First fight
Gibbs truly wishes that he doesn't have to tell her what he did; while she is lost in his gaze, he is mesmerized by her eyes. He wishes he can just taste her sweet flushed lips.
She is so tempting with her bed head, she looks small, vulnerable and all woman; sweet, very different with what he used to describe women in the past, especially his gorgeous cold ex wives.
He tries to concentrate; he is not used in seeing her in her PJ, instead of her tailored suit…what the hell is the matter with him? Why can't he rein himself?...and she is not a red head…and the little thing is fierce.
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"I switched the body Kate…" he states clearly, notices her soft warm chocolate eyes turns colder and harsher by the seconds.
"You what?" she couldn't believe her ears.
"And whose body was taken back?..." she couldn't finish her sentence; it doesn't make sense to her.
"Special Agent Dinozzo, my agent…" Gibbs wishes he is the one in the body bag.
"Why…?" she whispers to him, trying to understand his reasons.
"I believe, he was poisoned, it was not an accidental death, Ducky is performing the autopsy as we speak…" he explains to the very quiet dazed woman.
"You can have his body, once we completed the autopsy…" but she cuts him off
"You selfish bastard! Do you have any idea what your action will do to my job, my career? My boss has already chew my ass and he will definitely LIGHT A FIRE ON MY ASS NOW!" she is pissed mad beyond reason.
"I trusted you, I defended you…with your bloody NCIS integrity…" she hisses at him, jabbing her index finger to his chest; but what he said next, only makes things worse.
"Finding out what really happened to the dead man is my job, not your career Kate" he answers, as if he has no regret.
Kate stops in her track, stays very quiet for a minute, processing what she just heard.
"You are right Special Agent Gibbs…it's a job…you do what you have to do, and I'll do what I have to do, I am not some idiotic bimbo…you are going to be sorry, you cross my path on Air Force One…now, GET OUT!" she left the jerk and goes to her bathroom, slams the door…she needs to be in her headquarter to explains the mess.
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First kiss
She is in the bathroom, blaming herself; it's her fault…mea culpa Kate, she wants to cry and crawls to a corner like what she used to do when she was a kid and she wait until one of her brother come look for her…and fix whatever is bothering her.
But Kate refused to surrender to her emotion, she is not a child…she is old for God's sake; she is a professional, she has to be strong and fix her mistake, not just cry about it like a little girl.
Why did she trust the old fox? Damn it! She cursed.
She should have known, shame on you Kate! She said to herself in anger.
She is walking out of her bathroom in her undergarment, she was so pissed she forgot her clothes; she sighs, she needs to do her laundry…soon.
Her mobile rings, she rummages blindly on her bed looking for her mobile.
"Todd" she surrenders to the yelling she is about to receive…from her boss.
She answers calmly with lots of "yes sir" while trying to cover her cough, she feels like hell but she decided to go through hell with dignity.
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Kate freeze in her track, she sees Gibbs leaning against her door frame, the bastard is still in her place! AND, he has the audacity to be looking at her…and bloody hell, she is not dress.
Again, her pride and experience, living with three brothers saved her face again; but she recognized the lust in his eyes, he can't hide it or he doesn't bother to hide it; she doesn't care.
Nonchalantly, Kate walks toward him; she is still damp from her shower, just with her matching black undergarment.
"I have my six hour" she tells the man she has a gun.
"I noticed" Gibbs replies, locking their eyes.
Kate reached him; she is standing very close to him, trying to intimidate the man and to show him that she is not afraid of him or NCIS.
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He can see the unmistakably black bluish bruise on her chest and temple; he is mad as hell, "I am sorry Katie…" he whispers to her.
Kate jumps slightly from shock that he said sorry.
"I thought you said, never said sorry" he asks him smugly, happy that she can intimidate the man, she perched both her hands on her waist.
Kate lets out a surprise yelps; without warning he grabs her face swiftly and kisses her cut lips. Both of her hands are bracing his chest, trying to break free from his kiss; but within a few seconds she is lulled by his soft kiss and relaxes her brace.
