Kate sighed leaning against the chain link cage, Gibbs had taken her to the batting cages because she mentioned her family reunion and that they always had a friendly game of baseball between the cousins, and Tony and Abby had tagged along dragging McGee with them. But Kate was watching Gibbs from the safety of her sunglasses, she watched him, his shoulders and hips set, the grip on the bat, she watched his every swing, his every move. And while the others were occupied she chanced a glance at his butt, his jeans tight enough to give her a decent view. "Think you can do it?" Gibbs asked, she nodded, stopping the pitching machine he opened the gate letting her in. Putting the helmet on her he moved her to the plate, he inhaled some kind of flowery scent.
"Just ignore them, it's just you and me." she murmured, his hands low on her hips he adjusted her stance before moving to her shoulders and then hands. She smirked. Body pressed to hers, hands over hands he took a few swings with her explaining when to take a swing and how to step into it for more power. Stepping out of the batter's box he hit the button. His attention on her butt and lower back as her hoodie rode up, her muscles hidden under the curves more pronounced as she swung, her pants hugging her butt and thighs as she took her stance. Within minutes she had near perfect stance and was hitting nearly everything sent her way by the pitching machine, it took the repeated crack of the bat to catch his attention to her actual batting. She was not barely hitting the ball, she was sending it flying and she wasn't missing a group just one every now and then.
"Done this before have we?" he stopped the machine.
"One or twice." she grinned mischievously handing him the bat before taking off the helmet and tossing it to Tony. "We Todd's are very competitive."
"Which brother?" Gibbs chuckled remembering she was the youngest of 5 with 3 older brothers and odds were in the small town they were from each brother had a sport.
"Just Mark, Danny played football and Brian ran track."
"What about your sister?" Tony called out pulling the helmet on.
"Cheerleader." she laughed when Tony took a swing and missed.
"And you?" Gibbs stood with her and leaned against the cage.
"Whatever they did." she shrugged dodging the answer "By the time I reached high school there wasn't a sporting record that wasn't held by a Todd, past or present."
"Small town curse." Gibbs nodded, Stillwater wasn't a large town either.
"Mmmm." she nodded in agreement "You?"
"Football."
"Quarterback." it wasn't a question, she just couldn't see him in any other position, he nodded.
"Did you play sports Timmy?" Tony asked as he hit the ball.
"More into computers." Abby reminded from under her sun umbrella before asking McGee "Is it a McGee thing?"
"My dad's into sports but no I liked finding out how things worked." McGee shrugged.
They continued to switch out, with McGee taking a couple turns as well, Gibbs correcting his stance and Kate hitting Tony when he picked on McGee, until deciding to break for lunch. After ordering everyone's burgers, BLT for Kate, and fries Tony leaned against the pick up window waiting "I think there's something going on." Tony eyed Gibbs and Kate who were already sitting at the table with Abby. "I mean she doesn't like us touching her, but Gibbs had his hands on some very 'no no' places."
"He was correcting her batting stance." McGee rolled his eyes.
"Did he have his hands on you when he corrected yours?" Tony asked already knowing the answer.
"Yea." McGee nodded reminding "He fixed my grip, my shoulders..."
"He didn't grab your hips Timmy." Tony rolled his eyes in frustration before straightening up at the sight of Gibbs. "I swear something's up." Tony muttered "Hey Boss, come to give us a hand?" Gibbs just nodded reaching for the BLT combo that had just been slid out before stacking the basket on top of one with a burger and and fries, grabbing the drink marked ice tea he left the boys with the rest. "See!" Tony harshly whispered "Just him and Kate's food."
"Because we can get the rest." McGee said tucking his bottled water in his pocket before stacking Abby's basket with his, grabbing the baskets and Abby's drink he headed for the table.
"I'm telling you McGoo, something's up."
Gibbs liked that they were all back together he liked seeing his little family happy because work reminded them of all the ugliness out in the world.
When his phone beeped Gibbs simply handed it to Kate he'd gotten used to handing her his phone when they were undercover, Abby was the only one that texted him and she was at the table with them, he never text her back but Kate had started trying to teach him how. Leaning into him Kate attempted to show him "Ducky say says hi, I think Jordan's teaching him how to text." he nodded.
