AN1: I didn't expect to really care about reviews, especially since I write because I feel like it and not with any particular plan or purpose. But it turns out they really do create that warm and fuzzy feeling. So thank you.

AN2: Still don't own it. Still not beta'd. And just to make things better, I wrote this while intoxicated myself. Which means it might be edited once I sober up, so check back. If I change it, I'll change the author's note too so you know. Intoxication is also the only reason there is an update right now.

199?

For the first time, when Kate arrived at the bar, she found that Jenny was nowhere to be seen. She'd been hoping to see the red-head and vent about her co-workers who, after blaming her for everything that went wrong in their case, saw it fit to take credit for the work she had done to solve it. Kate sat down on a stool at the end of the bar, ordered her martini, and waited.

A few minutes later, Jenny walked up to the bar and plopped down on the stool next to Kate. It looked like she came straight from work- she still had her service weapon on her belt and was wearing a full suit, something Kate had never seen on her; Jenny had always been dressed down at the bar. Jenny also looked a little worse for the wear.

"He head-slapped me today," Jenny said without preamble. She turned down the bar and yelled to the bartender, "A bourbon, please." Jenny took her drink, knocked it back, and ordered another, "Make this one a double, barkeep." The bartender rolled his eyes at her.

Kate was about to ask who 'he' was when she remember that she was talking to Jenny. "Head-slapped?"

"Yeah. He does this thing where he whacks you upside the back of the head. A wake up call, he says it is. Wake up call, my ass." Jenny rubbed the back of her head unconsciously.

"And he head-slapped you? Is this a normal thing?" Kate looked scandalized. If she remembered correctly, the Department of Defense was very clear that any physical contact between co-workers must be strictly professional or they'd run the risk of sexual harassment claims.

"No! That's reserved for the guys on the team. Me he just glares at." Jenny said harshly. Then her voice faded and she got a dreamy look on her face, "with those intense blue eyes..."

Kate coughed loudly. "Um. Jenny. You were talking about receiving a head-slap from your boss, not how hot you think he is. I'd think they're mutually exclusive concepts, but I'd never put anything past you at this point."

Jenny jerked back reality and had the sense to look a bit embarrassed. She took a large gulp from her glass without even flinching at the burn.

"So what earned you this head-slap?"

"I was bored, so I put milk and sweetener in his coffee."

"What's so bad about that?" Kate sipped her martini.

"Oh, that was just the start of it. I convinced him that Decker, one of the guys on the team, had done it. He went through most of the day without coffee and blaming it on Decker. That was great; Decker's going to have a bruise til the next decade from the number of times he got whacked." Jenny smiled at the thought.

"I take the boss without coffee is not a good thing."

"Dear God no. Think Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

"So you must not like Decker that much."

"He needs to learn to keep his hands to himself."

"Don't they all." Both Kate and Jenny took a drink at that and sat in silence for a moment.

"Of course, according to Decker, I need to learn that as well." Jenny started speaking again. Kate gave Jenny a look and Jenny quickly tried to correct herself, "Away from the boss."

Kate smirked. "Are you getting 'hands-on' with the boss now?" Jenny kicked her.

"The boss's stuff," Jenny corrected again. And downed the remaining bourbon in her glass. "Apparently touching the boss' stuff makes him mad at the rest of the team regularly. I had no idea." Jenny said sarcastically. "When I'm bored, I move his stapler, change the background or screen saver on his computer, pick the locks on his drawers, little things."

"Have you found anything good? In his drawers?"

"Nope. Don't know why he keeps them locked." Jenny said nonchalantly as she leaned down the bar. "Another bourbon, please," she yelled to the bartender before turning back to Kate. "But it's great watching him after I've messed with his computer. He's not exactly technology literate to begin with so when something 'magically' changes... well, it's something to see. He gets so frustrated. His face gets all twisted and his eyes get blue-er."

"More blue."

Jenny looked confused. "What?"

"More blue. I don't think blue-er is a word." Kate smiled to herself. Interrupting Jenny could be a lot of fun.

"Whatever." Jenny downed another bourbon. "Don't you want to hear what I did today?"

"I don't know. It's more fun to hear about your boss' eyes."

"Kate..." Jenny gave Kate a warning glare and moved her hand towards her Sig Sauer.

"I'm sorry Jenny. It's just... does you're boss know what you think of him?" Kate was trying to suppress laughter.

"I don't think so. I mean, his divorce is pretty recent, I think, and I do try to hide it at work. On second thought, he keeps looking at me like..." Jenny faded off and let her head fall to the bar.

Jenny must be drunk, Kate thought, since she had just admitted to being attracted to her boss. Kate counted quickly and realized that Jenny had essentially had four bourbons where a few weeks ago she couldn't even swallow a sip.

Kate couldn't help laughing now. "Jenny, you are so screwed."

Understatement of the year, Jenny thought.

2004

When Kate realized that Gibbs never head-slapped her, she realized that whatever Jenny did that day must have been particularly spectacular to get Gibbs that riled up. She wished she hadn't interrupted Jenny so much; then she'd know what it was and be able to make sure she was never on the receiving end of one.