A/N: OK, so this is my first NCIS fic written on this account. I used to write them a LONG time ago during the 1st/2nd/3rd seasons and I was like, 14 or 15 years old and they were TERRIBLE. So! Here goes round 2, 6-ish years later lol. Also, this ship is my OTP for this fandom and I REGRET NOTHING. And! I am confounded as to why there are not more of these fics, lol!

A/N 2: This is beta'd by my LOVELY "adopted daughter" Kaitlin (kaitlinroxursox on ) and she is amazing, and her writing spectacular so check her out, you won't regret it!

Ari walked into the smoky bar. It was dimly lit, but a decent amount of people for a Thursday night. Looking around, he saw the person he'd been looking for. She sat alone, in the corner booth looking forlorn and her eyes were red and puffy as if she'd been crying. He observed her, thinking about how best to approach her. His attention was immediately drawn to a drunken man in a suit who had sauntered over to her. Quickly he made his way through the bar, around the pool tables and bar stools.

"I said, get lost!" He heard her angry voice say loudly. He was not altogether unfamiliar with that tone. She was a spitfire to be sure.

"Come on baby, let me buy you a drink," the drunken man's slurred voice begged pitifully.

"I believe the lady told you to get lost." Ari said firmly. Kate's head flew up in recognition at the sound of his Israeli drawl. Her eyes went wide as he looked at her, smiling.

"Aari—wha-" she started.

"Hold on, Caitlin." He said, interrupting her. "Now, I'm not gonna tell you again. Leave. NOW." He said, grabbing the man's shoulder firmly.

"Okay, okay, Jesus Christ…" the guy said stumbling away from them. Ari sighed, sitting down in the booth across from her.

"Didn't peg you as the blues and cues type, Caitlin," He said looking at her calculatingly.

"I'm not," was the short and sweet reply.

"So then why are you here?" He asked.

"Why are YOU here? How—how did you even find me?" Kaitlin said throwing back another shot.

"I was in the neighborhood," he said chuckling.

"Likely story!" Kate said, wincing at the burn of the alcohol.

"Caitlin, why are you here, all alone, with a whole tray full of shots?" Ari said seriously. She'd made a serious dent. Looked like she'd already taken four or five…

"I had a long day…" she said, her voice trialing away. "NOT that it's an-any of your business," she added quickly.

"What happened?" he asked again.

Kate sighed, clearly confused and debating whether or not to trust him. Finally, after a moment's silence she threw back another shot, and her tired voice said, "There was this case…"

She paused, looking at him to see if he had her full attention, which she did. He looked at her patiently, waiting for her to continue.

"A navy lieutenant was kidnapping and raping little girls then stabbing them to death and leaving them along the entrance road to the State Park. We finally tracked him down; he'd signed into Shenandoah State Park earlier this morning. We—we'd already found the bodies of two of the girls. It was awful. We, uh, we spread out to search the woods and it… it was starting to rain. Tony and I were partnered together and he thought he heard a scream, so he went in that direction, told me to keep going. I—I kept going, god, we never should have split up... About ten minutes later I heard a scream coming from the ridge down below me. I was busy worrying about the rain, and it was starting to get dark. But I went to check anyways." She stopped, tears sparking to her eyes. "God, if I hadn't been worrying about the rain and shit—" she said. He was surprised to hear her swear.

"What?" he asked, concerned.

"I—I went down the ridge, calling for Delia, and I heard footsteps running away. I—I wanted to chase after him, but I heard cries and, and… I went into the little cave and she was," her voice cracked, "She was just lying there bleeding and screaming for her Mommy." Kate said shaking her head, trying and failing to blink back her tears.

"Caitlin…"

"No—no, there's more," she interrupted, "I rushed to her and I tried to stop the bleeding, Ari… he raped her, WITH A KNIFE!" She said in a deadly growl. "A seven year old little girl," She took another shot, disgusted. "I radioed in for help, but by the time anyone found us, it… she was dead. She died… in my arms." Kate said slurring, wiping at her face with her sleeve. "Jesus, if I would have just gotten there 10 minutes earlier, I might have been able to stop him… she might have lived!" Kate said, crying.

