Authors Note - Thank you to everyone who has reviewed the past two chapters. I'm surprised anyone even remembered this story! So thank you skirik, Rinne, angeleyes, southerncrossgirl and draconisflayre.

Chapter Nine

Gibbs stood in the abandoned warehouse by 10:55. The building was cold and he shivered, wishing he'd stopped to get coffee but he hadn't had time. He'd put his hands in his pockets but he knew Aurora wouldn't be impressed by that. She was careful, cautious, even when approaching friends and if she couldn't see his hands, he'd have a gun to his head.

He leaned against a cool concrete pillar and wondered why exactly Aurora had contacted him now and couldn't help but wonder what she was going to tell him.

'Hello Gibbs,' he heard a voice that seemed to come from behind him and he looked around the pillar as she approached. 'It's been a long time.'

'Not long enough,' the reply was gruff.

The corners of her mouth twitched as she tried to hide a smile. 'You armed?' giving him a once over to check she could see his hands. He noted the gun in her hand.

'What do you think,' his eyes bored into her. 'What do you want Aurora?'

'Lots of things,' she smiled. 'But I contacted you for a reason,' she pulled back her jacket and went to reholstered her gun. 'You're not going to shoot me if I put this away are you?' she asked, half jokingly.

'Depends on what you've done and why you're here,' he replied, more then half seriously.

She looked at him, weighing up his words and deciding it was safe, reholstered the gun but didn't clip it back up, 'I'm here to tell you that you should let DiNozzo come back to work,' she watched him carefully.

'I beg you're pardon?' Gibbs was rarely surprised but this was one time that he was. 'How do you know about that? Oh hang on. Don't tell me that you're the mystery informant. Of course you are so don't even bother to answer that.'

'I asked him not to tell you who I was,' Aurora said. 'I didn't realise he was prepared to let you suspend him for it,'

Gibbs ran a hand over his face. 'Great this is just great.' he shook his head. 'How do you know DiNozzo anyway?'

'Does it matter?' she shrugged.

'No. Yes damn it, it does. He's one of my Agents, a damn good one and I don't want to see him get into trouble.'

'He won't get in trouble on my account,' Aurora said indignity.

'Well he could have been. You know he was willing to possibly throw his career down the crapper because of some promise he made to you. I'm surprised actually I didn't think he was so damn ethical,'

'He's a good guy, no matter how well he tries to hide it,' Aurora smiled slightly. 'You should cut him some slack and let him know you appreciate him occasionally.'

'I'm his boss and not here to mollycoddle him, he's got a job to do, he does it well and he knows he does it well. Besides it's not my style to give out compliments to my people.'

'I know,' she nodded. 'Anyway DiNozzo can come back to work, you know the ID of his informer now,'

'It's not that simple and you know it,' Gibbs crossed his arms. 'What are you up to Aurora, and if I know you you'll just use Tony as your inside man. I know what you're like and I know Tony and he'd be putty in your hands. He's off the case. He needs a holiday anyway, been working way too hard lately.'

'That isn't fair on him Gibbs,' Amaya glared at him. 'I have no wish to use Tony as my "inside man" on this. No offence but I don't need someone in the middle of a case to know what is going on. You should know that by now,

'I'm not being hard on him Aurora if anything I'm trying to protect him from you although by the look on his face this morning, I'd say I'm probably a little bit late for that,'

'And just what is that supposed to mean?' she stood straighter and looked at him.

'You're sleeping with him,' Gibbs replied flatly. 'You also didn't answer my question on how long you've know Tony.'

'I don't think sleeping is the right word,' she grinned widely. She wasn't going to hide it, Gibbs knew. She decided to ignore the question.

Gibbs stared at the roof of the warehouse then looked back. 'You didn't answer my question,' he said

'Does it matter? Does it relate to your investigation?' she asked him.

'It might, it depends on your answer and I want the truth.'

'Uh uh,' she shook her head. 'I've told you what I came here to say,'

'Fine have it your way.' Gibbs shrugged. 'Tony is still on leave though.'

Aurora shrugged. 'Okay, as long as I've done everything to try and help him,' she said.

'You've done what you set out to do,' he told her. 'It's just that I don't want my department or this case compromised by pillow talk.'

'Certainly not by me it won't,' she told him.

'And Tony wouldn't do it on purpose either, but then again when you're in the grasp of a black widow,' small smile tugged at the let corner of his mouth. 'I know all about women like you. Not only do I know you but my second wife was just like you Aurora. So I'm not blaming Tony for falling for you after such a short time that you too have obviously known each other. You have that way about you to trap a man, use him up and then squeeze the life out of him. It happened to me and I'm not going to let you do the same to Tony.

Aurora didn't bother trying to hide the small smile which crept across her features. 'One Gibbs, don't try and get information from me by insulting me,' she told him. 'Two, Bernadette was a lovely woman so you shouldn't talk about ex wife like that. Three, I have no wish to use Tony, despite what you may think,'

'Lovely just like a cobra ready to strike,' Gibbs said. 'Alright are we through?'

'Cobras can be beautiful,' Aurora smiled. 'You know Gibbs anyone would think you weren't pleased to see me,'

'I wonder why on earth they'd think that,' he stopped as they both heard a noise and drew their weapons as one both suddenly on the same side.

'Boss,' Gibbs visibly relaxed and Aurora followed his lead. 'Gibbs,' Cait called. 'Are you alright?'

