Big Business
"Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts. And never hope more than you work." - Rita Mae Brown
It was impressive, and even Kate could see that was an understatement.
In her sixteen years working in this business, she had never once thought that her dream of having her own corner office, her own team, would ever be achievable. She certainly knew it was possible, but was unsure if she had the stamina and credibility to get there. She had made it to the fifth floor, an office directly next to Jethro Gibbs and she could only assume it was the friends in high places she'd gained over the years, one in particular, who had pushed her up the scale; they obviously knew she was more than capable of co-directing. To think that this had started out as a two year internship as a design assistant way back when.
The ceiling high windows in her office provided an amazing, albeit distracting, view of the city she now called home; at this time of evening it was even more spectacular than during the day. The walls were painted, at her choosing, a lush apple red, with built in shelves for her books and portfolios. Stacked against the far wall, awaiting perfect placement, were framed panorama images of New York, Paris and London; three of the major cities she'd lived and studied in. There were boxes to be unpacked, stacks of books to be shelved and office equipment to be set up. The latest she could begin organising her space was Sunday, if she wanted to get stuck into work straight away on Monday.
In the centre of the room, facing away from the windows, was a black ash desk still carefully wrapped. She could see herself sitting there in a few days, signing off on projects and evaluating expense reports; talking to clients; sharing a late meal with Jethro as they went over portfolios and threw ideas back and forth. If one thing Caitlin Margaret Todd knew, it was that she'd finally made it.
She'd lost track of how long she'd been standing at the windows, but suddenly noticed it was getting progressively darker than when she'd first looked out over her new kingdom. She caught sight of her reflection and began to wonder if she'd changed at all since arriving; if having this new power would make her stronger than she was now, or if it would weaken her. However much she changed, she certainly appreciated the image she represented.
A sharp white shirt with almost invisible embroidery sewn down the front; black pencil skirt which stopped a few inches above her knees, and a matching blazer which had been discarded earlier in the evening once she started organizing her office. She'd let her hair grow out over the past few months and it now sat across her shoulders and then some; the curls, which had been fuller earlier in the day, were now beginning to drop and were in serious need of a touch up with the curling irons. The four inch black heels and black framed reading glasses atop her head were the real killer. It was provocative and work ready, and she loved it.
Growing up in New York had taught her everything she needed to know about looks, and how to work them right. She knew she could stand in a crowded room right now and gain the attention of everyone in an instant without having to do a thing; it was this knowledge that fuelled her need for power.
While on the outside she knew she looked like a business minded sex goddess, on the inside she was ready to call it a night, go home and throw on an old football jersey she'd never returned to an ex-boyfriend. And she was never more ready when she suddenly realised how much closer to home she was living now, than she had done in the twenty years since leaving. Her excitement waned suddenly, leaving her over exhausted and definitely more than ready to go home; especially when she calculated the driving distance between where she was and where she came from.
In retrospect it shouldn't bother her, that her family home was a little more than a five hour drive away, but it did. She swore the day she left she'd never step foot back there, and she'd kept to it for the most part, only having returned twice for very short periods of time. The second and last time she'd gone home, it had been for a week and it was one of the most draining experiences of her life. Even growing up, splitting her time between school, work and taking care of four kids under the age of ten had never been more exhausting than that one week.
She'd been grateful to Jethro at that time; he'd checked on her apartment despite not being needed to and he'd been there when she'd finally arrived home late at night, with dinner on the table for her. He admitted later that night as they were clearing up, that he'd been worrying about her, and her lack of contact with him. He ended up spending a few nights with her, just to make sure she was as okay as she said she was; she suspected this was payback for the months she'd spent with him a few years previous in ninety-one, seeing him through his nightmares and dark days after the deaths of his wife and daughter.
That had been the hardest point of their relationship. At that moment in time she'd known Jethro Gibbs for a little under two years, and had just recently been taken onboard as her internship had ended. She'd become good friends with him in that short period of time, and it had been at Jethro's request that Kate be taken out of the design studio in the basement, and work directly with him as his assistant; she still hadn't found the words to thank him for that.
