Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well! The good news is that exam period is over so, hopefully, I will have time to update more frequently :) Thank you all for reading this story and for your support and comments, they mean a lot! I hope you will enjoy reading this chapter as well. Comments and suggestions are always welcome
Episode: Under Covers |3.08|, Season 3
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS. Part of the dialogue is taken from the episode.
xOxOx
Under Covers
xOxOx
"Hey Abs," Kate greets as she enters the lab, a Caf-Pow and a coffee cup in hand.
Abby grins widely when she spots her friend and walks swiftly to her.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she chatters as she accepts the extra large Caf-Pow and takes a large sip from the caffeinated drink, making Kate smile. It doesn't take much to please Abby.
"Found anything new?" she asks, inspecting Abby's monitors but the forensic scientist shakes her head negatively.
"Nope… I'm currently matching the photos with reservations from the restaurant. I'll also check the names against invites to the ball too, that should narrow the target." Kate nods in understanding, her eyes scanning the photos as they pass by on the monitor.
"Chip not here with you yet?" she asks her, using Abby's name for him, when she notices she is still alone in the lab.
"Did you have to remind me of his existence?"Abby says childishly and Kate chuckles.
"I haven't called him yet, he will only get on my nerves while I try to do my job," she continues with a pout, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Still not used to him then," Kate deduces, a small smile on her lips, as she leans against the desk.
"That's never going to happen!" she states surely "But the Director refuses to understand that I don't need an assistant! I just asked for a raise…"
"It'll get better." Kate pats her shoulder comfortingly but Abby looks at her skeptically.
"Yeah right…" she says dejectedly and takes another sip of her Caf-Pow.
"If it doesn't, Gibbs could talk to the Director again. Or we could figure something out, I'm sure the team will help," she says with a wink and Abby cracks a hopeful smile again.
"Hey, speaking of the Director…" she trails off and looks at Kate expectantly making the agent raise an eyebrow in question.
"What about her?" she asks, trying to sound nonchalant, although she has a pretty good idea of what Abby wants to say.
"Don't try to tell me again that you haven't noticed the way she acts around Gibbs!" Abby exclaims "Or the way she looks at you two when you are in a room together, trying to figure out what's going on. She scans you two like she is an X-Ray machine!" she tells her, moving her hands around for emphasis.
Kate has to admit it is a pretty accurate analogy. Of course she has noticed the way the Director studies them, watching their every move when they are together in a room, trying to figure out if anything is going on between them. It started since the first day she returned to work from her sick leave and it hasn't stopped.
She has also noticed the way their boss treats Gibbs although she tries very hard to ignore it. She almost always calls him by his middle name, keeps mentioning their time together as partners and does everything in her power to catch his attention. When she is not doing these things she is trying to assert her power over him, reminding him that she is the boss whenever he does something that doesn't agree with her methods or commands.
The Director's behavior hasn't escaped Gibbs' notice either. Most of the time it doesn't affect him but it does piss him off when she pulls rank on him for no reason or when her comments get too personal when the team is around.
Kate, on her part, tries to ignore everything and always acts professionally. He has told her everything about his relationship with the Director in the past, about the undercover mission in Paris, about the way everything ended. He's made it clear that everything is in the past and she has nothing to worry about. His everyday behavior when it comes to their boss is proof of that and that's all that matters to her.
Sure, there are times that Kate would like to inform her about the status of her relationship with Gibbs; especially when the Director gets all territorial about him, but she knows it wouldn't do them any good. Getting into a turf war with the Director is not a wise carrier move, she knows that, and Gibbs doesn't give her a reason to want to do it. Everything is perfect between them and that is the important thing.
"My instincts tell me there was something there in the past; it's the only explanation… The Director doesn't really hide the fact that she was part of Gibbs' team. Maybe that was the reason for rule twelve…" Abby ponders, a faraway look on her face, and then turns to Kate for confirmation.
"I'm right, aren't I?" she says with a wide grin, noticing Kate's surprised expression "He's told you about it!" she bounces up and down, like an overexcited toddler who's had too much chocolate and Kate chuckles.
"Ask Gibbs," Kate tells her making her frown.
"I value my life too much to ask him that question, Kate. I think he'd actually head slap me if I did, and you know he never does that," she replies seriously and Kate laughs.
