Here I am on this plane and can hardly sit still. I didn't need to be in a plane rising from the ground to have butterflies. I have no idea what I am going to say to her when I see her again face to face.
Chris remembered that the first visit had gone well. He was optimistic on how the second one would go. He could sense that her latest endeavor did not go well so he was anxious to see her again and perhaps be able to comfort her.
This time Chris took a four day weekend. He was surprised at how open she was. He knew, however, that something was wrong. "I can't discuss it with you" Percy said as she got up to get him another beer. He was surprise when she just plopped herself down in his lap without say a word. He realized the longer she sat there the tighter her grip around him grew.
"So Chris are you still mad at me?"
"Sonja I was never mad at you, just surprised. I know we decided not to peruse a relationship but I thought we were close enough for you to confide in me. I miss you Sonja. It didn't take me long either to realize that I had made a big mistake in not seeing that there could be something between us. I really want revisit that."
"Okay. I don't know what you have done these past months but I found that I needed someone to talk to. A professional. I carried a lot of pain and sorrow in my life that I just ignored. I had to address those things in addition to my realizing that I should not have run away from New Orleans and from you. She talked a lot as they sat and drank their wine. He realized that while he was still on Central Standard Time, that Sonja was starting to wilt since it was well past midnight in D.C."
Saturday morning they got up and went to work out at the Police gym. It was like old times as they made their rounds on the weight machines. He had forgotten how impressive she was with the weights. They both grabbed showers when they got back to the condo and then took off for a nearby restaurant that served Iowa choice beef. One of Sonja's co-workers declared that the meat melted in your mouth and he was right.
Saturday night they went to the theatre. Hamilton was on tour and he was delighted to see it since he missed it when it was in New Orleans. Sunday morning he cooked them breakfast. Sonja ate the mushrooms even though they were cooked in bacon grease. They turned on the TV to watch a basketball game but somehow got involved in a hot make out session and missed most of it. That night they found a couple of old movies and fell asleep on the sofa.
He woke up early Monday morning with her in his arms and him with a nocturnal erection. He eased himself out from underneath her and hit the shower hoping to rectify the situation. He saw Sonja in the kitchen when he came out of the guest bedroom. She had made waffles. He was glad that she had cooked his first because her version of the batter did not smell quite as good.
In spite of her being on leave Sonja Percy could not ignore her telephone. To her dismay, she immediately recognized the number on her caller ID. I'm sorry LaSalle; I have to take this call.
She returned to the room shortly and informed him that she would have to go into the office in for an overseas call. She put on a weak smile that broadens as Chris flashed his own special one. "At least they can't get to me" he said.
He gave her goodbye hug and watched as she retrieved her weapon and gathered her brief case.
As soon as she was out the door, he went to find his own phone. He queried the internet for the directory for the Washington D.C. NCIS Office. He quickly dialed the main number. Can I speak to Agent 'Jacqueline Sloane he inquired?
"Hello Agent Sloane. My name is Chris LaSalle. I am assigned to the NCIS Office in New Orleans."
"Good morning Agent LaSalle" she responded. "I recognized your name. How can I help you?"
"I know this is short notice" LaSalle responded "but I was wondering if you had time to meet with me this morning.
"I have nothing on my calendar yet today. Do you know how to get to our building?"
"Well, I would rather not meet there. I really don't want it known that I am seeing you."
"Well, tell me where you are right now and I can suggest a location."
At his response she suggests that they meet at the Seventh Hill Eatery at Union Station. They would both be able take the train there quickly. The suggestion was aggregable to LaSalle. He ran in for a quick shower and then departed the condo after leaving Percy a note. 45 minutes later he arrived at restaurant.
There she is thought to himself after spotting the woman with the brown coat and scarf. "Agent Sloane? I'm Chris LaSalle" he said as he extended his hand.
Good morning. I hope you got here okay ''Jack'' says to him.
Yes, just fine.
After ordering his favorite Bar Harbor Blueberry Soda, Christopher began speaking.
"I don't know how much you know about me so let me fill you in on my time at NCIS and in New Orleans at the NOPD."
"Wait" 'Jack' interrupts. "Before you begin talking I need to know if this is work related or personal."
"Well, I guess both but this has affected my work life and the reason I contacted you is that I think that I finally need to face some of these challenges with professional help.
"I'm going to need to write a few notes" she responds.
Twenty minutes later Chris realized that he was already emotionally drained. "Well, I was hoping that you could give me a referral to one of the counselors at the base in New Orleans."
