Kate and Drew

Kate had wanted to go to the gym today but she was unable to with Drew at NCIS and all five kids at home. At one point Kate wanted to say to hell with it and leave Benjamin in charge of his younger sisters and brothers but she knew that would be too much since he had been inundated with homework. The other downside was that today was Kate’s birthday and she wasn’t getting to do what she wanted to do. Kate didn’t want to look like the type of mom she saw in the local grocery store that barely could stand being near their kids. Then again Kate Todd – Mackensie needed a break from being wonder mom. She also needed a break from being Wonder Woman, even if it was only meant to be for a day.
Another downside to what today was; was that she had barely gotten the normal amount of birthday wishes. Drew had wished her a happy birthday as he kissed her goodbye on his way out the door to head into work. As usual all five kids had wished her a happy birthday. Then everyone within Kate’s NCIS family had wished her a happy birthday. Abby wasted no time in wishing Kate a happy birthday. But what had gotten under her skin was that her parents as well as her brothers and sister had yet to call.
It was instants like these that made Kate agree with Tony, Ziva, McGee and Abby. Jethro Gibbs and Jen Shepard – Gibbs were her parents while Tony, McGee and Abby were her brothers and sister. Now since her return to the agency Kate was slowly considering Ziva and me to be her family as well. With each day Ziva became more of a sister to Kate, than Kate’s own sister was. As for me, well it seems to be that I was her aunt that tended to me be her younger sister more often than being her aunt.
Kate wanted more than anything to get out of her house. Now everyone knew that Jethro took Abby out to dinner the night before her birthday as he had done for countless years. And their little tradition didn’t waver in the slightest when Kelly came back into the picture or when Jen and Jethro got married. There was only one change that occurred prior to Kelly coming back. Back when Jen came back to NCIS as the Director after faking her death and when I started as an NCIS agent, Jethro decided to take Ziva, Jen and I out to dinner the night before our respective birthdays like he had with Abby.
When Kate came back to the fold following her own death faking; Jethro included her in the tradition. Then as predicted, with Kelly’s arrival; our lovable functional mute included his daughter in the tradition. We all knew he would, it wouldn’t be right if he hadn’t included her. Kelly was a part of him after all.
So just like the year before Jethro had asked Kate where she’d like to go for her pre – birthday dinner. Kate couldn’t choose and had been a bit on the busy side when Jethro had inquired. Jethro had then said if Kate had wanted they could go to lunch on her birthday instead. Kate had agreed to that. Now it was only a matter of waiting for Jethro to arrive. From years of driving to crime scenes and other places with Jethro, Kate knew it wouldn’t take him long to get from his house to hers.
Within minutes of looking up from her phone after sending Drew a text message Kate saw that Jethro was in the driveway waiting. She knew after working under him for so many years that it wasn’t a good thing to keep Jethro waiting, hell we all knew it wasn’t a good thing to keep him waiting.
“Its time for me to go, Uncle Jethro is outside waiting.” Kate said to the kids.
All five kids left what they were doing to say goodbye to her.
“Bye mom, have fun.” Jaliyah said.
“Will do.”
“Tell Uncle Jethro, we said hi.” Drew Jr. said.
“I will.”
“And tell him we said congrats on the triplets. And tell him to tell Aunt Jen for us too.” Ashleann said as she hugged Kate goodbye.
Kate smiled as she wondered how her kids found out about that.
“I will.”
“Go mom, before Uncle Jethro gets annoyed.” Noah said.
“I’m going. Just remember Benji is in charge until I or your dad get home and I am only a cell phone call away if you need anything. And remember your aunts and uncles are a phone call away if you need them as well as your dad.” Kate said.
“Mom, go enjoy lunch. We’ll be fine. We can take of ourselves; we are the kids of two federal agents after all.” Benjamin said.
With that Kate grabbed her phone and her clutch as she left.
“Sorry that took so long, Gibbs.” Kate said once she was in Jethro’s car.
