Chapter 3
Kate stood by her desk, looking around. While no one was here, she could honestly say that there was little that should be holding her here. It was just a place. Her desk was her desk. It had a lot of little things that marked it as her space. Her sketchbook was securely locked away from prying eyes...Tony's prying eyes. There were a few people in the bullpen right now, but none of the team. Just her, and it surprised her how empty it felt when she was the only one here.
Then, the elevator to Abby's lab opened up, and Tim stepped off. He saw her and smiled.
"Good morning, Kate! How was your weekend?" he asked.
She was amazed, as she had been over and over since Ari's death, how different, how much more confident Tim was now. To be sure, he wasn't ever going to be as self-confident as...well, as most of the other agents here, but he had come into his own in a way that he hadn't before. He was...getting more finished.
"Kate?" Tim asked. "You okay?"
Kate laughed. Her week of reflection was liable to lead people to think she was losing her mind.
"I'm fine. Just thinking. I had a very nice weekend. You?"
"Yeah. Just quiet."
"Alone?"
Tim blushed a little but smiled. "I didn't say that."
"Who is she, Tim?" Kate asked.
Tim's grin widened. "A gentleman never tells."
Kate returned the grin.
"It's nothing serious," Tim said. "Just...friends." He nodded to himself and sat down...and then, a look of worry crossed his face. "Don't tell Tony, okay? He'll keep prodding, and I get so tired of that."
"You can count on my discretion," Kate said.
"Thanks."
Tim focused on his computer, going through his morning ritual. Kate smiled as she watched him before sitting at her own computer. The elevator dinged.
"Good morning, one and all! Guess who had an amazingly successful weekend!" Tony announced.
"Doing what, Tony?" Kate asked. "As if you wouldn't tell us anyway."
Tony grinned. "Poker! Poker, Kate! And yours truly happened to bring it on."
"Does that mean you're going to pay me back for lunch last week?" Tim asked.
"I didn't say that," Tony said. "I didn't bring my new gains with me to work! What do you take me for?"
"A tightwad," Tim retorted, but without malice.
"Oh, Probie. I'm hurt!"
Kate smiled as Tony and Tim continued the banter, both actually getting work done, in spite of the back and forth. Tony was another who had changed somewhat, not to the same degree as Tim, but he had let himself be more serious, not feeling the need to joke around as much as they all felt more secure...safer. Kate was glad she'd been here to see it. That was part of it, she supposed. She was here to see it, and she felt all-too-keenly the potential of not being able to. As much as Tony had the ability to drive her nuts, she couldn't help but smile at him.
"I hope you're all working," Gibbs said as he walked in, breezing by them all in his usual fashion.
Kate smiled and gave an affirmative, along with Tony and Tim. Gibbs grunted in his usual way and sat down. Even when a big case wasn't going on, there was always work to do. Gibbs, with his seeming omniscience (a perception he enjoyed, even if he would deny it), always had something going on, but he was also keeping his eye on his team. Things got by him occasionally...because he wasn't omniscient, but he tried to make sure he was aware. Even with his fast-and-loose playing with the rules, no one could accuse Gibbs of neglecting his job. It was his life...much more than any of the rest of them. His life revolved around getting results.
...but he, too, had changed since Ari's death, in part because of Kate's accusations. He didn't take as many chances with his own life as he had before. She wasn't sure that she had really convinced him that they valued him, but he had accepted that flaunting his own safety could easily lead to members of his team being injured.
"Gibbs, Lovitz said that you were wanting my help."
Kate looked up once more and smiled at their roving Mossad liaison.
Ziva caught her glance and smiled as well. Even after a year, she was still a bit stiff with them all, but slowly was letting them in. Tim, in particular. Kate wasn't sure if it was because of what Ari had done to him or if it was due to Tim's reaction to Ari's death...or if it was just that he had been willing to help her when she had first moved here. Whatever the reason, she was easier around Tim than anyone else except for Kate herself. Their awkward friendship had grown as Ziva had come to accept Kate's friendship as genuine.
Gibbs nodded and then looked around at them all, including them in what he was about to say.
"We're reopening a cold case."
"Which one, Boss?" Tony asked.
"The Shelley murder."
Tim furrowed his brow. "Why? ...I mean, it's not that I think we shouldn't, but what's got us doing that?"
"An anonymous message that states if we don't solve it in the next week, there's going to be another murder."
"What?" Tony asked. "All the indications were that it was a random act of violence. There was nothing to say it was anything else."
"Doesn't mean it's not, Tony," Kate said. "It could be someone close to Lt. Shelley who has decided it needs to be solved and we're not going to do it without a threat. It could also be the killer. It could be a bluff...but who wants to risk that it's not?"
"I don't," Tim murmured, almost to himself.
"Neither does Vance," Gibbs said. "We couldn't solve this one two years ago. We're going to need the extra help now. Kate..."
"Shelley's family?"
"Exactly. See if any of them fit the profile of the kind of person who would make this threat. Tony, Ziva, start on the old case files. See if there's anything we missed. McGee, get with Abby."
"The message?"
