Story!
Title: The Morning After
Author: reprint
Rating: T
Pairings involved: Tony/Kate, McGee/Abby, Gibbs/Jenny
Warnings: none really
Short description: Ending up in Anthony DiNozzo's bed was not at the top of Caitlin Todd's 'to do' list...
Chapter 22: Gibbs' Apology and a Surprise
When Tony woke up in the morning, he was surprised to find that Kate was not there beside him. He just assumed that she had already gotten up.
However, when he finally got up and went downstairs, he was shocked to find her lying asleep on the couch, a bunch of tissues on the floor near the couch. He sighed. Looks like she had had another sleepless night.
He gently lifted her up, and carried her up the stairs and into her room. She woke up just as he finished tucking her into bed. “What’s the matter?” She asked.
“I should be asking you that.” Tony replied, smiling a little. “Aren’t you sleeping well?”
“I’m sleeping fine,” She said, confused.
“Really?” He asked. “Then how come I found you on the couch this morning?”
Kate shrugged a shoulder, and laid her head back on the pillow. “I had a lot on my mind. Plus I couldn’t sleep.”
Tony nodded. “Well, I’ll call into work for you.”
“What! No, I need to work.” Kate said, although he could tell that there was very little resistance. “It’d be a bad look if I didn’t come in today…”
“Even worse if you showed up looking like you do.” Tony teased. Kate pouted at him for a bit, but smiled tiredly when he kissed her. “I’ll see you after work.” He grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed for the shower. When he came out ten minutes later, he looked at her strangely. “Do you have any plans for dinner yet?”
“No.” Kate shrugged. “Do you have something in mind?”
Tony smiled at her. “Yeah. I do.” He gave her another kiss, a longer one, before he really left for work.
-
Tony was sitting at his desk when Gibbs came in, followed closely by Jenny. He almost missed the opportunity to tell Jenny that Kate wasn’t coming in, and in the end he had to practically yell at her to get her attention.
“What is it, Agent DiNozzo?” She asked, coming back down.
“Er…” He tried to think of a passable excuse. He decided to just go with the truth. “Listen, Director, Kate had a really bad night last night… I don’t know the particulars, she wouldn’t tell me… but I found her this morning asleep on the couch with a bunch of tissues.”
Jenny nodded. “That’s alright. She wouldn’t have been able to do much today anyway; her new office equipment isn’t here yet.”
Jenny walked away, and Tony looked at Gibbs, who had been looking at him. When their eyes met, Gibbs looked away quickly. In fact, he got up and grabbed his coat.
“Going somewhere, boss?” Tony asked cheerfully.
“… coffee.”
Tony said no more. As Gibbs headed to the elevator, Tony thought something about it was odd…
… like the fact that there was a fresh cup of coffee on his desk already?
-
Kate decided that she didn’t want to spend the entire morning in bed, so she got up. She didn’t dress, though. She stayed in the tank top and panties she had worn to bed last night. She took the steps two at a time, and walked into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee.
As she started to boil the jug, there was a knock on the door. Forgetting how little she was wearing, Kate headed for the door and opened it.
Gibbs was standing there, with two coffees. He almost, almost gaped at her. Her mouth, however, fell open.
“Gibbs!” She squealed, pushing the door slightly closed and hiding behind it. “What the heck are you doing here?”
She heard him chuckle, and looked quizzically at him through the glass in the door. “I brought coffee.” He said simply, and she fumed.
“Is that all?” She asked him coldly. He didn’t flinch. “I was just about to make my own coffee.”
“We need to talk.”
“Frankly, I don’t want to talk to you, Gibbs.” She said, surprised at her own firmness. “You really hurt me.”
He sighed. “… I came to apologise, Kate.”
She looked at him curiously through the glass. The distorted image of his face seemed sincere, and she wanted to believe him… but she was still confused.
“What for?” She asked. “I’ve obviously done something that’s either offended or upset you, so I’m the one in the wrong.”
Gibbs didn’t reply to that. Instead, he said, “Let me in Kate, it’s cold.”
Kate sighed. “Alright. But let me get my robe first.”
He looked the other way while Kate dashed up the stairs, put on her silk robe, tied it up loosely, and came back downstairs. The front door was closed, and she could hear Gibbs moving about in the sitting room. She walked in and sat down on the sofa.
