Disclaimer: I do not own these characters…etc…
A/N: Chapter 4 is in the writing/revision stage. It will be up soon!
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"Boss..uh..what happened?" he asked, concerned.
Gibbs didn't answer. He only walked past McGee and threw his radio into the sedan. He then slumped to the ground where his emotions overcame him and he cried into his arms. Tony walked past McGee who was turning white with shock, confusion, and some understanding. He put his hand on McGee's shoulder and said, "Its ok probie, she's in a better place now." He then sat down next to McGee on the end of the van.
Tim was thunderstruck. He was speechless. My death had affected everyone around me; and yet the only person who wasn't yet aware, the only person who hadn't been notified was Abby. She was my closest friend on the team. We had an understanding of each other, and I knew my death would hit her the hardest.
The body-bag was placed gently into the van and the doors were closed. Ducky and Jimmy got in and drove off, back to headquarters. Gibbs finally stood up. His eyes were red and tears were still swelling in his eyes. He had an anger and a sadness in him that I had never seen before. It was an indescribable hatred for the man who had done this; Ari Haswari.
They all piled into the sedan; Gibbs in the driver's seat, Tony shotgun, and McGee slowly crawled into the rear. He closed the door and starred at the spot where, about an hour ago, I was sitting. Gibbs started the car, but he didn't pull out. He looked out the window and said two words, "Thanks, Kate."
Once back at headquarters, Ducky unloaded my body onto a gurney in the receiving elevator. He had Jimmy return the van to the garage while he went down with my body to autopsy. He rolled the gurney across the floor and over to the 'coolers' as Tony and I had affectionately called them. He opened up number 36 and pulled the rack out. He didn't lift it up, for Ducky was older and didn't have the strength, especially after what had just happened. He went over to his desk, just as the doors rushed open and Jimmy Palmer came in.
"Need any help Doctor Mallard?" he asked as he threw his bag down in frustration.
"In a moment, Jimmy….for now I need some peace and quiet." said Ducky. Jimmy managed to crack a small smile. Doctor Mallard was just beginning to call him Jimmy, opposed to 'Mr. Palmer', which Jimmy hated. Jimmy left autopsy and Ducky put his head down on the desk for about half an hour. I had no idea what he was doing; crying, thinking, resting, I had no idea. Eventually though, Ducky was interrupted by the phone ringing. It was Gibbs.
"Duck, I want to come see Kate" he said.
"Very well, Jethro, but I am going to put her in the body cooler for the night until her parents can come identify her tomorrow. He hung up. My heart dropped…my parents. How could I have forgotten about them? They hadn't heard the news that their only daughter had been killed. This was going to tear them apart, I thought sadly.
Five minutes later, Gibbs and Ducky lifted my body, still in the bag, onto the cooler rack. Gibbs slowly reached up to unzip it. He paused for a moment as if he wasn't sure that he wanted to look at me again. He unzipped the body-bag slowly, blinking as he did it. He then used his hands to pull back the clear plastic that was wrapped around my body. He starred into my face, still calm and peaceful, the only difference being that my eyes were closed. He couldn't take it anymore, and he put his hand over his mouth and ran over to the trashcan at the far corner of the room. Ducky watched him go. It was the first time I, or anyone had ever seen Gibbs get sick at the sight of anything.
Ducky pulled the plastic back over my corpse and re-zipped the bag. He pushed in into the cooler and closed the door.
Everyone eventually went home. It was around 2 in the morning and the only people in the building were the janitors and the around-the-clock security force patrolling the halls. Autopsy was empty and lonely, dark and cold. I felt all alone; my spirit restless. Around 3am I heard the bell on the elevator chime. I wondered who it could be- the security force rarely patrolled down in autopsy. The doors slid open and a man walked in. It was too dark to tell who it was. He walked over to the wall and looked at a chart near the coolers. He then flipped a switch next to the chart. The lights near the cooler came to life, illuminating the coolers and the man. It was Tony. He was looking for a particular cooler, and he found it. Number 36; my number. He opened the door and when the saw the body bag, he let go immediately and banged his head against metal wall. Maybe he figured the whole thing was a dream, as I had initially. He finally stopped and slowly turned back to my body. He was crying again. He pulled the rack out with my corpse on it.
Slowly, just like Gibbs had done, he unzipped the bag and removed the plastic covering my face. He just stood there and starred at it. He took his right hand and slowly stroked my forehead and pushed some hair out of my eyes. I finally realized it. Tony had been in love with me. He had never told anyone, especially not Gibbs. I had my own romantic feelings for Tony, but never would have admitted them in public. The only person I had spoken to about my feelings for Tony was my best friend, Lisa, in the secret service. I had never told Tony about the feelings, and now it was all gone; it was too late.
I turned my attention back to Tony who had pulled open the cooler next to mine, and yanked out the tray. He jumped up onto it and laid down, crying into his hands, next to my body. He then turned his head so that he was looking at me, and feel asleep.