A/N Yay, another update, I'm getting back into this writing thing again. :D Anyway, this was written for Sacha on NFA as I was her Secret Santa, and I really hope she liked it b/c I had a lot of fun writing it. Another NCIS New Years party, BTW, b/c I like them apparently. Hope y'all like it, and please review.
Notes: This is set season 3-ish, but I changed the backstory a little. Twilight never happened (me ignoring Twilight? There's a shocker), so there's no Jen in this. It's Kate's third Christmas at NCIS. In the year about to end Reveille had happened, where Ari kidnapped Kate, as did Bete Noire where he held Kate, Gerald and Ducky hostage. Gibbs killed Ari after Reveille, though (which he should've done anyway). Spoilers for Bete Noire and Reveille.
Disclaimer: I started out with nothin', and I still got most of it left. NCIS ain't mine, and neither is the song that line's from.
"I hate these things." Kate sighed as she read the invitation sat on her desk. Every year NCIS threw a New Years party, and every year Kate had a good reason not to go. This year, however, she was out of excuses. Her parents had gone on a cruise with some friends, and even her brothers were busy with their families.
"How do you know?" Tony asked. "It's not like you've even been."
She glared at him. "But the idea of them, it's just...." She trailed off.
"They're better than you think," he said. "You should go this year. I promise I'll save a dance for you." He winked.
Kate rolled her eyes and looked away. "Because that's going to convince me to come," she muttered. It didn't matter that his promise made her consider going, she wouldn't let him know that.
Tony watched her closely, hoping she'd take him up on his offer. After all, he'd waited three years for that dance.
(Two weeks later-December 30th)
Kate looked up when she heard a knock at her door, wondering who it could be so late in the evening. She sighed and stood up, walking slowly to the door. Another knock came merely seconds after the first, and she rolled her eyes. Somebody was getting impatient. She pulled the door open and frowned at the man standing there.
"Tony?" she said, confusion evident in her voice. "What are you doing here?"
He shrugged. "Can I come in?"
Kate hesitated before nodding and opening the door further so he could enter. She closed the door when he was inside and watched as he stood awkwardly in her living room.
"So, why are you here?" she asked again.
"I was just, um, in the neighbourhood." He stuck his hands in his pockets and inwardly cursed at his own crappy excuse.
She laughed slightly. "Just in the neighbourhood? Seriously." She paused. "Tony, why are you really here?"
"Are you coming tomorrow?" he blurted out, avoiding her gaze.
"Tomorrow?" she asked. "What's tomorrow?"
"The New Years party." He looked back up at her.
"Oh." She took a deep breath, glancing around the room, desperate to find something to concentrate on rather than him. She had genuinely forgotten about the party, but knew she still had no good reason not to go. "No," she finally replied.
"Why?" Tony asked.
"When have I ever gone? It's not my kind of thing." She wondered why he was being so persistent about this.
"Fun isn't your kind of thing?" he replied, a little too quickly, causing her to flinch.
"You know what I mean..."
He cut her off. "No, Kate, I really don't. You want to stay here and mope. Fine, but why? What is keeping you? Every other year there's something; a family party or a boyfriend taking you somewhere, anywhere not to spend the night with us. But what's keeping you this year, Kate?"
She was silent; she hadn't expected his outburst, and she was unsure how to respond. She spun the ring on her little finger around, finding anything to avoid looking at him.
He stepped forwards towards her, but she put her hands up to stop him.
"Don't, Tony," she said.
He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm sorry for snapping."
She nodded. "Yeah." She glanced up at him. "What's going on with you?"
Tony shrugged. "It doesn't matter."
"It does," Kate replied. "There's something, I know you better than you think."
He smiled slightly at her words. "Why won't you come?" he asked as calmly as he could.
Kate shook her head. "I just don't feel like celebrating. This past year has been hell for me, and celebrating just isn't what I want to do right now."
He sighed. "Celebrate the year ending. A new year starting, full of new possibilities. A fresh start."
"Wow, that's very philosophical of you." She grinned.
"I know." He laughed, but turned serious again. "I mean it, Kate. It's a new start for you. I know you've been through a lot this year, what with Ari and all, but it's all over now. He's gone, he's not coming back."
"Yeah," she mumbled. She knew it was over, after all Ari was dead now, and it was her chance for a fresh start. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something would happen.
Tony reached forward and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Just come, please."
Kate watched him as he left her and walked towards the door. She half expected him to turn around and say something else, but he didn't and she didn't prompt him. She closed her eyes and didn't move when she heard the door open and, shortly after, close. She counted to ten in her head, calming herself down so she wouldn't run after him and demand an explanation for why he was so desperate for her to go to the party.
Slowly she opened her eyes and walked over to the table, picking up the invitation that lay there casually. She hadn't looked at it since the day at the office when it had been left on her desk. He eyes scanned over the words, but no matter now carefully she read she couldn't find anything inclining her to go.
She put the paper back down, walked over to the couch and sat down. She buried her face in her hands and sighed heavily. Maybe I should just go, she thought to herself. Surely it couldn't be that bad.
So, will she go, or will she stay home? Tune in next week to find out. I'm kidding, it (hopefully) won't be that long. Now, leave me a review. Rectangle, right below this text, green writing...you got it! Now click. Thank you. :)