One day is all it takes
Tony looked up at the desk in front of him and Ziva was busy typing away like nothing had happened. Tony couldn't believe she could be so resilient. This case was even getting to Gibbs, and here she was acting like nothing had happened. He rolled his eyes and looked down at the desk on the other side of Gibbs, where Kate was working. Well more sitting really, they hadn't really sorted out desks yet, and it was a horrible case to return to work with. She'd been away not from anything wrong with her. It was more her family. Her aunt had died and she'd gone out to California with her brothers to pack up her aunt's effects and plan the funeral in all she'd taken two months off. Ziva had come in her place; and it was a good thing to. A couple of weeks after Kate had left Ari had come back into their lives. Tormenting them once again, Michelle Lee who had been working with the team till Gibbs could trust Ziva had been killed, bullet to the head. Tony always thanked Kate's aunt for dying. As though in some way she knew that Ari was going to come back and she had saved her nieces life.
The case they were working on was one that hit all to close to home for Gibbs. A marine had come home to find his fiancée and 8 and 3 year old daughters hung. His parents had also been murdered. There were no wise cracks or jokes on this case, not with Gibbs in the foul mood he'd been in since they had gotten the case.
Tony got up walking down to Kate and kneeling in front of her. "You ok?" She didn't look up she just nodded looking down at the sketch she had done. Tony took the book out of her hands the sketch had been of a child about 8 years old; Tony placed the book on her desk.
"You're not ok, no one is this case is the hardest one we've had to deal with emotionally." Kate looked up at him tear tracks ran down her face.
"Who could be so cruel as to kill a child because they were born out of wed lock?" Tony shrugged.
"I don't know Kate I really don't know" he rested his head on hers.
"I know one thing though" Kate looked into his eyes
"What?" her question had been so quite that if he had not seen her lips move he would never have believed she said anything.
"Meet me on the roof when Gibbs goes to get his coffee and I'll tell you" she nodded Tony tucked some hair behind her then got up and walked back to his desk.
Gibbs came down from his meeting with Jen, grumpier then ever. "Ziva go check the brother's alibi take Tony with you"
The two agents nodded and walked out.
"Nothing I have nothing how could that happen?" Abby walked around looking at the screen, shaking her head.
"The killer is that good?" Tim McGee asked shrugging
"Not funny Timmy you want to be the one to tell Gibbs we have nothing"
"No"
"I didn't think so" she walked back to her computer and started the tests again.
"If you didn't get anything the first five times you're not going to get anything now"
"Do you want me to Gibbs you?" Tim looked at her strangely; he flinched when her hand hit the back of his head.
"Ow crap Abby that hurt" he rubbed the back of his head.
"Then don't say those things then" Kate laughed as she walked in on the two of them.
"Having fun?"
"Oh yeah heaps" Abby replied dryly.
"Gibbs sent me down to see if you have anything yet"
"Nope"
"Ok well what do you want me to tell him?"
"Still running tests"
"Ok" Kate walked out and Abby hit Tim over the head again.
"Ow what was that for?"
"for not thinking like Kate"
"well I'm not her am I?"
"no, no your not"
Ziva looked over at Tony while they were sitting at the traffic light. "uh- Tony I um"
"Mmm what?" he looked over at her his PDA still in his hand.
"I uh wanted to tell you uh well- Tony looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She looked down at the PDA the pictures he had been looking at were all the silly ones he took. They were all of Kate or Abby.
"Lights green Ziva go"
"Right" she drove off occasionally looking over at him he was going through something photos she guessed. They both jumped when his cell rang.
"DiNozzo….Oh hey Katie" Ziva saw his face light up, she knew his face never lit up like that when she called him, there was no chance in hell she be able to tell him now
"Oh really well, I said meet I'm not there so your going to have to wait" he laughed and shook his head.
"Next left" he told her she nodded
"Ah but Katie dear what I want to talk to you about is not something that should be said over the phone" he laughed and pointed to the sign coming on his right. Ziva nodded and took another left.
"Aww poor baby, Katie wants to know my wittle secret does she?…aw so sweet….nice try Todd-i-kins but you'll just have to wait till I get back"
"Address is 4451 Maple Drive" Ziva nodded again as they were at the lights she turned and watched him, he was playing with his PDA and listening to Kate.
