The Morning After
By that belle

Ending up in Anthony DiNozzo's bed was not at the top of Caitlin Todd's 'to do' list... ..Tony & Kate..

A/N: Thanks again for the awesome feedback! This is definitely my most well-received story, ever. I also don't own anything, as usual. Dunno if I mentioned that before.

McGee and Tony were sitting at their desks when Kate returned to the bullpen, accompanied by Abby. Tony busied himself with his work, so Abby just took Kate over to McGee's desk and the two sat down.

"What's the matter?" McGee asked, only then noticing Kate's teary eyes and Abby's worried expression.

"Oh, just female issues, Tim." Abby said.

McGee turned red. "Uh, well, I'll just leave you to it then."

"It's nothing like that!" Abby laughed. She grabbed McGee by his tie and pulled him forward. "Listen, Tim, I need you to distract Kate for a while. I need to talk to Tony."

"Um, sure."

"Great! Thanks McGee, I knew I could count on you!" She patted him on the head and then turned to Kate. "Talk to McGee for a while." She whispered. "I'm going to work my magic on Tony."

Kate shrugged. "Good luck in getting him to talk."

Abby smirked. "Heh, you don't know what I can do, Kate." She turned to Tony, who had been evidently trying to listen in on their conversation. "Tony! How about you and I go for a walk?"

"Sure." He got up, grabbed his coat and followed Abby towards the elevator. She turned to him when they got there.

"Tony. I've had an interesting conversation with Kate…"

Kate felt pretty awkward, just sitting there. It wasn't as though she didn't get along with McGee, but it had become strangely quiet. There was quiet, and then there was this kind of quiet. The awkward silence.

"So, McGee, did you catch the game in the weekend?" Kate asked. She wasn't really sure what she was asking about, she wasn't even sure if there were any games in the weekend.

It proved she was right. "Er, what game?"

"I don't know, I just thought I'd try and break the silence." Kate said, smiling a little.

"True." McGee laughed. "In that case, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Kate said, a little taken back by McGee's sudden request. He hadn't been one to ask much of people before.

"It's, um, about Abby."

"Okay. I'm all ears."

Abby had known that Gibbs would not be back from wherever he went until late in the afternoon, so she took that opportunity to take Tony to the shop across the street. She ordered two cappuccinos and two blueberry muffins. They took a seat while they waited.

"Tony, Kate told me something that had me worried." Abby said. "Well, she didn't say it as much… I figured it out for myself." She grinned, then remembered herself suddenly. "Anyway. Not the point, Abby! Tony, can you tell me about what happened with you and Kate after the party?"

Tony frowned. They hadn't agreed not to discuss what happened, but in a way he still felt a little… betrayed, by Kate. Why did Abby have to know?

"McGee and I saw you two fighting on the street earlier." Abby said, noting the look in Tony's eyes. He seemed angry. "So don't think Kate came to me to share some gossip. She's actually really distressed. For two reasons."

"Oh?" Tony said. "And what might they be?"

"Tony, don't take that tone with me!" Abby said, looking hurt. "I'm trying to help out two friends who don't want to know each other at the moment!"

Tony gaped at Abby. "Sorry, Abs. What is it that Kate's distressed about?"

"Well," Abby said, twisting one of her pigtails around her finger. "Firstly, she's distressed about how much she likes you. She's scared about taking things further because she knows your type. She's ready to settle, Tony!" She added, as Tony opened his mouth to speak. "She's looking for the one."

"I still don't get what all that's about." Tony said. "She should be having fun while she's still young. She should be… with me…" The last two words he said so quietly he wasn't sure he even said them, but he knew if Abby had heard him it would spell doom. It wasn't like him at all.

"Tony, do you know what you want?" Abby asked. "Could you really see yourself in an honest, long-term relationship with Kate?"

"I don't know." Tony confessed. "I would like to see myself as that guy, but I've never really been in relationships that have lasted more than a couple of weeks. I don't want to hurt her."

"Although you already have." Abby pointed out. Tony pouted.

"Did you say there was something else, Abby?" He asked, rubbing the sides of his head with the tips of his fingers. "I don't think it could get much worse."

