Kate walks into the bullpen with a wide smile on her face.
‘ Good morning’ she says cheerily as she places her bag and coat on her desk.
‘ Why are you in such a good mood this morning?’ Tony asked looking at her from his desk.
‘ No reason. Its just a good morning’ she said going round to sit at her desk.
‘ She had a date last night’ Abby said as we walked into the bullpen. All eyes turned to Kate, even Gibbs’.
‘ Abby’ Kate exclaims.
‘ What? You should know by now that the guys you date are never a secret’ she says with a smile.
‘ She has a point there Kate’ McGee says looking up from his computer. Tony laughs at her.
‘ Stop talking bout Kate’s love life and get back to work’ Gibbs barked.
‘ Yes boss’ Tony and McGee both said.
‘ Hey Gibbs can I steal Kate for a moment?’ Abby asks him.
‘ Sure, whatever’ he says not even looking at her. A smile grows on Abby’s face and she grabs Kate’s hand and drags her to the elevator.
‘ So how was it? Was he the ultimate gentle man? What’s he like?’ Abby asked as soon as they reached the lab.
‘ Well he is really cute, he’s 33, he took me to the Italian restaurant round the corner then we took a walk along the beach and went back to his place’ she informed her.
‘ And?’ Abby asked wanting more info.
‘ Nothing. It was a really good night, that’s all’ she said with a big smile.
‘ Kate, this is your 4th date with this guy so you have to tell me. How good?’ Abby pestered her.
‘ Ok fine. He is amazing with his hands…and everything else’ she laughs. They both started laughing when Gibbs walks in.
‘ You two done?’ he asks in a plain tone.
‘ Yeah’ Kate says getting off Abby’s desk.
‘ Good, back to work’ he orders.
‘ God your in a grumpy mood today’ Kate said quietly as she past him to go to the elevator.
‘ Yeah Gibbs, what’s up?’ Abby asked him.
‘ Nothing’ he said then turned to head for the elevator but was stopped by Abby’s and on his arm.
‘ Come on Gibbs you can tell me’ she pleaded. He turned around to look at her. He sighed.
‘ Abs when something is wrong I will tell you’ he said, kissed her on the head and left.
‘ I see Gibbs found you’ Tony said as Kate entered the bullpen.
‘ Good guess’ she said sarcastically. She had just sat down when Gibbs walked in.
‘ Kate, with me’ he says sternly as he gets his jacket and gun from his desk. She does the same and follows him out, looking at Tony and McGee for information but they had confused looks on their faces as well.
‘ Where are we going Gibbs?’ she asks him in the elevator.
‘ To talk to someone’ was all he said.
‘ Who?’ she asked again. She didn’t get an answer. She hated when he didn’t answer her questions. He hardly ever did that but when he did it meant that he was upset with her. The doors opened and he steeped out first and she quickly followed him out to the car. He got in the drivers seat and started the car. As soon as she got in and closed the door he took off.
‘ Wow I must have pissed him off’ she thought to herself.
Once they were on the high way and he was driving at a safe speed she thought it would be a good time to see what she had done this time.
‘ What have I done?’ she asks him.
‘ Nothing’ he simply says. She hates it when she does this.
‘ So your not angry at me?’ she asked. He didn’t answer.
‘ Gibbs tell me so I can fix it’ she said looking at him. He looked at her then back at the road. The rest of the journey was filled with silence.
3 days later Kate walks into the bullpen without a hello or good morning to anyone.
‘ Kate are you ok?’ McGee asks looking at her.
‘ Yeah, fine’ she said with a weak smile. Tony and McGee shared a look.
‘ Are you sure?’ Tony asked.
‘ Yes’ she said. Tony and McGee knew something was up but didn’t ant to push it. They just hoped Gibbs wasn’t in another bad mood.
Gibbs entered the bullpen and sat at his desk. The silence in the bullpen was eerie.
‘ Kate’ Gibbs barked with out taking his eyes away from the report he was reading.
‘ What?’ she said looking up at him. He just gestured her over with one finger. She sighed as she got up and walked over to his desk. She stood there with her arms crossed over her chest. Tony and McGee didn’t know what to make of this. They have never seen her act like this.
‘ Do it again’ Gibbs said handing her back her report.
‘ Why?’ she asked not even reaching for it.
‘ Its not good enough’ he simply said and waited for her t o take it. She took a deep breath, snatched it from him and went back to her desk. She threw the report down on her desk and just looked at it. She then looked at her phone which hadn’t made a sound since she had walked in which is very strange for Kate Todd’s phone.
She finally opened her report and saw what was wrong with it. When she looked up to her computer, Tony could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. He didn’t know what to make of it. Just then her phone started to go off. It wasn’t a call bit a txt. She couldn’t read it fast enough. Although by the time she had read it she wish she hadn’t. She didn’t know what to do. She felt like crying but yet she felt like throwing her phone across the room and punching someone in the face. She just sat there with her head in her hands.
