Chapter 3

Sunday November 9th, 2008
Washington DC
10:18 a.m. E.S.T

/-/Not another Marine,/-/ she sighed as she stood in the doorway watching the gentleman for a moment. He looked to be about 6'2 in height with sandy blond hair trimmed in the typical Marine crew cut fashion. Judging by the reflection she could see in the mirror above the fireplace, his eyes looked to be brown in colour. This was the third Marine in as many days to cross her threshold. Why she chose Washington was beyond her, well no that wasn't true. She chose Washington because Washington was where it all started for her and Washington was where her business had been all these years. She couldn't just up and move it. She had a name here, a well-respected name at that and a very large and very powerful client base that would be quite upset if she were to suddenly up and move. She just wished the Marine Corp would pick a different city to hold their annual birthday ball in. "Good morning, General Leery," she greeted as she stepped fully into the room, closing the sliding doors behind her, getting the gentleman's attention causing him to turn to face her. "Welcome to Winterfell. My name is Aliana Frey. How may my girls and I be of assistance to you?" she asked as she walked over to the desk in the corner, indicating for the General to take a seat on the other side.

"I'm in need of a date," General Leery replied as he took in the appearance of the woman before him. She appeared to be about 5'10" or 5'11" in what looked to be 4" heels, which along with her skirt which ended halfway between her hip and her knee showed off her long legs quite nicely. Her black skirt was tight fighting with a split up the front side of one of her thighs. To go with the skirt she wore a black silk blouse that was low cut allowing her rather ample cleavage to show through the neckline. Around her neck hung a simple gold chain. Her green eyes really stood out in her fair complexion thanks to the darkness of her waist length ebony hair.

"But of course General, what else would bring you here to Winterfell," she smiled. "What kind of a date are you looking for?" Seeing the confused look cross the General's face Aliana decided to take pity on him. "Must she know how to dance? Love the theatre? The symphony?"

"I need a date for the Marine Corp Birthday Ball," the General said, looking rather uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"It's all right General, my girls and I don't bite and I had a feeling you were here because of the ball. We see a lot of Marines pass through these doors at this time year. Since it is a ball, the girl must know how to dance. Why don't you come with me General and I'll introduce you to a few of my girls who, I believe will more than meet your needs," Aliana said rising from her seat and indicating for the General to follow her from the room.

30 minutes later…

"So tell me General, did any of my girls catch your fancy?" Aliana asked as she led the General back into the salon she had first met him in.

"They did," General Leery replied.

"Excellent. Why don't we sit down and work out the arrangement and then you can let me know which girl you choose," she said as she turned on the computer that was situated at the desk. "Our standard agreement is for a five hour time frame from 8pm to 1am and you are charged a flat fee depending on the girl of your choosing. Additional hours can be arranged and will be charged on a per hour basis, the price again depending on the girl. There is also a strict no sexual contact clause in the agreement. For the duration of the agreed upon time, no contact of a sexual nature is to take place between you and the girl of your choosing. If you attempt to push the issue, the girl has the right to walk away and press charges if necessary. If contact of a sexual nature is desired then that is something for you and the girl of your choosing to discuss privately outside the bounds of our agreement. Winterfell has no knowledge of such activities and will not be held accountable. My girls are not prostitutes, General Leery."

"Understood," nodded General Leery.

"Good," Aliana said. "Now then, you have chosen the girl you wish to accompany you tomorrow night?"

"I have. I choose you Ms. Frey," General Leery said, never taking his eyes off Aliana hoping to read her reaction.

"I'm afraid General…"

"Todd."

Aliana merely raised an eyebrow when the General interrupted her to give her his first name. "I'm afraid, General Leery, that I am not an option."

"And why is that?" he asked curiously. He was intrigued by the mysterious woman seated before him and he wanted the chance to get to know her better.

"You could not afford me, General Leery," Aliana said, her voice betraying none of what she was truly feeling.

"I will pay you double your amount for the ball," the General said, sitting back in his seat. "Plus your normal amount for tonight, the night of the ball and the two nights following simply for the pleasure of your company, Ms. Frey."

