Disclaimer: NCIS does not belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended.

The Lives We Touch

After a few days, Anna all but forgets about the woman who had managed to bring up so many memories. Hardly surprising, really, that she doesn't see her again. Even if she's a regular, stopping for coffee on the way to work, Anna's shift would be over before she came in.

Her parents worry about her, she knows, taking the bus to work at 3:30 in the morning. They can't understand why a coffee shop would need to be open that early in the first place. That always makes her laugh. It reminds her of the tourists from New Hampshire, who come to see the capital and are appalled at the thought that people actually pay four dollars for a cup of coffee.

It's hard to explain to her Montana-raised parents that in DC, there is always someone awake and in need of caffeine. Besides, as she always tells them, even rapists and serial killers aren't crazy enough to be awake this early.

She doesn't actually mind working the early shift. Apart from having to be awake before dawn, it isn't all that bad. In a city like DC, it's the only time of day when business is even close to slow. So though the coffee shop is hardly ever actually empty, it's at least not quite as crazy as it is later in the morning.

Besides, it pays well, and since Anna seems to be stuck in a waiting-for-real-life-to-start phase, the money comes in handy. Because tuition isn't cheap, and living in DC definitely isn't.

Anna's shift has just started on Tuesday morning, when the woman – Kate – comes in once more, setting the bells tinkling. She comes up to the counter and leans against it, looking up at Anna through bleary eyes.

"Medium coffee with – "

"Milk and sweetener," Anna finishes.

Kate raises her eyebrows. "Impressive."

With a shrug, Anna explains, a little self-consciously, "It gives me something to do – remembering orders. Sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me awake."

Kate smiles. "I know the feeling." Anna wants to ask what she's doing so early in the morning, but decides it's none of her business. But then the other woman lets out a groan. "You'd think cases could wait until morning."

"You're a cop?" Anna figures that would explain the sense of purpose this woman seems to have.

"Not exactly. I work at NCIS. It stands for Naval – "

"Naval Criminal Investigative Services," Anna interrupts, before remembering that her New Year's resolution had been to stop finishing other people's sentences. Because, as her little brother Kyle was always telling her, nobody likes a know-it-all.

But Kate just smiles. "I'm impressed. Not many people have heard of us."

"I'm working on a degree in criminology," Anna explains. Mostly, though she doesn't say this, because she decided to go to grad school in order to give herself another two years to figure out what she's going to do with herself. "My professor mentions you guys sometimes." She snaps the lid on the coffee cup and hands it over. "Good luck with the case."

The cell phone attached to her belt starts to vibrate, and Kate snaps it open. Mouthing a thank-you, she lifts her hand in a slight wave, and heads out the door.

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February twenty-second. Of all three hundred sixty-five days of the year to choose from, Anna hates this one most.

Actually, if she thinks about it, the twenty-first is probably the one she should hate. That was when it had actually happened, after all. But for her, the twenty-second will always be the day that her world was suddenly and irreversibly shattered. Because that had been the day Katie's CO had called. The day they'd heard about the car bomb at the checkpoint where her sister had been stationed. The day Anna, at sixteen years old, had first learned that her sister would not be coming home.

So though it had happened the previous night, Anna had still had eight more hours of blissful ignorance. Though Katie had already been dead, she hadn't yet had to face the horrible reality. It hadn't touched her life. Not yet. Not until the twenty-second.

Every year, on this day, she calls her parents. They talk about meaningless, everyday things, trying to avoid the subject on everyone's minds. Inevitably, though, Katie's name comes up, and the conversation turns to their memories of her. By the time Anna hangs up every year, no one has managed to stay dry-eyed.

Today, though, Anna is up long before she will be able to call her parents. Even if they'd lived on the east coat, it would be too early to call. And factoring in the time difference, it's still the middle of the night in Montana.

So Anna gets dressed and takes the bus to work as usual, burying her face in a magazine and pretending to have a cold in order to excuse the wad of tissues in her hand. By the time she gets there, her face is tear-streaked. She avoids the bus driver's concerned gaze as she steps out.

