“Kate, is something going on?” DiNozzo asked when he reached his apartment that evening.
“Things are perfect,” she said, smiling. “But, Tony, things aren’t going to be like this forever,” she began. She motioned to the place next to her on his couch. “Sit down for a minute.” Tony sat, allowing her to direct him for a moment. He looked at her questioningly.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“I’m dead, Tony,” she said, shaking her head. “We can’t be together forever, no matter how much we want it.”
“What are you saying, Kate?” Tony said, raising his voice. “Why are you even here if you don’t get to stay? Why did we bother…”
“Because,” she interrupted, a smile shining through the tears that had begun to fall down her face, “because you couldn’t move on until you got the opportunity to resolve your feelings for me.” Tony shook his head in denial.
“Nothing is resolved, Kate,” he said vehemently. “Nothing is resolved. I love you. I’ve never said that to anyone. I LOVE YOU?! Do you hear me? I’m not going to stop. My feelings are not resolved, by any means, they are just beginning!” He stopped when he realized how hard she was crying. “I’m sorry, babe, but I won’t let you leave me again.”
“You don’t have a choice, Tony!” she shouted. “Neither do I,” she said, shaking her head. “The choice was taken away when I was shot. BANG! Dead, Tony!” she shouted, more upset than he had ever seen her. “I’m dead, Tony. What part can you not understand?” She paused for a moment, shaking with emotion. “You couldn’t have seriously thought we were going to have a happy ending?” her voice went soft, her eyes pleading with him to understand. Tony wouldn’t take his hands off her. He kept stroking her face and hair. He was crying, unashamed.
“Kate,” his voice broke. “I can’t lose you again, I can’t,” he cried, pulling her into his arms. He held her tightly until both their tears had begun to subside. He pulled back, brushed the tears from her cheeks and kissed her softly on the mouth. “There has to be a way,” he said determinably.
“If there is, I don’t know it,” Kate said, resigned to the fact that Tony would have to fight this to live with himself. “I’ll do some checking, but I don’t think there’s some guy up there handing out second chances,” she quipped.
“If there is, we’ll find him,” Tony said. “No matter what it takes.”
* * *
Timothy McGee was a lucky man, and he knew it. He sighed, watching Abby sleep. This amazing woman, who he had loved for so long, actually loved him. Even after almost two months of dating, he couldn’t get used to the feeling that came over him when he awoke next to her in the mornings. It was like the sun came out and his heart smiled. Once he would rise early and spend his mornings writing, reading or watching the news. Not anymore. Abby liked to sleep later than he did, and watching her was his favorite thing to do. Well, almost… He smiled thinking of how blessed he was to be the man in her life. He leaned down and placed a sweet kiss on her brow, and then attempted to get out of bed without waking her. He liked to have breakfast ready when she got out of the shower. But as much as she liked to sleep, she was a very light sleeper.
“Is it morning?” she asked, pulling the covers over her head as if to ward off light, even though the sun had not yet risen.
“Not if you don’t want it to be,” he said, pulling the curtains a little tighter. “I was just going to grab a shower and start breakfast. Want to join me?” he asked, a naughty smile in his voice.
“Gibbs will kill you if we’re late again,” she said, then popped out from under the covers as if she had been awake for hours, “but I think we have time.” She leered at him, sexily. Her hair was all over the place, and she wasn’t wearing makeup, but he thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on.
“Let’s go,” he said, grabbing her arm and racing toward the bathroom, almost tripping over the shoes she had left in the middle of his floor. She giggled, and then jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around him. She reached past him and turned the water on, causing it to spray them in the process.
“Abs!” he exclaimed. “You’re still in your nightgown, and I…”
“They’ll dry,” she interrupted, laughing. He had a lot to learn.
* * *
“Come on, Noah, bring it,” Maggie said, circling the mat. They had been sparring, and she was besting him time and again. She was good, but she wasn’t that good. “What’s going on?” she asked, not breaking her stance or concentration.
“Nothing,” he said, as she swept his feet from under him again. She pinned him, her elbow holding him to the mat. A normal person would not be able to breathe; but since he didn’t need to, she didn’t see the problem.
“Then I’m going to have to find another partner, because you suck today,” she said, knowing he would rise to the bait.
“Of course I do,” he said, “or I wouldn’t be here.” She laughed.
“Bring it, bloodsucker,” she taunted, landing a roundhouse kick squarely on his right jaw.
“Bitch,” he said. She laughed again.
“Literally,” she replied with a grin. She stepped off the mat and grabbed a bottle of water. “Seriously, Noah, what’s eating you?”
“Not you, I hope,” he said, jokingly.
“Ha, ha,” she replied, rolling her eyes.
“Ziva let me feed from her last night,” he said quietly.
“Wow,” Maggie took a step back, surprised. “That’s big, Noah.”
“I know,” he said, shaking his head. “I think I’m really starting to fall for her.”
“You could do a lot worse than Ziva David. I really like her.”
“I do too, Mags, I really do…” he said, lost in thought.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.