18. GIBBS

Gibbs had stopped looking at the clock, resigned to sleep being elusive tonight. At least it wasn't because a case had hit too close to home, or any other situation that required he drown it out with copious amounts of alcohol. As insomnia went, this bout was unusually positive - even enjoyable.

With Kate in his arms, he felt more at peace than he had for- well, for a really long time. He had a suspicion that was what was keeping him awake, not for any bad reason but because part of him just didn't want to miss a moment of this, couldn't quite believe it; was half convinced he was dreaming and would wake up on her couch (or worse, on his own couch back in DC) and realise he'd made the whole thing up.

Or maybe he was just painfully aware that all too soon he'd be thousands of miles away and he'd need all the good memories he could get to keep him sane until the next time he saw her.

She was sleeping peacefully, her mouth slightly open, the occasional really adorable little snore escaping. He laughed softly. She'd be absolutely mortified if she realised she made snuffly pig noises while she slept, but as far as he was concerned, it was just unbelievably cute. He'd waited a very long time for this, and it had exceeded all expectations. Her body pressed up against his, her lips moving occasionally against his neck, tickling deliciously, unintentionally teasing him into eager awareness... that probably wasn't doing much for his ability to sleep, either, though he was definitely not complaining. He was gonna need a seriously long, cold shower when he got up, but it was worth it for this moment right here.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then settled back again, wrapping his arms more fully around her. Maybe he'd sleep, maybe he wouldn't, but if the worst thing that happened to him today was lying awake with Kate tangled in his arms, one of her legs hooked through his, her mouth on his skin... well, that'd be a pretty damn spectacular day.

NCISNCISNCIS

When Kate woke up some hours later, she tried to sit up, and Gibbs restrained her with a wordless noise of protest. He felt her ripple of laughter under his hands and smiled into her hair.

"Just wanted to see what time it was."

He shook his head. "I set an alarm."

"For when?"

"For enough time to get you to work, me on my flight in one piece, an' not a second more."

There was silence and he opened his eyes to look down at her.

Her eyes were still full of sleep and she looked confused.

"I- I don't understand."

He tightened his arms around her. "Decided nothing else was as tempting as a couple more hours in your bed, if that's okay."

She raised her eyebrows and a smile crept over her face. "Actually... that sounds like a really good idea."

"I thought so."

Her eyes closed again as she sank willingly back onto his chest, letting out a noise he was certain wasn't intended to be quite so damn sexy. Then she brushed a kiss against his skin. The strangled grunt he made might've embarrassed him if he'd been capable of caring. He ran one hand down her back and then, very lightly, over her ass. She hmmm'd and nuzzled him, and he grinned.

Last thing he wanted was to make her panic or set off a flashback, and he quickly retreated to safer ground, but it was good to know a gentle caress of her butt was something they could get away with. Especially when she slid a hand underneath him and returned the favour with interest, chuckling at him when he let out what could only be described as a moan.

"Wicked woman."

"Just happy you like my bed."

"Oh, I sure do."

"Good."

"Yeah." He pulled her up so her could kiss her lips. "I'm thinkin' you'll like mine too," he murmured between kisses, "next time you're in DC."

She grinned against his mouth. "I'm sure of it." Then she tilted her head, his hands slipped up into her hair, she opened her mouth, and for a while there was no more talking, no more thinking, nothing except tenderness and pleasure and the low buzz of that unnameable chemistry they'd finally, blessedly given in to after all these years.

He'd been ignoring the baser reactions she was eliciting as best he could, but then her thigh slid between his, and his strained groan alongside the physical evidence didn't leave much to her imagination.

"Oh." For a moment she stopped dead, her mouth in a comically perfect 'O' of surprise. He was (mostly) grateful she had at least stopped moving. "Oh, God. Um." She blinked. "Wow. So... you really, really like my bed, huh?" Her cheeks had gone a little pink and her expression was shy, but she was also amused, smiling even as she carefully manoeuvred herself so she wasn't accidentally torturing him any more.

He let out a breath that was equal parts disappointment and relief. There was no question he instantly missed the sensation of Kate moving against him, but it was probably for the best that now he could actually think again - more or less. He grinned apologetically. "Yeah. Uh, sorry 'bout that."

"It's okay, I will..." Her blush deepened. "I'll take it as a compliment."

He couldn't help the burst of laughter. "Definitely."

There was a pause in which her expression shifted through several different emotions, then she caught his eye and took a deep breath.

"I wish I could, you know... help out. But I don't think I'm... I'm not sure I'm ready for that. I'm sorry."

She looked embarrassed again - no, ashamed. He wasn't having that. "Not. Your. Fault." He grinned. "Plus, I made sure I got a few minutes for a cold shower before we leave. Figured I might need it."

She blinked, grinned again, then giggled. It was a delightful sound. "Okay."

"Katie... I want you. I want you. No matter what." He shrugged. "The rest of it... we'll work out the rest as we go along. Give it time."

Her hand came up to touch his face, and he leaned into it.

"I hope... I really hope you're right, Gibbs. I want..." She sighed. "I want us to have... everything. I hate how difficult this is. I hate feeling like I can't give you all of me."

"Kate." It was hard to put words around it, especially when he was trying so hard not to put any pressure on her. He didn't do afraid, but the idea of what might come spilling out if he let it scared the everliving crap out of him. "I want..."

He wanted it all, too, of course he did. He had more sense than to pretend otherwise, even to himself. He wanted to kiss her all over, taste her body, make her fall apart and forget her own name, then bury himself inside her and feel her shudder with pleasure. But there so much more here than the simple urge to scratch a physical itch. He combed his hand through her hair, caught her eye and shook his head as he smiled. "Just want you."

Whether it was his expression or his touch or his words, he didn't know, but he felt her relax, saw her face soften with warmth and happiness.

She leaned down until her mouth was almost touching his. "I want you, too," she whispered. Then she was kissing him, and they would figure it out, he was sure. because he wasn't ever giving this feeling up. Not for the whole damn world.