"Alright, sit." Celine said, patting the leather sofa she was seated on.

"Spill!"

"I think I'm falling for a guy named..."

"Celine! Christi! I have big news for you." Alexx was jogging over to where the girls were gossiping. "Our dead marine, remember I told you that it looked like he had BFT to the head; I confirmed it. He not only had BFT but he was shot before. The killer must have shot him, dug into his skull, collected the bullet then hit him in the wound with the gun."

"The how can you tell that he was shot?" Christi asked Alexx. Celine realised how and answered for Alexx.

"Because Alexx found GSR, and I'm willing to guess that Alexx found a fragment of the bullet since it would have shattered somewhat after hitting the skull."

"That's right baby, you are one bright girl!" Alexx said to Celine. Celine just smiled. "So, you all are coming to the party tonight, right?"

"You bet!" The girls said.

"Well you two better get to work then!" Alexx said then left.

"She's right, we'll talk later. I'm going to go collect the evidence from the body. You go do your NCIS stuff." Celine said leaving the room and giggling.

Christi just sat there. She figured she would get a call from Tony eventually and she could tell him what Alexx found in the body.
Celine, on the other hand, had analysed the fragment from the bullet and it was running through the special database for bullets. After a half hour, the computer beeped. Celine put down her pen and put away her reports, then clicked the link her computer gave her. As the link opened and the information and statistics on Connor O'Reiley popped up, Celine felt a body an inch behind her. She had one hand on her gun and the other balancing her. She turned around and her face was inches away from Eric's.

"Don't shoot. I come in peace!" Eric said.

"Eric, don't scare me like that. You could have had numerous wholes in your head by now!"

MEANWHILE (CHRISTI)

Meanwhile Christi is doing her NCIS stuff. Making calls back and forth to Dc to her dad and McGee and Ziva and Abby. So far she was coming up empty handed and she was getting pissed. She thumped her head down hard on the table in front of her. She got a feeling that someone was watching her so she lifted her head and grabbed her gun and turned around and held her gun up.

"Geez Christi! Put it away!" DiNozzo said holding up his hands.

"God damn it DiNozzo don't do that! You would have had a bullet in that thick skull of yours by now!" Christi said.

She put her gun away and calmed down.

Tony just laughed at that and she got u and slapped him on the back of the head hard.

"Ow! Okay I deserved that." Tony said.

"What do you need Tony?"

"Just to come and see if you got anything. I already know that out Marine was shot before the BFT was caused."

"No why do think I was thumping my head on the desk? For my health?"

"No. Sorry. I actually came here to do this." He said grabbing around the waist and pulled her up and kissed her fully on the lips.

It caught her by surprise for a moment but then she relaxed and kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer to him.

"Where did that come from?" She asked.

"Someone made me realise that, Love, is no game. You win or you lose, not second chances."

"Who made you realise that?"

"I'm not at liberty to say." He winked and they kissed yet again.

BALLISTICS LAP (CELINE&ERIC)

"Well I got a hit. Connor O'Reiley, age 32, white male, 5'11. Arrested for –" Celine was interrupted by Horatio.

"Assault and Death Threats on a Marine Officer."

"How did you know?" Eric asked.

"He came to my office about an hour ago and confessed to killing our Petty Officer. Something was wrong so I sent him to Special Agent Jethro Gibbs in D.C. He is going to look into this guy, see what he can find out. Till then, both special agents will stay till he wants them back."

"So, we wait?" Celine asked a bit disappointed since now she wouldn't have work till some Agent in D.C. tells her otherwise.

"You are off till then."

"Got it! Thanks H." Eric said.

"Horatio? Are you coming to Ryan's party tonight?" Celine asked.

"I might. Don't expect me though. Do everything as if I wasn't going. I don't want to get anyone's hopes up."

"Alright. Well, See you later, I guess." Horatio waved and disappeared.

"And then there were two." Eric commented.

"There always is." She got up on her tippy toes and gave him a peck on the cheek. She came back down, feet flat and smiled. She looked away then left.
Eric was baffled from what had just happened. It was a real bolt from the blue. Eric liked it, even if he didn't completely understand what she meant. It was mysterious; he liked that in a girl, to be more specific, in that girl.

Celine was on her way to find Christi. The first place she thought of looking for he was the break room, where Celine left her. She peaked into the empty room. No girl sitting on the couch, drinking coffee. She tried one more place: The beach a 5 minute walk away from the lab. Christi always liked the beach, it was a place to think, to spend useless time and do whatever. She walked the five minutes and ended up at the beach but didn't see Christi. She saw couples, from 16 years old to 60 walking, tanning or packing up for home. That's when Celine realized that she had about two hours to get a gift for Ryan, get ready for party and clubbing afterwards, and she has to find Christi.

Celine started by walking back to her car. Once on the road, as police officer she should know better, she took out her cell and text Christi. She always answers, Celine thought.

CHRISTI, WHERE R U?! – ANYWAYS, CALL ME BACK SOON. GOT PARTY INFO
LOVE,
CELINE3

Celine slid her phone shut and continued her journey to the mall. It's the haven of gifts, shopping and girly days. She went through stores, stores and more stores. She was starting to give up when a big red sign that read 'MENS GIFTS 20 OFF'. Celine rushed in and talked to a sales clerk.

