AN: And here we are again - Cray Cray! So... on to the amazingness of the readers: angel897 your reviews are always so appreciated. You are always the first to give me feedback, and I love getting the notification saying you've reviewed! Also, Thank-you! countrygirluk56, i would like to personally thank-you for your reviews (and your Fav!), especially with regards to my portrayal of Granger. He was one of my fav characters, hence why i wanted him to be so prominent in the story. As an actor, Miguel was nothing less than a genius and I was truly heartbroken when i read that he had passed. I imagined the scene with him and Cassie from the last chapter and went line by line to make sure that it was as if he were reading a script. Thank-you.
To NaliaL, i would like to say thank-you for following this story and to readhead0121, anonymous-who, darkpercy5 and, again, countrygirluk56 for adding this story to your favs.
I am so grateful to have all of your support and would like to say thanks to all of the readers. Whether you have been here from the start, you are new or just come by from time to time, all i can ask for is that you enjoy the story as much as i love writing it.
Please enjoy yet another exiting chapter :)
Yuul x
The afternoon was filled with conversations after explanations after questions and the whole cycle over and over again. SecNav wasn't happy with Cassandra's continued public displays of reckless behaviour, and questioned, while Cassandra was in the room, whether the Russian born agent should even still be allowed to form part of this investigation, insinuating, quite bluntly, that she didn't trust her at all.
Cassandra had sarcastically thanked her for her comments, and proceeded to hand in her imaginary notice, stating that she had, in fact (for once), worked within the boundaries that NCIS were forcing her to adhere to. She reiterated that, thanks to Cassandra's and Kensi's swift response to the situation, NCIS had a key suspect in custody and the hostage he had grabbed had been taken home without a scratch on her; yet she was still being placed on what seemed like a trial. She was tired of them, their secrets, their orders and their pathetic attempts to find fault in everything that she did.
Unsurprisingly, Leon did not accept her resignation. He made it very clear that Cassandra was their only way to even get close to stopping the Ubiytsa and ended his unnecessarily long spiel by assuring SecNav that all members of NCIS that had been working on this case backed Cassandra 100% - something that Cassandra had scoffed at. Not everyone backed her.
Granger wasn't happy with Cassandra - as per usual. More specifically, he was angered by the almost immediate appearance of her photograph in the media. Once more, Cassandra had stressed that she was not at fault - The goddam photographer was just in the wrong place at the right time. How was she to know? Yet, it wasn't enough. Cassandra had drawn attention to herself and her affiliation with NCIS which would only bring further problems to deal with later. Although Cassandra agreed with him, on some level, she couldn't help but throw her arms up in frustration and ask the balding man: "What the fuck do you want from me?" Granger scowled at her and reiterated that he throughly defended SecNavs position: If Cassandra continued to push the boundaries, she would suffer the necessary consequences - What ever that meant.
SecNav had jumped in before Cassandra could bite back, asking whether it was in anyones best interests that she, Cassandra, continue on the case when, after 15 years, they seemed no closer to a resolution.
"Are you suggesting that I am deliberately sabotaging the investigation?" Cassandra asked, utterly dumbfounded.
"I am merely stating that I think that a fresh perspective may get us closer to the end goal; shutting your brother down for good" She had shot a defiant look at the young agent.
Cassandra didn't like Porter at all. Not only was she a politician, which Cassandra automatically took a disliking too, but Sarah Porter had actively gone out of her way to push Cassandra's buttons since her appointment. True, Cassandra deserved some of the abuse - she had blown her off the first time she met the new SecNav, stating that, and quote: 'I am not taking orders from no bimbo. How do you expect that woman to replace Jarvis'
"Was that the official line when you finally decided that Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden should be 'shut down'" Cassandra continued, ensuring she exaggerated the last two words and added air quotes for effect "Because, if I recall, Saddam Hussein was around for about two decades before he was finally categorised as a terrorist" Cassandra continued "And lets not get into the Bin Laden situation and how it was the US's depleting interest in his services that got him -"
"That is quite enough, Agent Wyatt!" Granger snapped
"Do you not like the point I am making, Assistant Director?" Cassandra retorted in much the same tone.
Neither Porter nor Vance made any attempts to interrupt the death stare that was forming between the two strong minded individuals. Hetty, however, had no qualms with doing so.