“What’s this about, Gibbs?”
He looked at her. She had always known him as being direct and strict, but today he was Jethro “sombre” Gibbs.
“I’m sorry about yesterday.” He said. “I was seriously out of line. But know that it wasn’t jealousy that made me act like I did.”
She stood up, and looked at him. She had never seen Gibbs like this, and it hurt her. She flung her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. “Oh, Gibbs…” She sobbed, as he wrapped his arms around her. “I’m so sorry.”
They stayed like that for a while, until Gibbs’ cell phone went off. They probably would have stayed like that for longer; Kate crying into Gibbs’ shoulder, with his arms wrapped around her, if they hadn’t been interrupted. Kate sat on the sofa while Gibbs fished his phone out of his coat pocket. “Yeah, Gibbs.”
“Boss, Tony.” Tony’s voice came through. “Bad time?”
Gibbs looked at Kate, who was smiling at him. “No.” He said, relieved beyond anything that he and Kate were talking again. “What’s up?”
“Well, Director Shepherd is looking for you.” Tony said. “She’s pretty mad that you up and left without telling anyone. Where did you go, anyway?” He tried. “The coffee shops around here are all empty; McGee went and checked them all.”
“That, DiNozzo, is on a need-to-know basis.” Gibbs said. Kate grinned at him. “And you don’t. Neither does Director Shepherd, for that matter.”
“Okay, I’ll tell her that.” Tony said. He paused for a moment. “… say hello to Kate, alright boss?”
Gibbs switched his phone off, and looked at Kate. “Tony says hello.” He said, amused.
-
The following week, Kate’s new office equipment arrived. When she walked in on Tuesday in her new skirt and blouse (being in the office instead of on the field meant that Kate needed to have a more formal attire), she walked into her office to find that it was furnished similarly to Jenny’s. There was a desk, a comfortable-looking chair, a couch, a coffee table, and a table in the middle of the room with four chairs around it. Also, against the back wall was a small filing cabinet and bookcase.
Kate settled on the couch with a file, and read over it. She wasn’t expecting company, so when there was a knock on the door, she was surprised.
“Come in.”
Tony walked in, grinning broadly at Kate. He stopped when he looked around her office. “Wow, Kate, they really splurged on this place…”
She smirked. “I know. I really didn’t need all this stuff…”
“Aww, Katie, you’re too modest…” Tony teased. He sat down next to her and took her hand. She looked at him. He seemed… nervous.
“Tony, what’s wrong?” Kate asked.
He let go of her hand, and stood up quickly. “Kate, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you… for a while now.”
She stood up too. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
Tony shook his head. Instead, he reached into the pocket of his suit and pulled out a small black velvet box. Kate’s mouth fell open as Tony dropped to one knee, and looked up at her hopefully. He opened the box and she saw inside it the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. The band itself was a platinum-silver colour, and the stone was a baby pink. She felt her eyes welling up with tears, and when she looked at Tony she saw there were tears in his eyes too.
“Caitlin Todd…” He said, smiling up at her through his tears. “You are the most amazing woman I have ever known. I love you with every fibre of my being, and there is no-one in this world who I would rather spend the rest of my life with…” She giggled, and he took her hand with his spare one. “Will you marry me, Kate?”
Kate let out an excited squeal, and threw her arms around Tony. “Of course I’ll marry you, Tony!” She cried. “There’s nothing I would like more!”
He kissed her. When she looked into his teary eyes, they were bright. He was smiling. “I love you so much, Kate.”
“I love you too, Tony.” She said, unable to keep the smile off her face. He took the ring from the box, and placed it on her finger. She studied it for a moment, smiling still. “It fits perfectly… and it’s gorgeous. How did you know my ring size?”
Tony blushed. “I… uh, asked Abby.”
“Tony!”
He laughed. “Just kidding. I borrowed your promise ring.”
Kate grinned. “No wonder I couldn’t find it.”
“I put it back when I was done with it!” He defended himself.
“I know. I believe you.” She snuggled up to him. “I can’t believe this is happening…”
He kissed her again, and then he helped her up off the floor. “You better believe it, baby.”
Previous chapters are here.
