"A Broken Man (Chapters 5, 6, 7, & 8)"
Chapter Five (Lunch With Kate) ---
Kate emerged from the NCIS interrogation room, looking rather flustered, and slammed the door behind her. "How did Gibbs do it?" she wondered to herself as she stalked away down the hall. As she turned the corner she ran into McGee who was coming around that very corner at the exact same time.
"Oomph."
Kate let out a groan as she fell back against the adjacent wall, and the papers that she had been carrying went everywhere.
"Sorry, sorry," McGee apologized, profusely, as he dropped to his knees to recover the scattered papers. "I'll get it."
Kate straightened herself up dusting off her pin-stripe suit.
"What is it now McGee?" Kate asked, folding her arms across her chest.
McGee jumped to his feet doing the best he could to reorganize the stack of papers.
"Abby sent me to tell you she has the results from the ballistics tests." McGee said nervously.
Kate motioned for McGee to follow her as she continued back towards the squad room.
"Tell Abby I'll be down after lunch." Kate said sternly, doing her best Gibbs impersonation.
"Yes ma'am." McGee replied.
They continued down the hall until they reached its termination point. Kate split off from McGee as soon as they emerged from the hallway and headed off in the direction of the employee lounge.
"Uh Kate?" McGee called after her, stopping in his tracks. "What do I do with these?" he asked holding up the papers.
Kate laughed to herself. This job did have its perks sometimes. "Just drop'em on my desk." she called back over her shoulder careful not to let the younger agent see her smile.
McGee shrugged, but didn't question his boss--he never did.
"Where are you going?" he asked before she got too far away.
Kate spun on her heel continuing to walk backwards. "I've got a lunch date, McGee." she replied with a smile, and then turned back around.
True she did have a lunch date, and it was with the man she loved.
The elevator pinged and the doors opened. Gibbs rolled his wheelchair off, with Ducky walking right behind him carrying two different sacks, and the two made their way down the hall towards the employee lounge.
"Perhaps you would be delighted to know that our Caitlin is doing a splendid job--uh, acting in your stead." Ducky said cheerfully.
Gibbs smirked as he rolled his wheelchair onwards. "Well Duck, she'd better be," Gibbs replied smugly. "Or she'll be in a lot of trouble when she gets home."
Behind him Ducky laughed heartily at his old friends' joke. For him it was good to see Jethro Gibbs out and about again. It wasn't something he had done a lot of since the accident 8 months prior.
"Why just the other day I was observing her in interrogation, from the observation room of course, and I dare say if I didn't know any better I would think she was you." Ducky said, increasing his stride a little to keep up with Gibbs.
Gibbs laughed.
"You say it like it's a bad thing Duck." Gibbs replied, with a chuckle.
The two men rounded a second corner, and then immediately to their right was the employee lounge. Kate was already there waiting for them. She approached them as they entered, and took the two bags from Ducky--thanking him with a smile as he turned to leave them alone.
The two of them were alone in the lounge--per Kate's request. She set the two bags down on the table, and then moved one of the chairs so that Gibbs could pull his wheelchair up close. And then she sat in the seat directly adjacent to his.
"I wasn't sure what to get you." Gibbs said quietly.
Kate reached into the bag that Gibbs had indicated as hers and pulled out a ceasar salad, light on the dressing, with one bread roll and an ice cold Lemonade.
"You remembered my favorite," Kate squeeled happily. "Right down to the lemonade."
"I know." Gibbs replied smugly, with a smile.
She opened up the salad container, and examined it--she found it to be just right.
"What'd you get?" she asked, peeking inside his bag.
Gibbs reached for the bag and pulled it close. He reached inside and pulled out a sub sandwhich wrapped in plastic wrap.
"You're really gonna eat all that?" she asked, admiring the size of the sandwhich.
"What? Don't think I can?" he asked, a daring look in his eyes.
Kate laughed at her lover, and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Gibbs unwrapped his sandwhich as Kate got a headstart on her salad and bread roll.
"How's the team?" Gibbs asked, taking a bite of his sandwhich.
Kate swallowed a bite of salad and then washed it down with a gulp of her lemonade.
