A/N:- OK you might know that inspired by Threads and Spindles by Verity some Jibbs writers are exploring AUs where Jen and Gibbs don't become partners and where things don't happen in the way we know about. This is one of those stories - the only connection it has to Threads or indeed to Lover's Leap is that it is based on the same premise.

Disclaimer - I know I said I was never going to do this again - turns out I didn't actually mean never. I still don't own the characters - but I am guessing you knew that.

Thanks to Ellie and Verity for letting me join in the fun.

According to Webster's Kismet means Destiny; fate. It derives from the Arabic word qismah, and entered the English language via the Turkish word kısmet, meaning either "the will of Allah" or "portion, lot or fate". In English, the word is synonymous with fate or destiny. You get the point.

Kismet - by morgan72uk

Ziva David sighed and leant a little further over the hotel rooftop. The air was cooler up here and beneath her the city of Cairo teemed and throbbed with life. At this time of night she knew the old streets were filled with people seeking every type of pleasure and places to hide while conducting their transactions. She watched their movements without seeing them, without wondering what was being brought and sold in the winding passageways – she had far more important matters to worry about.

In her hand she held a small piece of white cloth; a scrap that might easily have been overlooked – which was the intention. It had been placed quite carefully, weighted down by a single pebble. The pebble in question had not come from the Nile, but instead had been collected in Serbia; on the banks of a very different river. At the time she had questioned the logic of such a whimsical gesture. She had been wrong about that. The cloth combined with the pebble was much more than an apology for missing prearranged rendezvous. It was a message; a warning and a reminder of a promise she had made before this mission even began.

She sighed again. Her father would not be happy, but she had given her word. Something was amiss and she had said that if it came to it she would not let Mossad take control. Like it or not she was going to have to contact NCIS and apprise them of the situation.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs took a long sip of his coffee and resisted the urge to slap DiNozzo on the back of the head - again. While he didn't doubt the young agent's ability he was beginning to understand the enormity of the task he had undertaken and why DiNozzo had never managed to stay anywhere for longer than two years.

Gibbs couldn't help thinking that if he'd been half this much trouble in the early days it was no wonder that Mike Franks had retreated to a beach in Mexico. In fact he was seriously thinking about going to join him.

It didn't help that the remainder of his team was less than inspiring. He'd inherited Agent Johnson – who, though experienced, had an inflated opinion of his own ability. Gibbs had realised early on that his lack of imagination and stringent adherence to the rules made him more of a liability than an asset.For all of his arrogance it would be a far more rewarding task to whip DiNozzo into shape. The younger man had more talent in his little finger than Johnson, although it was unfortunate that DiNozzo was perfectly aware of the disparity in their abilities and spent his time doing his best to needle Johnson – something he was rarely unsuccessful at.

Despite his own reputation for being difficult, Gibbs knew there was a long list of applicants for the other vacant slot on his team. The Director was pressurising him to fill it – but he was resisting. He knew he needed experience and ability, someone who could stand up to DiNozzo and to him if need be. He was looking for a set of skills that complimented his own and, without knowing exactly what it was he was looking for, he knew he hadn't seen it yet.

"Agent Gibbs." He looked up at the sound of Director Morrow's voice, "a moment of your time." The Director's gaze slid past him to rest on DiNozzo and then on Johnson, "and bring your team with you."

As he rose it occurred to Gibbs that either he, or more likely DiNozzo, had done something to elicit the Director's ire – but that concern was dispelled as they followed Morrow into MTAC rather than his office.

"You're looking at Said Gravois," the Director said, nodding towards the large screen in the centre of the room where photographs of the same man were being displayed. "A French citizen – with an Algerian mother. He's recently emerged as a lead financier for several of the groups we've been watching closely since 9/11, he's been very successful in moving money for them. He was based in the French Rivera, but last year France has got a little too hot for him and he moved his base of operations to Cairo."

"He's not in the US?" Gibbs asked, wondering what this had to do with them.

"No," Morrow nodded towards one of the technicians and the photos changed. "Jasmine Sterling, US born financier, wanted here for questioning over several 'creative' deals – she's one of the few people Gravois trusts and she's also his lover."

