New Years Eve

Vignette: Kate's POV

Minor Spoilers for Yankee White, Minimum Security

Author: Brandy/NCISFanatic

Summary: Kate is still at Gibbs house for New Years.

Rating: PG-13

I sit back on Gibbs couch, and look around at his house once again. It's very nice, spacious for a man of his age but nice none the less. I notice him in the kitchen getting dinner ready. After all it is New Years Eve. I had no idea when he asked me to come to his house during the holidays that it would include New Years.

"Kate?" He yells.

"Yeah?"

"Give me a hand in here will ya?"

"Coming." I say as I walk to the kitchen and grab a plate that he's trying to balance on his arm, but failing. "Smells good. I didn't know you could cook Gibbs." I say surprised but also happy at the same time.

"Yeah, like I said there are a lot of things you don't know about me Katie." He said and smiles.

"Yeah, and there's plenty I would like to learn too." I respond.

"Well I can cook." He laughs.

"No, I cooked all of this." I tease. "Yeah, I know you can cook. I'm hungry so lets eat." I sit down and start scarfing down food.

"Easy Katie, it's not gonna run off." Gibbs laughs as he sits down and starts on his plate.

"This is so good." I smile as I stuff another forkful into my mouth. He smiles at me, he's staring but I don't want him to stop. I like it when he looks at me, his eyes give away a lot but only the things he's willing to share with other people. "Are you sure I'm not imposing on you?" I ask again, it feels awkward being in his house but it's a good awkward.

"For the last time yes or else I'm gonna start calling you Agent Todd again." He threatens.

"Consider my mouth shut." I say, holding my hands up in surrender. He stares at me and for a moment I can't tell what he's thinking. It's something serious I know but I can't figure it out no matter how hard I try. Gibbs is too good at hiding the way he feels. I guess that comes from experience, especially since he did have three wives. I can't seem to turn away from him though, it's like he staring straight through to my soul as if he's judging me. "Gibbs..." I breathe.

"Yeah, sorry." He turns to look at his food. I don't know what that was so I let it go. I see him looking at me again and his hand lightly touches my face. He looks into my eyes then pulls away suddenly, "I'm sorry." He apologizes.

"You shouldn't be." I say before I can clamp my mouth shut and he's staring at me. A bewildered look on his face.

"What is happening here Katie?"

"I don't know." I reply honestly.

"I think you do. You're just afraid to admit it." He smiles.

"And how would you know?"

"I know these things."

"How? Are you physic?"

"Hmm.." He scratches his head and I laugh.

"You're funny tonight."

"Hey I've got New Year's resolutions to think about."

"Oh yeah like what?"

"Oh I don't know." He stares right into my eyes. He knows exactly what his resolutions are going to be but he's so stubborn I probably won't be able to get them out of him until tomorrow.

"Oh yeah Gibbs I can tell you have no clue." I smartly remark. He smirks, putting up his walls again. After I finish I take my champagne glass over to the couch and set it on the coffee table in front of the TV. I hear dishes clanking and figure he must be cleaning up. I smile and relax on the couch. I like being close to Gibbs. He's sweet, when he's not being a complete and total bastard. I close my eyes for a minute until I feel the couch move and I open my eyes to see him staring into mine.

"Going to sleep already Katie? It's almost three hours to midnight."

"No Gibbs, just checking my eyelids for holes."

"Find any?"

"No." I smile, I don't know why but I can't help but smile at him. When he smiles his whole faces lights up including those mischievous eyes of his, so blue, just like the ocean. If this could only last for like, ever. But I know I have to give it up, after New Years we'll go back to being colleagues. I never thought I would hate working in all my life. I lay my head gently on Gibbs shoulder, ever since Christmas I've wanted his arm around me again, and his hand in mine. Gibbs is intently watching whatever drabble is on the TV right now and I'm uninterested. I'm here with him, just me and him on New Year's at his house. "I am curious about one thing though."

"What could you be curious about Kate?" He asks, taking another sip of champagne from his glass.

"I was wondering, are you really building a boat in your basement?"

He looks at me. "Yeah I'm really building a boat in my basement."

"Can I see?"

"Of all the things we could be doing right now you want to go look at my boat?" He asks, incredulously.

"Yeah."

"Okay." He got up at I took his hand, he led me down to the basement and flipped on the light switch at the top of the stairs. "There."

I look at the boat, *It's certainly a big boat* I think, I don't know what to say I was just curious. But ever since that Christmas kiss underneath the mistletoe he's changed somewhat. I still think he's a bastard but now he's a sweet bastard. Although I'll probably never end up telling him that. It'd take away the fun I get saying it to him and the look he shoots me afterwards.

"Why Agent Todd, I never thought that an unfinished boat would leave you speechless." He teases.

"Okay, thanks for showing it to me. I just wanted to see if the rumors were true."

"What rumors?"

"That you were building a boat in your basement rumors."

"Oh those rumors."

"Yeah those rumors." I smartly remark. "Let's go back to the couch. My legs are tired."

He sighs and shakes his head, he flips off the light switch and we sit on the couch, close together. He puts his arm across the back of the couch and I will him to put it around me, but it doesn't come true. He keeps it there, damn him. I lay my head gently against his shoulder again and I feel his arm slip down around my shoulders. I smile, he finally did it, now I just have to work on him saying please again.

45 minutes to go. God I am so nervous, Gibbs still has his arm around me and we've been talking, like at the office for awhile now. I don't wanna talk like at the office, but Gibbs is set in his ways. Sometimes I still think shooting him is a good thing, especially when he's being a complete and total bastard.

"What are you thinking about Kate?" I hear him ask.

"Nothing." I reply, trying not to sound like I'm covering something up.

"Are you sure? You looked like you were concentrating there."

"Yes I'm sure."

"You weren't thinking about my boat were you?"

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know you did ask to see it."

"Okay." I look at him oddly, he's playing that game again. He's trying to get me to slip up but I won't. I can only wonder what he's gonna do at midnight, I silently hope he's going to keep with tradition.

2 minutes until midnight. I'm still happily in his arms and he hasn't moved much except for the occasional refreshments. I'm relaxed as I never thought I would be, I can still hear his voice echoing in my head. 'Romance between agents Kate, it never works.' I still remember his cold stare, right before I hastily took off to my room. I start to think he's right. But then I remember he still has his arm around my shoulders and I am with him during the holidays; so we'll see what happens. As the countdown approaches five seconds he turns my face to his and I can see his eyes blue eyes light up, 3, he's still staring at me; 2, he moves in closer; 1 our lips are almost touching. Just as I see the ball drop from New York on the television I feel Gibbs press his lips to mine once more in a soft gentle, yet passionate kiss. Just like the one experienced under the mistletoe a couple blocks from headquarters. 'No Katie, romance does work.' I smile as I hold onto him. 'This is turning out to be a wonderful New Year.'

"Happy New Year Katie." He smiles as we part.

"Happy New Year Jethro." I finally dare to call him by his first name and my response is another kiss. Am I like the luckiest girl alive or what?