I apologize for the delay, I was dealing with a few issues medical and otherwise, things have become less hectic/stressful and so I've been able to write. Thank you for understanding.
She'd went home first and changed before heading to Gibbs so she could tell him what the Director said, parking in his drive way she headed for the front door, shaking her head when the knob twisted in her hand despite everything that had happened the last 6 months. Closing the door behind her she headed for the basement, she knew he would be down there. Standing at the top of the steps she watched him for a minute, she wasn't the only one that had almost been 'lost' as Gibbs had said. If Ziva hadn't been hiding out then Mikal Rivken would have killed Gibbs in his own basement, Kate was one of the only ones that knew the truth and she only knew because she'd gotten in a yelling match about it with Gibbs her first day out of the hospital.
Turning from the work bench Gibbs held a coffee cup up to Kate. "Talk here or?" he nodded upstairs.
"Down here's fine." Kate said walking down to him. "First she asked about all the rumors about you and I..."
"Not her business." Gibbs grumbled.
"I agree, and told her that despite it being no one's business that you and I have never slept together nor have we ever been in a relationship." Kate took a sip of what she knew was going to be bourbon. "She then asked if I was sleeping with Tony," Kate blanched at the thought "when I told her no, she asked why I never turned Tony into HR for all of his inappropriate behavior." Gibbs rolled his eyes dusting off the stool for Kate. "At that point I was going to walk out of the office but she stopped me and apologized." Taking a seat Kate put the cup down, "I told her how I deal with my friends being idiots is up to me as is who I sleep with since there are no official rules against it."
"How'd she take that?" Gibbs chuckled.
"She laughed and offered me a drink." Kate shook her head. "She also asked me how you'd feel having Ziva on the team considering she's Mossad and Deputy Director David's daughter."
"She's more than proved herself to me." Gibbs shook his head glancing at the spot where Mikal had fallen "She's impulsive but I can work with that, but that's not gonna stop me from messing with the Director."
They heard the car, Tony's mustang was very distinct.
Kate's car was parked on the street, she had nothing to hide, she was there talking about her promotion with Gibbs, she was sitting cross legged on a pillow on the work bench with a coffee cup and sketch pad. Dumping out a jar with nails Gibbs wiped it clean pouring a bit of bourbon in it he put it on the end of the work bench away from Kate before returning to his measuring and marking.
Getting out of the car Tony trudged into Gibbs house full knowing the front door would be open and his boss would be in the basement. Already three times divorced Gibbs was not the best person to come to for advice on women but he was the best to go to if you wanted to vent and figure things out on your own, he would always listen. "Hey Boss...K...Kate." Tony froze at the top of the steps.
"Tony." she nodded taking a sip from her cup, Gibbs nodded.
"Am I interrupting?" Tony thumbed over his shoulder, he didn't know what he interrupted but they were looking cozy. "I can go."
"It's fine Tony, unless you need to speak privately," Kate said pointing "then I can go."
"No." Tony shook his head, Kate had good advice. "Just..." letting Tony go at his own pace Kate and Gibbs continued doing what they were doing which was nothing really. "Big surprise, we broke up again ." he picked the jar up taking a sip. "Boss I don't get it, we have fun." Tony dropped to the stool sighing.
"Just the wrong girl." Kate offered.
"What do I do until the right one comes along?" Tony asked then chuckled when Gibbs handed him the other side of the tape measure. They spent an hour listening to Tony all the while Gibbs made Tony help him measure, mark and cut the boards. "Boss what are we making?"
"Porch swing for Abby."
"Uh Boss, Abby doesn't have a porch." Tony glanced back at Gibbs.
"Habitat for Humanity, she asked me to build it for the house she's working on."
"Oh." he nodded. "So why do I gotta help with this and all Kate has to do it draw stuff?"
"Because I'm good at what I do." Kate showed Tony the picture which turned out to be a sketch of the house that Abby was working on with the stylized phrase 'Home Sweet Home' across the top.
"Show off." Tony muttered.
Kate was early, she and Gibbs had come off of the elevator together and laughing, Jenny watched them put their gear behind their desks and go back to the elevator Caf-pows and coffees in hand.
No music, Kate peaked in Abby's lab to find the Goth resting her head on the table, smirking Kate shook her head cheerfully and loudly greeting the Goth "Good morning Abby!" Abby groaned. "Should have waited for the weekend."
Abby looked up glaring at Kate, hair and make up perfect Kate was wide awake and smiling, and then there was Gibbs by the door holding a second Caf-pow "Why does 8 am have to be so early?"