"Why do I get the impression it's not my conversation your seeking, General," commented Aliana.

"And you would be right in that impression, Ms. Frey," General Leery said, rising from his seat and making his way around behind Aliana's chair, placing his hands on her shoulders and beginning to massage them as he leant forward enough so he could whisper in her ear. "You said yourself that contact of a sexual nature needed to be agreed upon outside of the written agreement, and I'm doing just that. "I'm Stateside for the first time in almost a year, Ms. Frey and I'll be returning to Iraq in a few days time. Is it so wrong of me to want to enjoy the pleasures of a beautiful woman? And as I said, I will make it well worth your while."

"You don't even know what my price is, General," Aliana said.

"Doesn't matter," he countered.

"It might," Aliana tried. "Especially as I expect payment up front General."

"Alright, what's it going to cost me to have you join me for the short time in which I'm Stateside?" the General asked as he stepped around Aliana's chair and sat down on the edge of her desk.

"This is how much it will cost you for my company at the ball General," Aliana said handing him a slip of paper. "That is twice my fee as you stated you would pay."

"Not a problem," General Leery said, gaining another raised eyebrow from Aliana.

"Wire that amount to this bank account here," Aliana said taking the slip of paper and writing a series of numbers on it before handing it back. "As for the rest of your request, you can wire the money into this account," she said handing him another slip of paper with a series of numbers on it. Once I have verification that payment has been received we can talk further," she said. "You can use the phone here, if you like."

"Thank you," the General said.

"I will leave you to it then, General," Aliana said rising from her chair and walking towards the door. "When you are finished simply pick up the phone and dial extension 129. I will return then," she said as she walked out the door closing it behind her.

An hour later…

"I have just received word from my bankers that the wire transfers have been received, General," Aliana said as she reentered the salon. "All that is left now is for you to sign the agreement and for us to work out a few last minute details," she said as she retook her seat at the desk, turning to the computer once more and printing off an agreement. Turning she handed the pages and a pen to the General who immediately signed them and returned them to her, allowing her to sign them as well. This would account for the payment to the first account, which the government would know of; as for the second…well no one said banking in the Cayman's wasn't a good idea.

"The ball is being held at the Washington Hilton and Towers Hotel International Ballroom tomorrow night," the General said.

"I assume you are staying at the same hotel?" asked Aliana.

"I am," the General agreed. "But I am due for a meeting at Quantico this afternoon. Shall I stop by on my way back…"

"No need, General," Aliana said as she rose and began escorting the General from the room.

Sunday November 9th, 2008
Washington DC
Washington Hilton and Towers Hotel
Suite 1263
8:58 p.m. E.S.T

General Todd Leery tiredly made his way back to his hotel room, his meeting at Quantico taking longer than he had anticipated. He was looking forward to spending the evening with Aliana although with her refusing his offer to pick her up, he had no idea how she planned to get to the hotel.

"Good evening, General," a voice greeted him when he opened the door.

It took him a moment to place the voice in the room but once he did, he couldn't take his eyes off her. The goddess he'd met earlier that morning was standing in the doorway to the bedroom in nothing but a silk dressing gown, that was not doing much to hide her seeing as the sash was hanging down undone and the shoulders of the dressing gown were only just on her shoulders, allowing the gown to hang open down her front, revealing the figure that her clothes from earlier did little to hide.

"This is what you wanted isn't it?" Aliana asked as she slowly made her way over to where the General still stood, the door having closed behind him after he entered. "Come," she said as she took his hand and led him over to a chair, getting a glimpse of the fact that his little Marine was standing at full attention. Aliana turned him around so he was facing her, the chair to his back, as she deftly undid his belt and his pants before pushing him back just firmly enough to get him to sit down before she straddled his lap, sliding onto his shaft in the process, garnering a moan from him as she slid home. "This is what you wanted, isn't it?" she repeated in a whisper in his ear.

