Note: Ari now thinks about everything, as Kate had.
TEL AVIV, SHERATON HOTEL, RECEPTION HALL; JULY 10, 2006, 10:00
Everyone was sitting down, the room had been set up so that different federal departments didn't intermix…to avoid causes to kill. Mossad sat on the left side of the room, there were more Mossad then expected to Abby had to move things around, along with Ari's family. FBI, Secret Service, NCIS and Kate's family sat on the right.
Kate had decided that due to being in Israel, most of the service would be Jewish however she insisted that there be a Catholic priest and that a unity candle be present…other than that she had no wish to stray from tradition.
After days of preparation and practice, the wedding would occur. Ari stood beside Rachel and Eli, nervous as he had never expected most of Mossad to come. Apparently, due to the low percentage of officers showing up, Mossad closed for a day off…unofficially of course because Mossad never closed.
"Do you wish Hasmia was here?" Rachel looked at Ari as she straightened his tie.
"Ima, I had two mothers…one cannot be here but you can be." Ari looked at Eli, "why are you here…I must ask again."
"Duty, it is my duty to walk you to the chuppah…even if I might not approve of your bride, I will not abandon my duty."
"Caitlin will one day give birth to our children, will you accept them?" Ari eyed his father, "if you can stand here at my ceremony but not theirs…I do not want you here."
"Ari?" Rachel eyed her son, shocked at his statement.
Eli eyed his son, "Ziva will never marry…we both know she will not. I have come to realize that yes I have to accept your children as my grandchildren…or I will have none to spoil, to tell tales of the past."
"They will never bare Mossad arms…I made Caitlin a promise and I intend to keep it. My sons and daughters will not pick up Mossad arms."
"I never wanted my grandchildren to pick up arms; I want them to feel safe in this world."
"Then we are in understanding?"
"Yes my son we are," Eli eyed the room, "Mossad has come, I never believed so many would be here."
"Director, Madam Mossad." They turned to see a young woman in a brown dress. "Ari Haswari…last I saw you was in France…Benoit Mission I believe."
"Rebekah Michel…you have grown, last I saw you was when you…"
"Left Mossad, what little Jewish girl has Ari decided to marry?" Rebekah eyed them but Ari's attention was at the door. They turned to see Kate, she smiled and waved before moving past and was out of sight. "Ben Gidon's sister perhaps?"
"Rebekah Michel." They found Ziva coming over, "why are you here? I hope it is not to break up my brother's wedding?"
"Dear Ziva…I heard you were shipped to America…your mission went badly."
Ziva chuckled, a sight Rebekah found odd. "Yes but I find my work very diplomatic," Ziva looked at Ari, "Kate asked that I give you this…for unknown reasons."
She handed Ari Kate's necklace, on it was her St. Michael's medal and the bullet from his shoulder. "I gave it to her."
"She also asked that I tell you to remember a few memories as she did and will ask you about them later."
"Give Caitlin my message…I remember everything right now and always will."
Ziva smiled and nodded, "I will, good luck." Ziva left and Rachel took the necklace, placing it in his breast pocket.
"Close to your heart as she is to you." Rachel eyed her watch, "almost time, are you ready?"
"Ready for the wedding?"
Rachel laughed and patted her son's shoulder, "it was not the right question to ask…I mean are you ready to make a life with her…you've already got everything but you'll be living together for the rest of your life. Every second together, the laughs…the screams…"
"I have not and will never yell at Caitlin." That was a lie, he had done so once but she had nearly died on him.
"From her, children running around…are you ready?"
Ari took a second and thought about his mother's question, he remembered the first time they met.
He had come out of Autopsy gun drawn and asked her the strangest question but it felt right at that moment.
"When did lab rats start carrying Sig Sauers?"
Her screams yells when he shot Gerald were covered in hate but compassion drove her eyes. Something made him want to know her, to know how a woman who was being held hostage could have such compassion in her eyes.
She had done as he had asked but took her stubborn time doing so, she continued to call him a terrorist and while he wanted her to call him by his name, he couldn't tell her. He would make sure she knew who he was one day.
"We don't negotiate with terrorists."
"Caitlin, when you get to know me better, you won't call me that."
"I have no intention of getting to know you better."
"Are you sure?"
He had let her go but before tying her up and placing her in the cooler, he had told her something…something she later told him when she was sick.
"My name is Ari Haswari, do well to keep that to yourself Caitlin…it'll hurt you."