Ari kept his face deadpanned, trying not to show the rage that was coursing through his veins. He could see this was tearing her up inside. And he felt for her, deeply. He might have done some terrible things in his life, but this… was unthinkable. The depravity of it, he couldn't even imagine…

"Caitlin, look…" he said, putting a hand on top of hers. She looked up at him, her tear stained face contorted in agony. "Caitlin, speaking as a doctor… There was nothing you could have done for her." He said quietly, looking her in the eyes. "She was dead from the mome—," he stopped to reword what he started to say in a more gentle way, "What I mean to say is, he umm, her internal organs were probably injured in the attack. She wouldn't have made it to the hospital." He said. Kate's face paled in horror as the truth of what he said sunk in. They sat in mutual silence for a few minutes, holding hands across the table. He squeezed her hand gently, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand, and to his amazement, she didn't pull away. She sat, breathing deeply, and eventually her tears subsided.

"Why—ho—what are you doing here?" She asked eventually, her speech was slowing and he knew the alcohol was starting to take its effect.

"I'm here on leave, as I think your Navy calls it. I wanted to see you. I stopped by your house, saw your car, but all the lights were out. So, I guess I just started walking…" he answered truthfully.

Kate's face looked a little astonished at his honesty, "Wh-why did you wanna see me?"

"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest." He said, smiling.

"I think I know why," she said hiccupping, with a small smile.

"Oh?" he asked inquisitively, interested to hear her theory.

"You, me? We're connected in this weird… really weird way." She said thoughtfully, tilting her head to look at him.

Clearly the alcohol was affecting her judgment. Yes, he'd often thought the same thing, but never in a hundred years had he thought she'd feel the same. Let alone admit it out loud.

"It—that's why I couldn't stab you that day. I looked at you and your eyes… god your eyes are beautiful," she said reaching across the table to touch the side of his face. He held his breath, trying to stay cool and collected at her touch, trying not to inhale the smell of her perfume. Yes, she was very drunk.

"Caitlin?" he asked.

"Mmmhmm?" She asked, still gazing into his eyes, stroking the side of his face. She was smiling now, that was better, he thought. He preferred her smile over tears, most definitely.

"I think it's time we get you home."

"Unnh-uh. I still have 1, uhhh 2, 3… 4 shots left!" She protested; eyebrows furrowed in disapproval of his suggestion.

"Okay, well," he said pausing, with lightning reflexes he grabbed two shots throwing them back simultaneously.

"Heyy!" She cried "Those, those were not for you!" She said pouting.

"Well they are now," he said smiling as he took the final two shots.

"You suck." Kate said, huffing in protest.

"Come on, now. No more excuses, let's go." Ari said, pulling out a hundred dollars to set on the table as she fumbled to pull money out of her pant pocket. He got up from the table and walked to her side. She slid out, and took the hand he offered her.

However, a hand was not enough. She was barely able to stand; high heels clearly not a suitable shoe choice for a drunken Kate. Thankfully he was able to snake an arm around her waist before she hit the floor.

"Oopsie!" She said, giggling.

"Alright, can you walk? Or do I need to carry you?"

"You can't carry me!" She said arrogantly.

"That, Love, sounds like a challenge." He said cockily.

"I live like, 10 blocks from here and no offense, buddy, but you don't look like a body builder." Kate slurred, sticking a finger in his chest.

"Caitlin, when you've worked the missions I have, trained the way that I have, lifting and carrying a 100 pound woman less than three miles is a cakewalk."

"Touché. And I weigh 115 pounds I'll have you know."

"Really? I would have never guessed." Ari said sarcastically, half walking, half carrying her out the door.

Oh, this was going to be a long walk, he thought to himself as they stumbled from the bar.

"Hey! Isn't that your bike?" Kate asked looking at the black and red crotch rocket parked outside the bar.

