<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#99ff99">Tony stared blankly at the closed elevator doors.  "Did she just... did she just Kate me?" he asked Gibbs.  "That was totally a Kate trick."<br/>
<br/>
"Nah."  Gibbs headslapped him -- gently.  "That was a Ziva trick.  She's your partner now, DiNozzo.  Get used to it."<br/>
<br/>
Rubbing the back of his head -- even though it hadn't hurt -- Tony returned to his desk.  "On it, boss."<br/>
<br/>
* ~ *<br/>
<br/>
Jethro read Kate's message quickly, cursing inwardly.  He hated the press.  Hated them in a way he normally reserved for child molesters.  <i> Kitten -- Appreciate the heads up.  Didn't notice the vultures at the scene, I was focused on Tim.  Glad you can be there for him.  Wish I could do both, but working the case is what I can do for now.  Miss you.  -- Jet</i>.  Then, before he could overthink it, he sent a second message.  <i>K - I love you. - J</i><br/>
<br/>
* ~ *<br/>
<br/>
Tim looked up when Kate dropped into the chair next to him -- utterly shocked to see her, but grateful down to his marrow.  He'd had no idea how much he needed to not be here alone.  When her arm came around him, he tried to resist, at first.  But there was no denying how deeply he felt that gratitude, and how very much he needed his big sister right now, while his baby sister laid on an operating table.<br/>
<br/>
It took some time before he was willing to communicate beyond the tightness of his arms, but eventually he opened a blank word document on his laptop and tapped it so that Kate would realize what he was doing.  <i>I'm glad you're here.</i>  Tim didn't know what else to say -- there didn't seem to be much he could say -- so he put his arms back around Kate, pressed his cheek to her hair, and held on.<br/>
<br/>
And if he was whispering a prayer to himself... well, that was between him, God, and Kate.</span></span>