"I warned you about late night parties." Gibbs chuckled. "See ya upstairs Katie."
"Ten minutes Gibbs." she promise.
"How was your date?"
"Date?" Kate asked confused.
"Date, the reason you ducked out on me."
"Oh." Glancing back at Gibbs's butt Kate smirked answering Abby "Dinner." she wasn't going to tell Abby that her 'date' had been with Gibbs and they were talking about her promotion.
"Obvious y not serious if you still look at Gibbs like that." Abby muttered pointing at the door as she dropped her head back on her arms. "Out!"
Jenny watched Tony grinning and loudly singing with his Ipod as he stepped off the elevator "Good morning." Kate grinned back, something was up even Gibbs was amused.
"Nice night?" Ziva asked curiously.
"Nope, but this morning was great." Tony grinned.
"You and …." Ziva couldn't remember her name.
"Naw we broke up, but I ran into the waitress from the other day at the coffee shop and she gave me her number." he broadly smiled dropping into his seat.
'How much coffee have you had?' Tony glanced over his monitor at Kate after reading her message.
'Four.' he smirked. 'You?'
'This is my first.' she chuckled.
'Gibbs help you figure your thing out too?'
'Yes, I'll tell you later.'
Jenny stood on the landing looking at Gibbs "Special Agent Gibbs may I see you in my office?" resting her hands on the rail she added "We just need to have a talk about your team."
Gibbs shook his head going up the stairs, taking the Director by her elbow he whispered "We need to talk about you poking your nose into my personal business."
"So it is going to be personal business." Jenny smirked letting him lead her to her office.
An I.M. popped up on Kate's computer again from Tony' Trouble?'
Ziva had sent her a text message as well 'Something is wrong, yes?'
'Gibbs will let us know.' she sent back to both of them, Tony was senior agent but as the profiler they knew Kate could spot a problem, but then Kate already knew what was going on, Gibbs was going to tell the Director they were going to start dating once Kate was transferred, Kate had already mentioned it to her but the Director wanted to hear it from Gibbs as well.
Tony kept a watch on the time but it was Kate that called out "That's lunch." when she saw Ducky walk into the bull pen. Grabbing her weapon, purse and suit jacket she stood up smiling she'd promised Ducky she'd go to lunch with him, she knew the Scotsman wanted to talk about Gibbs. Taking the elbow he offered Kate walked with him to the elevator.
"Let's have a chat my dear." Ducky pushed Kate's seat in before taking his own, she knew she would have a talk with Ducky sooner or later about Gibbs and her new position at NCIS.
"If I promise not to shoot him can we move to the other topic?" Kate gave Ducky a cheeky smile causing his to chuckle.
"I just ask that you be patient with him," Ducky covered one of her hands with his "not that you two haven't already been patient, but I fear more will come up as your relationship moves ahead."
"We're taking it slow," Kate promised, Ducky didn't need to know that both she and Gibbs had read each others files and knew more facts about each other than most people. "we both have pasts and I'm sure something from both of them will come up in time, like they do in any relationship."
"You are good for each other Caitlin, I just worry for your stubbornness, you are both rather hard headed." Ducky admitted, Kate nodded knowing they both could be "You are very passionate about what you care about, the both of you and very protective, this can be both good and bad." Ducky glanced towards Kate's ribs, she knew he meant her jumping in front of the bullet for Gibbs.
"I know Ducky and I've taken steps to solve that." Kate nodded "I was offered a promotion, my own team, of profilers."
"Profilers...oh." Ducky remembered the memo.
"Yes, no more out in the field where I may get put in danger, no need for him to worry if I'm partnered with Tony or Tim." Kate said as their waiter began to walk over to them.
"You two have put some thought into this." Ducky nodded before smiling at the waiter. Both ordering a chef salad and tea they continued their conversation. "Now about Jennifer..." Kate laughed.
"No worry Ducky the Director and I have already spoken about Gibbs."
"Oh...ooh." Ducky chuckled.
"She knows my reasoning for taking the promotion, she was actually worried Gibbs was going to fight my leaving the team so my asking to leave settled that." Kate explained only a small part of her conversation then nodded to the busboy that brought their drinks "Thank you."
"So when are we telling the others?" Ducky asked.
"Soon." Kate smiled, "I have a week to get my things in order before she moves me upstairs to my own office." taking a sip Kate added "If I tell them about the promotion this week Abby and Tony will try to drag me to a bar or club to celebrate and Abby will ask about Gibbs."