TATE
Tony stood over Ziva as she slept, he wore the same clothes, as earlier...his suit still soaked, whenever he walked, his shoes made a sloshing sound. He was silent, watching over her. She looked so peaceful now, she had finally fallen asleep, but the only thing Tony could remember was Ziva telling him that she hated him.
"I hate you, Tony."
He responded with..."I love you, too."...but in the back of his mind, did she love him, too?
Tony walks out of his bedroom, his shoes sloshed with every step...he went to the boys' room, they both slept, he walks in and pulls up the covers on LJ and pats him softly on his back.
Tony watched them sleep for a moment then left...he entered the room of Sarah, her night-light blanketed the room with blue light, her hair, long and straight wrapped around her neck...Tony pulled it away from the front of her neck and laid it on her pillow. He leans over and kisses her on cheek..."My sweet princess."
Tony moved back to his bedroom, he looks upon his bed, Ziva still asleep..."I have to get out of here for awhile."
Tony walks out the front door and it starts to pour...he takes 3 steps forward, raises his hand into the air..."Why!?" into the late night sky.
Tony jumps into his car and speeds away...he's just driving...no planned location...just driving..
"She doesn't hate you, she doesn't."
Tony stops at a red light...Tony realized he was a few blocks from work...
Tony parks his car and just sits in it for a moment..."What if she does hate me?"
Tony gets out and goes inside...he rides the elevator up...like he's done so many times before...he steps off and walks towards his desk, but instead he sits at Ziva's...he pounds his fist on the desk, which makes the drawer underneath fall off.
"Oh great." ...as Tony starts to pick up the contents of the drawer...then he notices Kate's diary.
"Don't look at it, Tony...the last thing you need is more pain."
Tony placed the diary on top of Ziva's desk..."Seems like the only thing I'm good at is causing pain."
Tony picks up the diary and opens it...
"May 10th, 2005."...Tony read...
Kate writes..."I can not believe what Tony did. He's the only one I know who could get the plague in the 21st century and what makes matters worse...he might've given it to me."
"Hey, what you writing over there, Kate?"
"None of your damn business, DiNozzo."
"Don't be mad, it's not good for ya, right...Dr. Brad Pitt?"
"It's true."
"See, what I tell ya, Kate."
Kate writes..."Jeez, he is such an ass. I'll never forgive Gibbs for making him my partner."
"Look Kate, the blue makes the tip of my hair all cool." ...as Tony bounces on the bed on his knees
Kate gives him a look...then writes again..."He's probably dying and making jokes about it. What in the hell is wrong with him?"
Tony falls off the edge of the bed.
"Tony!?"
Tony peaks his head over the edge of the bed..."Yeah, Kate?"
"Be careful, would ya?"
"Why, you worried about me? Heh."
Kate sticks her tongue out at him...and then writes again..."I am worried about him."
Tony turns the page...Tony reads..
Kate writes..."The Dr. just gave me some pills, they were huge, hard to swallow. I hope they were just incase. Dr. Pitt is quite handsome, I wonder if I'm his type. Nevermind that, I'm getting more and more worried about Tony. It seems like every 10 minutes, he gets a little quieter."
Emma walks over to Kate...
"Hey, Emma, you think I could call ya when I get out of here...you like movies, don't ya?"
"Yeah, Tony, I like movies."
"It's a date then."
"Why would she want to date someone like you Tony."
"Because she's not like you, Kate...a prude."
"I'm not a prude."
"Am I a prude?" ...looking at Emma.
"How would I know?"
"How is he?"...As Kate grabs Emma's hand.
"Not good."
"What do you mean, no good?"
"He has Y. Pestis...you don't."
Kate writes..."I feel like crying, but I don't want to show Tony any fear. He's dying. OH MY GOD, he's dying and I can't do anything."
"Tony?"
"Yeah, Kate." ...as he coughs for the very first time..."Emma, can I get some water?"
"Sure, Tony."
"Kate...why didn't we ever go out, I mean."...Tony coughs again..."Am I"...Tony coughs...
