Tony woke up again when Gibbs returned with grocery bags. Through half-closed eyes, he watched as Kate helped empty bags and hand the items off so Gibbs could put them away where he wanted them.
"He okay?" Gibbs asked with a jerk of his head toward the couch.
"Needed his inhaler earlier, but he's okay. Stayed up for a while earlier."
Gibbs studied her for a moment. "You're smiling."
Kate looked over at Gibbs, her smile not lessening in any way. "Yeah."
"Told him, huh?"
"Yeah."
Gibbs knew? Tony closed his eyes to hide his shock. Right, it's Gibbs. Of course he knows.
"About time you pulled your heads out of your asses," Gibbs said. Tony opened his eyes to see Gibbs shaking his head slightly.
Kate checked the pot she had simmering on the stove. Gibbs jerked his head toward the pot in question.
"It's my grandmother's recipe for chicken soup. I always swore I got over colds and flu sooner than everyone else. Took my mother forever to find the recipe."
"Smells good."
"Thanks."
"You want to take some time off work, spend time with him?" Gibbs asked.
Kate looked up in surprise. "Really?"
Gibbs shrugged. "Not working cases right now. If you're here, then I can go back to work."
"You still think he needs someone to stay with him? He seems a lot better."
Gibbs shook his head, his countenance grim. "Still sleeping a lot. Needs help, but won't admit it."
Kate looked into the living room where Tony pretended to sleep. "True. I…could do that."
"Just don't nag him, Kate. Sometimes needs a nudge, not a nag."
Kate's eyes narrowed a little. "Ducky's been overbearing, hasn't he?"
"You know how upset he was when Tony was released from the hospital."
Kate grimaced. "Yeah. I thought he would tear a strip from Dr. Pitt's hide."
Gibbs chuckled. "How long until dinner?"
"Another hour. Wanted him to get more sleep."
Gibbs nodded.
"So, how'd the meeting go?"
"New security protocol. Envelopes and packages go through the mail room for irradiation, no exceptions, no excuses. Everyone has to attend a class on handling mail now."
"Everyone as in…"
"Everyone who works for NCIS and will extend to other agencies so no one goes through this again."
Kate nodded. "Are you really that anxious to go back to work?"
"Still need to find the bastard who held you, Ducky and Gerald hostage."
Kate nodded and looked away, shifting uncomfortably.
"Gonna get this guy, Kate."
"I know. I just…"
"What?"
"I…wonder if he'll target Ducky or me…again."
"Next time he's in autopsy…it'll be in a body bag…dead."
Kate nodded. "Not if he puts one of us there first." She looked over at Tony with a worried expression on her face.
"We'll get 'im," Gibbs said and left it at that as he started a pot of coffee.
Gibbs grabbed a mug out of the cupboard and looked over at her silently, asking if she wanted any. She shook her head no.
"So you're not mad at Tony and me?"
"Why?"
"Rule 12?"
Gibbs didn't answer, just waited until the coffee pot started sputtering, and poured himself a mug. As he turned away from the pot, he looked at Kate. "You won't break rule 12."
Kate frowned, not understanding.
"You'd leave the team first. You'll know when you're ready." He headed to the basement.
Kate gazed at his back in shock as he disappeared in the doorway. "How do you do that?" she muttered.
Tony's sleepy, muffled voice reached her ears. "Eyes in the back of his head."
Kate snorted as she shook her head and looked over at Tony, grinning. "And the sides."
They held each other's gaze, grinning. Tony felt a coil of connection link them and his heart warmed as the pull toward her strengthened. He'd stepped back from the brink of death, got turned around by Kate and now they were stepping forward. He lay his head back down, still smiling at her. Maybe they really weren't so different after all.