Aurora's eyes flashed. 'You brought someone?' she growled. 'I'm out of here,' she spun around.

'I never bought anyone,' Gibbs grabbed her by the arm. 'Cait, what the hell are you doing here? I can't believe you followed me and that you're flying solo. You know better then that after what happened to Tony that time.'

'She's not flying solo Gibbs.' Tony appeared. 'Okay you can bust my chops about this later if you want. Hi Aurora,' he smiled slightly but uncertainly.

'You still followed me.' Gibbs snapped. 'I can't believe you, either of you.'

'I can't believe any of this,' Aurora shook her head. 'You three can have a happy reunion; I'm out of here,'

'Aurora,' Tony stepped up to her. 'You have to believe it. Come on you know me better then that. Have I ever crossed you? Ever? Not even that time in Philly,' he saw her eyes flash. 'Gibbs is going to find out anyway and he doesn't like games, you should know that as well as we do.'

'Hello I am here,' Gibbs spoke up

Aurora barely gave him a glance, looking across at the woman and tried to seize his stranger up. Gibbs and Tony might know her but she was still a threat. Hell, so was Gibbs really.

'This is Cait,' Tony did the introductions. 'Cait Todd, she's my partner and I'd trust her with my very life. She's no threat to you Aurora.'

Aurora eased up a fraction but didn't let her guard down completely. Hell, did she ever? 'Alright,' she said. 'What are you doing here? I thought you were going home,' she looked up at Tony.

'I got worried about Gibbs,' Cait spoke up. 'I called Tony, I didn't know who else to call,' she shot a glance at DiNozzo but here was no satisfied smirk or even a smile at this time. 'I got worried and I saw the note and the dragon and I called Tony to see if it meant something, something from the past when I wasn't a part of the team.

He said he had a fair idea and that it was ok, I wasn't to worry but

I said if he wouldn't help me I'd find out myself.'

'And I couldn't let her do that because partners don't let each other down,' Tony continued. 'If you can't rely on your partner you can't rely on anyone in the end.'

Aurora winced slightly before she turned to Gibbs with daggers in her eyes. 'You left it there?' she shook her head. 'My god, do they teach you nothing at NCIS School?'

'NCIS School?' Cait shook her head. 'I don't know who you are,' she looked from Tony to Gibbs and back to Tony 'But the boss was a marine for your information.'

'I think she knows that Cait,' Tony said to her in a stage whisper.

'I put it in my drawer,' Gibbs nailed Cait with a hard look. 'You went through my drawers.'

'Oops another cell phone incident Cait,' Tony said to her from the corner of his mouth. 'At least he won't threaten to break your fingers.'

'I'm going to break someone's neck,' Aurora growled at Gibbs. 'At least destroy the note. Are we just giving away top-secret information now?'

'You broke into a locked desk,' Gibbs sounded like an only record with the needle stuck in the groove. He was completely ignoring Aurora now although Tony was watching her closely.

'Oh God, he's mad Cait,' Tony said unnecessarily.

'Excuse me,' Cait hadn't ignored the other woman's comment. 'I'm a former Secret Service Agent, I was on the detail for looking after the President so there isn't too much top secret information that I haven't been privy too. I don't know who you are except someone who knew Tony in his PD days and some whom the boss obviously doesn't like very much.'

'Now I know you,' Aurora looked at the other woman. 'I knew you looked vaguely familiar,' she said. 'Anyway, since you don't know who I'am Cait, I wouldn't brag about being in the secret service.' Aurora simply smiled before she turned to Gibbs. 'I'm out of here. You guys can work out the broken desk and reading personal correspondence but I'm going to blaze,'

'Why you,' Cait lunged at Aurora but Tony grabbed her. 'Don't Cait you don't know what you're up against.'

Aurora glared at her. 'I don't know you Cait but Gibbs and Tony seem to like you so I don't want to hurt you, so I wouldn't recommend attacking me,'

'Let me go DiNozzo or you'll regret it,' Cait looked over her shoulder at Tony.

'Hmm if I do you'll be the one with regrets.' Tony told her still holding his struggling partner tightly.

'Enough!' Gibbs who had remained silent for several minutes suddenly roared. 'We're out of here,' he headed for the exit fuming and everyone knew it. 'Cait, Tony, come on. Tony you're leave is cancelled, we've got work to do.'

Aurora smiled slightly. 'See you around,' she said to the trio.

'In my nightmares,' Cait hissed as Tony released her and she followed after Gibbs.

Tony paused for a moment. 'What does Gibbs know?' he asked Aurora.

'Enough,' she shrugged. 'He knows I'm your informant but that's all I've told him,'

'And he knows about us I gather,' he said to her softly. 'I'm sorry Aurora'

'What for?' she frowned.

'I just am for everything,' he said before he heard his name being bellowed.

'DiNozzo get your butt out here now or it will be in a sling.'

'You better go,' Aurora told him. 'And yes he knows about us. You're walking around with a "I got laid last night" glow,' she grinned.

'According to Cait I always look like that,' he chuckled. 'But that's not at all true'

'DINOZZO, NOW!'

'Keep your pants on Gibbs,' Aurora called back. 'I'll see you around

Tony,'

'Hmm I hope it's soon,' he said softly hazel eyes gazing into her green ones, before he turned and quickly left her standing there, watching him go to join his colleagues.

Aurora sighed softly, waiting until she heard them leave before she left herself, via the back door.