"Don't talk, Tony...save your energy."
"Didn't you call me, though."
"Yeah, nevermind."
"Emma, can you give him anything to sleep?"
"The doctor is suppose to be coming pretty soon, we'll just wait for him."
"Ok, thanks."
"Stop worrying about me, ladies...Tony is fine. He's got a tingle in his throat, but he's fine." ...he coughs..
"Here, Tony."...as Emma helps him drink some water...he coughs again..
Kate writes..."He's getting worse. I hate seeing him like this. For some reason, feelings I never knew I had have surfaced. Do I care more for Tony than I realized? But how? He's a giant kid. He's so immature."
Dr. Pitt walks in...and walks over to Kate..."You really need to get out here."
"Hey, Kate...why aren't you coughing? Why aren't you sick?"
"I'm tougher than you Tony."
"Are not."
"Am, too."
"Are not."
Tony turns the page...and Tony reads...
Kate writes..."I was told to leave, but I couldn't, I've been given a mask. I don't have Y. Pestis, but it feels like part of me is dying. Tony continues to get worse by the minute."
"Kate...I feel like crap."
"You look worse, Tony."
"Emma, how's my hair?"
She laughs..."It's perfect."
"Don't encourage him, Emma."
"Don't be a party pooper, Kate." ...Tony starts to cough uncontrollably..
"Do something!"
Emma rushes in and helps Tony sit up as he continues to cough...Emma puts a towel up to Tony's face and he starts to cough up blood."
Kate makes her way over to Tony..."What can I do?"
"Help him sit up more, it'll help him."
Kate moves to his side and pushes on his back...and Tony groans...
"Not too hard, now."
Tony looks at Kate..."I'm sorry, Kate." ...and starts coughing again.
"Sorry for what?"
"Everything."
Dr. Pitt walks in..."That's it, you're out of here. NOW!"
She walks through the airlock door...and hugs Ducky..."He's dying, Ducky."
Gibbs walks past them both...
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Kate writes..."Tony is alive...but why did he apologize? He's very weak. I thought I lost him. I care for him more than I ever thought I did. He looks so peaceful now, he needs his rest."…Kate lays down her diary and closes her eyes.
"This reminds me of the end of Alien."
Kate laughs
Tony turns the page...
"May 13th, Friday"...Tony reads...
Kate writes..."I can't stop thinking about Tony, he's always in my thoughts now. Why can't I stop? Should I call him? He got out of the hospital yesterday. I didn't want to seem needy, so I haven't seen or called him since I left. What is happening to me? Am I in love? I can't be, this is Tony. How could I love Tony?"
"Kate, you got those reports I needed?"
"Yeah, one second, Gibbs." ...she gathers up her things and hands them to Gibbs, her diary falls on his desk and she doesn't realize it."
"Kate...I believe this is yours." ...Gibbs holds out her diary.
"Thanks." ...as she takes it back quickly and puts it back in her desk.
Gibbs leaves...and she take out her diary again..
Kate writes..."Did Gibbs read any of it? What is happening to me? I'm turned into a high schooler again with a crush and not just some minor crush, a huge DiNozzo sized one. Kate DiNozzo? Oh god, I just didn't write that did I?"
Tony stands and places the diary on the desk and goes to the break room, he pounds on the edge of the machine and a soda drops, he picks it up and and walks back to Ziva's desk ...he sits back down and opens the soda, he takes a drink...then picks the diary back up...Tony turns the page...he reads...
Kate writes..."McGee asked me if I wanted to go visit Tony a little while ago, I told him I couldn't, even though I wanted, too. Abby yelled at me after I told her I didn't want to see him. Abby cares for Tony very much, possibly more than me, but do I care for Tony, as a partner or as a possible lover? I usually have a love/hate relationship with him...I can't believe I'm doing this. Tony, as a lover? God help me."
Tony puts the diary down and leans back and moves his palms up to his eyes and rubs them...he then looks at his watch...2:17 a.m. ...he leans forward and picks up the diary again.
