Disclaimer: Not mine.
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun's in my heart
And I'm ready for love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
-- Gene Kelly, "Singin' in the Rain"
Kate likes stakeouts, probably more than she's supposed to. She doesn't let her excitement show as much as Tony does, who always reacts to the prospect of a stakeout as if he's been invited to a party at the cool kid's house.
Of course, Kate likes stakeouts for different reasons. If she was in the car with Tony right now, she probably wouldn't be enjoying it as much as she is.
"What's on your mind?" Gibbs asks.
She blinks, and is glad that the darkness hides the sudden flush in her cheeks. She hadn't meant to stare at him for quite so long.
"Uh, you know, just thinking. Wondering if this guy's actually going to show tonight."
"Uh-huh."
She half-smiles and reaches for the Styrofoam cup on the dashboard. Gibbs provided the coffee tonight; one sip is enough for her to know she won't be going to sleep any time soon.
"It's strong."
"Strong's—"
"—better. Yeah, I know."
He chuckles and takes a sip of his own coffee. "We'll make a Marine out of you yet, Captain Katie."
Her smile turns into a full grin, one she doesn't even try to hide, and she's sure the warmth spreading through her has nothing at all to do with the coffee.
Gibbs laughs. "You get a kick out of that, don't you?"
"Yep." She pauses. "Gunny."
They fall silent again, but it's a comfortable silence. Kate finishes her coffee, then shifts slightly in her seat and gazes out the window.
"Starting to rain," she notes, letting her fingers trace the watermarks on the glass.
Gibbs says nothing and she glances at him, only to find he's now staring at her.
"Gibbs?"
"You were the kid who never wanted to come in from the rain, weren't you?"
"What makes you say that?"
He shrugs. "My gut."
Kate resists the urge to roll her eyes. "You're right. I always like playing in the rain."
"Me too," Gibbs says, and drinks the last of his coffee.
Kate studies his profile: in her mind's eye is a little blue-eyed boy, spinning around in circles, his arms spread wide, his face raised to the sky, mouth open to catch the falling rain.
"What are you smiling at?"
She shakes her head. "Nothing."
He raises an eyebrow but doesn't challenge her answer. Instead, his tone mischievous, he says, "Want to play in the rain, Kate?"
Unperturbed, Kate tilts her head. "With you?"
There's silence again, but with a new tension underlying it. Kate begins tracing the raindrops' paths again and casually says, "I had my first kiss in the rain."
Gibbs says nothing, but Kate can feel his gaze.
"He was six, I was five; we were on a jungle gym. He kissed my cheek and told me he was going to marry me." She glances at Gibbs out of the corner of her eye. "I punched him. And that was the end of that short-lived relationship."
"Caitlin Todd, heartbreaker at age five." There's amusement in his tone. "I bet he never got over you."
She laughs. "Sure, Gibbs."
"I was thirteen," Gibbs says after a brief pause. "She was the prettiest girl in class. I kissed her under the tree outside her house."
"She didn't punch you, did she?"
"Nah. Her brother did, though."
"You hit him back?"
"Yup."
They both laugh.
Gibbs says, "You've got brothers, don't you?"
Kate looks at him again; there's something in his expression she's unfamiliar with. "Three."
"They protective of you?"
Kate rolls her eyes. "You have no idea, Gibbs."
"Good." He grins.
A shrill ring cuts into the conversation. Gibbs answers his cell phone with a gruff, "What?"
Kate turns her attention to the raindrops again. A quick glance at her watch reveals there are two more hours before their relief shows up.
Two more hours in a car with Gibbs.
Yeah, Kate thinks, smiling; there's really nowhere else she'd rather be.
Maybe next time they can play in the rain.