Gibbs was sitting at his desk all alone in the bullpen. The only light was the lamp on his desk. He jumped at the sound of the elevator doors dinging open. He turned to see Hollace Mann walking in with paper bags filled with food.
“ I brought dinner” she said grabbing a chair and setting up at Gibbs’ desk.
“ You read my mind” he said digging threw the bags.
“ Where you planning on going home sometime tonight?” she asked with a smile.
“ Sometime” he said as he put noodles into his mouth. Holly just smiled at him. They were interrupted by the ding of the elevator . They both turned to the elevator as a small brunette walked out and headed for the bullpen. Gibbs’ heart stopped in its tracks.
“ You look well” Kate said as she stood before Gibbs’ desk.
He could not take his eyes of her. Holly looked from one to the other.
“ Col. Hollace Mann. And you are?” she said extending her hand.
“ Kate Todd” Gibbs answered for her as she shook Holly’s hand.
“ I used to work here…before I” she started.
“ Before you were killed” Gibbs said. Holly looked at Gibbs then back at Kate.
Kate looked at Gibbs. She could tell he was still trying to process what was happening.
“ Well yes, but that was only” she tried to explain.
“ We went to your funeral” he said still looking at her. Holly knew she should leave them two alone.
“ I have to go to the bathroom. Excuse me” she said walking out. Kate watched her leave then looked back at Gibbs. They stood there starring at each other in silence. Gibbs walked around from behind his desk to stand in front of her.
“ Why?” he asked.
“ If you want to know, ask Fornell” she simply said. He couldn’t speak.
“ You have no idea how your death affected everyone” he said.
“ Even you?” she asked.
“Me? Kate you were my best agent and you were killed in front of me, of course it affected me. You were dead” he said, letting his anger get the best of him.
“ Gibbs you have to understand that I had no choice” Kate told him.
“ You could have said no. It took us months to recover, not to mention your parents. Do you care how we feel?” he asked almost yelling at her.
“ Gibbs I came here because I thought of all people you would understand my situation. It was just as hard for me to leave everyone. I didn’t want to leave my friends and family. You all had each other I had no one Gibbs, no one” she said almost crying. Gibbs could see the hurt in her eyes and that she was truly sorry. He didn’t know what Fornell had said to her to make her do it.
“ Katie” he said softly. He felt bad for yelling at her but how else was he suppose to react when she was suppose to be dead for 2 years. He stepped forward and hugged her.
It was then that Holly exited the bathroom to see them embracing. She stopped and waited for them to separate before returning.
“ Is everything ok?” she asked standing between the two.
“ Yes, every things fine. Sorry for interrupting” Kate said with a smile. She turned and walked away and entered the elevator.
******
Gibbs and Holly entered his house and dropped their stuff.
“ Was she a good agent?” she asks him.
“ One of the best” he said.
“ Can I ask you something?”
“ Mmmm” he said gruffly.
“ Did you and her have…a thing when she was…working at NCIS?” she said.
Gibbs didn’t know what to say. He was shocked that she would even think of something like that.
“ No” he simply said. The room was filled with silence. He didn’t even look at her.
“ Gibbs, I saw the way she looked at you. And the way you looked at her” she said.
“ So”
“ So, you don’t look at someone like that if it didn’t mean anything”
“ There is, was nothing between us. Can we stop talking about it”. She doesn’t say anything. They sat down on the lounge in silence. She watched him. She could see his mind ticking.
“ Look Gibbs, I can tell that your thinking about her. Can you just tell me one thing. If you lost me, would you be as upset as you were when you lost her?” she asked looking at her. He looked at her, then at the ground. She nodded her head.
“ I see. You really do care about her” she said softly. She got up, grabbed her things and left. He sat there starring at the ground and thinking about what she said.
‘ She is right. I do care about Kate. More then I thought.’ he thought to himself. He got up off the lounge and ran out of his house and to his car and headed to what used to be Kate’s house. He hoped she was living there now she was back.
He pulled up out the front as it started to rain. He got out and made his way up to her front door. He rung the bell and waited. He rung it again as there was no answer. He hung his head and turned to leave when he heard the door open.
“ Gibbs! What are you doing here?” Kate asked. He turned around to see her in her pj’s.
“ I wanted to see if your ok” he lied. He was still standing in the rain.
“ I’m fine Gibbs. I’m still alive” she said with a soft smile.
