Summary: Typing up an email isn't always as easy as it looks… Warm And Fuzzy Feeling guaranteed!

Pairing: Tony DiNozzo/Caitlin Todd (as if I'd write anything else)

Rating: T for mild sexual references (barely any, I swear o.o)

Author's Notes: I was in a pretty ticked off mood today, so I thought I'd publish it LOL
10/11/06: Reposted because FF went and screwed up this fic.. Thanks to CSIMel for giving me the heads up on that! ;)

Dear Kate

By KitsuneLauz

"Dear Kate,"

Tony paused. Never in a million years would he think he'd be writing this. Well, technically, he was typing. Although that didn't really make much of a difference.

"Get a hold of you, Dinozzo," he muttered under his breath, aware of the fact that even his mind was starting to babble hysterically. He took a quick head-turning, shoulders-twitching look around the office as a wave of paranoia drowned him for a few minutes, before he resurfaced, choking. The office was, of course, empty.

No one expected anyone else to be in the bullpen at midnight.

Though, sometimes he wondered about Abby. He had a sneaking suspicion that sometimes Ducky let her sleep in autopsy…

He shook his head, grumbling. That was of no matter, in any case. He was getting distracted. He needed to stay on task. Needed to stop rambling.

"Need to stop talking to myself," he ground out.

His palms hit the table in frustration, teeth grit in a frown.

Get a grip, DiNozzo.

He shook his head. Who knew a simple female could cause him to become so wound up? He must have been going insane. Although…Kate wasn't a simple female, simple anything. She was a difficult equation to solve; she was complicated, an enigma. Someone whose relationship Tony treasured more than anything. Everything about her struck a chord with Tony DiNozzo. She even looked good in the morning. Not that Tony had seen her too often in the morning.

But a well placed surveillance slash vigilante case or two…

Doubtless, his mind would have continued dreaming on had a stubborn voice in his head not interrupted.

On task, DiNozzo.

He took a deep breath and continued.

"Dear Kate,

I know this is going to sound weird coming from a guy like me – trust me, I think it's a bit weird too but…"

No, he thought. That's not how I should write it. He almost found himself banging his head against his very hard desk in frustration. It wasn't easy, not at all, writing an email announcing deeply hidden yet very sincere feelings for his beautiful,alluring co-worker.He rubbed the back of his head where Kate had hit him earlier, trying to think. But try as he might, he couldn't stop thinking of Kate's look at him that afternoon, a pulsing I'll-shoot-you-someday look…probably a result of the very awkward situation he had put her in. A small, goofy smile encompassed his features.

Typically Tony, he had passed around another chauvinistic comment about the blonde in the office across the room. Unfortunately for him, said blonde had not been in her office across the room, overheard his decidedly very chauvinistic comment and decided to come over to discuss said chauvinistic comment. And now, Tony had a very nasty situation on his hands. The very angry – albeit also rather very big-breasted – (Tony just happened to note) female had somewhat loudly shouted profanities at him, before fixing him with a glare parallel to that of Gibbs on a day with two coffees, both spilt by McGee.

A look mad enough to send lions in a frothing race to get away from her.

It was then that Kate entered. She immediately noticed Tony's little predicament; not too hard, considering half the people in a ten kilometre radius were listening in, placing bets on Tony (castration or beheading? Or both…) and snickering regardless at his impending fate. Tony saw her face go from happy-to-be-at-work to shit-get-me-out-of-here faster than Abby could down a Caf-Pow. Kate would have as fast as she had noticed backed out of the room had Tony not stopped her motionless with a wide eyed, puppy dog face – something Tony had to admit with pride he was fairly good at by now (not the stopping Kate motionless part - although he wished Kate would take him more seriously - but the puppy dog look; it worked well with Kate and was probably one of the reasons why Kate didn't take him seriously, he figured with a shrug).This look unfortunately for Kate (but most fortunately for Tony) drew the attention of Tony's very furious blonde bimbo (admittedly, more blonde than bimbo). Kate was now trapped and didn't miss the chance to fling an irritated, you're-so-dead look at Tony before turning her full attention to deal with Tony's sanguine (sarcasm, much?) female.

"Do you know him?" said female demanded.

"Ahh…" Kate dragged out the answer, sending an intimidated look at Tony, who was by now nodding furiously.

"Ah…yeah…I guess so?" she cringed slightly underneath the shorter woman's glare, embarrassed by her equally cringe-worthy answer.

"I see," she nodded slowly. "And does he always say such repulsive chauvinistic things?"

"Oh," Kate crumbled with relief. "Is that all?"

Tony was outraged. "Is that all?" The woman had been about to bloody castrate him or shoot him or something just as painful!

"Is that all?"

That just didn't seem to cut it quite right with Tony.

"Well," Kate shrugged with a demure smile. "Yes, actually, he does."

"Oh!" the woman now sounded fascinated. "How on Earth do you put up with that?"

It was incredible, at least to Tony, how quickly women seemed to bond. Or at least it seemed that way with the formerly blonde war machine and his Kate.

His?

