She'd been giddy with joy, and though she'd thought her crush on Meredith Gibbs long gone, she was apparently wrong. All it had taken was an invitation to one of the famous Gibbs parties, and a single dancer with the former object of her affections, for the former to become the achingly current. Meredith had told her to wait at the tennis court for her, and for a second, it didn't matter that Meredith was engaged, because Kate was back from Paris, and for once, she had a chance to be Meredith's lover.

Smoothing out her skirt nervously, she sat there waiting. Meredith had gone to get champagne and glasses, the way that Kate had watched her do with a billion different rich, influential boys over the years, taking them to the tennis court to work their charms on her.

She knew Meredith would come. And she had waited this patiently for so many years, she could hardly believe it was finally happening.

Getting ready earlier that evening, she had been stunned. For so many years she'd been watching from afar, wanting and hoping that one day Meredith's eyes would open and she'd see Kate not just as a friend, but as more. And Kate had hoped that Paris would cure her, but no such luck. And she'd looked at herself in the mirror, hair swept into a graceful bun, her dress flowing to the floor like a waterfall, and her brown eyes sparkled with the promise that something good was going to happen.

She sat there, patiently waiting for Meredith to arrive. She smoothed out her skirt again, reflecting that she shouldn't have fallen so easily into the old trap that was Meredith. And here she was all the same.

XNCISX

Leroy shook his head, clutching the champagne bottle that he'd grabbed while they were calling to the doctor.

"What kinda idiot has to sit down on champagne glasses?" he muttered.

"Leroy!" He turned to see that his sister was sitting there, teeth gritted from the pain. "I need your help."

"I'm not pickin' the glass outta your ass, Mer."

"No, no, it's… it's Kate."

"Kate?" he repeated in surprise. They'd just been arguing about Kate, and how if Mer's future in-laws were watching, it perhaps wasn't wise to hustle the chauffeur's daughter at her own engagement party. There was a lot riding on the successful marriage of Meredith and Andrew; even more riding on the marriage of the two companies that their families ran.

And Leroy Jethro "second B for bastard" Gibbs was supposed to make that happen. "Yes," Meredith said, wincing as she shifted in her chair, her face pale under her makeup. "She's waiting on the tennis court for me… Told her I'd meet her there."

"Dammit Mer!" He buried his face in his hands, groaning in frustration. "Do you remember your last paramour? She cost the family a quarter of a million dollars!"

"I love her, Leroy."

He turned to stare at her. "Ya never noticed her before today!"

"We grew up together!"

He sighed, and then forced a smile, an idea forming in his head. "Tell you what, Mer, I'll go to the tennis court and tell her what happened. Okay?"

"Really?" she asked, momentarily distracted from the pain. "You'd do that for me?"

"Sure. Look, Mer… if you love her, then I won't stop you. In fact, I'll even help the two of ya."

Mer grabbed his hand. "Leroy you're the greatest! Will… will you take care of her for me? I'm not going anywhere for a few days."

"You bet." He squeezed her hand. He knew what he was going to do, and maybe it was despicable, but they didn't call Leroy Jethro Gibbs a bastard for no reason. It was how he'd successfully manned the company, and how he'd dispatched with the last few dalliances of Meredith's. And he'd even arranged this merger in the first place.

XNCISX

His breath was taken away when he walked into the tennis court and saw her. He'd seen her when she was unpacking that afternoon, but it still amazed him how she'd grown up into someone so beautiful. He was too old for her, and too heartless besides, as well it was his sister that Kate had her eyes on. She stood up, and he saw the flash of disappointment in her eyes when she saw that it was only him. He was clutching the champagne glasses and bottle tightly, as he eyed her.

"Leroy? But… where's Meredith?"

"She's… stuck."

"Oh. And I suppose you were sent to deal with me, then? It's like those old movies, where the prime minister is sent to deal with the waitress and offers her money." She scoffed. "He offers her a hundred thousand dollars, and she says no. And then five hundred thousand kronen, again she says no."

"A million dollars?"

"No self-respecting waitress would take dollars."

"No self respecting prime minster would offer kronen. Look, Meredith sent me."

"You aren't here to chase me off?"

"No," he said patiently. "I came to look after ya. And besides, seems a waste to not drink the champagne."

"Oh, all right," she said, resigned to her fate. He poured the champagne, and then clinked his glass against hers in a silent tribute. They stood there for a moment, before she said. "You know, Meredith always dances with her conquests."

"Does she?"

"Yes. I used to watch through the windows of the tennis court."

"Little sneak," he said, with a tinge of admiration. They took up their positions, and waltzed in the silent tennis court. Kate was sure that Leroy could hear her heart beating right through her dress. Dress up the chauffeur's daughter, but put her face to face with the man who practically ran the company and the family, and she was reminded that she was still just the chauffeur's daughter. They kept waltzing, and then he leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

She jerked away, and he saw the stunned look on her face. She slapped him, and as he winced, grabbing his face, she changed. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me! Are you all right?"

"It's okay," he said, a hand still pressed to his cheek. "I deserved that."

"I… I should go. I don't belong here."

He watched her run off, and shook his head, resigned.

"My sister is one lucky broad."