Joint Investigstions

Chapter 8: To Catch A Killer

"So there are a few things you should probably know about my brother." Tasha started as the two sat once again on Tim's living room couch.

Tim meet her gaze to show that she had his full attention and she continued. "Even though we've been denying it our entire lives, we're twins."

An amused look came over his face as he tried to picture her brother.

"In our case that just means we share a birthday." she said knowing exactly what he was thinking. "We're a backwards family, Mark took after mom, while I'm more like dad. Dad enlisted in the Air Force out of high school, but Mark had to be different. I think he got his letter from Annapolis two weeks after I got into the Air Force Academy."

"Wait so your brother is in the Navy?" Tim questioned, unable to hold back a grin.

"Don't tell him that." she said, rolling her eyes. "He commissioned into the Marine Corps. He's an explosive ordnance disposal officer."

"You guys seem to have a thing for exciting jobs." he commented, more to himself than Tasha, with a distant look in his eyes.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the feeling of Tasha's hand against the side of his face.

"You're wrong." she said gently, not moving her hand.

"About what?"

"You're thinking that because your job and interests are so much different that you won't get along with my brother." She said, hitting the nail right on the head.

"Or your father." he added.

"They'll think you're great." she promised "Just like I do."

He smiled at this and leaned over to press his lips to hers.

She smiled as they pulled apart. "My dad worked in logistics, and besides you're just meeting Mark tomorrow."

"I'm worrying too much aren't I?" he questioned, grinning sheepishly.

"Maybe a little." she answered as she ran her hand through his hair before patting him gently on the cheek. "But it's cute."

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Tasha heard Tim take a deep breath as they sat at their table waiting for Mark.

"He's not going to kill you I promise." she teased softly, placing a comforting hand on his knee.

He smiled at her, squeezing her hand between his two larger ones, before opening his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another voice.

"If you two are going to sit there and make eyes at each other the whole time I'm gonna be sick." said Tony's voice from their earpieces.

The two immediately jumped apart only to be teased again.

"It's about time you noticed I was here." joked a dirty blond with the same sea green eyes as Tasha.

"Like you could stand there very long without saying anything, Mark." Tasha joked back.

"You must be Tommy." Mark said with a grin, offering his hand.

"Actually it's Tim." the agent answered, shaking Mark's hand.

"He knew that." Tasha said giving her brother a warning look. "I'd watch what you say Mark, Tim here is with NCIS."

"Cool, now I know who to call next time I get in trouble." Mark smirked.

Tasha rolled her eyes.

Their waitress chose then to appear and the teasing ceased for the time being.

Tasha silently admired they way Mark and Tim were getting along.

Her thoughts were then interrupted by Tony's voice in her earpiece. After some of the comments he had made through their lunch she was tempted to ignore him but the phrase "Bogie approaching the table." caught her attention.

Her head snapped up and she meet the eyes of a dark haired man in a brown t-shirt tucked into a pair of BDU pants.

"Air Force Lieutenant Natasha Kelly?" he inquired.

"Yes?" she asked, her hand grasping the handgun hidden under her jacket.

Like lightning he drew a pistol from the deep pocket of his pants.

"Get down!" Tim shouted as he and Mark quickly grasped the situation; with out event thinking about it he put himself between Tasha and the gunman.

Then as quickly as he had appeared, the man turned and bolted towards the front door, narrowly dodging Gibbs who tried to grab him but had to dodge a chair that the man threw at him on his way out the door.

Tim jumped up to follow Gibbs and Ziva out the door, and Tasha headed in that direction.

"Let us take this direction, you go cover the back." Tony ordered before cutting their communication line.

"Got it." she muttered as she sprinted through the cafe full of confused and scared diners and through the back door.

As she reached the ally behind the building her search for the gunman was interrupted be a sharp blow to the head that sent her to her knees.

"I was hoping you'd be the one to come through this door."

~ Here's an update! Sorry it took so long, I've been busy job hunting...anyway please review, they inspire me to write! ~