The forensic scientist and the assassin. Gibbs sighed quietly to himself. On paper it made no sense, but watching them, Gibbs realised that whatever it was between them, it was real enough and there was nothing one-sided about it.
They appeared to be completely at ease with each other. He was not close enough to hear actual words, but when Abby moved to sit on the edge of the bed, and Ari levered himself slowly, and obviously painfully, into a sitting position, the mood changed from easy intimacy to something more passionate.
The kiss was as surprising as it was long-drawn out.
Gibbs found himself remembering that long-ago conversation in the basement; and wondering how Ari's life would have turned out had Eli David's cruel ambitions not intervened.
The terrorist had indeed been Gibbs' old bone, but Abby had given him a different perspective on the man behind the smug triumphant smile. Now she was clearly personally involved on a level which was different to her normal relationship status.
He wasn't sure if he could make this one right. It was down to politics. And Gibbs hated politics. However, this was now a matter of honour. Whatever his private feelings about Ari Haswari, the man had not committed the crime. He had done a lot of other things, but if Abby could love him and she clearly did, and he returned that love with interest, perhaps Ari was not all bad.
Gibbs stretched a little. Watching this strange courtship made him feel once again a sense of loss. He had believed he had made his peace with his long-dead wife and child, the pain would never go away but he had reached reluctant acceptance.
He turned away, leaving them in peace together. Perhaps something could be salvaged from this painful episode.
...ooo0ooo...
Ari gently pulled her close, and Abby leaned into his kiss; carefully avoiding putting too much pressure on his bruises. The heavy awkward cast on his right arm resting on her knee. She gently wrapped her hand and arm under the cast, her hand cupping his elbow, cradling and supporting his injured arm.
Ari was grateful for the support, as he had sat up to get closer to Abby, he realised that there was something seriously wrong with his shoulder too. Then being close to her, being able to hold her, to draw comfort from her presence; he wasn't going to let go of that, no matter how much he was hurting.
His arm was floating in ether again, from the last round of pain medication, but he could feel the sharp claws scrabbling at the edges. He opened his eyes and pulled back ever so slightly, breaking the kiss.
"Ari?"
Abby's free hand came up and caressed his cheek. Unbidden, tears sprang to his eyes, and he closed them. He didn't want to crumble in front of her but he was a mess and he knew it. Her gentle touch and sympathetic nature his undoing. Her hand moved to curve around the back of his neck gently and she rested her cheek against the side of his neck as he struggled through the pain for some sort of control.
He wept then, silently, for all the loss and suffering. So many things, so many places, so many people... so many acts of cruelty. She said nothing, but held him against her as he put his head down on her shoulder and let go of the past, and the hate.
She made up her mind then and there, there was a way she could protect him better. People would be angry, and no doubt there would be a big fuss, what Tony and Tim might say was uppermost in her mind, and perhaps Ari would not like it much... his male pride; but she had to do something. It would have to be kept very quiet until it was done.
She whispered it then, and he pulled back a little. She searched his eyes as disbelief, hope and wonder vied with his pride, slowly he nodded, then they were both laughing and crying a little, as he leaned in again and their lips met.
...ooo0ooo...
Gibbs had read and re-read the file. He compartmentalised everything that he knew about Ari Haswari, including that long ago conversation in his basement. He glanced across to Ziva. There were no pretty ways to dress any of it up. Ari was innocent of Kate's death, but was Ziva guilty? The thought occurred and was dismissed. Whatever Eli David had done to his children, and for the first time Gibbs acknowledged that it was likely that Eli had deliberately had Ari's mother killed, Ziva David was not Eli.
That Ari was alive at all was down to Ziva's dread of killing her own brother. For a minute Gibbs wondered about a few other things. Malachi Ben-Gidon's extraordinarily clumsy attempt at a "rescue", that conversation which made little sense where Ziva asked Ben-Gidon if he was following orders and said that he dare not refuse Eli a second time. The family comment.
All of this added up to the lengths that Eli David would go to protect his position. His children were expendable. And they both knew it.
Gibbs got to his feet. There was another problem. The "accident" that had put Ari Haswari in Bethesda in the first place. He headed straight for Autopsy.
...ooo0ooo...
Donald Mallard stared at the x-ray almost blankly. He had little cause to care for what Ari Haswari might be going through, but that did not prevent his shock and horror at the picture presented by the x-ray film on the plate.
Haswari had been tortured.
"Got something for me, Duck?"
The doctor turned. "This break came from some form of torture." He said flatly. He put a hand up to trace the fracture pattern "A fall would present very differently."
Gibbs stared at the x-ray. "So, someone is beating up our terrorist."
"Yes." Ducky turned to his old friend. "I find it difficult to wish Dr Ari Haswari well, but in this case..."
"I know Duck, I know." Gibbs turned to go. He had a lot to think over. "Thanks Ducky..." he muttered absently as he left.
The forensic pathologist studied the x-ray, "bastard..." he muttered, unsure whether he meant the injured Ari, or the man who had done that to him.
