"You're quiet." Kate stated taking the elbow that Gibbs offered as they walked from the building to the coffee kiosk in front lawn of NCIS headquarters, seeing his eyebrow raised Kate couldn't help but chuckle adding "More then usual, is it the case?"
He was puzzled about the case but it was her conversation with Abby that had him thinking at the moment, Gibbs simply nodded, Kate didn't need to know until he figured it out. "Tony's tracking down the arrow, McGee is looking to see if there's any similar cases in the area, Ziva's checking shooting ranges."
"Abby's running everything she can, and Ducky has the body." Kate added knowing that what she said was true. "So all you can do is wait and go over the evidence again and see if there's something that was missed." Kate knew that's exactly what they were doing.
"Yea." Gibbs nodded watching Kate order coffees for the team, Abby was still working on the Caf-Pow Gibbs had gotten her earlier.
"Remember to eat." Kate said taking the tray with a smile, she'd tried to pay but Gibbs had already taken care of it, he nodded.
Gibbs looked up from the file in his hand when he heard Kate's lilting "Lunch." Tony and McGee practically leapt from their desks, Kate chuckled putting the bags down on Ziva's desk before Ned, who was behind her, put down a convenience store bag. Pulling out foil wrapped sandwiches Kate handed each of them one and container of fries or onion rings, dipping sauces and napkins, she'd gotten them each their preferred lunch from the sandwich shop.
"Thanks Kate."
"Yea thanks Kate." Tony nodded.
"You're welcome." Kate nodded handing Ned food as well.
"Thank you Agent Todd."
"It's Kate and, no thank you for helping me with a food run." Kate shook her head giving the younger man a smile adding with a nod towards the bag he had sat down. "Don't forget your drink."
"Oh right, thank you." Smiling he took his food and drink and headed to the elevator.
Once the boys moved she felt Gibbs standing right behind her "Barbecue sandwich, onion rings, ranch." she held up his lunch.
He murmured "Thanks Katie." just loud enough for her and Ziva to hear before taking his lunch and returning to his desk.
Smirking Ziva accepted the canned drink from the slightly older woman, Kate rolled her eyes amused, Gibbs kept his hands to himself when they were in the office but he had slowly fallen back to his original behavior when Kate had first arrived.
Watching from her perch on the mezzanine Jenny nodded, Kate would always take care of team Gibbs, even if she was no longer strictly team Gibbs herself, she had an idea of where the younger woman was going when she headed to the elevators with the remaining bags of food and drinks. Jenny would bet money it was to Ducky and Abby.
"Director, you have a phone call."
Turning Jenny nodded at her secretary Cynthia, "Let me guess, Director David." Jenny said wryly.
Hearing the knock Ducky couldn't help but chuckle at the arm that shot through the door, "You may come in Caitlin, he has been put away for the moment and the findings have been sent to the lab."
Kate smiled stepping in. "I brought lunch, I know you're busy with more than just our case." Kate sat the bags on his desk. Ducky smiled not bothering to correct her use of 'our case', "I heard Cassie has you looking into things too."
"Yes and that gentleman will be arriving shortly." Ducky nodded.
"Well I brought you fish and chips from the place you like." Kate dug out the take out box holding it out, he could see the white slightly sticking out from the box, he could tell by the size she'd gotten him the full fish and chips meal with all the classic sides.
"I will take you to lunch next week to repay you my dear." Ducky insisted taking the box and sitting at his desk, smiling she handed him the bottled water and napkins,
"You know you don't have to Ducky."
"Nonsense, what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't repay a young woman's kindness?"
"Always the gentlemen." leaning down Kate kissed the top of his head.
Her big silver table covered Kate headed to Abby's actual office, she knew Abby was in one of the other departments under her control, the Goth tended to work on the things Gibbs needed personally while she let the others run evidence for the rest of the teams. Pulling out the wraps she'd gotten for herself and the Goth she took the spare rolling desk chair that Abby had taken to keeping in the office for her. Working through lunches was easier when it was with a friend. She was almost finished going through her files although she had another week, her next step was to watch those that she'd picked while they dealt with suspects.
"Hey, hi." Abby grinned seeing Kate tucked away in the corner of the office. "I knew you'd be down here when Dorney brought the box." Abby gestured to the file box that Kate was digging through.
"It was this or we'd be on the phone, I want to bounce some names off you, you'd know best if they're team players." Kate said before unwrapping her lunch.