"Will you both stop acting like children" Hetty's tone was exasperated as she turned towards the big screen where both Porter and Vance remained in silence "May I suggest we take a time out to evaluate the situation." She looked down at her watch "It is almost five o'clock, it's Friday and I don't believe there is much more to discuss." She placed her hands behind her back and linked her fingers together, awaiting the response of her 'superiors'.
"Very well" Vance nodded "I will be in L.A. at zero nine hundred hours on Monday." And with that, his side of the screen turned black. Almost instantly afterwards, Porter cut the line without uttering another word.
Silence had no time to fall upon the three remaining figures as Granger's annoyance was quickly vocalised "You happy?" Granger muttered to Hetty who turned quickly, burning rage on her features.
"Happy? Of course I'm not Happy! You should know better than to play this game!" Cassandra took a step back and lifted herself atop the comms table, crossing her arms over her torso to watch the argument unfold. One of the things she liked most about Hetty, was when she flipped at someone that wasn't herself - and especially so when it was Granger. It didn't happen as much as she liked. She only wished that she had popcorn.
"You think this is a game?" He asked, his tone darkened as he turned to look at her straight on "This is goddam serious"
"Then start acting like it is!" Hetty snapped "I have lost more than a few good men to this monster -" Cassandra grimaced at the comment, and although she saw Hetty glance at her through the corner of her beady eyes, she didn't cease her assault "I have watched the rise of this man since the very beginning and I will be damned if you and your politics take away the only chance we have to stop him" All that was left was for her to stamp her feet. To Cassandra's chagrin, she did not. "So, come Monday, you can either leave or start fighting for the right team, Assistant Director"
At that comment, Hetty, had simply dragged Cassandra off the centre table and out of the locked down OPs, leaving Granger stupefied at their abrupt departure.
"Ungrateful, deplorable man" She muttered, making her way through the corridors with Cassandra in her stead. Cassandra had learnt to turn off from her own ridiculous interactions with Granger when he played politician. She often wished he'd stick to his role as member of NCIS, much like he had hours before, thus still exercising his authority, but without a stick in his arse.
"That's Granger for you" Cassandra shrugged, following Hetty towards her open plan office, taking a seat and slouching very unladylike in the wicker chair. "I'd just like to state that I didn't do anything that unordinary - I shot a guy in the mall to save the girl. Any other agent would have done the same" She pushed her legs beneath her body, readjusting herself into a less ungracious position.
"You know as well as I do that it was not that incident they were referring to, Cassandra" One thing Cassandra was on the fence about, in regards to Hetty, was her blunt way at approaching certain topics; and it always seemed that the result of these topics was the blame falling, once more, onto her own lap.
"You defending them now?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at the small, but fearsome woman.
"Not at all - but I can't help but wonder why you didn't tell me" Her hands were steepled below her chin, her eyes boring into Cassandra's, searching for the answer. Cassandra finally realised which incident she was referring to.
Elijah...
"I don't have an answer for that" She answered, quietly, looking away, her blunt honesty mimicking that of her conversational counterpart.
"Do you not trust me?" If Hetty's question wasn't meant to be rhetorical, it certainly ended up being. Cassandra didn't move a muscle. "Well, I suppose I deserve that, somewhat" She spoke, slightly down-heartened at the silent revelation.
"I didn't say anything" Cassandra spoke, confused at her tone.
"No, but your face speaks a thousand words." Hetty smiled sadly at the agent "It always has"
Cassandra and Hetty's story had began many years before. A chance meeting, in reality, that turned out to be the beginning of something dreadful - but at the same time, beautiful.
Hetty had not been assigned to the Office of Special projects for very long before she continued her renowned selection and recruitment process. Her most recent 'project' had been a young agent of American-Irish decent. Young Agent Sullivan. He was a promising young lad that had more potential than any of the others she had met before. He was just brilliant. Sharp shot, cunning mind and a real ladies man. There were no words to describe how much of a positive impact he had bestowed upon her team. This was the main reason his loss had been so devastating.
He had been the first to die on her watch; and selfishly, she had wished that it had been anyone else but him. Those were exactly the type of thoughts that had rushed through her mind when she had attended the funeral, especially when she had extended her condolences to the crying mother who had flown in from her home town of County Kerry, Ireland.
