A/N: Hello there! So, I have the plot line kind of mapped out, but I'm constantly adding things and changing, so if you guys have anything you want to see, suggestions over how you think the story might go, find anything I need to clarify or explain, or just want to correct my facts if I get them wrong, please tell me! I love you all, you're all wonderful, and I hope you enjoy. :)
They had been working non stop for the past hour over the case. Caroline and McGee were in the elevator, heading up to the twelfth floor, where the UCOD offices were. They were silent and unmoving until Caroline stepped forward to stop the elevator.
McGee raised an eyebrow at her before she stepped in to kiss him. It was light and brief, but still amazed McGee at how much affection she could muster into one action.
She pulled back and looked at him. "We need to go over a couple things really quick."
McGee blinked a couple times, trying to snap out of the little daze he was in. "Yeah, sure. What's up?"
Caroline licked her lips. "I just...I need you to understand what happens when we go under for cases."
McGee swallowed. "Yeah, okay."
"Okay," Caroline said, diving straight in, "nothing in a case is ever personal. Nothing. It doesn't matter if you're covers are siblings, enemies, partners, newly weds, anything. You do what you have to do to get what you need. If it means slapping someone, you slap them. If it means flirting, you flirt. If it means more...you don't fake it."
She paused, waiting to see how he would react. He stared at her blankly for a moment before it clicked.
"Have you...done more?" He hesitated, mentally hitting himself. As soon as he said it, he knew he didn't want to know the answer.
She nodded slightly. "You never know who's watching or listening, when they're watching and listening, what they use to watch and listen. You don't just act like that person. The job requires you to become that person. If you become a newly wed, you're not going to not...do more, and you're sure as hell not going to fake it."
McGee took a deep breath processing it.
Caroline kept going, knowing that ripping off the bandaid quickly was better than to slowly keep pulling. "UCOD stands behind the 'Vegas Rule'. Anything said or done in a case doesn't come back later when that case isn't relevant. It's unprofessional, and it affects everyone, which is why it common for UCOD to be romantically involved with UCOD. It's easier to understand if you do the same thing."
McGee smirked. "You sound like you speak from experience."
Caroline let out a light chuckle. "Not me personally, but Jen and Richard are married. They've been married for almost four years, and because they work with the same circumstances, it's easier for them to stay together. Plus we usually use them if there is a married couple. Real chemistry plus added chemistry is better than forcing it, you know?"
McGee nodded. "So nothing's personal, and what happens there, stays there. I got it."
Caroline took a deep breath. "You okay?"
McGee nodded again. "Yeah, I'll be fine. It's a bit to process, but I understand why it all happens."
Caroline took a sigh of relief. "Okay." She reached for the elevator button to start it again, but McGee got her before she could.
"Hey, I'm sorry."
Caroline shook her head lightly. "What do you mean?"
McGee let out a sigh. "For making you keep us a secret. I know it has to be hard."
Caroline smirked. "Trust me, Tim, if keeping you to myself and not kissing you in the bullpen means that Tony won't get on either of our asses about it, I'll learn to deal with it."
She stepped into him, put her arms around his neck and kissed him again, but this time, slower and longer. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.
Caroline pulled her head back a bit, but didn't move out of their position. She ran one of her hands through his hair and smiled.
McGee couldn't help but smile too. "You have such an infectious smile."
Caroline opened her mouth, about to say something, but then closed it. She took a step back, untangling them, and then pushing the button, kicking the elevator back into motion.
When they reached the twelfth floor, Caroline got off. McGee stayed on and she turned to look at him when she was out.
McGee smirked at her confusion. "I have to go set up MTAC. Im sure you can handle your old job perfectly fine."
Caroline grinned. "Okay. See you later."
McGee nodded as the elevator doors closed and he pushed a button, bringing him back to NCIS.
That evening Caroline and Danny were driving to the Driver Hill hotel, a five star hotel in the middle of D.C. The rest of the NCIS team, including Jen, were in MTAC.
