The next chapter will be longer
Gathering the things she was going to make for dinner because she was home first Kate she started the rice before grabbing cauliflower and broccoli from the crisper before grabbing chicken breasts, nothing that would take too long to make, though she did make extra of everything so she could make wraps for lunch. She hadn't mentioned her phone call to her parents, it was hard for her to put it into words but she actually felt free, she'd told them her news and they'd responded exactly how she knew they would. What had surprised her was that she had no emotional reaction to anything they'd said.
Gibbs found her in the kitchen, apron on, he smirked seeing it was the apron that Abby had gotten her 'Marines do it better'. He knew because Toni had met him at the door that Kate knew he was home but was busy checking the oven "I'm okay." she promised before turning around. He'd learned if she said she was 'fine' she was anything but fine, however if she said 'okay' she was but he still didn't like it "Baby out of wedlock is a sin, and Rachel, Danny and I are embarrassments." Kate actually shrugged, Gibbs was surprised "Jethro I promise everything is okay, I have been preparing myself for this day for a long time, with how they've been treating Rachel and I for not following the 'family plan' and now everything with Danny. I love them but I've never really fit in or agreed with them...so..." Kate shrugged again.
Gibbs pulled her in his arms holding her tight he kissed the top of her head promising "You're stuck with us, have been since the day you stepped into our lives."
Kate chuckled resting her head against his chest. "I'm okay with that." pulling back she admitted "We lost."
"Lost?" Gibbs looked confused for a moment before realizing what she was talking about "Was it Tony?"
"Nope." Kate shook her head "All of you and your loose morals." Gibbs chuckled. "Now go do your thing while I finish up with dinner." which was actually just leaving it alone until the timer went off.
Giving her a quick peck on the lips Gibbs headed upstairs to change while she decided to text Tony.
Kate to Tony: Did anyone pick the entire team?
It was a couple minutes before Tony texted back Tony to Kate: Palmer
Kate to Tony: He won
Tony to Kate: You good?
Kate to Tony: I am
Tony to Kate: You let me know if you and Gibbs need back up
Kate to Tony: I will
Kate couldn't help but smile, she knew Tony was talking if her family ever stopped by he'd be more than willing to call her parents out on their behavior.
Her phone ringing Kate answered it going to the kitchen table where she'd been playing solitaire "Hi Rach."
"So I hear that you talked to them." Rachel said evenly.
Kate couldn't help but smile, she was going to call them after dinner Gibbs must have called them "I did," she answered "it's a sin and the three of us are embarrassments." Kate said putting her phone on the table and hitting the speaker button.
"Are you really okay baby sister?"
Moving the cards to where she wanted them Kate answered "I am, I mean c'mon Rach with how we were all treated before this, I knew how they were going to react." Kate shook her head, it didn't matter that Rachel couldn't see her. "I have you, I have Danny and I have my crazy NCIS family that don't care that I'm pregnant, well that's not true, they're very excited I'm pregnant" she chuckled "they don't care that I'm not married..." Kate paused for a moment before giving a light laugh "I'm sure there's a pool going on for the last one." Rachel chuckled. "I know everyone's worried but I knew the outcome of the call, I just called them as a courtesy." Kate said continuing to play. "I knew they weren't going to suddenly jump up and embrace a baby out of wedlock, they can't handle a divorced daughter or gay son or me living with Gibbs, why would this be any different?"
"You got me there." Rachel couldn't help but chuckle. "But if things change?"
"I will call," Kate promised. "I'll see you tomorrow for lunch."
"The café." Rachel agreed.
"Love you bye."
"Love you bye." Rachel repeated before hanging up.
Poking her phone as it started ringing again Kate answered with "I'm okay Danny."
"Danny?"
"Sorry Abs, Rachel just called so I thought you were Danny."
"Tony texted me."
"I'm okay, is nobody going to believe me?" Kate asked knowing for the team it was seeing was believing, when Abby didn't respond Kate chuckled "Tell them all to come over. Dinner will be ready soon. Bye Abby."
"Bye Kate."
Getting up Kate went back to the freezer for more chicken, grabbing the same spices she'd already used Kate quickly got it ready, shoving the tray on the second rack in the oven, above the tray of chicken on the middle rack she glanced back at the table. She smirked at Gibbs as picked up her ringing phone, placing it on the counter next to her he tapped the screen twice to answer it and put it on speaker. This time she glanced at the name "Hi Danny."
"Hi Katie."
"Grab Rachel and come over, team's coming for dinner." she grabbed the cutting board bringing it to the sink.
Chuckling Danny said "We'll be there soon."
"Love you bye."
"Love you bye." he repeated.
Looking up at Gibbs as he hung up she asked "Do none of you believe me?"
"Seeing is believing, plus you're decent at hiding things." he headed to the fridge grabbing out more of the vegetables.
Rolling her eyes Kate washed her cutting board and hands again, Gibbs put the vegetables on the green cutting board while Kate washed the knife she'd already used to prep the first set of vegetables. Cutting them she added them to the other two levels of the bamboo steamer that she hadn't been using and had just left on the counter, swapping out the vegetables on the bottom she put the three levels back on the pot. "I blame you."
"I can do those." Gibbs nodded to the sink as she started to wash everything.
"I've got it." Kate shook her head, when he opened his mouth to argue she added "I'm not fragile, I will not break because of dishes."
"Yea, but you cook, I clean." he reminded her, she'd said it enough to him.
"After dinner, you can do those." she promised, he nodded. "You can set up the dinning room." he nodded again, he'd gotten rid of the table long before the other wives and they'd taken much of the furniture when they'd divorced, he hadn't gotten a new dining room table. It was long folding table and folding chairs that they used for Christmas with the table cloth, he had multiple colors to choose from. Once it was set he dealt with the setting the table, dishes and glasses and all.