AN: Oh Maya and Zeinab, I don't know when it happened exactly, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with these two characters. I had a feeling I would enjoy writing Maya, but was surprised by how much I liked Zeinab because she isn't in the story as much. But yes, like many of you, I shipped it and now I ship it hard. Here is a bonus scene I wanted to include, but didn't fit the pacing of Chapter 6.

*Bonus Scene* - "I Like Me Better When I'm With You"

Zeinab showed her credentials and texted Carlos about her arrival on the base. She smiled when he immediately replied with directions of how to get to the bullpen. She knew he was worried and had been since they arrived. She sensed it too. Something was different about their boss when she was around the NCIS team in Hawai'i and they all knew what it was or better yet, who. The moment Zeinab stepped off the elevator, Carlos was there to greet her with a hug and she giggled.

"Miss me that much," she teased to try to lighten the tension she could sense rolling off of him in waves.

"More than you know," he said as she followed him into the bullpen.

"How close of a call?" The question was out before she really thought about it. She told herself she didn't want to know, that it made her job easier to not think about it, but it hung over her like a cloud either way.

"Maya's okay," he assured and she gave a curt nod.

"Didn't answer the question, but I'll take it. Where is she?"

"With the boss, trying to explain that we're a bit concerned."

"Oh I'm sure that conversation is going over well," she said with an amused smile and Carlos smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, I kind of left her in there to fend for herself. I'm sure she's fine."

"Of course you did."

"Well, they were in the breakroom if you want to go play the hero and also explain to the boss why you are here and not New York like she told you to be."

"I'm sure she's fine."

"That's what I thought…actually, there she is," he informed as he pointed toward the doors of the bullpen. Zeinab turned to follow his stare and couldn't stop the smile that spread across her lips when she saw Maya walk in. Maya's eyes lit up and Zeinab giggled as Maya ran over to hug her tightly. Carlos smiled at their interaction as Maya held her close.

"What are you doing here?"

"Carlos called me yesterday, said I may be needed." Maya smiled appreciatively at Carlos for asking Zeinab to do what Maya had wanted to ask the previous night, but decided against.

"You are definitely needed," agreed Maya. Zeinab blushed at the way Maya looked at her when she said the words. She cleared her throat when she noticed the way Carlos was grinning at them as well. They took a step back from one another and Zeinab ran a hand through her hair.

"How about you two catch me up before I talk to the boss and try to explain why I'm actually here," she suggested and they were more than happy to whisper back and forth to her about everything they knew so far. They managed to fill her in pretty quickly since she had been tracking most of the action from New York and Carlos nudged her when Kate entered the bullpen. Zeinab smiled sheepishly at her boss and Kate shook her head in amusement.

"Funny seeing you here," said Kate and Zeinab shrugged.

"I was in the neighborhood," she said as Kate pulled her in for a hug that made Carlos and Maya sigh in relief. Carlos knew what he was asking Zeinab to do when he called her. He was asking her to go against Kate's orders and both he and Maya were relieved that Kate didn't seem too upset about that.

After proper introductions and heading into the war room to reset, Zeinab and Maya got to work helping Lucy and Jesse with their new lead on Maxwell. It didn't take long for them to start connecting more dots and while Jesse and Lucy went to check in with Ernie and Carlos, Zeinab headed into the breakroom. She grabbed a bottle of water and smiled when she heard the sound of familiar footsteps behind her.

"Hi," said Zeinab as she turned to face Maya and leaned against the counter.

"Hi. I'm really glad you're here. Kate does seem more like herself now though, so sorry if Carlos made you take the long trip for nothing."

"Fourteen minutes and thirty two seconds."

"What?"

"That's how long I was in limbo trying to find out how badly things went and if any of you were hurt. I was in the air, we were touching down soon, but for fourteen minutes and thirty two seconds, I had no clue if you were okay. There was no way I was staying put, Maya. Whether it happened because Carlos called or I hopped on a plane after I got that call, I was coming either way." She gulped when Maya took a step closer to her.

"You know, I keep telling myself I'm happy you're here because we're better when the team is at full strength, but that isn't it," she confessed and Zeinab took a step closer to her as she nodded. Their eyes locked, green eyes meeting hazel, and Maya leaned into her when the special agent slipped their hands together.

"That isn't it for me either. It hasn't been for a while," assured Zeinab and Maya bit her lip nervously.

"A while huh," she asked with a teasing smile and Zeinab winked at her.

"Let's finish the case and then I'll answer that."

"You always know how to motivate me," said Maya with a wink of her own before heading back out of the breakroom with Zeinab right behind her. Both were ready to put an end to Tate and Maxwell's plans and the sooner they did, the sooner they could focus on each other.

AN: I tried really hard to work this scene into the story, but the focus was on Lucy and Kate's issues and Kate figuring herself out, so I didn't want to bog down the chapter by shifting that focus. For those who have asked, yes, the sequel will include more Maya and Zeinab as a couple.