Hello there, so this a new ship for me. It's been something that's been with me since I started watching NCIS all them years ago, and its never really gone away. I love Kate, her character was the perfect person to tame Gibbs. She knew how far to push him, how much she could challenge his authority. There was definitely a chemistry there between them and his face when she died tore at me. So, this story was born out of a need to keep Kate alive and happy, and with Gibbs of course. This is for all you Kibbs shippers out here, Kate lives on, if only in AU.

"Kate, you okay?" She heard him say as she groaned against the pain in her chest.

"I just took a bullet to the chest at point-blank range, what do you think Tony?" Slowly sitting up with a little help from two sets of hands.

When she caught her breath she let both Gibbs and Tony pull her to standing. Neither let go as she stood up and found her feet.

"Protection duties over Kate," Gibbs said as he ran his hand over her flack jacket checking for any other bullets.

Kate was done protecting him, she had taken a bullet for him and that was unacceptable. Yet something still wasn't sitting right with him. His gut was still churning, his senses still tingling, warning him.

"You did good," Tony added from behind her, a genuine smile on face as he spoke.

"For once, DiNozzo is right." Gibbs laughed as he finished checking her vest for any more bullets.

"Wow, I thought I'd die before," but she didn't get to finish her sentence as she found herself face down on the floor, Gibbs body pinning her in place.

All three of them heard the whizzing sound of the bullet as it flew over them. None of them moved, all of them listening for any sounds of more incoming shots.

"Don't move, Kate." Gibbs hissed out as he pressed his body further into her when he felt her trying to move.

"I'm only turning my head, Gibbs, eating bird poop and gravel was not part of today's menu." Kate spat out as she shifted slightly.

"Tony, go check the other rooftops south of here, see if you can spy anyone," Gibbs ordered Tony as he shifted a little so he wasn't pressing into Kate so hard.

Tony went to stand up but was pulled flat against the roof again.

"Crawl you, idiot." Gibbs hissed out. "Here take this, saves you getting your head shot off." Passing Tony a small single eyed periscope type binocular.

Kate turned her head and watched as Tony slowly crawled across the roof, Gibbs breath blowing across her ear. If it wasn't for the fact they were still pinned to the roof this position could have been very appealing. Kate shifted her leg and it impacted with the one Gibbs had positioned between hers. She was about to move it again when she felt him move, this time bring his leg up over so his knee was resting against a very intimate part of her anatomy.

"GIBBS." She groaned out, her body instinctively pushing back against his offending knee.

"Jesus, Kate." She heard him practically moan out as his head dropped and she felt his breath ruffle her hair and neck.

"What! You started it." Her words coming out a little too breathlessly for her liking.

"Stay there, and stay down. I'm going to check up with Tony." She heard him say just before she felt the kiss he placed on her hair.

She didn't move, couldn't move. He had kissed her, all albeit it being her hair, he had still kissed her. She was shocked, yet a little exhilarated at the same time. This chemistry between her and Gibbs had been highly charged from the start. It was always there, always shimmering, always bubbling just under the surface. From the moment she had laid eye on him, first challenged him on Air Force One, she just knew. She had said at least a couple of times in the first few days how she was destined to shoot him, yet she knew it was something else. Something that she was afraid to admit to, something that had not only lost her her job on Air Force one but was also one of Gibbs many rules. Maybe she should have crocheted them on pillows, especially the important one. She was pulled out of her musing when she heard her name being called.

"Kate." She heard it again, moving her hand so she could place it above her head so the sun wasn't shining directly in her eyes. "Shuffle slowly towards the door, and stay down. We can't see anyone but doesn't mean they aren't still there." Gibbs called over as he dropped back down to lay flat on the floor.

She nodded her head and moved her body slowly ninety degrees so she was facing the door. As she turned she felt her chest smart where the bullet had impacted the vest, she was going to have one hell of a bruise there later. Keeping as low as she could to the ground she edged forwards, glancing back to check how close Gibbs and Tony were to her. When she got to the door she reached out and pushed the arm of the dead terrorist out the way. Luckily he had fallen in such a way his head had the door wedged open. She was about to move when she heard Gibbs speak.

"Kate, stop. Let me take point, I still have my weapon." Feeling a hand on her ankle to stop her moving.

Kate stopped and looked behind her. She could see Gibbs moving up alongside her, his weapon out stretched in his right hand. Looking where her feet were she saw Tony shuffling up to the side of her, the right-hand side of his face covered in blood spots.

"Tony, your face." She called out.

"Gravel, I'll live, follow Gibbs," Tony answered as he nudged her leg.

Kate gave him a small nod of her head before she moved through the open door after Gibbs.

When Gibbs reached the top step of the stairs he moved so he was on his knees, his body now covered from outside by the wall. He checked and triple checked the stairs for any signs of people or movement. When he was satisfied they were clear he moved so he was sitting on the top step, his weapon pointing down the stairs.

"It's clear, Kate. When you get level with me you can sit up." He told the woman who was just clearing the threshold of the door with her feet.

Kate continued on her stomach until she felt the shadow of the wall fall across her full body. The coolness of the stairs was a welcome relief from the glaring sun on the roof.

"Here, I got you." She heard, feeling strong hands grip her upper arms and help haul her to sitting.