"You think he'll like it?" Celine asked the man assisting her.

"Well, you don't know much about him, he's your co-worker and its his 30th birthday... Yeah, he sounds like the type of guy who would like this."

"Alright then, I'll take it." Celine handed him the present and smiled. He scanned it and placed it in a nice red box. He then wrapped a gold and silver ribbon around it.

"Voila! Enjoy the party and I'm positive he'll love your gift."

"Thanks. I owe you."

"How about dinner?"

"Can we make it coffee?"

"Are you seeing someone?"

"It's complicated. I'm sorry."

"Coffee sounds fine. As friends. You owe me remember!"

"That sounds great." She gave him a wild smile and left, box in hand.

She was walking to her car, through the mall's parking lot, when she got a text message from Christi.

HEY CELINE, SORRY I WAS A LITTLE BUSY. I'LL CALL YOU IN ABOUT 5 MIN FOR THE PARTY INFO.
TTYL,
CHRISTI –XOXO

Celine was stopped a couple blocks from her house when her phone started singing Nowhere With You by Joel Plaskett. That was Ryan's ringtone. He got it when one night, Celine had to work late because of a case she just couldn't solve. Ryan decided to stay and help her out and while working, he turned the radio on and that song started playing. They had so much fun singing to it, Celine just had to put it as his personal ringtone. They had become great friends over the years and always did stuff together but Celine thinks that Ryan was starting to like her more then normally. He was more clingy and had this look in his eyes that made her stomach flip. He seemed to be attracted to her. But he wasn't sure she was attracted to him in that way.

"Hey Ryan, Happy Birthday babe!"

"Thanks. Well, I have nothing planned tonight. What a birthday eh! I was thinking, maybe we could go see a movie or something."

"Well I need to finish up some work, but we could go do something later. Maybe some clubbing. Hot girls, birthday boy. For some reason, it just sounds perfect together." Celine teased. Ryan just laughed.

"I'll see you at the lab, 7:00?" Ryan said in a husky voice, Celine knew he was joking though. Celine agreed and hung up.

She was finally home and called Alexx. She told Alexx 7:00. Alexx was to call everyone and tell them to be there at quarter to 7 for the big surprise.
Celine was about to get in the shower when her cell rang the song Just Dance by Lady GaGa.

"Sorry, I got caught up in... stuff."

"Well, the party is soon, you have to at the lab before 7 alright. Let Tony know."

"Alright. I will," Christi, on the other end of the phone, was smiling at DiNozzo, who was eating an apple on the balcony in his boxers. "So, who was the guy your falling for? Are you going to tell me or what?!"

"Later, alright? I'll see you soon." Celine slid her phone shut and jumped in the shower. She did the full routine: legs, hair, and body gel.

Once out, she blow dried her hair, curled it and did a half up and half down look. Celine was debating a dress or an outfit. And decided on a striped navy and blue t-shirt with slightly puffy sleeves, tight around the bust, then puffy down the tummy and then tight again on her hips. She added a white denim skirt that covered her but and 4 or 5 inches under it, her hips were a little exposed. She added animal print pumps. Gold accessories and a animal print purse.
She grabbed her keys, a tan trench coat and locked the door behind her.

SANDY SHORES HOTEL (CHRISTI&TONY)

"I just got the info for Ryan's party. We have to be there before 7." Christi said.

"We don't even know this Ryan guy."

"Everyone likes him, I'm sure we'll like him. I'm taking a shower, you can use it after."

"How about together?"

"Keep dreaming." With that, Christi got in. Coming out, she had only a towel wrapped around her and was starting to blow dry her hair when DiNozzo's chest skimmed her back to get to the shower, it sent chills down her to her feet then up to her head. But she ignored it and continued with her hair. She straightened her and got dressed. She decided to wear a white turtle-neck, sleeveless, white dress that ended just several inches below her derriere. She added white sandal heels to show off her sun kissed tan. She added fuchsia accessories and a gold handbag. She sat on the bed and waited for Tony to get dressed. He picked tanned slacks; white button down shirt with the 4 buttons undone then added a maroon blazer. They got into their rent-a-car and drove to the lab. They got there the same time Celine did and they walked in together. They met everyone else in the break room. Celine scooted over to Eric and started talking. He was wearing white slacks, orange-yellow cotton long sleeve shirt and white leather jacket.

"Hey DeGarmo. A little short," Eric eyed the skirt. "don't you think?"

"Worried guys might-" Celine was cut off by Alexx.

"Alright, we've got 10 minutes. Knowing Ryan, he'll be here just on time because of his OCD. Here's the plan: Celine you go meet him in the locker room. Talk and do whatever. Then casually draw him to the break room and SURPRISE! We'll do drinks, cake, ect. He'll open his gifts then, whoever would like to go clubbing with Ryan leaves." Everyone nodded and agreed. "Celine, do your stuff."

"That won't be too hard." She waved and swayed her hips out the door. Eric's eyes never left them.