"Well, Tony still acts like a child," she informed him, with a chuckle.
"Just keep him on a short leash, and you'll be okay." Gibbs replied with a grin, as he took another bite of his sandwhich.
"McGee's starting to get the hang of things--I think."
"He's a good agent Kate," Gibbs said. "He just needs a little encouragement."
Kate laughed heartily.
"You mean a little *Gibbs* encouragement, right?" she replied, with a knowing grin.
Gibbs just shrugged, swallowing another bite of his sandwhich.
Now Kate got really serious.
"Jethro. There's something I need to ask you."
"Shoot." Gibbs replied, with a nod.
"Earlier, on the phone, I said *I love you*, but you didn't say it back." she explained slowly. "Now I could just be paranoid, but-"
"You're not paranoid Kate," Gibbs said, quietly.
"You only said it to be nice," he said plainly, laying his sandwhich down.
At this remark Kate felt somewhat offended.
"Why--Gibbs why do you think that I would do that?" she asked, setting her fork down.
Gibbs just shrugged.
"You feel sorry for me." he mumbled.
Kate was utterly shocked by her lover's statement.
"Jethro that's absurd!" Kate said out of shock.
"Is it Kate?" Gibbs retorted, backing his wheelchair away from the table a little bit. "Tell me Kate. What do you see when you look at me?"
"Gibbs, I-" she started to protest.
"What do you see?" he pressed harder, his voice rising.
"I-Jethro this is ridiculous," Kate said softly.
"You see a crippled man. Damaged Goods!" he shouted.
"No Jethro, that's not true." she said, almost in tears.
Gibbs spun his wheelchair around and rolled himself towards the door.
"Jethro where are you going?" Kate asked, as she stood and tried to follow.
"This whole thing was a bad idea." he mumbled as he rolled himself out the lounge door.
"Jethro wait," Kate called as she followed him into the hallway.
"I'll just get Ducky to take me home." he replied plainly.
"Please, Jethro, I don't want you to go." she called after him.
"Sorry Kate, it's better this way." he told her his voice beginning to crack.
Kate took a few more steps in his direction starting to follow after him, but then stopped.
"Jethro..."
Chapter Six (Tony's Revelation) ---
After lunch was over Kate strolled back into the squad room looking rather depressed as she sank into her seat behind her desk.
"Something wrong?" Tony asked, looking up from some papers on his desk.
Kate tried to ignore Tony.
She felt bad enough as it was. She did not need Tony making things worse for her.
"Where's Gibbs?" he asked.
"He left." she replied plainly, without looking up.
Kate dropped her head into her arms.
Tony pushed his chair back from his desk, and walked over and sat down on the edge of Kate's desk.
"Spill." Tony commanded.
Kate reluctantly lifted her head up to look at Tony. Tony wasn't expecting to see tears in her eyes, but he did.
"It was going so good...and then Bam! I had to go and open my big mouth." Kate said, wiping tears from her eyes.
"What'd he do this time?" Tony asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"He accussed me of feeling sorry for him," she explained. "He thinks I don't really love him."
Tony shook his head slightly, drew in a deep breath, and then let it out again.
"Kate, there's something you don't know about Gibbs." he started.
He pulled a couple of tissues from the box on the other side of Kate's desk and handed them to her.
"The night of the accident, he was on his way to meet you at the restaurant--we all were--but it wasn't just for your birthday party." Tony explained.
---------DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE---------
Gibbs stood in the squad room at NCIS. He was sitting at his desk, under the lamp light, examining something in his hand.
Tony strolled into the squad room to gather up his things before leaving.
"You comin' tonight?" Gibbs asked across the bullpen.
Tony turned to face his boss having just retrieved his gun and badge from his desk drawer.
"Yep." Tony said with a smile.
Gibbs smiled and nodded back.
"Good."
Tony grabbed his bag and strolled over towards Gibbs' desk.
"Is that it?" he asked, as he approached his boss' desk.
"Sure is." Gibbs replied, holding it out.
Tony took the diamond studded ring and held it up close to his face.
"Nice rock Boss." Tony remarked as he handed the ring back to Gibbs.
"Think she'll like it?" Gibbs asked, accepting the ring back from Gibbs.
