CHAPTER FIVE:

AN: hehe Shiri, I actually had such a scene of Kate asking if he was alright, but I deleted it because in this chapter it would be more appropriate. Otherwise I would have 2 similar scenes and I didn't want to do that but don't worry: there's enough Tate and caring in this chapter. And you're right, maybe the Tony scene wasn't appropriate .

Thanks for all the reviews

"David?" Tony asked surprised. "Didn't think you'd ever see me again, did you? Special Agent Dinozzo?" "This isn't possible… You're dead."

"Dead? Not really." The man approached the couple and Tony stepped in front of Kate, in order to protect her. "This is your new partner huh? She's beautiful Dinozzo. Are you sleeping with her?"

Tony didn't want to answer. The marine pushed Tony, but he still wouldn't answer. In order to prevent Tony from getting more beaten Kate said they didn't sleep together. The marine nodded and whispered in Kate's ear: "But he wants too, doesn't he." Tony looked puzzled.

"You want to sleep with her don't you Dinozzo. You don't have to answer, I can see the lust in your eyes." David noticed Tony getting more and more angry. And that was exactly what he wanted, only now, Kate still managed to withheld Tony from picking a fight.

"I see the same lust in her eyes, though." David said as he stepped closer to Kate. He let his finger move up and down on Kate's arm. She shivered and wanted to resist but couldn't. When he tried to kiss her, Tony lost it and punched him. But it wasn't hard enough, since Tony was still weak. David got up and punched Tony double as hard. Tony hit the ground hard. He was bleeding from his eyebrow and desperately needed some time to come to his senses, but he wasn't allowed that time. David kept kicking him in the stomach and ribs. After a few more kicks Kate finally managed to stop David. "Later Dinozzo." And he left.

Kate fell on her knees beside him, rubbing his back.

"hey, hey, are you okay? you're bleeding. Let me see." Although Tony said he was fine, Kate insisted to take a look at his wound. When she touched his wound, it became very clear he wasn't okay. He was hurting badly. Kate blew all the possible dirt out his wound and cleaned it with her sleeve. The goal was to keep the wound clean, to prevent infections.

"you want to tell me what that's all about?" Tony didn't want to, but he owed her.

Gibbs wasn't any wiser after he talked to Caroline, (the girlfriend) the only thing he knew for sure was that she was lying. Her story was too clean, everything fitted just perfectly. But that only made Gibbs more suspicious and more curious. And although the evidence was against him, his gut told him he was right…

"I just can't believe I missed all the similarities between the cases. Special Agent, my ss."

"Tony, don't say that. From what you've just told me, you did everything you could back then. I'm sure the victim's family will confirm that. And you couldn't know he was still alive. Don't be so hard on yourself. How's your head by the way?"

"Better, you know what would make it even more better?" Kate's eyebrows widened, she crawled closer and kissed his forehead. "Better?" he smiled and said: "Much, maybe.."

"Don't even think about it Dinozzo." He nodded and they both shared a laugh. But the laughing soon turned back into serious looks. Kate noticed how tired and how much Tony was hurting, so she suggested he would get some sleep but he wouldn't. He wanted to stay awake and watch over her. After a while he did cave in and he let his head rest on Kate's shoulder, who was still sitting right next to him.

Kate was angry with herself. She felt useless and stupid. How could, a former secret service agent, who used to protect the president of the United States, let herself and her partner being taken hostile so easily? She failed yet again, like she did when she had to protect Ducky and his mother. More important she had let her partner get hurt because of her. She was watching him sleep deeply. He looked so vulnerable and hurt. She lifted his shirt a bit and saw the bruises turning blue and purple. She felt so sorry for him. Although they didn't always get along perfectly, she could never wish anything bad happen to him. She cared for him. More than she already admitted to Abby. She wasn't just falling for him, she loved him. She now knew he would risk his life to safe hers or to keep her from getting hurt… Maybe Tony did love her…