"Yeah, he probably would," she agrees.
"So, are you going to tell me?" Abby asks hopefully, clapping her hands together in anticipation.
Kate just smirks and pretends to think about it for a few seconds while Abby waits as patiently as she can.
"Nope," she states finally.
"Come on Kate, don't be a spoilsport!" Abby protests, her pigtails swaying from side to side.
"Can't, I've got to head to MTAC. When you have something new, call," she says, glancing at the big screen one last time.
"Is it your turn to watch Tony and Ziva?" Abby says the last name with disdain and Kate shakes her head in amusement.
"She is a good agent, Abby," she tells her friend but Abby frowns.
"Yeah, yeah, she is the perfect agent; I've got that part… She took your place when you were gone and she acts weird! I don't like her!" she exclaims indignantly, crossing her arms in front of her chest "And, anyway, weren't you the one arguing with her on your first case back?"
"That was about the case, Abby, and we came to an understanding quickly. She is trying to fit in and she's been very helpful," Kate reassures her but Abby just pouts.
"You know something I don't?" she asks and Kate smiles cryptically.
"Maybe. Just give her a chance," she encourages and starts walking towards the elevator.
"Can I at least give her a hard time for a little longer?" the scientist asks making Kate pause and smile.
"You do remember she is a Mossad Officer, right?" Kate says with a smirk and Abby frowns.
"Yeah, I'll have to be careful…" she mumbles in reply.
"You do that. Gotta go Abs, see you later!"
"Fine… Thanks for the Caf-Pow!" Abby shouts as the agent walks out of the lab.
The elevator ride to the bullpen is quick and, after a quick stop at her desk to leave her gun, she walks to MTAC. The moment she enters she spots him sitting on one of the chairs at the front, wearing a pair of headphones, his eyes locked on the big screen.
She walks slowly towards him and takes a seat next to him. The moment she settles down he turns to his left to look at her and gives her a small smile. She holds out the coffee cup for him and he accepts it with an appreciative nod. He wastes no time and takes a big gulp from the hot liquid, groaning lightly and dropping his head back as he tastes the strong coffee.
"I'm guessing I'm just on time," she says with a smirk.
"Oh yeah…" he mumbles, tilting his head to look at her again "What are you still doing here?" he inquires with a raised eyebrow.
"I had to check some details with McGee about tomorrow and since you were still here I decided to drop by before heading home. I figured you needed your caffeine dose," she teases and he chuckles.
"Good call. I hope you are not overworking yourself," he says in a low tone, studying her face closely, trying to find any signs of fatigue.
"This is not my first case back, I'm fine. I know how to pace myself…" she replies in reassurance and he nods, although his eyes remain locked on hers.
"I know that, I just don't want you to exhaust yourself," he tells her and his hand drops on her knee, squeezing it gently "I also know that you can skip food if you are absorbed in a case and I don't want you to do that."
The concern is evident in his blue eyes making her smile softly at him. She covers his hand with hers and caresses his knuckles with her thumb.
"Don't worry; Abby keeps texting me to remind me to eat when we are working a case," she informs him and he smiles knowingly at her. She has an inkling feeling that he has something to do about it too.
She accepts the headphones he hands her, puts them on and then her eyes dart to the big screen, wanting to find out what Tony and Ziva are doing, but she regrets it immediately as she sees them pretending to be having sex again.
"For the love of God, what are they doing again?" she asks scornfully, frowning deeply, and Gibbs tries not to laugh at her expression.
"It'll stop in a while…" he informs her as he takes a sip from his coffee, hiding his smile behind his cup.
"Let's hope…" She sighs and leans back, her head against the headrest "How did they come up with this, anyway? Was it in one of Tony's movies? I doubt married assassins act like this all the time…" she reasons making him smirk in amusement.
"DiNozzo, I think that's enough for today," he says in the com.
"Copy that, boss," Tony's voice reaches their ears and a few moments later he finishes the act, adding some over exaggerated sounds for good measure.
"DiNozzo!" Kate says his name in a scolding tone.
"Kate, are you there too?"
"Unfortunately…" she replies with a roll of her eyes, although Tony can't see her.
"Next time, we should go undercover together," Tony whispers, smirking at the camera.
"In your dreams!" she tells him before switching her mic off so that Tony and Ziva can't hear her.
