Title: Further Clarification
A/N: This is a sequel to "Clarification" but it's not entirely necessary to have read that one.
Kate grasped her sandwich in one hand and flicked over the page she was scanning with the other. Her eyes swept over words that were starting to loose all meaning and she growled as her sandwich fell apart in her hand. Cursing softly, she reached down to retrieve a piece of tomato from her camel skirt.
"Hey."
She looked up from trying to clean up the mess she'd made to see Agent Pryce leaning on the partition dividing her desk from the general walkway.
"Hi," she greeted, letting out a sigh.
"Working through your lunch break?" he asked.
"What lunch break?" she grimaced, good-humouredly.
"I know what you mean," nodded Pryce, holding up a packet of crisps and energy drink: "We're off to our second crime scene for the day."
Kate gave an understanding smile and chucked the remains of her sandwich in the trash under her desk. She sat back in her chair and looked up at the other agent; he was very nice looking really. Dark brown hair, blue-ish eyes, an open, easy air. He hadn't pushed for an answer to his earlier invitation out, but had caught her now or then for a quick chat or joke.
"So, I've got another question for you," he said, continuing a conversation they'd been having for about a week now.
"Am I being graded here, or psychoanalysed?" Kate asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
"I'll let you know when I'm done," he smiled: "Okay – it's multiple choice again. I know it's a tough one so take your time."
"Alright then," she smiled.
"Favourite choice of cuisine for a first date," he said with mock seriousness: "A, Italian; B, French; C, Thai; d, Japanese."
Kate nodded slowly, letting him wait a little for her answer.
"Well… after careful consideration…I would have to go with Thai."
"How about you go with me?" he grinned: "Come on, I know a great place and it sounds like we could both use a decent meal."
Kate had to smile and was just forming her response when she saw her boss' silver head pass behind Steven Pryce and he appeared at her desk.
"Kate, have you finished yet?" he asked impatiently, not seeming to register the other man.
"It's printing out now," she replied, nodding towards the printer that was spiting out her profile report.
"Start on the correspondence--"
"Already there," she answered smartly, always pleased with herself when she second-guessed her boss.
Gibbs turned to look at Agent Pryce still leaning on the wall beside Kate, munching on his crisps. The two men exchanged blank stares, as Kate's eyes darted between them. Gibbs turned to her expectantly as the silence stretched on.
"Er, Agent Gibbs – Agent Pryce," she introduced briefly.
"Good to meet you Gibbs," Pryce nodded, extending a hand: "I know you by reputation of course."
Gibbs glanced at the hand and shifted to face the younger man: "What reputation would that be?"
Kate recognised Gibbs' intimidation technique and saw Agent Pryce stumble towards an answer.
"Gibbs," she said, drawing his gaze and circumventing his attack. Gibbs turned back to her, and held her gaze. When she did not relinquish, he retreated to the printer to retrieve her report.
He glanced back at her curiously – if he was not mistaken, Kate had just given him a 'cut-it-out' look. When did she become familiar enough with him to earn that right? When did she become brave enough? What did she care if he wanted to have some fun with that guy? He was her superior after all, he balked, and only wives, girlfriends and mothers gave 'cut-it-out' looks.
"Did I say something wrong or is it just one of those days?" he heard the other man ask with a wince in his voice.
"No, Steven, with Gibbs, every day is one of those days," Kate replied, making little effort to lower her voice.
"I see."
Gibbs returned to his desk, shuffling Kate's profile into its correct order and beginning to read while eavesdropping on the events occurring at her desk.
"So--!" said Agent Pryce, getting back to the subject at hand: "what do you say to dinner?"
"Um…" Kate paused for an overly long time and Gibbs thought she glanced his way: "I'm not sure how things will turn out here — we've got a lot on….can I get back to you?"
"Sure," Pryce replied lightly. Gibbs looked up in time to see him offer her his crisp packet and an understanding smile. Kate smiled back, reaching in and popping a crisp in her mouth.
"See ya," he said and left. Gibbs put on his glasses and leaned over her profile trying to disguise the fact he'd been closely observing her interaction with Agent Steven Pryce, who'd he'd be checking up on at his earliest opportunity.
"So…you dating him?" he mumbled, after a pause.
Kate caught the quiet enquiry and when he turned to her, she looked mildly surprised. He watched her tossing up how to respond – he expected a glib retort or defensive swipe. Instead, her eyes remained steady and she said a simple:
"No."
He nodded and turned back to his work. "You gonna go to dinner with him?" he asked trying to keep the interest from his voice.
Kate continued to examine her boss, while considering the other man: "He seems nice."
Hardly a glowing report, thought Gibbs, and hardly an answer to his question but she didn't owe him any.
"Did you get this to our guy in Hawaii?" he asked, indicating her profile report.
"Yes." She rose, moving towards his desk. She opened her mouth to continue but was interrupted.
"You've misspelt 'inapposite'," he stated, absently, without looking up.
Kate leaned down, resting both elbows on his desk and twisting her head to one side to get a look at the page he read. Gibbs' head rose at the sweep of her perfume over him. He didn't expect to see her so close, to see dark hair pouring over one shoulder to brush at his desk, a white neck stretched and exposed and dark, lowered lashes under a knit brow. He watched her lips trace the sentence and check her spelling over.
"No I didn't," she said, shaking her head infinitesimally. Her eyes flicked up to his and held. They held no fear, no uncertainty, no hope, no fragility. She looked at him straight. His mouth twitched slightly and her eyes dropped briefly, catching the movement.
She blinked calmly and met his eyes again: "I think you need a new prescription, Gibbs." She straightened and looked down at him, a little smile on her lips.
Gibbs took off his glasses and chucked them down: "That's what you think, is it, Agent Todd?" He had no recourse but to play to bastard, challenge her impudence.
"Yeah," Kate replied, lightly and turned back to her desk. Her back was to him when he heard her comment quietly: "If you can't see what's right in front of you."
Gibbs didn't know if she meant to be heard, or what exactly she meant, but as there was no response he could give, he chose to ignore the comment. He sighed loudly as a voice within remarked that he was very well aware of what was right in front of him. He drowned the voice in coffee and read on with her report.
Kate took her seat again, rummaging in her drawer for the protein bars she stashed there for days like this. If she was totally honest, she didn't want to date Steven Pryce or any of the men like him that on occasion asked her out. On that point she had perfect clarity.
It was somewhat disturbing, but her type seemed no longer to be her type and the one man who stimulated the hell out of her, both intellectually and physically, was also the man who confused and frustrated her on a daily basis. He was, without exception, the most exciting man she'd ever met.
But whatever strange chemistry existed between her and Gibbs; whatever they might mean to each other or want individually — on all this and the spaces in between she would need further clarification.
And that would take time. Gibbs was not a man to be known or understood quickly or easily. But she was willing to wait, she was willing to work for it, she would do whatever it took.
Something told her he was worth the wait, worth the effort, and worth the risk.
Her hand closed around the sought-after treat at the back of her drawer and she ripped it open, taking a big bite. Glancing across at Gibbs' intent profile, she smiled to herself: definitely worth it.