A couple of pages have been ripped out...Tony turns to the next page...
"May 17th, Tuesday."
Kate writes..."We started a new case yesterday, our last case was finished in a couple of days, we've actually did more work in the past week without Tony than we'd do in a month. I miss him so. It's just not the same without him. Everyone is different, even Gibbs, he's nicer when Tony's not around. Yesterday, he said sorry and thank you, I almost died from shock. I haven't seen him slap anyone since he tapped Tony on the head in the hospital. Maybe I should be happy he's gone, the work environment is cleaner, more worker friendly and definitely quieter."
Kate writes..."It's been 30 minutes since my last diary entry and I miss Tony even more, McGee tried to tell a joke and it totally bombed. It's hard to look straight ahead and not see Tony's face or the bottom of Tony's shoes as he lays back in his chair...and those sunglasses of his. What person where's sunglasses inside? Movie stars? Mafia hitmen? Tony?"
Kate writes..."It's me again, I'm bored. I miss fighting with Tony. He even made that fun. How is fighting fun? I don't know, but it was with Tony. I miss yelling 'DiNozzo!', I really do."..."We would fight over the dumbest things, we fought over which was better, creamy or crunchy peanut butter once. I still remember his argument to this very day.
"Creamy's the way to go, Kate...you can't use chunky peanut butter on body parts, that's just too weird."
"Why would you put peanut butter on body parts?"
"Heh...why do you think, Kate?"
"Ugh! You're a pig, DiNozzo!"
"You asked, Kate"
"You're still a pig."
Tony shrugs..."You know you love me, Kate."
Kate writes..."Tony, you're a hard man to love and hate."
"I sounded more trouble than I'm worth, especially to Gibbs."...Tony runs his fingers through his hair.
Tony turns the page...Tony reads...
"May 18th, Wednesday."
Kate writes..."I called Tony last night after work. Big mistake."
"Hey, Tony...how are you doing?"
"Kate?" ...his voice is still pretty weak
"Yes."
"I'm ok, I guess...I'm getting tired of being in bed."
"I'm in bed, too."
"Heh. We're in bed together, Kate. Never thought you'd hear that, did ya?"
"Even when you're sick, your mind goes to sex."
"I am a man, Kate."
Kate is silent...
"You know, Kate...I miss you..." ...Kate interrupts..
"I miss you, too, Tony."...she immediately bites her lip..
"How's Gibbs getting along without his senior field agent?"
"He's a whole different person without you, Tony."
"Yeah, I bet, probably lost without me, huh?"
"You could say that."
"Kate...I'm falling asleep here, I hate to do it, especially it being our first time in bed together and all, but I'm gonna go to sleep. Can I get a raincheck?"
"Raincheck for what, Tony?"
"Joke, Kate. Joke."
"Oh." ...she laughs jokingly
"Good night, Kate."...he waits about 10 seconds and Kate doesn't say anything, so he hangs up.
Kate writes..."I still don't know why I didn't say good night to him. I think it's because I didn't want to. Something happened after I got off the phone with Tony, I'm too embarrassed to even write it down. To think of Tony and do that? Why and even worse, I enjoyed it."
Tony closes the book...and he sighs...
Tony turns the page...and reads..
"May 20th, Friday."
Kate writes..."Last night, Abby and I went over to Tony's place. I didn't know what to take, so I brought muffins. I felt like an idiot ."
Abby and Kate stands in front of Tony's condo...Abby knocks on the door...then again..
"I'm coming, plague boy is coming." ..he opens the door
"Plague boy?"
Tony shrugs..."Come in." ...as Tony walks back into his kitchen..."Care for anything? Drink, eat, painkiller?"
Kate is shocked at his place...it's not what she imagined at all, it's actually clean and he has furniture, nice furniture.
"I love your place, Tony."
"Yeah, it's much cleaner than the last time I was here, Tony."
"That's because I have a maid now, Abs."
"You have a maid?" Abby and Kate together.
