Disclaimer: The characters are not mine... wish they were. But I can play with them for a bit, can't I?
Spoilers: Slight for "Head Case" and "Truth or Consequence" (more for the latter).
Summary: In which feelings change, or "about face"
Author's Note: I randomly decided I wanted to write something at about 4:30 in the morning, and this is the result. Therefore, this has not been beta'd and any mistakes (grammatical or canonical mentions) are mine. I realize the title of this chapter is an episode title, but… it fits here, so forgive me (please)! Constructive criticism/reviews welcome. Enjoy!
About Face
She once said the arrival of her friend's head sent overnight express prompted her to make the decision to never be taken alive, but in that moment she is glad the decision was taken out of her hands.
As the sack covering her head is removed, confusion, anger, and a pinch of relief wash over her. Mostly confusion. He, of all people, is here. For her. Why? He should still be angry, hurt, by how she last treated him. But he's here. Bound to a chair and pumped full of "truth serum" because he "can't live without her."
Those words strike a chord in her. No one has ever said such a thing about her, to her. Her father, her brother, Michael. All who were meant to love her never uttered such a sentiment (she briefly wonders at how soft she's gone. It must be the circumstances). And yet, the man she literally kicked when he was down was here to perform some sort of rescue. For her.
She tries desperately to keep him alive, feeding Saleem what he wants to hear. But instead, there really is a rescue forthcoming, a plan of action has commenced. During those few harried moments she has no time to ponder this all, but she does later.
On the plane ride home (funny how a foreign country is more "home" than anywhere else), the car ride to NCIS, and the elevator ride up three floors, she ponders. And she finds that, just maybe, in some cases being taken alive doesn't have to end so terribly.
Author's Note: Er… yeah. I'm not too sure where this came from, or if it's even all that great. It just popped into my head, and I've kind of been itching to write something again anyway.
I'm hopping on the bandwagon and starting up my own A-Z type thing, so we'll see how it goes! Don't worry, the rest will have more speech, levity and length. And for those who weren't already aware, "about face" is a term used for doing a 180 turn while in military/marching formation.