CHAPTER IX

Tony is leaning against the island countertop, which juts out at a right angle to divide the kitchen from the living room area. He arrived just before seven, not wanting to be late, with a bottle of red wine in hand. He recalled hearing Kate talking with a friend on the phone one day about her love of a good Cabernet. He personally preferred beer, but Kate was a class act and he was willing to rise to her level if it meant holding her interest.

Kate is moving around her kitchen with the efficiency of a professional chef and he can't help but admire her grace. At the moment she had onions and garlic in a pan, sizzling softly as she stirred them before moving over to check on the bread in the oven. It was just one more thing Tony had not known about Kate... she was obviously a good cook from the wonderful smells filling the room. She finally stops to take a sip of her wine, turning to her guest as her eyes flicker over to the clock on the wall.

"Whatever that is, it smells good. I never knew you were a good cook, Kate."

"More like gourmet chef. I've trained at the C.I.A."

"C.I.A? I didn't know the spooks were into cooking?" His confused look is comical and Kate just shakes her head as she enlightens him.

"Culinary Institute of America, Tony... you know, professional Chefs?"

"Having my dinner prepared by a sexy, personal chef... I could get used to this." He sips his wine slowly, giving her his best sultry eyed gaze over the rim of the glass. He never thought he'd actually be here, in Kate's apartment having dinner and wondering where this night might lead.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Tony." Kate is quick to hide a smirk as she turns back to stir the sautéing onions and garlic. She saw the look he gave her and almost burst out laughing, but she couldn't blow it now... Gibbs was about to make his appearance and she couldn't wait to see the look on Tony's face.

Feeling bolder now that the wine was beginning to take effect and calm his nerves. He congratulates himself on his quick wit; slipping in his first hint that he wanted this to become permanent had gone over well... meaning she hadn't laughed at him. He can't resist running his eyes over her slim body again, lingering on her shapely ass as he envisions how this evening might end. Not wanting to lapse back into the awkward silence, Tony decides to press her for more information.

"So, why'd you change your mind about me?"

"I wouldn't actually say I've changed my mind about you..." In that respect she was answering him honestly. She knew what he was hinting at and decides to play along. "I just got tired of the games, Tony. A girl can only take so much... you know what I mean?" She glances at him over her shoulder and catches his eyes making a hasty track back up to meet hers. "The juvenile frat boy routine just doesn't work on a woman over the age of twenty-five. You need some new material."

Their eyes hold for a long moment and Tony wonders if the time is right to make his move. She seemed to be wanting him to make the next move, if her last statement was any indication. He slowly steps away from the counter; his expression serious as if about to volunteer for a dangerous mission. "Okay, no more games..." He moves closer, watching as her eyes flicker from him to the stove, turning off the flame under the pan. He stops beside her, not sure they've reached the point where he can invade her space.

A long silence lingers between them until Kate finally turns to face him and gives his offer serious consideration. She studies him and when she sees none of his customary cockiness, she finally nods. "Good, no more games... and no more practical jokes?"

"What? Like ever? Well, I don't know, Kate... there's always an occasion for..." He sees her eyes begin to harden, sensing that he is not taking this matter seriously and with a sigh he concedes to her conditions. "Right... no more practical jokes... on you, but McGeek and the other probies are still fair game."

"McGee and the other probies will have to deal with you on that issue... after all you are the senior field agent. And as such you set an example for the young agents to follow, right? They do look to you for guidance, so I'm sure you'd want them to learn from the best." She takes a sip of her wine and hesitates to allow her point to sink in. "I mean, just like we did. You and I... learned from... Gibbs."

She sees him stiffen slightly at her admission that she learned the job from Gibbs, but then he couldn't really say Kate had ever been a probationary agent. She came to them as a seasoned, highly trained federal agent with the Secret Service and he knew she probably knew more than he did. That was one of the things that intimidated him about her... and he'd used his jokes to cover that insecurity. He gives her his best smile as his head tilts to the side and he slides the conversation onto a more personal level.

"Since we're being honest here... I gotta tell you, Kate, I..."

