Disclaimer: NCIS, still not mine.
A/N: This is be a definite AU...
Originally written for Dec 24th, 2011.
x.x.x
Our First Christmas
x.x.x
"But – but, how can it be –?" Kate was sputtering, watching dejectedly the desert dry Yule Ham sitting above the stove. "Why isn't anything working out like I'd want them to?" she was nearly on tears. Tony took that as his cue to step up to her and pull her into an embrace.
"It doesn't look that bad, Katie," he tried valiantly to comfort her, knowing she'd wanted to make this Christmas perfect. Kate, he was well aware, was a perfectionist, and this wasn't the first thing to go awry. First it had seemed they weren't getting a Christmas tree, since they got into the marked a little late due to their last case getting prolonged, but they had persevered, even if their tree had been bought from Baltimore. Then the day before they were to go shopping for everything they'd need for the Christmas food wise, they were hit by a snow storm that made it impossible for them to reach the supermarket. They had spend the day baking what ever they could from the contents of their cupboards, singing Christmas songs. That had been actually kind of nice, though it did stress Kate, as she had been afraid she wouldn't be able to get everything she needed in time. When she'd finally gotten to go to a store, she'd had to go without Tony who'd had to run to the office to finish some knick knacks before the end of the year. She returned nearly in tears, refusing to even discuss it, just saying it'd been exhausting and disastrous. And now their ham had turned less than perfect.
When Kate threw him a withering glare, he tried to comfort her, "It's a good thing you decided to cook it today, so we have time to figure something out before tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I suppose..." Kate sighed, leaning into Tony. "I just wanted our first Christmas to be perfect."
"It is," Tony tried to assure her, but from her expression he knew he hadn't been wholly successful.
"Katie," he started, "this'll be the best Christmas, topped only the Christmas to come," he ended suggestively, bringing his hand to rub the slight bulge on her stomach.
Kate gave a little laugh, "I'll remind you of that next year when we have a screaming little DiNozzo in our hands."
Tony, wanting to make her feel better, played the part of scared father to be, faking queasy tones, "How bad it could be?" Kate just laughed harder, recognizing what Tony was doing but appreciating it nonetheless. She brought her left hand to his chest and he lifted his own left hand to encase hers. Both of their eyes were drawn to the glittering of their half a year old wedding rings.
Catching Kate's eyes Tony quietly said, "It's going to be all right, Katie."
Kate just smiled slightly at him, still watching the light playing on the surface of their golden rings.
"You know," Kate's eyes snapped to her husbands face when she heard the teasing tone his words had taken, "we could always take all this as a sign that we should have accepted Ducky's offer for Christmas dinner."
With practised ease Kate turned slightly and elbowed him. Tony just laughed at the familiar gesture.
"And what, pray tell, should we do all this food we have here?" Kate wasn't seriously considering his suggestion. She wanted their first Christmas as a married couple to be theirs, before sharing it with any family; their future children, her parents and siblings or work family included.
"Could take with us," Tony shrugged, "there can never be too much food."
Kate shook her head, somewhat reluctantly disentangled herself from the embrace and went to take one more look at their ruined ham. With one last poke she sighed and turned to Tony, "Do you think you could lift it on the pantry to cool off before we decide what to do with it?"
"Sure, darling," Tony lifted the ham and taking a sniff at it suggested, "We could still taste it."
Snorting Kate went to their phone, "I'm going to call Ducky and ask about the dinner on the day after tomorrow."
"You do that," Tony called out before disappearing into the pantry with the ham. Shaking her head to the very domesticated sight Kate dialled the number.
A/N: Reviews as always are welcome. Anything bugging you, or something you just plain liked/disliked? Do tell.