EGYPTIAN SKY, NOT FAR FROM CAIRO; NOVEMBER 20, 2004, 2:45 (Egypt)
Kate woke to a hand rubbing her hair back and whispering to her. "Caitlin, we have arrived, time to wake up."
Kate slowly opened her eyes and looked up to see Ari standing over her as she lay on the couch of the jet. "What time is it?"
"Which time?" He helped her sit up and she pushed the hair out of her face, "US or Egypt?"
A man came in the cabin and Kate looked at him as he spoke, "Can I get you or Mistress Haswari anything sir?"
"No, just inform the airport we will be landing soon."
The man left and Kate eyed Ari, "something you want to tell me…he called me Mistress Haswari and I'm…"
Ari chuckled and sat down beside Kate as she buckled her seatbelt. "It was an honest mistake Caitlin. Dubar is from Iraq and he believes you are my wife because you are traveling with me."
"I could be Mossad."
"You should have been but you do not look Mossad…you could never look Mossad." He buckled his seatbelt and reached over to touch her face but Kate pushed his hand back. "What happened to you Caitlin?"
"Why do you think something has happened?"
Ari pushed her hand back and touched her face before eyeing his hand. "Make-up, it is good work and I would not have noticed if you hadn't pushed my hand away. Did you injure yourself or did someone hurt you?"
"My ex slapped me but I told him if he came near me again that he'd be dead. I figured you'd kill him before Gibbs got a chance to." She looked at her hands, "I don't want him murdered so could you just leave him alone till something happens?"
Ari eyed Kate, her compassion attracted him but at times it annoyed him. If it had been his sister's boyfriend, half of Mossad would have murdered the bastard after Ziva finished with him. No one hurt family and Caitlin was his family; in his heart she was already his wife…as she would be one day legally. He loved her and despite being told love would bring pain, he'd take that pain to see his Caitlin every day.
Taking her hand, Ari gently caressed it. "I will do as you ask Caitlin but I will not have you hurt again, you deserve no mark to be placed on your body or harshness to your heart." Kate looked at him as he kissed the back of her hand, "you're too precious to be hurt and I do not mean that as if you are fragile because you are tougher then my sister at times."
EGYPT, CAIRO INTN'L AIRPORT, HALL 4; NOVEMBER 20, 2004, 2:45 (Egypt)
Kate and Ari arrived at customs and the man looked at Ari, "passport and anything needed for a visa."
Ari placed his badge and passport down as well as his pre-approved visa, "how is the family Aaron?"
"They are alive Haswari, every time I see you…I always tell my wife it will the last time yet here you are. So…work or play this time?"
"Play, for once I am taking off."
"I find it hard to believe, your father was here two weeks ago meeting with the Egyptian minister. He told me I was welcome to come back but I refused…my wife likes Egypt too much."
"Yes she is a beautiful country," Ari placed currency down, "this should cover both of our fees."
"Ah yes," Aaron looked at Kate, "you are as beautiful as he speaks of you…I am told you are violent with a weapon."
Kate eyed Ari, "you talk about me?"
"Every chance I get, to old friends and colleagues who do not tell my father much," Ari eyed Kate, "you are not to be kept a secret Caitlin…you are much more important than to be kept a secret."
"Shut up," Kate laid her passport down as soon Aaron returned Ari's passport and visa.
Aaron chuckled and eyed Ari as he checked Kate's passport, "any person who can say such things to him and not get killed has power…use it well. Vacation I presume?"
"Yes, I'm on vacation." Kate smiled and noticed Ari was dialing his phone, she reached over and grabbed it. "Work is off the menu…call Mossad afterwards."
"Ziva left me a message Caitlin; I was just calling her back."
"Your sister is allowed but not your father, you need a break. I'm not accepting calls from work either." She handed his phone back and turned back to Aaron. "The man will work himself to death…literally."
Aaron laughed and handed her passport back along with a tourist visa. "It is said that when a woman controls a man…he is taken with her and can do her no harm. It also is said that soul mates cannot harm one another for their love is too great.
"You will become known as Mistress Haswari one day…his heart is set on you like no other. He has had many women in the past but never spoke of them…till you. He says it is your compassion that shines brighter than anything you have…even beauty.
"For a man to see more then beauty…especially one like Haswari, you are more important than any woman in the world. His eyes were always full of hatred and anger but now they hold love and kindness. He seeks to keep you, I suspect to marry you one day but we never know the future."
Kate smiled at Aaron, "thank you for the insight."
"Caitlin," Ari looked at her, "we have much to do, we can always visit Aaron again."
"Yes, you both should come to dinner…my wife cooks an amazing meal. Haswari can get in contact with me…just call and come."
"Thank you for your offer." Kate walked over to Ari and he put his arm around her. "He's ex-Mossad?"
"No one is ex-Mossad but by the time he married, he had served long enough to leave. He met a wonderful Egyptian woman on one of his missions and decided to marry her. They have five children now…I have yet to meet their youngest, a boy who was born two years ago…it was after I saved Aaron's life."
"What's his name?"
"Haswari, he named the boy after me because I saved his life a few days before his son was born. I suggested the name Amil instead but he didn't listen so the boy received the name Haswari Amil Dahan ben Aaron."
"A long name."
"It is his formal name; his name is Haswari Amil Dahan while 'ben Aaron' means 'son of Aaron' so it forms the full name."
"So let me try this, your name is Ari Michael David Haswari ben Eli."
"Yes, you learn so quickly."
Kate laughed and eyed him, "you already knew that…I found the pea so quickly."
"That is true, you did so my Caitlin." He eyed her as she looked around, surprised by her next question.
"What is it like in Saudi Arabia…I can't go but what is it like?"
"Beautiful and horrible at the same time, the land is beautiful but the life for a woman is harsh. My mother left with her parents when she was a girl, she was proud never to return."
"Sounds like you in some ways," she smiled, "so our hotel…where is it?"
"Giza, you can see the pyramids from the room. We shall get settled and tomorrow explore the pyramids."
"Sounds fun…thank you for bringing me."
