In this universe Tony is now working as CAFALO (Community and Federal Agency Liaison Officer) with Raleigh PD in North Carolina. I don't think it matters if you haven't read any of the other Milsom Bay stories – I'll explain things as we go along.

Tony DiNozzo had felt drawn to the Pink House the first time he had seen it. He had just never imagined that it would be the place that he died.

The Pink House had been built in the 1930s by wealthy eccentric Denver Caldwell who had used it to entertain movie stars of the day. It was this movie connection rather than the bizarre combination of gothic exterior and Art Deco interior that had piqued Tony's interest when he discovered it a few miles down the North Carolina coast from his bolt hole in Milsom Bay.

The house had been abandoned for several years by the time Tony came across it although there were periodic flurries of excitement when it seemed that someone might be going to buy it. So far those flurries had proved unfounded meaning that Tony was often able to visit and indulge his fantasies of Errol Flynn and David Niven swimming off the pier or of Merle Oberon and Vivien Leigh reclining on the veranda.

Tony gasped with pain as he moved slightly. He wasn't indulging fantasies that day. Tony had often explored the Pink House, marvelling at the proportions of the rooms and the craftsmanship that had gone into its construction. Today was the first day he had visited the cellar and he thought it would be the last. It was unusual for a house so near the sea to have a cellar but Caldwell had spent a fortune having one built and made waterproof. The basement might even be one of the reasons the house had stood firm against the hurricanes and tornados that sometimes swept on to the coast.

Tony gazed up at the ceiling and supposed he should be grateful that Caldwell has spent his money well and that the basement was relatively dry. At least he wasn't lying in a pool of water or waiting for the wall to give way so that he would be swept out to sea. Tony sighed as he considered that being washed out to sea and to oblivion didn't feel such a bad option at the moment.

"You're a mess!" came a familiar voice.

"Kate?" said Tony in surprise. He squinted down the length of his body and saw Kate standing by his feet. Regrettably she wasn't wearing her Catholic school girl uniform but he'd take what he could get.

"I thought it was your leg that was bust," said Kate, "not your eyes."

Tony wondered whether it was tactful to point out that his visitor was dead and that he was entitled to a degree of surprise but he remembered the pointiness of Kate's elbows and decided not to enrage her by arguing.

"I think I banged my head as well," he offered, hoping to engage her sympathies. "But I can remember who I am, so I guess you might not be interested."

Kate's eyes narrowed as she remembered the long ago case with the Jane Doe she had befriended. "You really think it's a good idea to remind me of that, DiNozzo?" she snapped.

"Sorry, Kate," said Tony. "It's good to see you. What are you doing here?"

"I keep an eye on you," said Kate.

"You do?" said Tony, "that's kinda touching."

"Think of it as payback, DiNozzo," said Kate.

"Payback?"

"All those months of you invading my privacy. Going through my PDA, rummaging in my waste basket … answering my phone. I've spent years watching you."

"Watching me?" asked Tony uneasily.

"Watching you," said Kate with relish, "what you do when you think nobody's watching."

"You wouldn't do that," said Tony.

"You carry on thinking that," said Kate. "But how else would I know what your favourite movie really is? What you do in your bath? What you do when you haven't got a Kleenex to hand? You're disgusting, Tony."

"Why watch then?" said Tony trying to fight back. "There must be other people you could spy on."

"I've got eternity," said Kate bleakly, "lots of time to waste."

"Do you watch Gibbs?" asked Tony with sudden interest. "Or McGoo? Go on, tell me what they do when they're on their own."

"I've signed a confidentiality agreement," said Kate primly.

"They have confidentiality agreements in he … wherever you are?" said Tony.

Kate shrugged. "You're more interesting," said Kate. "I mean, there's only so much time a girl can spend watching Gibbs sand a piece of wood. Or watch Tim slay dragons."

"True," acknowledge Tony, "I have got panache. Which they clearly have not."

"Although," said Kate, "watching you read all those psychology books is a bit dry. And all those times you sneaked back into work when everyone else had gone … yawn! You need to get a life, DiNozzo!"

"Bit late to tell me that," said Tony, wincing as he shifted position.

"Sorry," said Kate. "But, you know, for someone who apparently had the busiest social life in DC … well, you were at home a lot."

"But it was a nice place," said Tony.

"Yes, it was," agreed Kate. "Made me wish I'd visited it before … before … I couldn't."

