under_the_silk_tree | Shout (Reply)

Title: Shout
Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: GEN
Wordcount: 2,165
Warnings: N/A
Summary: Kasie and Jimmy are held up at gunpoint.
Notes: Trying to get back into writing so be gentle. Sadly not beta read.
I love Jimmy and Kasie's friendship on NCIS so I wanted to write some h/c for them. Written for

hc_bingo prompt: near death experience, table here. Fourteenth fic for

100fandoms prompt: late, table here.

“Thank you so much for coming with me to my cousin’s wedding,” Kasie said her tone weary as she stepped down off the curb wobbling a bit in six-inch heels. “Especially as you just did the same for Jessica not too long ago.”

Jimmy reached out tucking her arm under his as they crossed the street, “No problem. I enjoy weddings. The vows to love and cherish, the reception with all the food, and everyone dressed up and wearing their best…”

Jimmy’s voice tapered off as Kasie stopped as they reached the sidewalk and turned towards him with a raised eyebrow gesturing toward her chartreuse-colored monstrosity. “Seriously?”

Jimmy laughed nervously and said, “Ok so maybe it’s a bit…” He stopped as he wasn’t sure how to end that sentence without being insulting. It was a bright green floor-length dress that had large puffy sleeves and a skirt so wide that it practically needed its own zip code.

Kasie let him off the hook with a wide smile and took his arm again as they continued down the sidewalk, "Oh it's a bit something alright. Up until this wedding, I thought my cousin liked me then she showed me this dress and the mile-high heels she wanted me to wear as her bridesmaid and I knew somewhere along the way I had obliviously made her very mad.”

Chuckling, Jimmy patted Kasie’s hand where it rested on his arm as they slowly made their way down the darkened street. They were having to go extra slow in deference to the rather tall heels Kasie wore but Jimmy didn’t mind it was a warm balmy evening perfect for an evening stroll. When Kasie had asked Jimmy if he could be her plus one at her cousin's wedding he had jumped at the chance. Ever since he and Kasie had met, they had gotten on like a house on fire. He now considered Kasie one of his best friends, so he enjoyed spending time with her outside of work.

The wedding reception had lasted long into the night. They ate, danced, laughed, and just, in general, had a really good time. But when the clock had struck one in the morning Kasie had said enough was enough and they had made the rounds saying goodbye and started walking back to Jimmy’s car. As late as it was, he was glad Victoria was staying with her aunt and her cousins for a few days, so he didn't have to worry about what time he came home.

He was laughing at a story Kasie was telling about the first time she tried to do the chicken dance when a man stepped out of the alley holding a gun. Jimmy froze instantly which caused Kasie, who was looking at Jimmy, to stop as well.

Kasie broke off her story and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Give me your money,” the man yelled. He was a tall, skeletally thin man, wearing a grungy hoodie, dirty jeans, and he had a revolver in his hand.

“Oh God,” Kasie gasped out, her fingers tightening on Jimmy’s arm.

Jimmy held up a placating hand and said, “No problem,” before digging his wallet out of his back pocket and tossing it toward the man’s feet.

The mugger slowly crouched and picked it up keeping the gun trained on them then he shoved it in his back pocket. Then he gestured towards Kasie. "Now you give me the purse,” he growled out.

“Alright,” Kasie said her voice trembling, before throwing her bright green clutch. It skidded past the mugger’s legs by a few feet.

“You bitch!” the man yelled, turning the gun on Kasie.

“No!” Jimmy hollered and started to step in front of his friend.

The revolver went off, backfiring with a loud boom and a small flash of light. Kasie screamed falling backward. The man yelled out in pain, dropping the smoking gun before turning and running away, holding his injured hand.

“Kasie,” Jimmy shouted, a cold fear washing over him. Crouching next to his friend, Jimmy asked, “Are you hurt?” frantically looking for a bullet wound.

Kasie grabbed his hand and said quickly, “No, I’m fine. It was these stupid shoes. When the gun backfired, I stepped wrong, and I think I twisted my ankle.”

Jimmy felt a wave of relief wash over him that Kasie wasn’t shot. For a moment he had thought he was going to lose another person he loved.

Shifting down to look at Kasie’s ankle, he saw it was already starting to swell, “Yeah, it looks like it’s sprained but you would need an x-ray to make sure.”

Looking up, Jimmy saw Kasie's eyes bright with unshed tears and opened his mouth to ask once again if she was alright, but before he could a cop car with full lights and sirens came screeching around the corner and interrupted him.

~NCIS~

“Just two more steps,” Jimmy encouraged as he stood behind Kasie on the stairwell.

Kasie awkwardly climbed the last few trying to maneuver her new crutches and keep her balance at the same time. “Why did the elevator have to break now?” she asked with a groan.

“Hopefully the manager will have it fixed soon,” Jimmy said soothingly, trying to sound positive as he guided Kasie to her front door.

Once they arrived, he dug through Kasie’s clutch and found her house key. He was carrying not only her purse but also the pain meds the E.R. doctor had prescribed when he had declared the ankle was sprained not broken.

Swinging the door open, Jimmy let Kasie go first as she was still wobbly with her crutches, and he wanted to be able to catch her if needed. Kasie's apartment was small but very cheerful. Jimmy had always thought it reflected her personality well. The sunrise was softly illuminating the pale-yellow walls in the living room and kitchen.

The cops had promptly arrived on the scene due to a concerned citizen who witnessed the mugging from a neighboring building. By the time they had given their statements and gone to the E.R., the early morning traffic had already started.

