A/N: Well here go chapter 2! I'm just gonna settle in and see where this little adventure takes me. I'm kind of diggin' writing something new completely new for the fandom. Thanks to COL for suggesting a Ship Name for LaSalle and Addie: Laddie. And thank you to the few who have put this on alert and took a chance on this potential new pairing.

Disclaimer: The lyrics to Funnel of Love do not belong to me. But I really liked it when I heard it in the intro to "I Do" so I have adopted it for the remainder of this story.

I tried and I tried, to run and hide,

I even tried to run away,

You just can't run from the funnel of love,

It's gonna get you someday...

"What's up with Beyoncé in uniform? " Sonja Percy glared with her natural RBF expression at the woman in khaki's who had just come through the door.

"Lieutenant Addie Watkins. She used to be our Navy Liaison, " Brody beamed. As a general rule Merri had liked working with female security officer. It had been nice to have another female to bond with during her first few months in NOLA. A transplant from Maryland, Addie completely understood the older woman's feelings and need for female companionship.

Addie's face broke a smile as she made eye contact with the Midwest native. Meredith Brody was a sight for sore eyes. Although they weren't close friends the lieutenant had enjoyed getting to know the NCIS agent during her time in the office. Like Addie, Brody knew how hard it was to be successful in a field that was generally reserved for men. Brody also had a fetish for wine which made after hours bonding easy. Especially when it involved a good round of dogging LaSalle.

"Brody, it's good to see you again." She leaned in giving the Agent a hug.

"Good to see you." Brody returned before making the proper introductions.

Addie politely extended her hand and smiled at the newest agent. "Agent Percy, it's nice to finally meet you. LaSalle talks about you all the time."

"Funny, he's never mentioned you. But hey, it was nice to meet you too." Percy returned in her usual unnerving tone before sauntering off toward the kitchen. Obviously the new agent was trying to mark her territory for whatever reason.

"Little man's syndrome?" The friendly lieutenant looked at Brody feeling sorry for the agent. Her cheeks burning with embarrassment over her co-worker's comment.

"Sonja can be a little hard to take at first." Brody said uneasily.

"No worries," Addie had dealt with Percy's kind plenty of times during her career. She was a Public Relations person for the Navy and knew exactly how to deal with short and mighty personalities. "Is Chris around?"

"He's in the courtyard." Brody said, wondering what had brought the former liaison back to the office. She knew that Chris had been seen her a few times claiming that Addy had access to intel that Patton was unable to access but she'd seen right through that. It was clear that the first time, she'd seen Chris with Addie that the two of them had an electric playful chemistry that would only be satisfied by further exploration.

Addie stood in the doorway watching LaSalle. He was sitting at the small wrought iron table pouring over a case file. She stood a moment more before he finally looked up acknowledging her presence.

"What are you doing here?" He grinned largely. Politely, Chris rose to his feet and pulled out the 2nd chair as she approached.

"We had some old case files in the office that belong to NCIS."

"And ya just thought they needed hand delivering?" He finished, knowing that case files when needed were delivered by a special courier or uploaded and sent electronically.

"Very sensitive material," Addie whispered leaning in just a bit so that she caught the aroma of something sporty mixed with soap and Speed Stick. It had been completely unintentional but damn the man smelled yummy, like going out on a date yummy. She'd almost forgotten how easily he turned her on, making her stomach flutter with just his smile.

"Is it now?" Chris grinned, raising his eyebrows at her infectious flirty nature. He'd always known her to be playful but today she seemed to be in an especially good mood.

Still smiling Addie reached into her purse and pulled out a 4x6 card, handing it to him.

Chris looked at the card and then at her. It was an invitation. She was inviting him to something. Suddenly, he felt a little ill at ease. "Ya get 'tin' married or somethin'?" he asked. That he knew of she wasn't dating anyone, not that he was an authority on her dating life. But she'd just come back into his. He wasn't sure he wanted to give her up just yet.

"Just read it."

"You are cordially invited to the Frocking Ceremony of lieutenant Adele Susanna Watkins," he read, pondering the intent. Her eyes were smoldering intense and as sexy as hell as they bored into his. "Your middle name is Susanna?" He quipped earning an if looks could kill glare.

"I'm being promoted!" She laughed, beaming with excitement.

Chris turned away from her playfully, taking a defensive stance. "To Lieutenant Commander, I read it in the Navy Times yesterday morning."

"And you couldn't congratulate me last night? Some friend you are!" She teased, plotting a way to get back at the playful agent.

"Well maybe I just wanted to do it in person." He tried to quickly think of a snappy come back, " If in fact I was planning on calling you up and seeing if ya wanted tuh meet me at CFA tonight for a drink. My treat."

The smoldering eyes narrowed slightly. Pride had already called her and asked her to join the team for some pre-celebration activities on the house which she was sure Chris was already a part of. "Nice try, LaSalle."

They stood there like fools grinning stupidly at one another, eyes wide anticipating, wanting, and debating in a staring contest, the battle of wills to see who would pull back first. They'd decided a long time ago not to mix their work and personal lives. But things were different now with her having changed commands. Feasibly, there was no reason they couldn't date if they chose to do so.

Chris spent the last several days thinking about that night under the mistletoe wondering. Would he have stuck to his choice not to get together because of the job or would he have taken her home and make sweet love to her slender athletic body? Slowly, he licked his lips, a hint of regret coming to mind until he realized he would have missed out on loving Savannah.

"I don't have any family here." Addie said suddenly breaking the trance that had ahold of them. "So, I thought maybe you and Pride might come or you and Merri. There's a party at the O'club afterwards with an open bar. Lots of pretty woman looking for a good time..." she hinted.

LaSalle looked down at his feet if he was smart he would say something to the effect that she was the only pretty girl he wanted to spend time with but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Not with Addie, she deserved better. Every woman that he'd been with since Savannah was just a faceless soul, nameless creatures that he'd made love to in order to avoid the devastation and guilt.

"The ceremony I can do but the other..." his voiced trailed off before he caught himself slipping and sprung back to the snarky tone he knew she was accustom to, "I've been a little off my game lately. I might need ya to be my wing woman ta help with the ladies."

Addie grinned at him easily before giving his bicep a squeeze. "The Chris LaSalle I know is never off his game but if you think you need some help..."

Chris gave her a slightly watered down version of his grin as she turned away content to leave him with her having the upper hand in the comeback. He would think of something witty later and pulled out when she least expected it but for now there was something else on his mind. "Hey, Addie. You were wrong 'bout somethin"

Grinning, she looked back over her shoulder expecting some well thought out quip. It was common knowledge that the majority of their friendship had been build on friendly teasing and shameless, fun flirting. "Oh yeah? About what, LaSalle?" she asked, pausing to place a hand on her hip.

"You do have family here," he said in a serious but not over the top tone. Instead, it was filled with conviction and sincerity. "We're your family. Always have been, always will be."

Her broad smile briefly slipped from her lips, not in a sad way but rather content. "I appreciate that, LaSalle, I really do."