AN: This is it, folks (for now at least). Thank you so much for the feedback/follows. Hope you enjoy reading this final chapter! ;)

Kate couldn't breathe; not with that round, heavy weight that pressed against her chest she couldn't. Yet her sleepy mind claimed all reason and she only mumbled in protest, pretty much in vain. The object, it, was unmovable. Even when she shifted, when she tried to push it off of her, alas, nothing happened. Succumbing to the inevitability of waking up, Kate cracked one eye open, but what she saw soon had her rubbing both eyes in disbelief. Was that Gibbs' head pillowed on her chest?!

She would have laughed if she could: the man was leaving her breathless.

Kate's mouth gaped in shock then closed. The messy silver head rose ever so slightly with her shallow intake. Okay, now what? She resisted the urge to run her fingers through his short hair, settling for a shy pat to the crown of his head.

"Gibbs?" Kate whispered. She gave his shoulder light enough of a nudge not to startle him, but firm enough of a prod to rouse him from sleep.

Her boss let out a low growl before tightening his hold around her waist. He nuzzled his nose against the warm skin below her collar bone. "Who's that?" Gibbs slurred his words, softly rubbing his cheek up and down his makeshift pillow.

Kate shivered, painfully aware that the thin fabric of her shirt was all that divided Gibbs' stubbly cheek from, well, from her skin. "It's me, Gibbs. Kate." She bit her lip, expecting a frantic Gibbs, unable to pull away fast enough.

"Mmmm..."

The quiet hum reverberated against her heart, as if it was coming from inside her, and not from the pouting lips of a man, quickly slipping back into sleep –

Kate sighed. "Giiiiiibs," she said, scratching her nails down his back, anything to keep him awake.

"Fiiiiine."

At last, the weight lifted itself off her chest and Kate took a long, deep breath, sweet air, which was followed by a shiver. She stretched her arms above her head and heard a few cracks. With the constant source of warmth now gone, Kate had nothing to guard her against the early morning chills. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned to face Gibbs, who was yawning – needless to say, he was ready to doze off again. But she wouldn't let him –

"Your head's heavy, Gibbs," she murmured, shaking her head once she saw that his eyes had closed again. Well, he's a goner.

"You – so – so – " Gibbs' voice trailed off and just as Kate thought she'd never hear the end of his thought, he whispered, "soft."

Kate's lips quirked up into a smile. Her fuzzy mind – though it could not rival Gibbs' - almost wished he'd scoot closer and use her as a pillow once again. With this thought, she closed her eyes and drifted off beside him.

When Kate woke up, she was alone. She could sense the growing pains in her lower back, but she knew sleeping in a seated position did that to you. Lazily, she got up, looking around the deserted bullpen. Where is everyone? She glanced at the clock and froze. Kate hurried to the window and the sight that revealed itself – groups upon groups of people entering and exiting Headquarters – confirmed her suspicion. Snowed in no more!

After her elated squeal – she was alone; she had no reason to contain her excitement – a slightly unsettling feeling closed in on her. No one had thought of waking her up. No one had –

"Morning, Kate," Gibbs' warmly-clad form breezed past her, a coffee cup in each hand. When she did not respond, he looked back at her over his shoulder, "You're free to go, Agent Todd."

"Where are—where are Tony and Tim, Gibbs?"

"I told them to go home." Gibbs shrugged and grabbed a folder from his desk. "That's what you should do, too, Kate. That's what I'm going to do." He then walked up to her, placing one cup of hot coffee on her desk. "Come on now."

Thank you? Okay, let's go? Kate was beyond that; she was speechless. But Gibbs' silent nod toward the coat rack, his still being there by her desk meant only one thing – he was waiting for her. And so she quickly grabbed all she needed before following him into the elevator.

"Thank you, Gibbs." Kate took a sip from her coffee, casting him a sideway glance, long enough to see the smirk on his face.

"You're welcome, Kate." He nodded and gulped from his own cup.

The digits on the wall flickered then faded all at once. Suddenly, the elevator stopped moving.

Kate raised her eyebrows at Gibbs, who simply shook his head. "Wasn't me."

Damn it, this is not happening. Kate swallowed, eyes frantically searching for an emergency exit that wasn't there. "Could you – could you call someone, Gibbs? You know, to fix this? I can't –" Kate licked her parched lips.

Gibbs had already taken out his phone. "What is this?" He squinted to see the tiny glowing screen better, but only after Kate had taken a look did they get their answer.

"No reception," Kate whispered, stepping back and leaning against cold steel. She could swear her face was burning. She took a deep breath and balled her free hand into a fist to stop her fingers from shaking. Fuck.

Without a word, Gibbs took her coffee cup from her hand and set both hers and his on the elevator floor. Empty-handed, he got up and she was taken aback by the calmness in his eyes.

"Kate?" His voice was a soothing whisper, but he kept his distance.

Kate was trying, trying to hold his gaze, despite her growing dizziness, despite the blood pressure melting in her ears. "I can't, Gibbs – I can't."

"Let's sit down, Kate," Gibbs said firmly, taking one of her hands and helping her to the floor. He kneeled before her, tucking an unruly strand of hair behind her ear. She could only make out a few words, help us, soon, safe; the rest was silenced by the sound of her ragged breaths, her racing thoughts –

"It's okay. Breathe, Kate." Gibbs was now sitting next to her, a tentative hand on her warm back. "That okay?"

She nodded and felt his hand move up and down her back, up and down, slow and steady.

"Take a deep breath, Kate. Just like that." Gibbs inhaled and exhaled, setting a regular pace for her.

Kate mimicked his slow rhythm, relaxing a bit after a few minutes. Her panic was like a tidal wave, but it was going out now, leaving her still shaken, still scared, but much less so.

"Gibbs –" Kate licked her lips, taking comfort in the soothing patterns he was mapping out on her back. He was an artist, a good man in a storm, and he was keeping her afloat when she could have been drowning. "Thank you, Gibbs. Thanks for –" Kate paused, struggling to find the right words, to find any words, period.

"I got you, Katie. Just breathe," he murmured, giving her shoulder a little squeeze right before his fingers trailed a path down her arm and she felt his hand enclosing hers.

She smiled in gratitude.

The silence that followed stretched between them like molten caramel – like something that could and should be frozen in time. Kate bit back her protest when Gibbs let go of her hand for a second; he then pressed two fingers to the inside of her wrist. She took a deep breath and held his gaze when he nodded with what appeared to be relief, when he slipped an arm behind her back and pulled her epsilon close.

Kate let her head fall to his shoulder, giving in to instinct. He gave her side a light squeeze and that was all the encouragement she needed. She pressed a tender kiss to the underside of his jaw before nuzzling the crook of his neck.

"No heads up this time?"

"Nope." That was his line, but Kate took it and felt his laughter. Her hand came to rest upon his heart and she noticed how quickly it was beating right then, just before she heard his whisper –

"I'm going to kiss you, Kate."

She tilted her head up, eyes full of surprise. Slipped them shut when his lips touched her temple. Smiled when he kissed the corner of her mouth.