I Didn't Mean to Love You

Chapter 1

"That was a delicious meal, Jethro. Thank you."

"My pleasure, Duck. You earned it on this case. We'd still be stumbling around if you hadn't found that needle mark on our Petty Officer."

"All in a days work. But, I admit, this was a difficult one. Not unlike a case we had last year. The young man who was found in the dump. Remember?"

"Yeah. That was a puzzle for sure."

Gibbs and Ducky were finishing dinner at an upscale Georgetown restaurant. Gibbs was treating his friend as a show of appreciation for the Medical Examiner's exemplary work on their most recent murder case. And, because they hadn't shared a meal, just the two of them, in a long time.

Gibbs was a notoriously private person where his personal life was concerned. He rarely spent his non-working hours with anyone; at least not anyone his colleagues at NCIS knew. Ducky was the exception. Jethro had known Dr. Mallard longer than anyone in his life except his dad and Mike Franks, his first boss at NCIS. He trusted Ducky completely and when he had at one time been estranged from his father, Ducky filled had the void left by that estrangement. Ducky had seen Jethro through this three marriages and the divorces that followed. He was one of a very few people who knew about Jethro's first wife and child and their deaths. The two men had enormous respect for each other as well as great affection.

No one could get past the wall of privacy Gibbs had long ago erected around his life but Ducky could occasionally get a peak over the top or around a briefly unguarded corner. If he was very careful that is. He decided tonight just might be one of those nights when Jethro would talk to him.

"Have you spoken to Jack lately?"

Jethro looked at him over the rim of his glass and wondered where that had come from and where it was going.

"Couple of weeks ago. He's fine."

"I'm glad to hear that. He misses you, Jethro. You know that don't you?"

"I guess. Why you bringing my dad up tonight, Duck?"

"Just making conversation. Sometimes I tire of talking about work. Are you seeing anyone these days?"

Jethro laughed and put his napkin on the table. Obviously, this dinner was going to cost him more than what was on the check the waiter had left. Ducky was expecting information along with his supper.

"Tell you what Duck, why don't you order us a nightcap and I'll meet you in the bar."

"Good idea."

Jethro stood up as the young man who had been waiting on them came back with his credit card and the bill. He signed the receipt and headed to the men's room as Ducky stepped into the bar in the next room.

As Ducky entered the bar he noticed a table of about eight or ten people in the far corner. They were obviously celebrating something and having a good time doing it. Ducky settled on a stool at the corner of the large, polished bar and when the barkeeper approached he ordered a Scotch neat for himself and a Bourbon the same way for Jethro. This restaurant was one of his favorites because the food was excellent and they had this splendid, old style bar. And, there were always lots of attractive people to watch. Ducky loved people and this particular bar was an excellent place to indulge his people watching habit.

Ducky had settled in his seat and was just reaching for his drink when he felt a gentle hand on his back. When he turned he was met with a familiar and very lovely face.

"My goodness, Caitlyn, how are you?"

"Hello Ducky, I'm fine. I just realized it was you sitting here and I had to come over and say hello. How have you been? It's been too long since I saw you."

"Yes it has been too long. I'm fine, my dear. Are you here with friends?"

"Yes, that rather rowdy crowd over in the corner. One of our agents is being transferred to Los Angeles and we're having a farewell party for him. Are you here alone?"

Just as she asked, Jethro walked up and stood behind her.

"No, he's with me."

It had been a long time but Jethro immediately recognized Caitlyn Todd when he saw her talking to Ducky. Even from the back.

Kate turned at the sound of the familiar voice and felt just the smallest tingle down her spine. Jethro Gibbs. It had been much too long.

"Agent Gibbs. Very nice to see you."

"Hello, Agent Todd. Are you joining us?"

Kate smiled at him and he too felt just a little something stirring in him. She looked good. She smelled really good.

"No, I just came over to say hello to Ducky. I'm with friends tonight."

Kate leaned in and gave Ducky a kiss on the cheek.

"It was so good to see you Ducky. And you too, of course", she gave Gibbs another smile.

"It was lovely to see you Caitlyn. You must come see us at the Navy Yard. I'm sure Abby would like to see you."

"Thank you Ducky. I'm in touch with Abby every now and then. Tell her I said hello."

Kate put her hand on Jethro's arm as she turned to leave.

"Gibbs."

"Agent Todd."

With that Kate walked away to rejoin her friends. Jethro watched her go and Ducky watched him watching her.

"She is just as pretty as ever wouldn't you say, Jethro?"

"Yeah, she is."

"Did the two of you ever. . ."

"No."

"That's too bad. I think Agent Todd would be a good match for you Jethro. She'd stand up to you and not be intimidated by your sometimes less than gracious manners."

"My manners are fine, Duck."

Jethro had turned back to the bar and was sipping his drink. He had to agree, Kate looked very good tonight. And no, she was definitely not intimidated by him or his manners. She was a good match for him he agreed with that too. The issue was he was not a good match for her. That was the reason the two of them had never gotten together after Air Force One. He knew she was interested but he shut that down and didn't let himself do anything about it. Eventually, he got busy and after a few months and several bottles of Jack he let go of the idea of Kate Todd.

"You alright, Jethro?"

"Sure, I'm fine. And the answer to your previous question about me seeing anyone is no, I'm not."

Ducky just smiled at him and let the nugget of an idea take root in his mind. Kate and Jethro would be perfect for each other he thought. He'd thought so from the first time they laid eyes on each other aboard Air Force One almost a year ago. And when Kate had threatened to shoot him, well that just confirmed it for Ducky. But apparently the two of them never took the next step. Well, perhaps they just needed a push in the right direction. He knew Jethro surely did.

Kate returned to her friends but her thoughts stayed with the two men at the bar. Even though it had been a nerve racking and dangerous case, the incident aboard AF One had certainly had its positive side. She was very taken with Agent Gibbs and by the time the case was over she felt there was something clicking between them. She was as obvious as she could be without throwing herself at him but in the end Gibbs didn't reciprocate. After a few weeks, during which she started to call him several times, she accepted that she had misread the situation. Then she got very busy and the weeks and months flew by. She had kept in touch with Abby and had seen Ducky once or twice when she met Abby at NCIS to go to lunch but she had not seen Gibbs again until tonight.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a friend, "Hey, Kate who's that guy at the bar?"

"Which one?"

"Don't give me that. The one in the black suit, gray hair. He's quite attractive."

"Yeah, he is. He's an NCIS agent. He was the one on the Air Force One case with me. Gibbs is his name. The other gentleman is their ME."

"Why are you over here with us? You should be over there getting reacquainted."

"No, he's not interested in me. Thought he was at one point but I was mistaken."

"He sure was interested in watching you walk all the way back over here. And he's been watching you in the bar mirror."

"Trust me, Lynne, he's not interested in me. Maybe he's looking at you. You look great in that dress by the way."

"Don't kid yourself, Kate. I know these things."

Kate looked back at the bar and saw Ducky and Jethro laughing together. No, he wasn't interested in her. Too bad she thought, because she was still interested in him.

Ducky and Jethro finished their drinks and left the restaurant. Ducky caught Kate's eye as they were leaving and waved goodbye to her. Jethro looked over but did not acknowledge her.

Kate stayed a while longer with her friends and coworkers but she found her heart wasn't in the celebration anymore. Her mind kept wandering to Gibbs and how great he looked in that suit. And, she couldn't forget what it had felt like when he held her in that tiny bathroom on Air Force One. Of course at the time she thought he was a real bastard; and she'd been right. But what a handsome, sexy, intriguing bastard he was.

TBC