Parents, Plates and Playfulness

"Mom, Dad!" Kate rushed out onto the drive to welcome her parents. Gibbs followed slowly behind observing their interaction. He hadn't known what to expect from Kate's family. He had an idea that Kate's mom would be a lot like her, especially after their phone call, but he didn't think Kate would appreciate the comparison. Her dad was tall and relaxed looking and he approached Jethro with his hand outstretched.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Agent Gibbs." The two men shook hands.

"Please, call me Jethro."

"Sure. I'm Sam."

"Good to meet you. Can I give you a hand with the bags?"

The two men began to unload the car as Kate was released from her mother's tight.

"Caitlin! How are you feeling? You look radiant."

"Thanks, mom! I'm feeling great, much better since I've been taking the iron tablets the doctor gave me."

"Good. The house looks lovely. Why don't you show me around?"

"Oh it is, although we're going to redecorate the nursery."

The two men were just stepping back out of the front door as they reached it. "Jethro, Daddy, I'm just going to show Mom round the house."

"Sure. It's nice to finally meet you, Jane." Jethro smiled before following Kate's dad back out to the car.

"And this is your room." Kate lead her mother into the guest room and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"It's a great house. What are you doing about your apartment?"

"It's still got quite a lot of my furniture and other things in it at the moment so I'm not sure yet. We might sub-let it for a while."

"Well, you seem very settled." She sat down next to her on the bed and laid down the carrier bag she'd been holding beside her.

"I am. It's so wonderful. We're both so happy about the baby. Jethro has started building a crib in the basement." She laid a hand gently over her abdomen and smiled.

"Make the most of this time, Caitlin. Soon enough your life will have changed completely. You're seven weeks along, right?"

"No; nine. Apparently I wasn't counting the right way!" She laughed.

"Have you had any morning sickness?"

"None. Apart from the anaemia I've been great."

A concerned look suddenly crossed Jane's face. "What about your work? Surely they're not making you do all the dangerous things you were before!"

"Well, I can stay in the field until I'm twelve weeks gone, then I'm on desk duty. But its fine Mom, I can look after myself. Anyway, Jethro takes good care of me; better than he does himself most of the time."

"Good. Do be careful though, Caitlin." Her mother still looked a little unsure.

"I always am, Mom." There was a moment of thoughtful silence between them before Jane's face suddenly lit up.

"Oh, I brought you a little present! I just thought you might like to have a look at them. Get some ideas, you know." She pulled three thick magazines from her bag. The covers all bore pictures of blushing brides and lines such as 'Picking Your Venue: from intimate chapels to a fairy tale palace' or 'Family politics and what to avoid on your big day'.

"Thank you." Kate took the magazines and tried to keep the annoyance she felt out of her voice.

"So..." her mother continued hopefully, ''when do you think the wedding might be? Only if it's going to be soon then we..."

''Mom!'' Kate interrupted furiously, "It's not going to be soon! We're not engaged, there is no wedding to plan for! We've got enough to do getting ready for the baby."

"Exactly. You're having a baby! Don't you want the support and security of a marriage?"

"It isn't just about what I want, Mom!"

"There, I knew it; you do want to get to married! But I don't suppose this boyfriend of yours is willing to make the commitment, not after he's been divorced so many times. Well, perhaps you should have thought of that before you jumped into bed with a man who doesn't want the same things as you do." Jane Todd folded her arms and turned to glare accusingly at her daughter who stood in front of her, chin raised defiantly.

"How dare you? You don't know anything!" She all but spat at her mother.

"I know my own daughter! I remember the wedding scrapbook you made when you were thirteen years old. I've seen the look in your eyes at all three of your brother's weddings. I can tell by the way you look at this man that you are completely in love with him! I won't stand by and watch you settle! I just want you to be happy, sweetheart!"

"I know you do, Mom, but a marriage is about two people, not just one. Jethro has to want it too otherwise it'll never work." Kate was trying extremely hard to sound calm and reasonable not wanting to get the weekend off to too bad a start.

"But maybe if Jethro knew how you felt? Do you want Daddy to have a little chat with him?"

"No! What is this, the nineteen twenties?" Her anger began to rise again as she continued. "A girl gets pregnant so her family find the man responsible and force him to marry her?"

"Now you're just being ridiculous, Caitlin."

"Am I? Am I really?" She opened her mouth to continue when there was a soft knock at the bedroom door. She turned to find her father standing there looking disappointed.

"You two haven't seen each other in months and within minutes of our arrival you're fighting like cats and dogs? We can hear you downstairs!" The two women had the good grace to look ashamed of themselves as he continued. "Jane, you need to stop interfering in this. Caitlin, you need to respect your mother's beliefs and her concern for you. I don't want to have to say anything more on the subject while we're here! Have you both got that?"

They both muttered their agreement and stood arms folded not looking at each other.

Kate sighed. "I'm sorry, Mom. I know you're just worried about me. But you really don't need to be."

"No, I'm sorry, darling. It's your life and you have to do what you think is right. You've got your own family now; you don't need me hanging around telling you what I think all the time."

