Chapter 34
Kate found herself at the doors of Autopsy. She had not even remembered coming here, on purpose. But she was here, so she went in.
“Ah, Katelyn…” Ducky said, looking up from his work. “…to what do I owe this pleasure?”
When Kate didn’t answer immediately, Ducky answered the question. “You wish to discuss Anthony.”
Kate nodded. She knew Ducky knew Tony well. She had considered going to talk to Abby. But she knew Abby would get emotional. She needed another ‘profiler’s’ point of view.
“The whole thing reminds me of the old adage. ‘Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.”
Kate nodded. “In spades…. He’s just so, un-Tony, it’s unreal.”
“As I said, Katelyn, you got what you wanted.” Ducky reminded her.
“I know, but….”
“But it turned out not being, at all, what you expected?”
Kate nodded.
“The things we want almost never seem to turn out the way we imagine them.” Ducky told her.
“I never expected him to be able to do it, I guess. I never expected him to be able to not talk for so long. He really surprised me there. I never expected him to be able to just be professional. It’s been a week, and I think, if I had met this Tony. The one I have been dealing with for the past week. I don’t think I could have stayed and worked for Gibbs.” Kate paused. “Gibbs…”
“He’s much easier to take with Tony around.”
“Exactly.” Kate said. “How much long is this going to last?” She groaned.
“As soon as it takes for you give Tony what he needs.” Ducky stated.
“What he needs…?”
“Your respect.” Ducky explained.
Kate shook her head. “He’s an immature frat boy.”
“Who happens to be your Senior Agent, and if anything were to happen to Gibbs….”
Kate chuckled. “Let’s hope nothing happens to Gibbs.” She stated, her chuckle turning nasty.
“Katelyn…” Ducky paused. “…I can appreciate your not sharing my opinion of Anthony. I cannot, however, allow that statement to stand.”
Ducky’s swift and decisive defense of Tony surprised Kate. She stood speechless.
“Anthony got the position of Senior Field Agent because he earned it. And I dare say even if you and Timothy had been hired before Anthony, Anthony would have still been named Senior Agent.”
Kate opened her mouth, but Ducky continued.
“Anthony had more field experience than both you and Timothy, put together, when you were hired.” Ducky paused. “I know what goes on.” Ducky said, seeing her look of surprise. “I am aware you feel being in the Secret Service should surpass Tony’s beat cop experience. You scoff at his Physical Education degree. But are you aware, Katelyn, he graduated in the top 12% of his class? Did you also know that people, with those degrees, can go into sports medicine? They work for college and pro teams making a great deal of money caring for athletes with injuries? Were you aware of that? They do not have to end up being a physical education teacher in some high school somewhere.”
Kate felt as if she had been corrected. She shook her head.
“You are a profiler, my dear Katelyn. Why did you not use that skill to find out about your partner?” Ducky pleaded. “Did he not deserve, at least, that much from you?”
Ducky continued when he got no response.
“What is it about Anthony that you cannot accept, Katelyn?” Ducky asked. “What is it?”
Kate shook her head. She thought, when she first met Tony, she had had him pegged. She had just made every piece of information she gathered after that fit into the picture she had developed. And everything she had learned, for the most part, had fit into that picture. The one of an immature, womanizing, frat boy, and the parts that didn’t fit, well…she just threw those out. She chalked them up to Tony pretending to be sincere.
She had not been able to throw out the doctor part. Plus, she had seen him in action. And he was good at his job. That definitely, didn’t fit into her picture. Her picture was now shattered and she did not want to admit to herself she had failed. She had not looked deep enough. But was it because she didn’t care? Or did she simply not want to know? Regardless of her reasons, Ducky was right. Tony did deserve that much from her.
“He…” Kate started. “…I had this…picture. I knew what he was. What he was all about in the first few weeks after I met him. I had that…picture set, and nothing was going to change it.”
Ducky started. “Katelyn, as a student of human nature….”
Kate nodded. She knew what he was going to say next. She should know that people are not always as they first appear. People change. They grow. They evolve. They let you in to learn more about them. But….
There was no ‘but.’ She had been completely wrong. She had not, of her own choosing, taken the time to get to know who her partner truly was. And as she had learned new things, she had rejected them. Kate was beginning to realize her mistake. Learning that her partner was more than she had thought he was shouldn’t be causing her problems. It should be drawing them closer as friends. She should be happy these things were broadening her view of him. Not upset the façade she had created ‘for and of him’ was crumbling.
“I have missed up, Ducky.” Kate admitted.
“Yes, my dear, I am afraid that you have.” Ducky agreed.
“How can I fix this? Can it be fixed?” Kate asked, looking to Ducky for answers.
“It think that it can, my dear.” Ducky replied. “I think that it can.”
TBC
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