“Don’t apologize; it’s a sign of weakness. Besides you were just being a parent; I understand.” Jethro said as they pulled out of they driveway and headed to the restaurant Kate had chosen.
Kate smirked when Jethro quoted his rule to her. But once they had arrived at the grille Kate had chose, Kate had picked up on the detail that Jethro wasn’t himself. Things only became peculiar when Jethro had asked her a question after their waiter went to get their drinks.
“Just out of curiosity; Kate, but do you still sleep with your gun under your pillow?” Jethro asked.
“Gibbs, I have slept with my gun under my pillow since I was Secret Service. That hasn’t changed.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Kate could see in Jethro’s eyes that he was processing something in his mind after she had answered his random question. Now Kate knew that she wasn’t the only one that Jethro had probably asked this question to, she also knew that something had to be up if he was inquiring about her gun. She also knew that Jethro knew from sharing a bed with Jen that she had for years done the same as Kate. Then with Ziva’s history of being a Mossad agent prior to her being an NCIS agent, Kate knew that sleeping with a gun was second nature for her teammate. As for me, Kate didn’t have to guess with. Having Jen as my sister and Ziva as my best friend, Kate knew that they made sure that I had followed suit. Kate knew that Abby just picked up on the whole sleeping with a gun under your pillow from McGee as well as her countless near death fiascos over the years.
“Gibbs, what’s going on? Why did you ask if I still slept with my gun? You should know that we all do. Even Kelly does.”
Gibbs smirked again.
“That’s my girl.” Jethro said almost inaudible.
“She learned from the best, Gibbs; just like the rest of us.”
Lunch continued on and Kate tried to get answer from Jethro about the whole gun inquiry, but he never gave her an answer.
“So have you gotten any other birthday wishes besides from me and Jen today?”
“I have. Drew wished me a happy birthday as he left for the office, the kids wished me a happy birthday when they gave me their cards at breakfast. The team called as did Ducky and Jordan. I have basically been wished happy birthday by everyone except my parents and my siblings.”
“Kate, give me your phone; I am gonna fix this.”
“Gibbs its fine. I don’t care if my parents or my siblings wished me a happy birthday or not. You and Jen have become more parent-esque to me than my own parents have.”
Soon after that lunch had wrapped up and Jethro brought Kate home.
“The kids wanted me to tell you they said hi and to say congrats on the triplets. They also wanted me to tell you to congratulate Jen for them.” Kate said as she got out of Jethro’s car.
“Will do.”
Before long Kate had all five kids fed, showered and in bed. Just she began to unwind from her bizarre afternoon with Jethro, Drew came home.
“Happy Birthday to my gorgeous wife.” Drew said as he gave Kate a bouquet of her favorite flowers.
“Thank-you babe.” Kate said as she kissed him.
Drew didn’t want to stop once Kate had kissed him in thanks for her flowers.
“Okay what has gotten into you?” Kate asked.
“Nothing, I just thought we spend some time together alone.”
Kate knew what Drew was hinting to.
“You do remember that’s how we became parents, right?”
“Yes I remember.”
“We’re not trying for number six, Drew. Not when Jen and Jay are both expecting. You know perfectly well that we were done having kids the minute Ash and Jr. were born.”
“I know, but let’s just go have a bit of fun. Let’s go act like we did before we had the kids, just for one night.”
With that Drew had won Kate over. After a few hours, Kate and Drew lay in bed. Kate’s hair was completely messed up and like things of this nature had gone the only coverage they had was the bed sheet. Kate hoped against hope that none of the kids would wake up and come into the room when her and Drew were in bed the way they were. Drew didn’t say much after they had sex. Kate on the other hand knew that the smirk on her husband’s face was oddly similar to the one Ray Barone had after he and Debra had their own tryst. After that thought Kate knew she had been around Tony too much since she started making random references.
Once those thoughts were driven out of her head, Kate looked at her husband next to her.
“Forever and For Always.” Kate said she laced her hand with her rings with Drew’s and fell asleep in Drew’s embrace.