I'm so sorry for the long wait, but things have been crazy here. A lot has been going on, but now that things have finally calmed down, I decided to update. Thank you for all the reviews, please keep it up!

ELEVEN.

Cross-Jurisdiction, Part III

Don was having a hard time piecing together his sentences around Violet. It was actually a lot like when they had first met. Don was four years older than Violet, and it had been 6 years ago, the first time he had ever met her, he had been 25, and Violet had only been 21.

As Violet had stated, they had met through friends. Their current best friend, actually. Danny Messer, six years ago, however, had been much more than friend to Violet, he had been her boyfriend, and Don had been in love with her ever since the moment he met her.

This is what that reminded him of. Because when Don had first met Violet, he had been so overwhelmed by her beauty that he had felt like he couldn't even think straight.

"What are you thinking about?" Violet asked, cocking her head in a very Violet fashion, as she held onto his arm with her eyebrows raised.

"Uh…" Don fumbled over his words, "Just… stuff. Crazy stuff."

"My favorite." Violet smiled slightly, and then said, "You know, Gibbs did a good job cleaning you up."

Don grinned, "Thanks, you didn't do so badly yourself."

This seemed to please Violet, as she smiled brightly, and then her cell phone buzzed loudly, signaling a text message.

Violet pulled out her pink Razr and flipped it open. It was a message from Abby.

"He's flirting with you. "

Violet rolled her eyes. She had almost forgotten that there was a small camera in her earring, and when she remembered, she also remembered that she had to be careful. She felt as though having Don around made her very vulnerable.

"What are you thinking?" Don asked.

Violet looked at Don and smiled, "Crazy things."

Violet and Don were sitting down together at a table, eating their dinner, when another text came through.

Violet read it and then said, "Apparently, we're off tonight,"

Don raised his eyebrows, "Hm?"

"All the Marines are accounted for, and every single one presented a photo ID, which Gibbs verified." Violet looked at Don with a slight smile, "Gibbs gave us the night off."

"That was kind of him." Don remarked.

Violet nodded, "Well, I think so."

"So, since we have the night off," Don said in a careful voice, "Maybe we should talk, Vi—Serena."

Violet looked at him with her pretty blue eyes, and hesitated, before saying, "You're right," She sighed softly, "We should talk."

There was an awkward silence between them, and Violet cleared her throat, "Do you want to go first, or should I?"

Don looked at her, and sighed, "I will…"

Violet looked at him expectantly, as the band started playing Van Morrison's Moondance.

A small smile crept onto Don's face, "After this song."

Violet grinned as he led her onto the dance floor, and they began dancing.

"You know, I'm surprised you even remember this song." Violet remarked as she and Don both moved gracefully together.

"Oh? And why is that?" Don raised his eyebrows.

"Because the first time we ever danced to this song, you were the one singing it, and we were both utterly drunk." Violet said, ignoring the feeling that came upon her whenever he touched her hands, or anywhere else.

"I was not." Don said, looking indignant, "The first time we danced to this was at Paddy's."

"Nuh-uh," Violet said in a very immature fashion.

"Uh-huh," Don nodded, "Our first date."

Violet shook her head, "That was Michael Bublé."

"He sings this song, V., I remember, you bought the CD, and played it over, and over, and over again." Don stated, grinning.

"Don Flack, I remember everything about our first date," Violet informed him, "The first song we ever danced to, the song in Paddy's, it was Fever."

Don though about this, and as he did, Violet continued, "The night you sang Moondance, it was like two weeks after our first date. We went to Sam's party, and we both drank way too much."

"Ah, yeah." Don nodded, "You're right, V."

"Oh, I know." Violet nodded.

The song ended, and Violet was surprised when Don kept dancing. "I thought you said one song," She remarked.

"I changed my mind," He smiled.

They continued dancing for a few more songs, before it slowed down with Willie Nelson's You Were Always On My Mind.

