Kat's Apartment

( Maryland, Virginia)

10:25

Vukovic's POV

Vic pulled up to his partner's apartment building in his Ford Explorer. Getting out, he walked up to the door and buzzed up.

" Who is it?" Kat's voice called back down, and Vic chuckled. " It's your husband. Don't you think it's kind of sad that we're supposed to be married and you can't even recognize my voice?" He asked, and his reply was a derisive snort.

He went up to her apartment and knocked on the door. " Hey. You're early." Kat said, opening her door for him.

He shrugged. " I'm an early kind of guy. This isn't anything like I expected. It's... cozy." He said, looking around at the dark red walls and comfy leather chairs.

" What, did you think my apartment would be more like the me you know?" Kat asked, shrugging into a thin coat and grabbing her suitcase.

" There are more than one you? Great." Vic muttered under his breath. " Are you ready?"

" When am I not?" Kat replied, shooing him towards the door. " Go on. If you behave, you might be let inside again. Do you have all of your stuff, Ryan?"

Vic started at hearing her call him by his ' married' name. It was something he would have to get used to.

Draping his arm over her shoulders, he closed the door for her. " I could get used to this married stuff. Isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

" You just wait until you have to wake me from a dead sleep. You'll be wantnig to file for divorce."

" Why? What do you do that's so bad?" She threw back her head and laughed. " You'll see."

1 Hour Later...

Vic shifted in his seat for what seemed like the milionth time since he sat down. There just wasn't enough leg room on the plane, and they were in first class! He couldn't imagine the discomfort of the people in second and third class.

" God! Would you sit still! Are you going to do this the whole trip?" Kat demanded, glaring at him over the top of her folder. " Because if you are, there's a nice, empty seat over there where I could go sit in peace. Now, I thought you wanted to go over your information, so if you please?"

Grumbling about being henpecked, Vic pulled the brown envolope out of his carry on and hunkered down for what was going to be an uncomfortable trip for him.

" Where did we meet?" Kat asked. " Your parents were having their thirtieth anniversary celebration, and my car broke down across the road. I rang the doorbell, and you answered it. We were in love from that moment on." He answered, and she smiled.

" Well, that was better than I expected. You seem to be a natural at this pretending stuff." Kat said, eyeing him.

" Where did we go on our honeymoon?" Vic asked, his eyes boring into her own with an intensity that made her look away. The thought of their honeymoon brought thoughts that would probably get her court-martialed, could a superior officer read her mind.

" Aruba. Your parents, who were drug lords in New York in their time, have a place there. I broke my ankle sailing, and you carried me to our room like a true gentleman."

Vic covered his heart. " You don't think I'm a real gentleman?" Again, she just snorted. " Honey, you're a ladykiller. I know you're a gentleman- at least on a date. Afterwards, I doubt it."

" You underestimate me." ' And I'll show you how a real gentleman behaves.' " I'm sure." Kat replied, patting his hand, and going back to studying her life history.

" You have to be the most infuriating woman I know." She grinned at him. " It's my life mission, to piss you off. Am I getting there yet?"

Oh, yeah. SHe was definately getting under his skin. In more ways then one.

Mason's POV

The wheels touched down on the runway, jarring Kat from her sleep. " We're here already? How long have I been asleep?" She asked, yawning and stretching like a cat, which is how she came upon her nickname.

" Aren't marines supposed to have a perfect internal clock?" He replied, just waking up himself.

" Nothing about me is perfect, down to the little tattoo on my... hip." She smiled slyly at him, and after the plane skidded to a complete stop, she stood up.

" Come, husband dear. We have to unpack before we can call our asscociates." Vic tried to stand up, but a leg cramp had him hissing in pain and falling back down.

" Damn nonexistant leg room!" He snapped, rubbing his thigh. Rolling her eyes, Kat grabbed his arm and yanked him to his feet despite hs protests. " Suck it up, navyboy. Walk it off. Geez, and we wonder why men don't get pregnant."