Amelia Sullivan had turned Hetty's heart strings in a knot - more so when she found out that she was more than familiar with the funeral process, having been widowed just months before. A flippant comment had also revealed that she had outlived her sister, Aoife, who had committed suicide a few years previous. Hetty's guilt had almost consumed her entirely in that moment - that was until she met another member of the family. Amelia's niece, daughter of the sister than had taken her own life - Cassandra.
It was later that Hetty find out that Sullivan was Amelia's married name - and her maiden name was Wyatt. Her initial research showed that Amelia had adopted her nieces after their father had been killed.
1 + 1 = 2
Hetty realised that this blonde girl was one of those that NCIS had orphaned in one of the many operations in Russia.
2 + 2 = 4
Hetty became aware of Cassandra's true motives in the US.
4 + 4 = 8
Hetty organised a large scale operation to extract, convert and conceal Cassandra's motives - She wanted her. And here she was.
"As do many members of my team" Hetty added, returning back to the present day conversation.
Cassandra didn't need to look over her shoulder to know to whom she was referring. She could hear the incessant pacing from across the room and it was actually beginning to make her nervous.
"Did you know about Elijah?" She finally asked, looking up at the woman before her, really questioning whether the connection between Elijah and her sisters death was true or not.
"No" Hetty answered honestly "I had no idea, until today".
"And if you did, would you have told me?" Her question was met with silence and a sad smile. "That's what I thought. I'm not the only one that is an open book" Cassandra rolled her eyes and made the decision to leave. She didn't want to continue this conversation, or any for that matter.
"Cassandra -"
"Well, I don't know about you but - " She glanced at her watch, pretending she cared for the time. She was going to leave what ever time it was "- I am in need for a cold beverage - alcoholic in nature and I think i'm going to indulge in that" Cassandra struggled to move from the comfort of her awkward position, but made the effort to do so.
"Cassandra"
"Yes, Hetty?" Her tone was exasperated.
"I really am glad to have you back" Hetty smiled, leaning back to look over the agent. She had grown from such a volatile, damaged young girl into an equally volatile, but much more stable and wonderful young woman.
"In all honestly…" Cassandra paused, and turned to look at Hetty, her hardened features softening at the sight of her aged smile. "So am I. Somehow." Cassandra replied genuinely, mirroring the smile and finally taking her leave.
"Hey Goldilocks!" Deeks jumped up from his seat and called out from across the bullpen "They finished ripping you a new one?" A smile crawled upon his face, as he gestured with his head to the place from which she just came. She looked over towards Hetty's office to see that she had since been joined by the Assistant Director, both exchanging disapproving looks as they engaged in one of their authoritarian exchanges.
"Pfft - they can try" Cassandra replied nonchalant. She wasn't going to let that bother her, right now. No. She had to remain in her current frame of mind or risk falling into another broken state. She had still to digest the newest revelations - let alone attempt to work through it. She plastered a smile upon her face and continued to address the blond detective. "Brought you something" She through a small teddy bear, wearing a pink dress, that she had swiped from one of the stands in the Mall while they awaited the arrival of the paramedics "It's a 'momma' bear" She was quite proud of her response to his 'goldilocks' references.
"Whaaaat? I'm papa bear" Deeks' face resonated complete disbelief, placing the bear on his desk in a faux tantrum. Whether it was because of the gesture or the insinuation, she wasn't sure, but it made her smile all the same.
"Pfft - you ain't no papa bear" Sam interjected, subconsciously flexing his muscles - or at least Cassandra assumed it was a subconscious action.
"Sam's right - if anyone was going to be papa bear it would be him" Cassandra shrugged, walking around the table and sitting in the seat he had occupied just moments before.
It was at this moment she caught the sightline of the man who had been the source of the annoying sound of pacing around the foyer. She shot him a small smile, raising her eyebrow slightly as if questioning his own state of mind. Callen returned the smile, and took a seat opposite her at his own desk. This silent exchange assured both parties that they were ok - a silent promise that she would indulge in his line of questioning later - but after the beer.
"How did the talk with the QDE go?" Kensi piped up, asking her partner as she began to pack up her things. Cassandra pried her eyes away from Callen's and twisted her chair towards Deeks. She hadn't known that they were going to continue to question Korablyov. It was a futile move, that she would have advised on had Granger not been so quick to give stupid orders.
"Same as before - clammed up and now he doesn't speak english. We are going no-where fast with that one" Deeks' tone was light, although his body language showed he was defeated. He must have spent a long time trying to get the man to talk.