Jimmy was bone tired and if the slump of Kasie’s shoulders and the slow way she was moving was any indication then she was also exhausted. Wearily, Jimmy set the purse and meds on the kitchen table and turned to Kasie.

"I need a shower and some sleep," Kasie declared as she made her way toward the bedroom. Before carefully turning and saying, “Thank you for taking me to the E.R. but you do not have to stick around you have to be as tired as I am.”

Jimmy shifted uncertainly; Kasie was starting to worry him. His friend was normally very talkative and animated. Instead, she had barely said two words and almost seemed to be walking around in a fog. And now she wasn't even meeting his gaze instead she was looking just past his right shoulder.

So, he offered hesitantly, “If you want, I could stick around and rewrap your ankle after your shower.”

Kasie sighed and said, “I forgot about that, thanks that would be good,” then she turned and made her way slowly to her room.

Before she shut her door Jimmy called out, “If you need anything just shout.”

He heard a faint okay through the closed door.

While he waited Jimmy took out his cell phone, thankful that the thief hadn’t asked for that as well and started going about canceling his credit card and debit card and everything else he had in his wallet.

He had just started to dial the number for the bank when he received a text that just said one word.

Shout

Jimmy gently knocked on the bedroom door before pushing it open. He found Kasie sitting on her bed with a defeated look on her face; both crutches were lying askew on the floor where they had fallen.

“I was trying to get out of this mess of a dress when I lost my balance. Thankfully, I fell back on the bed,” Kasie said her voice held a slight quiver to it. He could see there were tears in her eyes, so he rushed over to comfort his friend.

"Hey, it's okay. Just tell me how I can help," Jimmy said, picking up her crutches

Kasie held up her hands and Jimmy gripped both and pulled her onto her one good leg. Handing her the crutches, Jimmy made sure she had her balance before he let go.

“Okay if you could just start the shower for me and unzip the back of my dress then I think I could manage the rest,” Kasie said, sounding embarrassed and once again looking anywhere but at Jimmy.

“Hey,” Jimmy said softly and then waited until she met his eyes. “It’s okay. That’s what friends are for.” He reassured with a small smile. “Right?”

Kasie nodded let out a breath and then gave him a smile that was almost as big as one of the usual ones. “Yeah.”

Reassured, Jimmy went into the bathroom and quickly turned on the shower waiting until the water was the right temperature. Searching through a few cabinets, Jimmy eventually then found where Kasie kept the towels and laid one on the counter.

Returning to Kasie’s side, Jimmy said, “All set.”

Kasie turned and Jimmy made quick work of the zipper not wanting to draw out what was an embarrassing moment for her.

Jimmy headed for the door only turning when he heard his name.

Kasie met his gaze and said, “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Jimmy reassured, closing the door behind him.

Walking back into the kitchen he dialed his credit card company, while he waited on hold, he realized he was starving, and he bet Kasie was too. Poking around, he found enough ingredients to make a quick breakfast.

He had his credit card canceled and was on hold with the bank when he was finished with their omelets. Kasie just in time reappeared out of her bedroom, freshly showered in a comfy set of pajamas.

“Smells delicious,” Kasie commented as she made her way across the living room.

Jimmy hung up the phone and pulling out two chairs sat in one and said, "Here have a seat and I can rewrap your ankle, and then we can eat.”

Kasie sat and brought her leg up with a wince, placing her ankle gingerly on his knee. Jimmy quickly and efficiently rewrapped the ankle making sure it was secure but not too tight.

Afterward, they ate quietly and quickly both too tired to linger. Just as Jimmy finished his phone rang seeing his bank’s name scroll across the screen, he excused himself and went into the living room.

It didn't take too long to cancel his debt card and order a new one so by the time he was finished Kasie was making her way laboriously to the couch and sat down next to him. She carefully propped her ankle up on the coffee table and tiredly leaned her head back against the couch.

Jimmy put down the phone and turning towards Kasie, asked, “How are you doing?”

Kasie opened her mouth several times seemingly intent on answering only for no words to come out. Jimmy watched in dismay as a tear fell from the corner of her eye and slid down the side of her face.

“Kasie…,” Jimmy started unsure of what to say or how to comfort so instead he reached over and gently took her hand in his trying to convey that he was here for her.

She must have picked up on some of it because she turned her head to look at him and gripped his hand in return. “I’m so tired of having guns pointed at me…” Kasie broke off her voice wavering then she curled towards Jimmy, continuing, “If…if that gun hadn’t backfired, I could have died.”

Jimmy pulled her into his arms and just held her as she cried. Running his hands soothingly up and down Kasie’s back, Jimmy murmured comforting words even as tears came to his own eyes at the near miss they had had tonight.

They stayed like that for a long time until Kasie stopped crying and pulled away. Letting her go, Jimmy passed her a tissue.

“I’m sorry,” Kasie said looking embarrassed, “I didn’t mean to cry all over you.”

“What else are friends for?” Jimmy repeated with a watery laugh.

Kasie gave a weary chuckle as she laid her head against the back of the couch keeping Jimmy's hand in hers like she needed the contact and if Jimmy was being honest, he did too. Their evening could have ended so differently, and he was truly grateful that they were here together. As Kasie’s breathing evened out into sleep Jimmy leaned his head back as well as a wave of exhaustion swept through him. His eyelids kept closing against his will until finally he stopped fighting got comfortable and allowed his eyes to close joining his friend in sleep.

The End