn't want to go home to an empty house and there's plenty of room and I'm rambling." He laughs and looks up at the sky.
"Yes you are, but you're cute doing it." It slips out before I can stop myself and I keep my head turned forward. I don't look at him afraid I said something wrong.
"Thanks." He says softly. I nod, not sure of what to do next. I know what I want to do, and I want to do it bad. I feel him stop and I look at him.
"What?"
"We have a problem."
"What's the problem." He points upwards and my eyes slowly follow his finger, and sure enough we're standing under mistletoe. He doesn't look nervous, he's just looking at me gaguing my reaction.
"Oh what the hell." I say and kiss him. It was only planned as a one-second kiss but it quickly turns into more. I feel his arms snake around me and I in turn wrap my arms around his neck. We stand there for several seconds before we release each other. "I'm sorry." I breathe, not wanting to look at him afraid he's angry. I feel his hot breath on my face and I slowly work my way up to his eyes.
"Don't be." He breathes. We are inches apart now and I just want to keep kissing him, from the way he responded he seems to want the same. So I lean in again and our lips meet, he tastes like coffee and I feel him slip his tongue inside my mouth and I moan into his. It's a soft kiss, but it also has passion too. When we part again, I can feel I'm all the way inside his embrace. I suddenly wonder when it happened and suddenly I don't care. I'm in his arms, where I've wanted to be for a long, long time.
"We should get back." I say.
"Okay." He grabs my hand and we walk back to headquarters. "So do you want to come to my house?" He asks as we're gathering our things.
"Uh, sure." I smile and see him smile too.
"Okay, do you need to get some stuff from your place?"
"Yeah."
"So when should I expect you?"
"Say 10?"
"Okay." He walks over and kisses me again chastely on the lips. I respond, putting my hand on the back of his head. "I'll see you later tonight then." He breathes again. I nod, I can't talk the kiss has taken my breath away. We part and he walks out with a smile on his face. I smile to and continue to get my things together. I look at my sketchpad and smile at the picture. "Maybe this won't be such a bad Christmas after all." I say to an empty bullpen and walk out. Happier than I've been in a while.