He intended to kill Gibbs. With his own weapon. The sniper's rifle sat easily in his hands. His earlier failure was aberration. He would not fail again. The man in front of him would die.
The man sat down and faced him calmly, as Ari concentrated everything he had, all his hate and fear, and distrust along the barrel. His nemesis.
The shot rang out.
...ooo0ooo...
"Three days?" Kate stared at Gibbs as though she had never seen him before.
"You don't have to go, Kate." Gibbs said quietly.
"I know." She looked down at her hands. "I..." she faltered. "I don't really understand."
"I don't think he does either, Kate."
"If I go, perhaps I can make sense of it."
"Perhaps."
Kate looked up, Gibbs' expression gave nothing away as ever. It was her choice, and she knew she had already made it. He had been asking for her for three days. In the depths of pain and despair he had called her name, and only her name. Her nemesis.
He had held her hostage, he had laughed at her, disarmed her as easily as taking a lollipop from a small child, he had kidnapped her, he had even tried to kill her.
But she would go to him. Closure. That was what she was calling it. An end.
...ooo0ooo...
He lay on his back, staring straight up at the ceiling. There were people around, he knew that. Periodically, someone would come to check on him, as he knew they would. He said nothing.
Caitlin.
Mechanically he tugged at his wrist. Moving his arm that much hurt, but he did it anyway. He didn't know why, but something made him do it.
Caitlin. He closed his eyes. Picturing her would do no good. Saying her name out loud gave him a curious feeling of comfort. A mantra to blank his mind.
"Ari."
Now his blank mind was playing tricks on him. He screwed his eyes closed tightly, he could hear her voice, if he could hold that.
A hand touched his. "Ari." She said. He turned his face away, eyes still closed, hope was springing in his heart. Hope when all hope was gone.
A slim hand slid into his and grasped it firmly. "Ari. I'm here." Her voice was calm and very gentle. Far more than he deserved. A tear leaked from beneath his closed eyelid and trickled down across his cheek.
A hand gently brushed his cheek. "I'm here." Soft, soothing voice. He opened his eyes and stared up at her.
"Caitlin."
Kate Todd looked down at her nemesis, lying in the hospital bed. Grief, pain and fear were etched on his face as though burnt into his soul.
The handcuffs chaining him to the bed a cruel indignity.
She reached into her bag and pulled out the set of handcuff keys she used. Unlocking the things, she put them to one side and took his bruised wrist gently in her hands.
"I'm sorry they did that to you." Her fingers caressed the bruising as though her touch could make it disappear.
"Caitlin."
"I know." She said. The weight of her knowledge pressing on her soul.
Whatever he had intended, whatever the true outcome was meant to be, it was over. Ari's world had changed forever. The burden bore down on her as in that moment she wondered whether he knew.
"I was a doctor, Caitlin."
She had her answer, and a wave of tenderness swept over her. "I'm so sorry, Ari."
"It does not matter."
She could see from the look in his eyes that it did. He was trying to be brave when there was no need. She was there. By his side. And she would remain there. Whatever he said. He needed her, she needed him and that was an end to it.
He read her intention in her eyes.
"Caitlin, I will never walk away from this." He warned.
"I know that; did you really think I was so shallow?" For a second his angry Caitlin was back.
"No... I thought you were..." It seemed such an idiotic word.
"You thought I was what?"
"Fierce." He ended.
A slight smile crossed her features. "Fierce." She gave a little nod. "I like that."
"You were always fierce. A conqueror." You walked into my heart and conquered it. As I should have known you would that first day. The day I grabbed you and pulled your body against mine. I changed the course of our destinies that day. Because you changed my heart and soul.
I would die for you if you asked me.