He stops in midsentence as the sound of the front door opening and closing startles him. He looks towards the front hallway in time to see his boss, Leroy Jethro Gibbs walking into the kitchen with two brown paper bags in his arms and a bottle of wine in one hand. He casually walks over to the counter to set the two bags down. With his hands free, he now turns back to DiNozzo and casually slaps him on the back. "Hey, DiNozzo... glad you could make it."

Kate doesn't seem at all surprised to see him there as she puts her hands on her hips and scolds, "You're late."

"You know how many stores I had to hit to find that fancy cheese you wanted?" He pulls it out of one of the bags and hands it to her as he leans casually against the counter in front of the bags.

She sets the package on the counter and ignores Tony's stunned expression as his eyes dart from her to Gibbs and back again. She steps around him to peek into the bags behind Gibbs. "And where else did you stop? Ooohhh...!"

Gibbs bumps her shoulder with his as she leans around him to peer into the bag. She steps back with a grin, having seen her favorite dessert in the bag. Gibbs slides over, blocking her view as he motions towards the stove, "You just concentrate on dinner. That's for later."

Tony feels like he's just dropped into some strange world where he is an unseen ghost watching real people in their real lives, but these are not just real people... this is Kate and Gibbs! They were acting like a couple... like they're used to spending time together away from work... and they were doing it right in front of him! Tony is snapped out of his shocked silence by his boss.

"How long you been here?"

"Ahh, umm... not long, boss." His nervous answer tells them he is at a loss as to how to deal with the situation presented before him.

He had never in his wildest imagination thought Gibbs and Kate could be friends away from work. Kate, in his mind, had always been on a sort of pedestal. Her personal life was a mystery and she only hung out with the elite movers and shakers in D.C. So, why was Gibbs here? Maybe she had just invited him for dinner too... but earlier, she'd made it sound like she wanted him alone... so they could talk. Tony's mind is racing as he tries to analyze the information and suddenly his eyes dart over to Gibbs, then drop to the key ring on his belt... how did he get into her apartment?

"Tony, its Gibbs or Jethro... we're not at work?" His smile is casual as he grabs Kate's wine glass and take a healthy sip from it.

He follows Gibbs' every move as one thing becomes apparent. He must have a key. And if he had a key that meant he came here often. He obviously felt at home here and the fact that he was casually sharing Kate's wine with her indicated they were pretty comfortable with each other. Kate hadn't actually suggested anything other than dinner and they would talk when she invited him... but he'd just assumed... hadn't she indicated she was interested in him? Their exchange from earlier today scrolls through his mind now, trying to decipher what she said and what he thought she meant by that. Was this what she wanted to tell him, that she was already involved with their boss?

"Hey... get your own!" She playfully slaps his shoulder and takes her glass back from him to finish its contents herself.

Seeing Gibbs smile playfully at her puts Tony on edge since he rarely ever saw his boss so relaxed or friendly. Sure, he'd been to Gibbs' house before, but even then Gibbs had seemed serious all the time. He tries to cover his unease at being in this surrealistic situation by stepping back to his original position by the kitchen island and laughing nervously. "I'd be careful if I were you, Kate... he's been known to give head slaps for less."

Gibbs is moving towards the second bottle of wine with the cork screw in his hand when he chuckles at DiNozzo's comment and corrects him, "Naw... I don't slap her head..." His hand snaps out to swat her ass as he passes by, "Do I, Kate?"

She yelps and jumps at his playful swat, but tries to look insulted as she glares at him. He ignores it and proceeds to open the bottle of wine before refilling her glass and getting one for himself. When he turns to Tony, he sees him downing his own glass of wine in one large gulp. Obviously shaken to see his boss laying claim to her ass when he'd been thinking about doing the same thing only moments before he walked in. Gibbs holds up the bottle and tony extends his glass for him to refill it, trying to ignore the way Tony's hand was shaking. Kate hides a smile and points to the stack of plates sitting on the counter before returning to her dinner preparations. Gibbs sighs and grabs the plates as he motions for Tony to grab the glasses and silverware and follow him out onto the patio where they plan to have dinner.

