Everybody winced as Kensi slammed her bag down on the table, taking a seat groaningly.

"Hey! Watch that bag of yours!" Sam Hanna exclaimed, having quickly raised his laptop from the surface and setting it down gingerly now.

Kensi just threw him a look over the rim of her sunglasses. "Sorry" She said edgily.

"Whoah, what's with you, Sunshine? Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" Callen said, putting a cup of coffee down in front of her. "Or didn't wake up in your bed at all?" This earned him another pointed glare as well.

Nate looked up from his comic book, eyeing the only female team member with amused interest. "You know, that avoiding an answer could easily be an answer in itself. That by-"

"Doc" Sam interrupted him from his place. "Don't."

Dominic snickered from his place on the couch, when a deep voice suddenly rang out.

"What are you all doing down there? This is not a break room. Mr Beal has been waiting for you. Up, up!" Hetty of course.

Callen shook his head as the team got up and made its way towards the stairs. "What did we do to piss off all the women?"


"Reid actually came up through a BOLO this morning, while driving through downtown." Eric explained, presenting them footage of a traffic camera showing a busy street in downtown LA. "He went to the bank-" security footage of a bank was seen, "and is now on his way to have breakfast with his two favourite cousins." Eric finished, showing them the last recording of three men walking along a sidewalk.

"Where are they going?" Callen asked immediately, moving closer towards the screen.

"Are we really sure that's Reid?" Sam asked at the same time.

"We don't know. And yes, that's the guy we've been searching for for weeks!" Eric exclaimed indignantly.

"Okay" Callen quickly intervened what was sure to be a lengthy lecture. "Not knowing where they're going makes it harder to prepare. That-"

"means more legwork" Dom finished for him. Everybody turned to him. "What? I mean they already know you two guys" he motioned towards Sam and Callen. "And we can't be sure if they've seen me last time."

This time everybody turned to face Kensi.

"What?"

Callen just raised his eyebrows. "Oh please. I'm not going to do this alone!" She exclaimed, raising her arms in a defensive gesture.

"You could take the Doc" Sam suggested. "Wherever they're going, there might not be any cameras. Kensi could read and the Doc could observe. Could tell us if he really is pressured by his contact men."

Nate grew fidgety. "You're joking right?!"

"Eric, get them wired. You leave in ten." Callen instructed before leaving the tech room with Sam in tow.


Kensi cautiously watched Nate as he followed their target on the other side of the street, shielding her eyes from the beating sun.

"Loosen up, Nate" she murmured into her comlink.

"What do you mean?" came his whispered reply.

"Keep your distance. Stop looking at them all the time. You're making them nervous."

"Them? I am the nervous one here. I'm practically defenceless."

-"Even more reason not to attract their attention. Told you it was time to learn how to shoot" sounded Sam's voice over both their comms. "And now radio silence."

Kensi internally shook her head. Her day was getting better and better. She kept strolling along her side of the street, apparently distracted by shop windows and the magazine in her hand. They followed their targets for several blocks and she had to wince when one of them turned around and Nate visibly flinched.

"Keep walking, Nate. This may be the only chance we have before he's making himself scarce for the next few weeks again." Kensi instructed him via commlink. The only response she got was a grunt. "And stop checking your surroundings all the time."

She busied herself at the bus station, checking the timetable, and cautiously watched the other side of the street from over her shoulder.

"Ok, they're sitting down." Nate sounded nervous. "They're taking a seat in the sidewalk café at the corner. Second row from the street."

Before Kensi could reply, Callen gave further instructions. "Okay Doc. Relax. Take a seat as well. Order a coffee, have breakfast."

Callen turned towards Sam, sitting behind the wheel of their SUV. "Think he's peeing his pants right now?" He asked.

Sam shrugged, taking a closer look at their live feed on the laptop. "20 bucks saying he won't." Callen just grinned in response.

"You do realize you're still on comms, right?" Sounded Kensi's voice over their speaker. Both agents winced and shot each other a sheepish look. "You're doing fine, Nate. Just remember to sit down with your wired ear away from them."

They both waited. Callen grew impatient. "What's taking him so-"

"Guys, they're looking at me funny!"

"Might be, 'cause you're talking to yourself, man" Sam snorted. "Doc, is there a camera in there?"

Nate grunted in the affirmative and Callen was already on his phone, instructing Eric. Seconds later, their laptop showed them the inside of a small, busy café. Sam pointed to the left of the screen. "There's Nate. And Reid is over there." He indicated to a few tables to the right from Nate.

"Crap, they're checking him out." Callen commented. "This is not good."

"I think they're coming my way." Nate's voice was hushed barely audible.

"We can see that. Don't worry." Callen tried to reassure their psychologist. And indeed, one of the men seemed ready to leap from his chair any second. "Kensi?"

"Almost there." Came her terse reply.

Sam furrowed his brows. Covering their comms, he said "G, we need a plan." Callen just gave him a look and shrugged. His friend seemed to have gotten it and sighed, before taking the comm again. "Kensi, operation girlfriend." There was no response. "Kensi!"

