"Did I do something to offend you?" Alex was not one to beat around the bush.

"No," Ziva replied.

"Then why do you not like me?"

"You are new. I do not like people I do not know."

"Well then you should get to know me,"

"Advice taken," Ziva relaxed a bit. "Listen Alex, I find it hard to trust people who are new so quickly, but you have proven to be very efficient."

They both walked out of the kitchen and into the dining room, Alex with a bowl of salad in her hand and Ziva with one of the appetizers. Tony and McGee walked back into the dining room as Abby turned the music on just loud enough for them to hear. Alex helped Ziva to set the table and bring out the food as the others got drinks and took their seats at the dining room table. This was the first time in awhile that Alex had sat down at a table with a group of coworkers or friends. For once she felt accepted and a part of a team rather than the loner of the group.

Chapter Ten

As the night continued on, dinner came to an end along with dessert. They had retired to the living room for coffee and conversation except for Alex, who was helping Ziva to clean up in the kitchen. Once she finished, she poured herself a glass of whiskey and headed into the hallway. Leaning against the wall, Alex watched as Ziva went over to talk Ducky as Gibbs kept to the corner of the room. She stared at him curiously as he watched the interactions going on in front of him. Just as she brought the glass up to sip it he looked over at her and smirked as if he knew all this time that she was staring at him. Looking away, she refused to blush before she took another moment to look back at him. As her eyes met his she understood that it was now he that was staring at her.

Gulping down the rest of her drink she took the glass into the kitchen and rinsed it out. Shutting off the water, she braced her hands on the cool metal of the sink as she tried to gather her thoughts. Why was she staring at him? Perhaps it was because he knew something she didn't. Or because for the first time there was a man that could cause her pure unrest. There was something about him that caused a stir in her. Even if he didn't know who she was he acted as if he did, as if he knew all of her secrets. Leaving the kitchen, she ran a hand through her hair as she walked over to Abby who was sitting at the kitchen table finishing a hand of poker against McGee and Jimmy.

"Abby, are you taking to bus?" Alex stood next to her, observing the hand of cards in Abby's hand.

"Yeah, are you riding with me?" She smiled as she looked at the river, her cards, and then back at Alex again.

"Absolutely." She nodded in response.

"Well boys, looks like I've got a date and I've won the hand." Laying down her hand, she heard the collective groans as she collected the money in the middle of the table. Standing up with her winnings, Abby shoved the money in her purse before she snapped it shut.

"On more hand?" McGee asked, slightly hoping to get some of his lost wages back.

"Mr. Palmer," Ducky beckoned as he stood up from the couch. Apparently they weren't the only ones that were planning on leaving.

"Coming Doctor." Jimmy stood from the table and went to the closet to get their coats. Handing the coat and hat to Ducky, Jimmy zipped up his own. Ziva made her way to the door, ready to bid her guests farewell for the evening.

"Well Ziva, thank you for dinner but I must be going." Ducky put on his hat and coat before he walked over to the opened door and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight," She replied as they walked out of the door and shut it behind them.

"Bus comes in fifteen minutes," Abby noted as she looked from Alex to Ziva. "Do you need help cleaning up?"

"No thank you," Ziva smiled. "Please, have another drink or something more to eat before you leave."

"I will help you clean up." Tony offered as Gibbs took a seat across from the couch. As glanced over at him she realized he was still staring at her.

"I don't want my dishes broken Tony," She sighed as she gathered empty glasses off of her table and took them into the kitchen.

"McGee, do you need a ride?" Tony asked.

"I came with-" McGee started to speak before he was abruptly cut off.

"This isn't prom McGee, you take any ride you can get." Gibbs replenished his glass.

"Yes boss," McGee answered. "My car is at the shop so yes Tony, I do need a ride. I was going to call a cab."

"See it wasn't so hard to ask now was it Probie?" Tony smirked. "Maybe I could come in and take a spin with the type writer."

"No." McGee sighed as Tony started to rant about McGee's primitive writing methods. As he continued, Gibbs had moved from his seat and was now making his way to the hallway where Alex had moved to while she continued to watch her team members interacting.