"I missed you, Kate," said Tony wistfully, "we made a good team, didn't we?"

"Us against Gibbs," said Kate reminiscently.

"And Probie," said Tony managing a smile.

"It was fun," said Kate.

"Apart from the murders."

"And the shootings."

"And the long nights."

"And long days."

"And Gibbs' gloom."

"And plague," said Kate.

"And snipers on roof tops," said Tony.

They fell silent for a moment or two.

"Your new house is nice," said Kate.

"You've seen that too?" asked Tony. "I mean, you can travel?"

"I'm here, genius," said Kate acerbically.

"Sorry," said Tony, "I'm not feeling too good here."

"It's what happens when you let criminals throw you downstairs," said Kate.

"Didn't have much choice," said Tony. "At least it's not a gutter."

"What?"

"Senior told me I'd end up in the gutter. I've avoided that."

"Good to keep a positive outlook," said Kate.

"You been reading self-help books?" asked Tony.

"I might have listened in on one of Tim's CDs," admitted Kate.

"You know," said Tony, "I'd have thought that the afterlife would improve someone's morals. Yours seem to have gone downhill."

"What do you mean?" asked Kate.

"Well, you're in heaven, aren't you?" Kate canted her head questioningly. "I can't see St Peter turning you away," said Tony, "he wouldn't have the ba …" He trailed off as he wondered if saints retained the anatomical part he was thinking of. Kate remained stonily silent so Tony tried again. "I mean, if you didn't make it to heaven, there's not much chance of me getting there."

Kate finally smiled, "glad to see you appreciate me, DiNozzo." She turned her back on him so he could see the iridescent feathers on her back.

"Nice," said Tony appreciatively. "Do they come in other colours?"

"What makes you think you'll be getting any?" asked Kate.

"I guess you're right."

"You've done all right," relented Kate. "There'll be people to put a good word in for you."

"Is that how it works?" asked Tony.

Kate shrugged. "You'll find out."

"Lots of people," mumbled Tony, "everyone goes in the end. You all leave me."

Kate stepped nearer in concern.

"Got you!" crowed Tony.

"You're a pig," said Kate, "should have known nothing changes."

"Kate," said Tony in a more serious tone, "do you think we would have … well, you know …"

"No, I don't know," said Kate, "what?"

"You and me? Would we ever have got together?"

"And not killed each other?" asked Kate. "You mean actually managed to spend more than half an hour together without resorting to physical violence?"

"I guess that means the answer's no," said Tony sadly.

"Not necessarily," said Kate softly, "I don't know. I did like you, Tony. Maybe too much."

"You mean all those putdowns and aggression was you hiding that you liked me?" said Tony.

"Oh no," said Kate, "99.9% of it was because you annoyed the hell out of me. But there was a teeny tiny little bit of me that liked you."

"Good to know," said Tony, "I think."

"Why am I here, Tony?" asked Kate.

"Because you're dead," said Tony, "Ari killed you."

"I know that, idiot," said Kate, "I mean, why am I here? In this basement?"

"I don't know. It was you who came."

"Only because you wanted me to come."

"Really? So you didn't come because you cared?"

"I didn't say that," said Kate, "not exactly. Are you scared, Tony?"

"Me, scared?" said Tony, "I'm a DiNozzo …" he trailed off, "yeah, I guess I am. Just a little. Not so much for me but for …"

"Tali," finished Kate.

"I didn't plan for her to be an orphan, Kate. That's why I moved and took up a safer job."

"That worked real well," said Kate drily.

"Yeah. I sort of figured that out for myself," said Tony, "but I was working a case with NCIS and … well, it didn't go great."

"You think?" said Kate sarcastically.

"Doesn't matter now," said Tony philosophically, "but I hope Tali will be OK. Will I be able to keep an eye on her when … you know … when I'm …?"

Kate came another step closer with a more sympathetic look in her eyes. She leaned forward as if to touch him,

"Ugh! What's that?" she exclaimed as she looked to see what she'd trodden in. "You're disgusting, DiNozzo! I don't know why I bothered!"

Tony winced, "Sorry, Kate. I threw up before you came. I'm sorry, don't go!"

But it was too late. Kate was striding away with a well-remembered annoyed toss of the head.

"Come back, Kate. Don't leave!" cried Tony. He reached out unwarily to try and stop her but the pain was too much and he fell back unconscious.

AN: I actually began this story thinking it was going to be a one shot! I really should know better by now.