The cool air hit them with such a force when they emerged from the chaos of the bar. Kate felt a little more alert, from the cold, the prior upheaval, and the throbbing of her cheek, but her body didn't quite feel the need to cooperate. She swayed and staggered in her high heels, quickly feeling Gibbs' grip tighten around her shoulders to keep her from falling. Perhaps if she was as intoxicated as she was earlier, she might have caused a scene. She might have pushed him away and yelled at him, even if it meant falling ass backwards onto the hard cement. She would have informed him that she didn't need his protection, didn't need him to defend her. Maybe she would have told him to go save something that was worth it. But she couldn't find the energy, and she couldn't make herself make a scene.

Gibbs walked her slowly away from the bar and closer to his car parked down the street. Every emotion he could have imagined ran through his head, but his main concern was taking her home and getting ice for her eye. Ice for everyone, he thought as he reminded himself of his own battle scar. He gently turned her around to face him, leaning her against the passenger door of his car— giving her a once over and waiting for her to look at him. Kate stared down at her feet, closing her eyes briefly to make the world stop spinning. Gibbs had one hand on her shoulder and the other on her hip, keeping her steady, ready to keep her from falling. She swallowed hard and put her hands on his forearms, sliding them up to grip his arms at the crooks of each of his elbows. He saw her start to shiver and he brought her closer to him, away from the car door. He unlocked and opened it for her, cautiously guiding her into the passenger's seat, and once he was sure she was all in, he shut the door carefully.

The car dipped slightly as Gibbs slid behind the wheel, closing the door as he buckled his seatbelt. Kate slowly buckled her own and nervously laid her hands in her lap. He just flexed his fingers with his hands on the steering wheel, wondering whether to take her to her apartment or to bring her back home with him.. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Gibbs finally started the car, pulling away from the curb and into the evening traffic. She let out a soft and shuddering sigh as the street lights passed by slowly, she watched the blurs go by outside her window. The strain she felt became increasingly difficult to handle. You're going to cry aren't you.. what are you gonna cry for..? Don't cry, Kate.. please, don't cry, she told herself when she felt that tight feeling rising in her throat and threatening to overwhelm her. She faced forward and didn't make a sound as the tension of the day squeezed warm tears from her, sliding down her cheeks. She didn't bother wiping them away.

"I'm sorry.." She said suddenly and hoarsely, startling Gibbs out of his thoughtful haze. His eyebrows rose slightly and he turned to look at her while they approached a stoplight. "I'm sorry I stole your car," Kate continued softly, turning her head just enough to see his face. His mouth quirked slightly, but he kept his smirk of surprise concealed as he raised a single eyebrow. But his heart broke a little when he saw the tear streaks running down her face. He nodded and turned his eyes back to the road. "Don't be sorry," he said gruffly. Kate swallowed and softly rested her head against the cool glass of the car window.

She wasn't all that surprised when she realized they were pulling into his driveway. She unbuckled her seatbelt when Gibbs got out of the car, coming around to open her door. He held out a hand to her. She looked at his offering and then up to his face, sliding her hand into his as he helped her out of the car. They got to the porch and Kate leaned against the house underneath the porch light while Gibbs pulled out his keys and unlocked the door. She kept her nausea at bay as he led her inside. It didn't bother him that they were operating in silence. It bothered him that she wasn't yelling at him, or refusing his help, but he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit grateful at her temporary vulnerability. He couldn't help her if she fought him, and he couldn't try and make things right if she wasn't there. He brought her back up to the bathroom, walking behind her on the stairs to make certain she didn't fall. As they climbed the steps, he saw her shirt rise a little, exposing a small area of skin. He grimaced faintly when he saw her lower back was already taking on a reddish purple where she had been pushed against the edge of the bar. He guided her into the bathroom and sat her down on the closed toilet seat.

