Disclaimer - The show NCIS & it's characters do not belong to me. They are the properly of Donald Bellisario, CBS and Paramount. Original characters belong to me and may not be used without permission
Note - This is the long time coming sequel to "Return of the Green Dragon" after countless requests. Thank you to everyone for your patience. You will need to read the previous fiction to understand this
Thank you to my Beta, who suggested the title and is beyond invaluable for me! Thanks mate hugs
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Aurora knew the risk she was taking as she let herself into Tonys apartment. What if he didn't want to see her again? What if he told her to get out? He had every right to, how long had she been gone this time? 18 months. 18 long months, without so much as a phone call to him, after the "I'm leaving" voicemail.
She had been sent on a long term mission. 18 months long, with only 2 hours notice. Omega didn't ask if you wanted a case, it had been a directive. She had had barely enough time to pack a small bag before she was sent out on a deep undercover job.
She dropped her bag in the hallway, the feeling of being home washing over her as she closed the door and deactivated the alarm. 18 06. Her birthday. So he hadn't changed it. She smiled slightly at that.
He hadn't changed his locks either. He had given her keys a few years earlier. Maybe that was a positive sign. He wasn't trying to keep her out. Not that she needed keys but still.
She had come here as soon as she could. By the time she had come back to the US, been debriefed at work, and finished endless reports and interviews, 3 days had passed. She had come straight here.
She didn't begin to think he could possibly understand this time, why would he? He probably would want to throw her out. She didn't blame him. She'd been gone too long this time. Too long to expect even his forgiveness.
But she hadn't been able to stop herself from coming here. Coming truly home. There was almost a force that seemed to pull her back here time and time again.
How many times had she been so tempted to throw the job, throw away everything and get back here? Jump on the first plane back to the DC. Countless times. During the last few months, it had been a daily occurance. But it hadn't been possible. By doing that, she was endangering too many lives, other Omega agents, Civillians. It wasn't their fault that she wanted to be somewhere else.
She moved further into the apartment. Not much had changed, she noticed. A new couch, new lamp. DVD's were everywhere, not an unusual for Tony. She smiled at the pile. 3:10 to Yuma, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Great Escape and The Man who Shot Liberty Valance. Classic Tony.
She started to feel tired. She was relaxed here, one of the new places she really did relax. She hated to think of how little sleep she had had over the past few months. Not that she needed much, a few hours a night.
Her stomach growled as she moved past the kitchen but she was too tired to even think about finding food. God, her body ached from head to toe. The past few weeks had been more then intense and was starting to feel it. She never did on the job. She was too engaged, too involved. Nothing mattered but getting the job done, especially something as trivial as tiredness or aches and pains.
She moved into his bedroom and sat on his side of the bed. She reached out, touching the light green pillow. His scent clung to the material.
Maybe just an hours sleep or so. A top up. She wanted to see Tony but knew he'd be gone for hours yet.
Taking off her boots, she couldn't even be bothered getting changed. She lay down on his pillow, inhaling the scent, whispering his name into the empty apartment.
Just an hour sleep or so. Just a top up.
Within minutes, she was sound asleep.
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Tony let himself into his apartment just as the sun was setting, giving the apartment a warm glow. It had been a gruelling few days and he wanted nothing more then a hot pizza, a hotter shower and sleep. He hadn't been back to his apartment for days. The only rest any of the team had gotten was behind their desks.
He lifted his hand to the alarm, seeing it wasn't activated. He frowned, taking his gun out, pizza box in the other. He had activated it before he left. He was sure of it. Had someone been here? Were they still here?
There was no lights on, although killers rarely put up a flag to state they were waiting for you.
It was then he saw a brown leather duffel bag in the hallway. A thief who left their bag here? Doubtful. His stomach did a flip flop. He knew that bag and his breath caught.
Aurora.
She was here. He listened to the silence of the apartment. Maybe she had gone out?
No, she was here. He could almost feel her presence somewhere. He reholstered his gun, moving through the apartment. She wasn't sitting in the dark, not that that would be unusual for her.
He almost followed her presence, pausing in the hallway. She had to be in his bedroom. He didn't fancy getting his head blown off so he approached carefully.
His bedroom door was open and he paused in his doorway. There she was, still fully clothed, except for her boots, sound asleep on his side of the bed. He was surprised she hadn't woken up. She usually awoke to a pin being dropped 5 streets away.
He stood there, just watching her. 18 months. 18 long months since he had gotten that voice mail from her, saying she'd be gone for awhile. He'd never thought at the time "awhile" meant 18 months. He'd missed her so much, it had become a physical ache he had long ago accepted.
She had been uncontactable, even her emergency number hadn't been switched on. He knew, he had called it counless times, as recently as last week. "The number you are calling has been switched off or not on a mobile service area" No shit, he had always thought before hanging up.
He really had started to think she wasn't coming back this time. He had been worried for her, about her. What if she had been killed? However long ago, she had promised him he would know if something happened to her
All her outside defences were gone when she was asleep. There was the faintest sound of her breathing, a soft rise and fall of her chest.
He wanted to go to her, almost make sure this wasn't another dream, that she really was here. He needed to touch her, hold her. 'Aurora,' he didn't move for a moment. He had seen what a startled Aurora could do and it wasn't pretty. Not that she had ever hurt him.
She didn't fully wake up but he sensed she had heard him. She made a noise, a half moan, half mew almost. He moved further into the room, careful not to trip over her boots. 'It's me,' he said simply, although he was sure she knew who was it. Anyone else would at the very least be sprawled on the ground by now with a gun to their head.
He kicked off his shoes and sat on the bed slowly. She didn't move and he swung his legs up onto the bed and lay down beside her. God, he had missed her so much. They had a lot to talk about, he knew that. But right now, all he wanted was to hold her. Everything else could wait.
'Aurora,' he whispered again softly. Her eyes opened this time and were still heavy with sleep. Usually she was instantly wide awake.
She looked up at him. He was here. He hadn't thrown her out yet, at least. God, he had to be the most beautiful sight. She had missed him so much.
'Tony,' she said so softly he nearly missed it. Neither of them made a move, almost held by some force.
They held each others gaze, speaking far more volumes then words ever could. Aurora, apologising that she hadn't been here, regret, asking for forgiveness, love. Tony, giving forgiveness, regret, love. All without a single word. Words were almost unnecessary between them.
It was Tony who made the first move. He gathered her into her arms. Somehow, he was almost surprised she didn't pull away. Instead she almost melted against him. A smile tugged at his lips. A perfect fit, as always.
She allowed him to envelope her into his arms. If ever there was a feeling of coming home, it was this. She relaxed against him, so there was almost no space between them. Arms and legs entwined. Completely together.
Tony felt her relaxing into him as she drifted off to sleep. She rarely was the first asleep, she was far more of a nightowl then he ever was. She was obviously exhausted. He enjoying holding her, feeling her against him, her scent. He had missed this. Everything.
He knew he should be angry, should be annoyed. But he wasn't. Not really. How could he be? He loved her and while neither had ever spoken those three words, he knew they were there.
He was sure they would talk sometime. Maybe she would tell him why she had been gone so long. Maybe she wouldn't. Sometimes explanations weren't needed between them. He knew that she would have had no choice to be gone that long. He understood the workings of Omega.
It didn't matter why she hadn't been here. What did matter was that she was here now. With him. For how long was anyones guess. Maybe a few days, a week. But she was with him now. That's all he cared about.
With a soft sigh of pure contentment, he fell asleep himself, holding her against him.
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The End (for now!)