Title: An Observation of the Interrogation Room

Summary: Tony, McGee and Abby observe on Kate and Gibbs.

Disclaimer: Main characters are not mine. I'm just borrowing them.

Message: Comments welcomed but be nice. I just started reading NCIS fanfic a few weeks ago. Any infringement on lines or story is not intended.

Tony DiNozzo pokes his head into the Observation Room – eyes darting left and right – squinting suspiciously – making sure the coast is clear.

"Okay, we're good! Come on, hurry!" Tony says to McGee and Abby, rushing them into the room to shut the door securely. Tony leans on the door briefly, a relieved look on his face at their not being caught by passer-bys or better yet by Gibbs himself.

At the same time, Gibbs is leading Kate into the interrogation room, closing the door after her.

"What's going on Tony? Why did you have McGee bring me here?" asks Abby, amused by Tony, who was practically vibrating with excitement.

"Shhh! Be quiet! The show's about to start!" Tony says gleefully to McGee and Abby as they turn to the one-way mirror.

"Oh good, we're in time." says a pleased McGee.

"Would the two of you please tell me what's going on?" Eyes widening, Abby asks, "Are we going to watch Gibbs interrogate a bad guy? Oh, man! I love it when he gives those threatening beady-eyed stares. Gets my juices going every time."

Tony gives Abby a slightly disgusted look. "That is just so wrong, Abs. It's Gibbs and Kate. Kate dared Gibbs to let her profile him," answers Tony.

"What? No way! And Gibbs agreed?" asks a doubtful Abby.

"Well…Gibbs only agreed to it if he gets to profile Kate in return" clarifies McGee. "Since Kate is trained in profiling, they decided to bend the rules a bit and give each other more 'observations' rather than just 'profiles'."

"Oh! This will definitely be fun!" says Abby with a look of anticipation.

While the three start making bets about how long this interrogation will last, who will draw first blood and who will come out on top, Gibbs and Kate settle themselves into chairs on opposite sides on the table. They place their coffee cups on the table and stare at each other - each waiting for the other to speak first.

"Brings back memories Kate?" Gibbs asked with a lift of his eyebrow.

"Of course, how could I forget? It was right after Ari had held me captive –."'

"-the second time," inserts Gibbs with a growl.

With a lift of her own eyebrow, Kate continues "At the coffee shop - I was worried that you were going to send me undercover as DiNozzo's wife."

In the observation room, McGee and Abby chuckles while Tony frowns at what Kate had said.

Gibbs gives Kate slight smug smile - remembering the look of dread on Kate's face.

"So who will start first?" ask Kate.

"Since you started this, you go first."

"Why don't we each take a turn, just to keep it fair" suggests Kate.

Gibbs reaches for his cup and before lifting it to his lips to drink, he tilts it towards Kate as a signal to start first.

"You're autocratic."

"In other words, I'm bossy?" When Kate nods, Gibbs replies with "well, I am the boss."

"That's it? 'I'm the boss' is your explanation?" Kate asks incredulously.

With a nod, Gibbs says, "You're passive."

"I am not passive" Kate denies, slightly offended. "I am observant. I listen and watch first before acting." Gibbs tilts his head in acknowledgement.

"You're too cynical."

"In this line of business, you have to be to do a good job, Kate. Plus, when you have three wives under your belt, it can't be avoided." With a shrug and a slight lift of his eyebrow, Gibbs comments with "you're impatient."

"Yeah, well when you're growing up with immature brothers and then finally grow up only to have to deal with adolescent co-workers, who are constantly teasing and making mediocre sexist remarks, a person does tends to be annoyed easily."

Back in the observation room, an insulted Tony says to Abby and McGee, "Hey, I resent that! My comments are not mediocre."

Abby and McGee glance at each other shaking their heads. They turn their attention back to the interrogation and ignore Tony.

"You're controlling with your agents".

"Only when I need to be."

"Which is most of the time" Kate replies with a soft snort.

With a shrug of his shoulders, Gibbs says, "You're defensive."

"Defensive? Me?" Kate asks disbelievingly. "Of course I am. When a woman has to work with men displaying too much testosterone, she does tend to be defensive. It's called 'self-preservation'. I see nothing wrong with that!"

"Uh-huh, she's defensive alright," says McGee with a nod.

"That's ten you owe me Abby. Gibbs drew first blood," Tony tells Abby with an un-holy gleeful smile, hands rubbing together.

Abby lightly bounces on her toes, brows drawn together and mumbles "Come on Kate. Come out on top."

"You trust too much."

"You don't trust enough."

"Damn right. And that usually means I get the bad guys Kate."

Somehow Kate had to concede that point because no matter what, Gibbs always gets his man.

Kate continues with "You're closed in – refusing to express your personal feelings and thought."

"You feel too much," Gibbs replies in return.

"You don't feel enough," Kate counters back.

Leaning a couple of inches forward, eyes focused intently on Kate, Gibbs quietly replies with "Oh, I feel more than enough Kate".

Eyes widening, Abby comments with "Wow, oh wow! This is getting good."

Tony and McGee exchange puzzled glances. They turn back to the one-way mirror - both tilting their heads to the right – trying to figure out what just happened – how the tone of the conversation turned from accusing and nearly insulting to somewhat sensual.

