Chapter 3

Shangri-La Hotel, Paris, France

Later that day Sarah walked off the plane, with Gibbs close behind her at Reagan National Airport, in Washington, DC. While going to the International terminal, she stopped over at Starbucks to get some tea and bumped into McGee who slipped a kindle into her bag.

"New Nora Roberts book," he whispered.

On the way to London she read the file on the kindle twice. Dracul and his new bodyguard were going to be at "île Magique", a club that he had become part owner a year ago. Sarah was to go in with DiNozzo posing as a married couple out on the town, and get Dracul marked with the overwatch.

She had learned about Dracul from her occasional meetings with Sam which was difficult because not only was he her handler, but also her husband's best friend, and partner. Most of the time she would get to her office at the University and find an envelope slid underneath her door or Hetty would have Nell posing as a student.

Sarah now stood in the bathroom in her suite at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, putting her makeup on, looking at the timer on the counter to see that she only had about thirty minutes until Tony was supposed to walk in. She looked at the two dresses that hung on the hooks behind her. One was a simple little black dress; the other one was a short, backless, black sequin dress. For the first time in a long time she was debating on what to wear. That was probably why Gibbs gave DiNozzo and McGee strict orders on not to bother her until it was time. Gibbs also knew that since this was her first 'official' mission, she needed the time to get rid of the nerves and the guilt that she had when she looked at her wedding ring.

"We do what we have to for family," she had been told by Sam, before he walked out of her hospital room after the Reardon Case. Callen was now her family, and she would do anything to protect him. Hetty admitted to Sarah the morning of the wedding that she had Sarah in mind to be in Callen's life since she was fourteen. Sarah had also been trained to hate Lauren Hunter, to protect her because of the secret she had. She wondered how their relationship would have been if Hetty had let them be friends, and had them work together from the beginning to protect him.

Sarah put her phone in her robe pocket, walked to the bedroom closet, put in the code for the safe, and opened the safe. She stood there looking at her ring that was once her mother's. She sighed, pulled the ring off, and placed it in the safe. It was a rule never to wear anything that you wear in your personal life. As she closed the safe she heard her phone beep with a message. She pulled out her phone and saw "911" on the screen.

"What are you psychic?" she asked, and smiled when she saw the text from Lauren.

"Wear the black sequin backless one. You have the legs for it. LH"

"Thanks" Sarah replied, and then saw the time. "Almost show time," she said, to herself and went back into the bathroom.

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Tony DiNozzo walked into the hotel suite, "Darling?" he said, putting the keycard on the table.

"Sweetie pie," He looked around the room and out the large floor to ceiling window to see the Eiffel Tower lit up. "The most beautiful view, in one of the most romantic cities in the world, and I'm doing work with a married woman."

He loved working with Sarah. It was rare when he did work with her and she was usually eye candy or another set of eyes. They had a contest of who could make Gibbs laugh with the pet names that they gave each other. She usually won when they heard Gibbs screaming to knock it off. McGee told them on their last mission over a year ago after Gibbs yelled at both of them; he went outside of the van and laughed.

Tony walked out to the patio, and saw her there, drinking a glass of champagne. "Wow." was all he could say when he saw her.

He was so used to seeing her in blue jeans and a t-shirt or a formal gown he didn't recognize her. She wore a brunette shoulder length wig, a short black backless sequin dress, sheer stockings, and black heels.

She looked at him and smiled. "Thanks. That's the reaction we want."

"Well, you'll have more than that reaction. You should get a couple of marriage proposals too."

"Thanks. But I'm a happily married woman."

"How is married life?" he asked, seeing the slight guilt come across her face.

She finished the champagne and put the glass on the table, "Great. Busy. But we're happy."

"And that's all that matters," he put his arm around her.

"Thank you, Darling," she said, in character.

"You're welcome, Sweetie," he said, still with his hand on her back.

She turned to him and kissed him. He knew that she was doing it to get over her nerves and the guilt that she secretly had.

"So why wouldn't it work with us?" he asked, as he held her.

She thought about it. "We're too much alike."

"We are nothing alike."

"Our Mom's died when we were eight. Dad's out of our lives-"

"Mine dropped me off at a boarding school. Your's was killed," he touched her face.

"Your muse is movies. Mine is music. It was there when we needed someone. Comfort."

"So why wouldn't it work?" He asked again.

"We agreed that it would be like dating our-"

"Don't say it." He said.

"Sibling."

He let go of her and went inside, "No! I would not have said that!"

"You did," she followed him.

"I did?" He stopped at the bar and thought about it. When and why in the hell would he have said that?

"Yes," she told him, hearing the door open.

"I'm an idiot," he poured himself some champagne.

"Yes, you are, DiNozzo, but that has to be discussed for another time." Gibbs said, walking in. He paused when he saw Sarah in the doorway, "You look great."

"Thanks."

"McGee is in the van. Comescu is at the club." He handed her a small vial of Overwatch. "Don't drink it," He told her.

"Thanks," she placed the vial in her purse.

"Go get him," Gibbs told them, turned around and left.

"Ready pumpkin?" Tony asked, taking her hand.

"Yes, Boo Bear,"

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