Kate tossed and turned restlessly. Her work day was playing on her mind something chronic. Images of her marching into the Navy Yard ready to take on the world plagued her. It had all gone so weirdly, subtly and downright horrendously wrong. She knew Gibbs was a special breed of man, everyone knew that. But she had never taken him for an actual chauvinistic pig. Sure, he had old world gentlemanly notions. Anyone of that guy's age did. But to actually treat her like some glorified secretary?

It was really too much.

She had appealed to DiNozzo's special insight into the man, but he had backed off rapidly. Apparently he didn't want to get in the middle of things. He had been quite abrupt actually, had practically ran from the bull pen the moment he returned. She hadn't even been aware there were things to get in the middle of. As far as she'd been aware, she had acutely shot down Gibbs' suggestion of medieval punishment. He'd accepted, and they'd moved on. Or so she'd thought. Flipping on to her back as the clock ticked on three am, she sighed. She was over thinking it that was all. She placing far too much emphasis on a few throw away comments and actions of some stubborn, past it dude.

She smiled as she settled into her pillows and sleep eventually began to grip her.

Tomorrow would be a better day.

Tomorrow, as it transpired, would in fact not be a better day.

Slouching into the bullpen, tiredness pricking her eyes, Kate clung to her coffee for dear life. Throwing herself behind her desk, she smiled when she realised she was the first one in. First in line for the good jobs, dependant on how the scene examination had panned out yesterday. Flicking on her monitor and sorting through a few files as she waited, she caught the first arrival about five minutes later. Looking a little worse for wear, Tony groaned as he placed himself very gingerly at his desk. Brows raised, Kate racked a gaze over him, surprised and irritated by the concern she felt.

"You ok, DiNozzo?"

Glancing over at her and barely concealing a grimace, Tony nodded.

"Sure thing Todd."

She felt incredulity grip her as she realised he wasn't really sitting on his chair, more hovering above it awkwardly. "Uhh…you know it won't bite you, right?" she asked quietly, utterly bewildered by Tony's strange behaviour. Smiling a sarcastic smile, Tony covered up the moment as best he could. "My cousin was once bitten by a chair, just like this one. Had termites in it for years apparently. Best not to take any chances, don't you think?"

Kate felt her mouth drop open, but any more inquiries were stemmed by the arrival of McGee.

The two exchanged somewhat loaded looks as Tim murmured a universal greeting. Kate's eyes morphed into orbs as she watched the junior agent subtly eye his chair with distaste. Sitting down gingerly, he too grimaced, though he hid as best he could. Staring at the two of them, who looked like they were essentially dancing on hot coals, something triggered in Kate's brain. A certain amazement seeped through her, before rapidly giving away to anger.

Her eyes flashed dangerously.

Standing, she placed her hands on her desk as she leaned over it slightly, grabbing their attention.

"Gibbs…assaulted you, didn't he? He's assaulted you both?"

Both junior and senior agent's stared at her, their heads rising slowly. Recovering first, but only just, Tim turned to Tony with an incredulous look on his face. Returning the look full force, Tony shook his head before turning back to Kate. He had correctly assessed yesterday that something had taken place in the conference room between Todd and Gibbs, though he didn't know what. She seemed to have no issue sitting and her attitude remained intact, so he surmised she had shot their boss down on his unusual measures. A protective streak rang through him as he felt his eyes narrow.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kate."

He could see the approval his words met with as he saw McGee nod out of the corner of his eye.

She stood even taller, her eyes still flashing with that dangerous anger.

"Don't lie," she hissed, jerking her head to include Tim in the conversation. "Neither of you two can sit properly. Trust me, I went to a convent school, I know what that means." She shook her own head in disbelief. "I can't believe you two. How could you let him do that to you? How could you let him abuse you like that?"

Tony stood slowly, his own eyes flashing dangerously.

"Listen to me," he instructed quietly, an uncharacteristic seriousness enveloping him, "And listen well. Gibbs has never once abused me." He turned to Tim, and raised a brow. "Probie, Gibbs ever abuse you?" The immediate and definitive nod in the negative was his answer. Turning back to Kate once more, Tony quirked a brow. "Clearly, you've been filled in on how things work around here. If you must know, not that it's any of your business…Tim and I had a certain conversation with the Boss yesterday, because of something that happened on scene. None of your concern what, but rest assured we both deserved it." He glanced back over at McGee. "Right, Tim?"

There was once again no hesitation or untruth in McGee's nod and quiet "Yup."

Tony once again locked eyes with a still scandalised Kate.

"You happy now? Can we let this go?"

Kate gaped a little, before stalking out from behind her desk. Landing squarely in the middle of the two other agent's stations, she placed her hands on her hips. "Let me get this straight. You did something, trivial no doubt, and you both allowed your supposed boss to physically assault you on that merit?" She let out a small, disdainful laugh. "What the hell is the matter with you two? You are grown ass men. You don't need to take this. This is illegal. This is insane."

Tony's stare turned unusually glacial, but it was Tim who spoke first.

"Gibbs has never assaulted us," he contradicted coldly, "And to be frank, Kate, what goes on between Gibbs and I, or Tony and Gibbs, is none of your business." He inclined his head politely. "Just as whatever goes on between Gibbs and yourself, is none of our business. So why don't we all just go ahead and keep our opinions to ourselves?"

Kate's eyes bulged with indignation.

"It's like you two have some weird side condition of Stockholm Syndrome or something. This is not the nineteen hundreds, whipping your employees is not the done thing! How can you be ok with this? How can you possibly be ok with this? You're living in constant fear of being physically punished and you think it's ok? Because, newsflash guys, it is not ok. You need to report him, now, today. You need to go on the record about this. This is systematic, archaic abuse and you need to put an end to it. I will back you; I will tell them about how Gibbs tried to do it to me too."

Anger, true and free, was beginning to pulse through the two male agent's.

"You go on the record, Todd, and we'll deny any such thing. You understand? You'll look like a whack job, intent on causing trouble," Tony hissed, "Isn't that right McGee?" A cold fury rang in the usually friendly voice as Tim murmured his assent without delay. "You really ought to mind your business," the technical specialist advised icily, "And you really ought to learn how to hold your tongue about things you do not understand."

Kate's jaw near hit the floor, their words triggering an anger deep within her.

"You two are pathetic," she sneered in disgust, "You are absolutely spineless. You are both so desperate for a father figure in your lives that you'll take on anyone that treats you like crap. Physically and emotionally. It's tragic. You need to take a long, hard look at yourselves. You are literally whipping boys for Gibbs, nothing more. Honestly, I had you both pegged as having serious daddy issues the moment I laid eyes on you, but this is really too much. You are tragic, the pair of you. I'm only grateful that at least I have the spine to tell Gibbs where to get off. You two could as well, if you weren't so needy for him. You know-"

Out of nowhere, yet out of the shadows themselves, a hand was laid on her shoulder.

There was no mistaking who it belonged too.

Tony and Tim, having had their fair share of scraped with Gibbs, paled significantly.

They had never, ever seen him look so damned furious.

…

A/N: Not a Kate bashing fic, all will be reconciled in due course.

TBC

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