His tongue grazes her teeth for her consent; she let him, it feels like heaven; her palms on his hard chest are roaming slightly, feeling his masculinity, he smells nice, she likes what she is feeling; her rough thumb is stroking her cheek…softly.
Above all, she is surprised that a man of his gruff exterior and rude can be so gentle with his kiss and touch…Kate feels safe in his grip.
She hears groans, is it hers? Or his? Who cares…
His palms are on her back now, she faintly leaps when she feels his callous graze burning her bare skin; his finger slips in her bottom and caress her ass; he pulls her closer and she is very aware of his harden groin.
He wants more, she is too short for him to devours her lips comfortably, she is straining her neck to match his height; he switches his attack, from her lips to her jaw line, to her soft milky neck and he hears her moans louder and starts twisting her head…the bed…he sees the bed…he could just…walk and persuades her to her bed.
Caitlyn Todd is astonished but she loves the sensation. One of his hands is now holding her face, deepening his crazed kiss to her, he can not have enough of her, this time Kate definitely hears him groans.
Kate feels the carnal desperation from the both of them, she loves it but caution starts to pop out from her head…and she feels his harden body pushes her back, one of his leg is between her thigh, his hand roams her thigh…it burns, she feels moisture her womanhood…God, it feels so good…
Then his mouth is on her…furious, hot, wet, passionate…wild…and they are moving backwards…she hears his groans, calling her name and God…they are moving towards her bed…she is hypnotized by his touch that burns to her core…her back knees graze her bed…she is shock, they are making out beside the bed, her in her underwear, he leans forward to topple her…
Out of the blue, she has a flashback how Tim treated and attacked her violently, she is afraid…she pushes him away from her…afraid…breaking their passionate kiss, she doesn't know the man; Abruptly awaken from his bliss, he looks into her eyes…Gibbs sense fear in her eyes, berate himself by going too far, the man make a promise to himself that he will fix her fear…he'll make her feels safe again.
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"You should go Gibbs" she speaks softly and moves away from his magnetic field of attraction; her back is facing him as she puts on her clothes.
"I'll call you when we are done with the autopsy…so you can collect the body" he murmurs, "And it won't be long, I promised"
Kate just nods, not looking at him, she ignores him and she hers her door closes when he finally left, she is mortified that she is so easy.
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Face the music
She arrived in her headquarter within half an hour. She tried covering her bruised face with thick foundation and powder, but it looks so weird she decides to leave it alone.
Her colleagues are surprised to see her broken face.
Bauer was shocked, then furious.
"How on earth are you supposed to work with that face Agent Todd?" he shouts at her face, his saliva spitting out of his mouth." And what the hell happen to you?" Bauer can not believe his eyes. His Agent said that she hit her door on her way out…Bauer can believes his ears.
After barraging her about the switched body, preaching about their embarrassment in front of the FBI, Bauer pulls her off active duty for a week.
"What? Why?" she is doomed.
"YOU can not be joking Agent Todd, do you expect me to let you protect the president with…that…that face?" Bauer shakes his bold head at his agent.
"Do you understand what public figure means? Do you REALIZE that you are protecting the President of the United States of America???", "I do not want our citizens and the whole world to think that Secret Service is going down the drain and we cannot afford to hire a decent agent anymore" he is not looking at her.
"But sir…" Kate tries her luck.
"Enough! No discussion, I'd fire your ass if it's not because the President and the first Lady are so fond of you…do you understand Agent Todd?...you are at a very thin line here" his tone is dangerous.
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"You'll be pushing papers" he decides, "and retrieve the body, make the switch back" as Bauer points to a man, sitting at the corner of his office.
Kate sees the man who Gibbs was talking about; he must be his agent, she has clearer picture of the situation now. The NCIS agent is sitting at the corner, smiling, not a care in the world, oh God…he is eying Bauer's blond secretary and she smiles back at him; Kate can't believe her bad luck! She needs to go back to church.
"These are his" Bauer throws a mobile and an ID wallet to her hand; she looks at his mobile, no miss call, poor guy Kate thought.
"Special Agent Dinozzo, let's go" she calls him as she leaves the office and see from the corner of her eyes that the man scramble to his feet, waives good bye to her boss and runs out after blowing a kiss to the secretary.
