Part 03 of But Now I See
Disclaimers: Please see Introduction
~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Agent Gibbs, we cannot release you unless you are going with someone," Kate could hear Dr. Thompson's exasperated tone before she even walked into the ward. She grinned slightly. Yep, that was Jethro Gibbs' infamous stubbornness.
Kate walked into the ward just in time to see Gibbs scowl at the doctor. "I repeat, Dr. Thompson: I live alone, and I am not about to change that."
The nurse gently touched the doctor's arms to notify him of Kate's arrival, and if Kate was not mistaken, he looked relieved to see her walk into the ward.
"Agent Gibbs, I believe you have a visitor. I will return shortly to discuss your discharge tomorrow with you," Dr. Thompson said briefly and moved away, nodding and smiling at Kate as they passed.
"I guess you're never a good patient, are you, Gibbs," Kate stated with mild amusement once she reached Gibbs' bed. He looked much better than when she had first woken up. Cuts were healed and bruises cleared.
"Never have been, Agent Todd," Gibbs responded. Kate grinned inwardly. He was returning to being a smart-ass, which probably meant he was feeling much better.
"I see you and the doctor have been having a discussion about getting you out of here tomorrow."
"Don't start, Kate."
"What? I didn't say anything."
"You're about to," Gibbs said, his features stern, and Kate knew if she could see his eyes, they would be glaring at her the way only Gibbs could.
Kate pushed away the pain caused by that thought. No, it wasn't the time to dwell in guilt. There would be time for that later.
"Well, how are you feeling so far?" she asked softly, her hands aching to smooth the hair on his forehead. So, instead, she grabbed tighter onto her purse.
"I am fine, Agent Todd," the stubborn man insisted then sighed. "I'll be better if they will stop fussing and get me coffee."
She grinned weakly. That was Gibbs. If he could only bring one thing with him in an emergency, it would be his coffee.
"Well, I heard you and the doctor were having a heated argument when I walked in," she brought the subject back and saw the irritation on the man's face.
"Forget about it, Kate. I don't need people babying me. I can take care of myself fine."
"I'm thinking maybe I can come and get you home," Kate continued as if he hadn't spoken.
"Kate, I told you I don't need you to baby me."
"I'm not babying you, Gibbs. I'm merely getting a friend and a colleague home after he has to stay in the hospital."
"Agent Todd," Gibbs started in a warning tone.
"Don't 'Agent Todd' me, Gibbs," Kate stopped him sternly then sighed, "Let me help, Gibbs. Just let me drive you home and we'll go from there, okay? I just want to make sure you're settled."
"I repeat: I don't need anyone to take care of me. I am capable of that."
Kate recognized it was the pride in the man that wouldn't let him back down, and her heart went out to him.
"Just humor me, Gibbs, okay? I just want to see for myself that you're really fine," she almost pleaded. "Please."
When Gibbs stayed quiet, Kate pressed on. "Please. Just put my mind at ease. I promise I won't get in the way."
Gibbs continued to stay silent. Kate could see the man getting tired from the drugs administered through his IV. "We'll talk about it tomorrow morning, okay?"
"I leave at noon. If you aren't here, I won't wait for you," Gibbs murmured sleepily before finally dozing off to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kate followed Gibbs into his house. She had no idea how to approach the man walking in front of her. Since her arrival to the hospital, Gibbs had seemed like a different person. He was much quieter than he used to be. Worse, he seemed resigned. It was like the fight had left him.
She didn't offer to take his bag because Gibbs had been holding onto it the whole time. She hated to admit it, but he seemed vulnerable like this, with a pair of sunglasses protecting his eyes from sunlight. He was walking with his hands in front, trying hard to balance himself and not to trip over anything.
A bang and a string of curses brought Kate out of her reverie, and she saw that Gibbs had probably tripped over his coffee table.
"Are you all right?" Immediately, Kate started over to help him. "Here, let me help you."
As soon as her hands touched his arms, he shook them away. "Now that you've seen me humiliate myself, Agent Todd, you can leave now."