"You won't." Cassandra replied. She wanted to give him some sort of explanation for his failure that didn't make him doubt his own abilities "He owes more than his life to Joshua - he wouldn't give anything up. Firstly out of respect and secondly out of fear."
"Fear?" Kensi asked leaning against her desk.
"Men have died inside your prison system because Joshua has wanted it." Cassandra shrugged.
"We need to kill this guy" Cassandra smiled at Sam's snarky comment and simply nodded in response. That certainly was a top priority - but not right at this moment.
"But in the mean time - beer" Deeks had literally read her mind.
"That's the smartest thing you've said all day" and Sam took the words right out of her mouth. All members of the team proceeded to grab their things and chatter about random bits an pieces. Cassandra couldn't believe how quickly the day had gone - her cyclical conversation with the authority figures had robbed her of her entire afternoon. On the plus side, it was now not an unorthodox idea to drink oneself into oblivion.
"You coming goldilocks?" Deeks chirped, throwing his bag over his shoulder.
"Ummm…?" Cassandra began, wondering whether it was a good idea to drown her sorrows in large quantities of tequila in present company, or better to work through her demons alone.
"Come on - it's not like you any other plans right?" He continued.
"Thanks Deeks" Cassandra laughed, grabbing the bear and throwing it at him. "I've got to sort some things out -"
"Which will still be there tomorrow." He interrupted, making a good point "Come on have some fun! Momma bear will look after the chores for you until you get back" shaking the bear towards her.
Cassandra squinted her eyes at the blond agent. "You really are like a dog with a bone"
"Now i'm a dog!" He through his arms up in faux disbelief
"With a bone" She added
"Ok, you guys are eating into my drinking time. I'm off - meet you there" Sam waved over his shoulder as he moved towards the exit.
"Hey big man, i'm with you on that!" Deeks followed with Kensi a step behind.
"You coming?" She asked
Who was she kidding? Cassandra could not resist the offer. It was high time that she took a night off. "Alright. But on one condition" he pushed herself up from Deeks' chair, which, incidentally, was extremely comfortable.
"Anything" Kensi's smile slipped into the simple word as she seemed to light up at the thought. Cassandra saw a lot of her former self in Kensi - a strong, determined female, perfectly incorporated into a team of males who she could beat at any moment. Cassandra actually felt slight admiration for the woman, even if her reflexes left a lot to be desired.
"Tell your little jack Russel to stop gnawing?" Cassandra mirrors Kensis' smile. Kensi nodded and made her way towards the foyer to meet Eric and Nell who were making their way down the staircase. Cassandra took the opportunity to then turn to look directly at the man who had yet to speak a word.
It was true that a couple of weeks before, Cassandra Wyatt had been adamant to remain as detached from the group as possible. It had been her idea to do the same when she had joined Gibbs' team years - but, as with all things, history was bound to repeat itself. Times like this either ripped people apart, or brought them together - and seeing as Cassandra had no-one to be ripped apart from, it was only natural that she would end up falling into the latter category. She didn't need friends, that she knew, but being part of the team couldn't be all bad, could it?
it's only temporary anyway! She reminded herself, thus calming her nerves slightly. Soon this would be over and she would finally be able to just go home.
"Mr. Callen" Cassandra addressed him, in faux formality.
"Miss Wyatt" He responded in much the same manner, smiling at her.
Cassandra returned the smile. "I would be rude to keep them waiting, don't you think?" She was trying to make light of everything. She wasn't quite ready to go through the process of realisation and acceptance of the newest chaotic state that was instilling around them.
"You're probably right" he stretched out in his chair. She could hear the clicking of his shoulders as he did so, which caused her to cringe.
"That's really disgusting" She muttered, causing his smile to grow.
"Really?" As he stood, he purposely cracked his neck, back and then began with each, individual finger.
"Ok ok - jesus! Stop clicking and start walking" she raised her hands to her ears and began making her way to the foyer, joining the others, making sure to avoid eye contact with the pair of authoritarian figures that remained seated in the little office area.
