A Dare, Or Something More Sinister?
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS... I'm just taking the characters for a spin!
Author's Notes: Thank-you all for the reviews, I'm glad you all like it... as always a few more wouldn't go unnoticed! Please!
And of course, again a humungous thank-you to Kate for her fantastic work and inspiration!
This chapter is a slightly longer than the rest, hope you enjoy it!
McGee found Kate in the corridor, just outside the waiting room. She was sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall with her head in her hands. She looked up as he approached
"He can be such a bastard!" She told him
McGee got a confused expression on his face, "Gibbs?"
"No, McGee, Ducky. Who the hell do you think?" she responded sarcastically
McGee sat down next to her, "Yeah" he agreed, "I know how you feel" he sympathesized
Kate looked at him questioningly, "You've watched a friend almost die before?"
"Well, no, not unless you include watching your dog die" McGee replied, "I was referring to your feelings for Gibbs and how he pretends not to return …Ow!" he stopped as Kate lightly punched him. He rubbed his arm and frowned as he looked over at Kate who was glaring at him. "What I mean, Ka- I mean. Agent Todd, is that your relationship with Agent Gibbs is not professional... I mean, um, it is professional, it's just that it's more than that…"
"Okay, McGee, you have 5 seconds to tell me exactly what is on your mind!" Kate said threateningly
McGee didn't say anything and looked at Kate shocked, with his mouth gaping open
"One..." Kate said warningly
McGee continued to watch Kate
"Two…"
McGee eventually found his voice, "Ah, well, uh, we always thought there was something between you and Gibbs and waited to see if anything would happen"
"What? Like a bet?" Kate asked, then thoughtfully looked at the ceiling, "I'm gonna kill Tony!"
"What! Tony? Why?" McGee asked quickly
"Because he had a bet that Gibbs and I would get together, and worked with me yesterday to try to win!" Kate answered her voice shaking as she felt hurt. She thought back to the previous day and of all the kind gestures Tony had shown her, and it was all for a bet, she thought bitterly.
"Tony?" McGee asked again, "No, he didn't know about it. It was Abby and me; we were going to try to hook you guys up after he was hugging you in the elevator…"
"The elevator broke down, we were trying to keep warm, it was in the minuses in there." Kate replied
"He wouldn't have done that for the rest of us" McGee insisted
"That's because the rest of you are men, McGee" Kate responded
"But have you seen the way he looks at you? Or how he always seems to be in a better mood around you?", he paused and looked thoughtfully at the wall opposite them, "That's why I prefer working with you more than I do with Tony"
Kate tilted her head and watched him.
"Anyway, our plans kept back-firing, so we gave up, but we never gave up hope that something would happen. But, Tony had nothing to do with it." McGee finished
"Oh" Kate responded. She let out a small breath and watched a doctor go past, "It doesn't matter anyway, he would never act on it if he felt that way about me"
"Because of rule 12?" McGee asked
"Yeah, that and he's too much of a bastard. Wouldn't want to ruin his career" Kate said bitterly, "Oh, and because he's not in touch with his feelings."
McGee smirked and agreed, "He has feelings?" he asked sarcastically
Kate smiled but didn't reply. She watched a few nurses walk past, chattering eagerly. "You know, I don't think I'll be able to work with him much longer, if he doesn't act soon" she finally said
McGee looked at her, surprised, "What are you saying, Kate?" he asked carefully
Kate gazed at the far end of the corridor, still watching the nurses, "I don't know" she said vaguely, "Doesn't matter" she said under her breath
She made to get up, but was stopped by McGee hand on her shoulder, "What did you mean, that you won't be able to work with him much longer? Are you thinking of leaving?"
Kate was saved from responding by the arrival of Tony and Ducky. She stood up and looked at them as they approached, Tony had a frustrated look on his face and Ducky didn't look too pleased either. McGee got up and stood beside her, still looking stunned.
"So, who feels like something to eat?" she asked, trying to avoid the topic they all wanted to talk about
"Caitlin, we should talk" Ducky said after a small sigh
"I thought we were" Kate replied before walking off
They boarded the chopper two hours later after taking time out from each other. Apart from Gibbs, they never really knew how constricting it was to stay on a ship, to be constantly in each others faces. They had all needed the time out, and for the most part, felt better as a result of it. Kate, however, still refused to look at any of them, avoiding eye contact with them by staring out the window. She sat at the opposite end of the chopper to Gibbs, who hadn't said anything since he'd been woken up by Ducky. The only reason he'd spoken was to refuse being carried to the chopper in a stretcher, insisting that he could walk, but had settled for a wheelchair when Ducky hadn't accepted no for an answer.
