A/N: So, I had an idea. I read a line in my story 'Each Others Sixes' and I just really wanted to write this. I really enjoyed writing this. It jumps around a little bit and if there is any mistakes I am sorry. Anyway let me know what you think in a review or pm. Review/Favorite.
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS just what I have done with them.
Tony met a girl.
The first ever case with a certain Secret Service agent made Tony look in respect. Someone besides himself could stand up to Gibbs. Also, Tony thought the woman was smart, beautiful, and witty. He knew they needed her on the team once she could break out of her set bases of rules. She would be perfect and from what he heard Abby already liked her. Tony saw that she would be a perfect fit on their team, so he mentioned it to Gibbs. Tony later that night learned her name was Caitlin Todd.
Tony got a crush.
He knew it was a good idea to get her to join the team. Their two man team did great but caused strain on them both but it did bring them closer. But with a third member they were able to solve cases quicker due to the extra hands. That isn't the only reason. She brought a witty relief along with Tony. They bantered back and forth but they knew that they were joking. Some of the remarks were borderline rude but they saw the humor in it. One time they both came in early, but not earlier than Gibbs, to come up with remarks just to see how many people would stare. Tony would bring them lunch and she would smile that one smile that always made Tony tongue-tied. He knew he should stop it, but he had developed feelings for her.
Tony got a somewhat girlfriend.
They weren't together. No. Most people looked at them and thought they were but they couldn't for two reasons. Gibbs and work, but when thought Gibbs was work in Kate's eyes, but to Tony he was a father he never had and Gibbs knew that. Tony bought lunch for them constantly. He bought little gifts that would make her smile. One time he bought a necklace that had a heart with a T in it for a gift/joke and he saw the brightest smile on her face. She wore it every day.
Tony goes missing.
Kate was worried but she hid it as best as she could by pulling pranks on McGee who just happened to be there. Thankfully he was there because he made it easier to find Tony. After this she knew he would go to Gibbs' but she would show up for a bit and then leave. Gibbs knew the drill. If one of them was hurt they saw each other. It was a self assurance thing for them. They just had to know they were alright.
Tony and Kate (mostly Tony) get a Probie.
When Tim McGee showed up it was planned between Tony, Kate, and Gibbs that he needed a tougher backbone. So Gibbs said that he would just be a little tougher and that the rest was up to them. So they planned. They even went over to Kate's and planned all night. Thankfully Tony had stayed there before because Kate didn't feel safe after the whole Ari incident so Tony had stayed a couple of nights. Kate would mostly team up with McGee on the days it was her turn to do something but Tony would take the credit. Kate wanted to remain as an anonymous source.
Tony and Kate ask for Gibbs' permission.
Tony was very nervous, so was Kate. McGee watched them curiously until time to go. Tony and Kate watched as McGee walked towards the elevator and left and Gibbs stared at them. Tony swore he saw a knowing glimmer in his eye and he just seemed to seem smug.
"Gibbs, Kate and I wanted to know if-" Tony finally asked but Gibbs held his hand up.
"Will it affect your work?" He asked and Kate and Tony looked at each other as they shook their heads and turned back towards Gibbs. "I can't believe I am saying this. As long as it doesn't affect your work you can break rule twelve." He said and hid his smile when he saw the look Tony gave Kate. It was a look he gave his Shannon when she was still here.
Tony gets sick.
Tony and Kate kept their relationship hidden well from the rest of the building. Not even McGee knew yet, but they were planning on telling him that night. So, when the mail came Tony started to get a bad gut feeling and being with Gibbs for this long he trusted it. When he saw what his Probie had, the feeling he had increased. He quickly grabbed it and said it was his. He looked at Kate who knew of the feeling and she backed up quickly and stealthily, towards her phone. Tony, still playing his part and with Kate throwing things in to make it seem real and not tense, opened the letter, with the SWAK, with a flourish. He smirked at McGee who rolled his eyes as Tony blew, what he thought was dirt or dust, off the letter. If he would of thought about it, he wouldn't have done what he did. And he wouldn't have taken a breath either. He looked at Kate and Gibbs and Gibbs quickly announced the letter and the white substance and Kate called Emergency after she threw Tony a bottle of water so he could try and get it off of him quickly.
Sadly, Tony got affected and Kate lied to be close to him during it. Kate made sure he kept up with the movies quotes and the teasing until it was too hard for him to talk because of his coughing. When he started getting worse Dr. Pitt made her leave and she went straight to Ducky. She was a mess and she knew.
"He's dying Ducky." She sobbed into his shoulder and Gibbs was walking past quickly.
"Like hell he is." Gibbs said as he walked right into the quarantine area.
Kate watched as he talked to Tony and saw Gibbs pointing at himself and then Kate. Tony, she saw, weakly move his head towards where she was and nodded. Ducky had left during this and Gibbs walked out of the room and patted her shoulder. She went towards Tony and told Dr. Pitt that she was staying with him. She fell asleep with a relieved smile when she heard Tony.
"This reminds me of the end of Alien."
Tony loses the girl.
After the crime scene had literally exploded Kate, Gibbs, Ducky, and McGee were panicking out about him. He had tried to say he was fine just tired and a tiny bit sore. Nothing a few Tylenol wouldn't fix. He sighed and leaned against the side of the van. He could feel the slight headache but he wasn't going to tell that to them. He knew Kate would flip and try to get Gibbs to send him home.
