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It was quiet back at the NCIS bullpen, the moon hung high at the sky and most agents packed up and went home, but some stayed late to finish their reports. It has been a hell of a week for the team.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs is quietly sitting in his desk, filling up a form with his coffee untouched and cold. He glanced at Kate's desk just by the left of his, it was quiet on that side.
Just then, "It's late, shouldn't you be at home now and finishing your boat?". The voice was familiar. Hers.
Gibbs looked up to see Caitlin Todd leaning on McGee's desk, arms crossed loosely and looking at him. "I'm just about to do that. " He said as he collects the papers he's been writing on since the last hour and began clearing his desk.
Kate just stood there, watching him.
It was his turn to ask her, "Shouldn't you also be at your apartment at this time?".
There was silence from her side for a few moments before she replied quietly, "You know I'm not real, right?".
Gibbs suddenly stopped when he heard her and looks at her and he finally noticed her features—she was pale as snow and a bullet wound on her forehead. He felt a pang of nausea and grieve at that moment.
"I'm just a figment of your imagination, Gibbs. I'm dead. "
He is used to seeing bodies during investigations when they arrive at crime scenes, but it hits different when the woman he trusts since Air Force One is now standing face to face with him as a part of his imagination with a bullet wound on her head.
He refuses to believe she is dead, he can't bring himself to. Everyday since she was shot on that rooftop, he always wished that it was just a nightmare—but he can't seem to wake up from it. He would look at her desk in the mornings and tell himself that she is just late after staying up late at the bullpen. He wished he was the one shot and not her
"I can hear your thoughts, Gibbs. I am already dead and Ari's been captured—you have to move on now. "
I can't, Kate. He wants to say—because how do you grieve for a love that did not even exist?
"It's all good now, Gibbs. " She murmured.
He forced himself to close his eyes, even if he doesn't want to because he doesn't want her to go. When he opens his eyes again, she's gone with no traces of her in McGee's desk.
He inhales sharply as he took his car keys and walked out of the bullpen. As he walked to the parking lot, he gazed up the sky—the moon was bright—just like that night where Kate joined the team on her first case at NCIS.
He paused just beside the driver's seat and took a good look at the white ball of light in the dark sky.
I love you so much it hurts.