Chapter 7

Two months later…

It's been an exhausting past two months for Gibbs at work. Emotionally, he's totally spent. The case that they worked on, a serial killer targeted military men and their families. The serial killer would kidnap the whole family and one by one kill the wife, the kids and made the military man watch them torture his family before killing him. When he first was called in to the crime scene, he and Kate were sitting on the couch watching a movie. He was rubbing her stomach, which was barely showing yet. They were talking about the past, how he always seems to know what was going on in the office.

"Gibbs, did you know everything that Tony and I talked about?"

"You mean all that teasing and flirting you and Tony did back then?" Gibbs said trying to sound jealous.

"We were not flirting Gibbs! Maybe Tony was but I sure wasn't flirting with him. It was more like, I was infuriated with him. And you didn't do a thing about it. He went through my purse, my emails, and my phone calls." Kate said and slapped him on the arm.

"Hey, it was a way for me to know what was going on in your love life. Tony was able to find out about all those guys you were dating. There was Dwayne, Harrison and that rich pilot guy and I can't remember the others. Did you know how jealous I was Katie? Did you even notice my mood?"

"Gibbs, I couldn't tell with you. You always look the same to me in the morning. And you know, I would not have gone out with those men if you had told me how you felt. So it's your fault mister." Kate bent her head down and kissed him on the lips.

"I love you." Kate added.

"Kate, how could you date a guy named Dwayne?"

"Gibbs, Dwayne happened to be a very nice man. He was a lawyer and very good looking."

"Better looking than me?"

"Of course not, Gibbs. You're the best looking man for me."

"Good answer, Mrs. Gibbs. Hey, Katie, do you remember that wet t-shirt picture?"

"Oh my God, the one that Tony sent you?"

"Yeah. Wow. So you did that in college?"

"It was a dare. I told Tony I was a lot of fun in college."

"When I saw that picture, it almost gave me a heart attack. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven."

"Gibbs, don't tell me you still have that picture?"

"Of course I do. I'm now having second thoughts about little Katie looking like you. I'm sure she'll have hundreds of guys after her just like her Mommy."

"Gibbs, I only had one boyfriend in college."

"But I'm sure a lot of guys hated him because they wanted to go out with you?"

"I don't know. Tony and McGee said I'm so clueless when it comes to men who are attracted to me."

"For once, Tony was right. And yes, all your married men friends, did secretly wanted to sleep with you. That's what's so attractive about you, is that you don't know how beautiful you are." Gibbs pulled down Kate's head gently and kissed her.

"And Gibbs, will you tell me how you knew that the tattoo I have on my butt isn't a rose?"

"I have my ways Katie. I asked Abby where she gets her tattoo and I knew that you and her got a tattoo together so I went to the tattoo shop and asked what kind of tattoo you got. I recall him saying, "Oh Abby and her friend, my God she was hot, I could never forget her."

"I can't believe you actually went there and asked. I can't believe he told you."

The phone rang just as they were enjoying a quiet evening together. He wasn't going to answer it but Kate insisted that it might be important.

"Dinozzo, this better be important."

"Hey boss, it's bad. It's really bad. We need you down here. Here's the address."

"Okay. I'll see you guys there."

Gibbs wished that he didn't answer the phone that night. Bad was an understatement. As soon as Gibbs got to the crime scene, he thought he was going to vomit. The sight before him, was too much. There was nothing more that got under his skin than cases that involved children and family.

Gibbs and the team worked on the case for nearly two months before they caught the sick bastard, he was at the office day and night. He felt so guilty not being with Kate on her appointments with the doctor. Although he was consumed with the case, Gibbs made sure he came home to see Kate. Every day that he worked on the case, it became too much and he needed to see Kate just to feel her warmth and to bring his sanity back. Kate knew what he needed and didn't press him for details on the case. She was aware that it must be really bad because he didn't discuss the case with her. If he didn't come home for dinner, Gibbs came home in the middle of the night just to watch Kate sleep and made sure she was real and that she's really here. Times like these, his insecurity surfaces. In the past, his wives have cheated and left him because he got too obsessed with cases.

"Hey, are you okay Gibbs? Baby, it's okay, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." Kate said and pulled Gibbs into a hug.

"I'm so scared that I will come home and find you gone, Katie. I'm sorry, I haven't been able to talk to you about this case. It's too much, I just can't." Gibbs said almost in tears.

"It's okay, baby. I understand. You don't have to say anything. I'm just glad that you're here and that you need me." Kate said while soothing him.

"I do Katie, I always will need you."

"Get some sleep. I will wake you up."

The serial killer victimized two more families before they caught him. He was a sick man, who hated military men because his father abused him and his mother when he was a child. He hated the "happy military family."

After the case was wrapped up and reports were filed, Gibbs talked to the Director Sheppard and asked for two weeks vacation. He wanted to spend time away from Washington DC and just be with his Katie.

Before leaving the office, he gathered his team and told them that he was going away for two weeks. And that he's not to be disturbed unless it is something important.

"Hey, boss, is everything okay? Where are you going?"

"I'll be okay once I start my vacation. Where I'm going, is none of your business Dinozzo."

"I'm sorry boss, I didn't mean to be nosy. It's just that we are worried about you?"

"Yeah Gibbs, we are just concerned." Abby added.

"Well, I need a break after this case. I'm fine."

"She must be a fine woman Jethro, for you to want to go away for two weeks."

"She is Ducky, no doubt about it. Tony you're in charge here. Ziva, make sure you keep him in line. I trust that you guys will behave and uphold NCIS reputation. Bye you guys and I will see you all in two weeks."

He waved goodbye leaving his team stunned, that Gibbs is actually taking a vacation.