"Come on Tony. We are going back. We have everything and they are towing the car back to NCIS for Abby." Kate said as she looked at Tony. She watched as he opened tired eyes, even though he wouldn't admit it, and looked at her.
They were able to find the connection Ari and Tony went nuts. He begged Kate to stay near his side or within eyesight of himself or Gibbs. Gibbs wasn't that hard to persuade since he knew of Ari's obsession with her. Gibbs wouldn't say it but he was worried that this would turn out bad but he had to keep hope so none of his agents went rabid.
They were able to make a plan to try and catch Ari. They had it all worked out. Gibbs would be on the roof and Kate and Tony would come Kate would jump in front, play wounded victim, and they would have won for now until they actually had him in cuffs. But it didn't work that way.
Gibbs had to watch as the plan unfolded perfectly until it wasn't. He watched as Kate and Tony hugged and he backed away to check her over again when the next thing Gibbs knew Kate had a bullet in her head and DiNozzo had her blood on his hands and face. He quickly looked around the buildings to see if he could spot him but he couldn't. Gibbs knew he had to check on his agent, his son.
Tony finally grieves.
When Gibbs pulled Tony away from Kate he knew he was in shock. He hadn't said a single word and it was late into the night, Gibbs had bought everyone food and coffee and Tony hadn't had any of it. It has been two days since the rooftop and Ziva David had randomly shown up at his house and killed Ari and Tony still hadn't let anything out. Gibbs watched as he started to shake and he watched as Tony fought the grief. He watched that grief turn into anger and he knew he had to get him out of the bullpen.
"DiNozzo with me," Gibbs said as he stood and motioned Tony toward him. Tony stood up so fast and stiffly that his chair went flying and fell. It made everyone in the bullpen jump. He quickly walked to Gibbs who put his hand on his neck and gave a small squeeze of reassurance. The shaking got worse and Gibbs knew he didn't have time to get to the gym before his son, in everything but blood, broke.
He called the elevator and thankfully it opened after a few seconds. Gibbs nudged Tony in and pushed a random button. As soon as it started to move he pushed the emergency stop button. He stood back and stared. He knew he couldn't pressure him. It wouldn't be right. He watched as the tears started to fall and the small sobs that shook his body. He still hung back. He knew it would happen, he just had to wait.
Tony felt like he lost his world. He hadn't really felt anything yet. Not allowed himself to. He balled up his hands and before he knew he was doing it he had punched the elevator wall. He didn't know how many times he did but when he didn't mentally have the strength anymore he slumped into the floor and laid his head on the wall. His tears and sobs coming as easy as the rain was outside. He didn't feel the arms around him at first and startled until he heard Gibbs talking. Everything broke. He turned and, like a child, buried his face into Gibbs' shoulder.
"She's gone Gibbs. It didn't hurt this bad when Wendy left. Why does it hurt so badly? Make it stop! Please make it stop!" He sobbed and Gibbs fought off his own tears. Tony had found his Shannon in Kate. The love of his life that will never compare to anything and Gibbs held on to him tightly as he answered.
"She was the love of your life. She will never leave your thoughts and heart. No one can replace her. I know. And I know you do too, you just didn't dig and I thank you for that. I had a wife and a daughter before I met you, before I even joined NCIS even. Their names were Shannon and Kelly. Shannon was the love of my life and Kate was yours. We have to keep going, to keep their memories alive and make them proud of us. We have to show that they were our girls and we have to keep thinking, no matter how badly we want them here with us, they are better where they are. And we can't change that. I can't make the pain go away because it never truly does. It will always be there. You just can't dwell on the 'what if's'. You have to keep going. Alright, son? I will be with you every step of the way. For anything, you understand me?" Gibbs asked and he felt that Tony was still shaking but his sobs had subsided. He didn't get a verbal reply but he did get a nod and a tighter hug.
Tony lays his love to rest.
Tony was stands watching along with Kate's family, Gibbs, McGee, Ducky, Jimmy, and Abby, as Kate's casket is about to be lowered into the ground. He doesn't even try to hide the tears that were falling. His hands are in his pockets and his right is fiddling with a box. Not even Gibbs knew of the box yet. He had barely spoke to anyone but when he did it was to Gibbs, but he didn't feel comfortable telling about the small box yet, and decided today was the day to show it to everyone.
"Wait." He says quietly but everyone can hear him. His voice horsed from lack of use. "I want something to be buried with her. If that is okay?" He turns asking Kate's parents and brothers. They nodded curiousness crossing their saddened faces. He pulls the tiny box out and opens it. The ring inside was beautiful and simple. It was a thin band with two diamonds and an inscription on the inside 'Forever'. It was something they said and it was a joke. It was theirs. He stared at it for a moment when he felt a hand being placed on his shoulder. He turned and saw not Gibbs, but one of Kate's brothers.
"Give it to her. We know how much she loved you. She never stopped talking about you." He said and walked back over to his mother who had a small smile. He turned towards Gibbs who nodded.
He took a deep breath and started walking towards the casket. Remembering everything they had been through. He smiled and gave a sad chuckle as he remembered the 'Outrageous' incident. He laid the box on the casket and kissed the top of it.
"I'll miss you Kate, and I will always love you." He said and he walked back over to everyone. Gibbs put his hand on his shoulder and He could feel the glances of the rest of the team but he didn't want to talk to them yet. He would, just not then and not anytime soon. As they laid her there to rest, he knew his life and heart would never be the same.