Kelsey stared at the ceiling in her barracks room at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Thankfully, as an officer, she was in the officer's quarters and that was slightly better than what enlisted got but barracks sucked non the less, no matter where you were. She had made the decision with her husband that because her time at MCBH was so short, she knew no one here, it was probably going to be easier to stay on base than trying to find a short time rental on Oahu. Comparing some of the rental costs on what some of her fellow officers were paying to live off base, she was pretty glad she made the decision. But sometimes living on base sucked balls.

Her sixteen days with Patrick had flown by. Way too fast. To her rather amazement, the 4 of them- her and Patrick, Clay and Sloane had managed to do every fun thing in Virginia Beach during the 16 days. They went swimming one day, paintballing, bowling, went to the movies, went clubbing, had a chilli cookoff at Ray's place with Dan serving as the judge and overall had the time of their lives. They realized how fun it was to be normal twenty something year olds instead of three of them were active duty military, two of them under two hour recall notice, and all of them, including Sloane, wished during that sixteen days they hadn't signed their lives away to Uncle Sam.

Her and Patrick did have a chance for a serious conversation though. They both realized that they had sucked at communication during their deployments. Their sixteen days of fun made Kelsey realize that she had her serious demons to work on and she did see the counselor that Ray recommended on base during that time and told Patrick about it. In return of her telling him about her demons about her being tortured with Rodriguez in Pakistan and then turning around and basically torturing someone for information in Ethiopia, Patrick had told her that he didn't want to stay in the Marines past his active duty contract. Which was surprising as hell because when they got married, they essentially agreed that she would do her first contract, reconsider reupping but he would do his full 20. He told her that he wanted to be an accountant instead, focusing on forensic accounting. He already had a mathematics degree with an emphasis in econ from the Naval Academy, so he knew he liked numbers. He reminded his wife that he had always been like his mom, instead of his dad, so to leave the "family business" of the military, shouldn't be a huge shock. And the more Kelsey thought about it, it wasn't. She told him she'd support him either way.

And he supported her in the fact that she knew she would be assigned to the Marine Corps Intelligence Agency after her time at MCBH was over. SERE had come before Hawaii and that was a bitch. The powers that be sent her to the Air Force's version and she didn't ask why. She had already been held captive and tortured but the instructors preyed on that. She didn't break though. Three weeks into being the XO at 3-3, she got told to go jump school so she took one of her Corporals who was getting insanely high evals and wanted to go to Recon. The Corporal enjoyed jump school more than she did. She hated every moment of it and wanted to steal a car and head for Virginia as fast as she could; but she stuck it out. She thought jump school was worse than IOC, which earned some huge chuckles from Sonny when she called 'home' one day. But with SERE and jump school out of the way, she knew it was a matter of time before MCIA called her to go on a mission. She also knew it wasn't necessarily with a SEAL team, or Bravo.

She had continued seeing a therapist on base here, which was helping. The Antwerp train station incident was still weighing heavy on her mind. Mandy had contacted through channels that weren't exactly standard to let her know that by no fault of hers and Full Metal's were they to blame for what happened and they should not shoulder any of the weight of what went down. In fact, if they hadn't ran after the red headed woman, she said, a lot more deaths would have happened. Basically, they took down the head of a major spy ring and by all accounts, terror organization, that day when she decided to chance after her and get on the train after strict orders not to. The therapist here was doing a good job at unpacking the emotional rollercoaster that was operating. Kelsey sincerely wondered how veterans of the game, like Jason, did it.

One other thing she was dealing with the therapist was Afghanistan. And what happened on base with Captain Fall. Special Agent Jenna Cowan had finally gone to her chain of command, Jason and Blackburn's chain of commands to testify. And she had no choice. Orders were orders. If this was a civilian court, she would try and her very expensive lawyer to get her out of testifying, but this was a court martial. Mickey Crawford, her very expensive lawyer, told her to do what Jenna said. So they went to Quantico and testified. Captain Fall getting the book thrown at him- guilty on all charges was not surprising but there was no relief for Kelsey. Even with his most serious charge of undue command influence that just about ruined her career if not for Brigadier General Bennett stepping in and putting a stop to the nonsense. The only good to come out of the court martial was that she got to have drinks with Lt. Noah Smith and her good buddy, Lt. Austin Briggs before having to go back to Dam Neck. Afghanistan had really fucked her up good.

The thing about Hawaii was the time zone difference. She wasn't that far off of Patrick, which was nice, because they were able to talk lots. And they got good at communicating because long distance was no easy feat. But after living so close with Clay and Sloane, off and on, it was hard to be so far from them and not able to talk to them lots. Clay hadn't been spun up much and that was driving him up the wall. Even Sloane had mentioned that she wished they were on a long spin up to get him back to baseline. She was good for him and the last time Kelsey and her brother talked, she told him to put a "fucking ring on her goddamn finger". Whether he'd listen to her advice was another story.