"Yes," he said before kissing her as his hands went to her hips and he pulled her up slightly before slamming back into her. It wasn't long before he took control of their love making and had her laying on her back on the floor under him as he pounded into her.

Monday November 10th, 2008
Falls Church, Virginia
NCIS Headquarters
7:32 p.m. E.S.T

"So, let me see if I heard this right, Boss is going to the ball with the Director?" Tony whispered to Tim.

"According to Abby," Tim agreed.

"No way…so you think they're together together?"

"How is that any of our business Tony," Ziva rolled her eyes.

"You're telling me you don't care if they're doing the two step?" Tony countered.

"No," Ziva answered with a shrug. She was just happy that Jethro had his memory back and was back at work with them leading the team...Tony was good in a way but he wasn't Jethro Gibbs. And if Jenny made him happy, returned that spark that had once been, even if it was seriously diminished, in his eyes...then she was glad.

"Wonder if that chick from Vegas knows...she didn't like the director at all..." Tony mused as he spun in his chair.

"That chick as you called her is my sister, DiNozzo," Jethro spoke just before smacking the back of Tony's head as it came into access while Jethro walked past. "Isn't there something else you should be doing?"

"Nope, we solved the case," Tony answered with a grin. "So you and the Director?"

"DiNozzo, go home," Jethro snapped as he grabbed his cover. "Have a good night Tim, Ziva," he added before leaving the pen.

"Well that was just so informative," Tony groaned.

"You should keep your butt out of other people's business," Ziva smirked as she rose.

"It's nose," he called after her as Tim just shook his head, heading down to meet Abby.

Tuesday November 11th, 2008
Washington DC
Washington Hilton and Towers Hotel
International Ballroom
12:17 a.m. E.S.T

"Do you know her Jethro?" demanded Jenny in annoyance.

"Who?" asked Jethro turning back to look at Jenny for a moment before returning his attention elsewhere.

"The woman with General Leery. You've been staring at her all night," Jenny hissed in irritation.

"I've never seen her before tonight," Jethro admitted. "But there's something familiar about her," he said as he watched the woman in question get up from the table she was sitting at and slowly make her way over to the bar. His gut told him this woman was important, he just didn't know why but his gut was never wrong so he rose from his table, despite Jenny's protests and made his way over to where the woman that had captured his attention at the start of the night, stood sipping her glass of wine. "Would you do me the honor of sharing this dance with me?" he asked as he held out his hand towards the mystery woman.

/-/Oh God, please no. Not him. Anybody but him!/-/ she pleaded mentally as she lifted her gaze to look into a pair of long familiar blue eyes, careful not to let their gazes lock. She nodded in agreement, not willing to trust her voice nor completely making eye contact as she took his hand and let him lead her out onto the dance floor as a new song began playing. She made sure to keep her gaze out over his shoulder as she felt herself being pulled into a long familiar embrace, an embrace she dreamt of every night and every time she sold another piece of her soul. /-/He wouldn't want you anymore, Tori. Not with your past, nor your present. You're not the girl he knew, if you ever truly were. You can never be the one he wants. You're not Shannon. You're not even Tori anymore, you're Ali now,/-/ she thought sadly as they danced.

"There you are, Ali," a voice said from behind them as the song finished and they separated. "I hope the Gunny's been taking good care of you but we must go," the General said holding his hand out towards her.

"Thank you," Aliana said quietly as she raised her gaze, her eyes locking with Jethro's for a split second before she turned away, taking the General's arm and letting him lead her from the room.

"Tori?" Jethro said in shock and confusion. "My God, Tori!" he said as he took off after the pair, only to have Jenny stop him.

"Jethro, what are you doing?" hissed Jenny quietly, not wanting to draw attention to them as she tried to pull him away from the door.

"That woman was Tori," Jethro said as he pointed off in the direction the couple had gone.

"You have no proof of that Jethro," countered Jenny. "Vittoria Stark is dead for all we know. There's been no trace of her for almost two years now."

"Tori is alive and that was her. I know it in my gut," argued Jethro.