~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Agent Gibbs, we cannot release you unless you are going with someone," Kate could hear Dr. Thompson's exasperated tone before she even walked into the ward. She grinned slightly. Yep, that was Jethro Gibbs' infamous stubbornness.
Kate walked into the ward just in time to see Gibbs scowl at the doctor. "I repeat, Dr. Thompson: I live alone, and I am not about to change that."
The nurse gently touched the doctor's arms to notify him of Kate's arrival, and if Kate was not mistaken, he looked relieved to see her walk into the ward.
"Agent Gibbs, I believe you have a visitor. I will return shortly to discuss your discharge tomorrow with you," Dr. Thompson said briefly and moved away, nodding and smiling at Kate as they passed.
"I guess you're never a good patient, are you, Gibbs," Kate stated with mild amusement once she reached Gibbs' bed. He looked much better than when she had first woken up. Cuts were healed and bruises cleared.
"Never have been, Agent Todd," Gibbs responded. Kate grinned inwardly. He was returning to being a smart-ass, which probably meant he was feeling much better.
"I see you and the doctor have been having a discussion about getting you out of here tomorrow."
"Don't start, Kate."
"What? I didn't say anything."
"You're about to," Gibbs said, his features stern, and Kate knew if she could see his eyes, they would be glaring at her the way only Gibbs could.
Kate pushed away the pain caused by that thought. No, it wasn't the time to dwell in guilt. There would be time for that later.
"Well, how are you feeling so far?" she asked softly, her hands aching to smooth the hair on his forehead. So, instead, she grabbed tighter onto her purse.
"I am fine, Agent Todd," the stubborn man insisted then sighed. "I'll be better if they will stop fussing and get me coffee."
She grinned weakly. That was Gibbs. If he could only bring one thing with him in an emergency, it would be his coffee.
"Well, I heard you and the doctor were having a heated argument when I walked in," she brought the subject back and saw the irritation on the man's face.
"Forget about it, Kate. I don't need people babying me. I can take care of myself fine."
"I'm thinking maybe I can come and get you home," Kate continued as if he hadn't spoken.
"Kate, I told you I don't need you to baby me."
"I'm not babying you, Gibbs. I'm merely getting a friend and a colleague home after he has to stay in the hospital."
"Agent Todd," Gibbs started in a warning tone.
"Don't 'Agent Todd' me, Gibbs," Kate stopped him sternly then sighed, "Let me help, Gibbs. Just let me drive you home and we'll go from there, okay? I just want to make sure you're settled."
"I repeat: I don't need anyone to take care of me. I am capable of that."
Kate recognized it was the pride in the man that wouldn't let him back down, and her heart went out to him.
"Just humor me, Gibbs, okay? I just want to see for myself that you're really fine," she almost pleaded. "Please."
When Gibbs stayed quiet, Kate pressed on. "Please. Just put my mind at ease. I promise I won't get in the way."
Gibbs continued to stay silent. Kate could see the man getting tired from the drugs administered through his IV. "We'll talk about it tomorrow morning, okay?"
"I leave at noon. If you aren't here, I won't wait for you," Gibbs murmured sleepily before finally dozing off to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kate followed Gibbs into his house. She had no idea how to approach the man walking in front of her. Since her arrival to the hospital, Gibbs had seemed like a different person. He was much quieter than he used to be. Worse, he seemed resigned. It was like the fight had left him.
She didn't offer to take his bag because Gibbs had been holding onto it the whole time. She hated to admit it, but he seemed vulnerable like this, with a pair of sunglasses protecting his eyes from sunlight. He was walking with his hands in front, trying hard to balance himself and not to trip over anything.
A bang and a string of curses brought Kate out of her reverie, and she saw that Gibbs had probably tripped over his coffee table.
"Are you all right?" Immediately, Kate started over to help him. "Here, let me help you."
As soon as her hands touched his arms, he shook them away. "Now that you've seen me humiliate myself, Agent Todd, you can leave now."
~*~*~*~*~*~*