"You ok?" Kensi asked, an bemused look on her face, glancing over to the man that was readying himself behind them. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see what was happening, and how comfortable all of them had suddenly become with the blonde agent that had originally disturbed the natural flow of things. True, it helped tremendously that Cassandra had saved her life already, but Kensi couldn't deny that she was beginning to actually like the woman. She knew that Deeks had decided he accepted her from the start, a stance she was sure he took simply because he had been the new guy once, and hated the cold shoulder treatment. Sam probably still had his reservations, but that was natural for him and Callen - well…
"As ready as one can be on a Friday night" Cassandra replied, snapping Kensi out of her thoughts. She smiled at the blonde and nodded in agreement. This week had been too long and she was looking forward to a nice cold beer with the guys.
Cassandra lowered her hands and placed them in her pockets. She was notorious for not knowing what to do with her hands, and unfortunately she couldn't sit on them when she was standing.
"Come on then" Callen spoke, joining the group.
"Alrighty then" Nell chirpped, taking the lead out of the building, to the nearest establishment, where Sam and Deek's were already sat with a round of cold beer awaiting the dawdlers.
Just what i needed
The bar, in which the team were sat, was buzzing with live jazz music ricocheting all around the bar. The team chatted away and drank more and more, subconsciously keeping up with the steady rhythm of the double bass that was the powerful undertone to all the songs that were being played. They'd started just talking about random things; Deeks using most of his words to poke fun at the temporary addition to the team. Cassandra took no offence to this, putting it down to nerves, alcohol and maybe, relief? However, upon the third set of Russian jokes being thrown her way, Cassandra decided she needed another drink. She did have Grangers card after all.
"Anyone else up for another one?" She asked, pulling grabbing the bottom of her t-shirt as she arose, stopping it from riding up her side.
"Yep!" Deeks immediately replied.
"Go on then" Sam nodded, downing the last bit of his beer. Nell, Eric and Callen all nodded in response.
"I'll come with you" Kensi spoke, almost in relief. Cassandra couldn't help but laugh as she noted the slight embarrassment Deeks' onslaught had caused Kensi. The pair grabbed up the empty glasses and made their way to the bar.
Despite the amazing atmosphere that surrounded them, the path to the bar was quite easy to find, with only two or three gentlemen that could be considered 'in the way'. Cassandra simply nudged them lightly, flashed a smile and the men made every attempt to comply with the silent order; the last even taking the glasses from her hand and taking them to the bar himself before asking for her number. Cassandra didn't even reply, losing her smile, rolling her eyes and stepping over towards Kensi who was waiting for her at the bar.
"You must get that often" Kensi stated, a huge grin upon her face.
"What? Engaging with a guy that only things to get something in return. No. Never." She replied sarcastically, pushing the glasses Kensi had placed upon the bar towards to edge, as to get the barman's attention.
"Ah, shame. He's cute." She laughed as she looked over her shoulder at the young man that was still looked a little shocked at Cassandra's sudden departure. Cassandra followed her gaze and simply rolled her eyes again.
"Too young. Too stupid. Not my type. And yes please!" Cassandra held her hand up and waved to the barman, who seemed less than impressed at her outburst.
"So what is your type then?" Kensi asked, coyly, a question that was dismissed immediately by with blonde who proceeded to ask for another round of drinks for the table.
Normally, Cassandra would never speak about her personal life with others. It was not part of her personality. On the odd occasion she did, it would never have anything to do with high-school talk; partly due to the fact that most of her so-called friends were male and secondly… it was none of their business. It actually surprised her that the woman before her engaged in such conversation. She expected more from her - even if she was half drunk.
Without a word, Cassandra handed the credit card over to the barman, who again, looked deeply unimpressed at the treatment she was giving him, and then handed drinks to Kensi, who still had a stupid grin on her face. Cassandra proceeded to shoo her away, while she waited for the barman to complete the other drinks and return to her the card.
Kensi looked like she was going to comply with her silent order without hesitation, but she suddenly stopped, putting she drinks back on the bar and addressed the blonde.
"Cassandra, can I say something?" She began, her previous smile disappearing and being replaced by one much more serious expression.
"That depends" Cassandra retorted, deadpan
"On What?" Kensi asked, her tone filled with slight amusement.
"On the direction that it would take the conversation"
"What does that even mean?" Kensi's amusement had disappeared with the smile. She was confused and Cassandra could tell that she was growing impatient with the evasiveness with which Cassandra often answered their questions. She had been careful not to be too revealing during this evenings conversations; a habit she would probably never grow out of.
"It means that I don't want to talk about what happened" Cassandra admitted, picking the card up off the bar where the barman had thrown it.