"Even if it was, do you have any idea who that was that she was with? General Leery is one of our top commanders in Iraq…"

"I don't care who she's with, all I care about is that it's her," he snapped back pulling his arm out of Jenny's hold and making his way out of the ballroom, hoping to catch them, only to get out into the hotel lobby and neither the mystery woman nor the General could be found anywhere.

Tuesday November 11th, 2008
Falls Church, Virginia
NCIS Headquarters
Forensics Lab
8:48 a.m. E.S.T

"Abby!" Jethro called as he stalked into the lab.

"Hey Gibbs," greeted Abby cheerfully as she bounced into the room from her office.

"You still got that computer program that can help you determine who a person is?"

"You mean the facial recognition software?" asked Abby curiously as she made her way over to her computer. "Course I do."

"Good," Jethro said putting a very large cup of Caff-Pow down on the table in front of them before pulling out two photos and handing them to Abby. "I need you to see if the woman in this photo," he said handing her a photo of a red haired woman, "could possibly be the woman in this photo," he said handing her a photo of the woman he'd danced with the night before, the photo being one taken of her and General Leery at the Ball.

"This from the Ball last night?" asked Abby curiously.

"What do you think Abby? Can you do it?"

"Can I do it?" Abby scoffed. "You owe me more Caff-Pow but I'll do it. So, this from the Ball last night?" she repeated with a smile.

"Thanks Abby," Jethro said as he left the lab, leaving Abby's question unanswered.

Monday December 29th, 2008
Falls Church, Virginia
NCIS Headquarters
8:48 a.m. E.S.T

"I can't believe she's out there in this weather," Tim said as he walked into the pen area, dusting the snow off his jacket.

"Who?" asked Ziva in confusion.

"The woman," replied Tim.

"What woman?" questioned Ziva.

"The hottie?" asked Tony, the conversation suddenly getting interesting. "The one with the black hair and the rack out to here?" he asked, using his hands to get his point across.

"The same woman as always, Tony," Tim said. "I can't believe she's standing out there in this storm…" Tim's comment being cut off as Tony leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"Oh, Baby," Tony said when he caught sight of the mystery woman who had taken to watching the building. "Come to papa, Baby, you look like you could use someone to warm you up in this cold weather."

"You're a dick, Tony, you know that right?" Ziva asked.

"I think you mean Prick Ziva," Tim commented.

"Dick works," Jethro said as he stalked into the pen. "DINOZZO!" he yelled, getting Tony to finally turn around. "What are you doing?"

"Watching the woman across the street?" answered Tony. "Come on Boss, she's a babe…"

"What woman?" Jethro demanded.

"The…the woman outside," Tim stuttered nervously. They'd all been walking on eggshells for weeks, ever since the Marine Birthday Ball, Jethro had been gruffer than usual. According to Tony, the last time he'd seen Jethro this bad was when he'd been on the hunt for Ari. "The one that's been…been watching the building…"

"What does this woman look like and don't say a babe," Jethro demanded.

"Tall, about 5'10 I'd say, uh…long dark hair…"

"Dark as in dark brown…black…what Magee?" snapped Jethro as he stood right in front of Tim, staring him down.

"Bl…black, hard to say how long though cause it's always pulled back," Tim said as Jethro grabbed him by the shoulder and forced Tim over to his desk.

"Is that the woman you saw?" Jethro ordered as he pointed to the image currently visible on his computer.

"Uh…yep, yes that's her," Tim said.

"Damn it," Jethro cursed as he raced around his desk, making his way as quickly as he could out of the building in the hopes of catching Vittoria before she disappeared again. Unfortunately, by the time he reached the street, there was no sign of anyone standing on the other side and after ten minutes of searching he made his way back inside and back up to the pen. "Magee! Next time you see her, use this," he said shoving the camera he'd picked up off of Ziva's desk into Tim's stomach.

"What am I supposed to do with it?" asked Tim curiously.

"What do you think Magee? I want you to take some pictures. I want her identity and if it means tracing her license plate to get it, then I'll trace her license plate, which I need you to get a picture of. Got it?"

