Sorry it has taken so long. Kids are at home, trying to entertain them; my "casual" job became officially "part-time" with set hours. The voices in my head have been wandering around and either want to work on another chapter or not talk to me at all because they were mad in which a chapter was going. (I told you "The Voices in My Head" was a true story!)
Again thanks to my editor who I'm surprised has NOT come over and Gibbs slap me…yet.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
Chapter 7
Hotel Sacher Wien, Vienna, Austria
Two days later Sarah stood in front of the full length mirror. The midnight blue color of the gown set off the creamy whiteness of her shoulders, and G couldn't help but brush his hand over the naked skin as he zipped up the gown.
"You look beautiful tonight," Callen told her.
"Thanks," She took the necklace that Kensi brought from Los Angeles out of the box and handed it to him.
"Deeks told me that this has a camera and microphone in it."
"So Eric and Nell will have to put up with looking at Deeks the whole time,"
He smiled, and then saw her begin to worry again, "I'll be okay." Callen told her again as he placed the teardrop diamond necklace around her neck, that settled just above the swell of her breasts and clasped it.
"Gibbs told me that they didn't even want a team there, just you." Sarah tried to be calm about the whole situation.
"He trusts them,"
"I don't," Sarah put the earrings on, and adjusted the curls in her hair once again.
He studied her, "You need to get out of 'Agent Mode'," He teased as her dress swished around her feet while she grabbed the matching wrap and purse off the bed.
She sighed, leaning into him, knowing he was right, "I just want this to be over."
"I know," He held her, secretly feeling the same way. "I also think it's a good idea for us not to hear each other on coms. I'll let you know as soon as it is over I promise,"
She nodded, "Be careful,"
"You too, Deeks tends to crush toes when he is dancing. Saw him do it to Kensi a couple of weeks ago, it wasn't pretty." Callen told her as he put on his tux jacket.
"She warned me." She adjusted the tie of his tux.
"Save a dance," He told her as they heard the knock on the door.
"Always," Sarah kissed him.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
Hofburg Palace, de Logis Hofburg wing
They were on their second glass of champagne when they looked up at the third floor to see G. Callen now beginning to pace.
He looked good. Older. Wiser.
That made them smile because it was something they never thought when they knew him years ago. It was now over three hours for him waiting for them. Gibbs had taught him well.
It had been years since they had seen either of them, promising to keep in touch but it wasn't easy to do when you did undercover work.
They knew that he was not alone but couldn't figure out who was with him. They were slightly annoyed that Gibbs told them that G would not meet without a team there but didn't want to fight him.
They stood up, drank the last of the champagne, placed the glass on the table, scanned the room once more, and left.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
"We don't get to talk much lately, Batgirl," Deeks said, dancing with Sarah.
"We've both been busy and remember, the walls have ears," Sarah told him as she scanned the room again.
Deeks looked up at the third floor and could feel Callen's eyes glaring at him the entire night, "And the ceiling has eyes," then felt her foot underneath his, "Sorry."
She bit back a groan, smiled, and decided that this needed to stop, "It's okay. Didn't need that toe. Let's try something that I use with my students."
"Okay,"
"Don't think," Sarah told him.
"He already does that," Kensi remarked.
He went to reply and Sarah put her hand on his cheek. "Give it a try... trust me."
"Alright." Deeks wondered what she was going to do.
"What's your favorite movie." Sarah asked.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
Callen looked at his watch it was now over three hours. He just wished it wasn't him waiting for the contact as he watched Sarah dance with Deeks. He could tell by her expression that she was trying not to be too vocal about Deeks stepping on her toes. He saw her laugh and wondered what they were talking about.
"Any sign?" Sam asked, scanning the room.
"No."
"Are you sure they are going to show up?" Kensi asked, sitting at the bar.
"They gave Gibbs their word, he trusts them," Callen told them.
"Over three hours late." Sam told him.
"Gibbs trusts them, they will be here," Callen told them.
"Good Lord, he's as bad as DiNozzo." Gibbs mumbled, from the van.
"What's going on?" Callen asked.
"Sarah and Deeks are arguing," Gibbs told him.
"About what?" Callen asked.
"You don't want to know." Sam said, annoyed hearing the conversation.
"Gibbs?" Callen looked at the dance floor.
He heard clicking in his earwig, "So let me get this straight," Sarah said, "you would pick a steamed snake stuffed with live eels, beetles the size of your fist, eyeball soup, and chilled monkey brains still in the skulls over Aliens?!" Sarah asked, voice steady and slightly annoyed.
"Yep," Deeks really didn't, but after months of trying he finally hit a nerve, and it was fun to see Sarah trying not to crack while undercover.
"What are you both arguing about?" Callen asked, watching them confused. It looked like they actually were having fun arguing about this and Deeks' dancing was surprisingly better.
"Temple of Doom, or Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," Deeks said, and winced when he knew that he stepped on her foot again.
"What?" Callen said.
"They are arguing which Indiana Jones movie is better." DiNozzo said from the van, he looked at Gibbs, "I told you I should be dancing with Sarah."
"Come on Aliens?!" Deeks twirled her around perfectly.
"I'd pick aliens over taking someone's heart out, setting it on fire, and then tossing them in a pit of lava," Sarah told him with a smile on her face, but her eyes said something different.
"They didn't toss they lowered." Deeks corrected her.
