Title: Divided Paths Entwined
Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: Kate Todd/Ziva David
Spoilers: Right through the first and second seasons to Silver Wars in season three, just to be safe.
Rating: M
Disclaimer: Not mine, they belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, and blah, blah, blah.
Author's Note: This is my first fic, so lotsa feedback will be most appreciated! And thanks on the feedback already received! Luckily, these last few chapters I've been writing in my notebook as I go, so I'm taking the opportunity to throw them all up on screen. Enjoy! Also, this story contains femme-slash (probably not 'til further chapters though), so if you don't like it, don't read it!

"Agent Todd. Could I have a word with you?"

Pausing still as a statue, Kate silently wished that she hadn't left her gun in the glove compartment of the car. At least the voice belongs to a female, Kate thought, I could take a female if the need be. Turning around, she noticed that the foreign voice belongs to the young, dark haired woman from the bar. Getting more unnerved at the idea that this woman had probably been following her, Kate tried to keep her voice calm and smoothly cool.

"Who are you? And how do you know my name?"

Ziva took a few more tentative but purposeful steps towards the Secret Service agent, and in spite of her previous plans of making a cover story to give to the American, Ziva decided for this to work, she'd have to be on a complete equal basis with Caitlin Todd.

"My name is Ziva David. I'm an officer for Mossad."

Israeli, that's what her accent was, thought Kate. Kate racked her brain of why a Mossad agent would be seeking her out and she only came up with two conclusions: Inter-agency contact or she was here to whack her. Hoping it wasn't the latter, Kate held her ground.

"What can I do for the Mossad, Officer David?"

"It is not what you can do for the Mossad, Agent Todd, but what I can do for you. Is there somewhere private we can talk? It's in regards to your current case I believe."

The Israeli's answer made Caitlin Todd think. What I can do for you. She mustn't be working under orders, sounds like she's working on her own motive, Kate thought. She stood there contemplating the woman in front of her, and whether trusting her was a good idea. How did she know my name? And the case I'm working, that's top secret classified information! Kate couldn't tell whether it was her unconscious filling in the blanks or not by knowing that the dark woman was Mossad, but Kate thought the officer in front of her had this delicate but deadly air about her.

Ziva had to resist the urge to fidget. Agent Todd's almost blank gaze at her started to chisel at her calm exterior and was making Ziva doubt her confidence in her plan.

Kate was just about to tell the Mossad officer that if she wants to talk to do so via the proper protocols when her boss's voice pops back into her head. You have a week to get this case wrapped up, or I'll have no other choice but to hand this over to a more senior profiler than you. The case is already in the toilet, what can it hurt?

"Alright, we'll talk. Back at my place, get in." Kate motioned to her car. Ziva made a move towards the car before thinking better of it.

"Actually I've got a car of my own. A rental, dark blue sedan. I'll follow you there." With a nod, Kate Todd got into her car and watched this Ziva David promptly walk over to, sure enough, a blue sedan rental on the other side of the car park. Waiting for the other woman to turn the engine and the lights on, Kate carefully drove out of the car park en route home, watching the Israeli tail her through the rear-view mirror. So much for curling up in bed early tonight. Pulling up in her driveway, Kate got out of the car, making sure she took her gun out of the glove box and hiding it in her purse. Ziva parked on the street and promptly got out and headed towards Kate. Not waiting for the Israeli woman, Kate made her way to the door, unlocked it, and headed inside with Ziva not far behind. Kate placed her purse on the kitchen counter, making sure she kept it in arms' reach, just in case. Considering this was her house, Kate decided she should at least be polite and treat this stranger as a welcomed guest, in a roundabout way at least.

"Could I get you something to drink?"

"That would not be necessary." Ziva responded.

"What? A drink?"

"No, sorry, I was referring to the pistol in your bag. I have no intention to hurt you, Agent Todd." Ziva was only trying to put the American woman at ease, but judging the widening eyes in front of her, Ziva realised that her reassurance didn't prove to be particularly reassuring. "Sorry, I don't mean to alarm you or anything, I'd be thinking the same if I was in your feet. I just noticed you grab your gun when you were getting out of your car. Look..." Ziva un-holstered the weapon at her side that was covered by her jacket, placing it on the counter before bending down and rolling up her left trouser leg, exposing another pistol before taking that one off too and placing it next to her first weapon. With only a moment's hesitation, Ziva also took out the knife she conceals at her waist; she usually always kept it as backup, but she thought that she's be clean-skinned for this circumstance.

Kate watched in stunned amazement at the Israeli de-armed herself. She was right, this woman in front of her does hold a deadly but graceful air about her, her movements fast, skilled and brimming with confidence. When the foreign woman straighten up, all weapons laid out on the kitchen bench top, Kate slowly moved to her purse and pulled out her concealed gun, laying it next to the rest of the assortment of weapons. Looking up at the Mossad officer again, they held each other's gaze for another minute, almost unsure of what is to happen next.

