The drama continues…
Here we go! Chapter 10! Enjoy! :-)
I DO NOT own NCIS or anything related to it…Got it!
Tony walked into his apartment and headed straight for the shower. Standing underneath the water, he tried his hardest to come to terms with his emotions but was having no luck. He stepped out the shower and changed into a pair of sweats before collapsing on the couch. He picked up his phone and dialed.
"Gibbs," answered the voice on the other line.
"Hey Gibbs, it's Tony. I need to take another sick day," said Tony with sadness in his voice.
"Three days in row, DiNozzo? You okay?"
"Yeah, it's just a bug," said Tony as he faked a cough.
"Well, you be careful. Kate doesn't need to be catching anything from you right now."
"Trust me, I'm staying far away from her."
Tony was in fact staying far away from Kate. Since their conversation at Moreland's house, Tony had gone to great lengths to avoid Kate and the feelings of embarrassment and anger he felt after he said "I love you".
For the past three days, Tony had been spending the night at the office in order to avoid having to face Kate at the apartment. In the morning, he would call out sick, leaving the office around the same time he knew Kate would be leaving for work to miss running into her. He spent his days alone at the apartment, dodging all calls from the office and especially Kate, leaving in enough time to avoid running into her once she returned from work.
That night, Tony entered the elevator and pressed the button for the Bullpen.
"Hold the elevator!" yelled the too familiar voice.
Gibbs ran to catch the elevator. He entered the elevator and was surprised by the sight of Tony standing there.
"DiNozzo? I thought you were sick? What are you doing here?" asked Gibbs.
Tony hesitated. "I was feeling better so I thought I would come in and catch up on some work."
"It's eight o'clock at night?"
"You know me, Boss. I do my best work at night."
Gibbs took notice of Tony's appearance. Usually well put together in his designer clothes and shoes, tonight Tony wore a NIS sweatshirt with jeans and a dusty part of Chuck Taylors. His hair was stuck to his head and he made no effort to shave.
"You look like hell. You should go home, get some rest."
"I'm fine, Boss. Honestly."
The two rode the elevator silently until Gibbs hit the switch causing the elevator to come to a halt.
"Problem, Boss?"
"What's going on, Tony?"
"I don't know what you're talking about?"
Gibbs gave DiNozzo a stern look. "You're not sick are you?"
Tony focused his gaze forward. "No, I'm not."
"Then where have you been for the past three days?"
"I needed some personal time."
"Personal time?"
"Yeah, I've been feeling a little stressed out lately."
"Stressed out? Is Arissa too much for you? Because you can call Sharon and have her come get her?"
"No, Arissa is fine. It's Kate that's more of the problem."
"Kate?"
Tony let out a heavy sigh. "I told Kate that I love her."
"Okay?"
"And she didn't say it back."
"Is that why you haven't been at work?"
"She still sees us as friends! I thought that with the baby coming and everything, that we were past that point?"
"So you're avoiding Kate because you got your feelings hurt? Geez, DiNozzo, she's four months pregnant! Her hormones are all over the place and you want to go play Romeo?"
Tony lowered his head. "I really don't think it's wrong to want to know that the woman you are about to have a child with shares feelings for you! All she had to do was say I love you back!"
"Do you always say I love you back, Tony?"
Tony's mind jumped to his days with Jean. She told Tony she loved him but Tony wasn't ready to take that step in their relationship.
"No, I didn't. But that was different."
"How?"
"We weren't having a baby together. We we're only dating."
"You and Jean dated and you couldn't say I love you. You and Kate only slept together and you want her to say it to you?"
"I just thought…"
"Look Tony, if you think you and Kate are not having this baby in vain, you're not. Kate has feeling for you or else she wouldn't have let you guys get to this point. The problem is that things between you two are moving so fast that she has hardly had time to process it all. Just give the relationship time to define itself."
Gibbs gave Tony a moment to let what he said sink in before he hit the switch to start the elevator again.
"This is why we have rule 12, you know?"
"I know, Boss."
That night, Gibbs took Tony home with him and let him sleep on his sofa so he could clear his head. The next morning, Gibbs and Tony arrived at work to see that Kate hadn't made it in yet.
"Where's Kate, McGee?" asked Gibbs.
"She called out sick, Boss." replied McGee.
Tony and Gibbs looked at each other in concern.
"Anthony DiNozzo, where have you been? Kate has been worried sick about you and the baby isn't making things better! Not to mention the fact that Arissa is looking for you!" shouted Abby as she rushed into the Bullpen.
"Morning to you too, Abbs," replied Tony. "Have you heard from Kate?"
