A/N: Hi all. Sorry this took so long, but I was stuck on what to write and then I couldn't upload my story! So, here you go. And don't worry, there will be some action in the next chapter, I promise!
Spoilers: None, I don't think.
Kate woke the next morning to an empty bed and a sick stomach. She groaned, noticing for the first time since the beginning of her pregnancy how sick she really felt.
"Morning sickness... oh joy," she said out loud to herself.
She rose from the bed, putting on the bath robe she had hung up in her closet and padded into their bathroom to brush her hair and wash her face before going downstairs.
When Kate went downstairs, she was met with the sight of Gibbs sitting at the table, drinking coffee and reading the morning paper.
"Morning," she said, dropping a kiss onto his head.
"Hey, how are you?" he asked her in return.
"I've been better. I think I've been given the pleasure of experiencing morning sickness during this pregnancy. I was kind of hoping I'd luck out like my sister did with her two pregnancies. You know, being able to say 'I never did have morning sickness'."
Gibbs chuckled before taking another mouthful of his coffee. "You just wanted that so you could torture your sister about her not being the only one who didn't experience it. Weren't you the one who said she was always bragging about that?"
"Well. No, maybe. Okay, yeah. But that's only half the reason. You wouldn't want to have to go through with this. I swear men have it so easy!"
"Yeah, we just have to put up with pregnant women like you and your sister. Piece of cake," Gibbs said with a mock frown.
Kate popped a bagel in the toaster before looking at Jethro. "Point taken. Anything interesting in the paper this morning?"
Gibbs looked up over his glasses. "No. Not really. Might be a sign about work today, too."
"HA! Don't get you're hopes up too much. You didn't forget that you have Tony and McGee on your team, did you?" Kate asked, sitting down to the table and taking a bite of her bagel.
"C'mon. They're only like that when they're awake," Gibbs said giving Kate a half smirk. "Are you driving yourself today? Or do you want me to wait for you?"
"I still have to shower and do my hair and everything. You go on ahead, I'll meet you for coffee break later, although now that I think of it, I shouldn't really be drinking coffee. So, I'll just meet you and watch you drink coffee."
"Sounds good. Drive safe," Jethro told her giving her a quick peck on the lips before dropping his mug in the sink, grabbing his jacket and keys and heading out the door.
Kate listened to the car back out of the driveway and onto the street before getting up to go get ready for work. Another wave of sickness passed over her while she was in the shower and she found herself fighting to keep her breakfast in her stomach.
Getting out, she wrapped a towel around her, dried her hair and was just starting to style it when she felt the bile rise in her throat. After emptying her stomach contents, Kate went and brushed her teeth, rubbing her hand on her belly as she did so.
"I really hope that this doesn't last too long, Peanut," calling her unborn child the familiar nickname she heard during the many pregnancies is her family. "Mommy doesn't know how much of this sickness thing she can take, and she really doesn't want to have to tell Aunt Maggie she was soo sick every morning!"
Smiling at how quickly and easily she was slipping into the mommy persona already, Kate dressed for work and quickly did her make-up. Grabbing her keys and cell phone, she headed out the door. On the drive to work, all she could think about was not being sick and keeping her and Jethro's secret for another day.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-X
Gibbs was the first one in the office that morning, as usual. He had stopped for his regular coffee at the "caffeine dealer" up the block, as Kate had always told him, and was seated at his desk reviewing old files when Tony and McGee came in.
"Morning, boss," Tony said as he came into the bullpen with McGee following right behind him.
"Morning. Case files on your desks. Go through them," Gibbs greeted them in return.
"Don't you just love Thursdays, Probie? I mean, what's better than paper work to greet you first thing in the morning?"
"I figured the only thing you liked about Thursdays was it was one day closer to Friday," McGee said.
"There's a more complex side to me you know. I'm not all clubbing and dating chicks, McCruella De Vil."
"Not much, DiNozzo. And it could be worse- you could be doing this Monday morning," Gibbs told him, not looking up from the case file he was reviewing.
"True. Hey, speaking of Friday. Are we still on at your house tomorrow night for drinks?"
"Yeah, you're really complex, Tony. Honestly, you amaze me sometimes," McGee said, a look of annoyance on his face already.
"Enough, the two of you. Kate was right, you guys are something else. Yes we're still on, so now that you've got your answer sit down, shut up and get to work! Those files aren't going to review themselves," Gibbs hollered across the bullpen to the two men.