He lifted her chin with an index finger, tilting her face up to him so he could see her straight on. Gently holding her chin between two fingers, he rubbed his thumb softly over the skin below her lower lip. He examined her lip and her swelling cheek and then looked into her dark eyes. The bewilderment in them made him want to smile, but the sadness he also saw made him sorry. His hand lingered by her face but he withdrew, stepping away from her, but not breaking eye contact. "Stay." He said abruptly in a low voice as he walked out of the bathroom and went down the stairs to the kitchen. Filling a glass with cold water, he wrapped a handful of ice cubes in a dish towel and made his way back upstairs. He entered the bathroom to find her exactly where he left her; she had a hand on the edge of the sink to keep her upright. He could sense a hint of embarrassment in her body language, as her head hung down, her hair falling into her face. Squatting down in front of her, he brushed some hair out of her face to make her look at him. "Here. Drink this.." he handed her the glass of water which she accepted gratefully, slowly drinking until her dry mouth was gone. He took it from her when she was finished and placed it on the edge of the bathtub. Touching her cheek gently, she winced reflexively but allowed him to examine her face. He shook his head as he pushed his hands off his thighs in order to stand up and motioned for her to do the same. "C'mon.. My knees aren't cut out for this.." She stood in front of him and Gibbs maneuvered her to stand with her back to the bathroom counter. As he wrapped his hands around her waist tightly, he lifted her up and onto the countertop. He stood in front of her and nodded his satisfaction at the new arrangement, taking the make-shift ice pack and gently pressing it to her cheek. Kate brought up her hand, brushing against his, and held the ice in place as he went in one of the cabinet drawers, getting peroxide and some cotton. She watched him intently as he assessed her split lip, diligently caring for it and cleaning the dried blood that had formed. He was too wrapped up in his first-aid to return her eye contact, but he looked to her briefly before returning to finish up her lip with a swab of peroxide. The corner of his mouth lifted just a little when he was done. Kate dropped down her hand along with the ice pack from her cheek. She swallowed and brought the ice back up and softly pressed it to Gibbs' cheek. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Gibbs.."

His eyes remained closed. "You shouldn't be here, Kate. Not with me." He slowly lifted his eyes to look at her. She scoffed and let out a laugh with a little irritation, slowly dropping the ice pack away from his face. "I know all about protocol Gibbs, I just—"

"No." He shifted his eyes from hers and dropped them to focus on her lip. "I said what I said.. because you shouldn't be with me… I am not.. who you should be with. I'm.. not young anymore, Kate.. I'm a.. a cranky bastard with bad habits and—"

"Hey," she interrupted him as she put a hand on his shoulder, "I think I know who I should be with.. I'm not interested in what you're not. I want what you are, Gibbs.." she said, carefully articulating her words as she slipped her hand to the back of his neck. Running the collar of his shirt through her fingers as she brought her hand down to lie on his chest. "I like you." She said softly, gently patting his chest.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he stared at her in a kind of blind amazement. He leaned into her and pressed his lips to hers, wary of her superficial injury. But Kate didn't seem to mind as she drew him in closer, kissing him long and slow, running her fingers into his hair and softly dragging her fingernails. She felt a low groan resonating from the back of Gibbs' throat which lit a small fire in the bottom of her stomach. He ran his hands down her back, coming to rest on her backside, pulling her closer. Kate wrapped her legs around his waist, scooting closer to him so their bodies were up against one another and gave him a squeeze, draping her arms over his shoulders. Gibbs tasted the salt on her lips from the tears of the day mixed with a subtle trace of vermouth. He plundered her mouth with a fervor he wasn't previously aware of as he ran a slow hand down the thigh of her jeans when she moaned into his mouth. He suddenly remembered the alcohol that was probably still running through her veins. Slowly, very slowly, he broke off the kiss and marveled at her slightly swollen lips from his intimate assault. He ran a thumb lightly over her bottom lip as he licked his own lips instinctively. "I think we should wait.. before we do anything.." he said breathily. Her head was swimming, so she probably would have agreed to just about anything, but she nodded, running a hand through his hair. She leaned into him again and kissed him slow, withdrawing and then leaning her forehead against his. "You believe me don't you.." she said huskily.

"Hmm?" he hummed, squeezing her hips and slipping his hands into her back pockets. "That I like you…" She seemed to purr. Gibbs smiled very softly and whispered, "I like you, too."