Make a request here.
Author: reprint
Rating: T
Pairings involved: Tony/Kate, McGee/Abby, Gibbs/Jenny
Warnings: none really
Short description: Ending up in Anthony DiNozzo's bed was not at the top of Caitlin Todd's 'to do' list...
Chapter 22: Gibbs' Apology and a Surprise
When Tony woke up in the morning, he was surprised to find that Kate was not there beside him. He just assumed that she had already gotten up.
However, when he finally got up and went downstairs, he was shocked to find her lying asleep on the couch, a bunch of tissues on the floor near the couch. He sighed. Looks like she had had another sleepless night.
He gently lifted her up, and carried her up the stairs and into her room. She woke up just as he finished tucking her into bed. “What’s the matter?” She asked.
“I should be asking you that.” Tony replied, smiling a little. “Aren’t you sleeping well?”
“I’m sleeping fine,” She said, confused.
“Really?” He asked. “Then how come I found you on the couch this morning?”
Kate shrugged a shoulder, and laid her head back on the pillow. “I had a lot on my mind. Plus I couldn’t sleep.”
Tony nodded. “Well, I’ll call into work for you.”
“What! No, I need to work.” Kate said, although he could tell that there was very little resistance. “It’d be a bad look if I didn’t come in today…”
“Even worse if you showed up looking like you do.” Tony teased. Kate pouted at him for a bit, but smiled tiredly when he kissed her. “I’ll see you after work.” He grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed for the shower. When he came out ten minutes later, he looked at her strangely. “Do you have any plans for dinner yet?”
“No.” Kate shrugged. “Do you have something in mind?”
Tony smiled at her. “Yeah. I do.” He gave her another kiss, a longer one, before he really left for work.
-
Tony was sitting at his desk when Gibbs came in, followed closely by Jenny. He almost missed the opportunity to tell Jenny that Kate wasn’t coming in, and in the end he had to practically yell at her to get her attention.
“What is it, Agent DiNozzo?” She asked, coming back down.
“Er…” He tried to think of a passable excuse. He decided to just go with the truth. “Listen, Director, Kate had a really bad night last night… I don’t know the particulars, she wouldn’t tell me… but I found her this morning asleep on the couch with a bunch of tissues.”
Jenny nodded. “That’s alright. She wouldn’t have been able to do much today anyway; her new office equipment isn’t here yet.”
Jenny walked away, and Tony looked at Gibbs, who had been looking at him. When their eyes met, Gibbs looked away quickly. In fact, he got up and grabbed his coat.
“Going somewhere, boss?” Tony asked cheerfully.
“… coffee.”
Tony said no more. As Gibbs headed to the elevator, Tony thought something about it was odd…
… like the fact that there was a fresh cup of coffee on his desk already?
-
Kate decided that she didn’t want to spend the entire morning in bed, so she got up. She didn’t dress, though. She stayed in the tank top and panties she had worn to bed last night. She took the steps two at a time, and walked into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee.
As she started to boil the jug, there was a knock on the door. Forgetting how little she was wearing, Kate headed for the door and opened it.
Gibbs was standing there, with two coffees. He almost, almost gaped at her. Her mouth, however, fell open.
“Gibbs!” She squealed, pushing the door slightly closed and hiding behind it. “What the heck are you doing here?”
She heard him chuckle, and looked quizzically at him through the glass in the door. “I brought coffee.” He said simply, and she fumed.
“Is that all?” She asked him coldly. He didn’t flinch. “I was just about to make my own coffee.”
“We need to talk.”
“Frankly, I don’t want to talk to you, Gibbs.” She said, surprised at her own firmness. “You really hurt me.”
He sighed. “… I came to apologise, Kate.”
She looked at him curiously through the glass. The distorted image of his face seemed sincere, and she wanted to believe him… but she was still confused.
“What for?” She asked. “I’ve obviously done something that’s either offended or upset you, so I’m the one in the wrong.”
Gibbs didn’t reply to that. Instead, he said, “Let me in Kate, it’s cold.”
Kate sighed. “Alright. But let me get my robe first.”
He looked the other way while Kate dashed up the stairs, put on her silk robe, tied it up loosely, and came back downstairs. The front door was closed, and she could hear Gibbs moving about in the sitting room. She walked in and sat down on the sofa.