"Yes Boss," Tim said as he watched Jethro storm off up towards MTAC.

Wednesday December 31st, 2008
Falls Church, Virginia
NCIS Headquarters
8:54 a.m. E.S.T

"We got good news and bad news, Boss," Tony said as Jethro made his way into the pen.

"And?"

"Well, the good news is we got a picture of her license plate as she was pulling out yesterday," Tony began.

"And?" Jethro demanded.

"We got photos of her license plate…"

"Well then run them!"

"We did, Boss. That's the bad news," Tony said.

"Meaning?"

"They're a dead end. They car's registered to a…" Tony trailed off as he found the information he needed, "Star Lily Corporation in the Cayman Islands."

"God damn it," Jethro cursed as he stormed out of the room.

"Well that was exciting," Tony said sarcastically.

Tuesday January 20th, 2009
Las Vegas, Nevada
Grissom Residence
11:28 a.m. P.S.T

"Are you sure you really want to eat that?" Gil asked as he watched Sara make a 'snack'.

"I know, it looks disgusting but it's oh so good," Sara shrugged as she grabbed the container of whip cream before picking up her bowl of...nachos with white queso sauce, tomatoes, avocado, and tuna.

Gil watched her walk past, silently thanking whatever higher being existed that she wasn't putting the whip cream on the nachos, before following after her to join the others in their living room. Catherine had declared they were going to watch the inauguration together, well except for Nick who still tended to avoid Sara whenever possible, even more now that she was four months pregnant and her hormones were out of balance.

"Definitely a ten," Greg spoke as the two walked into the room before looking over at Sara as she sat down and turning green.

"What's a ten?" Sara asked as she picked up a nacho, Catherine just shaking her head as Warrick turned a bit white and Jim chuckled.

"The woman with the new VP, you know for a widower, he's pretty lucky she's hot," Greg explained after a moment as Sara looked up at the screen to see the dark haired woman with the new Vice President.

"She's cute, but stop being men and rating all the women you see," Sara ordered as she pointed the whip cream can at them.

"Yes ma'am," Greg saluted before turning his attention back to the coverage of the Inauguration, and the camera moved away from the VP and his date.

While waiting for Gil to finish getting ready for work, Sara grabbed the computer, looking through the news articles and stopping to see some of the pictures so far from the Inauguration Balls, simply for the fun of it. When she found the pictures of the Vice President and his date, she debated printing one as a gift for Greg, until she saw a picture caught of the two talking, the woman laughing at something. She knew that smile...flipping back a few she stopped on one of the couple looking straight at the camera. "Gil!" she yelled as she brought up a new webpage and went to Travelocity.

"What is it?" he came running out, shirtless and to Sara's amusement had his brush stuck in his hair as if he went and jerked his hand or something mid-stroke. "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

"I'm fine, he or she is fine, but I'm going to DC," she answered as she looked for a flight.

"What?" he asked after a moment and she looked up to find him staring at her.

"The VP's date that Greg was drooling over, it's Tori."

"Huh?"

"It's Tori, but with dark hair and probably heels, trust me I know her eyes," Sara explained as she found a flight. "So I'm going to DC, going to hunt her down of course, and I'll get Jeth to help since he's got all those lovely military contacts. I promise I'll be fine..."

Gil just stared at her for a few more minutes before shaking his head, he knew better than to argue with his wife. "Want company?" he asked finally.

"I would love some but Catherine will kill us if we both ditch her again."

"Okay," he agreed nodding, still about ten steps behind the whole conversation. "I'll go get your suitcase then..." he added before turning and heading towards the bedroom, mumbling under his breath about hormones and mood swings.

"I heard that!" she called after him before smiling to herself, God she loved that man...now to go and drag her best friend back into their world kicking and screaming if need be...

Wednesday January 21st, 2009
Falls Church, Virginia
NCIS Headquarters
8:59 a.m. E.S.T

"DiNozzo!" Jethro shouted as he made his way into the pen, waking Tony who was asleep at his desk, along with Tim and Ziva.

