Title: Take My Hand (And Show Me The Way)
Fandom: NCIS:Hawai'i
Characters: Lucy Tara, Kate Whistler, Jane Tennant, Kai Holman, Jesse Boone, OC's
Category: Angst, Drama, Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst and Fluff
Rating: R
Word Count: 3,196
Summary: Set sometime between 1x11 but before the hug and apology in 1x17. Kate is out enjoying her day off and gets pulled into an undercover mission Lucy is working on. To their mutual discomfort, they have to pretend to be a couple - FOR THE MISSION. That's right, y'all. It's a fake dating AU.
Warnings: Canon typical violence, etc.
Notes: Many thanks to Satan for beta'ing this for me, and pointing out all my plot holes. Also for helping me - okay, give me - the title. It's very much appreciated.
Gunshots rang out behind them. A tree to Kate's left exploded and peppered Kate's bare abdomen with sharp splinters. She lurched in the opposite direction. Lucy's hand on her arm steadied her and she dove back into the woods, trying to head deeper into the vegetation while still moving in the general direction they needed to go.
"Are you sure this was a good idea?" Lucy panted from beside her.
"Run faster," Kate snapped at her, not bothering to look behind them. They could both hear Vincent crashing through the woods.
"I'm trying!" Lucy snarled as she leapt over a small downed tree. Kate was pulling her hand, tugging her part of the way over. "I can only go so fast."
"Well, go faster, this plan will only work-"
"You have a plan?" Lucy demanded.
Kate almost skidded to a stop, but another gunshot rang out through the woods. Instead, she ducked and kept running. "You came with me and you didn't think I had a plan?"
"Now's not the time, Kate!" Lucy snapped back.
"Fine then, just run."
"That's what I'm doing," Lucy said through gritted teeth. Kate stumbled over a rock and this time it was Lucy that kept her standing. "Is it just me or are we going uphill?"
"We are," Kate agreed. "Now, hurry up!" Kate's legs were starting to burn but she ignored them, going up the hill as fast as she could.
Suddenly, Lucy let out a strangled shriek and went down hard. She would have tumbled head over heels if Kate's hand hadn't been there to catch her. Kate pulled her back to her feet, glancing over her shoulder as she did, and caught a glimpse of Vincent behind them. He was panting and had slowed to a walk going up the hill. When he saw her looking, he raised the gun. Kate ducked just as another shot rang out over her head. "Come on, Lucy. We have to go."
"My ankle, Kate. I'm not sure I can," Lucy whimpered even as she struggled to take another step, one hand resting on Kate's shoulder to steady herself.
"It's not much farther," Kate said encouragingly, ducking down to put her shoulder under Lucy's arm. It was awkward but together they hobbled with Lucy hopping on one foot up the last few feet to the top of the rise.
"Come on," Kate said, gritting her teeth. They were so close.
"Kate!" Lucy's voice was sharp with fear. "Where's the rest of this hill? I just see water!"
"Lucy," Kate grabbed both sides of her face and bit her lip. They didn't have time for this. "I know it's hard; I know it's a lot to ask, but I need you to trust me. I promise I won't let you down."
"Kate-" Another shot pinged over her head and ricocheted off a rock beside them. Both Kate and Lucy jumped. "I can't. I can't," Lucy whimpered.
"If there was any other way I wouldn't ask you to do this, but, Lucy, we need to jump," Kate said. "Please. It's the only way. He's getting so close and I don't think we can take him with a gun in this shape."
"You go," Lucy said, pushing at Kate's shoulders. "You go and I'll-"
"No way I'm leaving you up here with that maniac. You wouldn't leave me; I'm not leaving you," Kate declared. "But if you can't jump, we'll do this together too."
Lucy glanced down the path behind them. "No. No way. He'll kill you."
"And what do you think he'll do to you?" Kate demanded.
"Okay," Lucy said, staring at Kate as if she was the only thing Lucy could see. "You have a plan?"
Kate nodded. "I do."