She heard a knock on the door and got up from staring at the ceiling. The Warrant Officer, she found out his name- Jimmy Brookman, who went to bat for her after she beat the Corporal in Afghanistan to a pulp and left him in ICU, was stationed at MCBH. He was her saving grace to this base so far. Pretty much everyone else has ostracized her, mainly because she was only here for a short time, except the pilots. The pilots digged the fact that she was basically special operations and accepted her. She appreciated that; however she didn't appreciate the sometimes disgusting comments and the regular cheating they did on their girlfriends and wives but that seemed to be par for the course in the military.

Jimmy opened the door slowly, to make sure she was decent. "We're going out right now to that new bar. Get dressed."

Kelsey sighed. This was a thing with the pilots. Every night, one of them, usually trying to hit on her, would come to her room and try to get her to go out with then. Depending on who was asking, she would. Jimmy was engaged, his fiancée back home in North Carolina at their last duty station, and so far she hadn't see him cheat on her so that made Jimmy a good guy in her books. "Really, Jimmy. Really?"

Jimmy came into her room and passed her a shirt that was sitting on a chair. "Put it on. You knew this invitation was coming."

"Yeah, I did," Kelsey said, taking the shirt. "I'll meet you outside in fifteen."

Jimmy smiled. "That's what I like to hear."

Before she left, she slipped off her real rings and put her silicone ring on. For some reason, her gut was telling her to do that, So she did. Her gut was also telling her she probably shouldn't be going out tonight but if she did, she'd be safe with Jimmy and the guys. They would take care of her.

She was leaving the bar, and half way drunk and about to get into an Uber with Jimmy and Travis, another pilot, when she spotted her gut reason of why she shouldn't have come to the bar.

"You two have my six, right?" Kelsey turned to Jimmy.

Jimmy nodded, although not completely trashed. That was the agreement. Kelsey would go out but one of the guys that she trusted in the squadron- Jimmy, Travis or Carlos, would stay somewhat sober. They agreed on that. Travis was the sober one tonight. "What's up?"

She turned to Travis. "You also have bail money if HPD decides to take me in, as well?"

Travis didn't ask questions. He just nodded.

So Kelsey approached her gut reason for why she shouldn't have gone to the bar. Jimmy and Travis were right behind her. "Are you fucking following me?"

Ash Spencer turned around. "Darling! It's so good to see you."

"Dad, what the fuck are you doing in Hawaii?"

Ash stepped forward to hug her but Kelsey took a step backwards. Jimmy and Travis stayed put. With Jimmy and Travis both at 6'1', and 220 lbs they weren't small guys and they looked intimidating. That's what Kelsey hoped for. "My book publisher moved here and so I thought I should fly out here and meet with her before its released."

"How many state secrets are leaked in that newest book? Has the DOD screened your manuscript?" Kelsey asked. She shared a glance with Jimmy. Jimmy, even though half drunk, seemed to know exactly who the man standing in front of Kelsey was.

"No state secrets."

Kelsey raised an eyebrow. "Your conversations with NCIS Special Agent Jenna Cowan make the book?"

Ash shrugged his shoulders. "If they did, it's not classified information."

She was fuming mad. "I'd love to know how you found out I was here."

Ash shrugged again, this time it wasn't so friendly. "I have friends in high places still."

"I bet you do. Leave Clay and I alone for Christ's sakes."

"Surprised you haven't mentioned your husband in the threatening part," Ash sneered. "Or are you stepping out on him with one of these guys?"

Kelsey didn't even react to the low blow. She had heard through Clay that Ash had become unglued when he heard she had gotten married. With that being said, Ash had no idea who she was married to. He would be a lot more scared if he knew she was married to a US Senator's son. "Nah, Dad. Cheating is what you do, not me. Good luck finding my husband though."

Ash dropped one more bombshell. "Surprised you're not overseas right now though. What happened to your deployment?. I am surprised to run into you at this bar. Heard your mom wasn't with the Company anymore. Is she back in Israel?"

Ash knowing about a deployment wasn't surprising; after she was taken they would have had to have questioned him. Knowing Leah wasn't with the CIA anymore, that was a little more alarming. Especially insinuating that she was back with Mossad. "You and mom going steady again?"

"I can't stand your mom."

Kelsey stepped into his personal space. She may have not spoken to Leah Wellington since Afghanistan but Leah was still her mom and she didn't take too kindly to Ash threatening her mom. "There's a NCIS Agent who opened the leak investigation who's now stationed in Okinawa, who I believe actually happens to maybe fall into my AOR. He really hates you and all that you stand for. I'm gonna call him about this little conversation."

Ash looked a little scared because he knew NCIS poking more into his personal life was not good for business. "Go ahead, kid."

Kelsey turned around, Jimmy and Travis right beside her. "Good chat, Dad. Maybe you can call Clay for my number again on my birthday to make your yearly amends. Actually, fuck that. Fucking forget about us. You've been a piss poor father all of our lives. Forget about us for once and for all."

Kelsey called the only person she could think of that might be able to help her once Jimmy and Travis got her back to base safely. She knew she was ultra safe from Ash here. Before she called Okinawa and asked for Eddie Bell's help. Mandy Ellis. And given the fact that Mandy answered her sat phone on the first ring meant she was overseas.

"Well, this better be good. And what time is it in Hawaii anyways?"