"Why tell me your name if you know I could turn you in the moment this is over?"
He chuckled and touched her face with the back of his hand; her skin was warm and soft despite her line of work. "Because Caitlin, one day you will see I am not the monster you think I am."
"You are a monster, a killer and when Gibbs puts a bullet in your head, I'll be watching the entire autopsy."
He raised a hand to hit her, the urge came from years of seeing men beat their wives because of bad words. He would never hit a woman…especially Caitlin, her compassion didn't deserve a hand of anger.
"Go ahead, slap me…your death will only be more gratifying."
Ari laughed again and eyed her, "I shall never lay a hand on you…if you agree to be quiet I will not bind you."
"Fine."
"Why do I not believe you Caitlin, up you go." He looked at her and she pulled herself onto the drawer, she sat looking at him. He walked around and tapped her arm, "your arms Caitlin."
He wasn't forceful as he had been with his former captive, she complied and placed her arms around her back. He used a simple tie not both it and tape…her skin was too beautiful to have the harshness of tape.
"Good, lay down," she laid down and he smiled, she face him. "Caitlin, remember what I told you…my name is only for you."
"I hope you like hell."
"Although you speak harshness, your eyes hold compassion…too much my world would say. Remember Caitlin, keep quiet." He pushed her in and shut the door.
Her words rang true when she was dying, she had never betrayed him…never allowing his name to leave her mouth till her team found out who he was.
Her compassion drove him to see her again, something he had never witnessed in a human before…endless compassion and Caitlin had it, the match to his hatred of everything, he had realized then that she was his soulmate.
He made sure she was kidnapped without anyone knowing about her but he had not expected his men to harm her. As he had sat taking care of her mouth, he spoke to her and she used his name for the first time.
"I am truly sorry Caitlin, my men know only women who obey them." He eyed her, wiping her lip, it continued to bleed.
"Why am I here Ari?" He had looked at her in that moment, compassion still in her eyes.
"In due time, first you must be seen to. I must admit most of my former captives usually end up dead so I do not take time to clean their wounds." He pulled out a small bottle of antiseptic and dabbed his finger in it before placing it on her lip, she winced. "I know it stings but I won't risk infection."
Wiping her mouth again, he held out a piece of ice, expecting her to take it. "You said I could call Gibbs."
He had kept his promise, allowing her to call Gibbs and said she'd leave unharmed but first she'd have to spend a few hours with him. He allowed her to walk around for a while, just watching her. She had found the horses, petted them as he was reminded of her presence by Marta.
"We are wasting time Haswari…get the information and kill her."
He had been angry at the woman, threatening to kill Caitlin. "She will leave here alive…no one is to touch her again. If they do…a bullet will be waiting for them."
He turned back to notice Caitlin had began walking over to them, she sat down and it had began. His promise of leaving unharmed burdened him as he was faced with having to go find her and did…bleeding.
She had left for the house; he knew she would want time and space to think. He gave her time before going to find her. Entering the house he wondered where she was. "Caitlin?"
Her jacket was on the couch so he knew she had not tried to leave…her bag beside it. He had not allowed anyone to touch her things, a loud sound made him go upstairs and he saw her bleeding.
His first reaction was to help her, anger had built up…whoever harmed her would be dead.
"Hang on Caitlin," he placed a hand on her cheek, "stay with me Caitlin, stay with me."
He saw her eyeing him, her eyes searching for something till he noticed their spark fading.
"Caitlin, Caitlin you must stay with me. Caitlin! No Caitlin, stay with me…stay with me please."
He had yelled at her and promised himself he'd never yell at her again. He picked her up and raced to the car…placing her inside.
Caitlin was the only good thing he had had for years, the only one who had ever showed him compassion. His mothers had showed him love and his father loyalty but never compassion.
He sped for miles, holding her head in his lap the entire way…he couldn't lose her. He called her friends on the way and told them plans had changed…he had to get Caitlin to the hospital and would see them there.
He ran into the hospital…Bethesda because of who she was, she would get first treatment because of her relation to the Navy. "She was stabbed while working, she's lost at least two pints."
They took her but not before he kissed her head, promising to return as the Secret Service and CIA had arrived. "I promise to return Caitlin, I promise to make you never feel hatred again."
That day, watching her being rolled away…dying, he would never live without her…never.
Looking at his parents, he nodded. "I am Ima, ready for everything with Caitlin."
"It's beginning." He watched as the Rabbi walked forward…his life with Caitlin was beginning.