"Are you kiddin'--she'll love it!" Tony said excitedly.
Gibbs laughed. "I want to give her the world Tony." he said with a smile.
"I still get to be your best man right?" Tony asked, with a grin.
Gibbs looked up at Tony with a hard look.
Tony swallowed hard at the look his boss was giving him.
"I-I mean, ya know, it--its totally totally up to you." Tony stammered.
Gibbs smiled suddenly, and this threw Tony off guard momentarily.
"Well yeah DiNozzo--if I don't kill ya first." Gibbs said with a slight chuckle.
---------END OF DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE---------
Kate had tears in her eyes when she looked up at Tony again. "He said that?" she asked, making sure she had heard him right. Her mind was racing a million miles a minute. She almost didn't believe what Tony was telling her.
Tony nodded quietly at Kate. "So go easy on him...ya know--give him some time." Tony said. "He knows you care, Kate, but he just doesn't believe that you could love a 'broken man'--as he calls it."
Under any other circumstances Kate might have felt offended, but right now all she felt was heartache; and not because of the way that Gibbs had acted, but because she now knew why he acted that way and how he was really feeling. Tonight when she went home she would talk to him.
Kate pulled up into the driveway later that night. She could see the lights on in the living room windows. He must be awake she decided. Sometimes, even when she got home early, she would find him already laid down for the night.
She unlocked the door and stepped inside. She left her shoes by the door like she usually did, and walked into the living room. No Gibbs though. "Where could he be?" she wondered to herself.
She proceeded to check the kitchen, the downstairs bathroom, and the downstairs guest room--but no luck there either. It was only just to satisfy her curiosity that she decided to check down in the basement.
"Gibbs, how did you get down here?" she asked, coming down the basement stairs. She had to admit she was impressed with the older man. He was very resourceful when he needed to be.
"How the hell d'ya think I got down here!" he shot back, an edge of anger in his voice.
Kate stopped on the bottom step, and stood there looking down at her feet. "I-I didn't mean it that way." she said quietly, a little nervous.
Gibbs rubbed his eyes. He hated himself when he treated Kate that way. "Sorry," he said with a sigh. "I crawled--mostly."
"It's okay," Kate said, moving closer to Gibbs. "You been down here long?" she asked, stepping off the final step and walking towards him. "We--we need to talk."
"Nope." he replied, quietly. "Whatcha need?" he asked.
Gibbs sat, in his wheelchair, facing the unfinished boat. In his lap sat an unopened bottle of Jack. When he noticed that Kate had seen the bottle he handed it over to her. "Picked up on the way home earlier." he said, quietly. "I couldn't do it."
"We--we need to talk," she said. Kate took the bottle and laid it on the workbench behind them. "Gibbs, Tony told me everything." she admitted.
"Did he now?" Gibbs remarked, running a hand through his silvery hair.
Kate bit down hard on her lip, trying choose the right words. "I don't care if you can't walk." she said, suddenly. "I love you just the way you are." she said, her eyes becoming moist with emotion.
Gibbs swallowed hard, not making eye contact with the beautiful woman standing before him. "Kate I-" he started to say. "What'dya want from me Kate?" Gibbs asked, feeling a little bit awkward at this point.
"Gibbs," she said. "What changed?" she asked, stepping closer.
"I did." he replied,averting his eyes away from Kate. He knew where this conversation was going, and it made him kind of nervous just thinking about it.
"Why?" she asked, pushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"Kate-" Gibbs started to say, but then paused briefly. "It just wouldn't work out." he said. "And I don't want you to get hurt."
Inside Kate smiled. Gibbs was probably the most caring, kindest, most gentle, and just all around great guy that she'd ever met. "Why won't it work out, Gibbs?" she asked genuinely. "Explain it to me." she said, quietly.
Gibbs rubbed his eyes, as he thought a moment on it. "Kate, you said you wanted children," Gibbs started. "I can't give you children." he said.
"That's okay," she replied, with a hopeful smile. "We could always adopt."
Gibbs shook his head, wearily, with a sigh. "How do you think it would look if we'd walked down the aisle?" Gibbs asked. "You walking upright, and me rolling around in this damn wheelchair." he said angrily, a tear forming in the corner of his eye.