"Whatever," She let go of him and walked away.
"Where are you going?" Deeks asked, going after her.
"To get a drink and sit down." Sarah walked off the dance floor.
Callen smiled and was surprised that Sarah lasted that long on the dance floor with Deeks. But out of all of them Sarah was the one who could stand her ground with Deeks. He always tried to rattle her, like he did with Sam, or Kensi, but he couldn't; which just made it a bigger challenge for him.
"Deeks finally made her crack," Sam said, crossing the room with a tray of empty champagne glasses.
"I think she holds the record now," Kensi smiled.
"There's still Hetty," Callen said, as he continued scanning the room and wondering if there would ever be a day for that to happen.
"Ты выглядишь такой статный сегодня вечером," (You look so handsome tonight) She whispered in his ear and her arm went around his waist.
He smiled and put his hand on hers, "спасибо." (thanks.)
"Существует лишь то о вас в смокинге, давайте убираться отсюда." (There is just something about you in a tux, let's get out of here.)
"Вы знаете, я не могу уйти, пока я не встретиться с информатором, Сара" (You know I can't leave until I meet with the informant, Sarah.)
"Сара?" (Sarah?) She said, surprised.
Then it hit him as he looked at the woman's hand and saw the large flower green jade ring on her right hand slip away as she let go of him. He had only seen that one of a kind ring on one person before. Natasha!
"Petrov?" He turned around, to see the raven haired beauty wearing a sheer black floor length dress.
She smiled, "Hello, G."
He hugged her, "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I need your help," She touched his cheek."You look good." She said.
"You look...great." He said.
She kissed him and the memories came back to him quickly of them going undercover. The late night talks with a bottle of vodka. Freezing their asses off on assignments, in the middle of nowhere, that would last for days. Her bare skin against his...
He broke off the kiss and looked into her stormy gray eyes, "Tasha, there's something-"
She placed her fingers on his lips, kissed him again, her hands now underneath his jacket, slowly going up his chest and beginning to pull it off of his shoulders.
"Oh, am I interrupting?" The voice said, walking onto the balcony.
Natasha broke off the kiss, still close to him, she turned her head slightly and glared at the woman standing there looking surprised, "Это частная встреча," (This is a private meeting.) She mumbled, turning back to G and felt him tense up.
"Убери свои руки от моего мужа, или я сломаю им:"(Get your hands off my husband, or I will break them,) Sarah said, slowly walking to them.
"Husband?" She looked at Sarah, "You got married?" She asked G.
"Yeah," Callen wondered how he was going to get out of this one.
Natasha pouted slightly, "it has been a long time," she let go and backed away from him still watching Sarah.
"Natasha, this is my wife Sarah," Callen wondered how much Sarah saw before the kiss.
"Nice to meet you. I didn't think Gibbs allowed-"
"She's...one of us," Callen interrupted trying now to do future damage control.
"I heard you had a rule about that," Natasha told him.
"He did," Sarah said, walking up to Callen and taking his hand, "Things change,"
"Where is Jethro?" Natasha asked.
"He opted out of wearing the monkey suit since you wanted to meet with me. We have a place for you and you can tell us what is going on." Callen heard footsteps going up the stairs and was relieved to see Sam there.
"This is my partner Sam Hanna, he'll get you out and you'll be safe." Callen saw the look on Sam's face not looking too happy being shoved into this situation.
"I'll see you soon. It's was nice to meet you Sarah," Natasha told her.
"You too." Sarah said, barely believable, even to herself.
They stood there in silence, "Who is she again?" She asked, knowing full well who she was. He mentioned her months before when he told her how he got the scar on his chin.
"Natasha Petrov, she was a freelance agent. Great agent except for the fact that her ass always needed saving."
"And you two didn't mind saving it because it was a cute ass," she said jokingly but her could tell by the tone of her voice that there was a little jealousy there also.
He thought about it. "Yeah, but not as cute as yours," He kissed her.
"She's an old friend," He said.
"You let all of your friends stick their tongue down your throat?" She spat out before she could stop herself.
"She didn't-"
She let go of his hand and looked him in the eyes, "I know we never talked about past relationships, and I'm okay with that. We're all here on the same mission and if she's needs our help then fine. But, if she thinks that she can rekindle some old romance-"
"Sarah-"
"I have to go back and find Deeks, do me a favor and remember to wipe the lipstick off your mouth before you go back to see the others." She walked away.
"Crap," Callen whispered, not even attempting to go after her.
"Rule number one for redheads," Gibbs asked, walking up after seeing the whole conversation.
"Never piss them off. Gibbs, why didn't you tell me it was Petrov?" Callen asked.
"I got the indication that she didn't want you to know,"
"I could have told Sarah-"
"Sarah will be fine, believe me you got off easy. Give her a couple of minutes and let her cool down before you talk to her," Gibbs told him.
"What do you suggest?" Callen asked, knowing his wife's temper.
Gibbs thought about it, "Break rule number six,"
"You won't see that as a sign of weakness?" Callen asked.
"Not when it involves your wife," Gibbs told him knowing that Sarah had already forgiven him and was now angry at herself, "Take the night off, the rest of us will take care of Petrov. We'll meet tomorrow around nine tomorrow morning."
Callen nodded, "Thanks." He walked towards the stairs.
"Good luck Callen," Gibbs told him as he turned and walked away, "You're going to need it." He mumbled.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~