Hotel

( Columbia)

20:55 Zulu

Mason's POV

" What are you doing here?" Kat asked, doing an Emmy Award winning performance of hiding her annoyance. The agent threw a cell phone at her, and Kat put it up to her ear.

" Hello? Sir? How did she- never mind. I assume you know about Callis then?" Kat said to Cresswell.

" Ok. Yes, sir. We'll be back as soon as we can get a flight back." She hung up.

" Well, I have to hand it to you, you sure are handy. That saved one of us the chore of explaining this whole mess to him. Yuo're coming back to Virginia with us. And what's your name?" Kat asked.

" Kirin. I can't go back, but you can bet that this isn't the last time you'll be seeing me. I have to explain this to MY boss. I don't suppose you would want to return the favor?" Kirin asked, cringing at the thought of facing her tyrannical boss.

" Can't. The me to- and this is a quote-' get our asses back to Virginia ASAP'. He's in the process of getting Callis nailed as we speak. Vic, we have to get going." Kat said, turnung to Vic.

He nodded. " Yeah. Thanks for your help, Kirin." he flashed her his signature smile, and Kat shook her head. He couldn't help but flirt with any woman he met.

The pair gathered up their stuff and, after calling and booking two seats on a commercial flight to Maryland, caught a cab to the airport.

" These cabs are so cramped." Kat commented. If they were packed any closer in the car, Kat would be sitting on Vic's lap.

" I hadn't noticed. Listen, about back there-" Vic started, but Kat held up a hand to silence him.

" It's ok. Don't worry about it." He shook his head. " I wasn't worried, I was-"

" Well, you should have been. Look, we're here." She jumped out of the cab like the hounds of hell were on her heels and grabbed her stuff.

There was no way she was talking about the almost-kiss now, or anytime in the near future. Just because being near Vukovic got her blood pumping and her fool heart dancing didn't mean that she was going to jeopardize her career.

Vukovic's POV

Vic skimmed through a magazine while Kat slept in the seat beside him. Ever since their slip in the hotel, she had been weird. Vic didn't see anything wrong with it, which was a problem in itself.

He stole a glance at his partner, and couldn't help chuckling. She was a marine down to the way she slept. Her teeth were clenched, and her arms were crossed.

He would have to be more careful in his dealings with her from now on. It seemed that there were feelinggs developing there, and Vic usually tried to- at least since his last horror story of sleeping eith a coworker- keep feelings out of the job description. But Kat was somehow different. He didn't know how, or why, and he didn't like it one bit.

In fact, he liked it about as much as he liked flying. He had never liked flying, and never would.

The buckle seat belts sign came on, and Vic's lungs did a little jig in his chest.

" Kat, wake up. Wake up." She came awake startled. " Huh? What? Where- oh. Seat belts. God." SHe buckled hers, and settled back down to sleeping.

She peered at Vic's knuckles, noticing that they were white as a sheet.

" Geez, Vukovic, let the poor chair breathe. And if you don't let go of that, your knuckles are going to burst out of your skin." She pried his fingers off of the arm, and set them in his lap.

" A tad scared of flying, are we?" She asked teasingly, and he sat up straighter. " No, I;m not scared."

Kat looked at his leg. " Then stop gripping your leg like it's a life line." He forced himself to relax. He picked up a magazine and pretended to read for the rest of the trip.

They stepped off of the plane, and Vic said a quick and silent thank you to anyone who might be listening.

15 minutes later...

( JAG Headquarters)

Vic drove straight to JAG, and he and Kat went in. " Is the General in his office?" Vic asked Coates, who nodded, putting on her coat.

" Jen! Are you erady to go?" someone called, and Kat turned around to see Mike Roberts wakl in.

Jen went slightly red and nodded, saying a quick goodnight and hurrying out of the building.

" Wondr if Commander Roberts knows that Coates is dating his little brother?" Vic asked, amused, as he and Kat entered the general's office.

" Sir." They saluted. " We have him. This came for you two." Cresswell handed thema large gift basket full of goodies, and Kat pulled out a note.

" It's from Kirin. It says: Thanks again for your help. Couldn't have done it without you. I'll see you two around. Woman of little words, I guess. General, you don't ever have to worry about me going off on any more CIA missions. It just isn't for me."

" Me either, sir. If you don't mind, I wuold like to get home and sleep for about three days." Vic said, and the general stood up.

" You have two. Get out of here." He said, softening the rebuke with a smile.

They nodded, and left the office. " Well, you get to drive me home. And help me with my stuff, since you are such a gentleman." Kat said, and Vic grimaced.

" The cost of being kind. Fine, but make it quick. I need some ice and Tylenol for my jaw."

Kat touched the bruise already forming. " yeah, that should be quite a nice black bruise tomarrow. I probably ahve a nice split lip, right?" Vic nodded.

" Wonderful." She muttered, running her tongue over the spot. " Can we go?"

Mason's POV

Kat's Apartment

22: 30 Zulu

" What do you HAVE in here? Feels like bricks." Vic complained, dragging two of kat's suicases into her apartment while she carried the last.

" Oh, get over it. Visit the gym a bit more often." She retorted, putting on the lights. " Just dump it there. I'll deal with it in the morning. Thanks for helping. Go fix up that bruise- it's becoming rather spectacular."

" Thanks." He replied sarcastically, as she waved him out. " Ohhhh, long couple of days." She muttered, falling onto her bed fully dressed and promptly fell asleep.

Her stuff could be unpacked the next day. Or the day after that. Or, pretty much whenever. She has plently of time.