Pairings: Kate/Tony, Jeanne/Tony, Abby/McGee, Jenny/Gibbs, Ziva/ her canon pairings of Michael and Ray, some Kensi/Deeks (eventually), Nell/Eric (eventually), and slight Ziva/Tony (more in passing than anything).
Summary: In the hunt for La Grenouille, Director Shepard, made a choice. Now that choice is going to cause the NCIS Major Crime Team to question everything they know. Has someone risen from the dead?
Author's Note: Spoiler's up to 4x24, with the only change being that Kate wasn't shot in the head, but the bullet pierced her already weak Kevlar vest. So most of the major changes before 4th season have to do with Twilight and the Kill Ari Part 1 and 2. I love Tony and Ziva on the show together, but I would have loved to see what Kate and Tony could possibly have become if SA hadn't left the show. My story also emphasizes Kensi from NCIS: LA and the entire OSP to some extent. The one thing I do need to change to explain my story is that Callen and Sam have worked together for 7 years rather than the 5 as stated in 3x14 of NCIS: LA. Most of the chapters are episodes from the NCIS seasons with my added dialogue and something for Kate to do in that particular case. The rest of my chapters are of my own creation. The only thing I didn't like about the first two seasons of NCIS were some of Kate's clothing choices so when she returns in this fiction she will have better clothes.
Disclaimer: NCIS belongs to the wonderful writers and producers. I would never claim anything as my own!
Anthony DiNozzo Jr. is speechless. There aren't many times that he hasn't been able to give a snappy comeback or place a well timed movie reference into a conversation. Not only is he riding in a limousine with La Grenouille the international arms dealer, but the car has slowed and he can see the older man give a slight smirk as Tony's eyes narrow at the female who has been waiting at the corner in front of a rather fancy hotel. As the car slows Tony's mind is going over how he recognizes her, but because of her large sunglasses and the floral scarf wrapped around her head it is hard to tell. He knows for certain that it isn't the woman, whose luggage he had GPS tagged for the Director along with the other La Grenouille associate, the undercover CIA operative Trent Kort. He would be a liar if he said that he remembered every girl he ever saw, but there is something so familiar about this particular woman. As if he has more than a few distinct memories of her.
"I know I said we should go to breakfast so you could answer all of those questions, but there is someone I would like you both to meet," Rene Benoit gives them a smile and all Tony can read is that the older man is up to something.
"Jeanne, are you aware that this woman is like barely older than you," he hisses out under his breath.
"At least she's older than me," this woman is not known for being sarcastic, but he can clearly hear the bite in her voice. It actually makes a chuckle rise to his lips.
"Hello, my dear," the older man says as the woman gracefully gets into the limo.
"Rene," she says and even through the English accent, Tony finds something oddly familiar about that voice. The kiss each other's cheeks and Tony is shocked to notice that the woman doesn't settled in too closely to Rene. She is close to the door from which she had just got in. He seems to be trying to lean closer, but as she has crossed her legs ever so gracefully it almost makes a physical barrier between the two of them.
"On to our destination, Pierre," Rene says pushing the button to slide the partition down.
"Of course, sir," the man next to the driver says.
"Catherine, I'm so glad to you decided to join me on this excursion to D.C., especially since I've been extremely impatient to introduce you to Jeanne," the woman extends her hand to the doctor and he can tell how skeptical his girlfriend is. The doctor gives the woman an uneasy smile and because of the sunglasses, Tony can barely read the woman's expression. The smile that crosses the woman's face is so familiar as if he had seen it so many times.
"Jeanne, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, your father talks about constantly," with that the British woman removed her shades along with her head scarf. Tony had always been good at limiting his reaction, but seeing Caitlin 'Kate' Todd alive right in front of him is enough for his eyes to bulge like a cartoon. Kate gives him a slightly less surprised smile, but the shock is still evident in her beautiful hazel eyes. Her dark brown hair is replaced with a deep red tinted blonde. She looks as beautiful if not more than when he watched her being carried away on a stretcher to the hospital. He can barely see the movement that she makes, as she discreetly pushes a button her cell phone. Obviously she is sending Shepard a distress signal as well.