Made speechless for a moment, Kate narrows her eyes at Gibbs, unsure as well if the conversation has turned sexual in nature. Gibbs stares back with an innocent look on his face. Since Gibbs has rarely made any sexual comments before, she passes it off. She too leans a couple of inches forward and says, "I think you're too hard."

"Well, I do stay in shape – working on my boat and sparring."

"I wasn't talking about your body."

"I know." With a smug smile, Gibbs leans back and says, "You're soft. And this time, I am talking about your body"

Kate defends herself with "I am not. I work out as well."

"I didn't mean soft as in weak. I'm talking about you being soft – as in feminine with soft smooth skin with a firm toned body, and also soft-hearted." The last words were said almost disappointingly.

"Okay, now this is getting really, really good. My heart's starting to pound hard," Abby remarks, pigtails vibrating with anticipation, while staring fixedly at the scene in front of her. "I didn't know Gibbs had it in him. But then again with three marriages…"

"Eww! Not Gibbs and Kate! Don't talk like that!"

"Tony, I think Abby may be on to something here."

"McGee, can you possibly imagine Kate and Gibbs 'together'?" Tony asks incredulously.

McGee looks at Tony. Pauses a moment and says, "No, not at first. But look at them. It's like they have this connection thing going on."

Tony responds with a whack at the back of McGee's head.

"Would you two stop and pay attention! I think I'm in love," Abby says with a sigh.

Surprised, McGee asks Abby, "with Gibbs?"

"With both – maybe. God, this is just so cool!"

"Stop, please stop, I can't take any more of this," pleads Tony.

By now Kate's eyes has softened as she looks at Gibbs. "I like your hands – big, rough but they can be gentle with children and injured people…or on those very rare moments when you place it on my lower back to guide me, or to hold on to me so I don't fall down, or when you brush the hair from my eyes."

Gibbs tilts his head a little, eyes slightly crinkling and replies with "I like your smile: Smug when you get a one-up verbally sparring with Tony, or gently teasing McGee, or politely listening to Ducky's long stories, or amused at Abby's quirkiness".

"Oh God! Someone kill me now," moans Tony.

McGee consolingly Tony pats him on the back.

"Shh!" Abby is waving her hand for Tony to keep it down.

Gibbs eyebrows draw together. Skipping Kate's turn, he says seriously with "you're too young".

"You're young enough", Kate says, daring Gibbs to contradict her. Since Gibbs seemed momentarily stumped, Kate reverts back to her starting first.

"I like the way your eyes crinkle when you're amused at something or someone or at a comment made."

"I like how your eyes flashes when you're angry at me or annoyed at DiNozzo or McGee."

Kate leans forward, places her chin on her hand, and says dreamily to Gibbs "I like how you look at me when you think no one is watching – like I'm the only woman in the room - like you want more from me."

Gibbs stands up, places both hands on the table and leans forward placing his face a few inches from Kate's face and whispers, "it's because I do. I do want more."

"Yes!" Abby shrieks joyfully. "That's twenty buck from each of you!"

"But, but how?" stutters McGee.

"Because my clueless male friends, when a woman can get a man to declare his feelings – especially if 'he' is Gibbs – then that woman comes out on top and Kate definitely came out on top with Gibbs last comment" says Abby with a wide pleased smile.

"I think I'm going to be sick. This is so not right." Tony says out loud, although he doubts that Abby and McGee heard him as they are staring – mesmerized - at the couple in front of them. Oh, man! Did he just think of Kate and Gibbs as a 'couple'? "Yup, I'm going to be sick alright."

"Gibbs, there's something you should know…" Kate's voice trails off.

While Gibbs leans in another inch, so does Abby, McGee and Tony – all wanting to hear what she's going to say.

"I…"

"What Katie? What is it?" Gibbs asks in a voice low.

"What? What, Kate? Answer the man," whispers Abby insistently.

"I'm…"

"Yes Katie?"

Again, Abby, McGee and Tony lean in – almost pressing their foreheads against the one-way mirror.

Voice starting softy and then increasing in volume, Kate says "I'm…. going to… kill DiNozzo!" lifting her head from her hand and pointing at the one-way mirror directly at Tony.

All three jump and step back in shock.

"Not unless I get to him first. DiNozzo!" yells Gibbs moving to stand in front of the mirror. "Hide DiNozzo! And take Abby and McGee with you!"

Scrambling and bumping into each other, they head towards the door, nearly tumbling out into the hallway while trying to push one another aside.

Kate gets up and moves to stand next to Gibbs. "Do you think they left already?"

"Oh yeah, they took my threat seriously and went to go hide" Gibbs replies smugly. "How long have you known they were there?"

"Since the beginning. I saw them sneaking into the Observation Room. You?"

"I guessed. Figured DiNozzo wouldn't pass up an opportunity to 'observe'."

They give each other amused smiles. Amusement fading, they stare intently at each other for a moment. "I meant everything I said Kate" Gibbs says quietly.

"Good, because I meant them too Gibbs," Kate confirms. "And I also still mean to kill Tony." She adds smartly.

Before Gibbs can respond to either declaration, Kate turns away and reaches for her coffee cup on the table. She pauses and glances back at Gibbs before striding out of the Interrogation Room, leaving him standing there with eyes twinkling and a small smile.

The End.