Tropical Excursion
What do you say to taking chances
What do you say to jumping off the edge
Never knowing if there’s solid ground below
Or a hand to hold, or hell to pay
What do you say?
If you pretend hard enough, you could be on holiday. With her. Alone together. She’d kill you for thinking like that so you don’t. Truthfully, you felt bad. She hadn’t had a very good string of luck the past few months, and when there came the chance to get out the country and take someone with you, it was obvious you’d take her; regardless of what Gibbs would say.
She needed to get away. Get away from the dreary winter weather that was settling, away from the constant string of cases. Granted, you’d only be in Paraguay for two days, maybe more, it was something you could give her. To make up for your behaviour towards her recently.
*~*~*~*~*~*
You thought maybe you could talk to her on the plane down, but she slept some of the way. You wanted to wake her up, get everything out in the open; but if you let her sleep, the better it would be for you. You remember the last time you woke her up. Boy was she a bitch that day. Though, it was slightly amusing seeing her stretch and proclaiming for all to hear ‘I feel like hell’. She let a cute little groan out as well. Cute. You know she was cursing you upside down on the inside.
*~*~*~*~*~*
When you land, she’s lightened up. It’s clear she’s viewing this as a holiday, not an assignment and you try for the life of you to take the same attitude. You want her to relax and not to worry about what’s going on back home; you need her to relax.
You get the jeep, which comes with a free map of the area, and it’s now that your guard goes up. You’re both entering dangerous territory and one wrong move will see one or both of you dead.
She’s your partner and you’d rather die a slow, painful death than see her injured in any way.
*~*~*~*~*~*
If you think about it, she’s been relaxed for the past few days, since the call for this case came in. you’d like to think it’s because you’re finally relaxed around her. Relaxed enough to go back to flirting with her.
Parked outside Horlacher’s apartment, you felt bad for two reasons: she wanted to go home to bed but couldn’t and you know how much she hated the cold and you were stuck in a freezing car. Her teeth were actually chattering and her hands could barely hold the binoculars.
You offered her the chance to warm up, doing what Eskimos do, and she declined. She said it sweetly enough, and you like that sweet tone of voice she uses cause it means there isn’t a chance in hell anything will happen. You liked her response though, ’There’s not enough liquor on the planet to make that happen.’
You told her you weren’t suggesting the naked part, you were just offering to hug her until she warmed up a bit. For a minute it looked like she was going to take you up on your offer, but then she complained about needing a vacation.
You suggest the tropics and she agrees.
*~*~*~*~*~*
When you were driving through the streets, she finally got into the spirit of things. You had fun making her laugh and she actually told you your little excursion would be fun. When you looked over and smiled, she smiled back. You’ve missed that smile recently.
Then the mood changed once you found the TAT building. You’ve never imagined having to restrain Kate for anything, but you kinda figured it wouldn’t go down too well either here or the States if Joe Tabarez ended up dead.
She was actually shaking with anger when you found out that Purcell was a paedophile and that Tabarez knew all along. In a way, you’re glad he ducked out when he did because it gave you a chance to calm her down and reassure her that you’d get the guy.
She confessed that paedophiles were on her personal hit list. Closely followed by wife beaters.
*~*~*~*~*~*
She was calm enough to have a video conference with Gibbs, but the anger started to come back once she mentioned Purcell’s wife. Neither of you believed for a second that Purcell was being protected, they just didn’t want to deal with him.
It only escalated further when you caught Purcell ready to kill the girl. You weren’t sure if it were wise for Kate to go in brandishing her weapon, but you let her go. Even if you did run the risk of her actually double tapping the heart.
You thought this was as bad as it was going to get.
*~*~*~*~*~*
You know Purcell is a sleazy, good for nothing bastard. Chained to a chair in the TAT building was far more than he deserved. Being sent to Leavenworth was far more than he deserved, but the guys on the inside would soon fix that problem. No one takes too kindly to paedophiles.
Anna gave you information into what Purcell was involved with in return for her safety. Once she was safe, you returned to Purcell, informing him of what you knew of him. He claimed it was his mission to infiltrate the organizations Kate mentioned, and he seemed very happy with the results he got.
Kate was able to restrain herself enough, only getting in his face once to question him about having sex with underage children.
You lost count how many times you realised the situation was worsening.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Tabarez came back and you could see the regret on his face when he uncuffed Purcell. Kate started shaking again, and for a split second you thought she might cry. How could anyone follow orders that stated they must let a known paedophile go, possibly to abuse more children. Tabarez seemed to have no problem in doing, or in telling Kate it’s what she must do also.
Once Purcell left the building, she excused herself, possibly to take out her anger on a wall somewhere. You let her, just so you could have a few words with Tabarez; you think he got the message. You grabbed your bags and met Kate when she came out the bathroom, her eyes a little red. You didn’t mention it and neither did she.
*~*~*~*~*~*
You drive to the hotel McGee found you, although neither of you want to stay in this country any longer than you have to. You find your room and aren’t all that shocked to see that it’s two single beds; perhaps McGee done it for the safety aspect of being in a strange country. You remind yourself to thank him for that, because you don’t want Kate to be alone tonight. She slips into the bathroom and you watch her go. She’s silent and you don’t like it.
You don’t like how the case turned out.
McGee contacts you on the satellite phone, telling you he has you on a flight back home in the morning and that Purcell‘s dead. You thank him, and you can tell he’s shocked, and you also thank him for putting Kate in a room with you. He’s about to say something, but you stop him and tell him to let Gibbs know that it’s important he meet them at the airport when they arrive; she’ll need him. McGee doesn’t ask questions.
*~*~*~*~*~*
When you hang up, Kate’s back, dressed in the spare clothes she packed and you decide to freshen up yourself. You leave the phone with her, hoping that Gibbs will phone her to find out if they’re okay. She smiles a little, and you know she’s hoping the same.
The water gives you some sort of epiphany and when you get back into the room, you approach Kate cautiously. She’s occasionally been known to lash out when backed into a corner and you’d rather not receive her highly effective right hook if it’s all the same.
She’s worn out from the flight and everything that happened and she doesn’t protest when you sit beside her or when you put an arm around her shoulders. You sit like this until she falls asleep and she’s awake enough to say a silent thanks when the blanket you found in the cupboard is pulled over her.
You tell her to sleep before you settle in for the night, both of you anxious to get home.
Neither of you hear the satellite phone ring.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Through Eye For An Eye