Chapter 10 Owning Kate (last chapter)
He is awake in his bed, disoriented, sweating from his nightmare, sees his watch and jumps off his bed to get dress and drives to the hospital, he over slept. It is almost midnight when he arrives, he sees no sign of Ducky and Abby in the waiting room, and of course…they already left.
He silently enters the ICU towards Kate's bed when he stops in his track as he sees Abby and Ducky. What a sight…She is whispering to Kate's ears, chattering softly to her, as if Kate is awake, holding her limp hand, that is swollen and bruised from the needles.
Abby looks like she was just crying, nevertheless, she is telling Kate to get well soon, to wake up soon and everything will be all right. She tells her how mush she misses her and how they'll make another tattoo together and she finally let Kate teach her yoga and Pilate which she hates.
Ducky is whispering to her other side, telling her how proud he is of her, how Kate has successfully tame the grumpy hard ass Marine, begging her to wake up because her job is not done yet, "still a long way to go Caitlyn…but I promise, that it is worth it…wake up my child" he insists.
They realized that Gibbs is there and they both stop talking at the same time…Abby and Ducky left Kate soon after he arrived.
After drinking his minimum dose of caffeine intake, he sits with Kate. For a second time, the kind old nurse refers her as his wife and he doesn't correct her mistake, it sits right in his heart.
He looks at "his wife" and said "Honey, you better wake up soon or you'll be hearing more of Abby and Ducky every single day, no one is going to stop them and they are just getting started…so please wake up…" he kisses her cold temple.
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Where the hell I am? Why is it so dark? And my head hurts like hell! Kate is in her stupor. And damn all the tubes around her going in and out of her. She feels the tube going in her mouth and throat, it's still there.
She groggily opens her heavy eyes. She blurry sees the body with all the tubes, IV and machines hooked up to her. There is no acute jarring headache; it's just a pounding that is better compared to previously. This she can bear…As she tries to tug the tubes, she has no energy, but she does it anyway with all the energy she musters.
Subsequently, her hand is caught by stronger warmer hands, blocking her action. She struggles to pull another one but she is stop by another force. Frustrated, tired and in pain, she cries again.
She hears his voice, "Katie…please stops…Katie, can you hear me? Stop" she hears Gibbs' voice, strained…"Gibbs?" she is happy he is there, he can help her, she sees his blurry face, "help me…please" she begs.
Then "Gibbs…you look terrible" she said, and she hears the most comforting sound ever, his laughter, not loud but it definitely makes her feels better.
"Help me get rid of this thing Gibbs, they are killing me…" she begs…"Katie… hey listen to me, It's ok…it will be over soon" he sees his other hand starts bleeding from the results of her tugs.
She swallows her saliva and she feels pain from the tube that is in her throat. She tries to pull it out, the tube is taped to her skin, she screams in pain…Gibbs stops her, her cups her face with his hands, kissing her nose gently. "Hey Kate…it's ok …you are safe" he whispers to his "wife".
"Gibbs…let's go home…" she pleads to him, crying, feeling all her aches and pains all over her body and limbs. "Soon, baby…soon, when it's time…I swear to God, I'll take you home…ok?" he said…"Promise…" she replies
"Yes. I promise" Gibbs answers, Kate is satisfied with his answer, after all he never breaks his promise and goes back to sleep. The man falls asleep holding her badly bruised hand, his head is resting on her bed. He is slowly awakened, when he raises his tired neck, he sees Tony standing at the foot of her bed, looking at them.
He doesn't look piss anymore. Tony goes to Kate's other side, kisses her temple, telling her to get better soon or he'll snoop on her bag again and left, after Tony nods briefly at Gibbs to acknowledge him.
Gibbs walks out of the ICU, finds Tony waiting for him in the seating area, holding his coffee…"Coffee boss?" he asks, "Thanks" Gibbs replies…"Dinozzo…" he starts talking after he sips the coffee, Tony cuts him.
"Boss…I'm sorry I doubt you…I should have known. I've talk to Ducky and O'Brien…I understand…", he continues " I only wish you trust us more boss, I only wish you tells us…I'm no psychic boss, and I'm glad you made the changes, out of all people…you deserve it the most Gibbs" Tony hardly uses Gibbs' name before.
"Good" Gibbs answers. Tony nods and stands up, getting ready to go back to work when Gibbs speaks up "I am taking leave Dinozzo, you are in charge, keep me updated and call me if you need help" as Gibbs walks to the head. Tony walks to his car, grinning and said to himself "I won't disappoint you boss…and ladies…here I come…Tony Dinozzo…senior agent".