"I think it would look beautiful." Kate replied, kneeling down beside the man she loved.
"What about work?" Gibbs asked. "I'm currently out of it right now>" he pointed out. "I can't let you do everything--I mean if I did that would practically make me a damn vegetable anyway."
"Director Morrow agreed to let you come back anytime you were ready." Kate countered, taking one of Gibbs' hands into her own as she sat there.
There as a long silence between them where they just stared at each other for what seemed like the longest time.
Kate let out a long sigh, and then kisse Gibbs' hand gently. "Look, I'm not gonna make you do anything tha you don't want to do," she said. "But please, don't let THIS decide for you, okay." she said, nodding towards the wheelchair.
Gibbs sighed.
"Now come on. Its time for bed." she said standing up.
"No you go on up." Gibbs said, with a nod. "I'm gonna stay down here for awhile."
Kate stared at Gibbs for a minute or two trying to decide whether she should leave him down in the basement or force him to come upstairs. Eventually she let him win--she was just too tired to up a fight right now. So she left him down in the basement, alone, with his thoughts.
Chapter Seven (Surprise) ---
The next morning Kate fixed breakfast as she rushed around the house trying to get ready for work. She remembered that Gibbs was still in the basement, and mot in his usual sleeping spot. She walked slowly down the steps into the basement where she found him--awake.
"Gibbs." she said, a little surprised. "Did you get any sleep last night?" she asked, as she approached where he sat, in his wheelchair, staring at the boat.
"No." he replied, quietly. "I was up all night thinking." he explained.
"Thinking about what?" she asked, straightening up her earrings once more.
"About this." he replied, turning his chair to face her. His eyes were red with exhaustion. In his right hand he held a small box--a ring box from all appearances.
Kates breath caught in her chest, as she stared at the little box in his hand. "Is that-" she started to ask, but then Gibbs cut her off.
"Marry me Kate," he said quietly, opening the ring box, to reveal the treasure within, and holding it up to her.
She reached out and took the tiny box, and held it at a distance admiring it. "Oh, Jethro," she breathed.
Kate strolled into the lab later on that morning to get the latest lab results from Abby. "Abby, you in here?" she asked, looking around the lab and not seeing Abby.
"Back here!" Abby called from her office.
Kate sighed, shaking her head, and walked into Abby's office--across the room. "Got my lab results?" she asked, as she entered the office area.
Abby was on her hands and knees apparently searching for something on the floor. She crawled about very slowly and very carefully.
"Abby, what are you doing on the floor?" Kate asked, only slightly confused and curious. "Did you lose something?"
Abby stopped and pulled herself up to her knees and looked at Kate. "One of the studs came off my dog collar." she said, with a pained expression. "And this is my favorite dog collar," she explained, tugging at the collar around her neck. "Its the one that Gibbs gave me for my first birthday here at NCIS."
"Really." Kate said, arching her brow. "Tell you what," Kate said, extending a hand to help Abby the rest of the way up. "You give me my lab results, and I'll send DiNozzo down here to help you look. He could use the exercise anyway."
Both women laughed at the joke. Abby took Kate's hand pulled herself up to her feet. "Okay," she said. "Follow me ma'am." Abby said jokingly, leading the way back out into the main lab area.
"Uhhh," Kate groaned, as Abby pulled her towards the computer/workstation setup. "Please don't call me that Abby." Kate pleaded.
"Here are your results," Abby said cheerfully, punching a few keys on the keyboard. "Petty Officer Daniel Quincy is not your killer." Abby informed Kate. "The blood sample taken from the crime scene did not match the sample that Petty Officer Quincy volunteered, or the sample that Ducky pulled from the victim--one Petty Officer Marcus Lawsen."
"Another dead end," Kate sighed, shaking her head. "Well, back to the drawing board I guess." she remarked, as she turned to walk out. "I'll send Tony down as soon as he gets in." Kate said, over her shoulder.
Abby cocked her head to one side studying something on or about Kate as the brunette special agent was walking away. "Wait!" Abby said suddenly, reaching out and grabbing Kate's arm before she got too far away.