"Can you guys hear us?" Tony asked at the tow in the car.
"This is UCOD equipment, Agent DiNozzo," Danny said, eyes still on the road, "if there's one thing we know, it's that you can always hear and see when you need to hear and see."
They had a visual on the two, courtesy of a camera installed on the rear view mirror.
"Danny," Caroline said, putting her hand on his lower arm, "it's just a question. Calm down."
They drove in silence, even everyone at MTAC. As they arrived at the hotel, Danny pulled into the valet, they got inside, and checked in.
The woman at the front desk smiled as they approached. "Good evening, and welcome to the Driver Hill Hotel. Can I help?"
Danny smiled and looked at her name tag.. "We'd like to check in, Beth. Ben and Miranda Cogar."
The woman typed on her computer and looked up at Danny. "Yes sir, Mr. Cogar," she swiped two key cards, "you have two adjoining rooms. Rooms 702 and 704. It'll be on the seventh floor, to the right off the elevators." She smiled warmly at them, handing them the cards.
Danny took them, nodding at her. "Would you happen to know where we can get dinner?"
The woman gestured behind them. "Our bar has exquisite food, sir."
"Thank you." Caroline said. Danny and Caroline started towards the elevator, a bellhop behind them with their bags. As they got off the elevator, they turned left.
"You guys," McGee said through the earpiece, "you know the front desk lady told you to turn right, right?"
Caroline smiled, shaking her head.
When they got to the rooms and inside the bellhop carefully laid their bags on the beds. Caroline walked up to him, pulling a twenty out of her cleavage, handing it to him with a wink. He nodded lightly and left them in the rooms, the door connecting the rooms wide open.
"So, how do we do this?" Danny asked, untying his tie.
Caroline was unzipping her suitcase, pulling out a .45 and a dress bag. She held it up for Danny to see. "A number I like to call, LBD."
Danny grinned at her and she walked into the bathroom to change. He set up his laptop, opening it, but not turning it on. Jen connected to the webcam in it, giving them a visual of the room, or at least Danny's room.
"LBD?" Tony asked to Jen.
"Little Black Dress." Jen answered, smirking at Caroline's method.
After a few minutes, Caroline emerged from the bathroom, wearing a tight strapless black dress that was low cut on top, showing enough cleavage to make all men drool, and high cut on the bottom, showing off half of her thigh. She had a gold belt on her waist, just showing off her very feminine curves more than the dress already did.
Danny's jaw dropped, as well as Tony and McGee. Ziva and Jen were just smirking, both knowing what Caroline was planning.
Caroline walked to Danny and closed his jaw with her hand, smiling. She walked into her room, getting gold teardrop earrings and slipping them on.
"Sweetie," Caroline said to Danny, "do you mind calling the front desk for me. I can't remember when I booked the rooms."
"Why is that important?" Ziva asked into their earpieces.
Danny snickered. "No faith."
Caroline smiled as she touched up her makeup, putting on red lipstick, and redoing her eyeshadow to create a smokey eye.
She was slipping on her shiny red stilettos as Danny got on the phone, dialing for the front desk.
The voice on the other end was warm. "Hello, and thank you for calling the Driver Hill Hotel, my name is Beth. How may I be of assistance to you this evening?"
"Hello Beth. This is Ben Cogar. My sister was just wondering if she could be reminded when she booked the hotel rooms. One of her idiosyncrasies."
"I heard that." Caroline said from her room.
Danny smiled as Beth looked up the information. "Yes, sir, Mr. Cogar. Your reservations were made April seventh, this year. Is that all?"
"Yes, thank you." Danny said into the phone.
"Alright. Have a good evening sir." The woman hung up and Danny put it back in its dock.
"April seventh, Miranda."
"It's October." Tony said confused.
Jen just looked at him as if he had just said that butterflies were mammals, before turning back to the surveillance feed.
"So," Caroline said, coming into Danny's room, "April, four. Seventh, zero seven."
"Room 407." Danny said, simplifying it. "How do we get in?"
