A Showdown Of Sorts

Disclaimer: Me no owney NCIS, Napoleon Dynamite or Chad Michael Murrey or anything mentioned in this story. Except CSIMel: she is entirely my creation. So there!

A/N: So I haven't updated this fic in months. I feel so ashamed! To be completely honest, this fic was doomed from the start – with no plan or structure what so ever. I'm just a girl with a dream. Just to be warned, this has some Kari undertones, but be reassured this is Tate all the way, baby! I don't claim to know anything about the Mossad and I'm just making up the stuff from Kate and Ziva's past. Intruiged? I hope so! So here's the next chapter, and it's a long one!


Ziva carefully watched as Abby, the newly resurrected Kate and her two sidekicks left the NCIS building. Out of all the team, she was probably the least affected – she didn't know Caitlin Todd. That's not to say that she wasn't affected by Kate's return. In fact, she did know Kate, just in a different way.

Ziva had read her file, the one the Mossad had on her. An extremely detailed one, thanks to Ari. She was one of the few people he had confided in about 'his Caitlin'. To everyone else, Ari had claimed that Kate was the 'weak link' in Gibbs' team, his point of access, but Ziva knew better. His mission had become more than a mission; instead of remaining detached, it had become personal. She could tell her brother was developing an unhealthy obsession with this Caitlin Todd, but she had no idea how deep it ran. She had no idea it would result in the death of NCIS' beloved Kate, or, ultimately, her brother's demise.

When Kate had appeared in that forest, several hours ago, she had been as shocked as the others. As a girl, Ziva had been religious, but throughout her life, she'd seen too many of her friends killed, too many tragedies had befallen, forcing her to toughen up and slowly she began to lose faith. What sort of God killed ones friends, ones family so freely and mercilessly?

Until today, that is. Kate's cock and bull story about her 'resurrection' had sparked something inside of her that had lain dormant for year.

It had brought her hope.


Kate and Abby entered the NCIS headquarters, laughing. They had gone to Kate's favourite Chinese restaurant to catch up, minus the two writers. They had an important meeting to attend to and if that meant Kate was able to get some privacy, then she didn't care. McGee slowly approached the two.

"Hey guys," McGee greeted them. He looked slightly nervous.

"Hey, McGee," Abby grinned, "What can I do for you?"

"I actually need to talk to Kate," McGee answered, pulling Kate over to the side. "The Director wants to see you."

Kate nodded and took a deep breath. She knew this moment would come sooner or later. She just hoped it would be later. She headed towards the conference room.


"Agent Todd," Director Jenny Shepherd greeted her, "take a seat."

"Thank you, Mad-" Kate was cut off.

"Director is fine," Director Shepherd corrected.

Kate nodded, and sat, feeling uncomfortable about the silence.

"Look, Agent Todd," Director Shepherd began, "I'm not used to having to deal with my Agents coming back from the dead, so you'll understand if this meeting isn't very professional."

Kate nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I'll start off by saying welcome back," the Director gave a tight smile, "I don't know how it happened, but we're glad to have you back."

"Good to be back," Kate answered honestly.

"However," Director Shepherd interrupted, "in your…absence, Agent David was hired and work continued as usual. Just to make it clear, I am not going to fire Agent David so you can have your job back."

"I wouldn't have expected you to, Ma'am," Kate replied.

"From my experiences, Agent Todd," the Director leaned forward slightly, "female agents do not work well together. There is often a strong rivalry to prove themselves and a general…bitchiness. So you can understand my hesitance to re-hire you."

Kate tried to hide her disappointment.

"Of course, I understand."

"On that note," the Director continued, "I don't believe Agent David and yourself are the 'average' female, so I am willing to make an exception."

"Does that mean…"

The Director nodded.

"You can have your job back, Kate," she smiled, "but you are on a two month probation period and you must take a physical. And-"

"No bitchiness, don't worry ma'am, I understand," Kate grinned. "Thank you for this opportunity, I won't let you down."

"I know Kate," Director Shepherd answered, "I know."


After sharing the good news, Kate needed some privacy to gather her thoughts. And when you worked in an environment that was a majority male, there was only one place to do so.

The ladies bathroom.

Kate entered the small room and walked over to the sinks. She stared at herself in the mirror.

Same brown hair, same brown eyes, same Kate.

So why did she feel different?

Something didn't feel right.

"What's wrong with me?" Kate muttered at her reflection. "This is what you want."

But was it?

All along, Kate honestly believed that her 'saying yes instead of no' plan involved getting her job back. But now, as her life began to slowly return to how it was before she died, she wasn't so sure. What if this wasn't her chosen path, what if something more was in store for her?

"I should've married rich," Kate muttered loudly.

