"Director Jenny Shepard, she's here to keep me from whacking Ari." Gibbs to DiNozzo in Kill Ari Part One, Season Three.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I decided to completely re-write this part of the plot, simply because I want to keep Kate alive! Please enjoy!

"Kate, Ducky needs you in autopsy." Gibbs said as he hung up his phone.

"Why?" Kate asked petulantly, she thought that she had already been through enough that day.

"He just said to send you down, he didn't elaborate." Gibbs said as he looked at Kate. Jethro shot Kate a glance saying that he knew why, but he wasn't going to elaborate in the busy squad room.

Obediently, Kate stood up and made her way to the elevator. She hit the button for the lowest level and realized that she knew why Ducky wanted her in autopsy. Today was a day Kate wanted to erase from her memory. What she had seen would never fade, it would always be sharp and clear in her mind, but on paper Kate knew the circumstances were bound to change.

"You wanted to see me?" Kate asked as she entered the autopsy lab.

"We both did." Ziva David said quietly from a corner of the lab.

"Why?" Kate asked as she stared at the cold slab where Ari lay.

"We need your cooperation." Ducky said quietly.

"Cooperation?" Kate asked petulantly.

"Yes, Kaitlyn, when I perform the autopsy I am going to find that Ari died from a single gunshot wound to the head, and I am going to find a nine-millimeter shell in his skull. From Ziva's weapon." Ducky said softly.

"What?" Kate asked in confusion. That wasn't how it had happened.

"Kate, it is for the best, if we do it this way." Ziva said quietly.

Kate had only known the Mossad agent for a few days and she already liked her although she was a bit different.

"How is this going to play out, I mean between NCIS and Mossad?" Kate asked as she folded her arms and stared at Ari's body.

"I am going to assume responsibility for Ari's death. I shot him as he tried to attack you. My father sent me to kill Ari, to eliminate him as a threat, and the paperwork and evidence will reflect that I have completed my task." Ziva explained.

A chill ran through Kate. She was still shook up from the day's events.

"Ziva, you hardly know us, why are you going out of your way to protect Jethro and I?" Kate pressed.

"She owes me a favor." Director Shepard quipped as she stepped from the shadows behind the cooler where Ducky kept his chemicals.

"Director Shepard?" Kate questioned.

"We can't do this to Jethro, we can't let him go. He's a damn good investigator and this place would never be the same without him. He's saved my ass before, and now we're collectively saving his ass." Jenny explained as she stared at Kate.

"Fine by me, just tell me what you need me to say, or not say." Kate said simply as she stared at three people she trusted with her life.

"Listen carefully dear; think back to early this morning." Director Shepard said as she looked at Kate.

"You were in the shower, getting ready for work. It's a nice normal day, until you get out of the shower and see Ari Haswari standing in your bathroom, waiting for you. He has a gun pointed at your head, and you have no choice but to comply with everything he says. You did what you were told, and the next thing you know Ari is laying on the floor in a puddle of blood." Director Shepard explained.

"That is what happened." Kate said knowingly. As if she agreed with Jenny the circumstances and images in her mind would magically change.

"But this time when you look up you don't see Jethro standing there, you see Ziva…holding her weapon because she just shot Ari." Ducky finished for the Director.

"Ziva…shot Ari…got it." Kate said as she forced herself to picture the scene in her mind, erasing the image of Jethro standing there holding his old rifle as Ari's lifeless body lay between them.

"That's right. Ziva did shoot Ari. Director David told her to, and she did her job. She's a good agent." Jenny said as she smiled at Kate, happy that the agent would comply with the fabricated story.

"Now Kate go upstairs. Jethro will take you home so you can get some rest." Ducky said quickly as he ushered Kate out of autopsy.

"I have a lot of paperwork to do." Kate mumbled.

"Agent Todd you and Agent Gibbs are to go home for the evening! That is a direct order!" Director Shepard commanded as her voice echoed through the autopsy lab.

"Yes ma'am." Kate said quietly as she turned and exited autopsy.

Kate silently made her way back to her desk and collected her coat and purse. Jethro was already waiting for her.

