Not going to lie, writing this chapter was a challenge! I wanted to make sure I played this right.

Here we go! Chapter 9! Enjoy! :-)

If it hasn't already been established, I DO NOT own NCIS or anything related to it.

The next morning, Arissa returned to NCIS with Kate and Tony. Gibbs made provisions for Arissa to come to work with them during her stay and with all their cases closed; each team member had plenty of time to entertain the little girl during the day. That afternoon, Gibbs offered to take Arissa out to lunch so Tony and Kate could take trip back to the Moreland residence. While they did have a few things for Arissa, it wasn't enough to get her through her stay with them.

"Wow! What's with the Pepto Bismol pink?" exclaimed Tony as he entered into Arissa's old room.

"She's a little girl, Tony!" replied Kate.

"Still no excuse to have a room painted this color!" said Tony as he made a disgusted face.

"What if our daughter wants her room painted pink, you wouldn't let her?"

"That would never happen, Kate?"

"Why not?"

"Because boys don't like pink!"

Kate laughed to herself as she began to pack up some of Arissa's things to take with them. An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Tony let out a loud sigh.

"Is there something you want to talk about, Tony?" asked Kate.

"Nothing. Just thinking," said Tony as he roamed around the room.

"DiNozzo thinking? Could be dangerous!"

"You really don't see us as being together?"

The question stopped Kate in her tracks.

"Are you still on that, Tony?"

"I want to know, Kate? After all we've been through these past few months, you still only see us as friends?"

Kate sighed. "Yes, Tony. I still only see us as friends."

"Why?"

"Tony, one day we are just coworkers, the next we are sleeping together and now I'm carrying your child! It's a lot in a short period of time!"

"Right, but we made adjustments. We spend more time together, you started staying at my place more, and I even gave you the key to my apartment. I thought that doing all that meant that we were working on a relationship?"

"Yeah, for the sake of the baby."

"And for us? You make it seem like the only reason I'm only with you is because of the baby?"

"You want to do the right thing, Tony, and I appreciate that."

"Kate, if I wanted to do the right thing I would just write you a check once a month and be done with it. I'm doing all of this because I love you and I want to be with you!"

His words hit Kate like a bullet.

"What?" whispered Kate, the only word she could seem to form.

"I said I love you, Kate," repeated Tony.

Kate was silent. Her mouth moved but nothing came out. Did Anthony DiNozzo really just say he loved her?

"Well aren't you going to say something?" asked Tony.

"I like you, too?" replied Kate, still in shock.

"You like me too? That's it? Six years and all I get is I like you?"

"I really like you?"

The ride back to NCIS was silent. Neither really wanted to talk about what just happened. The rest of the day, things were awkward between Tony and Kate. Tony was having a hard time coming to terms with their conversation and Kate could feel it. Everyone could feel it.

Arissa was downstairs with Abby while Kate and Gibbs conferenced with SecNav in MTAC. Tony and McGee sat alone in the Bullpen as Tony sat at his desk tapping his pencil, repeatedly.

"Tony!" shouted McGee, annoyed by Tony's pencil tapping. "You want to stop? I'm trying to get some work done here!"

"Sorry," said Tony as he put the pencil down allowing silent to creep back into the room.

The tapping of Tony's foot on the floor broke that silence.

"Is there something you want to talk about, Tony?" asked McGee, trying to keep hold of his sanity.

"With you? No."

"Then would you mind? I'm trying to finish up this paperwork and the noise is distracting."

"My apologies."

Tony watched silently as McGee turned his attention back to the pile of papers on his desk.

"You're a guy, right Probie?" asked Tony.

"Yes, Tony. Last time I checked I am a guy," replied McGee, annoyed.

"How would you feel as a guy, if you told a woman you loved her and she said she only liked you?"

"I guess I would be a bit embarrassed? Putting my emotions out there, only to be rejected."

"What if you were having a child with this woman and she told you that she only liked you and didn't see you two being together?"

"Are we talking about you and Kate?"

"I would never talk about my personal life with you, Probie. That's privileged information and you are not privileged. I'm speaking hypothetically."

"Well, it is possible to have a child with someone and not have feelings for them and as far as a relationships goes, sometimes labeling things only complicates the already existing relationship."

"That's very Redbook of you, Probie! So, what you're saying is that you would be okay with having a child with someone who doesn't love for you?"

"Not ideally, but if that's how she feels I guess I would have to deal with it."

Tony sat quietly.

"You should consider yourself lucky, Tony. At least Kate said she likes you!"

Later that night, Tony and Kate sat at their respective desks working silently.

"Tony, you're not still upset about early today?" asked Kate, trying to clear the air between them.

"No! It's cool," replied Tony, coldly.

"You sure, you're not upset?"

"I'm fine," said Tony, not even looking at her.

"It's 7 o'clock. You want to pick up some Chinese on the way home back to your place? Arissa is probably hungry."

"I got some things I need to finish up. You two go ahead. I'll catch a ride with Gibbs."

"We can order some food here…"

"No, you two head on bed. This is going to take a while. You need your rest."

Kate stared at Tony for a moment before getting her things together and heading to the elevator to get Arissa from Abby's lab. She could sense that he was upset but she left it alone, hoping that everything was in fact okay between them.