He had hid how much pain he was in after her death. He hid behind the prospect of possibly starting something with Ziva who he did have real attraction with, but even though he cares about her deeply, his feelings will never be more than that of lust. He cares for her as his co-worker and his friend, but that is all and sometimes he considers her like a little sister. He pretended Kate's death hadn't faze him, but after having her stay with him when he had been the only one infected with genetically altered Y pestis, he realized that his feelings had always been stronger than just friends or co-workers. Though they had both claimed to have more of a brother and sister relationship, they both knew that brothers and sisters didn't flirt the way they did. He had always wished that he had been able to tell her how he felt before she had gotten shot and faded away in his arms.
Flashback
Tony runs as fast as his legs could carry him. Gibbs had ordered him to search the other rooftops for evidence after the EMTs had carried Kate away. He is so angry at Gibbs for making him scour the crime scene for evidence that pointed to Ari as the one who had shot Kate even though they all know it was the rouge Mossad agent who had organized the terrorist attack. He doesn't know if he can handle being at the crime scene in the pouring down rain, while her life is in the balance. What if she dies and he isn't there.
"Is she out of surgery!?" he asks through a rushed breath as he stops where Gibbs, McGee, and Abby are seated.
"They are still in there!" Gibbs says through gritted teeth. Abby's mascara is streaked down her cheeks and she is clutching tightly onto McGee's hand with tissues in the other.
"That's good isn't it?" the question floats in the air unanswered because none of them know.
"Where's Ducky?" he asks after a long moment as he collapses into the chair on the other side of Abby. He takes the scientist hand and gives her a sad smile.
"He's observing the surgery," he glances towards Gibbs through eyes that are now filled with tears. He isn't a person, who cries, but this was Kate, she is his partner.
"I found the casing on the rooftop, where we predicted Ari shot from. He didn't police his brass, boss," Tony tries not to sound angry, but he is because he should have been here incase anything bad happened.
Tony glances around and there is absolutely no activity in this area of the hospital. He keeps his eyes trained on the clock and notices that it has been exactly four hours since Kate was shot on the rooftop and he wondered what was taking so damn long.
After an hour of complete silence Tony is now pacing. All the thoughts seemed to be bouncing around in his head. All he knows is that he needed Kate to survive. He glances up when the doors opened and who he sees advancing towards them with tears in his eyes makes him stagger against the wall in almost pain.
"Duck?" Gibbs asks finally as the tears fall from Tony's eyes.
"She—didn't make it, Jethro," the Scottish man can barely get the words out and Tony can barely see anything as the tears start to fall and he collapses against the wall.
"The pleasure is all mine, Catherine…" Jeanne trails off and Tony realizes that neither Kate nor Rene had said her last name.
"Doscher," Kate says with an obvious perfected English accent.
"And how do you know my father," Jeanne curt tone is enough to make Kate's smile lessen, though Kate sends her a look a keen to respect for making her anger known.
"Through a mutual acquaintance of ours," Tony watches the two of them and it is obvious that they aren't together even though the older man is obviously attracted to Kate. It leaves a bad taste in his mouth, thinking about the arms dealer even thinking of touching his ex-partner, who he had believed to be dead until this moment.
"It's a rather good story actually, but I believe I forgotten my manners. Catherine Doscher this Tony DiNardo the man has apparently stolen my daughter's heart," the French man says in an unsure tone as if not truly believing that he could make Jeanne fall in love with him.
"Nice to meet you, Tony," she gives him a soft smile and a nod. He leans over and grasps her hand firmly. He places a soft kiss on her offered hand and he can see out of the corner of his eye the look Jeanne gives him. He feels a surge of both familiarity and spark that he had only felt with Kate. The woman he had once trusted with his life and one who he use to tease, flirt, and bicker with endlessly.
"And you, Ka—Catherine," he is still shocked. He knows for sure now that his cover is blown. He had made the call to the Director less than ten minutes ago. They four sit in an uneasy silence not knowing what to say. Rene looks almost too calm and that is what worries him the most, it is like the calm before the storm. All of the undercover work he had been doing for the last eight months is going to blow up in his face.