Tony looked back and forth between the pair like it was a tennis match, expecting them to begin an argument any second, the tension in the chopper making him slightly anxious. When nothing happened, he glanced at Ducky before taking out his game-boy and playing a game with the noise turned down so he wouldn't draw undue attention to himself.
McGee watched Tony take out his game-boy and sighed. He occasionally stole glances in Kate's direction but got no reaction. He looked to Ducky, wishing he could tell him what Kate had told him, but decided against it as everybody would hear him and he didn't want that. Leaning his head back on the chair, he cracked his neck and squinted at Gibbs, who was fighting to stay awake. Gibbs' eyes would slowly close and his head would roll forward before he would suddenly awake again and regain his composure, blinking a few times before it happened again. Eventually his head remained down and his breathing became even and deep.
The journey back to NCIS passed without incident, Kate continued to gaze out the window, Tony alternated between playing his game and watching Kate and McGee fell asleep. Half-way through the flight, Gibbs briefly woke up after he startled himself by mumbling in his sleep. He grunted before going back to sleep, subconsciously leaning his head on Ducky's shoulder. Ducky watched his collegues for a while, before softly mumbling to himself, his monologue continuing for the entire journey.
When the chopper landed at NCIS, Tony breathed a sigh of relief and got out as soon as he was given the all-clear by the pilots. Kate woke McGee and got out after Tony, with just as much eagerness. Ducky watched McGee leave, yawning as he got out of the chopper. Ducky turned to Gibbs who was still sleeping on his shoulder and gently shook him and softly called his name. He frowned when Gibbs didn't respond and shook him again, calling his name louder. He called for Kate, in a vane attempt to unite the pair. When Gibbs didn't respond again, he put his fingers to Gibbs' neck and felt for the pulse. He cursed himself when his friend's skin felt hot and sweaty; his pulse was strong and rapid. Kate appeared at the opposite door of the chopper, surprisingly having heard him. Ducky motioned for her to come in. She breathed out heavily and sat opposite Ducky.
Gibbs made an unintelligible sound, Ducky paused, he swore Gibbs had called for Kate.
"Kate!" Gibbs shouted and sat up, staring directly in-front of him. His breathing was fast and uneven; he turned to Ducky with confusion etched in his face. "Where's Kate?" he asked, grabbing Ducky by his shoulders.
"What do you want?" Kate demanded
"Kate" his voice cracked as he said her name
"Jethro, we need to get you to a hospital. You've developed a fever" Ducky interrupted them, noting Gibbs' sweat covered face
When Gibbs didn't reply, Ducky took one of his arms, indicating to Kate that she should take the other. Gibbs squinted at Kate as they helped him out of the chopper. Once they reached the solid ground, he focused his attention on walking. Ducky directed them towards a waiting ambulance, but Gibbs stopped walking, shaking his head. Ducky and Gibbs argued for a while, Ducky eventually gave up when he realised Gibbs wasn't going to budge from his position. He waved off the ambulance, and saw Abby walking towards them with a wheelchair.
"Thought you might need this for the boss-man" she explained
Ducky smiled and thanked her, "It never ceases to amaze me what you have kept over the years from cases, Abigail".
Abby brought the chair to stop in-front of Gibbs with a big smile on her face, "Right, in!" she commanded him
Gibbs raised his eyebrow and gave her a small smile before slowly lowering himself into the chair. Tony walked up behind the chair and took the handles, "Always wanted to push the boss around" he commented
"Watch your mouth, DiNozzo. I could stick you on desk duties for a month if I wanted to!" Gibbs responded as they began moving
Tony gulped, Ducky looked at Gibbs disapprovingly, "And I could do the same for you, Jethro"
Gibbs put his hands over the wheels to stop the chair and glared at Ducky.
"You are still recovering from a serious head injury and hyperthermia, and have now developed a fever" Ducky said, holding his ground "And you need rest"
"I have had enough rest!" Gibbs said evenly, "I don't need any more" he gave a push on the chairs wheels and headed back to NCIS.
They watched him leave and looked at each other.
"It's gonna be a long day" Tony commented
"Yeah, what's left of it" McGee responded
"Anthony, when does this bet of yours finish?" Ducky asked, "It might improve his mood if he has some coffee"
Tony looked at his watch, "Well, it's been six days, nine hours and four minutes, so that makes it…"
"…too long" Kate finished his sentence and walked off in the same direction as Gibbs
That's it for chapter 22... I hope you like it! Please review, please!