"Well I'm sorry Katie Pie but you'll have to be the good little catholic school girl we all know and wait wont you" Ziva rolled her eyes she was also trying so hard to see what he was drawing that she didn't see the lights change.
"Go David light green means go" Ziva took of so fast he had to hold on to the door.
"Ok Katie I gotta let you go talk to you when I get back" as the car pulled up in front of the house.
"Do you really think it was him?"
"The brother?" Tony asked looking over at Ziva as they got out of the car she nodded Tony looked over at the house then looked back at her lowering his sunglasses.
"Don't know it could have been but then again he could be innocent and some was framing him that's what we do we find out the truth"
"That was helpful" she said dryly walking beside him.
"It was insightful Ziva" she shrugged and knocked on the door. It swung open slightly. Tony looked over at her his hand on his gun, taking it out as she did the same thing. They walked in slowly looking around the lounge room it was clear, they looked around the rest of the house it was all clear. Nothing had been touched or moved.
"Think he split?"
"Possibly"
"Gibbs will want to know this"
"Yep" they left the house getting into the car and heading back to NCIS.
They pulled into a gas station on the way back as Tony went into pay and buy some lunch, Ziva grabbed his PDA that was sitting on the dashboard. The back light came on and she saw his screen saver. It was a photo of Kate and Abby edited obviously as it had 'my girls Katie and Ab's' on it.
She went to find out more but it was password protected. Biting her lip she took the stylus out and tried something.
Kate
'Wrong password please try again'
Katie Pie
'Wrong password please try again' biting her lip and hoping she'd be wrong she took one more stab at it.
I love Kate
'Welcome back Tony'
A tear ran down her cheek all her questions had been answered with out her even asking. She looked up to see him coming back. On his cell again more then likely to Kate she locked his PDA and sat it back where it had been. Then just looked out the window.
"Right Ab's like that would ever happen" he hopped in handed her a sandwich, she looked at it, and Salad who eats salad sandwiches she thought. It then hit her, Kate ate salad sandwiches.
"Ok Ziva I want a run down off all the places he could have gone, DiNozzo help her Kate go tell McGee he's coming with me. I want you to stay and help Abby." The agents nodded and got to work.
"Hey Ab's Tim you gotta go with Gibbs I think he's going out there again better hurry." Tim left and Kate sat down where he had been.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Talk while I work" Kate laughed but lent on the desk any way.
"About what Abby?"
"Who your crush is Gibbs interrupted us earlier"
"I think you know who it is" Kate busied her self as the shock came over Abby's face.
"I was right?" Kate nodded
"Ha I knew it you have to tell him"
"How he doesn't even know I'm alive"
"I beg to differ you're the only one he has a personal nick name for"
"You have a nick name too"
"But every one uses Ab's no one but him uses Katie pie"
"you forgot Todd-i-kins, Katie battie and missy bear"
"I rest my case no one I know has that many nick names Kate"
"You think so" Kate looked up smiling softly
"I know so"
"Tony I uh have something I want to tell you" Tony looked up at Ziva who was at her desk.
"Yeah what?"
"Uh well ok this might sound a little weird but I like you"
"I like you to Ziva" her jaw dropped he likes me
"Really wow I didn't think you would I mean your so much closer to Kate and Abby, I thought for sure you were going to say you didn't"
"Of course I like you, you're a great friend Ziva" oh he likes me as a friend
"Oh right yeah ok I uh have to get this to Abby Kate forgot it"
"Ok" he continued working then it hit him. Oh crap
"Hey Ab's, Caitlin" Kate looked over at her friend with a raised eyebrow while finishing off her sandwich, she was thankful Tony had bought it for her. She really needed something to eat and she knew she wouldn't get out for lunch. Heck he and Ziva had been back a little over an hour and she was only just finishing.
Ziva handed Abby the stuff Kate forgot, "hey thanks for bringing that down Ziva Gibbs would have killed me other wise"
Dam should have left it there Ziva thought. She nodded and left.
"What was that about?" Kate shrugged and cleaned up her mess putting her rubbish in the bin.
"You think maybe she likes Tony"
"Why would she be mad at me then, its not like he even knows I'm alive"
"that again I thought we agreed he knows your alive your the center of his world"
"Ok so maybe he does know I'm alive but I'm sure he thinks of me as a sister"
"Then why if Ziva likes him would she be treating you that way" Kate shrugged Abby had a point.
