GIBBS

Through the haze of pleasure and satisfaction, Gibbs could just about cobble together the thought that he'd forgotten how good sex could be. What it was like when it was with someone he really cared about, who he'd wanted for such a long time - not just a warm and willing body scratching a physical itch. When it wasn't just sex, if he was honest, though he stubbornly refused to stick another more sentimental label on it.

"Gunny?"

"Uh huh?

"Please tell me you didn't learn that in the Marine Corps..."

He barked out a laugh. "Promise."

"Thank God." Her voice was a little ragged, and he felt absurdly pleased he'd had that effect on her.

He let his head loll back against the pillow, allowing his breathing and heartbeat to return to something approaching normal, enjoying the feel of her sprawled over him and the freedom to run his hands over her skin.

It was a couple minutes before his brain managed to move beyond 'wow'. When it finally did, he suddenly realised that Kate wasn't just a little breathless, but was sniffing and sniffling. He looked down at her, brushed her hair out of her face, and in the dim light he could see tears glistening on her cheeks.

"What's the matter?"

She giggled damply. "Nothing. Happy tears. I just can't quite..." She shook her head. "I'm half expecting to wake up tomorrow and realise I dreamed this."

He nuzzled into her neck, tasted her skin and felt her shiver, kissed her temple, then wrapped his arms tightly around her body, one hand tangling in her hair. "Not a dream, Katie. If anyone's dreaming, it's me." The idea of Kate dreaming about him was ludicrous. This could be his fantasy, but hers? Hardly. Even with her body tucked snug against his, their sweat and heat mingled in the air around them, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that reality would reassert itself any second.

"It wouldn't be the first time," she admitted, her voice slightly muffled against his chest.

He laughed. Kate Todd dreamed about him? Like this?

She lifted herself up a little to glare at him. "What's so funny?"

She looked so indignant, he couldn't help smiling. "Why the hell would you dream about me?"

A wicked glint came into her eyes. "Wellllll, now you mention it, maybe it was really DiNozzo..."

It was his turn to glare, and she collapsed onto him in a fit of giggles.

"Not a joking matter." He injected a little note of warning into his voice, which made her laugh even harder for a moment.

When she looked up at him again, she was still smiling, but her tone was absolutely serious. "Gibbs... there's a reason I haven't had a steady boyfriend since NCIS messed up my perfectly planned life. And trust me, that reason is not Tony."

She held his look, her eyes wide and honest and clear. After searching her face, he eventually nodded. In his experience, very few people could fake that degree of sincerity with anyone - let alone with him.

Kate flopped back down again, sighing against him. "I forgot what it was like to be completely relaxed."

He just nodded, relieved that she didn't seem to expect anything else from him. Sex never left him exactly chatty, and having a naked Caitlin Todd draped over his torso was about as big of a distraction as he could imagine. If he weren't so blissed out, so utterly sated, that would most definitely keep him awake for hours. It was almost fortunate this was the tail end of the op, when he was tired enough that nothing could keep him awake.

It was surprisingly comfortable and comforting to simply hold her close and listen to her breathing. He hadn't felt this comfortable sharing a bed with someone since... Well, for a very long time. He was halfway asleep when he felt her tense up.

"Gibbs?"

"Yeah?"

He waited. She didn't move, but he could almost feel her working up to something.

When she spoke, the words tumbled out in a rush, as if she had to get them out before she lost her nerve, but they were clear and definite, too.

"I really do love you, you know."

This time there was no mistaking it, no wondering, no uncertainty. She just stated it as fact, as if she was telling him the sky was blue or water was wet. He stopped breathing for a moment as he took it in, let the words settle deep inside, tried to fathom how this could be possible.

Even after her words this morning, their charged exchange at dinner... He knew Kate well enough to know that saying it out loud, putting herself out there like that, in a way that couldn't be missed or misinterpreted wasn't something she'd do lightly.

It wasn't something he would do lightly either, not something he would say unless he was sure. He rolled the idea around in his head, tasted and tested it. Simple words that could mean so much.

He took a deep, steadying breath, as if he was psyching himself up to jump from an aircraft or launch an attack on an enemy position. "Katie?"

"Yes?"

Even in that one syllable he could hear both fear and hope.

"I love you, too."

He could feel her smile against his neck, feel her relax into him, feel her relief, and chuckled.

"Whasso funny?" Sounded like exhaustion was catching up with her now she'd heard what she needed to hear.

He pulled her in a little tighter. "Just feelin' good."

There was a noise that he thought would sound something like agreement, if it hadn't been delivered against his skin by a woman rapidly falling asleep. He laughed again, softly, and kissed the top of her head before allowing himself to sink back into the pillows again.

It was true, painfully true, he reflected. For all his attempts to ignore it, stifle it, pretend it didn't exist... he did love her. He had for a while. That was good but scary. Or maybe scary but good?

Either way, there was no more denying it or running from it now.

"I really love you, Kate," he whispered, so quiet he wasn't sure she'd hear. Though admitting that to himself was at least as scary as admitting it to her.

Her answer was a gentle snore. He smoothed a hand over her hair, tucking a few wayward strands behind her ear, then settled his arms around her once more and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.