Just as she said that, the bathroom door swung open, revealing a surprised Ziva.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ziva said hesitantly, "I'll just leave–"

"No, it's fine," Kate stopped her, "I was just…I don't know what I was doing." Kate admitted.

There was an awkward silence as the two women washed their hands.

"I was supposed to marry a rich guy," Kate blurted out.

"Huh?" Ziva asked, confused.

"During my first year of college," Kate explained, "I was studying law. I started dating this guy – Rick Benchley; his family were pretty well off. His Dad owned this major law firm and Rick was going to join the firm after he graduated. We dated for a few months, and then got engaged. I couldn't stand law school, and the thought of being married to a lawyer and attending his boring parties and raising his spoilt children sounded as much fun as stabbing my eyes out. So I broke up with him and went into a career in law enforcement. That's basically how I ended up here."

There was another long silence.

"I'm sorry," Kate spoke up again, "I don't know what came over me-"

"My Father is the head of the Mossad," Ziva interrupted, "I was expected to live a sheltered childhood and when I came of age, marry a prominent young Mossad Officer. My Mother…being married to my father, with all the fear and not knowing, she hated that life. She was miserable. I wasn't made for that life. So I joined the Mossad and, slice a long story short, I eventually ended up here."

Cut. Kate mentally corrected here.

"I guess were not that different," Kate said softly.

"There are days," Ziva spoke quietly, "when I wonder what my life would've been like if I followed the path that I was meant to. If I hadn't done some of the things I had done. But we all make choices in our lives and at the time, they seem like the right ones. We just have to live with them."

"No regrets." Kate said firmly.

"No regrets."

There was a sniffle and Kate looked behind her. Ziva had her gun trained on the stall door.

1, 2 –

"Stop crying, kap0w," a voice hissed, "you're going to blow our cover!"

"I'm not crying, I have something in my eye!" kap0w defended herself.

"Ziva, I'd like you to meet CSIMel and kap0w," Kate introduced, kicking open the stall doors.

But they weren't there.

"Where did they-"

"Howdy," kap0w interrupted. Ziva and Kate spun around.

"How'd you get there?" Kate asked.

"Duh, this is my story," CSIMel answered sarcastically, "I can do whatever I want!"

"Yeah, gosh, idiot!" Napoleon Dynamite agreed.

Napoleon Dynamite morphed into Kyle from Australian Idol, who CSIMel and kap0w proceeded to throw rotten fish at precisely for the reason that he was Kyle from Australian Idol. He then turned into Chad Michael Murray, who CSIMel handcuffed to her wrist. He then disappeared.

"Hey!" CSIMel cried out indignantly.

"Can we get back to the story?" kap0w demanded.

"Fine. Hello." CSIMel said coldly to Ziva.

"CSIMel, we talked about this," kap0w warned.

"What are you two talking about?" Kate demanded.

"Have you completely lost your glass balls?" Ziva asked incredulously.

"I think you mean 'marbles' – we've completely lost our marbles," kap0w corrected.

"Idiot." CSIMel muttered.

Suddenly an alarm sounded and a light above the exit sigh started flashing.

"What's that?" Ziva and Kate asked.

"The Ziva-bashing alarm." CSIMel and kap0w answered.

The alarm and flashing stopped.

"What is 'Ziva-bashing'?" Ziva questioned, confused.

"After Kate died," CSIMel explained, "there was a lot of anger and hurt amongst fans and fanfiction writers. Especially Tate fans –"

"Tate?" Ziva asked.

"Pairing of Tony and Kate," kap0w answered, "anyhoo, when you came along and this whole sexual tension thing with you and Tony began, fans transferred their pent-up anger towards you."

"That's ridiculous!" Kate exclaimed.

"Yes, it is," kap0w agreed, "now what do you have to say, CSIMel?"

"Sorry, Ziva," CSIMel muttered.

"What was that?" kap0w snapped.

"Sorry, Ziva." CSIMel said louder.

"That's alright," Ziva answered, "but I'm still a bit confused.

"That's okay," kap0w answered, "imagine how our readers feel.

(CSIMel and kap0w flash you a grin and hand you a virtual cookie.)

"Laters," CSIMel smiled and the two writers left.

"I better get back to work," Ziva said to Kate, turning to leave."

"Hey Ziva,"

Ziva stopped.

"Thanks." Kate said, smiling.

Ziva turned around and smiled at the agent.

"No, thank you."


A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter.

Now, if you recall, last chapter, I asked you all to submit a question that you'd like to ask Kate, with your review. This is for the Super-Special chapter that I have planned for the next chapter. If you didn't submit a question or want to submit another, go for your life. It can be as ridiculous or as serious as you want. Happy question asking.

Your reviews are to me what chocolate is like to a fat kid.