Everything's Ducky-Epilogue

Epilogue

"Dammit, I wanted him alive."

Kate had never finished dealing with being held hostage not once, but twice by Ari. Having taken the call from the hospital that he had died from his injuries, she had a surprising sense of closure.

Finding Gibbs in the break room, Kate had broken the news to him, and was shocked by his swearing.

"Talk to me Gibbs. If you're having second thoughts about Ducky and Abby finishing off Ari, don't. "He's dead, I'm not sorry either." Hot tears filled her eyes and she turned her back to her boss, only to feel his arm spin her around until she faced him.

"Kate." He said her name tersely, then she saw the anger in his gaze.

Suddenly his eyes softened, and taking a deep breath, he whispered, "Katie, I'm not sorry, either."

She couldn't help it, the change in his manner, the way he said her name, Kate felt her tears spilling on to her cheeks and at once she was crying against Gibbs chest, wetting his shirt.

"Shh, it's all right, Katie. I didn't mean to make it sound like he should be alive. I wanted to find out who helped him get in here, he had your address in his pocket and an outline of where everyone sat. What if he came after you again?" Gibbs made a sound suspiciously like a gulp, and Kate raised her head to look at him, not believing her ears.

"Gibbs, you mean, oh God." She sniffed, and he smiled comfortingly at her, then pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes before handing it to her so she could blow her nose.

"Better, Katie?" he asked, hesitantly. Kate nodded, then found her voice.

"Thanks, Gibbs, I can't believe I broke down like that, only it was like a bad re-run, seeing him taken out of here like that. If Ducky and Abby hadn't taken him down....,"

"I know, and you have every right to be upset at having to deal with this." her boss put his hand on hers, then squeezed it.

"I'll be all right. You, know." Kate hesitated, then felt his fingers intertwine with her. "You're only the second person in my life to call me "Katie".

"Do you mind." Gibbs cleared his throat, and Kate realized he was unsure of himself, or her reaction or both.

Throwing caution to the winds, she raised her eyes to meet his, then replied, "No. You make me feel cared for when you say it."

"Well, you are. Never doubt that." Gibbs assured her, as Kate couldn't believe her ears., Gibbs cared.

"I won't, and I don't care about Rule 12. Abby said once that life's too short not to tell people how you feel. Well, I want you to know, Iloveyou." she rushed the words together, irrationally afraid he'd interrupt her.

At once, Gibbs' eyes blazed with feeling, and pulling her to him, he kissed her, his lips like fire on hers. Kate put her arms around him as he opened his mouth to hers, and she yielded to him, tasting like mint and licorice.

Finally coming up for air, they broke apart, gasping for breath. "I love you too, Katie. I only made up that rule so you and DiNozzo would stay on the up and up. I never thought you'd care about, well," her boss gave Kate that reluctant smile, and she put her fingers on his lips.

"I never wanted Tony, Gibbs, just you."

"Good, cause if you'd ever even thought about him that way...." Gibbs stopped, then grinned at Kate's look of wonder. "You don't know what you do to me, Katie."

"I guess I'm going to find out." she teased, shyly, and Gibbs took her hand, then froze as voices came down the hall.

"It's Ducky and Abby, it's all right, please." Kate feared Gibbs would back down, forgetting his own words. Her only reply was his raising her hand to his lips, then he smiled as Ducky came into the room, followed by a subdued Abby.

"Jethro, any word from the hospital?" Ducky asked with a calm tone, glancing at his Abigail.

"Yes, Duck. Ari didn't make it. My only regret in him being gone, is that we don't know how he got in here." Gibbs quietly explained. Ducky sat on the couch, then put his head in his hands.

"It's my fault, I was so enraged, I didn't think to just subdue him, I wanted to protect Abby so badly I .." the doctor's voice faded, then Abby startled all of them by stamping her foot and swearing.

"Damn it, Ducky, don't you start. You saved my life, he would have taken it. Look what he did to Gerald, and Gibbs and Kate, twice! I'm the one who nailed him, and I'm not sorry!"

The others looked in astonishment at her outburst, then Gibbs smiled at her.

"Neither am I, Abby. Thank you."

"Bless you, dear." Ducky raised his head and glanced up at his girl, then reached for her hand.

"Duck." she put her hand in his, then went into his embrace. As the two hugged, Gibbs tugged at Kate's hand, then said gently, "Come on, Rule 14."

Puzzled, Kate followed him to the elevator, then as the doors closed, asked, "What's Rule 14?"

Gibbs embraced her, then whispered, "When nothing else makes sense, believe."

"I believe in Rule 14." she softly told him, then their lips met as one.

The end??????