A/N: Ok, back to my sleeper romance of my number 2 favorite ship in this fandom. I know I said, I was going to wrap this one up soon, and I am, but I just find Laddie so fresh and interesting that the storyline has extended itself a bit from what I originally intended. FYI, I think Felisha Terrell's character of Addie had much more potential as an S.O. with LaSalle than Savannah.

It was a little known secret to most tourists that the celebration of St. Patrick's Day offered just about as much fun as Mardi Gras, only less crowded. As with most holidays, New Orleanians celebrated for 9 straight days, with parties and parades, dressing primarily in green, some with leprechaun attire and of course beads.

Rue the day, that there was celebration in the Big Easy that didn't include beads!

"That's quite a collection ya there," Chris LaSalle quipped sliding his arm around Addie's waist as he walked into Pride's Bar to top off an evening of celebrating the Irish holiday.

Addie looked down at the assortment that was covering the shamrock on her white t-shirt. Several strands of purple and green beads in various sizes created a rather festive look, indicative of their parading and whatnot.

"Most them are yours," she smiled as Chris swept a soft kiss to her temple before they made their journey through the crowd.

The place was packed which was a good sign. Addie held tight to his hand allowing him to weave her through the sea of people to get the bar.

"King!"

"Christopher, Addie," Dwanye Pride appeared to be all smiles, as he pulled up two cold Chocolate Mint flavored Ale's from underneath the counter.

"Chocolate beer?" Addie made a face, uncertain of how the two flavors would mix. Although, she wasn't opposed to flavored Ales there was just something about this one that screamed vomit.

"Free sample from the distributer!" Pride shouted over the noise from the crowd.

"That's not a good sign." Chris said, feeling someone brush up against him.

"Sorry." A man in his early fifties with dark, greying hair and pot belly stared at the agent, his brain triggering something familiar. "Sallie?"

"Vince!" LaSalle's signature grin spread to his eyes as he came face to face with a man from his days at Vice. Ch "What brings you back to New Orleans? Last, I heard you retired early and moved to Florida."

"The wife and I are here for a visit," The man said, shaking LaSalle's hand. "How about you? You still with NOPD?"

"I work for NCIS now. In fact this guy here behind the bar is my boss, Dwayne Pride and this lovely lady is LT Commander, Addie Watkins."

"Vince Garner, used to work Vice with Sallie. The most ambitious rookie I ever worked with. Thought for sure you'd be the Chief of Police by now."

"Vince was my training officer," Chris added subtly.

"Why don't you come say hello to Sandy I know she'd love to see you." Vice smiled his hand coming down on the agent's shoulder. "My wife just thought he was so cute, with that shit eating grin and accent. She just wanted to eat up him all of time, like he was some sort of puppy. "

"So did mine." Pride quipped watching his surrogate son's face turn more than one shade of red. Like most people, Linda had taken to Chris right away, instantly making him a part of their family. Well before Pride had the notion to do such.

Chris looked at Addie, who was giving her quite the mischievous grin. There was no doubt that tonight's pillow talk would be how the nickname, Sallie came about.

"Go, talk with your friends," she said softly watching him dip his head in utter embarrassment. "I'll hang out here with Pride."

"All right, I'll be back in bit."

"No, join us, please. In fact, let me buy your drinks. Whatever the lady and Sallie want," Vince told Pride.

"Ok then," Addie smiled, volunteering to stay behind while Pride filled their order. "Someday, you're going to have to tell me your version of how you got Chris to come to NCIS"

"Not much to tell," the senior agent shrugged, fixing Chris' usual beer on tap and a second for Addie "He quit Vice, was ready to move on so I offered him job."

"There's more to it than that" Addie grinned, watching Pride's lips turn upward.

"There is but that's a story for another time," A time when he had an opportunity to adequately tell it without hordes of people yelling drink orders.

"Chris is amazing, sweet, kind, great sense of humor. I love everything about him," Addie confessed, as if she were talking to one of her girlfriends, instead of Chris' best friend and mentor.

"I think he's pretty smitten with you too." Addie was good for him in some ways but in others…

Pride waited a reasonable amount of time, gauging her happy expression. "So when are ya gonna tell 'em?" he asked watching the down right, giddiness, slide off of her face, a mixture of guilt and shame taking its place.

