A/N: Oneshot written for the NFA Women of NCIS challenge. It takes place right after Yankee White. There is a minor season 8 spoiler, but if you haven't seen the episode, you won't know what it is. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS and all recognizable dialogue comes from Yankee White. I am not making money off this story.

A New Beginning
by Enthusiastic Fish

"Every beginning is a consequence - every beginning ends some thing."
Paul Valery

"I heard you quit, Agent Todd."

"Happy news gets around fast. Yes, I resigned. It was the right thing to do."

"Yup. Pull that crap at NCIS, I won't give you a chance to resign."

"Is that a job offer?"

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Kate walked into her apartment and looked around it. She couldn't believe how quickly her life had changed. Not three days ago, she had been on the President's protection detail with the Secret Service. She had a boyfriend. She had made a space for herself in a predominantly-male field. It had seemed like she couldn't get any farther than she was. Air Force One. What was higher than that?

And now?

Now, she wasn't even sure what she was doing, where she was headed, what was going on. Her head was spinning after the whirlwind of working against and with Special Agent Gibbs.

Now, apparently, she had lost the job she had worked so hard for...and had gained a new one without even trying. A job in another predominantly-male field. Another place to try and make a place, try and get respect in spite of her X chromosomes. She didn't relish that particular part of where her ambition had led her.

And the men she'd apparently be working with? Leroy Jethro Gibbs who seemed to know everything about everyone and knew how to play any person he wanted to. Anthony DiNozzo, a player of another sort if ever she'd seen one. He also had the look of a guy who would relish trying to take advantage of her sudden change in status. Dr. Donald Mallard...called Ducky without any sort of insult implied. He, at least, seemed to be quite the gentleman.

Kate smiled as she thought about the old M.E. and his expression of surprise at her confession.

Her smile faded as she thought of another gentleman...a man she would never see again. And the last thing she'd said to him?

"That's the way it's gotta be," she whispered aloud.

Her apartment suddenly seemed very, very empty. She'd lost a lot more today...or rather yesterday, than she'd thought. Her boyfriend was dead. Yes, she'd broken it off with him, but still...one didn't instantly get over a relationship and she wondered now what might have happened. Would she and Tim have got back together even with her newfound determination to keep to all the rules? It was entirely possible. She knew that. They'd had a lot of fun together.

Tears pricked her eyelids as she remembered Tim's smile. He'd been such a gentleman. Even when she had ended it, he'd been kind. Disappointed but understanding of her reasons...and she'd never see him again.

She kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned her jacket.

What a day. Trying not to think about Tim, she walked into her kitchen and pulled container of ice cream out of the fridge. She decided to forgo the bowl and carried the whole container to her couch, armed with only a spoon.

She turned on the TV and looked stared at it for a while, flipping through channels while digging much further into the mint chocolate chip than she should. Finally, Kate knew she had to put the spoon down...but she still wasn't tired. ...no, she was tired, but she wouldn't be sleeping just yet. She had too much to think about.

So she put the ice cream away (with one last spoonful) and got out her sketchpad.

What would tomorrow bring? Her first strokes were random, establishing a bit of a background, but after a few minutes, a person began to take shape.

Special Agent Gibbs. Part of her was still furious with him for the way he'd sprung the news on her, testing her, making sure she wasn't the culprit. Logically, she knew that was the best way, but emotionally...she figured it was the worst way she could have learned about Tim's death.

Even so, Gibbs was intriguing in his own way. There were a lot of layers to him, she could tell that much. He wasn't as simple as he pretended to be. Maybe DiNozzo wasn't either. He clearly knew his job, but he screwed around a lot.

Using quick confident strokes, Kate continued to draw as she mulled over the new course her life was taking. It wasn't what she wanted. It wasn't anything she'd ever even considered. NCIS? It was like the younger sibling who got lost in the shuffle. Nearly every agent she knew, if they talked about NCIS at all, talked about it as an agency that was only a few steps away from being an embarrassment. She, personally, didn't know why. She'd never had any occasion for interaction with them before now, but...

Baer respected Agent Gibbs, respected his gut. That's something.

