SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Long live BRUCAS: yes, a baby. Well, that's what they're gonna try for anyways. And you'll just have to continue reading to see if he'll have to do that one of these days.

AUTHOR'S NOTE/DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Donald P. Bellisario: I only own the new stuff.

WORRY AND ASSURANCE

"When Gibbs introduced us, he mentioned McGee, you, and then me. Why did he mention me last?" Tony wondered. People only mention a person last when they don't think much of them. What'd I do to make him lose respect for me? he wondered.

"You are kidding, right?" McGee queried. Damn it. I hate when he gets whiney like this, he thought to himself. Ever since he had joined them, he had noticed how the older agent always seemed to make a federal case-no pun intended-over the most trivial things, such as the order of people being introduced.

"No, for Gibbs to mix up seniority like that it's just….it's weird, that's all," Tony answered.

"I wouldn't put much stock into it, Tone. I doubt it had anything to do with seniority," Katie assured. Hate that he thinks this kind of thing is a dig at him, she thought. Obviously, what had happened to him growing up had left his expectations a little bit skewed.

"Yeah he was probably just going by level of intelligence and competence," McGee interjected.

"McGee!" Katie interjected, her tone reproachful. "Hey, he knows you're not stupid, Babe," she hastened to assure her husband.

"Well I don't know. You do forget things a lot," McGee noted. Starting to wonder why Gibbs keeps him around, he thought to himself. The Senior field agent seemed to be going in for a refresher course on something or another every couple of weeks. Instead of answering, Tony let out a small huff and walked off. "Wow. Touchy," McGee commented and then let out an exclamation of surprised pain as Kate backhanded him on the stomach before following the other agent.

"Tony, hey," she called, catching up to him.

"He's right. I forget things too much. It's no wonder Gibbs is getting pissed at me," he responded. Surprised he hasn't fired me yet, he thought.

"No. That's not Gibbs' way. He tells you when he's pissed. The introduction order meant nothing," she insisted. She was seriously going to kill McGee…

KNOWING WHAT HE WANTS

At home on their couch, Kate looked up at Tony.

"So, uh….Agent Melankovic told me what you said about wives pleasing their husbands," Katie commented casually and Tony's face blanched.

"That was stupid. And sexist. I know," he stated.

"And you were in Frat Boy mode because you didn't trust her," she reminded. Hate that he got paired up with someone he doesn't trust as well as a Probie, she thought to herself.

"You knew?" he asked. Still not used to her being able to read me like this, he mused. Even though they had been married for years now, he was still surprised at how astute she was when it came to him and his quirks.

"Oh please. The only time you make remarks like that is when you're around your old college buddies or trying to throw people off," she retorted. Then, as her voice and gaze softened, "I know this case was hard. Anything involving family life is."

"For a long time-before I met you-I wanted what Gibbs had."

"And you do. Never forget that."

"I won't." With that, he kissed her and her lips curved into a smile as he pushed her backwards into the couch.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I do not hate McGee. He is human and jumped to conclusions about Tony. He doesn't know what Kate (or you readers) knows about Tony and how he grew up. From his perspective, he's seeing a guy who's not very good at his job and getting confused over simple things. At times, other characters may make similar assumptions, but this isn't to be taken as a hate for the character.