Once outside there is a tense silence between the two men and Gibbs busies himself setting the table as he gives Tony time to come to terms with it all. He'd been a little nervous himself about having anyone find out, but in the long run he knew it had to happen soon. This evening would be worth it if they could put Tony in his place once and for all, but right now he wasn't sure how Kate's plan would turn out.

Tony on the other hand is feeling like a rabbit being wheeled into some mad scientist's lab for more bizarre experiments. He recalls where his thoughts had been going only moments before Gibbs walked in and feels the redness moving up his throat. What would Gibbs have done if he'd actually been putting a move on Kate when he walked in? For that matter... what would Kate have done? He wasn't at all sure why she asked him here tonight and he wonders if he should just leave now. Before he can get the courage up to tell them he's leaving, Gibbs goes back inside. When he returns, he is carrying both of their wine glasses and hands one to his young field agent.

They both take healthy sips of the liquor as their eyes meet over the rims. Tony gets the impression he is being examined under a microscope and is just about to say he is leaving when Gibbs reaches over to place a hand on his shoulder. "Tony... glad you could make it. Should have done this sooner. Kate's one hell of a good cook. You're really gonna enjoy this."

"Yeah... aahh, about that... I mean Kate... you... here. Maybe I should go..."

"Why? You feeling a bit uncomfortable, Tony?" Gibbs can see the panic in the younger man as his eyes bore into him; leaving no doubt that he knew what Tony had in mind when he came here.

"Yeah... no... I don't know, Gibbs... I mean... Kate asked me here... but... you about ripped my lungs out the last time I..."

"The last time you what? Talked shit about my girl? Ogled her ass in front of half the division? Embarrassed her in front of all your co-workers for the millionth time?" Gibbs' grip Tony's shoulder tightens, pressing his point as he holds his gaze with deadly seriousness.

Tony feels his neck turning redder and drops his eyes to the deck. He sighs heavily and nods as he acknowledges the truth in Gibbs' statement. He clears his throat and sets his wine glass down, "Yeah, I should definitely go."

Gibbs keeps him rooted to the spot with his hand on his shoulder, realizing that it finally sunk into his thick skull. He lowers his voice to a more fatherly tone and relaxes his grip as he doles out some good advice. "Rule number one, DiNozzo... simple respect... for your co-workers, for the people we investigate... but especially for women. You said some pretty raunchy shit about Kate..."

"And... you said it where everyone could hear you... including me!" Kate's appearance with a large bowl of pasta has Tony's neck turning as red as the sauce. She sets the bowl down and comes to stand directly in front of him. She pokes him in the chest and when Tony dares to look up she is grinning, "But seeing Gibbs throw you down... all caveman like... that was hot as hell, I gotta tell ya."

"Hot? That's not really how I remember it." Tony's face is comical as he grimaces at the painful memory of Gibbs kneeling on his throat. Kate just laughs and pats his arm before turning back to give Gibbs a light peck on the cheek. She goes back inside to get the other dishes for their meal. When Tony looks up again, his eyes meet the blue steel of his boss and he finally understands.

"Sorry, boss... I..."

"Don't apologize to me... just take this as a wakeup call and get your mind back where it belongs. If it was up to me, I would have ripped your lungs out a long time ago... but Kate wanted to handle this. Now, have a seat... you're not gonna believe how good Kate's Pasta Bolognese is."

"Yeah... okay... so, this is gonna be an evening to remember." Tony picks up his wine glass and takes another healthy swig; feeling like he just aged ten years in the past two minutes.

Over dinner, Tony tries to pretend that none of this bothers him, but inside he still can't believe that Gibbs and Kate are dating. He even hesitates to call it dating... maybe it was more than that. He just found out they have some sort of personal relationship away from work... Gibbs called her 'his girl' and now, sitting here, holding hands and exchanging those 'lovers glances' leaves him with no doubt.

"So, how long has this thing been going on with you two?" His eyes dart from one to the other as they share a secret look.

"A while now." Gibbs was enigmatic as usual, since he wasn't exactly chatty when it came to his personal life.

"What? A week? A month?"

"More like five months, Tony." Kate smiles happily.

"Five months... that's like almost half a year. Wow, this is serious!"

