Note: this is my first story about Kasie. It is a post scene to the episode "institutionalized" (s17e06). Let me know what you think of it.
The lab
Kasie arrives a little late to the lab, so she hasn't had time to have her morning coffee yet. She is surprised when she sees Agent Sloane is in the lab.
"Agent Sloane," Kasie says and looks around in the lab to see if there is anyone else. "I am so sorry about being late. What can I do for you?" Kasie asks and quickly takes off her shoulder bag and her headphones so she can put on her lab coat and get to work on whatever case Agent Sloane has brought for her.
"Breath," Jack simply says to Kasie's surprise, and Kasie's shock and confusion don't get any smaller when Jack hands her a cup of coffee.
"a morning latté," Jack explains. Kasie look surprised at her with wide eyes behind the round classes.
"well, thank you, Agent Sloane," Kasie says and takes a sip of her Latté. It is exactly how she always gets her coffee.
"This is exactly how I like it. how did you know?" Kasie asks.
"well, I am a profiler," Jack says with a casual smile.
"right yeah." Kasie places her late on the table and starts putting on her lab coat.
"so, what can I do for you?" Kasie asks, repeating her question from earlier. At the same time, she observes Jack walking around in the lab, just looking at the different things.
"you haven't really personalized the lab yet." Jack comments.
"oh well. I haven't really felt like I belonged here truly yet and after yesterday., I mean. I am not sure I do." Kasie admits referring to her outburst towards Torres, McGee, and Bishop in front of Director Vance.
"why? Because you defended your friend? You were right." Jack says.
"yeah, but… I took over after Abby Scuito. I mean, The Abby Scuito. She is like a legend." Kasie says like she is talking about the forensics version of Michael Jackson. It amuses Jack. "she was… I mean, she is family to them. She is like a sister to McGee. Torres calls her a unicorn. She would get kisses on the cheek my Gibbs…" Kasie says with sadness and then quickly adds. "I mean not that I expect to get that, but…" it amuses Jack.
"Kasie, this team is family. I noticed that from the very first day I was here."
"Yeah, but you didn't come in to fill out the shoes from someone who left."
"True, I didn't. But I was the new kid on the block too. And a year before me, so was Torres. He filled in for Agent DiNozzo. I am sure that wasn't easy, either."
"no, but field agents shift out everyone's in a while for various reasons. For me. Down here in the lab. it is like they lost a sister and puppy Kasie instead." Kasie says with sadness.
"well, puppy Kasie is pretty great for me." that is McGee, who has just arrived at the door to the lab. His sudden appearance spooks Kasie.
"McGee… hey," Kasie says, not sure of how much he just heard about her talk about Abby. "do you have some evidence for me? what kind of case do we have?" Kasie asks, trying to change the subject.
"no case." McGee simply says and walks into the lab. "morning, agent Sloane." McGee greets when he discovers Jack on the other side of Kasie's computer table.
"so, if we don't have any case, why are you coming down here?" Kasie asks, confused, and looks from McGee to Jack and back to McGee.
"just to say good morning. Is that so strange?" McGee asks.
"well, no but, you don't usually do that," Kasie says, a little confused.
"Kasie…" Jack says and walks to the other side of the table where she can see both McGee and Kasie before she continues. "as I said, this team is family. You are part of the family." Kasie hesitates to answer that.
"and not just as a puppy." McGee joins in with a smile, and that makes Kasie smile too.
"who has a puppy?" that is Bishop, who has just walked into the lab. On one get to answer before the elevator bell is heard, and Torres's voice is heard.
"Bishop, I said I was going to do it." Torres complaints.
"well, I beat ya too it. you snooze, you lose." Bishop says, sounding like a kid.
"well, you can't just steal my idea," Torres argues.