"Oh, Mom!" Kate hugged her, "I'll always need you. Especially once the baby comes, I expect I'll be on the phone to you all the time!"

"Oh you'll get the hang of it all in no time." Jane gave her a tight squeeze then let go. "Have you started thinking about names?"

"Not really, we're going to find out the baby's sex at the scan but I bought a book and we've discussed a few options."

"When do you have your scan?"

"Not for a couple of weeks, do you want me to email you a picture once I've had it?"

"We'd love it, Honey. Now, why don't we go back downstairs? Jethro will be wondering what's going on." Sam smiled and led the two women back into the living room.

They all ate dinner together chatting and laughing the whole time. Jane and Sam told Jethro all about Kate as a child and the younger pair entertained them with stories of their relationship and its development from colleagues to a couple.

Once they had finished eating Kate and Jethro began to clear up while her parents sat down to watch the news.

Kate was standing at the sink washing up when she felt Jethro walk up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Hey."

She leaned back into his embrace and sighed.

"Hey, you."

"What were you and your Mom fighting about earlier?" He felt her immediately tense in his arms.

"Nothing," she replied brusquely.

"Didn't sound like nothing." He continued calmly. "Wouldn't have been about me would it?"

"Given the current hot topic it would seem safe to assume that your name came up." She replied evasively.

"Fine, have it your way. Although you should know, Miss Todd, I am a highly experienced interrogator and I have a number of methods I can use to draw the secret out of you." He kissed her neck and she smiled putting the plate she had been holding on the draining board. His lips continued their pursuit until he reached the sensitive spot behind her ear he knew she couldn't resist, Kate moaned softly and allowed her body to mould to his before stiffening and pulling away.

"Jethro!" she hissed. "My parents are in the next room."

He chuckled and moved one hand to her hip. "Relax, Katie. I wasn't about to throw you across the kitchen table and have my wicked way with you."

She laughed and picked up another plate returning to her previous task.

"But now I think of it, it could be fun." He leaned into her again, one arm wrapped around her waist, holding her firmly to him.

"Behave, Jethro." Kate warned.

His mouth almost touching her ear he whispered huskily,

"But I know how much you like it when I'm bad."

She gasped in surprise as the hand he had slipped under her skirt slid dangerously high up her thigh causing her to drop the plate. It fell onto the draining board with a loud clatter.

"Is everything alright?" came her mother's voice from the living room.

"Its fine," Kate called back, elbowing him gently in the stomach. "I just dropped a plate."

"Ok."

Jethro laughed at her and, pulling a tea towel from the drawer, began to dry up.

"The offer's still open," he teased, grinning widely.

"You wish!" She dried her hands and went to join her parents. Only her mother was there, turning off the television and standing up.

"Where's Daddy?" she asked.

"Oh, he went to bed already. I only stayed up to catch the weather." She yawned. "I hope that if I go into the kitchen to get a glass of water your young man will be fully dressed?"

"Mom!" Kate exclaimed, shocked.

"I was young once too, Caitlin." she smiled, "I remember what it's like not to be able to keep your hands to yourself. Your father made me drop quite a few plates when we first married." She winked.

"Nothing happened!" Kate flushed scarlet. This was exactly what she had been trying to avoid.

"Sweetheart, you're pregnant. At some point, something happened! You don't need to be embarrassed about it. Just make sure I never walk in on it, please?"

"Deal." Kate smiled and began to close the blinds. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright. Goodnight, love. I'll just get that water."

"Goodnight, Mom." She could just about make out the murmur of a short conversation from the kitchen then heard her mother climb the stairs. Yawning, she registered Jethro making his way towards her where she sat in the middle of the couch.

"How are you feeling?" he asked sitting next to her.

"Tired," she admitted, "but nowhere near as exhausted as I was. I think those tablets must be helping."

"Good," he put an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "Now, are you going to let me take you to bed?"

"Yeah, ok." Kate nodded but didn't stir; now she was relaxing she couldn't be bothered to move.

"Kate?" He asked, watching her motionless form.

She opened one eye, momentarily, to look at him,

"Or I could just stay here."

He stood up and held out his hand to her.

"M'lady?"

She opened her eyes and, unable to resist a smile, slowly took his hand.

He pulled her up and into a hug.

"Have I told you yet today how beautiful you are?"

She smiled and pulled away slightly so she could look into his eyes.

"No, but feel free too."

He laughed and kissed her slowly.

"I love that I can talk honestly with you. I love that I can fool around and have a laugh with you and I love that carrying our baby makes you more beautiful than ever to me. I love you Katie and I'm going to look after you, I promise."

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs!" she shook her head, smiling. It bothered her that he worried about her so much now, but she tried to push the thought to the back of her mind. "You spend half your time acting like a complete bastard and then you come home and become a charming, caring, and, dare I say it, romantic man."

"Yeah, but don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to uphold." He grinned and lead her slowly up the stairs to their bedroom.

A/N: sorry for the seemingly infinite wait in between chapters! It may have seemed like I had given up on this story but I can assure you I have every intention of finishing it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, although it wasn't quite up to the standard I would have liked. Please review and thanks for reading!