"What?" Kate asked, confused, as Abby pulled her back closer.
Abby grabbed Kate's right hand, and held it up close to her face. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked, a smile playing at the edges of her mouth.
Kate had almost forgotten all about the shiny, new, diamond ring that she was now wearing on her right hand. She'd gotten so caught up in the case that they were working on that she had not said anything to anyone since she and Gibbs walked through the front door(s) of NCIS earlier in the morning. Kate looked at Abby and grinned, delightedly, with a nod.
Abby squealed with excitement and delight. "Oh my God!" she squealed, loudly. "Gibbs proposed."
"This morning--before we left," Kate said, smiling from ear to ear, proudly.
"Oh my gosh Kate this is so exciting!" Abby squealed, turning a lopsided 360 right on the spot.
Kate couldn't help but laugh at the Goth Forensic Specialists' burst of excitement and nearly overwhelming energy.
"Oh Kate," Abby said, wrapping her friend in a big, warm, Scuito hug. "I'm so happy for you."
Kate chuckled. "Thanks Abby."
"So when's the wedding?" Abby asked.
Kate laughed. "Abby. He just proposed this morning. We haven't even talked about it yet."
"Oh right. I-I knew that."
Kate chuckled again at her friend. "Well I better going. But I will talk to you more later."
Kate strolled into the squad room a few minutes later looking for Gibbs--who, unfortunately was nowhere to be found at present.
"Lookin' for something Kate?" Tony asked, looking from the magazine he was reading.
Typical, Kate thought to herself.
"Yeah. Have you seen Gibbs?" she asked, dropping the file folder onto her desk.
"Yeah, he's with Ducky." Tony replied, returning to his magazine.
"Oh, okay." Kate said, turning to head downstairs--once again.
"Hey Kate," Tony called over his magazine.
Kate stopped and looked over her shoulder at Tony. "What?"
"Congratulations." he called to her.
Down in Autopsy Gibbs and Ducky were engaged in a conversation. "Sorry about last night," Gibbs said apologetically, running a hand through his silvery hair. "I mean--about waking you up so late."
"Not at all Jethro," Ducky said, with a hearty chuckle. "I did find what you asked for." he informed Gibbs.
"Thanks Duck." Gibbs said with a smile, as he wheeled himself out of Ducky's way. "You're a good friend."
Ducky laughed as he made his way past Gibbs, and headed towards his desk. "Indeed I am Jethro. Indeed I am."
Gibbs followed close behind the aging M.E. until they reached his desk. Ducky opened a bottom drawer and pulled out a manila file folder, which he proceeded to hand to Gibbs.
"I must warn you, however, this procedure is still in its experimental stages--Jethro." Ducky said, as he handed over the folder to Gibbs. "There are only a handful of Doctors, anywhere, who will consider the operation a viable option." Ducky added.
Gibbs held the folder in his hand, and looked up at his aging friend.
Kate stood outside autopsy, listening intensely to the conversation going on between her two colleagues. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, and she didn't really mean to--it just happened.
"I have to try Duck." Gibbs said, quietly. "For Kate." he added, lowering his eyes. "When she walks down that aisle. I want her to see the man she fell in love with--not some cripple."
Ducky stared hard at his oldest and dearest friend in the whole world. "I am sure that our dear Caitlin would never see you as a--a cripple." Ducky replied, with a knowing look.
Gibbs nodded in agreement at Ducky. "I guess, but still--I have to try."
The sliding doors slid open and Kate entered autopsy--casually. "Have to try what?" she asked, as she strolled over in their direction.
Gibbs swallowed hard, as he struggled to find the best way to explain his decision--he knew good and well that he'd been caught in the act. "Its an experimental operation, Kate." Gibbs started to explain. He looked up at Ducky, his eyes pleading for help.
"Its still in its infancy," Ducky said, picking up where Gibbs left off. "If successful--its very possible that Jethro could walk again." Ducky explained.
"Really?" Kate stooped over and looked into her husband-to-be's face, and searched his expression for truth. "Is this really what you want?" she asked, seriously.
Gibbs swallowed a hard lump as he stared into Kate's eyes for a moment. "Yes." he replied.
.........To Be Continued.........
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