Author's Note: I don't own any of this...I know that Kate is dead, but I thought a Kate/Gibbs fluff piece would be nice. This story is mostly fluff, and appearances by the whole team!!! A rescue will take place in a later chapter, creating just a bit of drama! Enjoy!!!
She tilted her head slightly, biting her lower lip to avoid the smile that she knew would come. The same thought ran through her mind.
"How does he know?" She asked herself for the millionth time. It was an extra-large this morning, and Kate was thankful, she hadn't gotten much rest the night before.
She shook her head, and pretended to concentrate on the work in front of her. If she didn't concentrate, everybody else would notice. That was something she just couldn't take for granted, especially today.
The conversation from the day before had replayed in her mind a thousand times already.
"Who is he?" Tony had asked, almost glaringly.
" A Rear Admiral." Kate replied quickly as she and Tony knelt over the body.
"No, not him...the other one." Tony pressed.
"What other one? This isn't a double is it?" Kate huffed as she snapped a photo.
"The other man in your life." Tony said, and Kate suddenly realized the glint in his eyes.
It wasn't jealousy, anger, lust, it wasn't even mischief. It was protectiveness. He wasn't curious, he was being cautious. Kate was right. He was like a brother to her. A very perverted brother, but a brother nonetheless.
"Nobody special." Kate said quickly, dismissing the inquiry.
"Your eyes say otherwise...trust me, I know that look." Tony teased.
"What look?" Gibbs had asked as he had snuck up behind his team members.
"The one Kate gets right after she's been..." Tony stopped short as Kate's hand firmly collided with the back of his head.
"After she's been what?" Gibbs pressed, looking at Tony curiously.
"After she's been...ummm well rested. Kate was just explaining to me that she's thankful that last night was an early night, her rest and relaxation came in handy...this place is a mess!" Tony said, desperately trying to save himself, doubting that his boss would buy the story.
"It is...so DiNozzo, stop running your mouth, start bagging and tagging." Gibbs said quickly.
"Nothing beats a trashy book and a good bubble bath." Kate said just loud enough for Gibbs to hear, hoping it would add to the plausibility of Tony's quick lie.
"Earth to Kate!" DiNozzo yelled as he waved his hand in front of Kate's computer screen.
Kate's eyes were completely glazed over, and she seemed engrossed in the status report she had been typing.
"It can't be that enthralling." Tony teased.
"It isn't, but I'm trying to think, and that always takes effort." Kate replied sharply.
"I'm sure." Tony quipped back.
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked, interrupting the conversation between the two younger agents.
"Yeah boss?" DiNozzo yelled as he whirled around.
"You and Kate...go check up on this lead." Gibbs said as he handed DiNozzo a folder.
"I'm driving!" Kate yelled. She hated Tony's driving, and considered it a miracle that she was still alive.
"Fine." Tony huffed as he headed towards the elevator with Kate following him, her coffee cup in one hand, and car keys in the other.
"So...who is he? This Mr. Special?" Tony asked as soon as he and Kate were on the freeway.
"Tony! There is nobody...and besides, even if there were, it's personal." Kate said with exasperation as she changed lanes.
"Kate, I wasn't born yesterday." Tony said with a grin.
"He is special." Kate said with a slight huff.
"Good...I'm glad for you." Tony said.
"When can I meet him?" Tony added quickly.
"DiNozzo!" Kate yelled as she turned onto an exit ramp.
"Kate...I'm just worried that's all...how can I say this? I know it's personal. I get that. But I also know that you've broken off an engagement, mostly because he was sleeping with your best friend. I also know that things didn't work out so well with my fraternity brother...Steve. I'm just trying to look out for you, in a brotherly sort of way." DiNozzo explained.
"I appreciate that Tony, really I do, seeing as how my three brothers are all back at home in Indiana. Just keep in mind that the last guy I re-arranged my life for is lucky he can still walk." Kate said as she shifted the car into park.
"Noted." DiNozzo said as he grabbed the folder and headed up the walkway, followed by Kate.
