Out of The Woods

Chapter Four

The case was taking up a lot of time, Lucy and Kai kept hovering around Kate, making sure she ate or rested. It was starting to get on her nerves, which Jane could see from a mile away.

Currently, Kate was pouring over some information she'd received from her contacts at the BAU. They were flying to Hawaii and had sent her an email. The blonde could feel Lucy and Kai hovering, almost as if waiting for her to need something.

Shifting slightly, Kate rubbed the back of her neck as she continued reading through the information. She was getting pretty annoyed by Kai and Lucy's hovering and was so close to turning around and telling them to back off but before she could, Jane sent them away to give her some space.

"Lucy, go check in with Ernie, see if he's gotten anything new that can tie our victims together." Jane said before turning towards Kai. "Kai, go check with Chase, see if she's gotten any information from the autopsies."

The two NCIS agents were about to argue but Jane gave them a look that made them both scatter.

"Thank you." Kate breathed out, turning and offering Jane a warm smile.

Jane smiled back. "They are hovering because they care." She said softly.

The blonde sighed softly, running a hand through her hair. "I know, but it's just frustrating. I'm pregnant, not handicapped."

"They know that." Jane sat on the edge of the desk.

"They don't act like it, they act like the smallest thing will break me." Kate said, shaking her head.

Jane smiled softly. "They want to take care of you."

Kate groaned softly, knowing Jane was right. "I just want them to stop hovering, I'll tell them if I need anything."

"Do you want me to talk to them?" Jane asked gently, not wanting to overstep.

"Please?" Kate asked softly, dropping her head onto the desk.

Jane nodded. "Of course. Tell them I want to see them in my office when they come back." She placed her hand on Kate's shoulder to comfort her then got up from her desk and made her way into her office.

The blonde lifted her head and went back to reading through the information from Emily Prentiss.

An hour later Lucy and Kai returned to the bullpen.

"Jane wants to see you both in her office." Kate said calmly, glancing away from her computer briefly.

"Why?" Kai asked, looking puzzled.

The blonde shrugged her shoulders, wanting it to seem like Jane was just having a conversation with them.

Lucy led the way into Jane's office.

"Close the door." Jane said calmly, looking up from her computer.

Kai closed the door then turned to his boss. "What's going on?"

Jane stood up and moved around her desk, leaning back against it. "I understand that you guys are worried about Kate. But I need your focus to be on this case." She said calmly.

"We are focused." Lucy said calmly, straightening her back.

"You are hovering, which is distracting Kate." Jane responded, raising an eyebrow at Lucy.

"We just... we... we want to support her as much as possible." Kai said, glancing towards where Kate was hunched over and reading another email.

Jane smiled softly and nodded her head. "And I understand that, but you have to give the woman room to breathe."