"So…Todd…what's going to happen to me?" he eyed her expectantly.
"Easy…" she snaps, "I'll shoot you…put you in a body bag and get you back to NCIS".
Her mobile rings, "Todd" she starts coughing again, her nose is getting stuffy too.
"Todd" she answers stiffly, rubbing her nose.
"Kate, come to NCIS to get the body…are you all right Kate?" he asks, she is still couching.
Special Agent Todd hangs up with a terrible grin to her face, the ass doesn't even ask about his agent, she has a very bad idea and Kate looks at the good looking knuckle head in front of her and makes a call to her friend.
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NCIS HQ
Special Agent Todd arrives alone in her car; a truck is following her car. As they park in the NCIS lot, she signals her friend to wait for her and she walks to the entrance as stiffly as possible, she doesn't want to perceive as weak, her head is killing her.
She stops when someone catch her elbow and calls her name, not Todd but Kate, she doesn't recall letting him call her given name.
Gibbs was waiting at the HQ lobby, hovering near the entrance, couple of other agents who are aware of his disposition clear the area; then…he see his beaten angel lost from a battle, as he saw her walking towards his HQ; he wants to take her in his arms and take her home with him…take care of her…make her…stop!...yeah Jethro…you old fool…wishful thinking.
"Where's the body?" she asks him.
"Follow me" he pulls her elbow, Kate is too tired to argue.
They enter an elevator, she presses her back against the sturdy cold steel, her eyes closed; it's been more than two days that she hasn't have a wink; it feels so good against the cold steel. She hears him call her name a couple of time; she opens her heavy eyes, clearing her throats.
To her amazement, the man dares stroking her back, she slaps his hand away, "don't touch me" she snaps in between her cough.
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Gibbs is impressed, she is a hard ass, like him; bloody stubborn too, like him and he leads her to the autopsy room.
Kate is greeted with a welcoming voice.
"Good morning Caitlyn, how are you feeling sweetheart?" the sweet ME is in his scrub, he looks like her father.
Gibbs thought she is the most beautiful woman he ever see in his life, when she gives Ducky her sincere smile, despite of her bruised pale face; Gibbs wonders when will she gives such a sugary smile at him…not his ME!
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Ducky starts talking and Kate pays attention to him…and the corpse on top of the slab. Ducky has just finish his autopsy on the man, looking down on the Y incision rocks her stomach, then seeing his dead eyes, cloudy, cold lifeless rock her core; she knew the man, work with him in some occasion, he is very kind to her, Kate reaches out her hand and strokes his hair without hesitation.
Then she runs, she gags and covers her mouth with her hand. She walks blindly and feels Gibbs guides her to the nearest sink.
Kate empties her empty stomach; she hasn't eaten in a while, its just some yellow liquid out from her gastric, her throat stings.
Ducky and Gibbs are on her side, she is so ashamed, it's been a long time since her last autopsy experience with the FBI.
"Sorry…" she apologizes, "I knew him, he is a friend, and we sometimes worked together" what an excused, she thought.
"I am so sorry dear, the old man forgets that you are not use to it" Ducky regrets, a peach like her shouldn't see such horror in her life, he is quite taken by the young Secret Service lady, she is kind and sincerely…rare feature in women these days; if she is his daughter he would definitely keeps her at home…safe, not running around as bullet shield, as her current occupation.
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Ducky is worried, he is looking at poor Caitlyn.
"Caitlyn, you haven't eaten, haven't you dear?" the ME is looking at her discharge.
Kate covers her mouth again, "Please, don't mention food" she begs, a single tear falls from her eye, "I'm ok, when can I have him back?" she looks at them, "what did you find Ducky? What's the cause death? Oh God, he is married with a kid…what do I tell them?" she wipes her face.
"In a few hours" Gibbs answers, looking at Ducky.
Ducky is confused, looks at the daft man, but he goes along anyway, "I haven't find anything conclusive…I'll let you know when I do Caitlyn" looking at Jethro, annoyed; in a few hours? He can sew him up in 10 minutes.