"Castanzo," Her name rolled off his tongue as if he had been saying it for years.

"Yes Agent Gibbs?" She could still feel his touch lingering on her hands even though it had been hours since they were at the shooting range.

"I want to talk to you," He really was a man of few words, apparently unable to finish a sentence.

"When," Looking at her watch, she wondered where time had gone. By now she should have been passed out on her bed.

"Tonight," Setting his glass down on the counter in the kitchen, he brushed past her and snapped his fingers. McGee jumped instantly at the offer, glad to be away from Tony as he continued to talk about his college days.

"Night Ziva." Both McGee and Gibbs bid her goodnight before they left the apartment leaving Tony to hound Ziva into the kitchen as Alex went to talk to Abby. They slipped out of the apartment and down the stairs just as the bus pulled up to the stop. Getting on the bus, they found seats at the back of the bus where Abby preferred to sit. Normally they both would have driven but due to certain circumstances they both only had the option of taking the bus.

"Did you really date Tim?" Alex asked, still trying to put the two together. At some points they seemed more like brother and sister than they did as lovers.

"Yes for a little bit a couple years ago." She smiled as she recalled one of the nights he had stayed over and slept in her coffin without knowing. "I'm completely fine with him dating someone else if you are wondering."

"What's he like?"

"He is really sweet." Abby smiled. "He is a good guy. If someone tries to hurt him though, I will kill them."

"He asked me out."

"He did?"

"Yeah,"

"Go for it,"

"I don't want to tread on your territory." Alex chuckled. "Plus, I don't think McGee is my type. He's too…docile."

"What about Tony? He is not docile."

"He's the play boy…you know me better than that."

"Just as much as I encourage McGee to start dating I am going to start doing the same to you."

"Hey, at least I've had a date in the past two years…what do you have to say for yourself."

"I'm in a relationship. I am married to my work." The bus came to a halt as it reached the stop in front of Alex's apartment building.

"Then that is the excuse I'm using too. We will be spinsters together." Standing up, she waved goodbye to Abby as she got off at the stop. Not waiting to watch the bus pull away, she headed inside and upstairs to her apartment.

Going through her usual routine, she unlocked the door, stepped inside, and then locked the door and dead bolt once she was inside and closed the door. Stripping off her coat, she tossed it onto the couch until she would grab it again tomorrow. Continuing to strip down, she gathered her clothing and tossed it into the hamper. She headed straight for the shower, happy to wash off the grime from the day and hopefully any last lingering of Gibbs' touch. Stepping out of the shower, she put her hair up in a bun as she pulled on a t-shirt that once belonged to her mother. Not bothering to put on a pair of shorts, she walked around in the t-shirt and a pair of boy shorts.

Walking back into the bathroom she looked down at her hand and wrist. Her wrist was still bruised and the lines of fingers were visible. Luckily her hand stopped bleeding at some point so when she unwrapped it the bleeding did not start again. Washing the wound, she applied salve to it before turning around to shut off the lights. Walking out to her living room she turned the lights off, preparing to go to bed. As she walked into the kitchen, she allowed the moon to light the room as she grabbed a glass and a bottle of bourbon.

For not having touched the stuff in five years, she found herself comforted tonight by the liquid. This was her third glass tonight, she thought to herself as she put the glass down on the counter. She knew it was coming, she could hear the sound of his breath…feel it on the back of her neck. Scolding herself for a second, she should have remembered he said tonight and was not joking. Closing her cabinet, she wished she would have opted to put on a pair of shorts.

"Coffee?" He leaned against the counter watching as she sipped her drink.

"Don't drink it." She set the glass down already guessing what he would ask for next as she reached up for another glass.

"Bourbon,"

"I have that." She grabbed another glass and poured a shot of bourbon. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you we needed to talk."

"Have you ever heard of knocking? Or maybe just waiting?" She spun around to see him standing only a few inches from her. Handing him a glass she walked past him and into her living room. Her eyes went to the door, making sure she had locked it. Her mind wanted to know how long he had been waiting for her and how long he had been watching her.

"Have you heard of locking your door?"

"What do you want? I am not in the mood for foreplay." Sometimes her mother's temper came out in her a little too much.

