Author's Note: Spoilers: Pretty much the whole last half of the first season. Nothing terribly specific, but reference is made to several episodes. Also please be aware there are a few "Bad Words" in this section. If this offends you, to quote Bloom County (for those of you who are old enough to remember it), take a marker and scribble out the yucky parts. There: you've been warned.

They sat in a secluded corner of the cafe, the lighting soft and soothing. Tony watched Kate as she sat across from him, huddled in his jacket, looking small and fragile, hands wrapped around a coffee mug seeking warmth and comfort. Her swollen, violated lip mocked his inability to protect her in a way that all of Gibbs' angry words and accusations never could.

"Kate," he spoke softly and waited until she raised her eyes to his. "I'm really sorry I took off at lunch time. If I had stayed with you, none of this..." He broke off as she looked away and cursed himself for causing the tear that escaped her tired eyes.

"You were set up, Tony." Her voice was so quiet, he wasn't sure he'd heard her correctly.

"Set up? How? By who? Kate, I'm your partner, I should have been with you." For a split second he felt like he was doing a bizarre NCIS version of "Who's On First?".

"I don't know what she told you, but her name was Marta. She was Hamas, Tony, and she was going to put a bullet in your head if I didn't lie to Gibbs on the phone and tell him I had food poisoning." By now her tears were flowing freely.

"Kate..." He wasn't sure what to say, but she misinterpreted his hesitation.

"You don't have to believe me. She's in our morgue. One bullet to the brain. From Haswari. Ari. Whatever. With my Sig." She pushed the coffee mug away and shifted in her seat. "I sat there and listened to her tell me she was going to kill you and there was nothing in her voice. Not one shred of emotion. All I could think of was how to protect my partner."

"Kate," he tried once again to get her attention.

"Tony, please. I just don't know how much more I can take. Commander Voss... that ATF agent, what was her name, Stone? Now Marta? I can't do this." She let out a long sigh and rested her face in her hands.

He blinked in surprise. What, precisely, was she telling him? He cocked his head slightly and carefully tested the water. "Jealous, Kate?" He asked the question softly, keeping his voice light and easy.

She looked up at him, stunned. "No, Tony. I'm not jealous of your women. I'm scared to death for you. Don't you get it? We're partners. How in the hell do I back you up when the danger comes in the form of your love life? Am I Cindy Goddamn Brady, tagging along on all your dates in case this is the one that really does kill you?" A sob caught on the last words and she dropped her face in her hands once more.

Thunderstruck, Tony could only stare at her. After a long minute he reached out a hand to her only to have her jerk away. She slid out of the booth and shrugged out of his jacket.

"I want to go home. I'm tired and I've had a long day. I was out of line, Tony. What you do on your own time is your business, not mine."

He reached out to stop her, imploring her in a voice he never used with his dates, "Kate, please. Don't you think it's only fair that I be allowed to have my say, too?"

She hesitated and he took advantage of the moment to tug her down to the seat on his side of the booth. He slid backward, making sure there was enough room for her, then cleared his throat before speaking.

"So, Marta, was it? Was shot with your Sig? Kate, you scare the shit out of me. That gun leaves your body in the hands of someone else almost as often as it does in yours. It's your protection. Do you have any idea how crazy with worry I was when I learned that Curtin had your weapon and your backup was McGee? I know you're a capable agent, that doesn't worry me. But, I swear, I'm ready to put a safety tether on that damned gun so you don't lose it anymore!" He looked away from the surprise on her face and ran a hand over his own.

They sat there in quiet contemplation, the words they'd spoken touching both the heart and soul of the other. Finally he broke the silence.

"Is this why you've been so nasty lately?" He tried to look her in the eye, but she looked away, a guilty flush staining her cheeks.

"I was angry at you for being careless. And I was afraid for you. Being mean was easier than admitting I cared." He could see her swallow the tears she did not want to shed. "What about you?"

"I was angry at you for being mean. And hurt that you didn't care. We are partners, after all." He reached out a thumb and gently wiped away the disobedient droplets trailing down her cheek.

She bent her head and he instinctively pulled her to him, wrapping her up in a reassuring hug. He felt her heave a deep sigh and then her muffled voice reached his ears.

"Hey Tony? Think we can be friends as well as partners?"

He chuckled and he felt her giggle. Kate Todd, giggling. That was enough to make him laugh harder. Which simply fed the laughter between them both. At last, they each drew shaky breaths, their eyes showing each other merriment rather than grief.

"Yeah, Kate. I think we can be friends. I'd like that a lot." He picked up her hand and ran his thumb across her fingers gently.

"Wow. Who'd have believed there would be a day when you and I would actually want to be friends." Kate gave him a smile and reached for a water glass sitting on the table.

"So, Kate... all this worrying about me? Is this new? I mean, when did this happen?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "You are incorrigible!"

-Fin-