"When you slept together, did you use protection Tony?" Abby asked, pausing as the waitress came over with their drinks. "Because Kate doesn't know if you did. She's really worried."

Tony's reaction, Abby observed, was the same as Kate's. He just froze. Although this was looking increasingly bad for Kate, Abby kept her composure. She just watched Tony struggle to remember. After a few minutes, he relaxed again. He even smiled.

"Yes, Abby. I used protection."

Abby breathed a sigh of relief. "How certain are you?"

Tony shrugged; glad to have this conversation over. "About 90 percent."

"Only 90?" Abby almost shrieked. "So, that means there's a 10 percent chance that Kate could be pregnant or something? Tony!"

Kate had been listening intently to McGee's story for the half hour that Abby and Tony were gone, offering her advice when it was needed. And when it came to this situation, her advice was needed a lot.

"I think," Kate said smiling. "You should ask Abby to dinner. Tonight, Tim."

"T-tonight?" He repeated.

"Yes, tonight." Kate said. "I know she doesn't have any plans, and I think she would be thrilled. I really do."

"You think?"

Kate just smiled. She got up, and walked back over to her desk. "And flowers. Never forget flowers."

McGee scribbled 'flowers – black?' down on a piece of paper. He looked up at Kate, hoping for some more advice.

"Don't buy her black flowers." Kate said suddenly, laughing. "Everyone buys her black flowers. Especially on birthdays. I'll let you in on a hint: she secretly likes the pink roses."

"Pink roses? Abby?" McGee said, dumbfounded. He wasn't quite sure about that, but Kate was Abby's best friend and what she said was probably right. He changed the scribble on his piece of paper to 'roses – pink'.

Abby and Kate had eaten an early dinner huddled over Kate's desk that evening. It was nothing big – it was actually rather small – but there was no work to do and the whole office had been slack all day.

Kate looked up from her desk. McGee was watching her. He pointed to his computer. Kate raised an eyebrow, confused, but then clicked when she heard her computer beep. She quickly opened up the email while Abby was raving about black lipstick.

I have the pink roses. What should I do?

Tim

Kate couldn't help but smile. McGee was totally clueless. No wonder Abby found it adorable. She hastily wrote up her reply.

Take them down to her lab and wait there. I'll send her down in a minute, and then you ask her to dinner. Just go for it, Tim.

Kate

She turned back to Abby, and they continued talking for a while. The topic changed from lipstick to boys, and in the meanwhile McGee slipped out of the bullpen and down to the elevator unnoticed.

"Abby, do you remember me asking for a sample the other day?" Kate asked. This was her diversion. She hadn't asked for a sample, but hopefully Abby would take the bait.

"I'm not sure." Abby said thoughtfully. "A DNA sample?"

"I think that's what it was."

Abby hummed a bit, hoping that it might help her remember. "I'll just go down to my lab and check for you."

"Great. Thanks Abs. Gibbs will have my head if I don't have it." Kate smiled.

Abby grinned back, and got up from her chair. She walked over to the elevator and pressed the button. When she got down to her lab, the door slid open to reveal something quite… shocking.

"A-Abby!" McGee stammered. "I… um…"

She blushed a little. McGee was standing there, and in his hands were a dozen baby pink roses. Her all-time favourite. However, she was determined not to let her guard down – he had upset her earlier that afternoon – so she regained her composure.

"Hi Tim." She said coolly.

"Um, Abby… t-these are for you." He said slowly, walking up to her and holding out the flowers.

So much for composure. She beamed at him, and accepted the flowers. "Oh, Timmy, these are gorgeous!" She exclaimed, smelling them quickly. "They're my favourite! How on earth did you know? Everyone always buys me black roses!"

It was McGee's turn to blush. "I… well…" He didn't think it would be wise to tell Abby that he found that out from Kate. "Abby, wouldyouliketohavedinnerwithme?"

She looked up at him. "Pardon?"

"Would you like… dinner?" McGee almost choked out. It wasn't going as smoothly as he would have liked. He was never this edgy around her. What was wrong with him?

"I'd like that." Abby smiled. She ran the tips of her fingers down his jaw line, causing him to shudder. She had always liked that about him. "Shall we go?"