"I am SO happy to see you," Tony said again, as he parked the car at Gino's.

"Yeah … I think I got that the first 50 times you said it," teased the woman in the passenger seat. "And I think you might have cracked a rib with that tackle. I mean … hug."

Tony walked around the car and chivalrously opened her door. "Wouldn't be the first time …"

They walked into the small pizza joint hand-in-hand, and once inside, Tony pulled back and maneuvered his companion into a perfect twirl.

"Gino," Tony said, as he took a quick bow and acknowledged his dancing partner, "I would like you to meet Operations Specialist Jessica Kennedy, the best operations specialist in the entire United States Armed Forces, and my oldest and dearest friend." He presented her to the patrons of the restaurant with an over-dramatic flourish and a big "ta da."

"Call me Jess, please," she said, rolling her eyes and laughing.

The middle-aged pizza maker looked at Jess and tipped an imaginary hat. "Gino," he offered. She curtsied.

"We need food, Gino," said Tony. "The usual, please?" Gino smiled and nodded, indicating a booth near the back of the restaurant. As Tony and Jess sat down, a pitcher of beer appeared on their table. A waitress poured, they clinked glasses, and they drank. Tony sighed.

"God Jess, it really is so good to see you. It's been such a … crappy … week."

"Yeah," she said. "For me too." They looked at each other for a minute, each one waiting for the other to talk. Jess broke the silence.

"I was hoping you wouldn't mind me just showing up unannounced," she began nervously, talking a little too quickly. "I know that I've never really done that before. But I just … I needed to … I mean, I was going to call, but … well, I didn't. Obviously. I was actually almost all the way here before it even occurred to me that you might be busy, or gone, or seeing someone, or …"

"Jess!" Tony cut her off. "You're babbling." He took her hand and kissed her palm, then looked at her and smiled. "Any time; anywhere; for however long. Capice?"

She returned the kiss in his palm. "Copy that."

Two hours later – after a large pizza, a pitcher of beer, a plateful of cannoli, and two very strong cappuccinos – Tony finally called for the check. They spent about 45 seconds fighting over who would pay before Gino took the check, tore it in half, and declared that such a reunion of old friends warranted a free meal. Tony and Jess left an insanely large tip, and Jess leaned over the counter to kiss Gino on the cheek. Then, with another twirl and a bow, they were out the door, the applause of the rest of the restaurant following them home.

"Great choice," Jess said, as she plopped down on the couch back in Tony's apartment. "I haven't had a pizza that good since … well … I can't remember when I've had a pizza that good. Pizza delivery in Barrow is pretty spotty."

"I can't believe how many times you've moved since 9/11," Tony said, as he chose a CD and dropped it in the player. "I lost track after Colorado."

"Me too, almost," she said. "It seemed like every two weeks I was somewhere new. But Alaska's not bad. Wide open spaces; Northern Lights; desperate men in search of hearty women."

Tony rolled his eyes and there was a pause as he adjusted the volume on the stereo and turned on a torchiere in the corner.

"So …," he began, tentatively. "What's up?"

There was just the slightest flicker of uncertainty in Jess' expression.

"You show up unannounced – not that I have a problem with that in any way, but it is incredibly unlike you; you've admitted to having a crappy week – something I have seldom heard you admit to out loud before; and you're avoiding serious subjects like the plague." She shot him a look.

"Sorry …," Tony said gently. "Poor choice of words." Jess let out the breath she'd been holding, closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the couch. Tony walked over, sat down and pulled her into a hug. "What's goin' on?"

"Tomorrow, okay?" she said, stretching out her legs and leaning back against Tony's chest. "You go first."

Tony wrapped his arms around her, dropped a kiss on the top of her head, and started telling her about The Case of the Navy Son and the Domineering Father.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Wow," said Jess, after Tony had taken her through the case – with a few detours to introduce major players and discuss procedure. "That must have dredged up a fond memory or two, huh?"

"Yeah," Tony replied. "I have to admit that I did take the old man's name in vain a few times. I have to give my father credit, though. He wouldn't have let me get away with murder. He'd have let me rot in jail if I'd done what Scott Porter had done."

"He'd have let you rot in jail for a lot less," Jess said, with just a little bitterness in her voice.

"And speaking of parents who don't deserve their children," Tony segued smoothly, "how are Ma and Pa Kennedy?"

"Still wishing someone else was their child instead of me," Jess said.

"Do you hear from them, ever?"

"A card at Christmas. One letter a year on a day that kind of occasionally falls around what they remember as my birthday. Mostly, I just Google them to keep up."

"Googling 'Robert Kennedy' – that must make for a lot of reading," Tony teased. Then he laughed. "Do you remember how disappointed my father was when he found out that your dad wasn't one of THOSE Kennedys?"

"Ah yes," said Jess, chuckling. "His face fell so fast that I thought it was going to bounce." The comment was followed by a yawn that she half-heartedly tried to hide.

"It's time we went to bed," Tony said, hugging her again, and pushing her off the couch. "It's nearly three." She turned and offered her hand, pulling him up.

Jess walked to the hallway and grabbed her bag. "Where do you want me to sleep?"

Tony looked slightly confused. "Where you always sleep," he said.

"OK," Jess replied. "Just making sure."

She headed to the bathroom while Tony turned off lights, checked the door, set the alarm and clicked off the stereo. Ten minutes later, they were both fast asleep.