"Let's go home." Jethro said quietly as he wrapped an arm around Kate's shoulders and led her to the elevator.

The second the doors closed and the elevator moved downward Jethro hit the power button and it jerked to a halt.

"Gibbs what's going-"Kate's sentence was interrupted as Jethro pinned her to the wall of the elevator and kissed her passionately, caressing the side of her cheek with his hand as they embraced.

"Oh God Kate." Jethro panted as he broke their kiss.

"I've been waiting all morning to do that. You're here, you're safe. He can't ever hurt you or take you away from me." Jethro said as he looked into Kate's eyes.

"I love you." Kate said as she stared into Jethro's steely blue eyes. Kate wiped her lips with the sleeve of her shirt and hit the power button on the elevator which jerked back to motion.

"Jethro, is it safe to go back to your house? I mean, I guess what I'm trying to say is…" Kate stammered as she tried to finish her sentence.

"Don't worry, Abby went over there and cleaned it up for us after Tony and McGee finished processing everything." Gibbs explained as they made their way through the lobby to the parking lot.

Kate didn't have to say what she was thinking. Jethro had already known. Kate was terrified that there would be blood everywhere, but Abby had called Gibbs while Kate was in autopsy meeting with Ziva, Jenny and Ducky, and had explained that she had properly cleaned and sanitized the master bathroom. When Kate realized that Jethro was going to shoot Ari it had been too late. It was like a horrible accident. Kate had wanted to close her eyes and not see the carnage, but she stood there doe-eyed wrapped in a towel with her hair dripping as a bullet made its way into Ari's head. He had fallen instantly, and the next thing Kate knew Ziva was standing behind Jethro singing something in Hebrew, and yelling for Kate and Jethro to leave the house as soon as possible and keep quiet. As Jethro helped Kate step over Ari's body Kate looked down to see blood everywhere, and Ari's lifeless eyes staring up at her.

"Thank God for best friends." Kate said as she got into the passengers side of the car and they headed back to Gibbs' house.

"What can I do for you?" Jethro asked as Kate sat on the porch swing and stared at the shrubs, and the flowers that had started to bloom in early spring.

"Nothing." Kate said blandly. Today had been a close call and they both knew it. Kate Todd knew that she had cheated death once, and she'd be forever grateful to Jethro, Ziva and the rest of the team. It would be one big cover-up, a completely fabricated account that would be passed on to Director David. Ziva hadn't known them for very long and already Kate knew that she'd do anything to protect them.

Jethro left Kate alone on the porch to sift through her own thoughts. He knew from experience that it was best to leave her be for the moment, until she figured things out for herself. Nobody could give her the answers she was searching for.

"Are you going to be okay if I go pick up dinner?" Jethro whispered in Kate's ear. It was just past sundown and Kate was still sitting on the porch swing, wrapped up in a coat and a thick blanket. It was late March and still very chilly outside, but Kate had wanted to be outside with her thoughts. Jethro had left her alone for most of the day, content to work on his boat.

"I'll be fine." Kate mumbled.

"Kate, you need to go inside, you'll catch your death if you stay out here much longer." Jethro whispered as he leaned in and offered a hand to Kate to help her up.

"Cold weather doesn't cause illness." Kate retorted as she stared into the inky darkness that had enveloped the backyard.

"Humor an old chauvinist and head inside like a good girl." Jethro smiled as he looked at Kate and waved his hand slightly, urging her to get up.

"Fine, but only to appease you." Kate said dryly. She extended her hand, which Jethro gripped firmly and helped her up.

"There's a nice fire going in the living room." Jethro said as Kate picked up her blanket and followed him into the house.

"Thanks." Kate said as she made her way to the hearth so she could get warmed up.

"You're so cold. I should have never let you stay out that long." Jethro lamented as he placed his warm hands on Kate's cheeks.

"I'll live." Kate muttered as she stared at the bright orange flames.

"That's not the point." Gibbs reminded her as he bent down to kiss her cheek.

"Go get our food, I'm hungry." Kate demanded as Jethro turned and headed out of the house.