"The beautiful ones are always evil." DiNozzo murmured and while Gibbs might have wished he'd kept the thought to himself he couldn't dispute the analysis. The woman was beautiful – if he'd been told she was a model or a film star he wouldn't have been surprised. Dark hair swept her shoulders and in the few shots when her eyes weren't hidden behind oversized sunglasses he saw the intelligence in her expression.

"I'm sure she'll be pleased to hear you say that Agent DiNozzo," Morrow sounded almost amused, as he looked towards the photographs again, "meet NCIS Agent Jennifer Shepard – Agent Shepard has been undercover as Jasmine Sterling for a year, she planned this operation."

"Why don't we get gigs like this?" DiNozzo breathed – all too evidently impressed by the full on undercover operation he was being read into.

"A better question would be why is NCIS involved in an op like this at all?" Gibbs wasn't happy – he'd undertaken his share of undercover missions when he'd been based in Europe but this was different; this was long term, deep cover and a high profile target.

"We've been liasing with Mossad – Agent's Shepard's handler is a Mossad officer." Morrow's explanation did nothing to make Gibbs feel happier.

"So what's gone wrong?" He asked, certain that something must have gone wrong.

"She missed her last check in and left her handler a message asking for help." Before he could continue the technician said,

"Officer David is on line sir."

"Put her on," Gibbs looked up as the face of a young woman filled the screen. Her dark eyes were wary and she looked every inch the good Mossad officer. He found it difficult to imagine her working easily with glamorous woman he'd seen photographs of just a few minutes before – but perhaps he was doing both of them an injustice. "Officer David, this is Special Agent Gibbs and his team."

Her eyes flicked over them and it wasn't hard to recognise the disdain with which she viewed them. "This is your best team?" she said sceptically, "an old man, a playboy and the office bore?" Behind him Gibbs heard Johnson's outraged squeak and DiNozzo's whisper of,

"The name's DiNozzo, Tony DiNozzo," in what he assumed was an attempt at a British accent.

"We're not the ones who've lost our prized undercover agent," Gibbs watched her bristle at his response but didn't give her time to respond. "How do you know Agent Shepard isn't dead?" He did not miss the way she flinched – it was an interesting reaction which he filed away for later consideration.

"She missed a pre-arranged check in – but she left me a message asking for help. Only Jen could have left the message – it was a personal signal, agreed between the two of us." Gibbs raised an eyebrow – not wanting to point out that if someone was tortured there were no secrets, since the Mossad officer surely knew that as well as anyone. "She'd been seen at her hotel the day of the check in – but hasn't been back since. Our intel suggests she is with Gravois at his house to the west of Cairo. It is heavily guarded and I am reluctant to get too close and risk being seen – unless you think differently?" She glanced towards Morrow who shook his head.

"Not yet. Jethro – I'm sending you out to assess the situation – and to see if you can work out if the mission has been compromised. It's a joint operation with Mossad – I expect you to co-operate. Officer David, can I count on you to assist Agent Gibbs?"

For a moment Gibbs thought she would refuse – there were currents here that he didn't understand and the young woman on the screen was clearly key to them. But, after a very short moment she nodded once.

"Can you seal the hotel room until we get there?" Gibbs asked, "we might be able to find some evidence that will help us."

"It will be done." The connection was terminated abruptly and from the surprised expression on the tech's face it hadn't been at his end.

"DiNozzo, go home and get a bag." Gibbs instructed. "Johnson – you'll handle the investigation from here." DiNozzo's whoop of glee did nothing to ease the sour expression on Johnson's face at the news that he was staying behind.

"Jethro," Morrow called him back as he started to follow his agents out. "Jen Shepard is a damn good agent – she's smart and resourceful. I know you don't approve of our expanding anti-terror work, but it's where the world is now."

"What are you telling me Sir?" Morrow smiled and shook his head.

"If you think she's in trouble get her out. No matter what she says." Gibbs nodded and turned to go, "and Jethro – if she asks, we never had this conversation. She's got a hell of a temper."

"Should I wonder how you know that, sir?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter Agent Gibbs - I recruited her." Gibbs raised an eyebrow and didn't comment further. But as he left MTAC he couldn't help thinking that recruiting the woman didn't exactly preclude other types of relationships. His gut told him that this was going to get complicated.

TBC