Gibbs nodded.
"It was sent in an email. Abby should have it by now."
Tim leapt to his feet. "On it, Boss."
Kate went with Tony and Ziva to get the files and evidence. A lot of the information was digitized, but she liked getting her hands on the hard copy. Maybe it was old-fashioned of her, but it was her preference.
"Enjoy, Kate," Tony said as he settled down to look through material. "I know we will."
Kate laughed. "Don't let Tony slack off, Ziva," she said. "He's so lazy when he has to do real work."
"Ha ha," Tony said.
Ziva grinned. "I will keep him on task. I am certain that is why Gibbs wanted my help. No one else could threaten to kill him and mean it."
"Yeah, I'm really scared," Tony groused. "Maybe instead of ganging up on me, you two could get to work yourselves."
Kate grinned. "I think I can manage that."
She took her list of Lt. Shelley's friends and family, the details of the interviews they'd done with them and headed back to her desk to wade through them all.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
"Agent Todd, you seem deep in thought."
Kate pulled her attention away from her computer screen.
"Hi, Ducky. Did Gibbs send you up to help me?"
"In a manner of speaking. He did mention that you were wading through the interviews with Shelley's family and might welcome another educated point of view."
"I definitely do."
Ducky winked at her and grabbed Tony's chair. He rolled it over beside her.
"What have you found so far?"
"Nothing in his family. They all seemed to have accepted what happened. They were shocked by it, of course, but even when we were investigating, I remember being impressed by how much they supported each other...and it seemed genuine to me."
"I see no reason to disagree," Ducky said. "What about his friends?"
"Well, he had friends who were in the Navy like him, and they were understandably angry about Shelley dying here where he should have been safe."
"Divide and conquer?" Ducky suggested.
"All right. Here are the interviews I haven't got to yet."
Ducky took the small pile and started reading through. Kate took a moment to think about the ME. Ducky had always been supportive, and Kate had appreciated that. He also had an old-fashioned gallantry that never made her feel belittled. It was clear that Ducky had nothing but respect for her and for what she could do...and his behavior was far from treating her as fragile. Kate looked back at the interview and smiled to herself. She still remembered the first time she'd met Ducky. He had an excellent bedside manner and she'd always wondered what had drawn him into his job.
"Something interesting, Caitlin?"
Kate smiled and shook her head. "Just reflecting."
"On what, if I may ask?"
Kate hadn't told anyone about Vance's offer yet, preferring to make her decision without the kind of input she'd get from Tony and Tim...and even Gibbs. ...but Ducky was someone she felt she could trust. He would understand her reticence and her confusion if anyone would.
"Can you keep it a secret for now?"
"For now?"
Kate nodded. "By the end of the week, I'll be telling everyone, but I need to keep it to myself for now."
"You can count on me."
Kate took a breath and let it out. "Director Vance has offered me a position as an Agent Afloat...taking Stan's place."
"Stan Burley?"
"Yes."
"And you aren't sure if you want to accept?"
"That's right. I'm trying to figure out what I want most because I've been happy here. I haven't had any desire to move on, and while I know this won't be permanent, I...guess I'm just not sure what my choice should be."
Ducky leaned back in Tony's chair. "Ah, a conundrum, indeed. I can well understand why you might wish to mull this over in private. If you choose to take the position, you will hear some degree of outcry from your coworkers."
"Exactly."
"It's because they care for you, you know."
"I know. The feeling is mutual. I was talking with my sister and she suggested that I take a few days to evaluate what it is that I really like about being here and whether or not leaving it for a time would be detrimental."
"I don't think it would be, but since it's not my decision, nor my life, I wouldn't suggest that I know what is best for you."
Kate smiled. "I know you wouldn't. I guess I'm just surprised by how unsure I am. A few years ago, I would have jumped at the opportunity for any kind of career advancement. Now...I'm not sure."
"You have the time to think about it?"
"Yeah."
"Then, don't rush it. If you don't have to give your answer right now, taking a few days won't hurt."
"And there is a case to solve."
"Precisely...but if you'd like to talk again, you may find me a sympathetic ear."
"Thanks. Stan made the same offer...by the way, I think he might appreciate a call from you."
"Really?"
Kate nodded. She wasn't sure if she should tell Ducky what Stan had confided to her.
"He's taking a year off Agent Afloat."
"Really," Ducky said. "Something serious, then."
Kate nodded.
"I most certainly will give him a call, perhaps tonight."
Kate smiled and looked again at her interview...and then looked more closely.
"Ducky, what do you think about this one?" she asked, handing it over.
Ducky took it. "Well, this young man certainly seems to have been extremely angry about what happened."
"I remember him now. He even threatened to take revenge himself."
"Yes. He was a close friend?"
"No. That's the interesting thing," Kate said. "They had been classmates but hadn't been close for a long time."
"Fascinating. I think he might well be worth speaking to again."
"Definitely. Let's see if there are any others."
As they each dove back into their files, Kate looked at Ducky again. It was another moment when she just enjoyed where she was and what she was doing.
...which didn't make her choice any easier.