I don't see that as a problem, but actually, I would like to see you myself. I could fly out to 'Nola to interview you and then make a recommendation for a mental health plan after I get a better understanding at what you might need. And Agent LaSalle, I would need to inform your supervisor that you are in EAP (Employee Assistance Program). It's not a bad thing and the Agency rules restrict me from disclosing anything that I learn from you to them – well, that is unless you killed someone she says with a snicker.
"All right. I will be waiting for you to contact me and let me know when you will be arriving."
A two weeks later Pride gives Chris the 'high sign' and they both head toward the secure room. LaSalle has no idea what is going on. When the screen finally comes up he is little dismayed to see 'Jack' Sloane. He wanted to be able to tell King himself before she showed up.
Agent Sloane did an excellent job in informing Agent Pride that she would be coming to 'Nola the next week and why. Chris felt more at ease than he expect. King turned to him when the screen went dark. "I'm glad you were able to get 'here' Chris. You have had some challenging times. I understand that Agent Sloane is quite good at what she does. Just keep me informed of when she will arrive and when you need to be away from the office. I will pair you up with me during that time then no one else will know. Department guidelines prevent me from asking you what you speak with Agent Sloane about and from me asking her."
True to her word Agent Sloane arrived on the next Monday. She called late Wednesday after their meeting at Belle Chasse. "I would like to see you myself. I think that five four hour sessions will be a good start. If we need any additional time, we can schedule it."
Agent Sloane went over her notes one more time before her 9 a.m. appointment with the NCIS employee. While she could not disclose to his supervisor what the employee would disclose to her, she could glean information from the supervising agent Dwayne Pride about Agent LaSalle.
The information provided by Agent Pride provided a road map for what would happen the next few days. Like most individuals, LaSalle's life was full of potholes and landmines. She quickly realized that this would not be easy for either of them to negotiate. With all that was said, there was a piece of information missing.
"Well thank you Agent Pride" 'Jack' said. "You have been a great help. I do have one more question. Is Agent LaSalle currently involved with anyone?"
"Not that I am aware of" Pride responds. "We're together for most holidays and often times at the bar so I think that I would have noticed."
That stymied her because LaSalle had specifically mentioned that there was a woman in the picture.
Agent Sloane jumped right into treatment from the moment that Chris entered the counseling room at Belle chaise on Monday. The first day covered Chris' childhood and his interactions with his parents and siblings. It was notable that there was a lot of pain and a lot of guilt over his brother's mental illness. Chris thought that he and his father could/should have done more to help his brother.
Day two focused on Chris' personal issues during his childhood and teen years in high school.
Day three was focused on LaSalle' personal relationships with women. In the end she stopped him when he got to the current woman. We'll come back to her later she softly said.
Day four covered his years as a law enforcement officer and Katrina. He also had survivor's guilt at never been shot himself. Two NOPD partners, Percy, King were injured while on assignment with him. He also had to address the guilt he felt over Savannah's murder.
Friday finally arrived and they focused on what brought him to her couch. "Yes, I am just beginning a serious relationship with a woman. We had known each other four years."
"So tell me a little about her" 'Jack asks"
"Well, she's smart, kind, a great law enforcement officer. City Mouse can sing like a bird and beat the pants of anybody at the card table or on the weapons qualifying range".
Wait a minute. Did he say something about a Mouse 'Jack' thought? Her mind drifted for a moment. Wait a minute. Sonja Percy talked about a mouse too. Oh my. This is going to be interesting she realized.
"I'm sorry but did you say something about a mouse?"
"Oh yeah LaSalle replies" with a grin. It is a moniker that we gained when we had an adventure in the squad room one night. I was known as Country Mouse while she was City Mouse. I had an added one of "work husband" because of my worry the first time she fell off the radar. A co-worker accused me of being her 'work husband'.
"Okay Agent LaSalle, we'll come back to this. Can you find your way back to where you were in our conversation where you said that you had made a mistake about her leaving?"
I made a mistake and did not object to her leaving and it caused a lot of pain to the both of us. She reached out to me after she left but I never received the correspondence and only about three months ago found out that she was regretting leaving 'Nola without seeing if we could have something.
"Okay. Do you mind if I ask why you let her go?"
As he stumbles for an answer 'Jack' speaks up. "You must have had a reason."
"Yes" he says and once again tears escape Chris LaSalle's eyes. "I did it for the sake of the team and us as partners. There was just no way that we could be that close and for me to allow her to do her job like it needed to be done. I was wrong in that I never explained that to her. Things got really strained between us. I think if I had told her, it might have gone a whole lot smoother.