Lucy reached down and grabbed Kate's hand, holding it so tightly it hurt. "Together."
They jumped.
The water hit Lucy like a brick wall, and knocked the air out of her lungs. She gasped as water closed over her head and swirled all around her. She choked and flailed, all her FLETC training leaving her in an instant. Panic started to grip her and then she felt Kate's hand in hers. Kate was pulling her, dragging her toward the surface and all Lucy had to do was follow. She tried to kick her feet to help out but the way her ankle twinged every time she did, Lucy wasn't sure how much help she had been.
Water surged up around them as Lucy's head cleared the water. She choked again and tried to spit water out. Her eyes burned from the salt and everything hurt. She let of Kate's hand as she tried to clear her eyes.
"C'mon," Kate called out and Lucy's head snapped around to follow her voice. Lucy wanted to ask a hundred questions, but she didn't have the breath or the energy to try it. So she did her best to make her way to Kate, flinging her arms ungracefully through the water and struggling with every stroke to stay afloat.
Kate held out her hand and Lucy grabbed onto it like a drowning woman, which she wasn't. Quite. "In here," Kate said and Lucy realized they were up against the rock face of the cliff. There was a jagged hole in the rock. Water was flowing in and out of it in great rushes but there was enough light left that Lucy could see several feet back into the gap. It was a small cave up under the cliff and the perfect place to hide from Vincent.
Lucy swam disjointedly toward it, half moving under her own power and half letting Kate tow her closer. Her free hand struck rock under the water and she hissed, only to inhale a lungful of water. It sent her into a coughing fit even as Kate tugged her up into the cave. The second Lucy's feet hit the solid rock beneath her, a wave of gratitude flooded through her. It was hard to catch her balance as the water swirled back and forth around her. She stumbled and went face down into the water, but Kate kept dragging her up and further back into the small cave until it narrowed to the point that they couldn't go any further.
"Are you okay?" Kate gasped, still holding on to Lucy. "I'm so sorry." She raised a hand to touch Lucy's cheek then stopped and let it drop back into the water.
Lucy's hand was starting to cramp where it was clenched around Kate's. She forced herself to loosen her grip and then almost immediately grabbed back on as hard as she could as water slowly swirled up around them. It was up to mid chest level on her. "I don't think I can do this, Kate." Even now that they weren't having to swim and struggle through the water any more, Lucy's breath still came in short, sharp pants. "There's so much water and it's everywhere," Lucy said, her voice rising with every word.
"Hey, no, Lucy, you can do this," Kate said. "Look at me. Don't look out there," she said, waving behind her at the view of the ocean that could be seen through the opening in the rocks.
"I think I need to turn around," Lucy said. "It's so endless." The water was colder in here than where they had gone into the water and already Lucy could feel herself starting to shiver. Staring into the darkness behind Kate wouldn't be much better, but at least she wouldn't be staring out at the open ocean anymore. She grabbed at Kate's forearms and tried to center her attention on the woman in front of her. "Talk to me, please, Kate. I can't-"
"I don't think Vincent saw us come back up. We were too close to the edge of the cliff and by the time I heard him shouting up there I couldn't see him either. Maybe he'll think we drowned."
Lucy's hands spasmed around Kate's forearms. "Not the way I wanted you to distract me, Kate. I already have enough problems thinking about that."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Kate repeated. "But I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Lucy."
"You can't promise that," Lucy said, gesturing around wildly. "The ocean is huge and we're in the middle of it."
"Not in the middle of it," Kate pointed out. "It might feel like it, but we can still touch the ground here. As long as we can do that, we'll be fine. And your team has to be on their way. Vincent certainly lit the forest up enough for anyone in a five mile radius to hear him."
"Yeah, and they're closer than that," Lucy said, feeling something besides terror for the first time since she had hit the water. Her team had her back, always. "They'll find us."
"Exactly," Kate said. "We just have to hang in there until they do."
"You say that like it's easy," Lucy said as her voice shook.