"Yeah, I got it. I'm there in 4 seconds. Gee, this is getting old really fast."

They could hear Nate clearing his throat. "What's operation girlfriend?"

"Just go with he flow, Doc." Sam said smilingly. "Just go with the flow." He turned towards the passenger seat. "20 saying she's going for the balls again."

Callen drew in a sharp breath, well remembering that particular operation girlfriend. "I'm saying his ears. His ears are huge."

But before Sam could voice his amusement, their was movement on the screen. One of Reid's men was getting up and was only two tables away from Nate now, when Kensi arrived at the scene.

Nate looked up as soon as he noticed a shadow above him. When he lifted is gaze, he was met with the sight of Kensi looming over him, hands on her hips. And looking really pissed.

"So that's what you're doing when you say you visit your parents?" Correction. She was pissed. And Nate could do nothing but gape at her. "Meeting your tramp for breakfast?" Just as Kensi's voice was steadily rising, it dawned on Nate. Operation Girlfriend.

"Nate, get a move!" he heard Callen in his ear.

Just as Kensi opened her mouth, Nate got up from his seat and held out his hands placatingly. "Honey, calm down. I'm-"

"Calm down? You don't get to tell me to calm down!" Kensi yelled at him. "And certainly not to listen to your sorry excuses!"

The psychologist moved around the table, trying to take a hold on her by her upper arms. "I know, honey. But let's not make a scene of it." Kensi struggled out of his grasp, pointing her finger at him. "Why not? Come on, Nate, let's make a scene. So the world can finally know what an insensitive, morally depraved bastard you are!"

For a split second, Nate wondered how much of her fury was actually played at the moment. In the meanwhile he actually managed to get her out of the coffee place, taking her by her upper arm, while she used her fists on him.

"Let me go, you moron! Take your filthy hands off me!"

Nate let her go and raked a hand through his hair in not quite played frustration. "Honey, I'm not meeting anyone, here."

Kensi was back in his face in an instant. "Like hell, you are. That blonde little bitch from your office. What's her name? Audrey? You are…"

Nate stopped concentrating on her words and tried to think of a way to get them out of here. From the corner of his eyes, he could see their targets watching them with mild interest. But hell, so where the other 15 people in there. Although the rate Kensi was going at this, she could keep this up for several hours, but he certainly couldn't. Apart from his… well lacking theatrical skills, he really didn't know what to say or do. All he knew was that this had to end somehow, better sooner than later, while they were still credible.

"What? Swallowed your tongue now? See, you're not even trying to defend yourself, because you know there is not point in it. You-" Nate took her face into his hands and leaned down to press her lips to hers.

He was actually surprised to feel Kensi reciprocate after a short initial shock. His hands tangled in her hair while his lips moved feverishly against hers. It was Kensi, who broke the kiss, tearing her lips from his.

"What are you doing?" She asked confusedly. Somehow, her hands had found their way around his waist and had loosened his shirt from his jeans.

Nate searched her face, not seeing any sign of discomfort. "Would you just shut up for a moment?" He asked, just before he kissed her again, pressing his body flush against hers.

Just as Nate's hand caressed the small part of skin he found at Kensi's waist, their earwigs crackled. "Guys, it's the middle of the morning. You might want to keep your public display of affection down a bit." Eric reminded them in no uncertain terms.

Nate and Kensi half-heartedly parted and although Nate kept one of his arms around her, they instantly avoided each other's gaze.

"I think the big bad wolf got the idea. Little red riding hood can return home." Sam agreed. "We're picking you up at the next block corner, my little lovebirds." He snickered.

Kensi instantly groaned and Nate send her a questioning glance, effectively looking down on her, while they walked to their meeting point. "We're never going to live that down."

"You're right, you won't." Agreed Callen.

"Hey Callen, you guys owe me 40 dollars."

"What? I think you're suffering from oxygen deprivation by our good doc, Kensi."

Kensi just grinned, momentarily leaning into Nate, his arm still around her shoulder. They were, after all, still under scrutiny. "I didn't go for neither his balls nor his ears. I went with his lips."

"Oh yeah? Grabbing balls and kissing is not exactly comparable. The bruising-" Callen uneasily interrupted himself. Thankfully, Sam came to his rescue.

"Forget it, Blye. We have it all on camera." The dark blue SUV came to a stop beside them and Sam turned around in his seat, when Kensi and Nate had scrambled into the back seat. "The Doc made a move on you, so you ain't getting nothing!"

Nate just smirked. "Great. You can start repaying me then by stopping for lunch somewhere. I'm starving."


I know I probably shouldn't post new things without finishing my other stuff. But what can I say, I was inspired. By MyOwnWorstCritic actually, hope that's okay. I know it's only been a few episodes, But I just like the idea of Nate and Kensi. And fret not, the second part of The one with the Bar is almost done.

You like?