Chapter 4 DNA
Dr. Mallard and Kate have been working on their victim for almost 2 hours now. First they made a Y incision from the right shoulder and the left shoulder to the middle chest; followed by a vertical cut to the lower stomach. After the flap of skin is opened an automatic drill is used to saws the ribcage open, so that they can attend her organs.
Kate has assisted this procedures many times when she was in FBI, but not NCIS. She thoroughly enjoys this, even though she was still sad with the previous tug of war.
She assisted the ME by helping him take out, analyze and weigh the organs. The M.E talked non stop during the procedure, teaching her, guiding her about the autopsy. It is true that he is rather fond of her as a daughter that he never has.
He would ask Kate question and when she answered right he would beamed proudly. Kate adored the sweet old man too. For few hours she was so focus on Ducky and the corpse she almost forgot her war with Gibbs.
Suddenly the intercom buzzes.
Ducky is asked for advice at another autopsy room. He instructs Kate to continue on the lower abdomen, telling her his preference and many instructions; she listens diligently and does exactly as she was told. She is surprised that he trusts her capabilities "And don't you worry Caitlyn, I'll be back in 10-15 minutes…and Caitlyn if any of the body bag start moving. Just shoot them!" He jokes as he walks out from Autopsy.
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In the mean time, Abby and James manage to retrieve the victim's ID which James reports back to O'Brien right away. James finds O'Brien and Gibbs in his bullpen, discussing the case. The younger agent is rather surprised to see Gibbs in his bullpen, because he is rather afraid of Gibbs and he knows that the man has bears feeling with Agent Todd and now…Agent Todd is with him.
James quickly goes over to his boss, avoiding Gibbs. "20years old, single, no direct relatives found, under the named of Lucy Palowics, worked as waitress near the naval base" he stammers, trying to avoid Gibbs. "Just as we suspected" O'Brien said to Gibbs.
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Kate froze in shock, as she opens the corpse womb, did she do it right? Where is Ducky? Something is strange, never came across it before. She debates whether she should wait for Ducky, but after a minute she decides to go ahead as instructed.
"Oh my God "Kate sobs in disbelieves, she quickly dropped everything and calls O'Brien, then Ducky. "O'Brien" He answers his mobile. "Yes Kate! Be right there" he answers. Gibbs listens longingly, he is drained and empty. "Let's go Gibbs" O'Brien stands up, with no question Gibbs follows the man…hoping to see his Katie.
By the time Gibbs and O'Brien arrive in the autopsy room. Ducky and Kate are in serious discussion; she is holding something on her palm, It looks like a bloody piece of meat. Kate is such in a state of shock that she doesn't care or remember that she was mad at Gibbs. She excitedly raises her palm to their face; she looks at both Gibbs and O'Brien. "It's a fetus" she exclaims. "My God, I don't believe this" she shakes her head sadly.
"Tell me Caitlyn can you guess its age?" the M.E asks while giving her a steel ruler. She measured the length and weigh the fetus carefully as if it's still alive, she feels bad about it. "I think it's about…12 weeks???" she guesses, looking for the M.E approval. "Hmm you estimated right" he said.
There is no glory for the right guess. This is bad she thought. Silence in the autopsy room; she looks up to O'Brien and then Gibbs, there is some comfort from looking at Gibbs, suddenly she feels safe but quickly tries to dismiss her feeling.
‘I'll send 2 of my agents to her apartment for more information" as he called his agents to do so. Kate placed the fetus back into the open womb.
"Guys…just a while idea…just a wild guess…" she said and thinking hard. "Just a hunch…" she continues. "What if…? This baby…sorry, I mean fetus…" she doesn't know how to finish her sentence without sounding stupid. Gibbs knows what she is trying to say before she finished her sentence. He admires her even more. She never ceased to amaze him with her character and intelligent.
"What if the victim is somehow involved with the killer? What if the fetus belongs to the killer? Yes? No?" she guesses and asks their opinion. "Then we can ID the killer through DNA" finished Gibbs
"Dr. Mallard?" O'Brien looked at him. "I believe that is possible gentleman, it takes time, but it is possible" he said. "Gave me the syringe from drawer five, Caitlyn" he orders her, she rushed quickly to the drawers to get the syringe and gave it to ducky. "Do you want to do the honor Caitlyn?" he asks…
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Its 4pm and Kate is wrapping up in O'Brien's bullpen. She passes by his desk "Sir, I'll look into the previous files in my bullpen, and I all get back at you tomorrow. Would that be all right? "She asks. ‘That would be great agent Todd…", "Its Kate, sir…" she reminds him. O'Brien smiles, "don't stay up too late and I'll see you tomorrow… and Good work Kate" he adds
As Kate enters her bullpen, she started to feel how tired she is and she glad that it is empty. She sat on her chair, closed her eyes and exhaled…what a day. After closing her eyes for a while, she starts reading the files; as time pass, the more she reads the files, the colder and scared she becomes. What kind of a person could do such things? The central lighting was already turn off, she is reading with her desk lamp while she raised her tired feet on the desk.