"Ooh, that is so cute, I really like her." Abby smiled.
"Type what you want to say and hit reply" Kate explained and typed 'Hi Ducky' the phone beeped before she could hand it back she smirked at the 'Caitlin?'
"Busted." Abby laughed looking over Kate's shoulder.
Kate quickly typed 'Teaching Gibbs how to text' keeping Gibbs's phone in her hand she waited for a reply and was surprised at it's quickness laughing "I think Ducky has a phone with a keyboard." reading the message she handed the phone back to Gibbs "He says good luck."
"You'll need it." Tony said taking a bite of his hamburger.
"Finally." Kate said dropping down on her couch, the team hadn't left them alone since their return, they barely had a chance to talk about anything and hadn't' had a date yet.
Putting the unopened bottles of beer on the coasters on the table Gibbs pulled her into his arms, always a man of actions more than words "You smell nice." he nuzzled behind her ear.
"Present from Abby." leaning back against him she was still trying to watch the news, unlike him.
"Remind me to thank Abby." he murmured nipping at her neck.
"News." she shoved his chest.
"Yes it is." he glanced back at the television before returning to kissing her neck.
"I'm trying to watch." she shoved his chest again.
He pulled back eyeing her for a moment, she was watching him out the corner of her eye. She laughed as he tackled her to the cushions growling, he continued to growl and make other sniffing and snorting noises as he kissed and nipped her neck causing her to laugh more. He stopped when he heard the doorbell both trying to look in the direction of it, Kate getting her laughter under control. "Gonna get that?"
"Slightly stuck." she shoved his head. "You?"
"Kinda comfortable." He wiggled, she smacked his shoulder, he grinned playful biting her once more before climbing off of her. Fixing his shirt he peaked out the peak hole grinning back at her "Tony."
"And I look like I've been molested." getting up she hurried to the bathroom.
"Well I was trying." Gibbs grinned calling back over his shoulder running his fingers through his mussed hair before opening the door. "DiNozzo." he gruffed at Tony.
Tony looked at him suspect and hesitated "H…hi."
"What's up?" Gibbs gestured him inside before closing the door.
"Abby said game night." Tony headed for the couch. "Thought you'd be into your bourbon or the red head by now." Dropping down on the couch he glanced around before leering down the hall "Kate changing?", his head bouncing forward with a 'thwack' Tony grinned saying "Yes Boss, no talking about a possibly naked Kate." when his head bounced forward again Tony tried his best to stop grinning he loved poking at the whole Kate/Gibbs thing with a stick.
"Why are you here?" Kate asked coming back into the living room, her hair perfectly brushed.
"Abby said game night, she said here, so I am here." Tony explained pointing at the couch he was sitting on. Grabbing her phone Kate saw the missed texts from Abby, reading them, she sat away from Tony in her desk chair.
"No hot date." Kate asked putting her phone down.
"You remember last time I skipped game night?" Tony shook his head "Not happening again."
"Oh yea." Kate nodded laughing. "At least she gave you the voodu doll."
"How she get you here Boss?" Tony knew Abby asked Gibbs every time.
"Pizza and beer." Abby called walking in the door, she never knocked at Kate's. "Gibbs!" Abby smiled at the new addition to game night, McGee was momentarily startled by the sight of their boss but continued in the kitchen with the pizza and beer, Abby followed with the bags of chips and pretzels whispering "I can't believe he showed up." McGee nodded but said nothing. "Kate where's the stuff?"
"That's my cue to get the chips and cards." Kate pushed herself off the chair heading for the linen closet in the hall.
"I'm not saying Kate cheats Boss but she's very good at poker." Tony warned.
"Profiler DiNozzo, she reads people." Gibbs reminded grabbing the two beers and heading to the dinning room, claiming his and Kate's spots at the table.
Shrugging Tony dropped into his seat reaching behind his head for a piece of pizza only to get lightly kicked in the leg by Abby "No pizza at the table, you got pizza grease on the cards last time."
"Ow, fine." Getting up Tony stood by the counter wolfing down a couple pieces of pizza, putting the poker chips and cards on the table Kate joined the others in getting the bowls for the snacks that were allowed on the table. Gibbs opened the two beers taking a drink of his, they were like his family, they weren't replacements for the ones he'd lost but they were family.