The next morning Tony and Kate exited the elevator together, facing another day. Tony faced Kate, taking both her hands in his.
"I'll be right here for you, just buzz me if you need anything," Tony said, looking directly into Kate's eyes; trying to make his point.
"Ok," Kate said, taking a shaky breath. Instinctively, Tony took Kate into his arms, kissing her forehead quickly. He squeezed her hands gently before heading to his desk.
"DiNozzo…you and Kate seem to be awfully close," Gibbs said, without even looking up from his desk.
"Well boss, she just found her brother in pieces, I had to step in as the friend, she doesn't know a lot of people outside of work," Tony explained, not missing a beat.
"Ok," Gibbs said, looking directly at Tony; testing his reason.
Kate walked into the same conference room where Gibbs delivered the news to her; and now she had to dump it on someone else. She had to call her family and tell them that Joseph had been killed, that she had no idea who did it, when or why. She stood studying the phone, the words between Gibbs and her replaying in her mind. "Joseph" was all it took. One simple word and her world came crumbling down. Trying to calm the emotions rushing through her being, she picked up the phone and dialed her parents' number.
"Mom?" Kate asked, unable to hide the emotion in her voice.
"Katie…what's wrong? You sound awful," Kate's mom asked.
"I've got bad news…" Kate began.
That's all her mother needed to hear, she immediately cut her off, "Katie…I told you government work isn't safe…"
"Mother…nothing's wrong with me…" Kate said, taking a shaky breath, "it's Joey…"
Kate could hear her mother fall apart, but not in the same way. She had spent most of her life growing up wishing for the strength her mother had, and she still didn't feel like she had the same amount.
"He's dead isn't he?" she asked, and immediately Kate got a chill. She knew. How could she? Must be the mother's instinct; everyone always told her it's something only mother's understand. Suddenly she heard a knock; and looked up to see Gibbs standing in the doorway.
"Mom…could you hold on a second?" Kate asked.
"I hate to interrupt you Kate, but we've got a lead…turns out the owner's of the building might know something," Gibbs said.
"Mom, I'm gonna have to call you back, we've got something to follow-up on here," Kate said, wiping away the few tears that had fallen from her eyes.
"Ok…I love you, be careful, I can't lose two children in twenty-four hours," her mom said, hanging up.
"What do we know so far?" Kate asked, following Gibbs out of the conference room.
"The owner's are reporting questionable activity in the building," Gibbs said.
"Anything else?" Kate asked, hoping that that wasn't all they knew; following Gibbs onto the elevator.
"That's why you're coming with me to interrogate them," Gibbs said as the doors closed.