That night, Kate got Arissa fed, bathed and settled in on the couch without Tony. He had said he would be along later, so she attempted to stay up to wait for him. Time ticked on and there was no Tony. Before long Kate fell asleep.

The next morning, Kate rolled over to feel the chill of the other side of bed. Tony had not come back. Here it was morning and he still hadn't come back from the office. Kate reached for her cell phone and dialed Tony's number.

One ring, no answer. Two rings. No answer. Three rings, the phone clicks:

"You have reached Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo of NCIS, I'm not available right now so please leave a message and I will get in touch with you."

Kate let out a sigh as the tone beeped.

"Hey Tony, its Kate. You didn't come to the apartment and I'm just wondering where you are? Give me call, okay?" Kate hung up the phone.

At the office, Tony laid across his desk, a pool of drool forming around his mouth, dampening the papers that rested under his head. His phone buzzed as he reached over to see that he had one new message. The name KATE glowed brightly in his eyes. He threw the phone aside and removed the sheet of paper that was stuck to his face. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he grabbed his jacket and headed for the elevator.

Kate's stomach was in knots. Tony seemed pretty upset after their conversation the day before. Maybe that was his reason for not coming back last night? Did her not telling Tony that she loved him really mean that much? The flood of emotions had her racing towards the bathroom to vomit.

She emptied her stomach then rinsed her mouth out. She leaned back against the toilet waiting for the feeling of nausea to subside. Kate looked up to find Arissa standing in the doorway, looking at her.

"Where Nozzo, Kate?"

"He had some work to do," replied Kate, trying to conceal her worries.

"Nozzo at work?"

"Yeah."

Arissa walked into the bathroom and kneeled down next to Kate, placing her tiny hand on her stomach.

"Stop making Kate sick, baby. Nozzo not here to take care of her so you stop!"

Kate laughed to herself at Arissa's compassion.

"Come on, let's get you dressed!"

At the office, Kate and Arissa arrived in the Bullpen to find McGee working at his desk. To Kate's surprise, Tony's desk empty.

"Nozzo not at work, Kate!" said Arissa, also noticing Tony's absence.

"Where's Tony, Tim?" asked Kate.

"Gibbs said he called out sick but you knew that," said McGee, unknowingly.

"Yeah…I knew that!"

Kate could feel tears forming in her eyes as she felt a tiny tug on her arm.

"Kate, can I go see, Abby?" asked Arissa.

"Yeah," replied Kate in a shaky voice as she led Arissa to the elevator to go see Abby.

The music greeted Kate and Arissa at the door as the scientist worked diligently at the computer.

"Abby!" shouted Arissa as she ran and hugged Abby's leg.

"Hey Rissa!" exclaimed Abby as she turned down the music and picked up the little girl. "Wanna help me crack some codes?"

"Yeah!" said Arissa, as Abby sat her down on a stool next to her.

"Don't you think she's a little too young to be cracking codes, Abbs?" said Kate as she stood in the doorway.

"Never too young to start learning coding, Kate!" said Abby as she noticed the glassy look of Kate's eyes. "Aww, Kate? What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, just hormones," said Kate, fighting back tears.

"Come on, talk to Abby!" said Abby as she pulled Kate into her office.

"Wait! Are you going to leave Arissa with your coding program?"

"Oh, that's not a coding program, it's Minesweeper! Now, come on!"

Inside her office, Abby sat Kate down in her chair while she leaned against her desk.

"Abby, it's nothing, really."

"Nothing doesn't cause tears, now talk!"

Kate let out a sigh. "Tony didn't come home last night."

"What? Why?"

"He told me he loved me, Abby…"

"Oh my God! Really? What did you say? I want details!" exclaimed Abby, overly excited.

"I said I liked him."

"You like him?" replied Abby, confused. "You guys are having a baby together and you only like him?"

"I really like him?" Kate ran her hands over her eyes. "I don't know, Abby, I don't know I feel right now? Half the time, I can't even stand Tony let alone say I love him? He wants for there to be an "us" and I'm not sure if I'm ready for that?"

"I thought you guys were already an "us"? Cause that's what Tony told all the women in his phone when he called to tell them that you were having a baby with him to make them feel bad!"

"He would do something like that?"

"Why wouldn't you want to be in a relationship with Tony? I mean you guys are having a baby together? And it's a known fact that he adores you, Kate. He always has."

"I know, it's just I feel like things are moving so fast and I'm not sure what to make of all of it?" Kate leveled her head trying to hide the tears that were falling from her eyes. "You don't think I messed things up between us, do you?"

"Aww, of course not, Kate! It's okay! Everything will be okay," said Abby as she pulled Kate into a hug.

Arissa ran into the room.

"Abby, I did it! I crack the code!" shouted Arissa before she noticed Kate crying at Abby's desk. "Why Kate crying, Abby?"

"She's just a little upset," replied Abby.

"Her sad cause Nozzo not here?"

"A little."

Arissa climbed into Kate's lap and wrapped her arms around Kate. "Don't cry, Kate. Nozzo come back, okay?"

Oh no, the drama! Tony loves Kate but Kate only likes Tony? Or does she? What do you think? As always reviews are welcomed! Update coming soon :-)