KATE
Kate couldn't decide whether she was grateful or not that the party had been on a Saturday night, and that they weren't expected in the office till Monday. Working from home recording impressions, contacts, and conversations had seemed like a really good idea at the time. But now it just meant 24 more hours before she saw Gibbs again, and she had no clue whatsoever if that was going to be a good thing or not. If she didn't occupy her mind sufficiently, it kept drifting back to the feeling of being cradled in his arms on the dance floor, or of his fingers wound into hers.
Despite not getting back home till gone 2am, she'd woken bright and early at 6. Or if not bright, at least early. She'd managed to force herself to get a couple more hours of restless sleep, but since then she'd struggled to settle to anything for more than ten minutes at a time.
She clenched her jaw and turned back to the screen of her laptop, forcing her brain back to the details. But she hadn't realised how tense she was till the phone rang and her heart rate spiked as if she was facing a terrorist wired with a semtex suicide vest.
"Hello?"
She hated the fact that her voice was breathy and eager, and tried to hide her disappointment when the caller was just Abby.
"So?" Abby inquired, after racing through the formalities without actually listening to any of the replies. Her excitement was almost palpable, and Kate screwed her eyes shut. Abby generally stayed out of Gibbs' love life, but she'd never been shy about poking her nose into Kate's, and there had been a downright mischievous twinkle in her eyes when she'd seen them off from her lab.
"So what?" she said, trying for nonchalant, but suspecting she just sounded cagey.
"So... How was it? Last night? The party?"
Kate didn't want to lie to her friend, but she really, really didn't want to talk about what was occupying her mind the most. Once again she regretted the unfortunate reality that working such long hours in such a demanding job made having friends who weren't connected with NCIS difficult at best. She could always phone Rachel in Florida, but it wasn't the same as being able to share a bottle of wine with a girlfriend, and she didn't want to worry her sister.
Creative misunderstanding would be the best course, she decided, and kept her tone light as she described the evening as a successful mission, how strange it was to have SecNav flirt with her, and anything else she could think of that might distract Abby from asking her what it was like being on a date, albeit a fake one, with Gibbs.
To her credit, Abby managed five whole minutes of making interested noises before she interrupted Kate in the middle of her description of the creepy Brit she'd danced with.
"So Kate, it's fun hearing your gossip and all, but that wasn't really what I meant. And... I think you knew that."
"What?" Kate was pretty sure her fake innocent tone was about as convincing as a combover.
"I saw the way the boss man was looking at you, Kate. I can spot trouble when I see it..."
"I... I don't know what you mean..." More combover level deception, she knew.
There was silence at the other end of the phone.
"Abby?"
The silence stretched out, and Kate closed her eyes, biting her lip and willing herself not to break it.
It seemed to go on forever, but eventually she heard Abby sigh.
"We should play poker sometime, Kate," she said drily.
Kate allowed herself to breathe again. "Sounds like fun."
"You get a free pass this one time, Caitlin Todd. One. Time. Next time I see the hint of a sparkle, sniff a whiff of chemistry..."
"Thanks Abs," she replied, then winced, realising she'd all but admitted she had something to hide.
Abby chuckled, her voice low and husky, clearly satisfied with her success. "You know where I am, Kate, when you're ready to talk. And no more free passes."
"Uh... I'm pleading the fifth..."
Abby laughed again. "OK, go back to your reports, girl. And remember, Big Brother is watching you. Both of you."
Kate couldn't help laughing too. Trust Abby to know something was up when really there was hardly anything to know. "More like little sister, Abs. See you tomorrow?"
"You know it."
Pouring herself a cup off coffee before she went back to her computer, Kate found herself smiling. Much as Abby's perceptiveness made her feel terrifyingly exposed, there was something to be said for having someone to talk to if she needed it. And she got the strongest impression that Abby was on her side on this one. Everything else aside... That made her feel just a little better.