“ Good” he said stepping forward, getting closer to her. She looked up into those eyes she has missed. Her heart began beating faster. He ran his hand over her cheek and through her hair.
“ I’ve missed you” he said softly then leaned down and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her hands through his wet hair.
Kate pulled back to look at him. His face wet from the rain.
“ I am so sorry Gibbs. I wanted to tell you but” she started to explain.
“ Never say your sorry” he said. She smiled as he kissed her again. She pulled off his wet coat and let it drop to the floor. He picked her up and made his way to her bedroom which looked exactly the same as when he last saw it.
******
Tony, Ziva and McGee were all in the bullpen wondering were Gibbs was.
“ Maybe he just over slept” McGee suggested.
“ Oh yeah and how often does that happen” Tony says with a smirk. They all turned towards the elevator and saw Kate walk out. McGee and Tony stood up and looked on in shock horror at what they were seeing. Ziva looked from McGee to Tony and then at the brunette making her way towards them. Tony and McGee couldn’t speak.
“ You are?” Ziva asked.
“ Kate Todd. I used to work here” Kate said with a smile. Ziva’s face turned to one of shock. It has been 2 years since she killed her brother, whom had killed NCIS Special Agent Kate Todd.
“ I’m so sorry” Ziva said. She has been born to kill but since working at NCIS she has become more…compassionate.
Tony couldn’t believe she was standing in front of him.
“ I saw you die. Your blood on me” he says recalling the painful memory.
“ Tony I’m sorry, I didn’t want to do it but” Kate started to explain.
“ You didn’t want to die? Or you didn’t want to lie?” he asked anger in his voice. She knew he could be worse then Gibbs when he gets angry.
“ Both. I had no choice, Fornell said I had no choice. It was either me or Gibbs and I couldn’t let that happen…for real” she said.
“ You could have said no. When have you or any of us trusted Fornell?” Tony asked.
“ Gibbs does” she said.
“ Ducky had to autopsy you. I saw you lying there on the metal slab. Abby was a mess.” McGee said.
“ That wasn’t me and I am so sorry for what I did. I have to go see her” Kate said. She started to make her way to the back elevator when Tony stopped here ad pulled her in for a hug.
“ I don’t believe this is real” he said softly into her ear. He let her go and she continued on her way. McGee watched her. He still couldn’t believe it was all a lie. He was angry but happy that she is alive.
*****
Kate walked out of the elevator and entered Abby’s lab.
“ Abby” She called out over the music. Abby stopped what she was doing. She waited to hear the voice again.
“ Abby” Kate called again. Abby couldn’t believe what she is hearing. She hasn’t heard that voice in 2 years and she misses the person that it belongs to.
“ Turn around” Kate yells. Abby obeyed the voice.
“ Whoa” Abby exclaimed seeing Kate standing in her lab.
“ This is not real. Your dead your not here. I think I need to lay off the caffeine” she said looking at her bin filled with Café Pow.
“ Abby this is real and I wasn’t dead” Kate told her.
“ You were, are. Tony and Gibbs both told me.” She said.
“ They didn’t know Abby. It was all a lie. I did it to save Gibbs.” She told Abby. Abby was still not sure about this.
“ Why didn’t you tell me, I’m your best friend” Abby said.
“ I couldn’t tell anyone, not even my family. I know what I did hurt everyone but you all had each other to help cope and I had no one. Abby I didn’t want to do what I did believe me” she said. Abby finally realised it was real and not a hallucination.
“ Have you told Gibbs?” Abby asked.
“ He was the first one I told.”
“ What did he say?”
“ His reaction was a lot like yours but I think he was on a date with someone and I interrupted” Kate told her.
“ The army lady. They’ve only just started” Abby said.
“ I have a feeling it’s just ended to” Kate said trying not to smile.
“ Why what happened?” Abby asked.
“ He came to my house last night” was all she said. Abby smiled at her. It felt good to talk to Kate like this again but Abby still felt weird. It was like she was talking to a ghost. Just like she did when she first got told Kate had died. Kate took a step towards Abby and Abby took a step back, running into her desk.
“ I’m sorry Kate but I still don’t believe that’s you. I still don’t know if you’re the result of all the red bulls I drank last night or if in fact you are real but until I know can we just keep a distance?” she said.
“ Sure, I understand” Kate said with a soft smile.