Companion piece to A Sight For Sore Eyes & Sabatino
You escape with your lives, barely but you do. It’s all thanks to Sabatino, his pre-planning, his contingencies. You’d bailed out through a hatch in the bottom of the mobile command centre, before he set the explosive charge that took out the rest of the insurgents. You’d disappeared into the desert, tracked down the evidence you needed, prevented World War Three.
Now the two of you are surrounded by the rest of the group who had a part to play, the people you consider your friends and family. Hetty’s booked out one of the most exclusive restaurants in Riyadh for your private party. It’s the last time you’ll all be together for a while. Tomorrow you’ll fly back to L.A with the rest of your team and Nik will move on to God knows where.
“It’s been a long time for the two of you hasn’t it?” Hetty says as she stands alongside Sabatino at the bar. He thanks the bartender as he sets the mocktail down in front of him, before he takes a sip through his straw.
“Almost four months.” He tells her, his eyes coming to rest on you as you talk animatedly with Harmon Rabb. You did a stint as the agent afloat on his ship once upon a time and now you’re taking a little time to catch up. In a way Rabb and him are in a similar boat when it comes to their relationships. The other man can be away for up to nine months out of the year on the USS Allegiance, he understands the toll it can take on both you and your partner.
“Don’t you ever get tired?” Hetty asks him, drawing him from his thoughts. “Does it ever feel like it’s getting too much?”
“Yes.” He says poking at the ice in his glass with a straw. “I want to come home, to build a life with her but The Agency… You know how complicated it is.”
“I do.” Hetty sighs because the CIA, they don’t make things easy for their operatives especially when they’ve invested so much into them. “If you’re serious about settling down there’s a position coming up in the next year in the US Marshals. I’ve put your name forward for the job, I think it might be a good transition of skills. In the meantime I think it may be wise that you visit Michelle Hannah the next time you’re stateside, work out a way to detach from The Agency that doesn’t compromise the both of you.”
It surprises him that Hetty’s stepping up to bat for him. Their history over the years has been fraught with everything that happened with Foster and Kensi. He was under the impression that she tolerated him because he was useful but this… This is going the extra mile, especially for someone who had once locked her in a cage, before she brought down a building on top of him.
“Thank you.” He says quietly, his gaze meeting hers. “You have no idea how much it means to me.”
“Just be good to her Mr Sabatino.” Hetty says as she picks up her drink before she returns to the group. “Otherwise you’ll have me to answer to.”
It’s passionate the way that Nik makes love to you that night. He’s teasing with his affection, playful and you respond to it in kind, with light strokes and tender kisses.
It’s the last time he’s going to see you for a while so he draws it out, makes it count.
Tomorrow he’s going back to Iran for another few months and you’ll be back in the States, living your life without him. The thought of it wounds him because he meant what he said to Hetty back at the restaurant. He is tired. He does want to settle down. He wants to spend the rest of his life with you, not thinking about you on a completely different continent. He understands that it’s a process, that it’s going to require time, effort, sacrifice, but he’s willing to do it because it means that he gets to have a future with you, a life with you.
“I love you.” He whispers at the height of it all, his gaze locked on yours. “You have no idea just how much.”
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A/N: A little dialogue drabble that takes place during the final scene in 11x01.
***
Deeks: Well, we better get to our hotel. It’s getting late.
Fatima: It’s only like ten.
Sabatino: Yeah, I thought we were having a great time. And you had that little cat nap, you should be good for a couple more hours, Deeks.
Deeks: It’s be a long day, lots of action and stress.
Kensi: And we’ll be a mess in the morning if we stay out too late. *gestures with her thumb and cackles* You should see this one when he doesn’t get his beauty sleep. It’s not a pretty sight.
Deeks, side eyeing her: Thanks, babe.
Sam, waving his hand: Aw, leave them along, I’m sure they have things to do.
Callen, coughing into his hand: Very special things.
Fatima: What? Oh. *her eyes widen* Oh. Right. Um, then you guys have a good night.
Sabatino, chuckling: Oh man, I’m glad my room isn’t next to yours.
3 days until episode 300 of NCIS: LA!!! And to celebrate, I'm counting down with THREE new Pop friends!!!
First up, fresh off his appearance last week, we have Sabatino!! I couldn't decide whether or not to give him the formal CIA look or the more casual, but I decided to go with his appearance in one of my all-time favorite episodes "Wanted" as the inspiration for his look.
Can you guess which other characters I'll be introducing before Sunday? Take a guess or two!!