When news of the crash got to her on Saturday morning, she was dumbfounded. He came to the office on Monday, and she told him he didn't have to be there; since it was in Jethro Gibbs' nature, he didn't listen to reason, and pushed ahead with his day. He was still there until almost midnight, until Kate took him home; she didn't leave him for almost a week, and spent most of her time on his couch with him wrapped around her. At twenty-two years old, that was the first time she'd seen a grown man cry, and it was something she didn't want to see, especially from this man, ever again.
Her choices of whether to think of home and reminisce or not were taken from her, when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her back to lean against the owner's chest. It seemed after all this time, Kate and Jethro had developed mind reading and sensed when the other was thinking about them. She liked it.
"You thinking about me again, Katie?"
"About how much work I'll not get done with this view distracting me."
Jethro pulled her back with him until he was leaning against her desk, with Kate situated between his knees. From where they were now, they could barely see past their own reflections to the city, but Kate found it didn't bother her. Ever since they began spending more time together outside the office, rumors had been circulating about their almost likely involvement with each other since they acted more like a couple than colleagues. There'd been a time where she considered it, but she valued Jethro too much to see his heart be broken again should it not work out between them.
He moved them again so his chin was on her shoulder, and Kate leaned more comfortably into him, her hands curling round his forearms; he was the only man who could make her feel safe, now that the superhero complex had worn off on her father.
"We made it, Jethro. We own this place now."
"You excited?"
"Let's just say, I'm glad I know you. If it hadn't been for you, I'd still be stuck in that basement. But I am kinda nervous."
"Is that because you're the big, bad boss lady, or because you're closer to Jackson?"
When Kate pulled away, Jethro knew he'd been wrong to bring it up. Her childhood was a sore point and something they never discussed; just like he never discussed Shannon or Kelly. He sighed as she walked away and over to the stack of books in the corner, keeping her back to him, and pulled her glasses down to her eyes; he knew this signal well. The glasses going on meant end of discussion in Kate language, and when they came off she wanted to fight. He also knew when to push the issue with her, how far to take it, and right now he wouldn't stop until the black frames were off and she confronted her feelings for the subject.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"What's there to say? I left and now I'm a five hour drive away; I can deal with it."
There was a venom in her tone, which surprised both she and Jethro; she hadn't spoken like that since the argument with her parents, and she didn't like the fact she was using it on her closest friend. She replaced the book she'd lifted and stood up, smoothing out her skirt. She turned slowly to face Jethro, not knowing what she'd see on his face at the tone she'd used with him, but found nothing but understanding.
"Jethro, I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a little stressed; I don't mean to take it out on you."
"Hey, never apologize; it's a sign of weakness. And I can take anything you can throw at me, Katie."
Kate smiled a little, knowing exactly how much of her sass he could take, and moved her glasses back into her hair signalling a truce. She crossed the room and sat next to Jethro on her desk, leaning against him as she finally let the exhaustion show. He once again wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
"You settled into the grand suite yet?"
"Would you stop calling it that? It's not even that big."
"Kate, I've seen the blueprints; it's huge. You don't even have enough furniture for the first floor."
Kate pinched his side and he moved away slightly. Another topic Jethro had learned she didn't like discussing was money. Specifically, how she could afford a three level penthouse in north west Washington on her salary. It was information he could probably get from her if she were drunk, but he'd seen Kate intoxicated once before and it had some extreme after-effects; that had been the month she made him promise never to let her have more than one glass of wine. She'd stated her reason being that she became to truthful, but she eventually told him the truth and he'd readily agreed after telling her she'd never end up like that as long as he was around.
"To answer you're question, no I'm not. I still need to build the bed, unpack, go shopping...so much before Monday."
"Okay. We'll finish up here, find a decent takeout joint and then see if I can build a bed as easily as I can dismantle one."
"Sounds like a plan."
Story Notes:
Taking them out of the NCIS work environment altogether. So how this actually turns out is gonna be a surprise to me aswell as you.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Kate Todd is a recently promoted, highly successful business woman who embarks on an affair with the much younger security guard who works in her apartment complex. After a night of passion and excitement, the new couple are brutally attacked on their journey home. Kate sets out for revenge but finds it will never be enough.
Chapter End Notes:
Taking them out of the NCIS work environment altogether. So how this actually turns out is gonna be a surprise to me aswell as you.