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“Whistler! To what do I owe the pleasure of this evening call?” Tennant exclaimed as she moved about her kitchen trying to prep dinner.
“Perhaps if we are outside of work hours, you may want to use my first name?” Whistler intoned, in her low, husky voice.
“Hahaha, it never seemed to bother you before this, Whistler.” Tennant implied clearly trying to annoy the younger agent.
“Hahaha…” Whistler’s laughter came across the line a bit hollow and almost faint.
“Are you alright, Kate? You sound a bit off. Do you feel unwell?”
Whistler paused for a moment before clearing her throat and saying, “Well, umm, that was the reason for the call.”
“Do you need me to come over and take you to the hospital, Kate?”, asked Tennant clearly concerned and already making a move to grab her purse and car keys.
“No, no… I just, ummm, a bullet grazed my shoulder today. We were out to apprehend a suspect and we didn’t expect much resistance but the moment he saw us, he opened fire. I had on my vest, but a bullet grazed my shoulder. It’s just a flesh wound but I can’t drive or lift my arm and I am too drowsy from painkillers to do pretty much anything right now.”
“Gosh, Kate, are you okay?”
“Well at the academy no one seems to tell you that even bullet flesh wounds hurt like a bitch, but… hahaha, I am alright,” Whistler laughed dryly. “I just wondering if I could swing a favour from you to get me some food to stock the fridge for a couple of days?”
“Absolutely, I can go now and swing by your place after. Text me a list of items you need so I will have a list to refer to at the store?” Tennant called on Alex to continue dinner prep as she went to her car.
“Thanks a lot, Jane. I really appreciate that.”
“Anytime, Kate.”
+++++++++++++++++++
Whistler’s Apartment
Tennant knocked on apartment 1204 and waited patiently. Her arms are full with two large bags of groceries.
Whistler answered the door not long after with her left hand. She had on a sleeveless button-down blouse and on her right shoulder Tennant can see the bandage covering her shoulder. Her right arm hangs lifelessly by her side.
“How are you, Kate?” Tennant inquires as Whistler lets her in and she makes her way to the kitchen and starts putting away the groceries.
Whistler shrugs, only to wince when she realized that shrugging may not be the best thing to do with an injured shoulder.
“I could be better but at least it is not a through and through, right?” Whistler said with a slight curve of her lips. Her tone was dry and sarcastic still trying to find humor in the situation.
“Thank goodness it was just this, Kate! Imagine if it had hit you. I am SO glad that you’re okay. Here’s the salad that you wanted for dinner.” Tennant slid the tub of salad over to her with a fork. “Will you be needing any help to eat that?”
“Jane, I just got shot on one side, I still have one good arm,” Whistler replied while rolling her eyes. “Thank you so much.”
“Is there any reason why I am on your call sheet and not someone else?” Tennant looked right at her eyes while asking this.
“Well, we finally ended things amicably after the last case we worked together but it sounded like my apology was the end of things. I am not sure if there is anything to come after. We did talk about being friends but… oh well…” Whistler voice sounded soft and far away as she said this. While she spoke, she turned her gaze away from Tennant to look out her balcony doors at the sun setting.
“I am sorry it didn’t turn out like how you expect it, Kate.” Tennant said softly placing a hand on her arm to get her to look back at her.
“It’s okay, I didn’t expect any better… but hey, you should be getting back to your kids and your own dinner. You have already spent more time than you should with me.”
“You going to be alright here all by yourself, Kate?”
“More than fine, thanks to you, I got all the things I need to see me through my recovery.” Gratitude was evident in Whistler’s voice.
“Then you take care, Kate.”
“You too, Jane.”
+++++++++++++
NCIS War Room
“FBI will be assisting us on this case. Special Agent Richards will be over shortly to discuss the details with us,” Tennant announce on Monday during the briefing of the case. She noticed the surprised look on Lucy’s face as she said that. “For now, get to your respective tasks.”
As she turned to leave the war room, Lucy came after her, asking, “Hey, how come Whistler isn’t in on this case?”
Tennant bit her lip in order not to smile knowingly as the junior agent trailed after her in the corridor. Before the morning briefing, she did consider what she would tell her junior agent should she be confronted with the question on Whistler’s disappearance. In the end, she figured that it was best to come clean as Lucy was bound to find out eventually. News travels fast between their departments anyway.
“Whistler is on medical leave, Lucy.”
Lucy had never known Whistler to take a sick day ever since they worked together pressed on, “What do you mean medical leave? What is wrong with her?”
She stopped rambling as soon as Tennant shot her a stern look and mumbled a sorry.
“Whistler is recovering from a gunshot wound.” And before Lucy could say any more, she said, “Don’t get worked up, it only grazed her shoulder.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?” Lucy whined. Pacing back and forth in front of Tennant, concern written all over her face.
When Tennant next spoke, her voice had softened, “Perhaps that is something for the both of you to clarify.”
With that she left to her office, leaving Lucy alone in the corridor.
Lucy immediately went back to the bullpen to grab her jacket and informed Jesse and Kai that she was going out for a bit and will be back in an hour.
+++++++++++
Whistler’s Apartment
Lucy found herself back at Whistler’s apartment. It felt strange since the last time she was here, it didn’t end well for both, but she had to see her. She had to see for herself that Whistler was okay.
She knocked and drew in a shaky breath as she waited.
“Lucy…” Whistler looked almost confused as she opened the door. She had on another button-down sleeveless blouse, her right arm still hanging by her side. “What are you doing here?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you got shot?” Lucy asked tersely.
“I… I… didn’t know, I am not sure where we were at, Lucy. I am not sure what I should be telling you. In fact, I am not sure if I should even be speaking to you after that day.”
For a moment, they both stood across the doorway from each other eyeing each other warily.
“Lucy, I am fine. It was just a… ummm…” And before Whistler could continue Lucy had stepped up to her and pulled her head down towards her for a kiss.
It was a sudden move and stunned Whistler that she froze for a split second before she reciprocated the kiss, pulling Lucy close to her. The kiss was gentle, yearning and spoke of all the buried feelings that they have both kept from each other.
To get Whistler even closer to her, Lucy wrapped her arms around her back and squeeze which result in a loud gasp from Whistler.
“Whistler! Did I hurt you? I am so sorry, I got caught up in the moment. I forgot you are hurt.” Lucy immediate let go of her and stepped back.
Whistler immediate pulled her close to her again dropping kisses down the side of the neck as she whispered huskily, “It is Kate, and I am more than fine .”
They continued like this for a while, lips roaming over each other’s faces and necks, hands gently exploring the curves of each other’s bodies. Lucy was careful this time not to touch her injured shoulder. Whistler made the move to slowly walk them in toward her apartment when Lucy suddenly cleared her throat and broke apart their intimate moment.
“Uh, I am glad to know you are okay but I kinda told the folks back at the office I would only be gone an hour. “She started to adjust her jacket and straighten out her shirt.
“I don’t want to stop here but can we talk after work tonight?” As she said that, her hand reached up to cup the side of Whistler’s face.
Whistler was looking at her with swollen lips and her gorgeous brown eyes still half closed as she mumbled softly, “Sure…”
Lucy reached up one last time to pull her down for a searing goodbye kiss before whispering in her ear, “See you later, Kate.”