Caroline pulled her room card from under her dress and held it up between two fingers. "This might come in handy, don't you think?"
"Seriously, how much stuff do you put in that dress?" McGee asked Caroline.
"I'll let you figure that out on your own, Tim." Caroline said, a smirk growing on her face.
Danny stood up, facing Caroline. "I think we should go get a drink, don't you think?"
Caroline nodded. "Sounds like just what I need right now."
They left the room, Caroline slipping the room key back under her dress, flashing a garter to the hall cameras, which MTAC had gained access to.
"Girl's crafty." Jen said, shaking her head slightly.
As Danny and Caroline reached the bar, they immediately went to the bartender.
Caroline leaned onto the bar, her forearm pushing against her chest a bit. She smiled at the male bartender, who was obviously flabbergasted by her. "Shot of vodka, please." She batted her eyelashes, and the bartender immediately poured her shot. She took it, looking to her side, seeing Rodriguez next to her, marveling at her. She gave a sultry smile and took the shot in one gulp. She placed the shot glass on the bar, and winked at Rodriguez, turning and walking away.
Danny sat into the chair that was next to Caroline. He looked at the bartender. "Manhattan, please."
The bartender nodded and went to making the drink, slower than the pace of Caroline's drink. Danny looked at Rodriguez and turned his a bit. "Come here often?"
Rodriguez turned to him, uninterested. "What's it to you?"
Danny smiled, turning his whole body to face the other man. "You don't seem like the type of man who can afford this kind of establishment, that's all."
Rodriguez was then hooked on Danny, offended and desperate to defend himself. They went deep into conversation, mostly subtle insults, but a distraction none the less, which is exactly what Caroline needed at that moment.
"407. 407" she kept mumbling under breath as she got off the elevator on the fourth floor, turning right. She went down the hallway, until she found room 407. She pulled out her key card, slipping it into the reader, unlocking the door, allowing her to walk in.
She immediately went to work, searching for anything they could use for an arrest. Checking drawers, cabinets, behind the tv, in the shower head, everywhere. She lifted the chair in the corner of the room, finding a small pouch of opiates taped to the bottom of the chair leg.
She was pulling it off, trying to leave no trace of the tape, when Jen spoke into her ear.
"Caroline, get out. He's in the elevator headed up. You've got a minute tops."
Caroline sighed, before quickly looking around the room. Rodriguez was too smart for her to hide under the bed, and once he noticed the missing bag of drugs, he'd know someone was in the room. She wasn't panicking, just trying to think of a solution quickly.
"Thirty seconds." Jen warned.
Caroline rolled her eyes. "Oh god dammit."
Rodriguez opened the door, and came in to find Caroline on the bottom of the bed, legs crossed, leaning back on her wrists, looking at him with a lustful smile.
"You again?" He asked, standing in front her, "I thought I'd never see you again."
"Well," Caroline said in a low breathy voice, "obviously you were mistaken."
He looked around the room, then back at her. "How did you get in my room?"
Caroline switched her legs, slowly rubbing her legs together in the middle. "I'm here by request of a Santiago. He gave me a key to the room." She stood up slowly. "I hope that's okay." She batted her eyelashes at him and he smirked.
Rodriguez looked up. "God bless that crazy man." He looked at Caroline again, and stepped towards her. "What's your name?"
Caroline smirked at him, stepping towards him. "Miranda."
Caroline stepped so she was right in front of him. She tugged his tie, pulling him and her into a wall, his body pressing her's into the wall.
He made a sound of appreciation before she flipped them, pinning him to the wall his head with her elbows on either side of his head. His hands made their way up her dress, to the zipper. He slid it down letting it fall off her, revealing a sexy pair of red lace panties and a matching black bra.
He marveled at her, as his hands slid up and down her sides, his eyes never leaving her chest. She ran her fingers through his product filled hair, stopping to grab his head.
She gave him a sexy smirk before gripping his head and smashing it into the wall behind him. He immediately fell to the ground, unconscious, leaving a head sized dent in the wall behind him.
