All the Possibilities by Star24

Disclaimer: Don't own them and certainly don't profit from them in any way.

Spoilers: up to and including My Other Left Foot

Archive: Please ask

"Grab your gear we're going to West Virginia."

Gibbs' words had kicked off several of the most bizarre days Tony had experienced during his tenure with NCIS. That was saying a lot, since past cases had included a mummified body stuffed in a cargo pod and a Marine who had been embalmed while still alive. Not to mention the whacked out RPG players who had crossed over the line between fantasy and reality.

It wasn't that this case itself was really all that way out. Tony had certainly dealt with dismembered bodies during his law enforcement career. No, it was the players who were odd, to say the least. The sweet little old lady doctor who had turned out to be a cross between Mommy Dearest and Psycho was one for the books. Not to mention the sexy redheaded daughter who (if Tony had it right) (a) Gibbs had the hots for, and (b) had been getting it on with her half brother. Sure she was from West Virginia, but Tony had never taken the stereotypes about hillbillies and incest seriously before this case.

He still could have dealt with all of that, although the Gibbs thing was freaking him out a bit. (At least it was based on what Kate had told him of Gibbs' behavior with Melissa, the daughter)  The thought of Kate brought Tony to the real crux of the matter.  Kate. Tattoo. Two words that, in his mind, didn't belong in the same sentence. Hell, they didn't belong on the same page, or even in the same book.

Kate had a tattoo.

Tony was still trying to wrap his head around that one.  At first he thought she was pulling his leg. But something about the way she had so matter of factly said, "I was drunk," when he'd quizzed her about getting it had convinced him that she was dead serious.

Kate had a tattoo.

In Tony's mind tatts were for women who were up for anything. Women who had more than a little bit of free spirit in their soul. Women like Abby. Not uptight, by the book, backbone made of steel chicks like Kate Todd.  Women with tatts liked to party and let it all hang out on occasion.  They weren't above going out to the local neighborhood bar or enjoying a few beers while watching the 'Skins on a Sunday afternoon.  Women with tatts liked Tony.

Women like Kate didn't get tattooed. They didn't like football or beer or hanging out at the local bar and maybe shooting some pool. They liked the symphony and opera and fine dining at the trendiest Georgetown hot spots. Wine was their drink of choice not beer. Expensive wine. Tony certainly wasn't on their list of eligible bachelors. Nor did he want to be.  Tony had pegged Kate firmly in that category, which was fine by him. It kept life simple. Kate wasn't a woman who Tony had to worry about getting involved with, because women like Kate didn't get Tony or like Tony, at least not in a male- female, yin-yang kind of way.  But now…

Kate had a tattoo. Not only that. Kate got drunk to get that tattoo.

So what did that make Kate? Tony felt like his judgement of her had just been shot to hell.  He didn't like that. Suddenly Kate was different. It made him feel off balance, uneasy around her.

Gibbs had left Melissa's house with the team that had come to pick up the two women, leaving Tony and Kate to finish up the crime scene work and bring the truck back to DC. Driving back from Comus with her Tony was suddenly hit with an image of Kate in tight jeans and a tight, midriff baring tank top, leaning over a pool table, cue in hand. What could be the tipof a leaf peeked over the low cut, low riding waistband of her jeans as she leaned in to take the shot. When she missed, she stood and took the glass of beer he held out of his hand. She took a swig and then turned to him with a knowing smile, brushing suggestively against him as he took her place at the table…

"Tony? I asked if you think Gibbs is going to put in a word for Melissa?" Kate was asking him.

Tony started and glanced over at her.  "Huh?"

"Are you okay?" she looked at him with a slight frown.

"Oh yeah, I'm good."  Tony paused. "So is it really a rose?"

Kate sighed. "I thought we agreed to drop this subject?"

"I'm a criminal investigator, Kate. I can't just drop something. It's not in my nature."

"I hate to break it to you, Tony, but no crimes were committed in my getting my tattoo." Kate said.

"Are you sure about that?" Tony grinned at her. "You were drunk at the time as I recall. Maybe I oughta take a look at it to be sure it was applied properly. Could be a consumer fraud issue if it wasn't. And since you can only see it in a mirror…"

"Nice try. It's fine. Your concern is duly noted." Kate shook her head and turned to look out the window.

"So, Kate, by any chance do you play pool?"  Tony heard himself saying. 

"Pool?" Kate echoed, caught off guard by Tony's sudden change of subject.

"Pool. You know, the game played on a flat surface with sticks and balls." Tony teased

"As a matter of fact I happen to be very good at pool." Kate answered, stung by his unspoken assumption that she knew nothing about the game.

"I just bet you are." What the hell are you doing, Dinozzo. Don't go there. Ice Queens and you don't mix well. Been there, done that.

Kate looked at him warily. Sure, Dinozzo was always trying to get her goat with his slightly over the top stud of the month act but she had learned quickly that he was yanking her chain.  He didn't feel any real attraction to her. She wasn't his type.  If she ever gave the slightest sign of taking him up on one of his invitations, she knew he'd turn and run as fast as he could in the other direction. But something about the way he was looking at her and the tone in his voice had changed.

Kate, don't go there.  Guys like Tony are way out of your league. Been there, done that.

"You don't believe me?" she heard herself tossing back at him. "I bet I could kick your butt without even trying." What the hell are you doing Todd?  Play with fire and you get burned; you know that from experience. Anthony Dinozzo is fire of the most dangerous kind.

Their eyes met. "You want to prove that statement?" he said to her.

Okay girl, end this now. "When?" she heard herself saying.

Tony yanked the wheel and sent the truck careening off the exit they had almost passed by. "No time like the present. We're off duty." He pulled into the NCIS complex and steered the truck around to the garage in back.  Living dangerously, Dinozzo.

Kate was slow to answer. Finally she said, "You're on." No. Go home.

A short time later they were in Tony's car cruising along past a series of strip shopping malls. "There used to be a pool hall/sports bar right along here." Tony was gazing out the window. "There it is." He turned the wheel and expertly pulled the car into an open parking space.

Spanky's Bar and Grill flashed in neon over one of the units in the slightly seedy mall.

Kate raised her eyebrows. "Here?"

Tony was already out of the car and pulling her door open. He regarded her with raised eyebrows and that slightly devilish grin of his. Kate felt a sudden lurch in her stomach as she climbed from the truck.

"I'm hungry," she said trying to put off the inevitable.

"Food here's not half bad as I remember. Not one of your usual places but think you can stand it for once?" he asked her.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"C'mon, Kate. You think I don't know the kind of restaurants you dine in?" Tony asked her.

"You don't have a clue, Tony." Good, get it back to our normal footing.

"So clue me in then." Dinozzo what are you playing at?

Kate didn't answer as she thought about her next move. What is he playing at? And why are you even in the game?

Tony walked ahead and opened the door to the bar for Kate. He smiled as she hesitated. "Chickening out?"

"No way, Dinozzo." Kate met his eyes and then brushed past him into the bar. Tony smiled as he watched the gentle sway of her hips.  His thoughts were interrupted as Kate turned and shot him a smile.

"Chickening out?" she said sweetly and then she shocked him by winking at him, reminding him of that time in Gitmo.

Don't go there, Dinozzo. Well, she certainly got an eyeful then and as I recall she didn't seem to mind too much.

"Bring it on." Tony returned Kate's wink with a slow lingering glance and was rewarded by her slight flush. As he walked after her into the bar he decided that this was definitely going to be an interesting evening.

TBC…maybe?