Tony winced. Slip of the mind, really. He tried to control those sorts of thoughts. Sometimes they just slipped away, though, out of his reach, out of his control.

Kate was now earnestly explaining to the woman how exasperating Tony was.

Funny how quickly women find a rapport, he thought ironically. Over him, as well! Who would have guessed? He watched, gob smacked and (most importantly) forgotten from the sidelines.

"It's really quite frustrating," Kate confided in her. "And," she paused for dramatic effect. "It's even worse because we work on the same team."

Tony's jaw dropped. Was it really that bad? The way Kate said it; he might as well have been the Grim Reaper!

"Oh my God!" the blonde (what was her name again?) clutched her voluptuous chest (he couldn't help the fact he was a pure-blooded male…) in horror. "That must be horrible! I truly feel for you."

Ouch.

Blow to Tony's ego indeed. Kate nodded grimly as she looked over in Tony's direction. "Yes," she said seriously. "It is pretty harsh, but I guess you get used to it after a while, however hard it is."

Okay Kate, cut the melodramatic act already

"But, it's a fault in his make (what, was he a car now?) Which can be easily fixed with this," Kate walked over to Tony and with a stern admission, whacked him over the head.

Tony hunched teeth grit in a scowl. "Ow! Kate!"

Kate fixed him with a vindictive grin. That's what you deserve, after sticking me in the middle of this!

"Oh, so that's your name; Kate!" the blonde had walked over to join Kate (and therefore Tony) too.

Great, just great. Tony became fascinated with a stain on his desktop. Was that tomato?

"I'm Sarah," she gushed. "We must have lunch together!"

So that was her name…

Kate gave her a polite smile. "Yes, that would be nice," she glanced at Tony. "Bye, Tony," she said coolly before walking away.

Tony was left enduring an awkward silence with the blonde.

She fixed him with a cold glare. "Goodbye Tony," and with that she stalked off.

Tony let out a held breath in relief. Thank God she was gone!

He cocked his head to one side in thought soon after however.

Hmm…

Kate was going to kill him.

He grinned at the memory.

Kate had near slaughtered him, but he forgave her. After all, a little blood between friends was comparatively nothing.

Friends. He gave a silent snarl. That was the sort of word reserved for relationships between Kate and Abby, Ducky and Palmer too, perhaps. Tony and Kate, however. Well, let's just say Tony was greedy.

He wanted more.

So it was back to the matter at hand; to pursue with utmost determination something – anything - with Kate.

It was, he thought ironically, a last dying hope. Kate would either think he was an idiot or declare undying love for him. Hopefully the latter.

His hands hovered over the keyboard, before giving it another shot.

"Dear Kate,

You're my sun and my moon. Hell, you're everything to me.

Just wanted to let you know."

No. He sounded like he was stoned, high, pissed, something which Kate would not appreciate. Plus, he doubted Kate would like it if he used the Lord's name in vain.

Or hell, in this case.

"Forgive me, oh Lord," he muttered, only a half of it in sarcasm.

"Dear Kate,

I think about you all day.

Then all night as well (provided I'm not sleeping I guess)."

If he was going for the stalkerish look…

"Dear Kate,

I want to shag you."

He grinned, amused at that one, before stabbing the backspace key.

Besides, his relationship with Caitlin Todd meant more to him than a simple one night stand.

His brow furrowed in thought, mouth a hard, set line as he continued to think.

"Dear Kate,

When I'm not with you, I don't feel the need to live."

Talk about coming on too strong…

"Dear Kate,

What say, your place, seven o'clock, I'll bring the wine and we'll see what things lead to?"

Kate would probably slaughter him if he sent that.

"Kate,

I'd die without you."

No. Definitely not.

Kate probably wanted him alive, anyway.

She had always been there to cover his back, and vice versa.

He remembered when the bomb had gone off on the submarine. As they had run along the corridor, he had shielded Kate from the blast with his own body.

At the time, his only thoughts had been if Kate had been safe. And when the explosion was over, it was the first thing he asked about. He would always remember the feel of her shoulder underneath his hand as he protected her. Hard, warm and soft all at the same time.

Alive.

That's when he had known he'd do anything for his Kate.

He sighed, checking his watch. He'd been at it for almost two hours now, and still, nothing worth sending.

"Dear Kate,

You're as sweet as a pie baked fresh in summer…"

And how was he meant to finish that? I'd love to eat you?

"Kate,

Marry me."

Okay, that was just insane. He banished the very graphic and very true-to-life image of Kate rolling around on the floor, laughing. He audibly swallowed, giving a grimace.

Let's continue, shall we?

"Dear Kate,

Pencils write,

Eyeballs see,

I believe you're just right,

You're the girl for me."

He gave a growl. There was no way Kate would in any way accept that sorry excuse for a poem, no matter how long it took him to come up with it. He gave a sigh, downcast.

A few hours and many backspacing later, Tony thought he had it.

When it came down to it, he thought, satisfied, it was all that needed saying. He saved the draft, took his coat, and left.

"Dear Kate,

I love you.

Tony."

What do you think? Did Tony end up sending the email after saving the draft?

I'd love you long time if you reviewed!