"Uh Ziva about what you said before in what context did you mean?"
"I ment I liked you more then I friend"
"Oh Ziva I-
"I know you're in love with Kate yeah I know its obvious Tony"
"Is it really?"
"Yeah although not to Kate"
"Oh" he looked like a lost puppy.
"But she and Abby are always going on about some guy Kate likes that won't give her the time of day so I wouldn't expect her to"
"Oh well ok then did you find anything?"
"Not really"
"Hey guys uh Ziva this isn't the evidence we needed" Kate placed the bag down on Ziva's desk. She then turned around and smiled at Tony but he looked away. She was hurt that he didn't meet her smiled grabbed the bag on his desk.
"This is" she said and walked away. She found her way back down to Abby.
"He won't even look at me now" she stated handing the right bag to Abby.
"I bet Ziva said something to him"
"What ever it's not like anything was going to happen anyway"
"Don't think like that. Gibbs and Jenny have been going out for a few weeks now if he can break the rules so can you"
"Right why don't I believe you?"
"Well don't then see if I care"
Ziva could see the change in Tony he worked not talking or doing anything he just worked at what he was ment to be doing he didn't do any funny little bit about info he got if he got something he would write it down and continue.
"Its you"
"What?"
"You're the person who they always talk about, you're the person Kate likes and thinks you never give her the time of day"
"Nice try Ziva but you've already stated you didn't know who it was." She rolled her eyes got and walked over to Kate's desk and grabbed her sketch pad from behind her desk she opened it and walked over to him placing it on his desk.
"Really or was I saying it so you wouldn't know your feelings for her are the same ones she has for you. Remember I like you as well why would I want you to know she likes you when you like her" he looked down at the picture it was a cartoon of two characters holding hands. Under it written in neat print was 'only in my dreams'
"Why?"
"As I said I like you and I didn't want you to know she likes you too, cos I know who you'd choose."
Kate and Abby looked up as Tony walked into the room, "hey what you doing-
Abby's jaw dropped as he pulled Kate out of her chair and kissed her.
"It's not just in your dreams" he said as he came back from the kiss.
"How- who-
"Ziva told me, after she let me think you liked someone else"
"Why?"
"I'm a desirable man apparently I had two women here falling for me, but I only wanted one…you" Kate smiled and wrapped her arms around him.
"How did you know the dreams line?" They turned to look at Abby.
"Ziva knew about the cartoon in your sketch book and I do not have that big a head" Kate laughed while Abby grinned.
"Ziva where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs walked out of the elevator with McGee.
"uh down in the lab with Kate and Abby"
"why is he down there"
"uh he's telling Kate how much he loves her"
"About bloody time" Gibbs walked up the stairs and to Jens office
"Did he just say that?"
"Yep"
Tony and Kate came back up to the bull pen half an hour later laughing at something. When Tim asked them what they laughed even harder.
"Come on we have a lead" Gibbs walked down the stairs and walked past them, the four agents jumped up confused but followed Gibbs anyway.
"Uh Gibbs what lead none of us found anything?"
"Jen did"
"right what?"
"Cameron Cashmeres hid out" Kate looked up at Tony that wasn't the brother they were looking at, that was the name one of the victims.
"Uh Gibbs Cameron Cashmere, is with Ducky"
"No that would be Gareth Johnson"
"The half-brother?"
"Yes the half-brother" Gibbs walked out of the elevator and out to the cars.
"McGee you're with me ….on second thought Kate you're with me McGee go with Tony and Ziva"
"Thought you'd get away with it did you Cashmere?" Gibbs and Kate walked up behind the man who was standing at the letter box.
"Wondered how long it would take you to get here agent Gibbs" he spun around and in a quick move had Kate hostage.
"One more step and she dies Gibbs, I know you don't want that to happen not to Kate here" Cameron held the knife he had in his pocket to her neck.
"Just shoot him Gibbs" Kate eyeballed her boss, but he looked away.
"Well, you are brave" Cameron held the knife closer to her necks as Tony, Ziva and McGee pulled up.
"Tell your agents to stay back or she dies" Tony stood frozen on the spot looking at Kate he shook his head and tried to keep cool.
"Looks like they don't tell you everything Gibbs you gonna fire them for falling in love Gibbs are you?" Ziva looked over at Tony then down to the ground, she'd done the right thing by telling him but she still felt left out.