"Is that why you've been avoiding me?" Cassandra raised an eyebrow at the woman and shook her head. She was sure it was down to the alcohol that Kensi felt personally effected by Cassandra's absence. She wasn't sure what Callens' excuse had been when he too accused her of avoiding him. It was a strange sensation to be accused of something like this - especially when they had no reason to expect anything from her in the first place. Why they had all attached themselves so quickly to her was a mystery - one that she was slowly coming to terms with. They were such a tight nit team, yet they were quick to invite people into the protective family - it was odd to her, to say the least.
"No, not you - merely this conversation" Cassandra grabbed a couple of the glasses and hoped that she had made her feelings clear.
"Why?" Kensi asked
Obviously I didn't make it clear
"Because I don't need to here what you have to say" Cassandra clarified; she had to stop herself asking whether she had slipped into another language at some point. She didn't understand how Kensi hadn't understood the fact that she didn't want to talk about it.
"Maybe, but did you ever think that maybe I needed to say it?" Cassandra stopped dead, the sound of the crowd around them sinking into nothing as she looked at the sincerity behind Kensis' eyes. No. She had never considered it. Why would she? Kensi was nothing to Cassandra. right? Why should she care what Kensi needed? Right? "You don't know me at all" Kensi continued "And even so, you literally threw yourself in front of a moving vehicle and - well, I guess, all I wanted to say was thank-you" Kensis' smile returned, causing a range of emotions to flicker though Cassandra's body, which she put down to the alcohol.
Of course.
Cassandra turned and put the drinks back on the bar before addressing her last comment.
"Look" Cassandra felt defeated and her body language mirrored that feeling. Her arms fell to her sides and her face looked tiredly on at the woman before her. "It doesn't matter that I know you or any of you for that matter -" she gestured towards to group, who, she saw were looking their way - probably wondering what was taking them so long. "-and i know i come across as a callous, cold, calculating bitch most of the time." Kensi's eyes flickered in amusement as Cassandra said this. "But i care -" She admitted, probably more to herself than to Kensi "I actually care a lot, which is why I come across as a callous, cold, calculating bitch, most of the time" Cassandra found herself laughing at herself. She actually felt slightly better, uplifted even, as she spoke to the woman before her.
Defo the alcohol.
"So for future reference, I will most likely, probably, if i'm in the right frame of mind, jump in front of a vehicle again for any of you… just don't make a habit of it. Nate is already on my back about the past 3 incidents -" Kensi tried to interject, but Cassandra shook her head quickly. If she didn't get this spiel out of her head now, she'd never do it. "So, I will never let anything happen to any of you so - I guess, you're welcome?" She was never very good at this stuff. Kensi simply smiled and nodded.
Surprising.
She had mentally reprimanded Kensi for having tried to pry into her personal life, and there she was, stood in the aftermath of revealing a lot about herself. Once again, she showed the hypocrite that lay beneath her skin.
"Good. And now that's over - lets take these drinks to the boys"
"What the hell is taking them so long?" Deeks asked, nervously peering over the booth like a meerkat
"Girl talk" Sam replied. He had been watching the pair out of the corner of his eye since they left.
"How do you know?" Deek's asked, his voice slightly absent as he watched the women grab the drinks and make their way back to the table.
Sam ignored Deeks and shot Callen, who was silently asking Deeks' question, a knowing smile. He loved it when is training came into play. He'd watched Cassandra's lips and finally felt like he could relax. He had to agree with her - She really was a callous, cold, calculating bitch most of the time, but he admired her ability to admit it.
"So, she's ok then?" Eric asked. He had been dying to ask from the moment he was sure Cassandra was out of earshot, however, he didn't want to interrupt the conversation before hand. Nell proceeded to backslap him in the chest. "OW!" He exclaimed dramatically.
"Yeah. She's ok" Sam replied, relaxing back into the booth, his knowing smile still directed towards his partner, who burrowed his eyebrows at him in annoyance. He loved it when he had Callen all confused.
"What's going on guys?" Kensi asked, placing the three beers she'd picked up in the centre of the table.
"Wondering whether you had to go ferment the beers yourself or now?" Sam replied, his knowledgable eyes shifting from Callen to Kensi. "Don't mind if i do" He added, grabbing the closest glass.
