Kate walked down the corridor to Abby's lab; Gibbs had told her to stay with her while she ran the necessary DNA tests on the material from the day before. As she neared the sliding glass doors she heard Abby's familiar punk music blaring from the speakers of her stereo in the corner.
"Hey Abby," Kate said, "What've you found so far?"
"Haven't had much of chance to find anything yet…the pantry remains are really tough to make any progress with, no defining characteristics," Abby explained.
"Well yea, I would imagine…do we know how long either of them had been there?" Kate asked, pushing the images of the scene away from her mind.
"Must've been quite a scene you guys found…" Abby said, unclear whether she was talking to herself or to Kate.
"Yea…it was this abandoned restaurant…a body, petty Officer Larsen," Kate said, sighing, doing her best to fight the scene's images from rushing back to her again, "then that…I got splattered with the victim's blood…the one we found in pieces."
"That must've been great…" Abby said, sarcastically.
"Ha…yea…I was really nauseous after that…" Kate said, now remembering all she'd forced herself to block out, "luckily Gibbs let us take a car back to the office so I could shower…"
"Us? Who's 'us'?" Abby asked, her curiosity peaking.
"Tony drove me back," Kate said, feeling her face flush at the thought of him; remembering the electric kiss goodnight they'd had.
Abby laughed, "Obviously something more happened than him driving you to the office…look at you, you're totally blushing."
Kate's mind raced for logical responses to Abby's comment, but nothing seemed logical or believable, at this realization she swore the shade of pink on her cheeks deepened. She didn't want to tell anyone about last night, but she knew she could trust Abby; they were in a similar situation.
"Come on spill it…there's nothing wrong with mixing your job with your personal life, just knowing Gibbs you better do your best to keep them separate," Abby said.
"How do you handle it?" Kate asked, looking to her friend for help.
"What do you mean?" Abby asked.
"You and McGee…I know you two are a bit of an item…" Kate whispered.
"No we're not…we considered, but decided we're better doing the friend's thing…" Abby said.
"Oh…well…" Kate said, fumbling for words for what she needed to say next.
"Did something big happen last night with you two?" Abby said, her eyes widening.
"Yes…" Kate admitted, nodding.
"Get out! Really?" Abby exclaimed, "this is HUGE…so what happened, and how?"
"Well…not sure how it happened," Kate began, "he insisted on taking me to dinner…I guess you could say we flirted a little bit…but no more than usual."
"Ok…so he insisted you say? And nothing happened until after dinner…ok go on…" Abby said, as if she was trying to imprint these facts into her memory.
"I might've had a drink or two too many yesterday…" Kate continued, only to be cut off by Abby.
"You're not passing this off on 'alcoholic effects' are you? Are you guys gonna go for it?" Abby asked.
"I think we are…I haven't even had a chance to talk to him yet…" Kate began her memory drifting.
"What happened…how'd he kiss you? Was that all?" Abby asked.
"Yes, Abby…that was all that happened…well a couple of times…" Kate said, the pink quickly returning to her cheeks, "he was just saying goodnight, and I guess felt a strong attraction…"
"What'd you do?" Abby asked, knowing that it was out of character for Kate to not elbow DiNozzo after something like that.
"I actually kissed him back," Kate admitted softly, a giggle escaping her lips, "I never thought I'd react so strongly to him…"
"React so strongly to who?" McGee asked walking through the doors to the lab.
"Ooh…she went out with Tony last night…" Abby said.
McGee immediately caught on, "you and Tony?" A look of bewilderment passed over his face.
"Yes, that's right McGee, they went out to dinner now they're unafraid to mix business with pleasure a bit," Abby said, resting her elbow on McGee's shoulder; both of them staring at her.
"Yes, yes, now you both know, I'd appreciate it if we could keep this from Gibbs a bit longer," Kate said, "can you two do that for me?"
"Sure, no problem," they both said, nodding in agreement.
"Speaking of Gibbs, Kate, he's been wondering what you're doing," McGee said.
"Yea, I was going to head up there fairly soon," Kate said, turning to walk out the lab. Kate turned to head toward the elevator only to bump into Tony on the way.
"Hey there, was just down here to look for you, Gibbs wants at least two of us up on the floor," Tony said.
"Yea, so I heard, McGee told me," Kate said, melting into his arms.
"You know…I think we should decide what the next step is…for us…" Tony said, drawing circles on her back. Kate felt her focus slip away as memories of the night before came rushing back to her.
"Well…the main thing is not to hurry it I think," Kate said, looking up at him, "how 'bout dinner again?"
"Tonight?" Tony asked.
"Sure…" Kate said, "my treat this time."
"If you insist, you know I'd never turn down a free meal," Tony said smiling, suddenly he was aware that McGee and Abby were spying, "we've got company."
"Oh?" Kate asked, looking around spotting Abby and McGee's smiling faces, "yea…those two…they know…"
"Know? How?" Tony asked.
"Well I'm close to Abby…I tell her everything…and McGee walked in while we were still talking," Kate said, as they walked to a place where they couldn't be spotted from the lab.
"They're not gonna tell Gibbs are they?" Tony asked, "I don't think he'd be too thrilled…"
"Nah…I made them promise they wouldn't," Kate said, as Tony put his hand on her cheek. Instinctively she leaned into his warmth; smiling at her action he drew her closer kissing her softly. Slowly the world faded away and no one else but the two of them existed in the blurry atmosphere. Kate pulled away; suddenly alert that they were at work and Gibbs could walk out of the elevator at any moment.
"Tony…" she said, obviously short of breath, "Gibbs could walk out of the elevator at any moment."
"Very true," he said, kissing her quickly one more time they headed up to the main floor holding hands.