"No, Lucy, I didn't mean to…" Kate cut herself off. "I'm sorry, this was the only plan I could come up with. I saw this cave earlier today when I went swimming. I went in the opposite direction from Vincent because he was being a creep. But you're the most amazing woman I've ever met. You can do this."
"You're just saying that," Lucy said with a shaky little laugh. Kate was just doing her job, trying to boost her confidence like that, but it wouldn't work. Lucy knew her own limitations far too well and just standing here was pushing every single one of them.
"No, Lucy, I mean it," Kate said intensely, ducking her head to meet Lucy's gaze. "Every single word."
"Then why the hell did you let me find you with some girlfriend I didn't even know existed?" Lucy demanded, before she could stop the words from tumbling out of her mouth. "If you really cared, that would never have happened!"
"I did care," Kate retorted. "I do care," she corrected herself. "I didn't tell you anything because I wanted to clean up my mistake without hurting you. I was always going to break up with Cara. I knew that from the moment she texted me that morning, but, Lucy, I didn't want to hurt you."
"Well, you did," Lucy snapped, trying to hold in the anger that beat against her heart. "You hurt me, Kate, more than anyone else ever has. I thought we had something and I find out that I was nothing more than some-"
"No," Kate snapped. "Don't ever call yourself that again. That's not what you were to me, Lucy."
"That's exactly what I was though," Lucy retorted. "There's no other word for it, Kate. Be honest with yourself."
"Not to me," Kate said. "Never to me, Lucy."
Lucy shook her head and then stopped, the ends of her curls spraying them both with water. "I can't discuss this now, Kate. I can barely…"
"Okay, Lucy," Kate sounded resigned. "I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about it anymore."
"The water's getting higher," Lucy said, her voice wobbly. She could feel it creeping up her chest with each surge of the water into their little cave.
"I think the tide's coming in," Kate said. Lucy could tell she was trying to sound strong and brave, but it wasn't entirely working. "Your team will be here soon."
"Kate," Lucy said, spitting out against the water to keep it from filling her mouth. "I can't touch anymore." Her heart was racing and panic gripped at her chest as her legs churned beneath the water. She had been on her tiptoes for what felt like forever, but now even that small bit of safety had been taken away. Her ankle was screaming with each motion of her leg and her whole body was racked with shivers. "I'm so cold."
Kate held out her arms immediately. "Come here. I can still touch, and I don't think you should be treading water."
Lucy grabbed on desperately, latching onto Kate's wrist. Kate's grip was hard on her wrist as she pulled Lucy closer to her body. "Why don't you think I should be treading water, Kate?"
Kate didn't answer for a long moment. "How long have you been shaking, Lucy?"
Lucy let out a little laugh. "Since we got in the water. I don't know."
"You should have told me," Kate's voice sounded harsh.
"Why? So you could make fun of me?"
"No, Lucy, I would never make fun of you for a genuine fear," Kate said. "Never."
"Thanks," Lucy said through chattering teeth. It was hard for her to think about anything but holding on to Kate. She was so cold and the water was all around her now. Fear was making a lump in her throat that it was hard to breathe around.
"I think we should get out of here," Kate said suddenly, into the silence.
"No way," Lucy said immediately. "What if he's still out there? They have to be looking for us," Lucy pointed out. There was no way she could protect Kate or herself in this shape. "They can't just give up and walk away without getting their guns."
"I don't think we can stay here much longer," Kate said, concern plain in her voice.
"Not that I want to stay here another minute longer," Lucy said. "But why not?"
Kate was silent for a long moment. "Do you feel cold, Lucy?"
"Like a block of ice," Lucy said, wishing she could see Kate's face. "Why?"
"I think you should wrap your legs around me and get a little closer," Kate said. "That way I can help warm you up."
"Kate, you're not telling me things again and I really don't think I can handle that," Lucy said, her voice starting to rise.
"I'm sorry," Kate said immediately. "Lucy, I think you might have the beginning stages of hypothermia."