"What is it with you Americans? It's a motorcycle. Not a bike. There is a BIG difference!" He said exasperatedly. Kate turned to him suddenly.

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Well for one, this does not require pedaling what so ever." He said looking at her argumentative facial expression. She was messing with him. He felt, after the day she'd had, it best to oblige her.

"Some "motorcycles" have pedals. I dunno what for… but they do!" she insisted using air quotes to mock him.

"Okay, well this one doesn't and, wait—what are you doing?" He said as she pulled away from him, stumbling towards the motorcycle.

"I don't wanna walk all the way home. It's so far away! Let me ride!" She said pointing at it.

His mind did dirty back flips at her last three words, after all… he was just a man. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, before quickly racing over to where she was trying, unsuccessfully, to climb onto the "bike".

"Uh no, no, no, I don't think you are in any condition to be riding a motorcycle." He said inserting a hand where she was trying to climb.

"Who are you, my mother?" She said pushing at his hand.

"Caitlin…" he said warningly.

"What? Come on, Ari! Where's your sense of risk? Life endangerment?" She asked.

"When it's my life at risk, that's a different matter. Yours is another matter entirely." He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Your life, Caitlin, is worth much more to me."

"Pleaaaase? I'm so tired. I was walking around the fricken forest all day!" She begged giving him those puppy dog eyes that he knew probably worked on just about every man she'd ever met. It wouldn't work on him, however.

After a moment he sighed. Okay, so her eyes had worked on him too. "FINE. But only so you'll stop whining." He said smiling at her instant look of outrage. She swatted at his arm, missing. She was really drunk, he thought.

"But, I have three conditions." He said, firmly.

"What?" she asked.

"One, you have to wear the helmet and my jacket. Here," he said shrugging off his motorcycle jacket and handing it to her.

"Why's it so heavy!" She asked gasping as she pulled it on. She looked ridiculously cute in it, he thought. It was four times her size and totally clashed with her outfit, but she didn't seem to notice.

"It's specially treated leather, and lined on the inside with material that will protect you from getting road rash." He explained.

"Why? You plan on crashing us?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

He rolled his eyes. "Hardly… Secondly, you must wrap your arms completely around me, interlocking your fingers. I won't have you falling off." He said putting his hands on his hips. She sighed, rolling her eyes at him. "I'm serious Caitlin, I feel your fingers relax even once, we're getting off and walking. Got me?" He said resolutely.

"Fine. Can we go now?" She asked impatiently, pulling the helmet he handed her on.

"Yes," he said climbing on the bike, then pulling her on carefully behind him. He made sure she had a firm grip around him. He was about to start the bike, as she called it, when he heard her muffled voice ask, "What's the third condition?"

"Oh yes, do NOT let your foot touch the tailpipe. Not unless you want a Kawasaki logo melted onto your Louboutin's." He said looking behind him, making sure her feet were positioned properly.

"Impressive," she said.

"What? That I know enough about my own motorcycle to keep your shoes away from it?" He asked sardonically.

"No, that you knew they were Louboutin's!" Kate said loudly, grinning as he started the motorcycle, grinning.

Five minutes later they were pulling up outside of Kate's townhouse. He shut the motorcycle off, he didn't feel her move. Her head was still leaning against his back.

"Caitlin?" he asked. Her fingers had not slacked once, but she didn't answer.

"Caitlin, Love?" He said tapping her leg.

"Hmm? What? Where arre we?" She slurred, jerking her head up and looking around.

"You're home, Darling."

"Oh."

"Here, we go now," He said sliding off, and wrapping an arm around her, pulling her off as well. "Easy does it."

She went completely limp as soon as her feet the pavement, poor girl was drunk and exhausted. He took a deep breath. This was certainly not what he'd expected their first normal encounter to be like. But, she wasn't trying to shoot him or call Gibbs, so that was a relief. Gently as he could, he reached down and picked her up, slipping an arm under hers, and behind her legs. She was not heavy, and he carried her up the steps with ease. He reached to her belt, where her keys hung from a shiny blue clip. Using the hand behind her legs, as it was closest to the doorknob he turned the key and let them into her home.