"So it's true, you're leavin New Orleans? Being transferred because of your part in the incident with MA Brown?"

How did Pride know? Not that it mattered. But she hadn't told anyone.

Casually, she looked back over her shoulder at Chris relieved he was still engaged in whatever conversation he had going on with his old buddy from Vice.

She couldn't help but feel like the senior agent was about to out her on a big secret, which really wasn't a secret at all. She had been enjoying Chris so much, that the timing didn't seem right. She wanted what they had to last as long as possible before her obligation to her country uprooted her and sent them both into emotional upheaval. When she had first learned of her impromptu transfer, she thought she might resign her commission and try to settle down in NOLA.

But she knew LaSalle. He would fight her on that, not wanting to end up as the person who forced her to leave her career. He could no more ask her, or she of him.

So, she had decided to keep reality pushed back into the furthest part of her mind, pretending it was never going to occur.

Pride looked at her down cast, expression and averted his eyes. "LaSalle's been through a lot, Cade, then losing Savannah…"

A hard lump formed in her throat, forcing her silence. If she spoke, she'd fall apart; alerting Chris and then all hell would break loose. She wasn't quite ready for that.

Somber, she could only nod as the father figure to the man that she loved gave her a pleading glance. Ok, so it was more of an ultimatum type of glance, one that she understood nonetheless.

Walking over to Vince's table, she melted herself into Chris, sliding into his side so that his arm naturally draped over her shoulder. Without missing a beat to his conversation, he kissed her softly, taking the fresh beer from her hand.

Addie hated to think of herself as selfish or possessive (which she was usually neither) as she chanced a glance to look back at Pride. His stare was boring holes right into her back, Chris' too. Only he didn't know it and why should he she thought as she took her free hand and cupped the side of his face.

"Kiss me, now," she said, huskily making the agent's vice buddy turn three shades of red before looking at his wife who was seated in the booth.

Chris looked at her a bit taken back. He couldn't decide between the gesture being down right rude, or if it was as sexy hell. Normally, he wasn't much for public displays of affection, but there was just something that was so damn captivating about it, that he couldn't resist.

"Hold this, the lady wants a kiss," he passed his beer to Vince, securing his hands at Addie's waist, her hand moving to grip the back of his neck. He'd only intended to give her another tender peck with a hint of tongue, but clearly the LT Commander had other plans, locking him into a hot, tongue tickling his tonsils, take me home now because I'm getting a hard on and people are starting to cheer, kiss.

The hollering of the crowd should have been a warning sign, but Addie hardly noticed. She was too busy trying to make her point to the senior agent across the room as the kissed died to slow affectionate pecks. Taking a chance, she shot another glance at the bar where Pride had been standing.

He was gone.

"Take me home." She told Chris, over the din of the music as Pride started to pound at the keys of his piano.

"But King's, just startin' his set." The 33 year old was beyond baffled at her sudden change in behavior. He'd always known Addie to be quite fun loving when it came to a party, especially one that had good music.

"Please, Chris, I really need to get out here." This time her voice cracked, making his face contort.

He kept his hand at the small of her back, as he steered her through the crowd and out the exit. The truck was parked down the street, about half a block. As they walked Chris watched as she held her stomach, looking like she might be sick.

"Are ya ok?" he asked gently, only to have her increase the distance she was trying to put between them.

"Addie?"

"My stomach hurts, I drank too much." She clipped over her shoulder when she reached her side of the truck. She couldn't tell him that his best friend had essentially burst the romantic comedy bubble that she'd been living in these last couple of months. Not that it was Pride's fault. She was solely responsible for her own undoing and ultimately Chris'.

But they still had several more months before her transfer was official. So why ruin things now?

Chris reached for her arm, whirling her back into him. "Ya hardly drank anything at all." He said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Desperate, she clung to him, seeking comfort from the heat of his body, pressed tight against hers.

"I love you, Chris," she whispered into his the crook of her neck. God help her, she'd fallen so hard for him and didn't ever want to stop.

A/N: So, how will our Bama Boy handle the news that his new lady love is potentially leaving? How hard will Addie try to hold onto him after her confession of those three little words? Will he say them back?