Saying 'Yes' Instead of 'No'
A/N: A three week wait for a new chapter, not bad, not bad at all. Okay, I know it's no 'next day' post, but I'm really, really trying here. I've got about three stories in the works, a one shot I wanna post and a new NCIS fic in the works. It's going to be a six-part NCIS/Napoleon Dynamite crossover. It's going to be mad! And for you readers who are all like 'Oh no, she can't do that, it's just not possible' I say to you I can and it is possible. I've already written a CSI Miami/Napoleon crossover, so it is possible. Anyhoo, you guys don't care, so on with the story!
"Well," Abby jumped a couple of times on the spot, "this day has been bizarro!"
"Tell me about it," Kate agreed.
"I need a pick-me-up," Abby said, "I'm going down the street to grab a Caff-Pow. Want anything, Kate?"
"Please," Kate pleaded "I haven't had a low-fat, soy latte in months!"
"Don't they have coffee in purgatory?" Abby gasped.
Kate shook her head.
"Nope, and they only have selected cable channels."
"Sucks to be them," Abby frowned "anyhoo, there's some clothes Director Shepherd gave me that will probably fit you. 'Professional stuff'." Abby screwed up her nose. "You two," she pointed at kap0w and CSIMel, "have you guys ever tried 'Caff-Pow?"
The three of them left the lab, leaving Kate to her own devices.
Tony was relieved when Gibbs had ordered him to get him his coffee. It gave him a chance to clear his head and take in the events that had occurred in the last couple of hours.
Okay, just one event.
Kate's mysterious resurrection.
So maybe it wasn't so mysterious – Kate had given them some bullshit story about a debate. It all seemed too farfetched, but Kate was alive and standing in the middle of Abby's lab.
And looking really hot.
Tony stopped in the middle of the footpath, incurring angry glances from passers-bys. He did not just think that.
Oh yes you did.
Tony walked across the street to a small park and sat on an empty bench. Man, he was confused. Of course, he'd had women problems before – PLENTY of them. But never like this.
Tony was in love with two women who he couldn't have.
Ziva and Kate.
Kate and Ziva.
Two women who are totally different.
On one hand he had Ziva – the incredibly smart, dangerous and sexy Ziva. She knew he was attracted to her and if he admitted it, she would win. She was everything he wanted in a woman.
And there was Kate. Until two hours ago, she had been only a reminder of something he never had – immortalised forever in his heart, the image of perfection. Now, alive, Kate was no longer a dream. They had a history – he knew her deepest fears and she, as much as she wouldn't admit it, she trusted him completely.
Kate was the type of woman he could take home to his mother. She was everything he wanted in a woman.
But Kate was too safe and Ziva was too dangerous. While he told himself over and over that he'd eventually get sick of them, he knew it was a case that they'd get sick of them.
There lies his dilemma.
Tony needed some advice. He couldn't ask his friends – they'd just get him drunk.
He could ask McGee – but what would Probie know about women troubles.
He could ask Gibbs – no, scratch that.
There was only one person he could ask.
Abby.
"Abby!" Tony yelled, entering her lab. "Ab-"
Tony froze at the sight of Kate, buttoning up her blouse.
Kate stared at him, horrified, quickly doing up the rest of the buttons and folding her arms.
"Don't you knock?" She asked angrily.
"Not usually when I enter the lab," Tony retorted "And, to be fair, I kinda did scream out Abby's name as I entered."
Kate unfolded her arms and smiled softly.
"Abby went for a caffeine run," Kate answered.
"You know, Kate, you don't have to cover up on my behalf," Tony winked, gaining some composure.
Kate glared at him, but burst into laughter.
"Somethings never change," she laughed.
They stood in a comfortable silence.
"What are you going to do now?" Tony asked carefully.
"Huh?" Kate asked, meeting his eye.
"Are you going to do things differently?" Tony queried, staring her straight in the eye. "Now that you have a second chance at life?"
Kate paused for a minute, fiddling with the hem of her blouse.
"If you mean, 'travel to the far corners of the world' sort of thing," Kate said thoughtfully, "then no. Obviously, I want to come back to work."