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By noon, Kate is transferred out of the ICU, but she is still in great deal of pain. She throws up several times. Ducky said that's the side effect from the drugs and also she was malnourished and some gastric problem. Kate said it's the bloody tube.
She has lots of nightmares. Sometimes she wakes up crying and thrashing, looking for Gibbs. Sometimes she just wakes up gasping for air with terror in her eyes. Gibbs hardly leaves her side. Kate keeps begging him to take her home.
The first three days out of the ICU were horrible for her. The tube that goes in to her stomach is excruciating. The IV and tubes on her arms are hardly bothering her anymore, even though she is all bruised and swollen.
Kate cried from her ache and pain, but her nightmares are worse for Gibbs. They tear his heart out. When he hears her screams in her dreams, he hugs her and let her cries her heart out in his arms to sleep.
She tells him about her nightmares, the psycho violated her, and she felt dirty and hopeless. She dream that he raped her too and she is dead…"I am so sorry I couldn't protect you Katie" he said to her ears "It's not your fault Gibbs…and I am so glad you saved me" she feels him hugs her tighter.
On the 2nd week, things are much better. The tube that goes in her stomach is pulled out, it was a horrible experience, choking on it, but she is much happier now, Gibbs notices.
Abby and Ducky came often to visit her and bring food and coffee for Gibbs. Tony comes every evening. He never arrives empty handed; sometimes he brings flowers, sometimes chocolate, sometimes balloons…and so on.
Unfortunately, she is not allowed to eat, yet! She can only drool at the chocolate but unable to eats them. But…being Kate, she asks Gibbs to open them and shared with all of them.
She loves looking at Gibbs eating beside her, sometimes; she wipes the leftover food or sauce from his mouth with her finger. Gibbs loves eating beside her and enjoying the attention.
When the nurse came in to attend to Kate, they refers him as her husband, Kate looks at them weird, but didn't say anything, because Gibbs didn't say anything too. But when the nurse offers Gibbs to clean Kate, they looked at each other, he turns red and Kate laughs out loud.
She kindly tells the confused nurse that she is having none of that, instead she waits for Abby to arrive and force Abby to carry her to the bathroom and have a great warm shower, despite all the argument and glare from Gibbs and the nurses.
Kate comes back from her shower all clean, fresh and happy! She wants to pack up and go home…"Yeah right Kate…wishful thinking" he replies to her energetic wish. Gibbs was right; she throws up a couple of time that night, accompanied by fever. Despite all that and the fact that she can't even walk by herself yet because she is still too weak, she is cheerful.
Kate also forces Gibbs to go home and sleep, she makes Tony drives him back home, after much argument, and he agreed to go home. He comes back the next day and finds her bed surrounded by weird stuffed animals that makes weird noises from Abby. Abby is sitting next to Kate's bed; they are both listening to Ducky, talking about his experiences, as usual.
Gibbs also finds Tony flirting with a blond intern in the hallway, and TWACK, he slaps his head, just for the sake of it.
Kate is under Doctor's order not to eat solid food for a week. The starved woman keeps saying:"I'm hungry…", "I'm starving…", "I'm dying from hunger…", "Feed me…please", "I want food…" over and over again.
Gibbs sits next to her as she stares hungrily at him eating his food. He promises her that he'll cook whatever she wants and more when she is home…All of a sudden, Kate grabs his sandwich, stole a very big bite, chew and sigh in content, while Gibbs shouts at her action.
She just stares at him dreamily as he grumbles. She raises her lips to his mouth and kisses him; her excuse is "You got food on your mouth". So, he makes sure that he eats next to her every single day, hoping for another impromptu kiss.
Gibbs pops a chocolate in his mouth and eats it in gusto, in front of her. She smiles, hold his face and kiss him passionately, sharing the piece of chocolate which Gibbs thought was the best chocolate he ever eats in his entire live.
By the time Kate is allowed to leave the hospital, she was biting her nails, she was going crazy, she hates it there; even though Gibbs is sweet enough to let her eat a chocolate everyday from his mouth of course, they have a sweet chocolaty routine at the end of every night, it is a chocolate kiss that leave them breathless and sweet.
Finally, when Gibbs arrives one morning to take her home, she would jump him if it's not because of her stitches and stomach wound. She is so happy; she is smiling the entire time.
"Caitlyn…I know you feel much better, but you have to be careful, the trauma leaves your body immune system weak, so…you should take care…" Ducky explains to the happy Kate, his advice is cut by her hugs and kiss to his cheek excitedly. "Ohh…ok…thanks sweetheart" Ducky is shocked.
Gibbs gives Kate her clothes, a short and a shirt! Short? Why short? She wanders. Anyway, she put on her clothes.
