NCIS. Kate/Abby. 098. Writer's Choice. (butterflies) *
Title: From Caterpillars into Rare Butterflies
Fandom: NCIS
Characters: Abigail Sciuto, Caitlin Todd
Prompt: 098 Writer's Choice (butterflies)
Word Count: 432
Rating: G
Summary: The fruition of a weeks-long surveillance...
Author's Notes: Title from Chantal Kreviazuk's "Little Things."
Little Damn Table
Kate stepped out of the elevator just as the doors were starting to open, turning her body sideways and still catching the button of her vest on the edge. "Ow. Damn," she muttered, checking to make sure the button was still attached. She hurried into the lab and spotted Abby kneeling on a stool, her head even with the arched window set next to the ceiling. "Did I miss it?" she asked, dragging a stool over.
"No," Abby said. Kate pushed her stool next to Abby's and climbed up, resting on her knees and peering through the glass. Her face was right next to Abby's, their cheeks together as they stared at the underside of the bush just beyond the windowpane.
A small cocoon was nestled in the curve of the window, barely visible but sure enough there. Neither of them had noticed it; Gibbs had stopped by to see the results of a ballistics tests he'd asked Abby to run. On his way out, he'd wandered to the window and said, "You've got a new neighbor."
Every morning since, Kate and Abby had been keeping progress reports on the little guy. That morning, Kate's cell phone had gone off in the coffee shop. Abby, sounding like an excited parent, said, "I think it's happening!"
Kate reached up and whispered, "Look!" pointing at the glass. Abby pushed her hand down, worried she might touch the glass and frighten the poor thing. She left her hand on top of Kate's, squeezing gently as they watched the chrysalis trembled. At first, it looked like a stray gust of wind might have caught it. Then, it split. A dark line appeared down the center of the mass.
Abby squeezed Kate's hand.
Slowly, the butterfly emerged, wings extended back and small body struggling out of its prison. It wavered slightly and then took flight, looping down and then rising up past the bush and disappearing into the sky. Abby tilted her head to see how far she could follow him and then looked at Kate. "What do you want to name him?"
"Something tells me you already have a name in..."
"Alvin," Abby interrupted.
Kate laughed and said, "Alvin it is." She put her arm around Abby's waist and looked back out the window, wondering if Alvin was going to return. "So. Now what are we going to do every morning?"
Abby put her head on Kate's shoulder and looped her arm around Kate's waist. Kate smiled and kissed the top of Abby's head.
Alvin wasn't the only one who'd been going through a transformation lately...