"All clear." Caroline said into her ear piece, taking off her right shoe, pulling out a small camera, and attaching it to the tv, turning it on.
MTAC received the signal, and the connection turned on.
As the connection was gained, Caroline could hear a grunt she was sure was from Tony, a chuckle from Jen, and nothing from McGee or Ziva.
Danny came into the room, as well as the bartender, bellhop, and Beth.
"Are you kidding me?" Danny asked as soon as he saw her. "I leave you alone for five minutes and you're in your underwear?"
"Pretty much my reaction." Tony piped up in their ears.
Danny walked to turn the TV on, and changed the settings to see the MTAC room, and everyone in it. Caroline saw McGee behind the other three, wide eyed but still smiling.
"I have to say, Care Bear," the bellhop said, pulling a pair of handcuffs out of his jacket, kneeling near the unconscious man, "you look pretty hot."
"I'm right here, Richard." Jen said, frowning with an eyebrow up.
"I love you baby." The bellhop tried to recover. He handed Caroline a pair of jeans, a green shirt, and a pair of light brown sandals. She took them appreciatively.
Jen rolled her eyes, nodding a slight bit. "Uh huh."
"Wait. You're UCOD?" Tony asked the bellhop.
"Richard Darrington." The bellhop said, to the television, "that's Frank Salmate and Liza Ridell." He gestured to the bartender and "Beth".
"UCOD?" Tony asked.
"You know it baby." Liza spoke up. She looked at Caroline. "Care sweetie, I appreciate you getting this guy, and not having to fight him and whatever, but this dude is heavy."
"Hey," Caroline said, putting the clothes on, "not my problem. I'm not UCOD."
She smiled, and they all chuckled.
They were back in the bullpen, Caroline fully dressed, but it didn't stop McGee from visualizing her without the outer layer on. They were wrapping everything up, final reports, and expense logs, including a new wall.
They were getting ready to leave when Tony got a stack of papers out. He smirked as he walked towards Caroline, changing direction last minute, dropping the stack on McGee's desk with a satisfying thud.
McGee looked at Tony, hoping he was joking. "Why am I getting the paperwork? I'm not the new person."
Tony gave his trademark grin. "Because McGeek, I think Carrie deserves a break after having to strip and get felt up by a criminal."
McGee sighed and took the first paper off the top. Tony smiled, turning and walking to Caroline.
"Take care of yourself, Carrie." He kissed the top of her head, not in a romantic way, but in more a family manner.
She smiled and shoved him playfully. "Go home Anthony."
Tony smirked at her before heading towards Ziva and walking out with her.
Caroline walked over to McGee's desk, leaning towards him, her hands on the edge of his desk. He looked up at her and sighed before standing and walking around his desk to hug her.
"So today has been interesting." Caroline said into his shoulder.
McGee gave a soft chuckle. "That's putting it lightly."
Caroline pulled back to look at McGee. "You okay? I know the Vegas Rule is easier said than done."
McGee nodded. "It might take a day, but I'll get over the fact that a random stranger, and a criminal, got to feel up the woman I love."
Caroline's eyes got wide. "What?"
McGee smirked. "Oh you caught that, huh?" She nodded and he pulled her against him by the waist, his arms wrapped around her hips. He leaned in and kissed her lightly. He pulled back and smiled at her. "I love you, Caroline."
She smiled with her mouth open, before grabbing his by the neck and pulling him into a hard kiss. His grip tightened more, and her other hand made it's way to his neck, and they ended up in a bit of a make out scene. Both smiling and giggling and both so involved in each other they only stopped when there was a louder than necessary throat clearing.
They stopped to see Tony and Ziva staring at them, Tony's eyebrows raised and Ziva was just shaking her head softly. Caroline immediately backed away from McGee, crossing her arms.
Ziva looked at Tony, and made a motion with her hand, as if silently demanding something. Tony sighed and took out his wallet, putting a twenty in her hand. She smiled and put it in her pocket.
