Another bathroom, another excruciating five minutes, Kate thinks sardonically to herself. Her hands are not shaking as badly as the last time though, so that should be a bonus.
She has left right on the dot for her lunch break and quickly stuffed down the sandwich she brought to work with her so she could get to the pharmacy and buy another test. She didn't think to bring one with her - she never knows if she'll have the time to do the testing, anyway.
So, here she is, sitting in the cubicle waiting for the chemicals to produce the result that she so desperately wants to know. It doesn't matter if it's positive or negative; she just wants the anxiety over and done with.
Then, she can start to think of resolutions to the problem.
Kate is not a superstitious person. Her belief of the unseen is limited to her faith in Catholicism. Yet, somehow, she just knows she is pregnant, that a life is growing inside of her. Maybe a mother really does know these things.
Finally, the box at the end of the pregnancy test is starting to change, and Kate stares at it intently, and she smiles despite the foreseeable turmoil that is guaranteed to rock her world.
There is definitely a plus sign in the box.
Kate knows if she keep the smile on her face, she will never be able to keep her pregnancy a secret (which should be kept a secret, at least until she has discussed it with Gibbs thoroughly), but she can't help herself. Knowing a small miracle is growing inside her makes her all warm and fuzzy.
She has always dreamed about being a mother, and she finds extreme pleasure in knowing that is going to become one in probably less than nine months.
She will have to cut back on the field work, but that won't be a problem. Kate is confident of her abilities as an agent to solve cases without actually being out there to pursue the criminals. She can contribute as much by going through the evidence, finding out patterns, getting into the criminals' mind, or seeing clues among the seas of seemingly unconnected clues.
She is good at what she does, and a little difference in her physical abilities won't be much of a hindrance.
The only problem she has to worry about is how Gibbs will take it.
As that though enters her mind, her smile falters, and she can see the literal glow around her dims a few watts. She has no idea how Gibbs will take the situation. There will no doubt be questions, and she isn't sure how long before their relationship will become public knowledge. She is even less sure how Gibbs thinks about forming a family of his own.
Her undergraduate psychology classes told her that a man thrice divorce is very unlikely to appeal to starting a family of his own. Especially when his career is at stake. Much more importantly, when his heart is at stake.
Deep in her thought, Kate fails to realize that she has already made her way back to her desk, and finds the area empty. Looking around puzzled, she wonders where the rest of the team is. The criminals in the navy and marine have been behaving themselves lately, and there haven't been much pressing cases to keep the team going, so Gibbs has decided to look into some cold cases.
The team is working on the murder of one Lt. Cecilia Jennings from Norfolk, and with fresh eyes, the team managed to find clues and evidence to tie the murder to another officer in the same command. They are closing in on the suspect now.
When Kate settles down behind her desk, all her good mood just evaporates. Gibbs has left her a note. "Gone to apprehend the suspect" the note reads. "Will call you when we get back."
Kate is ready to throw something, anything, at their leader. Though she doesn't mind, it has been five days in a row that Kate has been left behind in the office whenever there is a chance while Tony, and even McGee, went out with Gibbs to interview potential suspects.
She has no idea what got to Gibbs, but he has been oddly protective of her, at points where even Tony raised his brow to his gestures. He frowned at her when she asked for her daily dose of caffeine and barks at her when she attempts to lift the box of evidence down to the lab to Abby. It was getting extremely bizarre and irritating.
He's acting like an over protective expectant father, she murmurs to herself, and pauses her movements. He wouldn't have known, would he? There's no way. She just finds out herself. There is no way.
At the end of the day, when the suspect is safely in JAG's custody, she will get Gibbs to get Chinese take out with her - something sour, lemon probably. She has a craving for lemon chicken - and tells him everything.
The cell on her belt vibrates and she has already stood up and gathered her things when she flips the phone open to answer.
Shelving her thoughts for later, Kate gathers her things to get to work.