"Wow. I think Kate's been depriving him of something, if you know what I mean, McGoo," Tony whispered to Tim.
"DINOZZO!"
"Sorry, Boss! This one's on me!" Tony cried out, smacking himself in the back of the head. "I've got to get better at this whispering thing," Tony muttered to himself before the men sat at their desks.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-X
"Morning, Abs!" Kate yelled over the music that was blasting from the lab.
"Hey, Kate. What's up?" Abby said, acknowledging her friend coming into the lab and turning down the volume.
"Oh, you know. The usual for a Thursday morning," Kate answered, passing a Caf-POW! to the goth. "So, are you still coming over tomorrow night?
"Come on, Kate. Have you ever known me to pass up Friday night drinks? I don't think so."
"Yeah, that's true," Kate said laughing.
"So... feel like filling me in on anything? Any important or unimportant details a best friend should know? I'm willing to take on the responsibilities. I'm definitely qualified," Abby asked Kate.
Kate laughed at Abby's not-to-subtle hint dropping. "No. Abby, there's nothing up. Honest."
"I don't believe you for a second, or my silver fox for that matter. You guys have a deep, dark secret you're not telling. C'mon, Kate! Live a little, give me something to go on. A hint or something!"
Kate paused for a minute. She thought about telling Abby, but decided against it. She had promised Jethro she wouldn't say anything. "I'm sorry, Abby. I can't say anything. I told Jethro I wouldn't."
Kate paused again before speaking again. "I can tell you this; if you make sure you're at our place tomorrow night, I'll tell you then."
"But Kate," Abby whined, "that's like, over twenty four hours away!"
"I know. You asked for a little something, so I gave you a little somethin'."
"I don't know if you're more like a cop when you say that or Gibbs. NOT fair, Kate. Not at all."
"I thought it was pretty fair. Anyway, I have to get to work, I have a lot to do today," Kate told Abby.
"Lucky you. It's going to be a slow one down here today, I think. Go on break with me if you get a chance?" Abby asked her.
"Sure. On one condition though- no asking me about secrets."
"Fine," Abby grumbled. "You know, you really are like Gibbs!" she called after her friend as she exited the lab.
"Nah. I'm the one with all the skill!" Kate called out laughing as she headed to the elevator.
"Is that so?" Gibbs asked as Kate almost bumped into him when he was leaving the elevator.
"Yes. I think I proved that the other night," Kate said coyly as she stepped into the box.
Gibbs jumped back in the elevator again, pressing the button for her floor. "Well, I think a rematch is needed."
"Rematch? Hm, sounds like it might get intense. I'm up for that, just not today."
"Still feeling sick?" Gibbs asked, concern etched into his face.
"Yeah, Peanut here won our match this morning. I still have that 'ick' feeling."
"Peanut? You gave our unborn child the nickname Peanut?"
"What?" Kate asked, innocence coating her voice. "It's what we always called unborn babies in my family. I think it's cute."
"I guess. We better come up with a better name though, otherwise this kid is going to end up being beaten up everyday."
"What? Like Jethro is so much better?" she said teasingly.
"Hey. Not nice, Katie. I'll remember that when we have our rematch," Jethro said in the same teasing tone.
The elevator doors opened and Kate gave Gibbs' hand a squeeze before stepping off. "I'll hold you to it," she told him before the doors closed again.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-X
Tony's phone rang. "Special Agent DiNozzo."
"Tony?"
"Well, unless you know another DiNozzo, Abs. Yeah, it's me."
"Don't be a smart-ass, Tony. Listen, I have to ask you something, but I just want a yes or no answer. Is Gibbs there?"
"No. Is everything okay?"
"Yes. Listen, are you guys busy?" Abby asked him.
"Well. No, not really. We're just looking over some case files. Why?"
"Tony! I said I just wanted yes or no answers! You're a really bad listener. No wonder you can't keep a girl. You and Timmy need to come down. Now if possible."
"Hey! That was uncalled for! And we'll be down shortly," Tony told her.
"Okay. And make sure Gibbs isn't around when you come down. Take the stairs," Abby told him before she hung up.
Tony put the phone back on its cradle. "That was weird."
"Who was it?" McGee asked.
"Abby. She wants us to go down, but Gibbs can't know."
"Weird. Hey, why did she call you and not me?" Tim questioned, slightly offended.
"Not important, Probie! Come on, let's hit the stairs."
"Stairs? Why don't we just take the elevator?"
"Abby said make sure we take the stairs. Something is up, McGee. Let's roll."