"We're in Hawai'i. I don't think that's possible," Lucy argued even as she shivered, but she knew there was a possibility that Kate was right. Lucy shook her head, trying to clear it. It was getting hard to think. She was so cold and tired and scared. Without much thought, she wrapped her legs around Kate's waist, drawing them even closer together.
Kate wrapped her arms around Lucy's midsection and held her close. Only inches separated their faces now. Lucy was glad she couldn't make out Kate's face in the dark. It would be too intense and she couldn't handle that right now. It was hard enough being this close to Kate.
"Lucy?" Kate said into the silence that had fallen between them. The only other sound was the waves and Lucy was trying her best to ignore that.
"Yeah?" Lucy said, hoping Kate didn't have any more bad news.
"I'm sorry," Kate said, her arms tightening around Lucy, until it felt more like an embrace than huddling together in the water for warmth.
"You already said that, Kate," Lucy said with a sigh. "I don't love your plan, but I'm not mad about it. It got us this far and-"
"No, I don't mean about… Yes, I mean, I am sorry about the plan and getting us stuck here, but I meant... I've been thinking since we talked earlier. I keep trying to explain to you what happened and what I meant to do, but I haven't actually said it. I'm sorry I hurt you. I wanted to protect you from my mistake, but I know all I did was hurt you. And I'm so sorry."
Lucy was stunned into silence for a moment. It was the last thing she had expected to hear from Kate and for the first time since she had found out Kate already had a girlfriend, something around her heart cracked. Tears burned against her eyes and slid down her cheeks in silence. Lucy was glad they were soaking wet and Kate wouldn't be able to tell the difference. She didn't want Kate to know yet the enormity of just how this had affected her. "Thank you," Lucy said softly, fervently.
Lucy felt Kate give a jerky nod and wondered if she was crying too. Exhaustion was slipping over her and try as she might, Lucy couldn't fight it any longer. Without another thought she laid her head on Kate's bare shoulder. It was damp against her cheek, but she could feel the warmth of it too. Lucy let her eyes fall closed and tried not to focus on anything but getting through the next few moments.
"Lucy," Kate was shaking her. "You have to wake up."
Lucy hadn't even realized she had fallen asleep. Wasn't sure how that had been possible the way her body was still shaking. "Whas wrong?" she slurred.
"I hear a boat and I think it's getting closer," Kate said. "We need to get out of here. If it's Vincent and he spots the cave, we'll be sitting ducks."
"Okay," Lucy said, moving reluctantly to unwrap her legs from around Kate's waist. It was the warmest she had been since they had hit the water. "What's the plan?"
"We get out of here and swim for the shore," Kate said.
"Kate, I'm not sure-"
"Lucy, I know you don't trust me right now, and I don't blame you, but I promise you I won't let anything happen to you. I'm a good swimmer. I'll make sure you get to the shore."
Lucy hated being weak, hated trusting anyone with the water. How many people had said they had her only to let go to "prove that she could do it herself?" But Kate had held her without complaint for who knows how long without once letting go or asking for a break. She had promised Lucy that jumping off the cliff would be okay and she hadn't lied. Kate had kept her safe and gotten her to the cave. They had been safe there for hours but now it was time to move. How much longer could Kate hold her and how much more would the tide rise? There was no way of knowing. "Okay," Lucy said, her whole body trembling again. She could hold herself still for a few moments but not for long. The shivers would come back harder than ever. It wasn't a good sign and she knew it.
"Okay," Kate said, letting her hand slide down Lucy's arm until she could take Lucy's hand. "Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'm gonna get," Lucy said, taking a deep breath to try and brace herself.
The boat sound got suddenly loud and a light flashed across the entrance to the cave. Kate jerked back, and pulled Lucy with her. The light flared again, brighter and more direct this time, pinning them to the side of the cave.
Lucy flinched and threw her arm up but it didn't do any good. It was too bright. She couldn't see who was on the boat at all or even what kind of boat it was. All they could do now was wait and see.
(7/12)