The second Kate saw Jethro's car leave the driveway she headed upstairs to the master bathroom. She knew it was macabre, and most likely wrong on some level but Kate wanted to see it. She still couldn't believe that it had actually happened right in front of her. A terrorist who had been so obsessed with her that he had figured out where she lived. He had stalked her for months and she hadn't known it, until today when she had gotten out of the shower. Somehow Jethro had known, Ziva had known and together they had saved her life.

Kate flipped on every light as she went, which was unusual. Kate Todd had never been afraid of the dark. Kate slowly made her way into the bathroom and she realized instantly that Jethro had been right. Abby had cleaned the bathroom back to its usual spotless state. Abby had even gone out and replaced the bath mats, shower curtain and had gotten new towels.

Kate sniffed and realized she smelled fresh paint. She looked around and realized Abby had touched up a section of the far wall.

"This must have taken hours." Kate thought to herself. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed Abby's number.

"Hey girl." Abby said in her gravely voice.

"Hey Abby…I just went upstairs and I thought I should call and say thanks." Kate said quietly.

"No problem, that's what friends are for." Abby said quickly. She would do anything for Gibbs and Kate and it seemed that restoring their bathroom was the least she could do to help them.

"I really appreciate it, and I'm sure Gibbs does too." Kate added as she made her way back downstairs to the living room.

"You are very welcome, and as I said there really is no need to thank me. I know you two would have done the same if things were different." Abby said reassuringly.

"Abby, you are awesome." Kate said as she heard Jethro's car pull into the driveway.

"Kate you're pretty damn cool yourself, if you need anything don't be afraid to call." Abby replied.

"I'll talk to you later." Kate said as she smiled and laughed.

"Have a good night." Abby said as she hung up.

Kate stood next to the fireplace in an attempt to warm herself up. She hadn't realized how cold she had been until she had ventured inside.

"Chow time!" Jethro yelled from the kitchen.

Kate made her way into the kitchen and began pulling Chinese-food containers out of a large paper bag.

"Hey let's eat in the living room. I can't believe how cold I am." Kate said as Jethro reached into the fridge and produced two beers.

"Fine by me." Jethro said as he grabbed a container of shrimp fried rice and a pair of chopsticks. Kate followed him into the living room and they made themselves comfortable on the floor, seated close to the fireplace.

"Mmm." Kate said as she bit into a piece of shrimp.

"You haven't eaten yet today, have you?" Jethro asked as he looked at Kate with concern. For the first time ever, Kate looked fragile to him.

Kate shook her head no as she chewed her food.

"That was so good!" Kate exclaimed as she polished off her dinner.

"It was." Jethro said with a smile as he finished his beer.

Kate shivered and pulled herself closer to Jethro, hoping he'd warm her up.

"Still cold?" Jethro whispered in Kate's ear.

Kate nodded as she cuddled up to her boyfriend.

"Poor thing." Jethro teased as he kissed Kate's hand gently.

"I love you." Kate whispered.

"I love you." Jethro replied.

Kate leaned up and kissed Jethro's lips softly. His lips parted, and Kate deepened their kiss. She was running short on air, but Kate shifted her weight so Jethro was on his back, lying on the floor and she was sprawled on her side, next to him as they continued to kiss. It was so good to be with him, to be comfortable in his presence, and to share intimacies.

"Kate." Jethro whispered as Kate unzipped her fleece jacket and flung it to the side.

"Jethro." Kate replied with a giggle.

"We don't have to…" Jethro trailed off as Kate began reaching for the buttons on his shirt.

"Have to what?" Kate giggled as she grinned at him.

"Never mind." Jethro said as he sat up and pulled his shirt off.

"That's what I thought." Kate said as she allowed Jethro to roll her gently on her back.

Kate was surprised at the power they both possessed, and the enthusiasm. She thought after a long day that it might leave a little bit to be desired, but Kate's expectations had been far from the truth.

"That….was….intense…." Kate panted as she leaned back onto the living room floor.

"Amazing." Jethro said as he leaned in and kissed Kate's bare shoulder.

"Jethro?" Kate said as they lay in one another's arms as the fire roared beside them.

"Yes Kate?" Jethro replied.

"I'm not cold anymore." Kate smiled as she said it.