Over My Head
TK Set after S1 'Bete Noir' Sometimes it can happen just like that.
Disclaimer: I own my Muse, my imagination, my dreams, the fangirl in me and not a whole lot else. To the show's writers - I worship the ground you metaphorically walk on.
A/N:- I had a hundred ideas with what to do with this and I didn't know which way to take it but somehow this idea stuck.
"Maybe it's like falling in love … it can happen just like that."
Kate cringed inside as she tried to focus on her computer screen. Everything Tony had just said to her in the last five minutes had affected her beyond belief: Had she really 'bonded' with the terrorist? Could she somehow have disarmed him and stop him getting away? What did Tony mean about falling in love? How the hell would he know?
She could feel him now, staring at her, his eyes boring holes into the side of her neck. She had stayed at work after the incident and volunteered to work on trying to track down the terrorist so she wouldn't have to think about what she had just gone through but after what Tony had said to her, she couldn't concentrate. She was wired and five more minutes sitting there, she felt like she would explode. Adrenaline, worry, fear, guilt, relief, it was all building up inside her and being Agent Caitlin Todd, she tried to keep it all inside and show no emotion.
Dozens of people had asked her how she was after she had been released but she had shrugged off their concern and had lied through her teeth about being fine. Now all her mixed emotions were sizzling inside her. Pushing her chair back, she grabbed her jacket.
She needed to get out of there.
Tony sat, reclined in his chair, twirling a pen in between two fingers. He felt bad for giving Kate even more things to worry about on top of everything else and he was willing to bet she didn't see – or was deliberately ignoring – his hidden (or not so well hidden) message with the whole cheesy 'falling in love' line. Truth was, up until today, he thought he was doing a pretty good job at hiding his feelings for his co-worker. Sure he teased and bickered with her mercilessly but he knew she just thought he was doing it to annoy her and not because he secretly thrived on her attention. Kate definitely wasn't like the other women he had dated: for a start she had brains, she was intelligent, smart, kept herself to herself and definitely not 'easy' - and then if you add on the fact he had real feelings for her that went beyond lust, he was way out of his depth.
Hearing that she had been taken hostage today was like being hit in the gut repeatedly by a battering ram. Of course he was worried about Ducky and Gerald too but for some unknown reason, he felt like Kate was his responsibility and her being in danger was somehow his fault. And when he saw her again, he practically had to restrain himself from running up to her and hugging her in relief.
He watched her stalk out without a word and immediately felt bad for not stopping her and forcing her to talk to her. She needed someone right now, and he was going to make sure he was that person.
Tony caught up with her in the car park. She was standing by her SUV, disabling the door lock and didn't hear him jogging across the concourse.
"Kate, Kate are you okay?" he asked as he drew near.
She spun round to face him. Her stance defensive and aggressive, her face – a picture of emotions. "No Tony I'm not okay." She spat, practically shouting. "How can I be okay! I've just spent the last few hours as a hostage with a gun pointed to my face with a terrorist who felt me up as he patted me down, watching as he shot Gerald just because I was too damn stubborn to give into his demands. Then he shot Gibbs because I didn't try to kill the son of a bitch beforehand and now he frigging got away and we don't know who he is and-"
Kate didn't get to say anymore. Instead she found her lips firmly pressed against Tony's, his tongue slowly parting her lips, his arms pinning her back against the car. And after the initial shock wore off, she slowly found herself kissing him back.
Tony released her when they both finally needed air and just stared at her. Standing there, shouting at him, putting herself down, she had no idea how he felt about her so he had gone out on a limb to shut her up.
Kate blinked once, twice …. Yes, she and Tony really did just kiss. Passionately. At any other time she would have slapped him just about now but she just didn't have the energy or the heart. It was no small wonder that he always managed to get girls in bed with him kissing like that. Damn he was good. And she couldn't even remember the last time a guy had kissed her like that ……..
They kissed for a second time, this time Kate initiated it. Kissing him like this made all the events of today fade away and the thought that they were doing something very wrong barely registered. Feeling his hands slip under her blouse and graze the skin just above the belt made her feel warm and tingly and so so out of control.
As they broke off for a second time and faced each other, panting slightly, pure need engulfed her and in that split second she made a decision to say four simple words which would change their relationship forever.
"Your place or mine?"
A/N:- There could be more to this fic but I kind of like the open-ended will they/won't they ending and maybe you do too. So let me know whether I should write more or leave it there.