"I'll make sure you have a copy of the Autopsy report dear" he adds; Kate nod at him and she wants to walk back to Autopsy slab, but Gibbs pulls her away and out of the room.
"Lets go!" he insists, "Where?" she is bewildered, he doesn't answer her; Ducky is angry with his unconsidered friend, he forgets that Gibbs can be an ass sometimes and he wonders how he got three women to marry him.
"Gibbs, I am not done yet!" her head hurting from the tug of war
"Where is my agent?" he asks, "Oh, so you worry about him…" she said smugly, Ducky is listening and he is very happy for her…you go Caitlyn, he said to himself.
"No" Gibbs smirks as he looks at her.
"He is in a body bag Gibbs, the same way the major is coming out" she stares him down, waiting for the look of horror on his face…bloody hell she starts coughing.
NOPE! He laughed at her face, shakes his head, they are standing between the autopsy room and the elevator.
"What the hell are you laughing about" Kate looks mad and embarrass; Ducky wants to kicks his friend's ass, poor Caitlyn facing the old fox.
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Gibbs pulls her into the elevator, "I am not invalid" she hisses at him, he doesn't answer her until they reach the HQ entrance, Kate can't help herself.
"Gibbs, where are we going?" Kate thought he wants to kick her out, she resists his tugging, trying to stop him dragging her out, they make quite a scene, but he doesn't give a damn and keep on going.
They are walking towards the back lot, "its Jethro…I am hungry…are you hungry Kate?" he speaks without looking at her, but from the corner oh his eyes; he can see how confused she is. He pushes her into his passenger seat, he enters, on the engine and drives out the lot.
They stop in Georgetown, he leads the baffled Secret Service chick to a small restaurant at a street corner; Gibbs is so happy he could sing, he notices that the woman is not pushing him away anymore…in fact she is holding his upper arm, following him, he loves the feeling of her needing him.
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As Kate enters the restaurant and smells the delicious oregano aroma, she realized how hungry she is and she hasn't eat for the past 12 hours, she is starving and she just eats whatever he ordered, pizza never feels this good!
"Wow" as she devours her food and Kate notices that he is looking at her, she smiles in shame, she excuses her manner; "Sorry Gibbs…I lived with three brothers and if I don't eat fast…I don't eat…"
He laughed and she keeps talking while enjoying her food.
In case he wonders, she explains "I am not a girly girl Gibbs…" he cuts her off, this time he looks straight into her eyes.
"Jethro…you can call me Jethro…" he finally explains to the lady.
"Ahh…I see…sorry…Jethro…ok…it's a bit weird, sorry…I mean unconventional…" she corrects herself.
"You were saying Kate…" he wants her to continue. She is the opposite of him, she is express herself through her body language, her face, her eyes, her arms are active…she is fun to look at, this woman can't fake herself…even when her life is depending on it; he starts profiling her…he feels a surge of hope and joy…she is very easy to read, which…is great from him…and she is polite and considerate…NOT like him who couldn't care less.
"Oh yeah…I am a tomboy, my brothers make sure of that…I even shaved my hair when I was three…they helped me though…" and they both laughed. She told him, because of that, her father punished the four of them…while her mother cried in the kitchen…but she thought she saw her father's shoulder shook as he turned his back from them…holding his laughter.
Then her brothers were mad at her, they blame her for being a girl and they said her name should be Caleb…not Caitlyn, since then they call her Caleb.
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Few minutes later.
"I am not mad anymore at you…Jethro, you feed me well" she goes on, for the first time she uses his given name and he wants to kiss her right there, right now.
Her mobile rings, "Todd"
She answers with lot of "Yes sir and I understand sir"
After she hangs up she said "My boss" to him as she walks to the cashier but Gibbs beats her to it.
"Thanks Gibbs…I owe you one…" Kate said to him…"Jethro, Kate" He insists.
"Sorry…thanks Jethro…I owe you one" she corrects herself, the man has paid for her lunch, and the least she can do is said his name correctly…she wonders.....
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-Tbc-nova2007
Author's Chapter Notes:
Finally, someone he can not handle and she is so delicious...
Chapter End Notes:
let me know what you think...