"Yes Boss?" Tony replied groggily as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"I want you to find all the information you can on a Ms. Aliana Frey," Jethro instructed as he stopped in front of Tony's desk.

"Who?" asked Tony in confusion as Jethro dropped a copy of the morning's paper on Tony's desk.

"That is Aliana Frey. Find her," Jethro ordered before turning around, only to walk into one of the last people he expected to see in his office. "What are you doing here, Brat?"

"Hello Bastard," Sara smiled, ignoring the others in the pen as Tony looked over at Tim mouthing 'Bastard?'. "I need your help, I need to meet the Vice President."

"And how exactly would you like me to arrange that, Brat?" questioned Jethro.

"I don't know, you're the one who knows people," Sara shrugged.

"Why do you need to meet the VP?" Tim asked curious.

"So I can ask him who his date at the Inauguration was of course."

"You mean the babe with him in the newspaper?" Tony asked holding it up? "We can tell you that, been trying to find her for weeks."

Sara turned towards him, glancing at the paper to assure herself it was the same person before turning back to Jethro slowly, arms rising to cross over her chest. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs you have two seconds to start running or I'm going to hit you so hard you'll be back in a coma until this kid is in college."

"What did I do?" Jethro demanded.

"The jackass over there who works for you has been looking for that woman for months?" Sara threw her hands up. "The woman who just happens to be my best friend that's been missing for two fucking years? And you didn't tell me? I had to find out from looking at pictures on the damn Internet for Christ's sake!"

"What did you expect me to do Sara? Call you up and tell you I think I danced with Tori last night but I'm not one hundred percent sure? All I had to go by was a first name, a description and my gut. Not exactly concrete evidence for calling you up and raising your hopes that maybe, just maybe I've finally found her only to have everything come crashing down around us when it turned out it wasn't her," Jethro countered.

"Did you have a picture of her?" Sara asked evenly.

"Since the Marine Ball," Tony supplied before ducking as Jethro sent him a glare.

"There then, if anyone was going to be able to tell if the woman was Tori it's me. You could have said you aren't sure, would you look at this picture for me Sara...simple as that and like my hopes have ever gone down," she added rolling her eyes.

"Sara, I had her in my arms and I let her go…again. You think I'm happy about that? I'm sorry I didn't call you, but I was more concerned with finding her, especially since she seemed to be stalking me for a while," Jethro said.

"Did the Boss just apologize?" asked Tony in astonishment.

"Wow, Tori's gone stalker," Sara mused. "Okay forget about it, it's over, it's done with," she waved a hand as Ziva smacked Tony over the back of his head. "So, what are we doing now to find her? And does someone have coffee?" she asked looking around suddenly.

"You can't have coffee," Jethro pointed out.

"Believe me, I know," Sara groaned. "Where's the restroom? Like yesterday?" she added looking around a bit more frantic.

"I'll show you," Ziva offered before quickly leading her away.

"Damn, of all the things for her to end up getting morning sickness over," Jethro just shook his head.

"Why?" Tony asked confused.

"She's worse than me with coffee," he answered before looking at Tony. "What are you still doing here? Get to finding her, DiNozzo!"

"Yes, Boss," Tony nodded before deciding to wisely do the work elsewhere.

"Uh…Boss?" Tim said a few minutes later.

"What Magee?" demanded Jethro as he spun to face Tim, who was standing pointing out the window.

"It's…it's her," Tim said.

"Damn it, I'm not losing her again," Jethro cursed as he took off out of the pen.

"Her meaning Tori?" Sara asked looking at Tim who nodded, before she turned and took off after him, catching him just as the elevator started to close. "Maybe I should come to town more often Jeth..."

"Maybe you should," he said as the elevator hit the first floor and he took off the minute the doors opened, Sara hot on his heels only to have the woman climb into a car and disappear in traffic before they could reach her.

Meanwhile…

"Magee, are you sure it's the same woman?" asked Tony curiously as he looked out the window.