"So if they're jerks." Abby chuckled dropping down in her own desk chair, Kate smirked, quickly punching in her password Abby quickly opened multiple tabs before settling in her chair. Kate had no idea what they were for but assumed they were going to let Abby know when her tests were complete on the multiple things she was running.
"If they can't deal with you being in charge down here how well would they do with me as their boss?" Kate asked seriously.
"Yea but Kate you were Secret Service, the FBI wants you for their team...to them I'm just a kid." Abby shook her head in disbelief.
"Still a boys club Abs, just because we know our boys respect us doesn't mean the others do." Kate shook her head too.
"Do you trust any of them?" Abby asked.
"Ned." Kate nodded.
"Did he put his name in for that?" Abby hadn't remembered seeing his name on the list that Kate had originally compiled.
"No, but with proper training he could be good, maybe one of the best, he just lacks confidence." her curiosity getting the better of her Kate had used her security clearance to read his full file, she knew his history and why he didn't talk a lot about his past. "I know he has it in him, I'm taking him from the evidence locker, if I can't get him in the classes then he'll be by my side and start learning the old fashion way, watching." Kate's team was only going to consists of five agents herself included but Jenny had okayed a secretary or assistant so Kate was going to use that to her advantage.
"Hey Duck." Gibbs wasn't surprised to see the older man walking outside, sometimes he would take a brisk walk after lunch.
"Jethro." Ducky slowed his walk to match with Gibbs's slow stroll, when Gibbs walked without saying anything else Ducky knew he wanted to talk so he lead him to a bench where they would be able to spot anyone coming close. Talk to me boy." Ducky said then waited as he could see Gibbs was trying to figure out what to say.
"I overheard a conversation between Kate and Abby."
"Jethro." Ducky chided then realized Gibbs had dropped his head. "What did you hear, is something wrong with Abigail or Caitlin?" the doctor asked concerned.
Shaking his head Gibbs straightened up "I asked her to move in with me, she said yes."
"I don't understand, did she change her mind?" Ducky pushed, sometimes he hated going at Gibbs's pace.
"No," Gibbs shook his head "Abby asked if she was pregnant, she says she's not." Gibbs said quickly not wanting to raise the older man's hopes. "She told Abby that if she had to choose she would choose me over having kids." frowning Gibbs stood up "I can't do that to her Ducky, she loves kids and I love her and I want to give her everything... but do you think I'm ready for something like that?"
Ducky sighed "Only you can know that Jethro, you're going to have to dig deep and see what your heart says, you know she will never replace Shannon and another child will never replace Kelly. Wouldn't they want you happy?" Gibbs nodded, Shannon and Kelly would have liked Kate. "You need to find your answer and talk to Caitlin, the sooner the better Jethro." Gibbs nodded.
Stuck waiting for evidence results and information Gibbs used his time to think about Kate and what he was going to do, he knew he needed to talk to her but he wasn't sure of what he wanted to say. No one questioned when Gibbs left the bullpen, they could see he was heavily in thought and knew if he wanted them to know where he was going he would tell them.
"Hey Duck man."
"Abigail." Ducky nodded before returning his attention to the body on the table. "I have not finished with this fellow so your visit is premature."
"Oh it's not about me Ducky, it's Kate." Abby chirped.
"What has happened?" Ducky was ready to leave Jimmy with the body.
"Nothing." Abby shook her head "She'd going through files and would like your opinion on the people she's looking into."
Relaxing Ducky scoffed "And why would Caitlin need my help, she is very capable at picking her team."
"She has candidates," Abby agreed "she's says they're skilled," Abby dropped herself into Ducky's chair "but I think she wants to know if they work well with you, because she asked if they were nice to me."
"Ah." Ducky nodded, Kate was in her own way making sure her people would work well with others and not be butting heads. "I understand, but why are you here?"
"Oh, she said she wanted to talk over lunch tomorrow if you were free." Abby explained.
"You tell her of course my dear, and remind her it is my turn to pay." nodding Abby spun in Ducky's chair. "What is on your mind?"
"She says he asked her to move in." Ducky knew who Abby was talking about so he simply let her continue "She said yes, she said they were taking it slow but she tells him yes to moving in, I don't understand Ducky."
"It's love Abigail, you know our Caitlin isn't one to jump into a situation without thinking it through nor is Gibbs."
"I just worry that they'll hurt each other, I ship it Ducky but Boss Man's got baggage and I don't think it's fair that Kate may have to carry it."
"I am sure whatever you are concerned about is already a topic of conversation, or will be in the near future." Ducky added when he saw the young Goth open her mouth.