AN: This one is a bit longer and I may end up twisting it into a short series. I however would like to let the show itself progress a little further. Anybody seen the previews for 12/15's episode? Poor Nate! .... Oh and this would fall sometime after Episode 1 if your into dates and everything.

Dis: I do not own NCIS: LA, its characters, settings or anything else lucrative. Nor do I own Mandy Moore (who'd wanna?) or the song "Cry". As far as I am aware there is no relation between Mandy Moore and NCIS: LA (save both have works on my hard drive!). Again, I make no profit and no harm is intended by this.

It was a short conversation, no different than the normal banter that was exchanged between every member of the team; digs, bad jokes, sarcasm, and rhetorical questions. Yet Kensi couldn't shake the feeling that this one had a very different ending to it.

She walked into MTAC to see everyone chuckling at something Dom had said.

"It doesn't take any longer for a woman to get ready in the morning that it does a man. They just use that as an excuse." Nate stated in his usual 'I read it in a medical journal' fashion.

"You don't have sisters do you." Dom quipped.

If Kensi hadn't stepped up to stand in the space between the two men she never would have heard Nate's response.

"Director on in One." Eric called out which helped hide Nate's softly spoken "Had."

The Director took their report of the latest case they'd solved, congratulated them. Nate was out the door before the image of the director had even faded. Sam suggested that they all go out for lunch before Hetty could come up with something else for them to do. After all how often did a case wrap up before three on a Friday?

Kensi still couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she'd picked up from earlier but it seemed that no one else had noticed so she chose not to draw attention to it. Making an excuse to catch up with them later she headed on up to Nate's office as the others headed out the door.

She was a little surprised to find his office empty; there was no way he could have already left. A warm autumn breeze came in through a partially open window drawing her attention. Nate's office window opened out with a mildly sloping roof top space below. Looking out the window Kensi's breath hitched in her throat.

It wasn't so much a shock to see Nate sitting on the roof top, but the way he was sitting, forlorn and lost in thought. She quietly eased herself out of the window and almost thought of going back inside until she noticed it.

Tear drops.

On his cheeks; Nate was crying, as she stood still she could see the fine tremble in his shoulders.

"Nate?" She couldn't leave him, something was clearly hurting him. She didn't have to know what; she just had to know that he would be ok.

He startled, wiped a sleeve across his eyes with one hand, and slid something into his blazer pocket with another.

"Kensi, you didn't go with the others? Something I can do for you?"

She smiled weakly. Her mind running over how he was always there to help with everyone else's issues and she had never once considered who he turned to when something bothered him.

"No, I heard. In MTAC, I heard what Dominic didn't. What you answered."

"His was a rhetorical question, we were just talking about women taking too much time to get ready." He shrugged as Kensi took a seat next to him. She held her breath for a moment just watching the storm clouds move in.

"You've never mentioned having a sister before." She ventured, knowing he was likely to shut her down.

"No usually people come up here to do the talking not to have me talk to them." A sad smile graced his face never reaching his eyes. Kensi answered it by bumping his shoulder with hers but remained silent giving him a chance to talk.

"Kendra Elaine Devon Getz. I was five when she was born. You remind me of her sometimes. She was always a tomboy, lived to prove that girls could be just as tough as any guy, major alpha complex. Our parents never understood her. When she was a teenager they felt like they couldn't control her so they sent her to Military School. It wasn't long after that they disowned her because she dropped out of school. They won't talk about it and I haven't seen Kendra since. Her name is taboo in the family." His shoulders where trebling again as he swallowed and pulled a tattered photo out of his pocket and handed it to Kensi.

Nate had to be in his late teens early twenties his arms were draped around the neck of a young teenage girl in a playful hug.

"This was taken before I left for the school year; it was also the last time I saw her. I had promised to take her up the coast for Christmas. She loved watching the storms come into harbor".

He looked up at the sky. Kensi had never really been good at the comforting thing but right in that moment she wanted nothing more than to take his sorrow away. Nate had always been the strong silent type when it came to emotions. He could show compassion and caring for everyone else and their given situation. He took their verbal abuse and irritated dismissals without complaint or retaliation. None of them had ever thought about how a case maybe messing with his head or how things could sometimes be personal to him.

"Dom's comment isn't what triggered this is it?" she asked tentatively.

"No, like I said, I was five when Kendra was born. Today would have been her birthday. She was born three days before my birthday effectively ruining my sixth birthday party. It wasn't until she was around seven that we started to like each other. I guess you could say at that point I had developed a brother complex. I miss her Kenz."

Kensi didn't know what to say so she did the only thing she could think to do and pulled him into a hug. They stayed like that until the sky opened up. Back inside Nate placed the photo back into the top drawer of his desk. Kensi filed the location away for later; she would have to talk to Hetty on Monday.

"Let's get you something to eat." She grabbed his hand and led him towards the door. The way he kept hold of her hand as they descended the stairs made her heartbeat quicken.

Her view of Nate had changed. He didn't just seem more human to her, he seemed more man. A man who needed to be loved and comforted a man who needed a good friend. Kensi wasn't willing to admit it just quite yet but in the back of her mind she knew she wanted to be that good friend.

I wanted to hold you, I wanted to make it go away, I wanted to know you
I wanted to make your everything, all right. Cry ~ Mandy Moore

Really I could have quoted the whole song. I really like the idea of Nate having a little sister that is a lot like Kensi.