NCIS. Abby/Kate. 062. Spring. *
Title: 'Til Spring
Fandom: NCIS
Characters: Abigail Sciuto, Caitlin Todd
Prompt: 062 Spring
Word Count: 615
Rating: R
Spoilers: None
Summary: Kate receives bad news from an unlikely source.
Author's Notes: Just a short one this time, getting me back into the swing of it. Thanks to Wikipedia for the past predictions!
Little Damn Table
Kate woke early and went to the living room to watch the news. A few minutes later, Abby came in behind her and sat on the edge of the sofa. She blinked slowly at the TV, watching the weatherman as he indicated a tree behind him. "What're you doing?"
"It's Groundhog Day," Kate said.
"Oh," Abby said, leaning back against the sofa. "And we're watching this at five in the morning... why?"
Kate hesitated, tapping her fingers on her bare knee. Finally, she shook her head and said, "No, you'll think it's stupid."
Abby leaned forward. "Oh, well... now you have to tell me."
Reluctantly, Kate withdrew a worn spiral notebook from the chair next to her. It had a very faded blue cover, the corner torn off and half the pages torn out. Abby flipped the book open and saw the first date listed was 1970. As she flipped through the pages, she saw Kate's handwriting tighten and mature, going from great-big five-year-old scribbles to concise, elegant script. Kate shrugged and said, "I... I'm the record-keeper." She ducked her head, looking at the TV again.
"For who?"
"My family," Kate sighed. "When I was a little girl, I used to think the groundhog - of course, I thought he was a giant hamster - could really predict the weather. I was so... impressed with him that I'd get up every February second to watch the live coverage. Every prediction from when I was four years old." She handed the notebook to Abby.
"Whoa," Abby said, flipping through the pages. "Six more weeks of winter, six more weeks of winter. It's like ten to one with early spring."
"Yeah," Kate said, taking the notebook back. "28 of the last 36 years, he's seen his shadow and turned tail, which means..."
"Six more weeks of winter," Abby said. "Jumpy little fella, ain't he?"
"Yeah," Kate said, turning back to the TV. A man wearing a tuxedo and a top hat was standing next to Punxsutawney Phil's home. A tiny set of double-doors was set into the side of a tree, complete with golden hinges. Above the door, a sign was nailed that read simply: "PHIL."
Abby shook her head. "I can't believe they're already partying at five in the morning."
"They've been going since three," Kate said.
"You're kidding me."
"Nope. Daddy would always make me promise to sleep until at least five. Oh, hold on... I think it's starting."
The main man leaned over the top of the tree stump, peering down where Phil was presumably hiding. He and an assistant withdrew the groundhog and peered intently at him as he was placed upon a red mat.
"Fat little bastard, isn't he?"
Kate smirked.
The screen lit with camera flashes as another man unfurled a sheet of paper and formerly declared there would, yet again, be six more weeks of winter.
Kate reluctantly marked down the prediction and said, "Damn."
"Hey, it's all right," Abby said.
"I know," Kate sighed. "It's just that I bought this really great dress that I can't wear until it warms up a little."
Abby arched her eyebrows and said, "Really?"
Kate smiled.
Abby stood and said, "You know, it's still incredibly early. We don't have to be at work for another two hours."
"What's your point?" Kate asked, closing her notepad and turning off the television.
"Punxsutawney Phil got to run and hide in his stump. No reason why we can't run and hide in the bedroom."
Kate stood and took Abby's hand. "How long are we going to hide in there?" she asked with a smile.
"'Til Spring," Abby replied, pulling Kate down the hallway to the bedroom.