"What are you two doing here?" McGee said, trying to break the awkwardness, but failing.
"I forgot my keys. What are you two up to?" Tony asked, giving his signature tone and facial expression.
"If I seriously have to tell you, you might need a competency test." Caroline said.
Tony scoffed. "Sure. How long has this," he wagged a finger in between the two, "been going on?"
Caroline licked her lips. "Like, an hour before I started working here."
Tony whistled but didn't say anything.
"Tony, you okay?" McGee asked slowly.
"Yeah I'm fine. I just want to be there when you tell Gibbs." Tony said, smiling at the idea of the scenario.
"Gibbs already knows, Tony." Caroline said, snapping him out of his smile.
"What do you mean?" Ziva asked.
"I told him a few weeks ago." McGee answered. "He didn't care. He said that his rules were more like recommendations since he stopped working in the field. As long as it doesn't affect our work, he doesn't care what we do."
Tony shook his head at the two before grabbing his keys off his desk and walking with Ziva to the elevator. "Have a good night you two." He called over his shoulder as they got on the elevator.
Caroline and McGee waited a moment before turning to each other.
"Well," Caroline said, dragging her hand down her face, "that was easier than I thought."
"Yeah," McGee said slowly, "that was weirdly easy."
Caroline shrugged and stepped towards McGee. He looked down at her lovingly and she smiled back at him. "Hey," She spoke quietly and shyly, as if she was about to tell him a secret, "I love you too, Tim."
McGee's face grew the widest ear-to-ear smile he had ever made, and he kissed her again. This time, shy at first, in case anyone came back, but after a moment or two, McGee deepened it, turning her so she was against his desk. Her hands around his neck, tugging him down to her, his hands on her lower back, pulling her up to him, their bodies pressed together, chest to chest, stomach to stomach, thigh to thigh.
She smiled and pulled back. "I feel like we've been here before."
McGee gave a huge goofy smile. "I guess we have. But I didn't love you half as much as I do now."
Caroline gave a quiet snort. "You can be so cheesy sometimes."
"Mmm." McGee hummed as he kissed her again.
His hands wandered a bit lower than her back, and she sighed instinctively. Her hands moved to his hair, running her fingers through it. He gave it a second before he gave a small squeeze, and she let out a soft moan.
It required almost his self control to pull away from her, but he did, loving the slight daze she appeared to be in before she opened her eyes at him.
He pulled her a bit tighter, if that was even possible, and smiled. "Not that I'm not loving this," he took a breath as she smiled from her memory that he was bringing up, "but I unfortunately have been given the scut work of the day."
She leaned her head into the crook between his neck and shoulder and sighed. She nodded against his shirt and let out another breath.
She pulled her head back with a tired expression. "Okay, yeah. We should probably do that."
McGee raised an eyebrow as he took his hands off of her. "You're not staying. You need to get some sleep." He gave her forehead a light kiss.
She opened her mouth to protest but stopped herself. She hesitated a second before nodding and speaking in a casual tone. "Yeah. You're right."
She walked to her desk, getting her jacket off the back of her chair. She gave him a quick peck before smiling and walking out.
McGee watched her all the way out, leaning against his desk, before walking back to his desk and starting his paperwork.
He was about to have a mental breakdown from the hand cramps and the endless stack of, for what ever reason couldn't be on a computer, papers. He put his head in his hands and sighed, trying to calm down before he got the urge to blow up the building.
He wasn't even paying attention to anything around him, so when Caroline stepped off the elevator holding a coffee carrier with two large coffees and a plastic bag of Chinese takeout, he didn't even notice her.
But he did notice when she put one of the coffees on the paper he was focusing on not trying to stab with his pen. He looked up at her smirking down at him.
"What's up buttercup?" Caroline put the take out bag and second coffee on his desk before going to her desk and getting her chair, moving it over to the other side of his desk.
McGee smiled, shaking his head. "I love you so much right now."
Caroline smiled at him and then turned serious. "Alright. Let's get this stuff done."