"Shoes."

"Pardon?"

"It's shoes, not feet." Kate clarified. "If I were in your shoes."

"Oh," the Israeli slightly blushed, "I'm sorry, I'm not up to space on certain English idioms yet."

Kate smiled gently, deciding to let that one slide. "Well, back to my original question, would you like something to drink? I think I might help myself to some wine if you don't mind."

For the first time that evening, Ziva relaxed. "Yes, wine would be lovely."

Kate grabbed a couple of glasses from the cabinet above the kettle before heading into the lounge room where the wine rack was. Placing the two glasses down on the coffee table as Ziva took a seat on the two seater couch, Kate then picked a Tempranillo from her rich selection; she couldn't handle a heavier wine without a meal to accompany it. Pouring both glasses, Kate took a seat next to the Israeli on the one seater. Both women sat back, glasses in hand, sipping at the wine before breaking the silence again.

"I have to apologise for intruding on your evening Agent Todd." Ziva began.

"Kate, call me Kate. Agent Todd's too formal for this time of night for me. And you're not intruding, I didn't have anything planned." Other curling up in bed and feeling sorry for myself, Kate silently added.

"Well then, please call me Ziva. Kate, firstly you have to know is that I'm here without the knowledge of Mossad. The Director did not think the information I have imperative enough to alert your agency, but I disagree."

Kate took a swallow of her drink, allowing the wine to slide down her throat, warming her muscles and relaxing her posture. But despite her relaxing appearance, she remained switched on, paying careful attention to the Mossad officer.

"I thought that might've been the case, you working under the radar."

"How'd you figure that?"

"Just how you said in the parking lot that Mossad didn't require my service, but I required yours."

The sides of Ziva's mouth curved up slightly. The woman she was dealing with was sharp, and clever. Of course she'd have to be in her job, but it's good to see that Caitlin Todd wasn't one of those people who's heads shut off the moment they're out the work door. Ziva took a moment to study the woman opposite her. Even with her relaxed posture, Kate's warm brown eyes were alert and focused. Don't know how focused they'll be soon at the rate she's downing the wine, Ziva thought as she saw that Kate was already close to finishing her first glass. Must've been a rough day at work, Ziva surmised. Not to be outdone, Ziva took a decent sized swallow of her drink before continuing.

"The man who you are after is Kasim Lipschitz. He's a half Muslim, half Jewish American citizen. His mother was an Afghan immigrant from when the Soviets invaded; his father's family migrated to America during the Second World War. Apparently, his father was a mean drunk and beat his mother regularly when Kasim was a child. When Kasim was older and living at college, his father murdered his mother by strangling her when drunk. With his mother died any slight affection Kasim may have had for America and it's culture. Apparently he blames the American culture and it's use of alcohol for his mother's death."

Kate remained quiet as Ziva spoke, looking at her now empty glass. As Ziva finished speaking she finished off her own glass, and Kate moved to refill both their glasses, choosing to ignore the irony of them discussing an anti-alcohol terrorist whilst they were well into polishing off a bottle of red.

"It fits." Kate stated as she took another sip. At Ziva's inquisitive look she continued. "It fits the profile. It completes it, actually. It had been bothering me. I noticed the anti-Semantic undertones in the terrorist's letter, and the distain for American culture rather than American politics. His integrated, Jewish father drunkenly murdered his Muslim mother. It fits." Ziva nodded her agreement whilst taking another thoughtful drink of her wine. "How'd you come across this information, Ziva?"

"My brother is also Mossad. He met this Kasim Lipschitz on his last assignment here in the States. What he told me of this man did not sit right with me, and after I did some further digging and got tipped off about the threat by a contact of mine, it seemed to add up."

After further conversation about Kasim Lipschitz and his threat, Kate noticed they'd finished the bottle of red off. She got up and found another Tempranillo on the rack. Pouring herself and Ziva another glass, she disappeared with the empty bottle into her kitchen to put into her recycling. Whilst Kate was wandering around, Ziva could feel the wine starting to have its affects on her, but she didn't really care. She did what she came to the States to do, now the rest was up to Kate. Taking the time to observe her present company, Ziva studied Caitlin Todd with appreciation. She liked the contrast of Kate's pale skin to her dark, straight hair, and her bright brown, doe-like eyes. And the light freckles across her face that were only seen if you actually looked for them, complimented with a pair of rosy lips that showed off perfect teeth in a quick and sweet smile. Plus a very toned and lithe body to finish the package off. It didn't take Ziva's ninja powers to deduce that Kate was gorgeous. Ziva tried hard to make her leering subtle, but considering the amount she'd had to drink, wasn't confident how good a job she was doing of it. She only hoped that Kate was feeling the affects of the wine enough to not notice.