She didn't realize as the night come, the less comfortable she become, apart from being tired and reading a gruesome cases. "Oh my God" she realized, she quickly put down her feet. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, my update report for Gibbs" she just realizes that she hasn't even starts yet. Oh no, she remember her bitter argument with Gibbs, perhaps this is why he doesn't want her to take the case, because he knew that she couldn't handle her workload...that's why "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it" she bangs her forehead out of frustration to her desk.
"Kate…" she froze while her head is still on her table. She recognized that voice all right. She raises her head up. Gibbs is standing a few feet away from her desk. "How long have you been standing there?" she is embarrassed. "I know, I know, I have NOT done your report! I'll do it now!" She quickly sorts through her desk looking for her files.
"I am NOT in the mood at getting shouts at, so PLEASE…leave me alone! And I'll hand the report to you tomorrow morning" Kate mumbles on, couldn't believe her luck, how she forgets her reports? She is slamming the files on the table, trying to sort through her reports and other files…what a mess!
"Katie" Gibbs walks towards her and grabs her by the wrist…looking at her worn out face…he feels so guilty, he hurt her feeling…she is innocent, he is the bloody bastard.
"That's not why I am here" he whispered "I am sorry about this evening, I didn't mean to hurt you! I … didn't want you to take the case…because I didn't want you to get hurt, I handled the case few years back and you do not know what you are dealing with…please" he explains to the angry Kate, he has no excused on how he has treated her today…and actually for the past week, he's been an ass.
Kate is shocked, "why didn't you tell me Gibbs?" she asks sadly, "Why don't you trust me?" she whispers to herself more than to him. But her passion and care towards the man, beats her anger and pride. She hugs him and kisses him on his lips lovingly. "I'm sorry too" she said.
She melts in his embrace, she feels safe and right in his arms…like nothing can ever hurt her. "I always feel safe when I am with you, Gibbs" she sighs to him…then she remembers what he did to her, he basically told her that he was not interested in her.
Kate pulls herself from him, she whispers quietly…relapse!!!
"Its ok, I am not mad at you, no hard feeling Gibbs, I understand…but I …" she tries to explain that she would like resign from NCIS after her last case. "I love working in NCIS…I like it very much…" she stops, finding the right words. Gibbs can guess her thought; she wants to leave him…
"Kate…" he is not going to let it happen. "Wait…let me finish…please…we are both adult, we can converse like adult…" she is not backing down…
"I hated you when you told me that things couldn't work out, after we just made love, or have sex…what ever you call it…I don't know…and I'll try not to care…but its forgiven…it's the past…but I need you to do me a favor…I want my old job back…" she looks at Gibbs in the eyes, she is not a weakling to be tossed around like a rag doll.
"Katie, that's what I am here for…I need you to know that I am sorry about the way I behaved, I was afraid…that you'll hurt me, like …" He looks at her…"like your ex wives…" she continues her sentence.
"Its ok, I understand Gibbs…don't worry about it…" Kate is so tired, she just want to go home…be damn with Gibbs…" just help me out…I would like to return to Secret Service…I'll be grateful with…" he cuts her off by grabbing her wrist again, "like hell Katie…" he hisses at her.
She is about to start the second show down of the day…be damn if she got fired…Caitlyn Todd is not a push over…before she screams her first word, he pulls her to him and kisses her, he kisses her with all his passion, his longing and his love for her…
"I am falling for you Kate…I love you…" he whispers to her mouth…" please forgive me…and I'll prove it to you…one last chance Caitlyn, one last change…" he calls her full name, which he never did. "Gibbs…you hurt me…you punished me for what I never guilty of…" she replies in tears.
"Jesus, Katie…I have no excuse…no excuse for what I've did…all I am asking is your forgiveness and one last chance…can you give that to me?"
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-Tbc-2006-edited
Author's Chapter Notes:
the tittle says it all
Chapter End Notes:
I am stuck with the story lines.. HELP.S.O.S