Now That I've Seen Her

Kate's smile widened, and she bit her bottom lip, giggling.

"So?" Gibbs gazed up at her in adoration, on knee pressed into the ground, holding an open, black velvet box, displaying a simple, beautiful diamond ring.

"Yes! Yes, I will marry you." She had to keep from bouncing out of her seat, the happiness bubbling up inside of her, ready to burst.

He slipped the ring onto her finger, and twisted his hand to interlace their fingers, she pulled him up, and they shared a soft, smile-filled kiss.

The buzzing of Gibbs' phone drew them apart.

"If that's DiNozzo, I'm firing him." He grumbled, earning yet another giggle from Kate.

"Gibbs." He barked. "DiNozzo, I said no call- what? Shannon?"

As soon as Kate saw her, she knew.

She just, knew.

The way the smile forming on Gibbs' lips flickered in his eyes.

Something about way he enveloped her with his strong arms, and buried his face into her long, red hair, made Kate's stomach itch.

The sight of Shannon pressed a little too firmly against Gibbs' chest, and his hand cupping the back of her neck as he held her, his eyes squeezed shut.

Kate's heart cried, hoped, that the moment unfolding before her was unreal; a lie, perhaps. However, when Kate saw the look in Shannon's eyes as the two pulled apart, she was sure it would kill Shannon to lose him; similarly to how Kate's chest tightened now. She glanced up to Gibbs, concluding that maybe, just maybe, he needed Shannon, too.

When Kate met Gibbs, he was reckless. A broken, empty man; nothing but a hard shell, surviving and not living. Their relationship started slowly, from calling him to help her when her car broke down in the middle of nowhere, to coffee mornings before work, and staying over each other's houses until the first time they whispered "I love you," and made love. He still had nightmares, he still woke up in a pool of his own sweat, crying out in the night, something that sounded like a blurred name, and she'd ache as she cradled him in her arms, so unsure of how to fix his broken soul.

Soulmates? Fate? Kate never believed in any of it. She never believed her and Gibbs were destined to be together. She believed they were two people who met, fell in love, and work hard through the differences in their relationship.

But now, Kate thought, perhaps it was fate that suddenly brought Shannon back to him after so many years, after her supposed death. That the love, and the life of his many dreams, was true before Kate had even met Gibbs.

Should Kate be the one to stop his dream from living?

Gibbs was hesitant to leave Shannon, and it was evident he didn't want to. If he kissed her cheek once, he kissed it three more times, as Kate watched from her desk, waiting for him to return so they could visit Abby in the lab.

"You okay?" He mumbled as he pushed the call button for the elevator.

"Fine." Kate murmured.

She stood in front of him, and moved further away the more he scooted toward her. When she felt his lips on the back of her neck, she couldn't stop tears from over-filling her eyes, and streaming down her cheeks. Her body shook as her crumbling heart forced out a sob, and she felt his lips stop, but they still rested on her skin.

"Kate?" He leaned passed her and flipped the emergency switch.

She took several, gasping breaths. "Yeah?" She managed.

"Are you okay?" It was a stupid question, especially when he heard her sniffle.

"I'm fine, Gibbs." Her voice was cool.

He flinched, she hadn't called him that in a while, even at work, 'Jethro' was the name she was accustomed to using.

She moved to lean against the nearest wall, in fear that if she didn't her legs would fail her and she'd crumble into a trembling mess on the floor. Gibbs stood directly opposite her.

"Kate. Why are you crying?" His eyes narrowed, and twitched.

"I've been blind for so long." She whispered.

"What are you talking about, Kate?"

"I can see it now." She chewed her lip, and chanced a look at him, only it caused her to slam her eyes shut, and bow her head as another sob rolled up through her body.

Gibbs took both her hands in his. "Kate?" He questioned, rubbing his thumb across the engagement ring he had placed on her finger only hours ago.

"You're hers, Jethro. You always have been." She took a deep breath, holding back tears for a mere moment.

"Shannon?" He was immediately at her defence, and Kate almost laughed.

"You love her."

"I love you." Gibbs challenged. "For God's sake, Kate, look at me!"

She couldn't bring herself to. She was standing firm, hopeful that her tears wouldn't betray her again, and that if she looked into those pale blue eyes she'd come to adore, she would lose all the strength she needs to set him free.

Gibbs hooked his fingers under her chin, coaxing her to look at him. Her watery eyes shimmered under the low light in the halted elevator, and her bottom lip quavered.

"Oh, Katie."

"Don't." She pleaded. The use of the nickname she once hated, but had grown to love, making her wince.

"I'm here with you now, that's all that matters."

"I've already lost you." She gulped down the lump in her throat, but bit her bottom lip to keep her from choking out, but tears still fell silently down her cheeks.

Gibbs moved his hand to cup her cheek, he leaned in and rested his forehead against her, kissing away a stray tear that had fallen onto her nose.

She saw a glimmer in his eyes, as they bore into hers.

"Please don't kiss me, Gibbs. If you do, I don't stand a chance."

His lips hovered above hers.

The choice was his to make.

"I'm sorry, Kate."

Should I leave this open to interpretation, or should I continue as a two-shot?