"Thanks," she mumbled against the smarting in her chest, knees, and elbows.

"You okay?" He asked as she finally sat almost upright, her chest not wanting to fully stretch out.

"Yeah, but like I said, being shot at point blank range is not fun." Her hand coming up to rest on her vest where the bullet was still lodged.

"Yip could have been worse though." A look of pain, loss and terror flashing briefly across his face as he reached out placing a hand on her thigh.

Kate didn't answer, she wasn't sure what to say even if she tried to. She was saved having to when a pair of feet appeared between Gibbs and herself, closely followed by legs and the rest of Tony as he nudged his way between them, Gibbs's hand falling away from her thigh.

"Want me to go, first boss? Make sure it's clear." Tony said, oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place.

Gibbs didn't answer, his eyes still locked on Kate. She took a bullet for him, the bullet that was lodged in her vest. He knew the bullet was meant for him, yet he also knew the bullet that had zoomed over their heads when he had pulled them all to the ground was meant for her. This was why he had rules, especially that rule. Yet rules didn't change how he felt, rules didn't stop him from falling deeper into them auburn eyes a little more each day.

"Boss?" Tony's questioning voice making him break his eye contact.

"Yeah, let me check with McGee first." Reaching up for his radio.

"McGee, what's it like down there?" Letting go of the button just as he heard sirens and tyres screeching to a halt nearby.

"Boos, local police department just arrived. A couple of officers are coming your way now." McGee replied.

"Okay, we're coming down now," Gibbs answered before stuffing his radio back in his pocket and standing up.

"Let's go, the cavalry has arrived."

Tony stood up and started to make his way down the stairs. Gibbs waited for Kate to gingerly stand, her hand never leaving her chest. His body and instincts took over before his mind could yell all the reasons what he was doing was wrong. He stepped back up one step so he was level with Kate and slid his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his side. He felt her tense briefly, then she seemed to sag into him, all her weight coming to rest against him as they made their way down the stairs, one step at a time.

When they reached the bottom they were met by a score of police officers, and none other Tobias Fornell. Gibbs so didn't want to have to deal with the FBI right now, especially with Kate still tucked against his side.

"Gibbs, anyone hurt?" He heard Fornell ask as he stopped and adjusted his hold on Kate.

"Hey, wounded man here!" Tony called out behind them all.

They all looked up to see Tony pointing at his blood-splattered face. Gibbs just shook his head and looked at Fornell.

"Tony took a tumble when Ka..," his grip on Kate's waist becoming tighter as he started to say her name but not finishing it. "We nearly got took out by a sniper on a roof somewhere south of here." Gibbs final finished.

"You want us to check it out?" Fornell asked, watching as his counterpart hung on tightly to his female team member.

"No, we've got it covered. Probably match the brass we already have. He deliberately doesn't police his brass, knowing I know it's him." Trying to keep his temper in check as he spoke.

"You sure it's him?" Fornell asked, even though he knew the answer already.

"Yeah, he wasn't after me, he never was." The fingers of his right hand making slowly stroking motions on Kate's side under her black jacket.

"If you say so. I'll tie up here and let you get back, no doubt I'll be getting a call soon to bring everything to you." Fornell added.

"Thanks, Tobias. Tony, why are you still standing here? Go get checked over." Gibbs barked out as he led Kate to the nearest medic.

When Kate saw where Gibbs was steering her she went to protest.

"Gibbs, no, I, okay, really." Her voice betraying her as she sucked in a wince.

"Sure you are. How about we let them be the judge of that." Finally getting her to the back of an EMT truck.

As he gently got her to sit down, he saw Tony having his face treated off to the right. His eyes darted all over until they finally rested on McGee who was busy talking to one of Fornell FBI agents. His team was safe, for now. He knew Ari was still out there, still hell-bent on revenge of some sort. Now his revenge was focused on another member of his team, a member of his team that Ari knew would hurt him on a personal level if anything happened to her. He thought back to the conversation at the coffee shop.

"So, how's Caitlin? I've thought about her often since our last meeting."

He knew he was talking about when he kidnapped her and held her hostage.

"Go near her and I don't care what government agency is watching your back, I will kill you." Gibbs ground out.

Gibbs would go to the ends of the earth for any member of his team, but with her, with her it was different. With her, things were deeper, stronger, more personal. After Jen, he swore that was it, never again. Rule twelve was made for a reason. Three wives should have taught him to stay clear of the opposite sex.

"All done boss," Tony's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What about Kate?" He asked instinctively, his eyes flitting over to see Kate stand up gingerly and hang on to her chest.

"Looks like she's done as well. Shall I shout for McGee before he asks for a transfer to the FBI?" Looking over to where McGee was still talking to one of the agents.

"McGee!" Gibbs beloved over all the noise.

McGee stopped talking and turned to face the direction his boss had shouted from. Sure enough, he saw Gibbs, Tony, and Kate all stood looking at him.

"Coming boss." He called out, picking up what was left of his case as he rushed over to the rest of his team.

"Ready boss," came two male voices, followed by a "ready Gibbs," from Kate.

Gibbs led the way over to the car, lucky it had been parked up the street and wasn't stuck in amongst all the commotion. He made sure to keep Kate at his side the whole way, his arm brushing hers as they walked. He would not let anything happen to her, even if it killed him in the process, she would be safe.