Alright here is the final chapter of this story. There will be a sequel. I will start posting that in late January and early February. I hope you like this one. I wrote it around midnight so that is why there may be inconsistencies.

Disclaimer: Ethan is.

Spoilers: No.

A FEW WEEKS LATER

Paula Cassidy's new team had been given the four desks behind Gibb's teams in the squad room. It wasn't ideal for them but it was the best they could manage in a space that really was not designed for that many people. Currently only Paula's team was working on a case.

Kate was working at the desk that was separated from McGee's by only a flimsy cubical wall. She was currently trying to track down all of their victim's online transactions in the last year, and not having much luck doing it. Leaning around the thin wall she poked McGee on the shoulder. "Could you help me with this?" she asked him.

McGee rolled his eyes. Kate was an excellent agent when she was on Gibbs team and her time in Italy had only improved that, but there were still certain tasks that she had not quiet figured out. Usually Ethan did this for their team but he was currently elsewhere. "You do realize that you will have to learn how to do this?" McGee asked her.

Kate just smiled as he rolled his chair around and started typing on her computer. He pulled up the necessary information in about a minute and a half. "Thank you," Kate said.

At that moment both Paula and Ethan reappeared. "Got anything?" Paula asked.

"Um yes," Kate said displaying the list of transactions on the plasma, "He made a thousand dollar deposit to the same off-shore account every month for the past two years."

"He was a petty officer," Paula said shaking her head, "he doesn't make a thousand dollars a month. Let me check something." Paula walked over to her computer and began typing. She was their team leader but usually only in name. For the most part all three of them worked together as equals using each other's strengths. "I was right," Paula said, "walking back to the other two. He came from a middle class family. No great inheritance, but do you remember the clothes we found him in?"

"Yes," Kate said putting the evidence pictures up on the screen, "that type of clothes can't come cheep."

"Tony, come here a second," Paula told him across the bullpen.

Tony ignored her and continued to talk to Ziva. Suddenly he felt a hand make contact with the back of his head. "Go help them with their case," Gibbs told him sitting down at his desk.

"Sorry boss," Tony said hurrying across the bullpen to join Paula's team at the plasma, "What do you need?"

"About how much would each of these be?" Kate asked pointing to the evidence pictures on the screen.

Tony whistled. "That is some nice stuff," he told them, "the shirt is probably a 300. The pants are closer to 500. The shoes have got to be maybe 800. The watch is 1200."

"People spend that much on cloths?" Kate asked.

"Yea," Tony said shrugging. He turned around to go back to his desk and found Ziva standing right in front of him.

"Don't do that," Tony told her. She just smiled as they walked back to their side of the bullpen and continued their conversation.

Paula and Kate looked at each other. "We assumed he moving the money into someone else's account," Ethan pointed out.

"He was taking the money from one of the Navy's accounts," Paula concluded.

"Who would kill him?" Ethan asked.

"Someone who found out?" Paula suggested.

"His partner," Kate said, "he never takes the money out so someone has to."

"This guy might not be as computer savvy," Kate suggested, "because he didn't actually do any of the computer tinkering."

"What about the guy he shared a room with?" Paula asked.

"Check his bank records," Kate told Ethan. Ethan nodded and walked over to Kate's computer, and clicked several buttons. Pulling up the financially records of the dead officer's roommate Ethan sighed.

"Bingo," Kate said looking at the large deposits that had been made as well as large with-drawls.

"So shall we bring this guy in?" Paula asked.

"Sure," Kate agree, "You talk to him and I profile."

"Yep," Paula said as both of them headed towards the elevator.

The weeks back home had done wonders for Kate. She still remembered vividly the experience in Nebraska but she was much more her old self. It would take a while to get back to normal and she would never be the person she was before, but she was going to be just fine.

A COUPLE HOURS LATER

Paula and Kate emerged from their respective sides of the mirror that showed the interrogation room. They both wore the triumphant look they normally wore when they solve a case. The stood by side as Ethan led the roommate of the victim down the hall in handcuffs.

After the criminal was handed off to his new best friends (the guards to escort him to the prison) the three investigators returned to the bullpen. Tony was sitting on the coroner of Ziva's desk while she was pretending to read but really listening to Tony's idle chatter. Abby had come up as was discussing the best way to embezzle money. Gibbs and Jenny were standing on the catwalk over looking every thing.

Paula walked over to McGee and Abby and began throwing in suggestions she had gotten from previous cases as well as the one they had just finished working. Kate and Ethan walked over to Kate's desk. Where Ethan turned and looked her straight in the eye.

"Kate we have officially been dating for three months or so," Ethan told her, "but we have been unofficially dating for nearly three and a half years now. If this is too soon just tell me but the adventure, would you call it, in Nebraska make me remember just how precious life could be."

Kate looked at Ethan curiously. She had no clue where he was going with this little speech, but was acutely aware that everyone had dropped deadly silent and was watching.

"I guess what I am trying to say is," Ethan paused as he got down on one knew and pulled out a little velvet box. "Will you marry me?"

Kate's eye widened. Ethan was asking her to marry him. The entire room was watching with bated breath.

"Yes."

Well there you go. Anyone who reviews this chapter will be informed of when the first chapter of the other one goes up. Happy New Years because it is now 2010!!!

Thank you for all the reviews on this story.

Peace Hugs NCIS