How much was it? Kate didn't know, but it was something. Something from the world she knew that she could hang on to...because she had a lot of respect for Agent Baer. He'd survived a long time in a job that could be dangerous in many ways.

...and speaking of siblings.

"What am I going to tell my family?" Kate asked aloud. With a soft groan, she set down the pencil and leaned back on the couch. Her father would have a field day with the news that she'd quit the Secret Service. Her mother would have a field day knowing the reason why. ...and her brothers would only care about where she was working next. At no point (at least not for the next few conversations) would her own conflicted feelings even be addressed. ...and yet, Kate smiled as she thought of her family. Maybe Rachel would be willing to offer some sort of comforting words. She was a shrink, after all. That was her job.

With a laugh, Kate set the half-finished drawing aside and picked up her phone. It was late, but Rachel didn't generally get to bed early.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rachel."

"Kate! What's up? Bit late for you, isn't it?"

Kate grinned. "Not for you."

"Not a chance. What is it?"

"Well...how to put this...I lost my job as a Secret Service agent and now, I guess I'm working for NCIS."

"What? How did you lose your job?"

"Well, technically, I resigned."

"Major Kerry?"

"Yeah."

"How did he take it?"

Kate felt her throat tighten again. "He's dead, Rachel."

"What? How?"

"Murdered. You'll have seen it on the news."

"Oh, no. I'm so sorry, Kate."

"Yeah...me, too. I'd just broken up with him, actually."

"But you still resigned?"

"Yeah. Just didn't feel right."

"So...what's NCIS? I've never heard of it."

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service. They investigate crimes in the Navy."

"And how did you get this new job so fast?"

"I don't know. The agent I was working with on the case told me I was working for him right before he walked away. I don't know how it all works. Maybe NCIS is a lot more casual than the Secret Service."

"Katie?"

"I'm...not happy about it, Rach. I'm...disappointed, angry at myself...and I don't even know what to feel about Tim."

"So...what's next? You're taking the NCIS job?"

"Yeah. May not last. I'm not sure I'll fit in there, but it's something to try. I'm not really an investigator though. I'm not sure how all this'll work."

"You'll figure it out. If you could muscle your way into the Secret Service, you can figure out NCIS."

"Yeah, maybe," Kate said, feeling a lot less confident.

"Don't let them see any sign of weakness."

"I'm not going out into the forest to hunt lions, Rachel. It's a job."

"And if you weren't nervous about it, you wouldn't have called me."

Kate laughed. "Guilty as charged."

"You told everyone else yet?"

"No. Not looking forward to it."

"Well, you need to phrase it better. Don't talk about it as you lost a job. Tell them that you got a new one. A job with great potential for new experiences. Talk about how many opportunities you'll have."

"I don't even know what opportunities I'll have."

"Make some up. They won't care. It's not like they're going to check on the details. As long as you seem happy, Mom and Dad won't worry."

"I guess not."

"You're really worried about this, aren't you."

"This is going to sound silly."

"I'll keep my mouth shut."

"I'm...I'm worried that I won't fit in. I'll be working with these people all day, every day. They're...really quirky."

"And you're the picture of normalcy?"

"Ha ha. You know what I mean. I chose to go and work for the Secret Service. It's what I wanted, but this...I don't feel like I even had the chance to choose."

"Well, think about it now. It's not like you have to accept the offer. Do you want this?"

Kate thought about it. It was a job, which she now needed. ...but more than that, she had to admit to being interested in this small agency, in the people who chose to work there. How had they all ended up at that place, working together, seemingly well?

"Want might be too strong a word right now, but...but it seems like...it might just be a good opportunity."

"Then, go for it, kiddo. Let me know how it turns out, okay?"

"Will do."

"Now, go to bed. I'm a night owl, but I know you aren't."

Kate laughed. "Good night, Rachel."

"Night, Kate."

Kate hung up and looked at the sketch pad. She'd finish that later. Right now, Rachel was right. She was tired and the morning would come soon enough for worrying about all that she would have to do to fit in her new job.

With that in mind, Kate stood up and stretched. Quickly, she changed into her pajamas and got into bed.

She had one last thought as she drifted off to sleep.

What was rule number one again?

FINIS!