"Its gonna get even more serious as soon as Kate's lease here is up. She's moving in with me at the house."

"Your house? I mean... well, yeah, it would be at your house. I didn't mean that, I meant... your house?" Tony is clearly worried about this decision as he envisions Gibbs' bachelor lifestyle. Gibbs gives him a glare, which has Tony hurrying to explain his skepticism. "I've never seen Gibbs set a table... or eat at one for that matter. It's usually pizza boxes in his basement or steaks grilled in his fireplace in the living room. Not exactly the elegant lifestyle you lead here, Kate."

"Oh, don't worry, I know... and he still does that. It's just that tonight we were having you over..."

"To humiliate me..." Tony raises his glass in a toast to show they had been successful in their mission. He drains his glass again, trying to regain his normal easy-going confidence, which seems to have deserted him tonight.

"No, Tony... that was not our intent. I... we just wanted to show you that..." She hesitates, looking for the right word, but Gibbs finishes the sentence for her.

"You've been out of college for eight years... it's time to drop the frat boy act and start acting like a man."

There is a long silence around the table as they sit in the darkness, lit only by the candle on the table. Kate looks from Tony to Jethro with a worried glance, wondering if they were too harsh on him. Gibbs just gives her hand a gentle pat as they wait for Tony to respond.

"Okay... point taken. And as my first grown up act, I am going to clear the table. You two just sit here and enjoy the evening."

He gets up and loads up his hands with dishes before they can object and heads inside. Kate starts to get up, but again Gibbs hand covers her hand as he shakes his head. She settles back into her chair and they sit there quietly sipping wine as DiNozzo makes a couple more trips to bring in all of the dinner dishes. As he is returning to join them, he stops in the doorway when he sees them kissing. Normally he would have backed up and given them their moment, but with his alcohol induced bravado, he steps out onto the patio with one of his usual wise-crack comments.

"Oh, okay... I see you started on dessert without me! Good thing I brought my own."

He sits back down and sets the dessert box, several forks and a bottle of bourbon he found in the cupboard on the table. Gibbs is slow to release her, even as she tries to break the kiss; holding her for one last caress. When he lets her go, their eyes meet and he sees the sparkle of excitement in her eyes. He expected her to be embarrassed at having Tony see them kissing, but instead it turned her on. He winks at her and settles back into his seat as he turns his attention to their guest. Kate feels a shiver run down her spine when her eyes meet Tony's across the table. Gibbs just smiles and reaches out to open the bottle and pour them each a healthy shot of the strong liquor. Then he raises his glass and proposes a toast. "To friends..."

They sit around talking and drinking and the conversation moves from work to personal matters, but now that the matter of Tony's behavior has been settled, they are back to being comfortable friends again. It is almost midnight when Tony finally shoves his glass away and tries to stand up. He staggers a bit at first, but then manages to stand with only a slight swaying motion.

"Ogay, I'm done... gonna go home... 'afore I pass out." He starts to head for the door, but as he staggers again he almost falls and Gibbs is quickly out of his chair to catch him.

"No you don't. You can crash here tonight... sleep it off." Gibbs loops Tony's arm around his shoulders to support him as he looks to Kate for confirmation.

"Noooo... I'm good, boss... really..." Tony is leaning heavily on Gibbs as he is guided inside with Kate right behind them. They head towards the guest bedroom at the end of the hall.

"Tony, you're staying here." Kate strips back the quilt as she agrees that Tony is in no condition to drive. Gibbs lowers his dead weight down on the bed then grabs his black polo shirt and yanks it off over his head, leaving him in only his t-shirt. Kate grabs each leg in turn to remove his shoes while Gibbs strips his belt and undoes his pants before tugging them off too. She tosses them on the chair with his shirt while Gibbs lifts his legs up on the bed.

Tony's eyes are closed and they though he was out cold, but he is still semi-awake enough to limply wave one hand at them and jokingly slur, "Ahh 'yight... nigh, mom... nigh dad..."

Gibbs has a sudden urge to head slap him, but just shakes his head and turns out the light. He leads Kate out into the hallway and closes the door partially behind them.