Note: I have some of these to catch up on posting here. This one was written for the prompt 'table.' (300 words)

Spoilers for events in Season 12.


Table for Two

Gibbs walked in the front door of his house to the aroma of cooking food. Tobias Fornell turned around from where he was standing at the stove.

"We have a date, Tobias?" Gibbs asked.

Fornell answered, "I didn't want to eat alone tonight."

Gibbs walked closer to the stove. "Making lasagna verde?" he asked, looking at the pans.

"No," Fornell said. "Chicken piccata."

Gibbs looked back up at Fornell. "You trying to ... curry favor?" he asked.

"I told you," Fornell answered. "Didn't feel like eating alone."

"Okay, but why the ... the ..." Gibbs began and looked toward the table, which had been decorated with a tablecloth, candles, and wine glasses.

"Ambience," Tobias finished for him.

Gibbs gave a quick single nod.

Tobias looked slightly uncomfortable. "We did this on our last anniversary," he said.

"We have an anniversary?" Gibbs asked.

"Not our," Fornell gestured between himself and Gibbs, "anniversary."

Gibbs was still for a moment as he thought about the date. His eyes showed the realization and he said softly, "Diane's birthday is today."

"Yeah, Tobias said, following it with clearing his throat.

Gibbs shrugged. "Okay, we'll eat," he said and helped to carry the dishes to the table.

The two friends ate and toasted Diane.

Gibbs leaned back and said, "You planned this."

"I told you," Fornell said. "I didn't want to be alone."

"Yeah, but," Gibbs said, "the tablecloth, the candles..."

"Ambience," Fornell said.

Gibbs repeated, "Planned."

"I was going to toast her memory at home, by myself, but I decided that was too pathetic," Fornell said. Then he added, "Plus, Diane would have gotten a kick out of knowing that we're here, together, celebrating her memory."

Gibbs smiled a bit. "She'd be shocked, you mean," he said.

"Well, yeah, but playing against her expectations was always fun, too."