Authors Note : Thanks so much for your kind reviews, i wasn't honestly expecting anyone to notice i am totally ecstatic :D
It wasn't too long before she was at the crime scene, a gruesome sight graced her eyes, blood staining the trees, the leaves on the ground, she felt her stomach heave, she backed away, the gory sight of limbs and intestines strewn about was enough to upset her already tender stomach. She backtracked to the ledge she had almost broken her neck on.
She rested against it, her eyes closed, chest heaving in an effort to block it out. Suddenly a cool hand landed on her back, her entire body flinched and her head snapped up, Gibbs and Dinozzo were watching her, she just knew her face was going red. She opened her mouth to apologise for being weak...Gibbs couldn't tolerate weakness...but she noticed tony was pale, almost sickly pale his body racked with slight tremors, Gibbs said, in an unusually soft tone "you all right Kate?" she swallowed and said "just need a moment" he nodded, his blue eyes showing rare hints of concern. "Dinozzo, stay with Kate, when you too can stand it, i need measurements and sketches and photos" she nodded, as did tony though he looked, if possible, paler for doing so. Gibbs moved off gracefully, his face set in grim determination.
She looked at tony, who managed to smirk and give her a weak thumbs up. She said "tony, I'll go back, I think you might want to sit down" he nodded uncharacteristically submissive; she took a deep breath and followed the path Gibbs had.
It was just as gruesome the second time; however this time the scent memory triggered, the scent of blood mixing with the forest was something she could never forget. She pulled back inside herself, calling on the strength she had developed during training. She dispassionately photographed and sketched, not allowing herself a moment to think on what she saw. As she stood back to observe the scene to ensure she hadn't missed anything, all she could think was 'oh god, how could someone do this?' "That is what we're trying to find out Kate" she started and looked around, Gibbs was next to her staring out at the crime scene, she hadn't even realised she had spoken.
The ride back to headquarters was spent clutching the doorframe as Gibbs tore around corners as if outrunning some shadow opponent. Tony was not faring well in the backseat and she called back "if you throw up on me Tony I will shoot you" he laughed and to her surprise as did Gibbs. She took a moment to savour his rare laugh, it filled her with warmth, a reassurance that he was there and he wasn't going to disappear.