They arrived at the scene and when Kate stepped out of the truck, everything was suddenly very familiar.
"What is it Kate?" Tony asked her seeing her looking a little confused.
"This is where I grew up, but… my family moved out years ago unless… Oh my God, he didn't, he wouldn't bring one of my family here to kill them would he?"
"I dunno, let's find out." He replied.
As they almost ran into the house, Kate explained that she had called her mother and brothers after the second murder, warning them.
She climbed the stares, her heart rate rising with each step.
She walked into her brother's old bedroom, through a crowd of cops and investigators, she saw her brother's lifeless body on the bed, posed the same as the first two.
She drifted back into Tony's arms, he guided her out of the room and into the one next-door, which happened to be her old room, a place she had always felt safe in… until now.
"Kate look at me, hey look at me." He placed a finger under her chin, nudging her vision upwards slightly. The tears in her mournful eyes reflected the light, Tony could see how distraught she was.
He wiped away the tears on her cheeks with both thumbs.
"C'mon, sit down." He sat Kate down on her bed, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands in his,
"I promise we are gonna find the son of a bitch that's doing this to you ok?"
"Don't make a promise you can't keep." She told him in a small voice, rocking herself back and forth a little.
"Oh I'm keeping this one." He said convincingly, swallowing hard the lump that had appeared in his throat when he realized Kate was crying.
Another tear fell.
"C'mere." She rose to her feet and slid her arms around his body squeezing him closer to her.
After a few moments, Kate spoke.
"Tony, thanks for being here for me through this."
She pulled back, looking up and into his eyes. She edged closer to his lips. When they met, she was surprised that Tony kissed her back. He kissed her softly, and then pulled away.
"Kate?"
She smiled.
"Yes?" she said moving closer to him. Tony again pulled away, but still lingering close to her lips.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but, I don't think we should be doing this right now."
"Why not?" she tried again to kiss him, he pressed his lips against hers in a short kiss.
"Because, you're in grief and I don't want you to do something you'll …regret."
"What makes you think I'll regret this?" she asked seductively.
"Kate." He simply said her name to try and remind her of who she was, who he was.
She sighed regretfully.
"I know. I'm sorry, I just, I need you right now and… god I just wish…"
"…Yeah." He said knowingly, resting his forehead against hers.
"I wanna be with you Kate, you have no idea how bad, but I don't think that this is the right time, ok?" He admitted, brushing a loose piece of hair behind her ear.
She nodded.
They heard a knock on the door.
"Hey, anybody in there?" An officer called.
"Yah, um NCIS agents Kate Todd & Tony DiNozzo." Tony called.
"We found something you might wanna see." He reported.
"We'll be right in." he said breaking the contact between the two of them.