14. GIBBS
He hadn't had the heart to cut her nap short, but when she started to stir he figured it was okay to encourage her into wakefulness.
"Hey, Sleepin' Beauty. I was s'posed to wake you half an hour ago." Her mouth curled into a smile and her cheeks went just a bit pink as her eyes blinked open. He grinned. He could make Kate Todd blush. Who'd'a thunk. "How you feelin' now?"
She nodded slowly, stretched out her back (he averted his eyes when the motion revealed a strip of toned stomach he very badly wanted to touch), then leaned against the arm of the couch, her legs still draped across his lap. "I do feel a bit better," she admitted, with another smile.
He nodded. "Good." He brushed her hair behind her shoulder, then idly ran a finger down the sole of her foot and noticed her toes twitch. A-ha.
He looked up at her and smirked.
"Gibbs..." There was a note of warning in her voice, but it was no use - he couldn't resist. Gently gripping her ankle with one hand, he tickled the arch of her foot, and she let out a yelp and squirmed.
"Gibbs!" She giggled and wriggled, and he just about managed to avoid getting a flailing elbow anywhere painful as she pummelled on his ribcage, protesting breathlessly and calling him names.
Eventually she flopped across his lap, "Uncle, I give, mercy!" When she looked up at him her whole face was alight with amusement and affection. He helped her sit up, and he was laughing and she was laughing, and then he leaned his head to hers and suddenly neither of them were laughing. Kate's hands were grabbing fistfuls of his shirt as he kissed her, and her body was flush against him, and the surge of want punched him deep in the gut.
She pulled herself up, broke the kiss for a moment so she could straddle him, a welcome weight against his crotch, and her eyes were dark and her cheeks were heated as she bent down again. He pushed up against her involuntarily, and she groaned into his mouth, her nails digging through his shirt, and it was everything he'd been waiting for and he wanted it all, but...
Even through the haze of desire, he could feel she was shaking slightly, and he couldn't ignore how she flinched when his hand inadvertently found the skin of her waist where her top had ridden up. She wanted him, clearly, she wanted him a lot, which was gratifying and amazing and almost enough to stop him thinking altogether - but only almost.
He forced himself to pull back, his forehead resting against hers as he tried to get his breathing under control. When he opened his eyes he could see the tears glistening on her eyelashes, the way her lips were trembling. He'd made the right decision, however much it stank.
"Kate." He swallowed down the heat and the need, tried to force his vocal cords to cooperate, tried to ignore the gravel in his tone. "Katie, I don't think..."
Without opening her eyes, she curled up, folded down into his chest, tucking herself under his chin. She sighed. "I know. I know." He felt her shake her head. "For a moment there, I thought I was gonna be okay, but then..." She sniffed. "This sucks."
He barked out a laugh. "One way of puttin' it."
"I'm sorry."
"Hey, hey." He kissed the top of her head, rubbed his hand over her back. "Not your fault, Katie. None of this is your fault."
"It sure feels like it is."
"Well, it ain't."
She looked up at him, smiled wanly. "I'm doing my best to believe that."
"Good." He held her gaze, wishing he had the words to express it, hoping she'd read the sincerity in his eyes.
Eventually she sighed again, though her smile was more natural now. "So I guess spending the rest of the day making out on the couch is a bust."
He laughed again at her tone. "I'm sure we'll find something else to do."
"Got any preferences?"
Well, she already knew he turned soft as butter in her company, so he might as well just be honest. "Long as I get to spend the day with you, I don't much care."
She blushed bright red and her smile was totally worth it. "Okay. Okay." She sat up, her expression turned thoughtful, and he could practically see her considering and dismissing the various options that came to mind.
When thoughtful started to look more like stressed, he spoke up again. "Anywhere you've never been but keep meaning to go? Might as well use your time off wisely."
She frowned. "I just want it to be special, you know? Suppose I pick somewhere new and it's a total letdown?"
"It's the company makes it special, Kate."
The worry on her face slowly evaporated. "When you put it like that..." She thought few a few moments longer, then nodded, decision made, the last of her tension draining away. "I know. The Makapu'u lighthouse trail. Especially this time of year, if we get lucky."
"Why this time of year?"
She grinned. "If it happens, it'll be a surprise, and if it doesn't, well, I don't want you to be disappointed."
His interest was thoroughly piqued. "Suppose I promise not to be disappointed?"
Her grin grew wider. "Nope, still want it to be a surprise."
"Please?"
She laughed. "That only worked on me the first time you did it."
He rolled his eyes. "Okay, you got me curious."
"That was the plan." She looked very pleased with herself. "We'll get shrimp from Kamekona's and maybe take a bag of malasadas up to the lookout with us, sound okay to you?"
"Uh-huh."
"Good."
NCISNCISNCIS
Kate was evidently a regular at Kamekona's, and quite possibly a favourite given the suspicious glances the big man threw Gibbs' way as he put their order together. Gibbs did his best to look friendly and non-threatening. It was either that or attempt to glare him into submission, and Gibbs wasn't at all sure he had the ability after the last twenty-four hours to scare a navy goat. He was too happy to be properly intimidating today.
