A few minutes later, Kate comes wondering back over to the bullpen to find Gibbs shutting his computer down and putting some things away.

"Hey, Honey," she says with a smile.

"Oh, hi. Are you about ready to go?"

"Yeah, but first, I need to ask you something?"

"What's that?"

"How much Christmas spirit do you have?"

Gibbs gives her a nervous look. "Why?"

"You're probably not gonna believe what I'm about to say, but, I think we should ask Tony to go with us."

Gibbs raises his eyebrows, slightly. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am. I was talking to him a few minutes ago and I don't think he has anywhere to go."

"Did he tell you that he didn't have anywhere to go?"

"No, not in so many words. It's the way he acted when I asked him what his plans were and how he tried to avoid answering me."

"Oh."

"I called Lauren and asked her and she said it was perfectly fine with them. I told her I'd call her back and tell her for sure after I talked to you." Kate slightly pauses. "Come on. You know that even as annoying as he can be, he should not spend Christmas alone."

"Yeah," he says, looking softly at her. "You're right."

"Good," she says with a smile. "And I think you should be the one to ask him to come."

"Kate…"

"Jethro, he's more likely to agree to come if you ask him because, like it or not, you have a certain way about you that Tony knows better than to go against."

Gibbs smiles. "You have a point."

Tony comes walking into the bullpen, toward his desk.

"Good," Kate says. "I'll go call Lauren and tell her."

"Okay."

As Kate walks off to the side with her cell phone, Tony picks up his stuff and starts to walk off, toward the elevator.

"Hey! DiNozzo!," Gibbs calls after him.

Tony stops and turns around.

"Where do you think you're going?," Gibbs asks, walking up to him.

Tony gets a confused look on his face. "I'm going home."

"Yeah, you're going home alright…just long enough to pack your bags."

"What?"

"You're going home to pack your bags because you're coming with Kate and me to her brother's house."

"Oh…Well, thanks anyway, Boss, but I…"

"DiNozzo," Gibbs says, cutting him off. "Was there anything in my voice that told you that this was up for debate?"

"No," Tony says, a little stunned.

"Alright. Kate and I will be by your place in about an hour." Gibbs turns around and starts walking away.

"Okay," Tony says, still a little stunned. He, then, turns around and goes toward the elevator.