"Answers,"

"At work I respect you and answer to you. But, in my own home I am the one who does the questioning." Sitting the glass down, she stood in the middle of the room right out of the range of the light the moon was providing. He set his own glass down before reaching for the light so that he could see her more fully rather than a shadow and an outline.

"I don't want the light on." She stopped him from turning on the light, not wanting him to see her without all of her clothing on. Instead of backing away, she watched as he walked over to her and into the light of the moon.

"Why, you don't want me to see this?" He grabbed her arm and lifted it so her wrist was in his view. "What is this from?"

"Let go," She yanked her arm back. "We've been through this before. I am not a child Agent Gibbs."

"He was here and you didn't call me. You called my team."

"I didn't find it necessary."

"You didn't find it necessary?" He raised his voice.

"No, he is of no threat."

"I had an agent who thought that a couple years ago and she is dead." An image of Kate flashed in his mind. She had believed the man who killed her had kind eyes and was incapable of harming them.

"It isn't your concern."

"It is my concern."

"Go away," Brushing past him, she went to see him to the door but instead he spun her around and pushed her back against the wall.

"No," His answer was firm yet in a soft tone.

"Go," The word was but a whisper.

His eyes roamed over her face searching for some sign she was not willing to give him. There was a determination in her eyes he hadn't seen in years. Reaching upwards, he pulled the hair tie out of her hair so that her damp hair fell to her shoulders. He tried to maintain control as he reached up and toyed with a strand of her hair. She watched hesitantly for a moment before she pushed her body against his. Instead of pushing him away her lips sought his out capturing them in a hungry fury. It didn't take long for his restraint to break. Wrapping his arms around her waist he lifted her up as her legs wrapped around his waist. Her arms went around his neck as he carried her towards the bedroom.

"He was here." She whispered as he laid her on the bed. As if for every question she answered she received the reward of his lips on hers. She didn't know if this behavior could be blamed on the alcohol or just on the tension that had been building between them for over the past weeks.

"What…" His lips trailed down her neck sucking on the skin where her pulse throbbed against her skin. "…did he want?" She followed him to a sitting position as he sat up long enough to toss his jacket aside. He watched for a second as she moved back on the bed.

"What you probably would like…" Leaning over her, she ran her hand up his chest. "For me to quit." His reward to her was his hand slipping beneath the sheer material of her shirt to cup her breast.

"Why?" A satisfaction spread through him as Jethro watched her squirm beneath him in pleasure.

"I don't know." She removed his polo and his undershirt before he removed her t-shirt and tossed it in the pile with the rest of their clothing. Right after the words escaped her, she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down to her. "But I am tired of the same empty threat on my life."

"What?" He pulled away from her for a minute as she gave him a look of confusion.

"What?" Looking down at herself, she did not see anything wrong. Her hand was not bleeding and he was definitely responding to her caress. "There is nothing behind his threat."

"He will not touch you again. Not if I have a say in it." Instead of her boss he sounded like a jealous lover.

"I don't care if he does but if you don't continue to I'm going to have a serious problem." Pushing him over, she hitched her leg over his waist so that she was straddling him. He was in control of them all week, but here in her own house she was the one in control. Tonight she was going to show him just how much control she had over him. She showed him twice but after that he took control again and again until finally sleep consumed them.

"You're bleeding," Alex opened her eyes to see Gibbs holding her hand in his. Morning light was just beginning to peak into her window as she took in the scent of his skin as she rested her head on his rising and falling chest.

"What?" She frown, not wanting him to leave her.

"Where are your bandages?" He moved to get out of bed, leaving her only covered by the sheet instead of his body.

"In the bathroom." Her eyes followed him as he walked with just boxers on to the bathroom, not bothering to ask where they were as if he already knew his way around. He must have waited here for her and cased her apartment.

"Come here," Looking over at her, he beckoned her from the bed.

"My clothing?" She searched the floor for her t-shirt.

"Is not necessary," He smirked as his eyes took in her curves.

"Try again," She reached over and grabbed his polo shirt slipping it on before she allowed the sheet to fall off of her. It still surprised her that he stayed until morning. If this was a one night stand he should have been long gone by now so that Alex could try and recover what was left of her dignity.