"Yeah why?"

"I don't know, she just doesn't look quite right. Gibbs' stalker is more Victoria Secret while this woman's more…I don't know," Tony said.

"Classically chic maybe?" Tim supplied getting a glare from Tony.

"If you ask me she looks like the future wife of the Vice President," Ziva supplied as she turned and walked away from the window and returned to her desk.

A few minutes earlier…

/-/I'm sorry Jeth. I'm sorry I'm not her,/-/ Vittoria thought sadly as she watched the building, seeing movement on the other side of the window.

"Excuse me Ma'am but it's time to go," the secret service agent said as he walked up to Vittoria. "If you want to have time to make your other stop we need to leave now. You have an appointment with the First Lady and the White House decorator at eleven o'clock and Falcon is eager for you to return to the residence."

"Of course," Vittoria said as she turned to look at the agent standing next to her, watching as he opened the door for her. Just as she was climbing in the car, she caught sight of movement out of the corner of her eye. Looking over she saw Jethro come running out of the building followed by a woman she had never thought to see again.

"Ma'am," the agent said when Vittoria hesitated about getting in the car.

/-/I'm sorry,/-/ Vittoria thought sadly once more as she climbed in the car, the agent closing the door behind her as he climbed in the driver's seat before driving off and getting lost in traffic.

Thursday January 29th, 2009
Washington DC
Blair House
3:59 a.m. E.S.T

"Ali?" Robert Kinsley called groggily when he woke up and found the bed next to him empty.

"I'm here," Vittoria replied quietly from where she was sitting curled up in the window alcove.

"Everything alright?" Robert asked worriedly as he made his way over to where Vittoria was sitting, sitting down in front of her and gently brushing her hair behind her ear.

"You should go back to sleep Robert, I'm fine," Vittoria said quietly. "You need your sleep."

"And you don't?" Robert countered. Robert Kinsley was a man about six feet in height and in his late forties, his dark brown eyes matching his chocolate brown hair, which was slowly starting to turn silver with age. "Ali what's bothering you? And don't say it's nothing. Something's been on your mind for the past week."

"I saw someone last week. Someone I thought I'd never see again when I walked away from my life almost two years ago," Vittoria said.

"She was at NCIS, right?" Robert asked, causing Vittoria to look up at him suddenly. "The agent in charge of your detail told me he took you there before taking you to Winterfell last week."

"Oh."

"It's okay Ali, I'm not upset. I understand that you have a past with that NCIS agent," Robert said.

"A past that was never meant to be. You know my story Robert. You know what I went through in Vegas and how it led to me being where I was when you found me and you know that the stories they told about me, about my past in college aren't true. You're the only one that knows the whole truth, well one other does but she would never speak of it to anyone. I knew I was running a risk by returning to Washington. I knew I risked running into him but I figured the likelihood of it actually happening were so small and then…"

"And then the Marine Corp Birthday Ball happened," Robert filled in.

"Yes," Vittoria said, wiping her eyes. "I knew he was there. I knew it the minute he walked in with her; I just thought…I thought he'd never recognize me you know. But after I danced with him, felt his arms around me again, I…I couldn't help myself. I started watching him from a distance; never close enough for him to notice me or anything. I went the morning after the inauguration to say my final goodbye. Why did she have to be there, Robert? Of all the people for me to see again after all this time, why her?"

"I don't know, Ali," Robert said as he pulled Vittoria into his arms as she broke down in tears. "Why don't you go see her, talk to her?"

"I don't know if I can," Vittoria said into Robert's shoulder.

"Ali, from what you've told me, this woman was like a sister to you, your closest friend. You need her. You need her in your life," Robert said as he pulled away and held Vittoria at arms length so he could look into her eyes.

"Robert I…"

"Just think about it Ali," Robert said as he pulled Vittoria back into his arms. "Just promise me you'll think about it."

"I promise," Vittoria said quietly as Robert picked her up and carried her back to the bed, placing her gently on top of it before climbing in next to her and pulling her close.