1Disclaimer: Same as all of the other chapters.

A/N: Ok, only one more chapter after this. Please R and R! Also, don't mean any disrespect to Ducky; he rules! Also note that this takes place before Hometown Hero, so Tony still had his old car.

Chapter 4- At The Party

Ducky was the first guest to arrive at Kate's party. He was dressed quite sharply in a black suit and a blue tie. When Kate opened the door he gave her a big hug and said, "Good evening Caitlyn. Have any other of your guests arrived?"

"Not yet Ducky, but they should be here soo-"

"Hey guys! Did we miss anything?"

Kate and Ducky looked over their shoulders. They saw Abby and McGee walking up the driveway. McGee was wearing nice clothes, but they weren't too formal. He was wearing a blue button up shirt and jeans. Abby was wearing her usual Goth attire, but they were more formal than usual. Well, they weren't all ripped and torn anyway. She was also wearing a party hat, Goth style. It had a skull and cross bones, and coming out of the skull's mouth were the words HAPPY BIRTHDAY. In smaller print it said, Just Another Year Closer To Death Day. Abby saw Kate looking at the hat and said, " Do you like it? I have enough for everyone!"

"Uh, that's great Abby. Thanks."

Abby then distributed the hats. Everyone, even Ducky, put on the hat that Abby gave them. Looking in the rearview mirror of his car he said, "Abigail, I do believe that I look rather fetching in this hat. You know, this reminds me of the time when..."

McGee, Kate, and Abby listened as best they could. They were saved by Tony, who puled up in his hot black car.

"Hey guys! What'd I miss?" Tony asked with a cheeky grin. He waved his hand over Kate's face. "Helloooo? Anybody in there?" he asked. That snapped Kate back to reality.

"Oh, hi Tony. You didn't miss anything, everybody just got here."

"Cool. So are you going to invite us in or not?"

"Yeah, I was getting to that. So, come on everybody."

The four friends followed Kate inside. The party was soon in full swing, with music blaring (compliments of Abby), the friends dancing with each other (mostly Abby dancing with McGee and Ducky. She was trying to teach Ducky some new dance moves), and of course there were games. Abby also gave Tony one of her hats, which he placed ceremoniously on his head. The friends played poker, with Ducky as designated dealer. Although Tony and Abby had argued for strip poker, Kate and McGee objected, and since it was Kate's party, what she said went. When Kate said no, Abby objected loudly saying, " Awww, come on Kate! It would be so hinky!"

But Kate's answer was a firm no. There was no liquor, since Kate was still holding onto a small thread of hope that Gibbs would still come, and she knew that he wouldn't approve. But Kate did have her coffee maker going in hopes that Gibbs would soon arrive at the party.

The team was playing their 3rd game of poker when a knock at the door. Kate got up to answer it, praying that it was Gibbs.

Her prayers were answered. There he stood, all six feet of him. He was wearing a blue blazer that mirrored the color of his eyes, and a pair of black pants. Kate thought he looked handsome, dashing, sexy. His eyes, those gorgeous eyes that matched the ocean on a stormy day, bored into her mind, her heart, her soul. She could hide nothing from him. But she had to; she couldn't let him know how she felt towards him. She had to.