"Yeah, it's one of those maids that clean your place in lingerie...the best 50 bucks an hour a guy can spend."
Abby laughs..."That is so Tony."
Tony peeks around the corner..."You sure you guys don't want anything?"
"No." Abby and Kate together
Tony walks out and sits in his black recliner holding a hot beverage, steam flows from the top of the cup.
"Here, I brought you these." ...Kate hands Tony the basket of muffins..."Sorry, I didn't know what to bring."
"Yourself was enough."...Tony pauses as he puts the muffins on the table..."I've missed you guys."
Abby walks over to Tony..."How are you feeling?"
"Much better...I'm feeling a little stronger everyday."
Tony pats his knees and Abby sits on his knee...and she hugs him...
"I've missed your hugs Abby."
She smiles at him.
Kate looks at Abby with kind of a hatred, like she wanted to be on his lap.
"What's wrong, Kate? You look upset."
"Oh, I'm fine."
Tony pats his other knee..."I have one more open, Kate."
"No, thanks."...it took every ounce of her energy to not do it
"We better be going, he needs his rest, Abby."
"You don't have to be in such a hurry. I'm fine."
"No, she's right, Tony."
Abby rises and hugs Tony once more, then Abby and Kate both leave.
Kate stops and go back to the door and knocks and Tony answers it...and she hugs him tightly...Tony is taken back by it, but warms up to it and hugs her back.
"Can I call you later, Tony?"
"Sure." ...as Kate lets go and leaves
Kate writes..."I felt so safe in his arms, I could've stayed there for days. I wish I would've sat on his knee, just to see how it felt. Why should Abby have all the fun? But it's not her fault, maybe I am a prude."
Kate writes..."Later that night, I tried calling him 3 times, on my third attempt, I let it ring once, but hung up. A few minutes later, he called me, but I didn't answer. Why am I acting like a scared child? Do I want him or not? Or is it even my decision?"
Tony turned the page...and he reads..
"May 23rd, Monday."
Kate writes..."I did the unthinkable Saturday. All I wanted to do was see him, but that changed as soon as I saw him..."
Kate stops her car in front of his condo, she just sat there, she looked at her watch...7:12 p.m..."He's probably asleep, I shouldn't bother him."...she looked back at his place, his window light comes on..."He's awake!"...she said excitingly.
She takes out her cells and hits Tony on speed dial...it rings once...then again...Tony picks up..."DiNozzo."
Kate is silent...
"I know it's you Kate...there's this thing called caller ID."
Kate is still silent...
"Talk to me, Kate."
Then there's a knock at the door...Tony walks to the door and opens it, standing there is Kate. She closes her cell phone.
"Something wrong, Kate?" ...as he turns off his wireless phone.
"No, I just wanted to see you."
Tony raises his hand..."Here I am...in all my glory."...she looks up at him..."Come on in, Kate."...as she walks in...
"You want something to drink?"
"No thank you."
"Everything ok? You must have something better to do on a Saturday night than visit me, although it is nice to see some friendly faces, besides David Letterman and the Sportscenter guys."
"Not really...I've just been thinking about you lately."
"How's work?"
"I don't want to talk about work."
"Then what do you want to talk about?"
"I dunno."
A loud sound comes from his bedroom..."I'll be right back, Kate, I left my TV on in my bedroom." ...Tony leaves, but Kate follows.
Tony goes to his bed, grabbing the remote and clicks the button, turning the TV off and when he turns around, Kate is right in his face.
"Did you get lost trying to go to the bathroom or something? It's the next door to the left."
Kate shakes her head no..."How are you feeling?"
"Much better."
Kate looks up into his eyes.
"You're kind of freaking me out, Kate."
Kate side steps Tony and sits on his bed.
"What's wrong, Kate? You're acting really weird."
"Sit with me." ...and Tony sits..."Wow, your bed is nice and soft."
"Heh, it is, isn't it?"
"How long have we been partners?"
"Going on two years now, why?"
"Well, it's taken me two years to recognize."
