7.45 That Evening.
"Hot, hot, hot" Gibbs gasped, as he pulled the steaming dish of lasagnes out of the oven. He set it on the counter next to the tossed salad. Tossed might be too fancy a description for it. He'd thrown it at the bowl and ordered it to be nice.
Ping!
He was suddenly plunged into darkness.
"Damn bulb gone!" He muttered, groping his way to the fuse box in the basement to reset the circuit.
"Light bulb, light bulb," he rummaged in the drawer where such things were usually kept. No luck, the box was empty. They couldn't sit in the dark to eat their meal, there was no other option.
xxx
"Candles Gibbs, how romantic" Kate said as she entered the kitchen.
"Light bulb blew, no spare" Gibbs replied, taking the proffered bottle of wine.
A smile played on Kate's lips.
Gibbs stared her down for a moment.
"Make yourself comfortable," he said, turning to the cooker "Lasagne okay?" he enquired.
"Mmm, my favourite" Kate said, settling herself down at the table.
"My Mom…" they both started. Gibbs motioned her to continue, a gentle smile on his lips as he poured the wine.
"Had a wonderful recipe" Kate finished.
"Mine too" Gibbs replied.
"I didn't know you could cook" Kate commented "This is good!"
"Haven't lost anyone yet" Gibbs replied.
"So what are your plans?"
"Plans?" Gibbs asked, cradling his glass of wine "Desert perhaps, Coffee"
"No silly, the house, your makeover."
"Well I couldn't call it that"
"Show me" Kate said.
"Okay." Gibbs led the way to lounge.
xxx
"I see" Kate said, turning around, observing the tired furniture and drapes, the drab walls.
"Dingy?" Gibbs suggested.
"Drab maybe, dingy – no. I think you have a lot of natural light here. Which way does the house face?"
Gibbs shrugged "Sun come in here most of the day."
"Good. These drapes are far too heavy."
"Keeps out the cold." Gibbs observed. He was quite fond of the dark brown floor to ceiling velvet drapes.
"Blocks the light too." Kate replied. She pulled over a stool.
"Help me up" she said, taking a tape measure from her pocket.
"What ya doing Kate?" Gibbs asked.
"Measuring you for new drapes, well when I mean you I mean your window." Kate replied "I have a friend who does this sort of thing."
"I kinda figured you would"
"Careful!" Gibbs cried, as Kate overstretched and toppled from the stool, into his arms.
"Don't mind me, just passing through!" Tony DiNozzo's voice came from the doorway. He paused "Kate, it that you?"
"Tony!" Kate broke away from Gibbs embrace, flustered. "I was just measuring Gibbs'.."
"Oh were you?" Tony leant against the doorjamb, a grin on his face.
"Window." Kate finished, emphatically, "For new drapes."
"New drapes, huh Boss?" Tony grinned, "So Kirsty was right."
"Kirsty, who's Kirsty?" Kate asked.
"You don't want to know." Gibbs replied sourly.
"Not the redhead?" Kate asked "Is that her name, Kirsty?"
"No!" Gibbs snapped.
"Dingy Gibbs, remember." Tony teased.
"I know Tony." Gibbs growled.
"Will someone please tell me who Kirsty is?" Kate demanded.
"DiNozzo's hot babe" Gibbs said, dourly "She said this room was dingy and"
"She'd seen better cheap motel rooms." DiNozzo finished the sentence off for him.
"If she's going out with you Tony, I'm sure she has." Kate said, sweetly.
"Shouldn't you be somewhere else DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.
"Yeah sure Boss" DiNozzo disappeared, to return a few minutes later.
"Candlelit dinner for two box, nice touch, very romantic." he commented.
"Bulbs out." Gibbs replied, stiffly.
"I didn't know you had it in you" Tony observed, ducking as a well aimed cushion came in his direction.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs invites Kate to dinner.
Chapter End Notes:
Not mine, only borrowing.