"I prefer you without." Tugging her closer to him by the hem of the shirt, he held out his hand waiting to take hers. Rinsing her hand under the warm water, she watched as he cared for it as a father would bandage a bruise on a child.

"How is this going to affect work, Boss?" She asked as he patted the cut dry and bandaged it.

"It's not and my name is Jethro." Meeting his gaze, she saw a serious look in his eyes that told her he wasn't kidding.

"You do realize there's a twenty year or more age difference?"

"Age is just a number," He grinned as if he were still a boy. It was a cute grin she liked seeing. "Does it bother you?"

"No."

"Alright then we are in agreement." Once he was done, she walked into the kitchen and made him a cup of coffee. He walked up behind her, placing his hands on her hips, and kissed the side of her neck.

"Thought you didn't drink coffee." He kissed her again and it made her want to replay everything that happened last night.

"I don't, I use it to bake." She retorted before handing him the cup and walking back to her bedroom to change. "Are you going to be here when I get out of the shower?"

"Who said I wasn't going to be in it?" He sipped the black coffee as she leaned against the wall. Part of her thought that this was all a dream and she would wake up soon with a hangover. This man was almost the same age as her father but yet she was strangely attracted to him.

"Are you going to interrogate me?"

"No, I got my answers. If I had more questions I know how to get what I want."

"Good," She smirked before turning and beckoning him to follow her.

"I just dressed your wound."

"Looks like you will have to do it again." Giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, she watched as he lifted up the shirt she wore.

"Got plans for tonight?"

"Yes," She sighed.

"What?"

"I told McGee I would go to the game with him, it is the Redskins."

"I thought it was supposed to be dinner?"

"No, I am not interested in him like that."

"Better not be,"

"Why, are you jealous? You stay one night and you are already claiming territory?"

"No, I just expect you to be back at my place after the game."

"Yes boss," Stepping into the shower, she waited for him to step in before closing the curtain.

"Where did you come from?" He held her as she leaned against him. The water flowing down their bodies, "You seem so familiar."

"I thought you weren't going to interrogate me?"

"I'm not."

"You read my file haven't you?"

"No," He was lying.

"Born in Virginia, went to American University for graduate school." She turned to face him.

"What about your parents?"

"My mother died and my father was never in the picture." Kissing his shoulder, she looked back up at him. "What about you?"

"That is a need to know basis," Backing her up against the wall, he claimed her once again making sure she knew he was in control this time. He spent the rest of the day with her, making her breakfast, looking through her personal pictures, and bedding her once again before she had to get dressed for the game. She left her apartment about an hour after he did to go to the game. Of course she knew McGee wouldn't cancel, but it was a free game and she did enjoy football.

"Hey Alex," McGee smiled as she walked outside and towards his car.

"Hey," Smiling, she noticed they were both wearing Redskins jerseys.

"I got the tickets,"

"I would hope so." Getting in the car, she put her phone on silent. "Thanks for the invite."

"Your welcome. I hope you don't take Tony too seriously…"

"He reminds me of my uncle."

"We aren't that old."

"My uncle is only a couple years different than me so he is more like a brother."

"Oh,"

"I will warn you… I get a little loud at football games. I never took you for the sports type."

"I'm not… I got these tickets as a gift."

"So what are you like?"

"I like to write and hack computers obviously,"

"I guess with this job you don't get a lot of time off."

"You would be correct." He helped her out of the car once they arrived.

"So what about you and Abby?"

"What about her?"

"You two are close,"

"Yes we are," He stuttered. "We dated once."

"You should date her again."

"Okay," He gave her a strange look before they entered the stadium.

By the time the stadium cleared out both she and McGee were still sitting there. After the crowds left they stood up and walked back to the car. There were still people partying in the street as they walked to the lot. His car was the one of three still left in the lot.

"I had a great time Tim,"

"So did I. How did you get so involved in sports?"

"Grew up around guys,"

"See I grew up with sisters,"

"That's why you let Tony push you around?"

"No," He laughed. "Here let me get the door,"