Title: Behind These Eyes

Rating: PG-13... sexual suggestions

Pairing: Tate

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, unfortunately. Although DPB has done a good job... I could do better. Especially with the whole Sasha situation.

Disclaimer 2: "Behind These Hazel Eyes" was written by Kelly Clarkson, Martin Sandberg and Lukasz Gottwald... so in case you haven't noticed, I don't own it either.

Disclaimer 3: I also don't own Ashlee Simpson, her songs or any other famous person, place or thing that may be mentioned in my story.

Disclaimer 4: I would like to thank myself for allowing myself to use myself's creation, Angelina's. Wow... that sentence made WAY more sense in my head. In case you haven't noticed, that happens to me a lot.

Listening to my Kelly Clarkson CD brought all kinds of thoughts into my head... this story is one of them. Although, I may have tweeked it a little bit for my readers entertainment.

Love you guys! Please read and review.


Tony walked into his favorite bar, Angelina's, and wasn't surprised to see that as usual, business was booming. Angelina's wasn't just a regular bar. It was almost like a kareoke bar, but you had to 'reserve your spot' so to speak. You couldn't just walk up and grab the mike without speaking to Angelina first. Less chaos that way. Being the type of bar it was, there normally were quite a few people Always watching others sing and cheering them along, despite the amount of talent that they had. It was a pretty decent place. Angelina had made sure of that, giving anyone who really wanted to, the chance to sing a song... that they knew by heart. Unable to afford the extra TV's and kareoke CD's, they were stuck memorizing songs. Angelina's had turned into a place of character instead of just, bad singing.

It was pretty loud right now though because people weren't being blown away by a woman's voice, butmore of how much skin she was showing. Tony figured that if it was allowed, her shirt would be off in a split-second. Unfortunately, you didn't have to be a good singer to make the stage. Taking a step closer to the stage, he saw who this woman was... an ex-girlfriend of his, Maria. Actually, she was more like a fling or one night stand. He had picked her up here so, no doubt, this is where she returns to find another shallow guy who will throw her on their bed.

"Hey Matt!" Tony yelled as he walked over and sat down at the bar. Being a regular, he knew basically everyone that worked at Angelina's... including Angelina. The two of them had hooked up a few times, but they both knew that their were no feelings there. They were just friends... friends with benifits. "Where is Angelina?" Hard day at work, he needed someone tonight.

"Mingling with the crowd tonight. Put me and Chief on bar duty," Matt replied, pointing to Chiefer down at the other end of the bar.

"Mingling? Angelina?" Tony questioned, almost shocked. "Never before has she mingled."

"You know what I mean Tony. She has some new performers and they always need encouragement."

"Right Matt. Didn't mean to upset you big guy. Can I get a beer?"

"No problem." Matt handed Tony a beer and turned to a drunk a few stools down.

Tony listened, unimpressed as a tall blonde belted out Ashlee Simpson's, La La. Which had turned into one of the most annoying songs on the face of the planet since he had heard it a million times, being sung by talentless women... and men. Talk about scary.

After the torture of a few more bad singers and the not so much torture of some good ones, Tony heard a familiar voice.

"This is 'Behind These Hazel Eyes', by: Kelly Clarkson." God that voice, so familiar. But there were too many people in his way to see her face. He tried to push his way through the crowd.

"Seems like just yesterday

You were a part of me

I used to stand so tall

I used to be so strong

Your arms around me tight

Everything it felt so right

Unbreakable like nothing could go wrong

Now I can't breathe

No I can't sleep

I'm barely hanging on."

Tony made his way to the front of the crowd, just in time for the chorus. He stood for a moment in shock as he listened to Kate sing. Her voice mesmerizing. She must have been sick that day in the shower because this... it was like an angel was singing. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Here I am

Once again

I'm torn into pieces

Can't deny it

Can't pretend

Just thought you were the one

Broken up deep inside

But you won't get to see the tears I cry

Behind these hazel eyes."

It was like the song reached it's end to quickly. Before he knew it, Kate was in the last verse and almost done with one of the most amazing performances he had ever seen at Angelina's.

"Swallow me then spit me out

For hating you, I blame myself

Just seeing you it kills me now

No I don't cry

On the outside anymore

Anymore."

Wow. It was perfect.

"Here I am

Once again..."

Better than perfect, but what was better than perfect? Kate... that's what. He couldn't think of words. Was this how she really felt?

"Behind these hazel eyes."

Never before had there been a greater reaction at Angelina's. For the first time in what seemed like... ever... the crowd clapped because of the voice, not the body. Although, Kate's body was rockin' that night. He had to catch her before she left or before Angelina had the chance to show her to some shallow guy. Wait, what was he? Did he want Kate to sleep with or to love?

It didn't matter. Tony rushed to the back rooms, in hopes of finding Kate. For once he saw her for who she really was... not just his beautiful co-worker that he flirted with and taunted 24/7, but the amazing woman that she was.

He had searched every room in the back and found nothing. How was it that when you wanted something so much, it always seemed to get away? Giving up his search, Tony began to return to the bar to grab another beer..

"Oh, excuse me," a woman said as Tony ran into her. "Tony?"

"Kate?" Thank you lord. "Hi."

"Hi," Kate said, blushing slightly. She felt half naked in front of Tony. This wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to just run into him like this.

He saw the sweat dripping off of her skin. Her tan stomach, glistening in the lights. Her jeans fitted her perfectly and her top hugged her in all the right places, leaving her abs in view. Although her hair was slightly tangled and in her face, to Tony, it seemed perfect.

"Come here often?"

"Funny DiNozzo. Really. I know you saw."

"How do you know?"

"Because if you hadn't, you wouldn't be smirking at me like that."

"Me... smirk? Hilarious Kate. Maybe you should take up comedy as well." Nice Tony. Bring back all that bantering that occurs at work. Can't you just be charming AND polite? Trying again to lighten the mood, Tony asked Kate if she wanted to go sit and maybe have a few drinks.

"Why not Tony. I came to have a good time. Who better to have a good time with then my good friend, Anthony DiNozzo?"