"All good?" Deeks asked, grabbing a beer himself
"Geez Deeks we were just at the bar - I didn't attempt to kidnap her or anything" Cassandra jumped in, handing Nell and Eric their glasses.
Deeks looked like a deer in headlights and almost choked on his beer. "I-i-i didn't mean-, I mean, well, what i meant to say was - "
"And this is your type?" Cassandra asked. She and Kensi exchanged looks and laughed, leaving the boys, and Nell a little bit confused - all but Sam, of course. Cassandra didn't clock his knowing glance though, looking down towards Callen who was simply smiling.
"Where's mine?" He asked, in faux indignation.
"I'm not an octopus you know!" She rolled her eyes at him and made her way back to the bar, where two drinks remained for her to pick up.
It was at this point, alone at the bar, where she took a moment to think. The day had taken the strangest turn. She had laughed. She had cried. She'd been angry, lost, happy, sad… every emotion had settled in her heart since her encounter with Callen that morning yet now, despite all of the revelations and reservations she had been faced with, she felt relaxed and truly at ease. It had been the whirlwind of emotions that had driven her to come along this evening to partake in Friday night drinking and, despite having wanted to sit alone with a bottle of tequila and drown herself in her sorrows, she had truly found solace in the fact that she was in the company of the NCIS team and listening to their cheerful dialogue. They reminded her so much of when she worked alongside Gibbs and his team.
She smiled at the memories she held dearly about the other members of NCIS that she had had the pleasure of working alongside.
"That's a beautiful smile" She heard a familiar voice say. "Not unlike the one I saw on the news"
It took no longer than a second for her smile to disappear as she processed the reason she was so familiar with that voice. Her body tensed and her eyes grew wide as she turned ever so slowly to gaze into the eyes of the man that had forced her into the open arms of NCIS in the first place.
"Oh - and now it's gone." He spoke in a childlike voice and moved a step closer to her, standing side by side, mimicking her stance. "You make a move and I will kill them" He spoke lightly, grabbing one of the beers that we just inches away from her trembling hands. "I have eyes and ears every where"
Cassandra couldn't help but look around in her sudden paranoid state, wondering which eyes and ears belonged to him.
"You will never know." He placed the beer back onto the bar "But I will always know"
"What do you want?" She finally found her voice, yet remained petrified in his presence.
"To see you. You've been avoiding me." His tone continued to be childish. Cassandra felt as he turned to stand facing her. "And I thought i'd come and teach you some manners" She could tell by the way he was speaking that he was smiling ear to ear. She wanted more than anything to turn and face him, grab anything in her reach and attack - but she couldn't; to do so would make him real - and up until now, she had allowed some hope to reside in the back of her mind that he had died after taking the bullets.
"I'm surprised you took time out of your busy schedule to come out in public to see me" She spoke, with what little strength and conviction she could muster. It wasn't much, and he knew that, for he burst into laughter.
"As I said, I have eyes and ears everywhere, and I was in the neighbourhood -"
"Dropping off more heads?" Cassandra interrupted him, and he made an disapproving sound.
"See. You need some manners. Did mother not teach you anything before she blew her head to smithereens" He goaded, taking another sip of the beer. "And I wanted to be the one to do it"
Cassandra tried to find something to say, but was lost in the trembles that had overtaken her body.
"There there" He patted her on the back "I'll make it as painless as possible"
Callen watched as Cassandra left the table and moved over to allow Kensi to sit more comfortably in the booth.
"Cheers" She spoke, a goofy smile being sent his way as all on the table raised their glasses and he, who remained drinkless, sat with a look of sadness on his face. He opened his mouth to make a snarky comment but the expression on his partners face caught him off guard.
"Who's that she talking to?" Sam asked, before Callen could ask what he was staring at so intently.
Immediately, the demeanour of the group shifted. All turned to look at Cassandra, who was stood dead still at the bar, her back towards the group and a man, stood beside her with one hand on her shoulder, the other sinking into his pocket.
"He does seem familiar" Deek's spoke, becoming a meerkat once more.
"Oh god" Nell spoke nervously "Eric - is that -"
"Yes" Eric spoke quickly, panic in his voice "Thats Joshua Volkov"
Both Callen and Sam jumped up at the sound of his name, but were not quick enough to stop him from removing the syringe from his pocket and jabbing it into Cassandra's neck. He turned to look at them as he removed the needle and laughed, enjoying the look of pure horror that was painted on Callen's face.