1Title: It Starts With a Look

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of its characters. Opening lines are from "Bete Noir"

Summary: Post "Bete Noir," Kate gets a look from Tony . . . one she's never seen before.

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"Gibbs figures he was wearing a bulletproof vest all along," Tony said.

"He was, I felt it," Kate replied.

"You felt it? How close did you get to feel it? Close enough to touch him . . . with your hands, or did you touch him with-"

Kate cut him off. "Close enough to stab him with a knife in my hand."

"And you didn't?"

"No," she replied as she looked down.

"Stockholm syndrome?" Tony asked as he leaned in towards her.

"You can't identify with your captor in an hour," Kate responded.

"I don't know," Tony began, "maybe it's like falling in love. It can happen . . . like that."

He stood up and slowly made his way back across the dimly lit room. His eyes stayed focused on Kate as he sat down at his desk.

Kate could only stare back at him.

Why was he still staring at her? What was he looking for?

She couldn't figure it out. He looked almost concerned, but, no, that wasn't it. She didn't know what this look meant. She hadn't seen it before, not from him. Was he looking for something? She sat uneasily in her chair, unsure of what to do, but not wanting to look away.

Dammit Dinozzo.

She finally tore her eyes away from his. She didn't want something else to think about right now. She didn't need it. She had enough to deal with already. She kept replaying the day's events in her mind.

Why couldn't she stab her captor when she had the chance? Maybe Tony had been right . . . Stockholm syndrome. No, that couldn't be it. She didn't feel anything for that bastard, except hatred. Was she just weak? Maybe she just didn't have it in her.

She played the moment over and over in her mind, without any satisfying conclusion. She didn't want to think about it anymore. . .she couldn't. She had to get her mind on something else.

Her eyes drifted to the desk across from hers.

He'd had an eventful day too.

"I don't know. Maybe it's like falling in love. It can happen . . . like that."

Why had he said that? He never was one to think before he spoke. But he'd said it nonetheless. He couldn't take it back now. He wasn't sure how Kate would take the comment. He stared at her, waiting for a response, any response . . . hoping. What seemed like an eternity passed between them. Kate finally looked away.

Dammit Dinozzo.

He directed his attention back to the paperwork on his desk. He had no idea what he was writing, but he knew he had to keep himself occupied.

What were you expecting Dinozzo?

He knew she'd had a terrible day. He wished Kate would open up and talk about it. But she wouldn't, not to him. He couldn't blame her really. All he ever did was tease, harass, and embarrass her. He'd never taken the opportunity to actually be serious and be there for her. . .until now.

The day had made him think about a lot of things. He had been afraid for Kate. Sure, he had worried about Ducky and Gerald too, heck, even Gibbs at one point. But knowing Kate was in danger had, well, scared him.

What did that mean anyway?

He tried to think rationally. It shouldn't surprise him that he worried about Kate. She was his partner. He spent more time with her than anyone. And she was a woman.

He smiled to himself. He knew that didn't have anything to do with it. Kate was perfectly capable of holding her own. She had proved it more than once. She could probably give him a run for his money. He smiled again

No, the fact that she was a woman had nothing to do with it. It had to be something else.

He finally allowed his eyes to drift across the room.

What was he thinking? Kate was sure she had seen him smile. Was he laughing at her? No, that couldn't be it. Tony was a rude, obnoxious, sexist flirt, but he wasn't mean. Laughing at her today would have been just plain mean.

He was probably just looking at porn on his computer.

Kate smiled. He could always make her laugh. At least he was good for something.

Her mind again wandered to the day's events. Tony had been a big help in dealing with the hostage situation. And he did seem genuinely concerned when he asked about her captor.

It was a different side of Dinozzo. It was a side of him that intrigued her. Maybe he wasn't just an overgrown frat boy. Could Dinozzo possibly have hidden depth? She smiled. She kind of liked this thought.

Wait, what was she thinking? Hidden depth? Come on, this was Dinozzo.

She found the courage to steal another glance at him. She was surprised to find him doing the same.

"What?" she asked, not hiding her surprise.

"Nothing," Tony replied. "I'm just tired of thinking about today."

He hoped she felt the same way. Maybe then they'd have something to talk about.

"Yeah, me too." She said, relieved that someone else felt the same way.

"You know, we don't have to finish this tonight," Tony began. "Gibbs is at the hospital, so I doubt he going to come looking for us. And if he does, he took a bullet in his shoulder, he won't be able to smack us for three, four days tops. Why don't we just call it a night?"

Kate thought it over. She didn't really want to go home and spend the night by herself, especially when he was still out there, but she didn't want to stay at the office either.

"Alright," she agreed.