This is a little TATE fic – for now it's just a one shot, all you really need to know is that 'I' is Kate. Sorry if it's a little OOC but the idea came to me and they needed to be to make it really work.
Disclaimer: What would you know – I don't own it. (One day though…)
Not leaving you
I had come in early today – Gibbs had said it would be a good idea; it would give me more time to pack up my stuff. I sensed a feeling that he wanted me out of there, but maybe I was getting a little bit paranoid – that could be excused though because it was my last day at NCIS.
Tony came in just moments after I had packed up the contents of my drawers into numerous shopping bags, "Morning Katie – what are you up to?"
Tony didn't know I was leaving NCIS yet, I didn't know how he'd react, maybe he'd be over the moon, or maybe he'd be sad. I would hope, though, that it would be the second. I'm not trying to be mean but it is nice to be thought about and that was how I was feeling now, "Just packing up."
He tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow like a puppy, "Going somewhere?"
It was hard to know what was going to happen, I let out a deep sigh, preparing myself to tell him when Gibbs spoke, "Kate's leaving, Dinozzo. She needs to pack her stuff up and then she'll be gone by the end of today."
You could see the look on Tony's face from when he thought Gibbs was joking, to absolute shock, "What? You're just going to leave NCIS – like that?"
I felt guilty for not telling him but good that he was giving some emotion that wasn't pure joy, "Sorry, just a career change – this is too full on."
The anger building up inside him was perfectly clear, "Too full on?" he repeated my words, "You're good at this job. Sure, it is full on but you can cope – better than any of us."
Well, that coming from Tony was a shock, but I needed this. I couldn't carry on risking my life, it sounded selfish but I couldn't anymore, something had changed.
"Leave her alone, Tony. You've got work to do," Gibbs warned.
Tony hung his head and went to sit down like a child that had just been told off, he whispered – partly to himself but mostly out loud, "I don't want you to leave."
I don't think Tony realised how loud he said it but I heard and although I pretended I hadn't Tony had just exposed another side to himself that I had never seen before. The hard part was I would love to get to know that side but it was the last day.
Abby met me in her lab; it was just like usual – blaring music, little lighting and smells of strange chemicals that I couldn't define.
"Hey Kate, I still can't believe this is your last day," Abby greeted.
"I know, it's strange – something so familiar is just going to be taken out of my life," I replied, taking in the atmosphere.
"Have you told Tony yet?"
"Duh! I work with him – I kinda have to."
"Oh, well I was speaking to him," I cut Abby off in the midst of her sentence.
"Who would have guessed – you spoke to him."
"Okay, what's with the sarcasm, you're giving the Tony treatment to me," Abby exclaimed – defending herself.
"Sorry, it's just Tony's been acting a bit weird."
"That's exactly my point. He came to me and was all depressed, is it to do with you leaving?" Abby asked me.
I shrugged, I didn't know exactly but I knew I had to talk to him, "Bye Abs."
I skipped off towards the elevator and came out in the bullpen.
"Tony, I have to talk to you."
"Me too," Tony replied, to my surprise.
I led him outside where we could talk in private. Tony started the conversation, "Kate, I need to tell you that…well, if I don't tell you now I'll never tell you because you are a huge part of me and I've learnt so much since you've been here - I just can't imagine… Kate I need to tell you," getting into the habit of cutting people off I interrupted Tony.
"Tony, I'm leaving NCIS – not you," I said, looking deep into his eyes now.
A wide smile spread across his face, "Really?" I could see him get a bit caught up in my statement before he came back to what he was saying – he looked deadly serious and slightly nervous, "Kate, I need to tell you that I love you."
A breath got caught at the back of my throat; I had temporarily forgotten how to breathe, "Really?"
I could see Tony fumbling, he wanted to backtrack on his words but I couldn't let him. I took his hand, "Tony, it's okay," and I pulled him into a kiss, "I'm not leaving you."