"You two get some sleep, it's going to be a long day tomorrow," he instructs his two agents before he switches off his mic too.
"Promise me something…" she says, looking pleadingly at him.
"What?"
"That you'll never send me undercover as DiNozzo's wife." That makes him laugh and, although she loves the sound of his laughter, this time she is tempted to smack him on the head.
"This is serious!" she states, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Don't worry, I'm saving that as a punishment if you ever screw up," he says playfully, a teasing smirk on his lips making her groan and throw her head back.
"The capital punishment seems more lenient than this…" she mutters under her breath, sending a glare his way.
If he thinks about it he has to agree with her. He'd be torturing himself too if he ever sent them undercover as a married couple so that would kind of defeat the purpose.
The mere idea of Tony and Kate going undercover as a married couple creates an unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach and it makes him want to head slap DiNozzo for no apparent reason. He doesn't even want to think about the things they'd have to do to be convincing as a couple. Once was enough when he sent them at that fertility clinic, he is not doing the same mistake twice.
His hand squeezes her knee, making her turn to look at him again, and his blue eyes find her hazel ones.
"Trust me; I wouldn't do that to you. If you ever go undercover like this you're going with me," he states seriously, earning a small smile from her.
"That scenario sounds very appealing…" she mumbles, leaning towards him, and he gives her one of his charming smiles.
"Well, yeah, we'd just have to-"
He doesn't get to finish his sentence as a loud snore catches their attention, making them look at the big screen in question.
"Was that…?"
"Ziva," he finishes for her with a smirk and she shakes her head in amusement.
They see Ziva, lying on her back, snoring loudly while Tony is lying on his side, facing her.
"Oh my God!" they hear him exclaim "Ziva! Shhh!" he whispers to the Mossad Officer, hoping she'll listen and she'll stop.
It works momentarily and Ziva stops snoring but a few moments later the snoring starts again, louder this time.
"Come on, you are killing me here!" Tony says, covering his head with his pillow, but that doesn't seem to help much.
"Sophie!" he says, louder this time, using her mission name.
Ziva immediately grabs her gun from under her pillow, still half asleep, and rolls over to Tony, pointing her gun at his head.
"What?" she asks sleepily while Tony stays unmoving, not wanting to tempt his fate and end up with a bullet lodged in his head.
"Nothing, I thought I heard something," he whispers and Ziva puts the gun back under her pillow but doesn't really move from his side of the bed.
"Crazy chick…" Tony mutters as he moves closer to the edge of the bed, facing away from her.
"I heard that, my little hairy butt…" Ziva mumbles making Kate and Gibbs chuckle as the snoring continues shortly after that.
"Think he'll be in one piece when the mission is over?" Kate asks with a mischievous smile.
"Debatable…" he replies, moving his head from side to side.
A comfortable silence settles between them as they watch their colleagues. He takes a sip of his coffee and offers her the cup but she refuses with a wave of her hand.
"I've had enough coffee for one day…" she informs him while trying to suppress a yawn and the corners of his lips twist upwards.
"You should go home, get some sleep," he tells her in a low tone.
"So should you."
He only looks at her, his eyes never leaving hers, as his hand rests on her knee again and his fingers caress the inside of her thigh as they move slowly upwards and then back down again. She bites her lip, trying not to smile, but failing miserably and he smirks smugly.
It's only when they hear the door opening that he pulls away reluctantly and their eyes return to the screen as the Director enters MTAC and stops upon seeing them there together.
"Hello, Director," he greets, all business, as his gaze remains locked on the screen.
"Agent Gibbs, Agent Todd," she acknowledges with a nod of her head "I didn't expect you two to still be here."
"I was the one who told you to rest, I wasn't going to let my agents without supervision," he tells her, looking at her.
Jenny studies the two of them for a few moments, trying to find anything amiss, before accepting his answer.
"You two can leave for today, I'll take over here."
They don't protest. They both stand up and, after bidding her goodnight, they head for the door without another word, feeling the Director's eyes locked on them as they walk out.
"Let's go home…" he tells her in a whisper when they are out of MTAC, the door closed behind them, and she nods in agreement.
Tomorrow is going to be a big day so they need as much rest as they can get. Home, in their bed, with his arms wrapped around her; that does sound like an excellent idea.