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-X
"Abby, everything okay?" DiNozzo asked as he walked into the lab.
"Yeah. Well, sort of. Wait, Ducky is supposed to be here."
"What's the emergency, my dear?" Ducky said as he was coming through the automatic doors.
"Okay. Now that everyone is here, did anyone else notice that Gibbs and Kate seem weird the past few days?"
"They seemed the same to me," McGee said.
"Of course, Timmy. Ducky and Tony, you noticed, right?" Abby said, giving McGee a look. Sometimes she wondered how he had become an NCIS Agent.
"Jethro seemed to be very peculiar yesterday in Autopsy. When I mentioned it to him, he merely said it was a good day. As for Caitlin, I haven't seen as much of her the past few days. Jethro has said she was doing well, though," Ducky said, stating his observations of the couple.
"Gibbs was grouchy this morning, but it wasn't the same as usual. I can't believe I never noticed this earlier!" Tony exclaimed.
"I never noticed anything either, Tony," McGee said yet again.
"Yeah, but you're a PROBIE, McGee. I'm supposed to be the seasoned investigator of the team!" Then turning to Abby, he asked, "Has Kate said anything to you?"
"No. Not really, and neither has Gibbs. All Kate said was that she'd tell me tomorrow at her house and that she couldn't say anything now because she'd promised Gibbs. So, I have a plan," Abby confessed.
"What is it, my dear girl?"
"Well, we all need to do some police work. Look for clues, see if they're behaving differently, the whole deal! But you need to keep it on the DL- that's down low, Ducky," Abby said, smiling.
"I'm a bit more in tune with the world than Jethro, Abigail," Ducky said with a smile.
"Of course. I'm just so used to having to do that for Gibbs."
"Well, if you want this on the DL, me and McBond here are going to have to head back up. Gibbs has gotta be back by now."
"Alright. We'll talk again later."
And with that, they all went back to their work with a new case playing in their minds.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-X
A knock came on the door to Kate's office. "Come in!" she yelled.
The door opened and Jenny walked through. "Oh, Director. How are you?"
"Good," Jenny answered, closing the door and sitting in the chair in front of the desk. "I came to ask you the same question"
Kate smiled as she answered. "I've been better. Morning sickness really lives up to its reputation. I'm actually thinking of calling it a day pretty soon."
"That's expected. I've heard a lot of people say it's not pleasant in the least. My sister was graced with 'all day sickness' for a few weeks during her pregnancy."
"I guess I have it pretty good so far, knock on wood," Kate said. Another knock came on her door and Kate again called for the visitor to come in.
Jethro walked through, stopping when he saw Jenny.
"Jen."
"Jethro. I hear congratulations are in order."
"Thanks. We're ah, having drinks at the house tomorrow night to tell the team. You're welcome to come, if you'd like."
"Thanks, but I have meetings tomorrow in LA and won't be back in time."
"That's too bad. What's up, honey?" Kate told Jenny, asking Jethro the point of his visit in the same breath.
"I came to see if you were up for a break."
"Yes, definitely. I need a break from all this paper work. Would you excuse us, Jenny?"
"Of course. I have some of that to do too. I've been avoiding it for too long today. Have fun tomorrow night, and feel better. It's all worth it in the end," she told them as she left the office.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-X
"So. Abby called a meeting today," Gibbs told Kate as they sat at a table in the coffee shop.
"How do you know that?"
"I know everything. You should know that."
"Okay, Mr. Cocky. What was it about?" she asked.
"Trying to find out our 'secret'. Tim's clueless but the rest of them know something is up."
"Poor Tim. You know, I think I will go home now for sure. Give them something to talk about," she told him with a look of mischief about her.
"You're still not feeling one hundred percent, are you?" he said taking a sip of coffee.
"No. Not at all."
"Peanut needs to be good. Jen's right though, it's all worth it in the end."
Kate smiled at the use of the name again. "I know. I'm so glad we get to share this."
Jethro squeezed her hand, "Me too. But you should head home, you know. Get some rest."
Kate stood up and put on her coat, placing her purse on her shoulder. "Yes, boss," she said while giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Come up with a good excuse, will you? I'm turning my phone off, so if they find out I'm blaming you and our rematch will be cancelled," she teased.
"Yes, ma'am. No worries on that. I'd really hate for that rematch to be cancelled," he told her.
"Me too," she said before heading out the door.
A/N 2: So... what do you think? Click that little button on the bottom and let me know, I'd like to know people are still interested!