‘ Kate’ Tony said softly as he walked over to his desk.
‘ What?’ she snapped back.
‘ Are you ok?’ he asks even softer then before.
‘ I’m fine so stop asking’ she practically yelled at him. She grabbed her phone and headed to the elevator. She really needed someone to talk to and who better then Abby.
Abby heard the does to her lab open.
‘ Kate tell me everything’ she said without even turning around.
‘ How did you know it was me?’ Kate said in disbelief.
‘ Tony rang and said you were heading and that you were in a bad way’ Abby explained finally turning around to see her. She could tell Kate was about to cry.
‘ Oh Katie tell me everything’ she said softly walking over to her and putting and arm around her. She sat her down at her desk and pulled up another chair for herself.
‘ Well he had organized to come see me two nights ago and I had made diner and everything and he txt’s me saying that he cant make it. I txt back asking why. All he says is he is busy’ she pauses.
‘ Why would he do that. He knew he was doing something with you’ Abby said in disbelief.
‘ Yeah I know. But it doesn’t end there. I ask him if he even wanted to see me he said he does and I told him it doesn’t as its not the first time we have had plans and he has blown me off’
‘ What did he say?’
‘ He just said he does and I asked why all the excuses and he said…’ she stopped.
‘ Kate?’ Abby said softly with a hand on her back.
‘ The excuses are for time alone’ she finally said practically crying.
‘ What?’ Abby says in disgust. Kate just nods. Abby hands her a tissue box.
‘ What an ass. If he wants time alone he shouldn’t have to use excuses. Hell he shouldn’t make plans if he wants time alone’
‘ I know that’s what I said. I then spoke to his sister and she was totally on his side. She was practically yelling at me on the phone. She couldn’t even see it from my side pr understand why I was upset’ Kate said.
‘ So then what happened?’
‘ Well I tried calling him to really talk it over and he kept rejecting me. Then I tried txting him and I would get these horrid txt messages from his sister saying don’t txt him any more he doesn’t like so leave him the f alone’
‘ Oh my god. Have you told Gibbs?’ Abby asked.
‘ No. I cant’ she said.
‘ Why not? He would deal with the both of them’
‘ I don’t want him hurt because believe it or not I actually like him’ Kate said softly. Almost ashamed she was admitting to it.
‘ This morning I sent him a message saying we need to talk and he replied there is nothing to talk about and then I get another message from his sister saying he doesn’t like you anymore so stop trying and leave the both of us alone. That’s when I couldn’t take it and came down here. I just feel like I’m not good enough anymore’ she admits to Abby.
‘ Awww Katie that’s not true’ Abby says hugging her.
‘ Yes it is. I’m not good enough to stay in a relationship for more then a month and my reports aren’t even good enough for Gibbs anymore. What ever I do isn’t good enough for him anymore’ she starts to cry.
‘ Hey I know for a fact that isn’t true. He is just angry that’s all’ Abby said.
‘ But why?’ Kate asks.
‘ Why don’t you ask him’ she said. Kate looked at her, wiped her eyes, gave her one last hug and decided to go back up stairs.
Meanwhile upstairs a tall dark haired man walked out of the elevator. He made his way over to the bullpen.
‘ Excuse me I’m looking for Kate Todd’ he asked no one in particular. Tony, McGee and Gibbs’ head all turned towards him.
‘ Who’s asking?’ Tony said standing up and checking him over.
‘Micah? What are you doing here?’ came Kate’s voice before he could answer Tony’s question.
‘ You said we needed to talk so talk’ he said. Gibbs was shocked at the way he just spoke to her.
‘ I think you should leave’ Gibbs said sternly.
‘ No it’s ok Gibbs. We can talk’ she said and walked past him. He followed her down the hall to where it was quieter. They could still be seen by the team.
‘ I can’t believe she still wants to talk to him’ Tony said as he walked over to Gibbs’ desk.
‘ I mean he is nothing compared to you boss’ he said. Gibbs turned and glared at him.
‘ Shutting up boss’ he said and watched Kate and Micah talk although they couldn’t hear what they where saying.
‘ So what did you want to talk about?’ Micah asked standing in front of Kate with his hands in his pockets.
‘ Like you don’t know’ she said.
‘ No I don’t. Are you alright? You look like you’ve been crying’ he said as a hand came out and brushed her face.
‘ Why do you do that?’ she asked as she caught his hand with hers.
‘ Do what?’
‘ You push me away and then act like nothing happened’
‘ I’m not pushing you away’
‘ No. So using excuses for wanting time alone isn’t pushing me away, not showing up when we have something planned isn’t pushing me away, not answering my calls isn’t pushing me away, being abused by your sister isn’t pushing me away’ she says trying to control her temper. He just stood there.
‘ Look I’m sorry for what happened before but I had a bad and day and didn’t feel like company’ he said stepping closer to her. Her heat literally stopped. Did he actually think saying that would make everything ok.
‘ So you thought it was ok to cancel at the last minuet?’