"Ouch…auw…auw…auw…shoot" she swears painfully as she tries to put on her short. Now she knows why he gives her short, not jeans. Her body got so many bruises and wounds, it is very painful to move and putting on clothes.
"You all right Kate" Gibbs is concerned, hearing her distress. She is changing behind the partition…"Yeah, I just didn't realize…" she zips her short gingerly.
"Anyway…I miss my apartment Gibbs…" she said, " Got to do errands, bills, laundry, euww…" thinking about her apartment, must be messy and stinky.
"Kate…" Gibbs calls her, "yeah,…" she answers. "Abby and Tony did all that… they went to your apartment often" he explains behind the partition.
Kate is about to put on her shirt, she stops moving, Abby? Tony? She almost cries, her friends, her family, they love her and she loves them to pieces.
"Gibbs…I am so proud of our team, Gibbs…I wouldn't want to change anything, we are perfect!" she exclaims…"Damn…she is going to freak out and…then kills me" Gibbs hisses to himself.
"Gibbs…" Kate calls him, "yeah…". "I need your help…" she admits to him, "what is it?" he asks seriously, perhaps if he is extra sensitive right now, she might forgive him later on.
"Hmm…I can't…I can't put on my shirt…its painful" this is embarrassing she thought.
"Ooh…ok" he replies…"Perhaps, you can call one of the nurses?" he might not be comfortable. Actually she is the one who is embarrassed with her badly bruised body.
"Yeah right Kate…It's not like we haven't slept together yet or see each other naked…and what would the nurses think, they believe that we are married…" he teases her as he goes to help her.
She hears his sharp gasp when he sees her body. Kate closes her eyes, ashamed; he must be shock to see the bruises and stitches. Gibbs is more angry than shocks, her back is badly bruises. It is black and dark green now. How could he let this happen to his woman? "I'm glad he is dead Kate" he said gruffly.
He helps her put on her shirt gently. When they are done, He holds her hand and they walk to his car, she winches as she walks, her legs are extremely weak, but she is happy.
"Gibbs…I'm hungry" she said to him, once they are in the car. "I know Katie…but Ducky said" he reminds her. "Please…" she begs haughtily, cutting him off. "Ok…we'll see" he said.
Gibbs is right, her enthusiasm doesn't last long. An hour after they arrive in his house, she looks pale and she slips quietly into his bed, her head is hurting and she is light headed.
When his vegetable soup is done, he calls out for her with no reply. He finds her in his bed, asleep, facing down. He quietly joins her. It's been a crazy weeks, too many sleepless nights. He sleeps with her in his arms, he finds peac
She is very weak for the first week. Ducky visits her everyday. Sometimes staying with them for hours, talking and spending time together. Their activities includes: cooking dinner, having dinner and watching DVD after Kate asks Gibbs to bring hers there. It was a very domestic scene, Ducky thought, looking at the happy couple.
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Autopsy Room
"Have you told her about the change Jethro?"
"Haven't find the right time yet, Ducky"
"The longer you wait, the harder it'll be Jethro"
"I know Ducky…but I am not sure how to tell her"
"Jethro…you know exactly how to tell her, you just don't have the guts to take the chance" Ducky looks at him in the eyes.
Gibbs knows, Ducky is right, It's time. He has already returned to his job. Tomorrow, she will be back at NCIS after a month of sick leave…Gibbs has been preoccupied; he is back working at his boat.
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Today Abby insists on taking Kate out for a spa and a girl's day out. It was heavenly; Abby planed everything to the detailed. Abby tells her that Tony begs, pleads and begs again to her to join them, but she refuses unless he wore a skirt.
So, from breakfast at IHOP, to the mall, SPA, late lunch at a Japanese restaurant and a movie. It was almost 7, when they arrived at Gibbs's place…Abby said that she has a late date with McGee, so she has to leave right away.
Kate is a little bit sad that the day is over; she is a little bit nervous thinking about tomorrow, she'll be back at work. She wonders how her relationship with Gibbs will affect their job. She sighs, not wanting to think too much and avoid disappointment. But, she is not a child; she can feel that he is worried too. They need to talk, whatever the outcome is.
She enters, "Gibbs…" she calls out to him…"Down here Kate" he bellows from the basement. She goes down to the basement; see him working on his boat.
"How was a day with Abby?" he asks, looking at her… ‘Wonderful…" she said and tells him all about it.
"I got something for you…" she goes back up and returns with a present. "Hope you like it" she said, handing him the present.
"Abby said you'll look smashing it in" She winks at him. "It's great Kate…I love it" as he pulls out a dark silver tie. Kate goes to him and ties it for him while Gibbs holds her in his arms.
