Fulfilled Hesitation

"Kate?"

Kate snapped out of her brief coffee reverie and wondered just how long Gibbs had been trying to get her attention. She looked up to see him still watching her. "Yeah, Gibbs?" To the very best of his ability, he hid the tiny smile tugging at his lips. Gibbs raised a speculative eyebrow and repeated himself slowly, "I said… it's getting pretty late, and I think it's time we call it a night.."

Gibbs got up from his desk mid-sentence, grabbing his coat. He strode over and leaned against Kate's desk, crossing his arms over his chest and looking to her with subtle anticipation. She sighed before finishing off the rest of the coffee and tossing it into the trash bin, onto an already growing pile of empty coffee containers. Nothing like a nice shot of caffeine at the stroke-a midnight, she thought. Kate got up from her chair and grabbed her purse from her bottom desk drawer before turning to get her coat. Gibbs already held her jacket, opening it and offering it to her. Kate's mouth quirked slightly as she slid her arms through the sleeves and picked up her bag. Gibbs walked out in front of her desk, "Ready?" Kate nodded and looked around her desk and then back to Gibbs. "Yep. Ready."

They walked in silence to the elevator, stood just beyond the unspoken boundary of the other's personal space, in silence, on the ride down to ground level. She could smell him; she breathed him in, and sighed him out. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, but his attention snapped back to face forward once the elevator doors opened. He held the doors open for her as he followed Kate into the NCIS parking garage. They fell back in step with each other as their heels clicked against the pavement in rhythm. Gibbs reached his car first and Kate turned to face him, she continued to walk another car length down the aisle to her own, "Goodnight Gibbs." She smiled. He loved it. Gibbs didn't smile, but nodded. "Goodnight, Agent Todd." His eyes smirked at her. She loved it. Kate nodded at his gruff farewell and reached her own car. Gibbs fumbled with his keys, stalling with the purpose of waiting to see Kate safely on her way. There were too many abandoned-parking-lot stories for his liking; chivalrous, maybe not, but he waited for her.

Kate unlocked her car and tossed her purse into the back, sliding into the driver's seat. She exhaled as she closed the door and slid her key into the ignition with an ever-so-slightly shaky hand. That's what you get for drinking Gibbs' coffee you jerk. she laughed quietly, but stopped when the engine wouldn't turn over. Kate grumbled, "C'mon, not now..." She closed her eyes and counted to 5 before turning the key again—nothing but the sound of her uncooperative Volvo. She hit her hand lightly on the steering wheel while continuing to test the ignition "… please don't do this to me now you piece of sh--"

She turned her head to a light tapping on her window. She rolled it down and Gibbs leaned slightly into the car. He looked around the interior and then looked to Kate, just a few inches away from her face. "What seems to be the problem, Agent Todd…?" She could smell him real good now. So close that she could feel his breath gracing the side of her neck. She sighed, "Damn.. thing won't.. turn," she punctuated her words as she irritably slapped at the console, trying the key in the ignition again. Gibbs retreated from her open window and opened the backdoor, took her purse from the seat, then gently closed the door. He opened her driver's side and waited for her to get out of the car. She looked up at him, slightly confused. Gibbs raised both eyebrows, softly questioning her. "Well? …Are you coming?" Kate put up the window, took the key from the ignition, and slowly climbed out of the car. "Well… where are we going.." Gibbs sighed as he closed her car door, "It's too late to go fishing underneath the hood of your car to play mechanic." He nodded, "I'll take you home." He slid past her, softly brushing up against her back as she locked the car. Kate stood there for a minute to collect herself. Just a ride, it's just a ride.

They continued on in relatively comfortable silence for most of the drive, mainly from Kate fading in and out of consciousness. He looked over at her a couple times while she was sleeping, and couldn't stop the smile from returning to his face. The smile. His 'Kate smile.' He made his way to her apartment from memory, happy in his success; happy in that he could let her sleep.

Gibbs pulled up to the curb and smoothly put the car in park. He placed a soft hand on her knee and lightly moved her, "Kate… Katie, we're here," he hushed to her. She suppressed a yawn and opened her eyes, suddenly realizing where she was. She turned to him, "Oh, God, I fell asleep--" Kate let out a small laugh, "Sorry Gibbs." She cocked her head to the side and smiled softly, her sleepy eyes spoke volumes of unconscious thought. Gibbs turned back to face front, he shook his head, "Don't be sorry."

"Well," Kate nodded, "thanks for the ride Gibbs." She hesitated slightly, but leaned over to place a kiss on his cheek. As he turned his head to say good night, he caught her kiss straight-on. Gibbs raised his eyebrows in momentary shock as Kate hovered in complete alarm. "Oh God," she whispered, for the most part to herself. To run or not to run, that was the question. But before she had time to even formulate an answer, Gibbs covered the remaining few inches that Kate left between them and pressed his lips to hers, softly and squarely, and a few notches above platonic. He ran his tongue lightly against her bottom lip, but quietly withdrew before she had a chance to respond. He sat back in his seat and looked to her. "Goodnight Katie." Her mouth hung open, just slightly, and then she saw the subtle corner of his mouth turn upwards and the familiar smile of amusement in his eyes. She closed her mouth, opened it to speak, but closed it again as she realized she didn't have the words. Kate nodded, with a small, almost undetectable smile, "Goodnight Gibbs."

She climbed out of the car with her bag in hand and closed the door. She walked down the path and up the few steps to her apartment building. She crossed her arms in front of her chest as the wind blew hard in the night. She turned as she stood on the landing, and faced the road. Gibbs rolled down the passenger window and called to her, "I'll pick you up tomorrow."

Kate nodded to him and rummaged for keys. Her head shot up as he was rolling up the window. "Gibbs! Tomorrow's Saturday.."

He didn't smile, but he nodded and called out, "Yeah."

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