This Dance We Do By: Ardin

Disclaimer: I am a poor college student and since I just paid rent, bought the various pieces of my Halloween costume (they won't let us wear our uniforms, how lame is that) and paid back a small loan from my brother, I don't have very much of anything to my name let alone an awesome TV show. It all belongs to Bellisario et al. The story is mine and thats about it.

Spoilers: Not really. General show knowledge I guess.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

He couldn't believe that he had forgotten to grab the case file when he had left earlier that evening. Well actually he could believe it. Kate had been in an unusually good mood all day and her constant smiles had been a huge distraction. She was so beautiful when she smiled, and all the rest of the time, he mused as the elevator doors opened and he stepped out into the bullpen.

He instantly felt that something was wrong, but a quick look around showed him nothing out of the ordinary. It wasn't until he'd stepped around the divider into his team's section that he saw her. Her knees pulled up to her chest, makeup smeared down her face, her shoes on the ground by the desk. She had obviously been crying, but that wasn't the first thing that caught his attention. Rather it was the fact that she was sitting not behind her desk, but behind his.

Gibbs could tell from the tensing of her shoulders and the barely noticeable shifting in her posture that she knew he was there. However she made no attempt to move or make excuses for her position. It was this fact above all that made him worry. Striding quickly around his desk he crouched beside her, bringing his face low enough that he could catch her eyes.

"Hey." His tone was gentle and sweet, something she'd never heard from him and his eyes questioned hers: what's wrong? His very kindness just brought back her entire evening up and tears once again pooled in her eyes. When she first heard him arrive she had hoped that he would make some smart-ass comment, giving her the opportunity to leave with out truly explaining herself. Instead, his obvious concern opened the flood gates and before she could stop herself she had choked out the answer to his unasked question.

"We were supposed to go out tonight, but he called…and said he had to work late. I…I could…hear her in the background, he wasn't at work…he…" Her voice trailed off as sobs ripped through her. She regained control quickly though and when she spoke next her voice had an edge of determination. "Doesn't matter. He's an ass. I just didn't want to go home, so I came here."

Gibbs smiled very slightly and took the rise in her mood as an opportunity to joke. "And is your chair broken?" He grinned at her slight blush and it widened at her smooth cover line.

"No, but your screen saver is better." She smiled cheekily up at him before bringing her knees away from her body and standing. Gibbs marveled at the speed with which she seemed to be getting over what had happened, but his amazement vanished as he saw her frown as she slid on her shoes. When she looked back at him she couldn't quite cover the sadness in her eyes.

Stepping slightly closer to her, he waited until she was looking directly into his eyes. "Kate, forget about him. He's a bastard if this is how…" He trailed off with a shrug.

Her eyes sparkled slightly as she responded, "No. He's not. You're the only bastard I know." Her voice was even and betrayed neither humor nor anger and he was unnerved by his inability to read her.

Raising his eyebrows at her, he gave a self-deprecating laugh before replying. "Gee, thanks."

This time when she spoke her voice was soft and full of a genuine affection he didn't understand. "Your welcome." Her eyes seemed to read his every thought and he would have put every nickel he had on her being able to see, at that moment, the same affection reflected in his own eyes.

Without consciously thinking about it he raised a hand and deftly wiped the last of her smeared make-up off her cheeks. Her eyes closed halfway as she leaned her face into his open palm. The intimacy of the move seemed to startle him and he let go, stepping quickly out her personal space. She nodded her head gently and gave him a vaguely disappointed smile. As she reached to pick up her purse from the desktop, an idea came to him. Moving to block her escape path he gave her a large grin.

"How about I take you out in his place? We can grab dinner, or see a movie. Whatever you were already planning." As he asked, he couldn't help himself as his gaze slid down her body. The simple black dress hung from two very thin straps and clung to her curves in all the right places, ending just below the knee. His heart rate sped up fractionally as he forced his focus back to her face.

She gave him a shy smile, having noticed his wandering eyes and very much enjoying his obvious interest. "Whatever we were planning?" She asked in a slightly mischievous tone.

"Yeah. Come on, it will be fun." He stressed the word fun as though trying as much to convince himself as her. "I'll see the latest chick flick, or we can eat a ridiculously priced meal, whatever." While he wasn't actually convinced that he would enjoy doing either of those things, he was more than willing to make the sacrifice to see her happy and the added bonus of spending a night out with her didn't hurt. Her next words almost convinced him otherwise.

"We were going to take dance lessons." She tried desperately to contain her laughter as his face paled a shade or two. She didn't quite succeed as he stumbled back slightly, a look of pain plastered across his face. Her giggles seemed to bring him back and he smiled as he shook his head lightly. She reached out a reassuring hand and laid it gently on his chest. "It's okay, we can grab dinner instead."

He looked down at her hand and it seemed to cement his resolve. "Nope. I said we'd do whatever you had planned, so we'll do whatever you have planned. So, dancing it is I guess." Placing his hand over hers, he wrapped his fingers around it giving a squeeze before releasing it and letting it drop back to her side. "Just hold on a second." He moved around her, making no effort not to brush against her as he did so. Opening his filing cabinet he pulled out a clean, white shirt and a dark red tie.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as he stripped to his white undershirt before pulling on and buttoning the new shirt and carefully tying his tie. Shrugging his black jacket back on, he turned back to her. Holding his arms out at his sides, he waited for her approval. Tilting her head to the side she took the rare opportunity to admire him. Deciding she'd made him wait long enough, she stepped up to him and gently centered his tie. Smoothing her hand down his chest, she smiled up at him and nodded.

Breaking the tender moment he gestured for her to lead the way. She sighed lightly, having been secretly hoping that he would do something about the myriad of emotions that had played across his face when she had touched him. Her disappointment faded as she felt his hand take up a firm position on her lower back as they stepped into the elevator.

---------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: There are other chapters in the works I promise, but I'm also trying to work out a KIBBS Halloween story and I want that one done by Halloween so it takes precedence. It's just a one-shot so hopefully it will be up soon.

And for those, like my beta, who don't understand how it's possible to affectionately refer to someone as a bastard, well I don't really know what to tell you other than that you obviously don't have the same kind of friends I do.