Taking a moment to gather herself, she heads for the ladies' room before starting her shift. Once she has washed her face and touched up her makeup, Anna studies herself critically in the bathroom mirror. She looks like crap, but maybe at least she can pass it off as allergies, or something. In any case, she decides, this is probably as good as it's going to get.

She probably shouldn't have come in today. She could have called in sick, or something. No one would have noticed. But the thought of sitting in her empty apartment all morning, watching Titanic and sobbing her eyes out, had just been too pathetic. Not to mentioned clichéd. So she'd convinced herself that she'd be better off keeping busy, and headed to work as usual.

Now, though, she is beginning to regret that decision. She feels a surge of gratitude every time a customer comes in. Anything to keep her mind busy. But she's already messed up two drink orders and dropped a scone on the floor. And something tells her that her day is not going to get any better.

When the door opens again, Anna looks up to see the NCIS agent with her sister's name. With shaky fingers, she writes her name on the cup, and starts to pour the coffee before the woman can ask. She doesn't think she can bear to hear her sister's standard order. Not today.

Her hand trembles as she finishes pouring in the sweetener and passes Kate the drink, only to snatch it back, realizing that she forgot to put a lid on it. After snapping it on with a murmured apology, she again extends the drink.

Before Kate can take it, though, Anna knocks it over, spilling it all over the counter. "Shit!" she groans, wincing and closing her eyes briefly. Glancing up to make sure that she's at least managed to avoid splashing it all over the woman's white blouse, she says desperately, "I'm so sorry. Give me just a minute, and I'll get you a new one."

"Hey," Kate says, and her smile is kind. "No problem. It happens to everyone."

Anna just shakes her head. Definitely, she should have stayed home today. She quickly makes a second drink, remembering the lid this time, and sets it on the counter instead of trying to hand it to her. Grabbing a rag, she wipes furiously at the puddle of coffee spreading across the counter, and practically has to hold her breath in order to suppress the sob that is threatening to escape.

After a moment, she realizes that the older woman still hasn't left. "Are you OK?" she asks, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, sure," she says, though it sounds unconvincing, even to her. "Fine."

Evidently, Kate thinks it's the coffee spill that has her so upset. "Seriously, don't worry about it. You think that's bad? When I was new at NCIS, I once knocked my boss's coffee cup over onto his desk. And trust me, if there's anyone you don't want to see caffeine-deprived, it's Gibbs."

Anna smiles a little. Even though that's not actually what's bothering her, it's really nice of this woman to care whether some girl who works at a coffee shop beats herself up all day for screwing up. "Thanks," she says sincerely. "Have a nice day."

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About a week later, Kate shows up again. This time, she's the one who looks like she's been having a rough day. Or maybe more like a rough few days, judging by the way her clothes are wrinkled. Anna wonders if she slept at the office.

"Still milk and sweetener?" she confirms, smiling sympathetically. Kate nods.

Anna hands over her cup. "Tough day?" she asks, feeling like she owes her that much.

Kate groans. "More like a tough few days." Anna has to hide a smile at the way the woman's words echo her own thoughts.

"Trouble at work?" she asks, mostly because she thinks the agent looks like she wants to talk.

"One of my coworkers – he's a friend. You know, the kind that bugs the hell out of you, until they're gone? – anyway, he's been really sick."

Anna winces. "I'm sorry," she offers lamely, wishing she had something better to say. "Is he…" she trails off, realizing that that might not be the best question to ask.

But Kate smiles. "Oh, he's going to be fine. Back at work in a week or two, and just as annoying as ever. It was just…it was pretty scary."

Anna nods. She knows the feeling. "The booth in the back is pretty comfortable," she offers, mostly because it's all she can think of to say.

To her surprise, Kate laughs a little. She gives it a considering look. "Now that sounds like a good idea. Wake me up if I fall asleep?"

"Sure."

It's not until a few hours later, when Anna is wiping down tables at the end of her shift, that she notices a delicate silver bracelet sitting on the edge of the booth.

To be continued...