"So," Tony began, "start where you left off?"
"In ways," Kate answered, "I want to take more risks, personally. See more of my family. Spend more time with friends. Do stuff, not because it's 'right', but because I want to. Say 'yes' instead of 'no'."
"Do more for yourself?" Tony asked.
"Yeah," Kate answered, "because in the end, it doesn't really matter."
"Isn't that from a song?" Tony laughed.
Kate shrugged, a serious expression on her face.
"Who cares where it's from," Kate said, "it's true. 'They' don't care if you've built a hospital or killed a guy. It's the 'in-between' that matters. If you've made the most of your time on earth, then 'they've' got something to judge you by."
"So, the 'final stop' is based on how you live your life?"
"Yeah," Kate said, inching closer to Tony "At the end of the day, if you can look back and say 'I have no regrets', then that's that."
"Did you have regrets?" Tony asked, moving in, until they were inches apart.
"Of course," Kate replied, looking down, "but 'there', you just have to deal with them. I was lucky, I got a second chance. That's the most important thing that you learn – you can't control your destiny."
There was a pause. Kate glanced up to meet Tony's eyes.
"Everything's down to fate."
"Saying 'yes' instead of 'no', huh?" Tony whispered.
"If it's meant to be," Kate said softly.
Tony leaned in…
"Tony, McGee said you were-"
Abby froze as Kate and Tony quickly jumped to opposite sides of the room.
"Did I interrupt something?" Abby smirked.
"No, not at all," Kate answered quickly.
"Just talking about sheets," Tony said, off the top of his head.
"Thread count, that sort of thing," Kate rushed.
"Sure you kids were," Abby smiled an all-knowing smile.
CSIMel and kap0w giggled.
"I've got to get back," Tony said nervously, avoiding Abby's gaze. "Kate, if you need anything…"
"Thanks, Tony," Kate said gratefully.
"Bye Tony!" CSIMel and kap0w giggled.
Once Tony was out of earshot, Abby turned to Kate.
"What was that about?" Abby grinned.
"Nothing." Kate smiled secretively, "I can't believe how different Tony is."
"Yeah, I know," Abby answered, leaning against a table, "he took your death pretty hard. We all did, but Tony…I don't know how to explain it…"
"He took it hard because he was secretly in love with her?" CSIMel suggested.
Kate gave the writer a horrified look and Abby stifled a laugh.
"No," Abby shook her head; "it was more like he felt guilty. You guys were partners and he was supposed to protect you. He blamed himself, Kate."
There was a silence and Kate could feel tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.
"That is so hot," CSIMel interrupted.
"What the?" kap0w stared at her friend "How is Tony blaming himself, 'hot'?"
"Don't you think there's something incredibly hot about a guy protecting a woman?" CSIMel asked, "Sure, it might be old fashioned, but a guy defending a woman…oh! And what about when you guys were trying to kill Ari – he was, like, trying to avenge your death!"
Kate, Abby and kap0w all stared at CSIMel. They burst out laughing.
"Oh my God!" Abby cried, struggling to breath, "That is so hilarious! I just pictured Tony wearing tights, a tunic and carrying a sword!"
"I haven't laughed that hard since…before I died!" Kate gasped between laughter.
"Let's get something to eat," Abby said, walking towards the elevator.
"We'll be there in a minute," kap0w said, waiting for them to walk off.
"What are we doing?" CSIMel whispered.
Kap0w reached under the table and pulled out a small, black box.
"Told ya the spy cam would come in handy," kap0w winked.
CSIMel nodded enthusiastically.
"Righteous!"
A/N: How'd you enjoy that?
I now set a challenge to you, my faithful readers. I'm currently planning a super special chapter (think Baby-Sitters Club Super Specials – now that's super!) and I desperately need your help. I need you, along with your super swell review, to give me a question, or something that you'd want to say to Kate. It can be as ridiculous or as serious as you want. Alternatively, if you don't want to put it in your review, PM me. Also, if you don't want your penname mentioned, let me know. Confused? Good, so you should be. XD
A review makes a teenage girl smile.