Tony glances at the passing scenery and he can gage that they are now about four miles east of the hospital, which is still within the downtown area of D.C., but what alarms him is that they are relatively close the Navy Yard.
Tony flinches as the car turns onto the M St. and Tony knows that everything is about to come crashing down, right in front of his eyes. Kate looks calm even though he can see the recognition in her expression as she can see the street sign from the back of the car. He tries to keep his eyes off her and focus on Jeanne, who sits content at his side.
As the car turns right onto the street that leads into the Navy Yard, Tony tries to remain calm, but as the car turns left back towards the Metro area, his racing pulse slows. The drive about ten more blocks before they come upon the small city park that Tony recognizes as one he drives by everyday on his way into to work.
"Is this where we are eating?" Tony asks in a fake disbelieving tone.
"The restaurant is just past that park, I felt that today was a nice day for a walk," the smirk that the French man gives him sets even more warning bells off in his head. As the four exit the limo, he and Kate share a look that said they are both prepared to do anything if this is to blow up in their faces. He prays to god that she has a gun somewhere because the only thing he has if things went bad is his knife that was concealed in his belt.
Tony offers Jeanne a hand and they trail behind Kate and Mr. Benoit.
"We will catch up," he says as nonchalantly as possible. Kate's eyes narrow and he sends her a look of 'trust me', which she gives a discreet nod to. He figured the best thing is to end things on his own terms rather than how the arms dealer wants things to play out.
"Jeanne, I have something to tell you," he motions to the bench nearby and she gives him a curious look.
"Look, Tony I know my dad is a little intimidating, but he's just like that because he loves me," he gives he a soft smile at this wishing that was all it was.
"Jeanne, look, at me this is important. My name isn't Tony DiNardo it is Anthony DiNozzo. I'm a federal agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service," he knew those words were going to shock her, but her reaction is worse than he imagined.
"This has all been a lie. A lie," the woman utters in disbelief, but hadn't she been curious earlier when he had gotten off a shot perfectly and missed the druggie's ear on purpose.
"Jeanne, listen to me. Not all of it. Not everything. Just some things. Not the important things," he know how he feels about her, but he understands that they can never be together after this.
"Why? Just tell me why it is you'd do this? What it is I'm supposed to have done? Tell me. Tell me?" Tony tries to remain calm at the woman's tone.
"It's not you," he trains his eyes towards La Grenouille and Kate who are a good distance away on the path.
"What? What?" Jeanne shock is evident in her crystal clear blue eyes.
"You should ask him?" he throws his expression towards the gazebo where La Grenouille and Kate are.
"Why are you telling me this now?" she says standing from the bench.
"Catherine, isn't who she says she is," he knows she is going to jump to the wrong conclusion about that, but he says this anyway.
"So are you going to try and arrest her too?" her voice is now filled with an accusing attitude.
He shakes his head, "No, her name is Caitlin Todd. She is my ex-partner at NCIS and until the moment she got into the limousine, I thought she was dead."
"Is everything alright?" Benoit says sweeping in with Kate at his heels, she gives him a worried glance, wondering what he has done.
Jeanne just shakes her head and walks away not looking back at any of them.
"She will come back after she has calmed down," Tony is surprised to see the gentleness in the man's expression, he didn't believe that arms dealer was capable of such emotion, but it is obvious that the man loves his daughter very much.
"No she won't," he says shaking his head and places his face in his hands; he knows this is for the best, but he can't help, but wish there is some other way.
"Then I believe it is time for you, Agent DiNozzo to leave. You as well, Agent Todd, I have truly enjoyed your company and I must say you made a very convincing arms dealer. It took me longer to figure out who you were than Tony here, but I would guess it would have something to do with the fact that the whole world thought you were dead. Tell your Director that this was well played," the man gives an almost satisfied smile because he has won.
Kate doesn't even blink as he says these words and Tony can't even believe that Kate could be such an unmovable force, not showing any sign of emotion. Tony nods standing up from the bench he and Kate retreat back to the front of the park and towards the Navy Yard. He gives her a smile as he takes in her figure in the sunlight. He can't believe how much his heart had swelled at seeing her before his eyes.