"What are you talking about?"
Kate grabs Tony's hand and brings it up to her face..."I thought I lost you, Tony."
"I'm fine, Kate."
"You could've died."
"But I didn't."
Kate puts her hand on Tony's face..."You haven't shaved in awhile, huh?"
"No, but I've had no use to either."
Kate stands up..."Can I shave you?"
"Huh?"
"I'd like to see you without that scruffy beard of yours."
"The Han Solo look not doin' it for ya, Kate?" He lets out a chuckle..
She takes Tony's hand in hers and leans him to the bathroom...
"Oh, you really want to shave me, don't you?"
Kate walks into the bathroom and sits on the bathroom sink..."Come here." ..as she makes a come here gestured with her hand...Tony walks over and stands between her legs.
Tony starts to say something, but Kate puts her fingers over his mouth...she takes a can of shaving cream and shoots a little into her palm, she rubs her hands together, then lathers it all over Tony's face. She turns on the hot water and grabs a razor...she wets the razor then starts shaving Tony, under his chin.
Tony grabs Kate's wrist and he looks into her eyes...her eyes screamed kiss me...so, he did.
Kate dropped the razor and moves her hands to the back of his head, grabbing his hair and forcing her tongue into his mouth.
Tony moves his head back as Kate stares at him like she wants to devour him, she quickly takes off his shirt and runs her hands up and down his chest. Tony's right hand massaged Kate's lower left leg, slowly lifting her dress. When his hand reaches her knee, she leaned back, her face now covered in shaving cream, her head now against the mirror on the wall. She opens her legs more to him, but he stopped.
"Please, Tony...I want this...no, I need this."
Tony looks at her and pauses...then moves back between her legs...he picks her up and she wraps her legs around his waist and he carries her back into the bedroom, he puts his knee in the bed, laying her in the middle, her head on the pillow. He kisses her, then the sound of something ripping, as Tony tosses Kate's torn panties to the side, she raises her head in approval and kisses him...the screen fades to black...
Kate writes..."He made love to me...no, we had amazing sex...I lost all track of time...I just remember waking up around 3 p.m. on Sunday, he laid silently on his stomach, naked, like the day he was born next to me and all I thought of what, what did I do? He's my partner, I'm gonna see him everyday of my life. This is the same man who I've hated in the past, hated with passion, but that same passion makes me love him. Is it possible to love and hate someone? I think so and that person is Tony DiNozzo."
Tony closes the diary..."Is it possible to love and hate someone? I think so." ...Tony lets out a half smile.
Tony turns the last page...he reads..
"May 24th, Tuesday."
Kate writes..."God I hate snakes. Tony came back a week earlier from medical leave today and was nearly killed by a car bomb. I think he has worse luck than me. Does he have a deathwish? I swear, he's going to give me a heart attack one of these days. I tried talking to him about Saturday, but I just couldn't. I SO want him to know I want to feel like that for the rest of my life. We agreed to act differently than how we felt about each other, but I nearly blew that already around Ducky in autopsy. Tony shouldn't be at work, he's still not well enough."
Kate finally wrote..."I just talked to Abby, she confined in me that she had a horrible dream about Tony, he had blood all over his face. I do hope nothing happens to him. It would kill me."
Tony closes the diary...a tear flows down his cheek..."I felt the same way, Kate. I'm sorry I didn't grow up sooner. My heart still aches from your death and it always will...I promise you, you'll never be forgotten."
Tony places the diary back into Ziva's drawer and stands up...he walks to the elevator and pushes the button...he leans his head against the doors..."I'm tired."
---------
Tony unlocks his front door and walks inside, he checks the kids room and then walks to his own...Ziva is still sound asleep, as Tony disrobes and climbs into bed...he lies on his back as Ziva places her right hand over his chest and snuggles up to him...he intertwines his left hand with her right hand and closes his eyes. Ziva slowly starts to turn Tony's wedding ring on his finger and she smiles...