“What’s this about, Gibbs?”
He looked at her. She had always known him as being direct and strict, but today he was Jethro “sombre” Gibbs.
“I’m sorry about yesterday.” He said. “I was seriously out of line. But know that it wasn’t jealousy that made me act like I did.”
She stood up, and looked at him. She had never seen Gibbs like this, and it hurt her. She flung her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. “Oh, Gibbs…” She sobbed, as he wrapped his arms around her. “I’m so sorry.”
They stayed like that for a while, until Gibbs’ cell phone went off. They probably would have stayed like that for longer; Kate crying into Gibbs’ shoulder, with his arms wrapped around her, if they hadn’t been interrupted. Kate sat on the sofa while Gibbs fished his phone out of his coat pocket. “Yeah, Gibbs.”
“Boss, Tony.” Tony’s voice came through. “Bad time?”
Gibbs looked at Kate, who was smiling at him. “No.” He said, relieved beyond anything that he and Kate were talking again. “What’s up?”
“Well, Director Shepherd is looking for you.” Tony said. “She’s pretty mad that you up and left without telling anyone. Where did you go, anyway?” He tried. “The coffee shops around here are all empty; McGee went and checked them all.”
“That, DiNozzo, is on a need-to-know basis.” Gibbs said. Kate grinned at him. “And you don’t. Neither does Director Shepherd, for that matter.”
“Okay, I’ll tell her that.” Tony said. He paused for a moment. “… say hello to Kate, alright boss?”
Gibbs switched his phone off, and looked at Kate. “Tony says hello.” He said, amused.
-
The following week, Kate’s new office equipment arrived. When she walked in on Tuesday in her new skirt and blouse (being in the office instead of on the field meant that Kate needed to have a more formal attire), she walked into her office to find that it was furnished similarly to Jenny’s. There was a desk, a comfortable-looking chair, a couch, a coffee table, and a table in the middle of the room with four chairs around it. Also, against the back wall was a small filing cabinet and bookcase.
Kate settled on the couch with a file, and read over it. She wasn’t expecting company, so when there was a knock on the door, she was surprised.
“Come in.”
Tony walked in, grinning broadly at Kate. He stopped when he looked around her office. “Wow, Kate, they really splurged on this place…”
She smirked. “I know. I really didn’t need all this stuff…”
“Aww, Katie, you’re too modest…” Tony teased. He sat down next to her and took her hand. She looked at him. He seemed… nervous.
“Tony, what’s wrong?” Kate asked.
He let go of her hand, and stood up quickly. “Kate, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you… for a while now.”
She stood up too. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
Tony shook his head. Instead, he reached into the pocket of his suit and pulled out a small black velvet box. Kate’s mouth fell open as Tony dropped to one knee, and looked up at her hopefully. He opened the box and she saw inside it the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. The band itself was a platinum-silver colour, and the stone was a baby pink. She felt her eyes welling up with tears, and when she looked at Tony she saw there were tears in his eyes too.
“Caitlin Todd…” He said, smiling up at her through his tears. “You are the most amazing woman I have ever known. I love you with every fibre of my being, and there is no-one in this world who I would rather spend the rest of my life with…” She giggled, and he took her hand with his spare one. “Will you marry me, Kate?”
Kate let out an excited squeal, and threw her arms around Tony. “Of course I’ll marry you, Tony!” She cried. “There’s nothing I would like more!”
He kissed her. When she looked into his teary eyes, they were bright. He was smiling. “I love you so much, Kate.”
“I love you too, Tony.” She said, unable to keep the smile off her face. He took the ring from the box, and placed it on her finger. She studied it for a moment, smiling still. “It fits perfectly… and it’s gorgeous. How did you know my ring size?”
Tony blushed. “I… uh, asked Abby.”
“Tony!”
He laughed. “Just kidding. I borrowed your promise ring.”
Kate grinned. “No wonder I couldn’t find it.”
“I put it back when I was done with it!” He defended himself.
“I know. I believe you.” She snuggled up to him. “I can’t believe this is happening…”
He kissed her again, and then he helped her up off the floor. “You better believe it, baby.”
Previous chapters are here.
Make a request here.