"It's not," Kelsey replied. "And it's around 2 am."

"Then this better be really good," Lt. Commander Eric Blackburn's voice came on the line.

"Commander," Kelsey said politely.

"Tell Mandy whatever you were going to tell her before you realized I was here," Blackburn instructed.

Kelsey sighed. "I need to know whether my mother is Mossad, officially or not."

"Why?" Mandy asked.

"Ran into Ash tonight at a bar in Kaneohe Bay. Whether that's an accident or not, that's up to you and your trust in him. In the midst of me telling him to fuck off, he mentioned that he knew my mother wasn't CIA anymore and was working for Mossad. And if there's one thing I know- there's no love lost between my parents and they wouldn't calling each other just to chat. I also know that the CIA doesn't exactly post a list of their operatives on Wikipedia for the world to find out or Ash Spencer."

Mandy groaned. "Oh this is going to be good."

"My next call is to NCIS Special Agent Eddie Bell."

Blackburn sighed. "Isn't that the Special Agent that started the leak investigation into your brother and you?"

"Semantics but yes. But he hates my father more than most people so if anyone is going to go after Ash Spencer hard, it's going to be Eddie."

"I'll make some calls," Mandy promised.

"All I ask."

Clay was pretending to sleep as he heard the one sided conversation of Commander Blackburn and Mandy as they spoke quietly above him in the plane. Whatever they were speaking about, it definitely involved him. He knew that much. For most of the past two years, questions and answers regarding the leak investigation, Ash Spencer and Kelsey were talked about at a higher pay grade than his and he was kept in the dark. All he knew was that an agent named Eddie Bell had placed his name under a leak investigation. For all he was concerned about, Blackburn was also not concerned so he stayed out of the politics regarding his father and sister.

The only thing he was concerned about was the fact that Ash seemed to rock the boat as far as Kelsey and his relationship. They both hated their father but for some reason they did not agree on how to handle it. Kelsey detested the fact that Clay was even willing to pick up Ash's phone calls or speak to him in person. To him- he was still his father even though Clay really did hate the guy. He could see Kelsey's side as well. As far as she was concerned- her father was Jon Wellington. And Dan Shanahan had no problems stepping up to the plate as her father-in-law to be that father figure she could trust.

He enjoyed those 16 days that Patrick was in town for and his relationship with Kelsey was even stronger after she got her shit together and went to see the therapist. Those 16 days were a lot of fun and he also saw a side to Sloane that made him love her a little more. She was willing to try anything. Even splashing around in the local swimming pool with a Navy SEAL and a guy who the Naval Academy wanted to swim for. Hell, she was even willing to go to the shooting range against three overachieving active duty military members and laughed about it. She even dragged Kelsey with her old roommates out for a wine and paint night so Patrick could have a night with his parents who were in town mainly during the two weeks, as everyone expected. She had Dan and Michelle over for dinner without hesitation, although Dan and Michelle were everyone's surrogate parents and no one complained. Overall, Clay was falling head over heels for Stephanie Sloane.

They did have their first huge fight during those 16 days. Sloane always did her hair and makeup before work and to Clay's standard "took forever." She said that she liked doing her hair and makeup after spending 4 years in uniform and then university where no one gave a shit. So Clay mainly used Kelsey's bathroom as she was always gone before him and her definition of getting ready was putting her hair in a perfect bun and putting enough concealer on to make her not look so horrifically exhausted. With Patrick staying, he couldn't use that bathroom all the time. Which led to a fight of how long Sloane took getting ready and were they really ready to move in together. They got over the fight in about six hours after Sonny pointed out to him that he was being a jackass- he had dealt with way worse situations for way longer, dealing with his girlfriends hair and makeup in the bathroom was not a huge convenience.

And then Kelsey finished her course and went to SERE and then moved to Hawaii. He knew it was going to happen. People didn't usually stay at the same base for long and he knew that they were going to be split up. Sloane kept reminding him of that- it was the military. They had been extremely lucky in the fact that her courses had been in Dam Neck so they could get to know each other and live together. Clay just couldn't remember a time when his sister wasn't a part of his life. It was nice to have Sloane to "himself" but damn did the apartment feel empty without Kelsey or Matt Parker always coming by. He had also been given PCS orders. This time to Great Lakes- to train Navy recruits.

He was woken up or startled by Blackburn coming by the stairs. His commanding officer took a seat beside where Clay was racked out in his hammock.

"I'm assuming you heard the phone call?" Blackburn asked.

Clay shrugged. "Which one?" He feigned ignorance.

Blackburn cracked his knuckles. "Naval Intelligence just gave me a call. They want to do a joint operation with the Israeli's and they need your sister for her language skills."

"Oh boy."

"She's going to need a bodyguard and someone else with language skills to go to Israel. Anyone else you can think of?"

Clay laughed. "Can I volunteer myself?"

Blackburn laughed. "I'll talk to the powers that be and let you know."

"You knew this call was coming."

"I did. Is her head on straight?"

Clay thought about it. The Ash thing might have her rattled but he knew his answer. "Her head is on straight."

"Good. Because we're counting on her."