Tony rushed out of Kate’s apartment building and down the street to his car. He stopped at the driver’s side door and put his hands on the hood. He needed to calm down; driving while angry would not be a good idea.
Kate’s words played over and over in his head and prompted another surge of anger. He stood up straight and violently kicked the front tire of the car.
“Dammit!” he yelled.
His voice echoed down the empty DC streets. It was after midnight on a weekday and he was due at work in only six hours. Tony flung open the door and got inside. He placed his hands on the steering wheel but didn’t start the car. He had been so sure about Kate’s feelings for him.
“I’m such an idiot!” he said out loud.
He thought back to the kiss on the roof of NCIS. She hadn’t hesitated; in fact she seemed more than willing. He sighed heavily and let his head fall forward and rest on the steering wheel.
Nothing had gone how he’d imagined it. He’d thought they’d talk about the kiss and slowly but surely reveal their feelings for each other. Though he hadn’t realized until that moment upstairs that he loved her, he knew there was something between them and had been for quite some time. He thought he had felt the unspoken build on their relationship for two years and now he had finally gotten up the courage to say something about it. He had had his doubts but nothing had prepared him for the words that had actually come out of Kate’s mouth.
Again, fresh memories of the horrible fight and Kate’s harsh words flooded his mind. He felt a deep pain somewhere inside him and soon after sensed tears welling in his eyes.
“God, I’m such a hopeless romantic,” he thought disdainfully to himself but did nothing to stop the tears.
Ten floors above Tony, Kate sat frozen in the same position he’d left her in. She was silent, with her head buried in her arms, not even the sound of her slow methodical breathing breached the air.
“What have I done?” The thought played over and over in her head until she was forced to say it aloud.
“What have I done?” The sound of her own voice rung through the empty apartment, making her feel more alone than ever. Kate wiped at her face, expecting tears, but found only dry skin. She was too numb to cry.
She hadn’t meant to say the things she did to Tony. It was in panic and the only way she felt she could keep him from getting hurt.
Relationships and Kate didn’t mix well. Her last long term relationship had been with Major Kerry, and look how that had ended. In the last two years she had dated some, but nothing lasted more than a few months, and it was always her doing.
Like Tony she had been aware of the constant flame between them but had never allowed herself to indulge. There were more than enough reasons why they shouldn’t try anything but recently those reasons seemed to pale in comparison to her feelings. That is until he broken the rules of their silent fling and actually kissed her.
She had been fine with flirting disguised as insults and seductive daydreams at her desk, no one got hurt that way, and she wouldn’t get scared and run away from flirting and dreams. But he wanted more now and as much as she wanted to give in to his every whim another part of her continuously reminded that it would only end in heart break.
“This is for the better,” she assured herself.
It would have to be after all, Tony probably wouldn’t speak to her for a while so there would be no way to tell him the truth. Not that she would anyway; her reasons had returned in all their glory and would hopefully prevent any future disasters.
Kate lifted her eyes from the floor to the coffee table, finally feeling the tiniest bit better.
Her eyes came to rest on the phone, reminding her of the call she was supposed to be making to Gibbs. It was well after midnight now, but Kate knew her boss, he would no doubt still be in the office.
The phone rang once before he picked up. “Gibbs.”
“Hey, it’s Kate. Tony thinks he may have found a suspect.”
“If Tony found it how come you’re calling me?” Gibbs asked suspiciously.
“Long story. Look do you want the name or not?” Kate said, then quickly apologized, surprised at her disrespect. “Sorry, Gibbs...”
“Rule ten; never say you’re sorry...”
“...it’s a sign of weakness,” Kate finished.
“Now who’s this suspect?”
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