7 months later
-------------------
Ziva giggles while lying in bed, sheets cover her body completely, except her head and fingers which grip the sheets, holding it against her neck.
"What are you doing down there?" …she continues giggling
Tony's head pops through the top, he kisses her lips…"Just doin' some mining, why?" …then he moves back down under the sheets.
"Mining for what?" …as she let out another giggle which quickly turns to a moan
"Found it! Heh"
Tony's cell rings…
Tony raises his head under the sheets…"Don't you dare." ..as she starts to breath a little harder.
Ziva's cell then rings…"OH MY GOD, I swear to God, the world better be ending!" ...as she reaches and grabs her cell and answers it…"Yeah?"
She lets out a louder moan…she puts her hand over the phone…"Stop the drilling, miner 69er."
"I think you mean 49er, babe."
"No, I meant 69er."
"Kinky."
She takes her hand off the phone…"What is it McGee?"
"Were you two just having sex?"
"Yes, McGee and it was amazing and you're starting to piss me off, so you better have a good explanation for interrupting our sex-fest."
McGee is silent
"McGee, speak!"
"Abby is in labor."
"Why didn't you just say that!?"
Tony slips out of the end of the bed and stands…"What is it, Z?"
"Abby's in labor."
"Oh crap." …as Tony runs to the bathroom and jumps in the shower
"We'll be right there, Tim." …she hangs up…
Ziva joins Tony in the shower…"Tony, you go and I'll bring the kids a little later."
"No, I'll wait."
"You can't, you are the father after all, you need to be there."
"Ok." ..as he kisses Ziva and hops out the shower.
------------------
Tony arrives outside Uni-hospital
He parks his car and runs the 100 feet to the ER door, he runs to the elevator and pushes the button..."Come on, come on!"
The door opens and he gets inside...he gets off on the 5th floor and runs down the hall.
"No running!" ..a nurse yells.
"Sorry!" ..as Tony continues running
Tony stops as he enters the OBGYN waiting area...McGee and Jenny are seated..."Did I miss it?"
"Nope...she's been asking for you, though. Gibbs is in with her."
Tony walks up to the nurse..."Abby Sciuto, please."
"Are you husband?"
"No...but I am the father."
"Quick, come with me."
Tony follows the nurse...
-----------------
Tony walks into the delivery room...
"About damn time, DiNozzo."
"Sorry, Boss."
"Don't apologize to me."
"Sorry, Abby."...as he moves to her other side and holds her hand..."How is she doc?"
"The baby's head in crowning!"
"Already!?"
"Push, Abby!"
She grunts really hard...and starts to get short of breathe...
Tony puts his hand on Abby's back..."Breath, Abby...breath!"
"One more push, Abby!"
"Come on, Abby, you can do it." ...she pushes as he grits his teeth and pretends to push with her...
The baby cries..."It's a girl."
"You did good, Abs." ...as Gibbs kisses her on the temple.
"What are you gonna name her, Abby?"
"Caitlin Abigail DiNozzo."
"What!?"
"She deserves to know who her father is."
"I dunno if that's smart, Abs."
"I agree with Tony.." ...Gibbs commented.
"I've made my decision."
"Ok." ..as the nurse hands Tony the baby..."She's absolutely adorable." ...as he hands her to Abby.
Abby holds her and kisses her...the baby already has a full head of black hair..
"I have a feeling she's gonna love the smell of sawdust, Boss."
Gibbs lets out a smile...
Abby looks at Gibbs and lets out a laugh..
------------
Tony and Gibbs walk out to the waiting room, Ziva and the kids are now there...
"It's a girl!"
"What's her name?" Ziva asked
"Caitlin Abigail."
"I knew it!" ...McGee proclaimed..."Yeah, but Gibbs had Kate in the office pool."
"Rats! Boss always wins those things."
"It takes skill, DiNozzo."
Ziva walks over to Tony..."You ok?"
"Yeah, she gave her my last name."
"What?"
"I said the same thing, but Abby wouldn't budge...she wanted her to know her father."
Ziva smiled..."And she should."