‘ No but I did tried to call you but there was no answer’. She just shook her head.
‘ Katie come on. Don’t do this here. Lets go back to my place and talk there’ he said running his hand down here arm. She pulled her arm away.
‘ You just don’t get it do you. I really liked you and you just blew it’ Kate was almost yelling now.
‘ Don’t be silly. Come on’ he said grabbing her hand. She ripped her hand from his grasp.
‘ I think you should leave now’ She said.
‘ Katie’ he said stepping forward.
‘ You heard her. Leave’ a rough voice came from behind him. Micah almost jumped out of his skin. He turned around to see Gibbs starring at him.
‘ Fine. Fine. I’m gone’ he said then walked past Gibbs to the elevator.
Once Gibbs was sure he was gone he stepped closer to Kate.
‘ Are you ok?’ he asked softly.
‘ Yeah. I just thought..’ she stopped herself, after all it was Gibbs.
‘ Do you want to take the rest of the day off?’ he asked. She gave him a little smile.
‘ No I’m ok. Why are you being so nice?’ she asked.
‘ I’ve been in the same situation’ was all he said with a smile.
‘ Well I’m just going get cleaned up ok’ she said then headed for the bathroom.
Gibbs went back to his desk. He felt happier now that he knew there wasn’t an ass hole in her life any more. No question he can be a bastard at times but he knows what she needs and sees her as a strong women and not just a sex object. All he had to do know was tell her how he felt before some other guy made his move.
‘ Hey where’s Kate?’ McGee asked. Waking Gibbs from his train of thought.
‘ She’s been gone for more then 10 minuets’ Tony pointed out. Gibbs got up and headed for the bathroom. He knocked on the female door to make sure it was clear. No answer so he walked in. It was all clear except for the darkened corner.
Gibbs walked over to her and took a seat next to her. They sat in silence for a while.
‘ What are you doing in here?’ Kate finally asks.
‘ Looking for you’
Well you found me’ she said with a little smile.
‘ What are you doing in here?’ he asked her. She sighed and looked up at him, then back down at the ground.
‘ I thought I would be upset by what happened. But yelling at him felt so good. And I thought I would be upset but when I came in her I felt nothing. I didn’t want to cry I just felt so…so free’ she told him. He didn’t know what to say. He was expecting her to be a blubbery mess…well that’s what he has experienced anyway.
‘ I am sorry Kate. For what happened’ he said softly. She looked up at him with a soft smile.
‘ I’m not. He wasn’t for me. He got what he wanted and then he became an ass’ she said with a little laugh. He was about to ask what it was that he got but got he idea and decided against it. Gibbs got up off the floor and held his hand out to her. She took it and he helped her up. When she stood up she was awfully close to him. She stood there not moving. She looked up at him.
‘ Thankyou Gibbs’ she said.
‘ For what?’
‘ For this. For understanding’ she said stepping a little closer. She didn’t know what she was doing. She just had the urge to be closer to him. She was captured in his eyes. She always was. And his smile. She loved his smile.
‘ I’m sorry Kate’ he said softly.
‘ For what?’ she almost whispered as she started to close the gap between them.
‘ For being a bastard to you these past weeks’ he said just as softly as he leant done and close the gap. He wrapped his arms around her pinning her to him while his lips locked with hers. Her hands cupped his face. She felt the heat from his body.
Something clicked in her. She pulled away and looked at him. She didn’t say anything she just walked out and ran past the bullpen to the elevator.
Gibbs followed after he realised what had happened. He entered the bullpen and was meet with confused eyes.
‘ What happened?’ McGee asked.
‘ I’ve never seen Kate run so fast in heels before’ Tony put in.
‘ Nothing’ was all Gibbs said.
‘ Abby!’ Kate called as she entered her lab.
‘ Right here’ she said popping up from her desk. Kate slowed and started to breath again.
‘ What’s wrong? I heard what happened are you ok?’ Abby asked walking over to her.
‘ Yeah that’s the thing I’m fine’ She said.
‘ Really? Then why are you here?’ Abby asked.
‘ I kissed Gibbs’ she blurted out. Abby was shocked but happy at the same time.
‘What? Why? You just broke up with Micah’
‘ I know. It just sort of happened. Abby I didn’t cry and I think that was because…well I think I love him’ Kate said. Kate was to busy talking and he heart was beating so loudly she didn’t hear the doors open and someone walk in. Abby saw them but didn’t let on that there was someone there.
‘ Who?’ Abby asked playing dumb.
‘ Gibbs. I love Gibbs’ Kate said. A smile came across Abby’s face.
‘ I love you to Kate’ came his deep voice behind her. She slowly turned around to see him standing there with a smile planted on his face. She smiled and kissed him.
They heard a squeal from Abby. They broke apart and were attacked with a hug from Abby.
‘ It’s about time’ she said with a smile.
Story Notes:
this is based on actual events
Author's Chapter Notes:
A bag relationship turns out to be for the best
Chapter End Notes:
this is based on actual events