A/N: Hey guys. Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing: I appreciate it. I'm sorry to say that I don't think that this chapter is as good as some of my others (I've been feeling lately like my writing in general has been going down hill), but after numerous rewrites and any number of edits on this version, I finally decided that it would have to do or that I would just end up driving myself insane. So here it is, let me know what you think.

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It had taken all of her willpower to keep from rushing back to Gibbs' place at the first opportunity, almost an hour before she had agreed to be back. She had had such a great time with him earlier in the day and she couldn't believe it but she seemed to be falling even further in love with him. She hadn't thought that there could possibly be any further to fall.

Holding back the desire to drive at breakneck speeds, she arrived at his house at 1930 exactly. After knocking and ringing his bell multiple times she finally gave up and let herself in. The almost complete silence she found inside seemed incredibly unnatural for the residence of the active, energy-filled man she knew him to usually be.

She called his name and Marine's several times as she moved slowly deeper into the home. She had absolutely no desire to be shot just because she happened to catch him off-guard; assuming there was ever a time when he was off-guard. Receiving no reply, but instead becoming aware of the noise of a distant television, she followed the sound to an open door near the rear of the house.

As she came level with the door and caught sight of the view through it, she could only just barely restrain her sigh. Leaning against the door frame she took in the tableau before her.

While she had never seen the boat that took up the majority of the space in the basement below her, she barely spared it a glance. Instead she focused on the pair who lounged on the floor next to it.

Gibbs' back was propped against the wood frame of the boat, his legs crossed at the ankles. His gaze was firmly on the baseball game the TV screen showed, but Kate doubted how much he was actually paying attention to it. Marine had tucked his small furry body in tight against his denim covered leg and the agent's hand stroked absentmindedly down the dog's exposed stomach, a small grin firmly etched on his features.

She thought it unlikely for him not to have noticed her presence, but he didn't acknowledge her until Marine shifted to look up at her and bark softly. Only then did he glance up, his grin widening as he took her in.

His gaze didn't leave her as she made her way slowly down the stairs and across the basement floor to where he sat. Thankful that she had chosen to dress as casually as he, she sank down on the floor next to him, Marine now "trapped" between their legs.

Dropping a hand down next to her to scratch Marines ears, she smiled briefly at Gibbs before turning her attention to the television screen. She couldn't help but giggle slightly at the no doubt ludicrous picture they would now present to an outside observer and she turned back to Gibbs questioningly.

"Is there a reason why you're watching TV down here - where you can't hear the door bell - when you have a perfectly good television and couch upstairs?"

His eyes hadn't left her since she had first arrived, but at her question he glanced around at their surroundings as if seeing them for the first time. Returning his blue gaze to her face, he shrugged as he began to speak.

"I hadn't originally planned to watch TV. After tossing the potatoes in the oven I came down to work on my boat." He gestured vaguely at the wood structure behind him. "But Marine only let me work for about twenty minutes before deciding he wanted attention." He gave the dog a glare which changed quickly to a grin as the puppy nuzzled deeper against him. Shifting his eyes back up to her face his expression suddenly changed to a more serious one.

Standing, oblivious to Marine's unhappy whimper, he brushed his pants off before offering a hand to help her stand. Giving Marine one last pat, she allowed Gibbs to help her up, mimicking his earlier motion as she dusted off the bottoms and legs of his jeans. Noticing that her gaze was still fixed on the TV and the seventh inning of the Twins/A's game on it, he released a light chuckle. He gave her arm a gentle tug as he spoke.

"Come on, we can watch the game upstairs. You can keep Marine busy while I toss the steaks on the grill."

Looking vaguely apologetic, her tone was slightly embarrassed as she responded. "Sorry. I love baseball and it's been a while since I was able to catch a game." Following him upstairs, Marine on their heels, she once again began to contemplate how comfortable she had felt around him all day.

She'd made the decision that morning, standing outside his door, that she would let whatever happened happen; unwilling to keep tamping down feelings and hiding behind the work. She hadn't been sure that he was willing to do the same – to just see what happened – until that moment, sitting next to him in his basement. Happy that they both, silently, seem to be on the same page, she gave him a gentle smile as he handed her the remote and told her to make herself comfortable.

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By the time the steaks were done, the game was as well: the Twins just barely scraping by a win in the ninth. To Kate's surprise, Gibbs halted her move to turn off the TV, instead handing her a plate and informing her that she can pick a movie.

His collection isn't big and she chose the neutral Pleasantville, something she felt they could both enjoy. Silence reigned as they ate and watched the beginning of the movie, both shooting glances and smiles at the other every once in a while. Gibbs laughed more during the first half hour of the film then she thinks she had seen him do since she met him and it warmed her heart to finally see the kind, content man he was away from the tiring and often depressing grind of the job.

It's only when they pause the movie so that he can grab dessert from the kitchen that they actually talk and even then it is limited to the inconsequential. Petting Marine, who has been curled up in her lap ever since she moved her plate to the coffee table, she commented off-handedly that she missed having a dog.

She had been speaking more to the animal in her lap than to him and it surprised her when his voice answered the comment. "You're welcome to come over here and see Marine any time you want." His voice was light, but face serious as he spoke, handing her a bowl of ice cream as he settled back down next to her.

She got the distinct impression, as his eyes didn't leave hers for a moment, that he was saying so much more with those words. He was telling her that she's allowed to do what no one else was: take part in what is otherwise a very private existence. She nodded in response, sure that he could read her expression just as well as she could read his.

Turning back to the movie, it seemed only natural to move in closer to him so that they were just barely making contact as they finish off their meal. Kate couldn't help but think that she felt more comfortable than she had ever felt before around a man she was attracted to and she allowed herself to get completely engrossed in that sensation. Marine had stayed firmly in her lap until only half an hour remained in the film, but when the small pup vacated the couch for his own bed in the kitchen it seemed only natural for her to fill his sudden absence by curling up closer against the man next to her.

Her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped loosely around her waist, the end of the movie faded out slowly as she fell asleep. It had been months since she felt so utterly content and, while she fought it to the last minute, falling asleep virtually in his arms seemed like the most normal thing in the world.

Gibbs' only reaction to her dosing off against him was to pull her slightly tighter against his body and to grin uncontrollably. He was not sure when he decided that every reason he'd ever given himself for why they couldn't work was all just a load of crap, but he's very glad he did. He was seriously tempted to just let himself fall asleep as well, but knew that it will only lead to sore necks and backs in the morning.

Moving her to rest against the arm of the couch, he gathered their dishes; deciding to give her a few more minutes rest while he cleaned up. Brushing a hand gently over her forehead to clear a stray strand of hair, his grin widened even further before he moved into the kitchen.

TBC (One more chapter)