13. KATE

"So, I thought maybe today we could take a picnic and hike up to one of the lookout points. The views are beautiful, and hopefully we can find some privacy and just... chill." Kate shrugged. She just wanted to spend the day in his company, and didn't much care where, but being surrounded by Hawaii's natural beauty seemed like a good excuse to sit in the sun with him, maybe find a secluded patch of grass and snuggle into his arms.

"Sounds like a plan." He smiled down at her. "I just got one condition."

She grinned. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." He took a step closer.

"What's that, then?"

He took her hands in his and squeezed gently. "Think you could use a more restful morning first."

Kate blinked.

She hadn't known what to expect, but it definitely hadn't been that. She opened her mouth, closed it again, then frowned up at him. "What?"

He shook his head, wearing the expression of tolerant frustration she'd seen more often aimed at Tony than at herself. "Kate, you're exhausted."

"I'm fine!" Okay, it would've been more convincing if it hadn't come out more like 'fi-hi-hine'.

"Katie-"

"I'm okay, really, I just- I'm all right, Gibbs, I am, I'm..."

"Kate, you don't have to be superwoman." He said it gentle but firm. "You got nothin' to prove to me, you don't gotta be the hostess or tour guide or... Oahu's goin' nowhere, we can see the sights anytime." He let go of one of her hands to brush his fingers lightly over her cheek. "I just want - need - you to be healthy, happy, and gettin' enough sleep, not- not pushin' yourself till you fall over."

"But I..." She was sure she'd slept better this last couple of nights than she had in months, and that wasn't even including the habit of falling asleep on Gibbs' shoulder she seemed to have acquired since moving to Hawaii. "I slept really well, it was really-" she could tell she blushing again "-it was nice... having you there."

Nice was an understatement, but never mind. And yes, she might be tired, but she really didn't want to waste a second.

The smile he gave her was warm and tender. "Was nice bein' there too, Katie." His gaze flicked down to her mouth for a moment. "Hell of a good way to wake up. Don't mean I can't see you're worn thin." He stopped for a moment, studied her face, as if he was deciding exactly what to say, then sighed. "I witnessed the, uh, nightmare."

She winced. "Oh." Oh, crap. "Did I wake you?"

She could practically watch him stifling the urge to roll his eyes. "You know that ain't what I meant, Kate."

She did know. "I don't-" She fought back a yawn that ambushed her out of nowhere "-I don't remember but..."

"Well, I remember."

He didn't elaborate, but his voice was fairly grim, and Kate was suddenly very glad she couldn't remember. She'd woken up in a cold sweat too many times in the last nine months, woken in tears or shivering with fear, been scared to go back to sleep. Her doctors told her she would get past the bad dreams again, that it was very possible they might even go away for good now she was getting the right treatment, but in the meantime she was haunted and it was... hard.

All she remembered from last night was falling asleep in his arms and waking the same way this morning. Definitely an improvement for her, but she hadn't wanted him to be subjected to her nightmare either.

"'M sorry."

"Hey." He cradled her face and bent over to meet her gaze. "Told you. You got nothin' to be sorry about." He shook his head. "You can wake me every damn night, it's fine, I'm not blamin' you or... I just wanna help, best I can. Whatever that means."

His thumb was lightly stroking her cheek, soothing, loving.

After a moment, she nodded. "Okay."

"And right now it means not leavin' you dead on your feet, okay?"

Kate managed a little smile. He cared so much. With all her experience of the big heart hidden under the layers of 'former Marine' and 'Boss' and 'the second B's for bastard', it shouldn't surprise her any more, but somehow it still did. And he'd cared for so long. She still wasn't over that realisation, the knowledge he'd been carrying a torch for her all this time. She could hardly get her head around it. Her eyes welled up, and she let herself lean into the touch of his hands on her face, taking a deep breath and trying to blink back the tears.

Thank you," she whispered.

"Kate, if you want- dunno if it'd help, but if you ever wanna talk about it..." He shrugged a shoulder and gave her a lopsided smile. "The dreams, or anythin'. Not so great with the words, but I'm a pretty good listener."

She found herself smiling more widely, and wrapped her arms around him for a hug. "Thanks, Gibbs. Guess Abs was right about you."

"Right about what?" He actually sounded worried, and she laughed.

"She always said you were a teddy bear, not a grizzly bear." She grinned up at him.

"Huh." He shook his head, his expression both fond and exasperated, then grabbed her hand and led her into the living room, sat on the couch and tugged her down beside him. "You like pushin' your luck, don't you?"

"Yup." She rested her head on his shoulder and didn't fight the yawn this time. "Don't let me sleep more than an hour. I missed you, I don't want to waste your visit." She could feel her eyelids growing heavy again now she'd actually admitted she was tired. "You sure this is okay, Gibbs? You flew a long way just to be my pillow."

"I'm sure, Katie." He tipped her head up so he could look her full in the face, and brushed his thumb along her jaw. "Besides, you don't need to entertain me." He shrugged, grinned. "Worse ways to spend a mornin' than watchin' you sleep."

"See, I don't know if that's sweet or just a little bit creepy."

Gibbs growled and pulled her into his lap, making her squeal. He swatted her butt and attempted a glare, which was not at all successful, and she was laughing too hard to even protest she'd been joking.

Then again, if her punishment was taking a nap in his arms, she figured she was getting the better end of the bargain. He was still muttering under his breath even when she stopped giggling, but at the same time he was arranging her comfortably, smoothing her hair away from her face, brushing a kiss against her forehead, and she grinned at the way he was looking after her even as he grumbled. She closed her eyes and curled happily into his embrace, the bulk and warmth and comfort of his body, the sense of protection that came with his arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks."

He chuckled. "Kate, I-" He stopped himself, as if he'd rethought what he wanted to say. "I care, Katie. Just... remember that, okay?"

She smiled again as she began to drift toward sleep. "Me too, Gibbs. Me too."