It was just as he imagined it. Just like her, clean cut, immaculate to an obsessive compulsive scale, off white and pastel colors decorated the place. Very Kate. He carried her upstairs and down the hall where he guessed was her room. In there, however was a very different matter. The walls were painted a vibrant green with black and white accent decor. Not what he'd expected, very… bold. He smiled to himself, as he looked down at her. She was sleeping soundly in his arms. He laid her gently onto the bed, pulling off her beige heels; he pulled her into a sitting position so he could slide his jacket off of her, and take her taupe blazer off. She wore a simple pink camisole underneath it and he couldn't help admire her beauty. He laid her back down and brushed the hair away from her face with a delicate touch. She was so pure, like an angel.

He stood, getting ready to walk to the window seat to watch her sleep, when he felt her hand grab his. Turning he looked at her, her eyes were glazed with exhaustion and liquor.

"Where are you going?" She asked, her voice rising in angst.

"I was going to watch you from the window over there." He said quietly.

"Why?"

"To make sure you don't choke on your own vomit." He said with a small smile, squeezing her hand.

"No, I didn't mean why are you gonna watch me. I meant, why from over there?" she asked, patting the other side of the bed. "That seat isn't comfortable, trust me."

"Caitlin… who am I?" he asked, crouching down next to her face. He knew she wasn't clear minded and he thought for sure she would regret inviting him into her bed, come morning.

"Ari Haswari… Mossad agent extraordinaire, my kidnapper, hostage taker, genuine badass." She said smiling. He smiled back. At least it wasn't bastard, terrorist, or pain in the ass.

"I think you'll regret it in the morning, Love."

"Please? Stay? I want you to." She pleaded quietly.

"If you insist…" he walked around the bed, unbuttoning his black shirt. He took off his shoes, crawling up next to her. He sat up against the black headboard and began stroking her hair softly.

"Ari?" came her soft voice.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what?" He asked, looking at her in confusion.

"For listening… for taking care of me…" She said yawning, still on her side facing away from him.

"You're welcome, Love." He said, he hadn't been expecting that. It seemed like the only right thing to do, after all it was the least he could do after all he'd put her through. "Try to sleep now; you're going to be hurting when you wake up again."

"Mmkay," she said. He felt her snuggle up to his side. He looked up at the ceiling. This was definitely not how he'd expected things, but he couldn't say he was upset about it.

"Hey Ari…?" She whispered.

"What?" He said, removing his gaze of her green Spanish laced ceiling tiles.

"Why do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know, Mossad… Hamas… the whole double life thing must be exhausting…" She said sleepily, rolling over to look at him.

"Truthfully, I've been training for this my whole life. I really know nothing else."

"But… you were a doctor. You saved lives. Why not stick with that?" She asked. He chuckled.

"I would've loved to, but I really have no choice." He said flatly, thinking of his father.

"I mean… you're still helping people I guess…" She said, "But… I mean the killing? Doesn't it ever eat at you? I—I think deep down you are a good person."

"Good? Caitlin… I don't think I've been good for a long time."

"No… you are. I have this gut feeling. And the one thing I've learned from Gibbs is to trust my gut." She said putting a hand on his thigh.

"Well, can't argue with that logic…" He said smirking.

"You are."

"Maybe I am… or maybe it's left up to me to do what the good people can't." He said looking her dead in the eyes, trying to gauge if she was really comprehending what he was saying to her.

She looked back at him and he thought he saw pity in her eyes. He brushed her bangs back with the tips of his fingers, changing the subject.

"Go to sleep Darling. If you want to talk more, we can do it tomorrow." He whispered.

"You'll still be here?" she asked.

"Only if you want me to be," he replied.

"Okay." And with that she snuggled back up to his side and laid her head against his chest.

He sighed. This was definitely not what he'd expected tonight.