She goes back to her official couch in the basement, looking at him from far. She was about to fall asleep in the couch when he hears him, "Got something for you too" he said, working on his boat with his tie.
"Yeah? Where is it?" she asks…"It's underneath the couch, you are sitting on it" he points. Kate finds a medium sized box, wrapped in…newspaper? Oh dear…he is really bad in romance, she smiles to herself.
"Oh my God!...I love it" she whispers to herself
"Gibbs…you shouldn't" she knows it is very expensive…"I love it…Gibbs? How?" she still couldn't believe her eyes…"I saw you eyed those babies at the store Kate" he smiles, looking at her reaction…Kate's hands quiver as she opens the box.
It is true…It's a MAGNUM, beautiful piece of gun, she hold it up, sees the engraving at the handle. It says "With love, Jethro Gibbs".
She runs to him and kiss the man senselessly. "Thank you…" she said to his lips…"There is more…" he said to her lips, he looks nervous, "More?" she couldn't believe her ears, "A silencer?" as she runs back to the box she left at the couch. My God, she is going to the range soon, she'll show off to Tony as soon as possible and see his eyes turns green with envy.
She is holding the box, looks underneath the several layers of paper.
She freezes…seems like hours, Gibbs is looking at her; before she reaches for her silencer, it makes her silence all right, and he clears his throat nervously.
Kate reaches for her silencer; it is shinning in the sparely lighted basement.
She reads the engraving, "A promise, Jethro and Kate" and she slips the ring to her finger. It is beautiful, she couldn't believe her eyes.
She feels his arms, enveloping her from behind…"It's your Katie…If you want it…do you?" Gibbs whispers to her
"Yes, I do Gibbs…" she replies, tears brimming in her eyes…"Kate…since you said yes…It's Jethro…I think…we are engaged…It's Jethro…not Gibbs" he continues, he kisses her neck.
"OK…Jethro" she replies, then she remembers…"What about our work Gibbs?" she worries
"Kate…Jethro" he laughs. She flushes "I'm sorry…Jethro…what about our work?"
"I've arranged everything Kate…I need you to trust me on this Kate…I want this to work Katie" he speaks seriously…"Yes, of course"
Gibbs exhales deeply, he better say it out loud…"I've transferred you to O'Brien' team. We think by doing that, It will benefit O'Brien's and us…then we'll be able to continue our relationship and our job" he spills everything out, while he is holding her; everything is out in the open, now he is just waiting for her reaction, unsure of himself
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before…I don't know how…" he admits
Kate turns around, and hugs him; she realizes how serious he is on their relationship as he goes all the way to arrange their lives to make things work.
"And…" Gibbs clears his throat; she is going to be pissed.
"And what Gibbs?...I mean Jethro" she asks…"I told Secret Service off" He said, and right away he feels her laughing in his chest.
"You are not mad?"
"Gibbs!...I…sorry…Jethro…sorry, let me starts again"
"Jethro…you are one hell of an unconventional man and I can not wait to spend the rest of my life with you" she looks at him in the eyes.
"I was so worried you'll be mad Katie" he kisses her hair, relieved.
"And you give me a MAGNUM gun?" she looks at him weird…"I take my chances Kate" he chuckles.
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Tony and McGee find it hard to accept that Kate has been transferred to another team at another floor. But there are sincerely happy for their new life together.
Abby is ecstatic, Ducky is almost crying, speechless!
O'Brien and his team are happy with the additional agent.
Gibbs and Kate are thankful that their prayers have been answered
Director Sheppard is displeased
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6 months later
Kate slips off her wedding ring and read
"A commitment, Jethro and Kate".
A very simple line which he decides, engraved on her simple wedding band, engraved in her heart forever, till death do they part…then she remembers something.
"Katie…why are you taking your ring off?" she is roused from her memory by the sound of her sleepy and annoyed husband, beside her…staring at her finger with no ring on.
"I am reading the engraving Jethro" she suddenly realizes she never read his. She turns, reaches for his hand and tries to slip off his wedding band from his finger. He tries to fight her but she manages to slips it off.
His line is entirely different from hers, she smiles
"Committed and belonged to Kate, my wife".
Kate laughs and kisses him to his core and slips the band back.
They both know, it will work this time around.
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-END-nova2006-edited.
Thank you guys for the review, critics and support!!! Special thanks to Dani, Ditte, Dolphinsiren (Marcela), I heart TV luvin hottie, Mindy, Lissie, Cleo nightingale, Navy Babe, Kibbslover, and Gayle
--end-nova2006-edited
Author's Chapter Notes:
Finally, taking her home...where she belongs
Chapter End Notes:
EDITED MISSING KATE!...10 chapters...