AN1: It's been a while, I know. The muse hit while the bloody construction workers were keeping me awake at 2 a.m. All mistakes are thus mine. And I still own nothing.

AN2: I apologize if the characters are a little off. I have not watched NCIS in ages, not even re-runs. Maybe I'll clean it up later.

199? or 200?

Kate was in Tel Aviv doing advance work on the president's upcoming visit. Having a few hours off, she wandered around the city, exploring the local sights and cultures. She came across a café that immediately drew her attention, though she was not sure why. The café was doing decent business. In the corner of her eye, she observed a petite woman with long, dark hair and olive skin. She looked no different from any other Israeli woman Kate had seen, but something about her, the way she oozed both beauty and danger, held Kate captive.

'Instinct,' Kate thought, 'always trust your gut.' Kate then kicked herself. She had obviously absorbed too much in her previous encounters with one Agent Jenny Shepard.

Kate cautiously approached the woman, who appeared not to have noticed the way Kate was scrutinizing her. All of a sudden, Kate felt herself being watched. She spun around, reaching for her service weapon concealed in the small of her back. As she steadied her grip to line up her potential target, she found herself staring directly at a laughing redheaded NCIS agent.

"Nice to see you again too, Agent Todd. It's been a while." Jenny shot Kate her best smirk.

"God, Jenny. Didn't your mother teach you never to sneak up on people, particularly ones you know are carrying a gun?"

"But what would be the fun in that? And would you put that thing away?" Jenny gestured to the Glock Kate still had cocked and pointed at her.

Jenny walked Kate over to the table where the raven-haired Israeli woman was sitting. "Agent Todd, this is Officer Ziva David, my new partner." Ziva and Kate introduced themselves and exchanged pleasantries as Jenny and Kate took seats at the table. "Mossad," Jenny mouthed to Kate.

After they had settled in and ordered drinks (tea for Jenny, not bourbon or black coffee, Kate noted), Kate leaned over and whispered to Jenny. "How's your last partner doing?"

"Oh, Jethro?" Ziva chimed in. "I think the director thought Jenny was destined to shoot him, so she has been assigned to a joint mission with Mossad to keep her away from NCIS for a while."

"That had nothing to do with it," Jenny argued defiantly. "Though now that you mention it..."

"What did you do that would make the director think that? You already burned your relationship with him." Kate paused. "Wait, you didn't burn his boat too?"

"Of course not."

"Well, whatever the reason, we are happy to have her here rather than sitting at home turning into a couch turnip."

Kate shot Jenny a questioning look. "Ziva, it's couch potato. English idioms are not your strong suit. And I would have turned into no such thing."

Jenny turned Kate, "And how do you know Jethro isn't still a sore spot?"

"The Secret Service isn't a spy agency, but I do have my sources and they tell me that you've been taking care of yourself well over the past few months. Plenty of company in passing. It seemed like you'd moved along just fine."

Jenny's eyes briefly expressed sadness. She quickly masked it, but not fast enough for Kate not to notice.

Kate was kind enough to move the conversation along and abruptly changed the subject. "So, Officer David, what do you do for the Mossad?"

"I could tell you, but then I would have to shoot you." Ziva turned to Jenny, "That is an expression you like to use, yes?"

Kate laughed. "But do not worry," Ziva continued. "I have no intention of shooting you. I knew who you were when you watching me earlier. Though, I perhaps am destined to shoot Jethro on Jenny's behalf."

2003

"No, I think I'm destined to shoot you," Kate shot back to Special Agent Gibbs. It echoed in her head, and she could not hold back a smile as she thought about the last time she had heard those words in the same context. An afternoon with Jenny Shepard and a Mossad officer was not one she would ever forget.

2005

As Ziva shot Ari, she thought briefly back to her afternoon in Tel Aviv with Jenny and Agent Todd and shivered about how close her statement about shooting Agent Gibbs had come. Ziva was grateful that her shot ultimately protected the man who held her former partner's heart. Once tensions died down, she knew she had to find out more about Agent Todd, with whom she was now inextricably linked.