Forty-five minutes later Kate and Tony got back into their car, this time Kate let Tony drive back to the office.
"Nothing." Kate said blandly as she picked her extra-large latte up out of the cup holder.
"Nada." Tony echoed.
"Gibbs is going to be so pissed...the only good lead just dried up." Kate said as she sipped her drink that was now cool enough to finally drink.
"Yeah." Tony said as they headed back towards the Navy Yard.
Kate and Tony headed back upstairs. Kate finished her latte just as the elevator doors opened up. Kate was throwing the cup in the trash when she stopped. It surprised her that she hadn't noticed it before, but it was so tiny. A small red heart, drawn on in felt-tip marker, on the very edge of the coffee cup, just under the lid. Kate smiled to herself and tossed the cup in the trash as she went back to her desk.
"Well boss, not much to go on." Tony said as he braced himself for a dirty look from his boss.
"What do you mean not much to go on?" Gibbs grunted, barely looking up from his computer.
Kate listened to the two men banter for a few minutes until she stood up and headed to the elevators.
"Where are you going Agent Todd?" Gibbs yelled.
"To see if Ducky actually has something useful to say." Kate retorted.
"I need to see him too." Gibbs said as he stood up and followed Kate to the elevators.
The second the doors shut Gibbs flipped the power off and the elevator jerked to a halt.
"Not at work!" Kate hissed in a loud whisper as Gibbs leaned in to kiss her.
Kate jerked back just in time to avoid his kiss.
"Oh come on...give me something...anything...just a morsel." Gibbs begged.
The current case was eating them alive, and he and Kate had very little alone time lately.
"That was the best damn latte I've ever had." Kate whispered in Jethro's ear.
"You found it?" Gibbs asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I find everything." Kate said as she dropped the file folder that was in her hand, and bent over slowly to pick it up, affording Gibbs a very nice view.
"Oh yeah...you found it." Gibbs whispered as he flicked the power back on.
Kate stood up right and re-arranged the papers into the file folder.
"What are we doing down here?" Gibbs asked as the elevator doors opened.
"Seeing if Ducky has any useful information." Kate said softly.
Jethro stood there silently, realizing the lights in autopsy were dimmed. He and Kate entered slowly, not sure of what was going on.
"He's not here." Kate whispered as she cleared the lab.
"His phone is forwarded." Jethro said as he noticed the flashing light on the keypad.
"Really?" Kate said with a raised eyebrow.
"What's today's date?" Jethro asked absentmindedly.
"Twenty-seventh." Kate replied quickly.
"Oh yeah...I knew it...I just forgot that I knew it." Gibbs said as he pressed Kate against Ducky's desk.
"Knew what?" Kate asked as she grinned up at Jethro and pressed up against him.
"He's at his conference thing." Jethro said knowingly.
"Yeah...it's that time of year." Kate said as she leaned in and kissed Jethro.
"Kate...not here....not now, it's just not right." Gibbs panted as he ended the embrace.
"But it's been so long." Kate said with a whimper.
"I know." Gibbs said as he yanked Kate out of autopsy by the hand, before they could go any further.
"If not here...then where?" Gibbs asked as the couple entered the elevator.
Kate retrieved her cell phone from her pocket, dialed Abby's number and held the phone up to Jethro's ear.
"Hi, it's Abby, and you've probably guessed by now I'm not here. I'm actually doing a guest lecture series this week at Georgetown University. If you really love me, you'll probably sit in for a day. If you really don't love me, you probably won't show up at all. But just remember, I can boil your insides without leaving any evidence behind...and I have to come back eventually because ballistics tests don't run themselves...have a nice day." Abby's gravely voice said in a happy tone as Gibbs smirked at the snide message Abby had left behind.
"Look what I'm in charge of." Kate said as she retrieved a silver key from her pocket.
"No way...." Gibbs said in awe...he knew exactly what door that key unlocked.
"Yes way." Kate said with a smile as the doors opened up, and he and Kate made their way to Abby's unoccupied lab.