At least the food smelled great, the waft of savoury flavours making his stomach growl in anticipation. He wasn't used to food trucks as anything other than convenient refuelling stations, but clearly things were different in Hawaii. Despite the underwhelming venue and the slightly disturbing picture of a shrimp with Kamekona's face on it, it seemed like lunch would be genuinely delicious.
They paid, then Kamekona fixed him with a grave expression, wagged a finger. "You look after her, yeah?"
Gibbs attempted to keep from grinning. It was kind of difficult to take the man seriously, with his round, friendly face that gave the impression he would be loath to even swat a fly and the ridiculous caricature emblazoned on his bright red apron, but it was clear he was absolutely sincere in his concern. Gibbs could respect that. "I plan to."
Kamekona looked at him a few moments longer, then nodded, apparently satisfied. "Okay. You okay, brah, you come back whenever."
It seemed safe to grin now. "Thanks."
Kamekona nodded again, gave Kate a smile, then shooed them away and turned to serve another customer.
Gibbs waited until they were out of earshot to chuckle.
"He's quite a character, huh?"
Kate laughed. "Believe me, you don't even know the half of it. I've heard some of the Five-0 guys' stories, and Kamekona's in almost all the most-" she paused, as if searching for the right adjective "-the most interesting ones, put it that way." She held up the bag of food and grinned. "Really good short order cook, though."
They were barely halfway back to the car (and Gibbs had already had it with the sheer number of tourists wandering aimlessly around downtown Honolulu and stopping every thirty seconds to take a photograph) when they were hailed.
"Hi, Kate, how's it going?"
They both turned around just in time for Kate to be engulfed in a hug by a guy who was, in Gibbs' suddenly paranoid opinion, way too young and good-looking to be touching her. "Sorry I didn't make it out last night." At least the embrace had been mercifully brief.
"Hey Steve, no worries. Gibbs, this is Steve McGarrett, he heads up the Five-0 task force for the Governor." She turned back to Gibbs and slipped an arm around his waist, tucking herself into his side almost possessively, or maybe like she wanted to show him off. "Steve, this is Gibbs, the guy I told you about. We used to work together."
Steve gave Gibbs a firm handshake and a smile.
"Welcome to Oahu. Any friend of Kate's." He looked back down at Kate, a touch of mischief showing on his face. "Heard a lot about you, but seems she's been holding back." He cocked his head and grinned.
Gibbs decided Kate's embarrassed but pleased smile and the adoring look she shot up at him did, after all, make up for her being accosted by random gorgeous men on the street.
"Good to meet you, McGarrett. Heard a lot of positive things about your team. Glad Katie's got people like you looking out for her."
"You bet, sir." Even standing at ease, with his hands on his hips, Steve's bearing was unmistakable. Military for sure; special forces most likely. "Small community here in law enforcement, especially at this level. We got each other's backs. Kate's 'ohana. We look out for our own."
Gibbs nodded approvingly, deciding he didn't hate this guy after all. (Well, not too much.) "Good."
Steve gestured toward the food truck they'd just left. "Gotta get the shrimp in or Danno's gonna kill me. Great to see you, both of you. Aloha." He nodded at Kate, casually but snappily threw a salute at Gibbs, then disappeared back into the crowds.
Gibbs turned to watch him go, and when he looked back at Kate, she was grinning widely.
"What?"
"You let him call you 'sir'."
She looked amused, and Gibbs shrugged. "He's military, probably don't even know he's doing it. Shoulda heard me when I started at NCIS."
Kate laughed. "I never imagined you as a Probie."
He raised an eyebrow. "No?"
"No."
He gave her a look. "Good. Let's keep it that way."
They walked a few more feet, winding through the throngs of people back to her car.
"Never really imagined you jealous, either," she said, conversationally.
Busted. "What?" He attempted an innocent expression, didn't think she'd buy it, but...
"Gibbs." She pursed her lips at him, shook her head. At least she looked amused rather than pissed.
He sighed. Yeah. He was so busted. "I'm only human, Kate." And I live thousands of miles away. And you're young and beautiful and I still can't quite believe you'd actually choose me.
She shook her head again, wrinkled her nose. "Well, as far as I know, Steve's seeing someone anyway, probably has women lined up around the block if that changes. Not really my thing."
Gibbs wondered how exactly McGarrett's apparent irresistibility was supposed to be a plus point here.
"Besides which..." She stopped suddenly, and he turned toward her.
She was looking up at him, her expression affectionate, if also a touch exasperated. She put her hand up to his cheek and went on tiptoe for a kiss. "You don't need to be jealous, Gibbs," she murmured. She held his gaze. "I- you- you really just don't, okay? I promise."
He studied her face for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."
She smiled again, softer this time. "Good." She nodded back, kissed him once more, then tugged on his wrist. "Come on, let's get out of this crowd."