Back Here by saulalovin
A NCIS fan fiction

Pairing: Tony DiNozzo and Kate Todd
Summary: After entrusting someone with your heart and having them give it back, shattered into pieces, you end up back here where it all began.
Spoilers: None, actually.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of 'NCIS'. Oh, how I wish I did.
Author's Note: This is the sequel to 'Long Time Coming'. It picks up directly afterwards. Please read and review!

PART I – MY HEART ON A PLATTER

Kate Todd awoke with a smile on her face. She wasn't aware of the reason why, but as soon as she rolled over, she remembered at once.

Tony DiNozzo slept soundly, his arm curled protectively around her waist. He stirred a little when she rolled over, and he pulled her closer to him, his forehead touching hers.

She needed to wake him up right now so that they wouldn't be late for work. He looked so peaceful and almost angelic as he slept, and she found herself pausing just to watch him in his slumber.

After a few moments she reached up and ran the fingers of her right hand through his hair lovingly. She leaned forward and proceeded to kiss him awake, planting soft kisses all over his face – on his forehead, his cheeks, his eyes, his nose, and finally on his mouth.

He let out a happy-sounding noise and opened his eyes to smile at her. "God, I want to wake up that way every day."

"See, told you it wasn't a bad idea for you to sleep over," she said with a grin, playing with the stubble on his chin.

"Ah, yes. I shall agree with the Great Kate from now on, because she is always right," he teased.

"Oh, Tony, I know how hard it was for you to finally admit that. Poor baby," she cooed, pinching his cheek.

He made a face at her, and they both laughed.

"Hey, Kate – think I can finally put up my 8x10 glossy of you in that wet T-shirt contest?" he asked suddenly.

"I don't think you'll be needing it, seeing as how you've got the real thing…" She winked at him and scooted away. "Come on, we'll be late. You still have to go back to your apartment to shower and change."

He smiled winningly, watching her get up and put on her bathrobe. "Oh, come on, Katie. Don't tell me you actually want to go in and work instead of staying her all day in this bedroom with me? Call in sick… You know you want to."

"Wrong, DiNozzo. I don't want to," she said, going over to his side of the bed and attempting to pull him off. "We have work to do."

His eyes glittered mischievously as he pulled at her instead, causing her to fall back on top of him back on the bed.

"Déjà vu, huh?" he said softly, staring into her eyes. "You could say that this was where it all started."

She laughed. "Come on, Tony. I'm not going anywhere. You'll see me at work."

He sighed theatrically. "It wouldn't be the same. I can't kiss you whenever I want – not when Gibbs is ordering us around and whacking me on the head."

Laughing, she tried to push up off him, but he didn't let her go. He captured her lips with his and began to kiss her, hard. It didn't take much persuasion for her to reciprocate, but pretty soon she pulled away from him regretfully.

"Gibbs is going to have a fit if we aren't there soon," she reminded him.

"Oh, all right," he grumbled. He helped her off him and he stood up, buttoning his shirt. "I'll see you later, Kate."

"Wait, Tony," she said, whirling around. "Hang on a sec."

"First you wanted me to go, and now you're having second thoughts? I'm sorry, but it's too late," he told her mock-sternly.

She merely raised an eyebrow at him and chuckled slightly as she unclasped the silver necklace that hung around her neck. Carefully, she took off the heart-shaped pendant and took his palm. She pressed the pendant into his hand and closed his fingers around it.

"What's this?" he asked, confused. "Kate, I don't know about my wearing this… You have no idea how much better it looked hanging around your neck."

She laughed and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "This necklace used to belong to my mother, and before her, my grandmother. That is my heart, DiNozzo."

He stared at her, wide-eyed, as it began to sink in. She was entrusting him with her heart. She believed in him so much and her faith in him was so deep that she was handing him her heart.

"I won't let you down," he said finally.

"I know you won't," she whispered.

You better not, she added silently as she watched him leave.