Hi
I really didn't think I would get around to write something longer so soon but then an evil plot bunny attacked me at work. Chef wasn't happy. Seems I'm actually supposed to work and not to write. Silly me.
This is my attempt at a longer story based on 'Mexico'. The story is already in my head and if you like, you get more soon.
P.S. Theres past KateAri mentioned but it will be Kibbs, promise!
Please tell me if I make mistakes, I can use the help. My English teacher will thank you.
They're not mine. I have to say this. If I don't then I get sued and I can't afford that.
Now enjoy!
Kate closed her eyes. Her fingers circled the rim of the red wine glass that stood still untouched in front of her. The little pub in one of Washington's worse areas was bathed in dim light. Somebody took the chair next to her and sat down. The action broke the defeating silence in the otherwise almost empty bar. Kate smiled and let her hair fall in front of her face. This was a customer she had expected.
"Kate."
"Ziva."
The other woman ordered a water and turned to her.
"You wanted to talk to me?"
Kate looked at the woman she still considered her sister.
"I've lied to Tony last week."
If the brunette was startled at the topic she didn't let it show.
" Agent Dinozzo. Why?"
"I've told him I never had a nightmare. I didn't tell him about Adam."
"Kate I…" Ziva hesitated, not sure what to say. Both women tried to avoid speaking about the real reason for this meeting. They knew it wouldn't be pretty. Either woman had duties to fulfil, for their countries, their families, and friends. It had always been difficult to maintain their friendship. And now they had to face another obstacle in form of one dark haired Mossad Officer each one of them loved in her own way.
"Damn it!" Kate took her glass and rushed into the back of the pub where it was darker. Ziva sighed and followed, knowing the young profiler had to get the anger out and needed somebody to yell at. And since she was the only one here at the moment.
'Might as well get over with it', she thought.
Kate stopped at a table, set down her glass and turned to Ziva, her eyes sparkling angrily.
"What the hell happened? Do you have any idea, what Ari's actions are going to cause? He shot two of my colleagues, Gerald 's going to need months of rehab until he can work again if he even does come back. And Gibbs…"
She stopped her ranting, slumped into a chair and rested her head between her arms, letting the cold table sooth her heated forehead.
Ziva took the seat next to her.
"I don't have an apology, Kate and I don't know why Ari did what he did but I'm going to find out. That's a promise."
She regarded the other woman warily.
"Ari would have never harmed you in any way, you know that, don't you? You still mean too much to him. I'm not even sure he knew you had changed jobs."
Kate snorted but it sounded more like a sob to her ears.
"I thought it's your job to know what he's up to. Shouldn't you know what he's doing?"
"I'm his handler not his babysitter."
Despite the situation, Kate had to laugh at that. Trust Ziva to regard a situation like this with humour.
"Don't forget you're his sister, too."
Ziva grimaced.
"Yeah, there's that."
A new customer entered and sat down. For her next words Ziva slipped into Hebrew, taking no chance for anybody to understand them.
"You know, my father sends his regards. He always thought you would make an excellent field agent, no matter the agency."
Kate smiled, the foreign language easily coming back to her.
"How is Director David? Does he still have heart problems?" The thought of her former father in law formed a knot in her stomach. She had once considered him a father and not having heard from him for so long made her sad.
"He is well. Not that he would tell me if he wasn't. You know how he is."
Oh yes, she knew. The Mossad Director could beat Gibbs when it came to secrecy. She leaned back and closed her eyes. Her head had started pounding about a minute ago. Maybe she shouldn't finish the wine at all. Get home, get some painkillers and then sleep as soon as possible. Yeah, that would be her game plan for tonight. No getting drunk. Maybe then she could come up with a way to tell Gibbs about Ari. How to explain to your boss, that the man who had held his best friend, and two of his colleagues hostage, not to forget that he'd shot him and Gerald, really was one of the good guys. Well, kind of good. She had no idea what Ari had been up to over the last years and his actions a week ago didn't really speak for him.