"what? It was my idea first." Bishop argues back. Bishop is standing in the door, and Torres is outside the lab. He hasn't noticed that Kasie, McGee, and Jack are in the lab and look bewildered at each other over what is going on between Torres and Bishop. Bishop and Torres continue their argument without ever revealing what they both wanted to do and without agreeing on whose idea it was first to do whatever they both wanted to do. They are interrupted by the elevator bell, and Gibbs steps out of the elevator. He walks straight between them and into the lab without paying attention to their argument.
"morning Kas." Gibbs greets as he walks in with his usual determined look and places a cup of coffee on the table while he keeps another one in his hand.
"How did it go yesterday?" Gibbs asks Kasie. She looks confused at him, so he elaborates. "the job interview with Dante?" Gibbs asks.
"great. It went so well…" Kasie begins and then realizes something. "you really want to hear about that?" Gibbs looks confused at her, so Kasie elaborates why she wonders if Gibbs was serious about asking her friend's job interview. "Dante was a murder suspect," Kasie says, confused.
"He was framed." Gibbs simply responds and takes a sip of his coffee while he is leaning casually against the table.
"Yeah. I know I am just not used to anyone actually care about Dante."
"you care about him," Bishop says with a smile. Torres and Bishop have finally stopped arguing.
"Yeah. But no one else ever has cared about Dante."
"well, Kasie. Get used to being part of a family who cares." McGee says with a smile. Kasie looks over at Jack, and Jack simply smiles at her with a knowing look.
"so, you guys are not mad at me for what I said yesterday."
"you stood up for your friend. Never anything wrong with that." Gibbs says and takes another sip of his coffee.
"Ohh, thanks, guys." Kasie says, touched about the gesture from her colleagues. "so why did you guys come down here? I am still waiting for the evidence." Kasie says, confused, looking around at the team members. Expecting at least one of them to bring some evidence bags.
"no case," Gibbs says.
"is it so hard for you to believe that these guys actually really do care about you as more than just a puppy?" Jack asks and receives a confused look from Torres, Bishop, and Gibbs. Kasie blushes and looks down.
"I guess so.
"well, get used to it. you are a part of the family now." Bishop says.
"we know it isn't easy being the new kid. heck, I nearly got my ass blown off on the first day on the job." Torres says with a smile, and everyone starts laughing. Including Kasie. "it is a crazy family, but you are part of it."
"so, what were the two of you arguing about?" Kasie asks.
"we wanted to come down and check on you. Make sure you were okay. it was a rough day yesterday." Torres admits.
"and it was my idea," Bishop adds in, and Torres is about to protest when Gibbs's phone rings. Everyone waits in silent anticipation.
"Grab your gear," Gibbs says the moment he has hung up on the phone.
"see ya later, Kase." Bishop and Torres says as they leave.
"glad you are okay, Kase," McGee says and then leaves.
"get ready, Kasie. this is a messy one." Gibbs says and walks towards the door.
"oh, Agent Gibbs," Kasie says, and Gibbs stops in his tracks.
"you forgot your coffee." Kasie grabs the coffee cup he left on the table.
"not for me." he simply responds and leaves. Kasie cautiously takes off the lid of the cup. It is her favorite latte.
"He got me a latte," Kasie says, surprised and look over at Jack, who is now the only one left in the lab with her.
"he worries about you. he might not kiss you on the cheek, but he does care. More than you know." Jack says and takes a sip of her own coffee.
"if you need to leave too, it is fine," Kasie says once she has taken a sip of the cup she got from Jack.
"actually…" Jack says. "how about we go get a muffin. Then I would like to hear more about your friendship with Dante. He sounds like a great guy." Jack says.
"he is," Kasie says with a big smile.
"did Bishop and Torres ever ask you how you were doing?" Jack asks.
"no," Kasie says, thinking back over the conversation.
"so they argued about how should get to ask you, and then they both forgot to actually do it?" Jack asks.
"I think Gibbs beat them to it," Kasie says, and it makes them both laugh.
"well, as Torres said. It is a crazy family." Jack says as they leave the lab together.