"Cameron you know that's not the reason the Marines let you go"
"No it's because I'm gay" he shouted taking a step back with Kate
"That's not it either you raped two women while on duty"
"I didn't do it, or didn't you hear my last statement I'm gay"
"You say that but don't mean it; look at the way you're holding Agent Todd, a gay man could never do that"
"I am gay you say I'm not one more time and I swear I'll kill her" the knife cut into her throat a bit a trickle of blood ran down her neck. Tony clenched his fist he knew better then to charge, it could get Kate killed but he still wanted to hurt the bastard that had his girlfriend. He liked the sound of that Kate Todd was his girlfriend.
"Looks like you got your self a love triangle Gibbs that a woman there's in love with agent DiNozzo." Tony stepped away from Ziva standing on the other side of Tim.
"Just let Kate go"
"Why so I can have her boyfriend charge at me there's a reason people in you line of work should never date Gibbs"
"There are just as many reasons why they should" Had Tony heard him properly had Gibbs just said he and Kate could date with out any fall back from him?
"Tell me a good one then Gibbs and I'll see if I like it then I may spare her life"
"Simple, they love each other, which makes them work harder to stay together and makes them a better team"
"that simple is it… what would happen if I killed her then hey?"
"I'd turn away and let Tony do what ever he wanted to you and I wouldn't stop him, then I'd take you to her best friend, who by the way is a forensic scientist and nobody messes with Tony and Kate's relationship when Abby's around"
Cameron looked at the four people in front of him then pushed Kate to the ground and took off. Gibbs, Ziva and Tim chased after him as Tony rushed forward to help Kate. Tony helped her up.
"Ouch he'd better run"
"I think you'll need some stitches my love"
"Why?" he placed his hand over the gash on her forehead.
"That's why"
"Ow that hurts" she moved her hand to cover it but Tony wouldn't move his so put her hand down.
"I'm being as gentle as I can be" He moved behind her so their stance at least looked a little more natural.
"I know"
"How your neck?"
"I think it's just a nick"
"Ok" he kissed the top of her head, he was glad at this point she was so short.
A couple of minutes later Gibbs came back with Cameron in tow. Tim and Ziva were coming up several yards behind them.
"I think I'll let Agent DiNozzo here drive you back to HQ"
"Would love to boss but I gotta get Katie some stitches" Gibbs nodded and let the two of them go, while he waited for Ziva and Tim.
Ziva sat at her desk across from her Tony and Kate were eating what they could get for dinner. As they all had mountains of paper work they were taking the time together as Gibbs had taken some take out up to Jenny. What Gibbs and Jen were having she didn't know but the agents in front of her where having Chinese. Kate was laughing as Tony tried to use chop sticks. She placed hers on his desk and stood behind him showing him how to use them. When he mastered it she sat down and continued to eat hers.
"You're a dork; you really should wear a bib"
"Why is that?"
"Uh cos you have sauce all over you" Kate wiped some of his chin then licked her finger.
"Hey I'm ment to do that"
"But I can eat my food with out making a mess" Tony glared at her she laughed as she threw her container in the bin.
She stood behind him her arms wrapped around his shoulders. She sniggered as he dropped the noodles he'd just picked up. Giving up he put the container on his desk and spun around catching her before she fell over. She shook her head, "want to be a baby and me feed you?"
"Would you" she laughed and grabbed the container.
Tony rolled his neck and looked at the clock on his computer. 3am wow he'd been working that long that was a record. He looked up Gibbs had disappeared again. McGee was asleep looking very uncomfortable but asleep. Ziva was typing away she was the only noise in the entire bull pen. Tony got up and walked down to Kate to find her asleep her head resting on her desk. He turned her chair slowly and caught her before she fell. He then gently laid her on the floor behind her desk. Pulled out the small blanket that she kept in her bottom draw and laid it over her, "sweet dreams beautiful" he kissed her temple and got up.
"Where do you think your going?" Kate asked groggily looking up at him.
"hey I thought you were asleep?"
"I was"
"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you up"
"s'ok, lay down here with me you look exhausted" Tony smiled and laid behind her his arm wrapping around her pulling her close.
"I could get used to this" Kate said snuggling into him he kissed her shoulder
"you will" he whispered in her ear before falling asleep.