Oh, and the there was the little fact that he was her ex husband. You didn't fall in love with your captor in only a few hours. No this had taken much longer. And now she had to face the fact that Ari still meant something to her. It wasn't the all-consuming love it had once been but he would always have a piece of her heart. It was, in a way, inevitable. Ziva spoke up again.
"You know, I always thought my brother was an idiot."
"What?"
"Ari. He had everything with you and Adam. He shouldn't have left after Adam's death. If he'd stopped blaming himself for what happened. He couldn't have done anything. I've never seen him as happy as he was with you. If he'd just stayed."
Ziva suddenly stood up and searched through her pockets. Her next words were in English again.
"I'm going to find out what my dear brother is up to. You'll be the first to know. But you have to promise to keep quiet about this. Not a word. Not even to Gibbs, yes?"
Kate nodded, knowing she needed to keep this to herself. Despite everything Ari was still on their side, risking his life to work undercover. She couldn't let her resentment against him interfere with her duty as a federal agent. Ziva threw a few dollar notes on the table and turned to leave.
"Your wine is on me. I'll contact you soon. Take care."
And with that she made her way to the exit, determined as always, leaving Kate at the table. She sighed. Home was it. Maybe tomorrow things would look better.
They didn't.
It was only nine thirty and Tony was already getting on her nerves. Kate had been more than surprised when he'd actually shown up at eight o'clock. Since they didn't have any cases yet her colleague spent his time playing at his computer instead of doing paperwork. Gibbs was currently in a conference with the director and the rather loud noises from Tony's desk disturbed her concentration. Add to that the fact that she hadn't had much sleep last night made for one rather unhappy Special Agent Caitlin Todd this morning. She tried to concentrate on the text before her but her eyes always threatened to close and Kate did not want to get caught sleeping on the job. She sighed and got up. Maybe a visit to Abby would lighten her mood. The young Goth had been deeply disturbed by the events that had taken place in the morgue a week earlier and since then the two women had become closer.
The lab was unusually quiet today and Abby was nowhere to be seen.
"Abby?"
Nothing. Only silence answered her. Just when she wanted to turn around a noise let her stop. Was that crying?
"Abby?" she tried again.
"I'm here. In the back." The young forensics' voice sounded weak.
Kate stepped around the corner where she found her friend slumped against a wall, her head on her knees and her shoulders shaking slightly. Abby raised her head, and stared at Kate through red, tear stained eyes.
"Look at me Kate. I'm being pathetic, my make up is a mess and Gibbs wasn't here to bring me my Caff Pow and I have no idea why I'm behaving like this. I mean I wasn't even there when it happened but every time I want to go down I'm afraid that, I mean…" She trailed off and started sobbing again.
Kate carefully let herself down next to her and wordlessly hugged her tightly.
"I know, Abbs. We all feel the same. I think even Ducky is a bit apprehensive every time he gets down there. It's going to take a while until we can enter the morgue without thinking about it again."
Silently she cursed Ari for putting her friends through this. It wasn't fair. Abby was a damn forensic. She shouldn't be confronted with these dangers directly.
Abby hiccupped and leaned back against the wall.
"Do you think he'll come back? He isn't dead and maybe, maybe he wants revenge or something like that."
Kate turned to her.
"No, Abby. I don't think he will. It would be the worst thing he could do. His face is all over the agency and he's one of our most wanted now. And do you really think he would risk running into Gibbs again?"
The black haired Goth grinned. The thought of Ari facing Gibbs obviously amused her.
"Yeah, he would have to be really stupid to do that, right? And he certainly proved that he isn't, stupid I mean."
"No he isn't. Come on." Kate stood up and helped Abby to her feet. "We're going to fix your make up, and since we don't have a case we're going on a coffee run. We can even get Gibbs his caffeine fix. Maybe he won't be so grumpy then after spending over an hour in a conference with the director and the SecNav."
Abby giggled.
"Sounds good. I promise I try not to burst into tears anymore, ok?"
Kate nodded and together the two women left the lab.