" Are you supposed to be like this? You know, demanding?" Vic asked sourly, following her up the aisle. " Yep. It's in the job description. Wanna read it?"

" No, I think I can get by without it." the corner of her mouth turned up wryly. " Sarcasm becomes you. Are you ready for this?"

" Yeah, of course. It'll be a breeze. Go in, get the guy out, be back in time for dinner. You have the directions to our hotel?" They stepped on to solid ground for the first time in four and a half hours, and Kat secretly wanted to drop to her knees and kiss it.

She had always had an innate fear of flying, and after 9/11, it took her a full year to get back in the air. Helicopters still terrified her, but she dealt as best she could.

" Kat?" Vic's annoyed voice broke through her reverie. " Oh, sorry. Were you saying something?"

He sighed. " I asked if you had directions to our hotel." " Yeah, sure. Here." SHe handed him a slip of paper from her pocket, and he looked over it.

" Is this your handwriting? You should have been a doctor. This is worse then my five year old niece's." He handed it back and she frowned at him. " It isn't that bad."

" You wanna bet? That three looks like an 'I'." He went over and grabbed their luggage. " It's a W." She muttered, leading him over to the rental car.

20 Minutes Later...

" Wow. The navy really does love me." Kat said, setting her bags down on the floor of a very fancy hotel room. " It even has a Jacuzzi! And only one bed." She finished, looking at Vic.

" If you really wanted to prove what a gentleman you were, you would let me have the bed." She said, giving him her best persuasive look.

" It's big enough for the both of us." Vic replied, to Kat's dismay. " Oh, come on! I'll keep my hands to myself. Cross my heart." She pointed a finger at him.

" And you WILL die if you don't. I'm taking a shower." She said, heading to the bathroom.

" ANd there's no shower. Guess most guests are here to pamper themselves. A nice long soak could be nice." She pulled her shirt and bra off in one smooth movement, and had just removed her skirt when the door swung open.

" I was wondering if- whoa. Sorry." " Vukovic! Did your mother not teach you to knock?" Kat hissed, covering herself with her arms.

" Funny, I didn't figure you to be the red lace type." He replied, glancing at her underwear before dragging his smoldering eyes up to meet hers.

" I'm not what I seem. Now Get. Out. Please." He gave hr one last look befoer departing.

She wasn't cold anymore, that was for sure. " Damn him. Why does he have to be so attractive?" She complained into her bathwater. " It wouldn't be s bad if I wasn't so attracted to him, but I am. And now I'm rambling-" A crash from the room interrupted her.

Se grabbed her gun from the tub ledge, and, wrapping a towel around herself, edged to the door.

She inched it open, and lookde around. She didn't see anyone, so she carefully went into the room.

" Katie. It's all right. OUr associates found us." Vic said from the couch, and she tensed.

" And that's supposed to make me feel better?" She asked, looking at the three men surrounding Vukovic.

" Relax, Mrs. Jackson. We're here to do business, remember?" the smaller of the three said in a soothing english accent.

" English drug dealers in Columbia? There's a surprise." She murmured, lowering her weapon. " Do you boys mind if I slip into something a bit... less comfortable?" She was suddenly conscious that her towel barely covered her legs.

" I don't know. The look works for you." English said, eyeing her toned legs with undeniable lust.

" Hey, keep your eyes to yourself, Johnson. That's my wife you're staring at." Vic growled menacingly, standing up.

" Ryan, drop it. I'll just go get changed" Walking back into the bathroom, Kat changed into the clingy red sundress with the strappy back that she had brought with her, wishing idly that she had grabbed a turtlenack and shorts instead.

" Would you gentlemen like something to drink?" She asked, re-entering the room with a smile, ignoring the looks she got from all four men. " We have a well stocked mini bar."

" Just a beer, thank you." Johnson replied, and she threw him one. " What about the rest of you?" They nodded, and she removed three more, getting herself a few fingers of scotch.

" Now, let's get down to business." Johnson said.

Next Chapter:

Vic and Kat meet the operative- with dire consequences.

Go on, push the little purple button . Come on, you know you want to ;)