"She's been trying to call you but you won't pick up your phone! She's having a really hard time with her morning sickness. I was just about to head to your place to check on her and Arissa."
"I'll go. I need to talk to her anyway."
Tony turned to leave only to be stopped by Abby grabbing hold of his arm.
"You're not going to leave Kate are you? I mean, I know it hurt you that she didn't say I love you, Tony but I honestly think she does, she is just going through so much right now and…"
"Abby!"
"Sorry! I just really hate to see the two of you like this."
Tony took a second to collect his thoughts before he put his key into the lock and opened his apartment door. He entered the apartment just as Arissa was walking out of his bedroom.
"Nozzo! You back!" shouted Arissa as she ran and jumped into Tony's arms, hugging him tightly.
"Yeah, I'm back," replied Tony as he hugged Arissa. "How are you doing?"
"I okay! I miss you! Where did you go?"
"I had to be by myself for a while?"
"Why you want be by yourself? You no like me and Kate no more?"
"I course I like you guys," Tony laughed to himself at the young girl's inquisitiveness. "Where's Kate?"
"Kate in her room. She no feel good, Nozzo. I try to make her feel better but it no work. I think her sad cause you not here. She no like when you not here, Nozzo, and I no like it too," said Arissa as her sad hazel eyes stared at Tony.
"I know."
"You fix it, Nozzo? You make Kate feel better?"
"I'll try," said Tony as he settled Arissa on the sofa so she could watch cartoons while he went to check on Kate.
Kate walked out the bathroom wearing one of Tony's old Ohio State t-shirts, that was barely able to hide her baby bump, and a pair of shorts. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and from the look of her eyes, she hadn't slept in some time. Tony smile to himself, she never looked so cute.
"Wow, you look like crap!" said Tony, flashing a small smile as he walked into the bedroom.
"Tony?" replied Kate, surprised yet happy to see Tony.
"You didn't come to work this morning?"
"This damn morning sickness is on overdrive and my back has been killing me!" said Kate was she sat down on the bed.
Silence filled the air.
"Mind if I ask where you've been the past few days?" asked Kate, shyly.
"I needed some time to think," said Tony as he sat down beside her. "I had a lot on my mind."
"Tony, I..."
"Kate, I've been with a lot of women, and I mean a lot! But never before have I felt this way about any of them. I thought all the time we were spending together meant that you felt the same way, especially given the fact we are about to have a baby together but I guess I was wrong."
"Tony?"
"I meant it when I said it, Kate. I do love you and I want nothing more than for us to be together and raise this baby together. But if that's not what you want, I guess I can learn to deal with you only liking me. As long as I still get to have you in my life? Just know that I'm not going anywhere and neither are the feelings I have for you."
Kate was dumbfounded.
"I thought the only reason you were with me was because you feel guilty about the baby. When you said that you loved me, I just, I don't know?"
"It's okay, Kate."
"Despite my better judgment, Tony, you have grown on me. Being apart these past few days made me realize that I really do have feelings for you."
"So you do love me?"
"I can't say I love you right now, but maybe I can, eventually? That is if you still want to work at an "us"?"
"Do you want for there to be an us, Kate?"
Kate paused. "Yes, I do. I don't just want to rush into anything."
"I think we're well past the rush point, Kate," said Tony as he looked to Kate's stomach. "Just so we are clear. You're saying you want us to be together? Like as in a couple? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Dating?"
"Yes, Tony, I want us to be a couple."
Tony smiled as he hugged Kate, kissing the top of her head softly. He placed his hand on her belly.
"You hear that little guy? Me and your Mommy are together!"
Kate laughed.
"When it comes out a little girl, you are going to be upset."
"No, I won't! Cause it's a boy," laughed Tony, overjoyed with excitement. "Well, seeing as how we are taking things slow, I guess I should do this right?"
Tony walked over to the side table and pulled out a pen and pad. He scrabbled down something on the piece of paper before he tore off the paper, folded it in half and handed it to Kate.
"What is this?" asked Kate, as she unfolded the paper and read it. A smile crossed her face. "Kate, will you go out with me? Check yes or no? Seriously, Tony? God, what are we in high school?"
"I want to make sure this is official," said Tony as he handed Kate the pen.
Kate laughed to herself as she checked the yes box and handed Tony back the sheet of paper, making it official. Anthony DiNozzo and Caitlin Todd were a couple.
Kate still doesn't love Tony but at least they are going to try to work on a relationship. Will it work? What do you think? Reviews are welcomed and an update is coming soon :-)