Disclaimer: I still don't own the shows… if I did then I'd be makin some of these fics into episodes dude!

Well I'm gonna do a few more chapters and see how it goes… enjoy!

In the restaurant they sat making lousy small talk. Tony wanted to ask her why she was so upset. He wanted her to just open up to him so he could help, but he figured she'd just close up even more. Either way, small talk was annoying him and getting them nowhere so he decided to just go for it.

"Kate, what's got you so down lately? It's not just the case, is it?"

Kate looked at Tony. She was actually surprised he had noticed at all. She didn't want to tell him her pathetic worries about the dinner tomorrow night, but she also knew he wouldn't drop it until she told him.

"The case was tough Tony," she tried.

"But that's not why you're acting so worried and, well, un-Kateish."

"Un-Kateish? Is that a word?" She was stalling but Tony wasn't going to let her.

"Yes. So spill Kate."

Kate sighed and told Tony about her family. She told him about how her sister, Deborah, was happily married with three beautiful children. She told him about how her parents were separated and getting a divorce and that they didn't even seem to care. She told him about how her brother-in-law, Raymond, had this great family across the street who came to every dinner. She told him about the dinner tomorrow night and she told him about how everyone had a 'special-someone' except her and how that made her feel.

Tony listened to Kate intently. It wasn't often she let her guard down and told him what she was actually feeling. More than anything he wanted to help her. That's why, when Kate finished speaking and stared at her now empty plate, Tony suggested what he did.

"You know," he began, "I could come with you…"

"What?" Her eyes shot from her plate to Tony's face. What was he on about?

"I could go with you to the dinner. I could, you know, act as your boyfriend for the day. I don't have any plans for thanksgiving. All my family's still in Italy…" he trailed off, talking too fast and not looking Kate in the eye for fear that she would laugh at him or get angry at him for suggesting it.

She didn't do either.

"Tony you don't want to do that, trust me." Kate couldn't believe he'd offered to do that for her. Her family was, well, dynamic to say the least, and he was willing to give up his weekend and put up with them to help her. It was such an unselfish and 'un-Tonyish' thing to do. There was nothing in it for him. There were no possible gains for him, were there?

"If you don't want to that's fine but I just wanna help you out and this is the only way I can think of. I know it wouldn't really stop you feeling leftout or whatever, but it would stop the family making stupid comments wouldn't it?" he paused. "Nah forget it, it's probably a bad idea. Sorry Kate."

She'd never seen Tony acting so strangely.

"Do you want to, Tony?" she asked.

Tony thought for a second. Did he want to? It would help Kate out, he'd get to meet her family, he had no other plans and he'd get a free meal.

"Yeah, I do," he said, studying her face for a reaction.

"OK," she said simply, standing from the table and walking to the counter to pay.

Hmm… I'm having doubts about this story but I'm gonna keep going to see where it takes me. Please review! I like reviews nods enthusiastically