She sat by his side for a long time. Gibbs had given her leave to stay. To get this out of her system. Perhaps. Gibbs was a wily fox who knew his team so well. He knew that whatever the reality, Ari Haswari was a part of Kate's life.

Ziva had pulled the trigger. In doing so, she had saved Gibbs' life. It was the right thing to do, and Kate knew it. But the cost to Ari...

Ziva could have killed him. But he was her half-brother. The shot she had made had stopped him. Under normal circumstances it would probably have been a through and through wound, severe, painful but not fatal.

A twist of fate. The bullet had torn through Ari's body, it had done damage but its final resting place had sealed his fate.

Ari could not feel his legs. He was paralysed from the waist down.

X-rays had revealed the bullet lodged against his spine. Removing it would be a very difficult and delicate operation, and it was unlikely to improve his overall condition.

Kate looked down at their entwined hands, her small slim fingers grasping his. He was clinging to her hand. A proud man who would never beg, even when his need was acute, but his soul still cried out to hers.

He was resting. Not asleep, although he needed sleep badly. She knew he was in pain, he seemed to welcome that, stoically holding out between the nurses' visits to monitor his condition. Refusing to press the bell to summon assistance.

Knowing that he was prepared to suffer, the last vestiges of Kate's reserve broke. That she, a good Catholic girl, could love a man like Ari seemed impossible. But love him she did.

Whatever he was, terrorist, spy; in whatever condition; and in all probability, Ari would never walk again, Caitlin Todd loved him.

The FBI had chained him to the bed like an animal. He could not walk, he could not stand, he could barely sit up, yet in an act of inhumanity, some agent had cuffed him to the bed frame. Kate's tender heart bled for him. Her free hand moved to gently stroke the back of his bruised wrist again.

He moved a little, and moaned. "Ari..." Kate reached over to stroke his cheek and his eyes opened, "are you in pain?"

He wanted to deny it. He was already helpless, he did not want to appear needy. He nodded.

Kate pressed the bell.