Violet and Don looked at each other awkwardly, before Don pulled her close and they started swaying to the music.

Violet leaned her head against Don's chest and listened to his slow, steady breathing, when Don said, "Violet?"

Violet looked up at him with expectant eyes, "Yeah?"

"I, uh," Don hesitated, before brushing her hair out of her face and stating, "I really miss you, V."

Violet blinked slowly before leaning her head against his chest once more, "I really miss you too."

Shortly after the Willie Nelson song, Violet and Don walked back up to their room, and Violet said, "We didn't get to do much talking tonight."

Don shook his head, "No, you're right, we didn't."

"We're going to have to, sooner or later though, right?" Violet peeked at Don before looking back at her shoes.

"We have to, yeah." Don nodded, "We can talk after we get settled in. I'm assuming you want the bed?"

"What do you mean?" Violet raised her eyebrows.

"Well, if you want the bed, then I'll sleep on the couch—"

"Don, don't be stupid." Violet interrupted, "We're both mature adults, I'm pretty sure we can share the bed without anything happening, right?" She looked at him, with a trace of a smile on her face.

"Well, I—"

"Don't argue with me just for the sake of arguing with me," Violet said, sitting on the bed, "Just take your side of the bed, all right?"

"Fine, if you're going to be so pushy about it." Don chuckled, walking into the bathroom, to change and brush his teeth.

When he exited the room, he said, "Hey, Violet, I…" He had to cut himself off, because he found himself basically talking to himself, as Violet was sound asleep on the bed.

Don shook his head, obviously things hadn't changed since Violet had left New York.

The next morning found Violet waking up, being very confused. Not just about where she was, but about who she was with.

She was in a tangle of limbs on a large bed, with none other than her ex-fiancé, Don Flack. It wasn't like it hadn't happened before, only when it had happened before… they had been together.

Violet blinked blearily, before realizing what had disturbed her sleep. Her cell phone was vibrating loudly on the nightstand. She grabbed for it, and then flipped it open, "Monroe."

"Are you still asleep?" Tony sounded slightly annoyed.

"Tony? I was. It's 5:30 in the morning, what do you want?" Violet groaned.

"This is your wake-up call, Violet." Tony said, "Gibbs wants to meet you for breakfast in half an hour."

"But I'm tired." Violet whined softly.

"Why? What'd you do last night?" Tony asked.

Violet rolled her sleepy blue eyes, and then said, "Goodbye, Tony, I'll see you in a half an hour." She closed her phone, and looked at Don.

He stirred in his sleep, and looked at her, "You're up early."

"Tony phoned," Violet said, "Gibbs and Tony are meeting us for breakfast,"

"But I'm tired." Don muttered.

"Me too," Violet sighed, leaning against the pillows, her dark hair falling over her shoulders, before she pushed herself off the bed and began searching for something to wear.

"So, um, how did you sleep?" Don asked awkwardly.

"Fine, thanks," Violet looked at him, "You?"

"It was… I'm good." Don said, still in an awkward tone.

Violet nodded and looked down at her chipped nail polish, twisting her ring around her finger, a known nervous habit.

"You still wear the ring," Don remarked.

"Of course I do," Violet nodded, not looking at him, "You think that because I left that means I'd take it off?"

"Well, I didn't think you'd leave, V." Don said.

"I had to," Violet murmured, as she walked into the bathroom to change.

"No, you didn't," Violet heard Don getting out of bed, and beginning to change from the comfortable clothes he had worn to sleep in, to a suit.

Violet bit her lip as she brushed her hair and pulled it into a ponytail. She pulled the bathroom door open and the proceeded to brush her teeth, as she said, "But I did."

"Violet," Don came into the doorway of the bathroom, wearing a wife beater, and a pair of dress pants, "You did not have to leave. From what I understood, you and I were taking a break. A break, not a forever type break-up, one that causes you to leave New York."

"Oh, excuse me for trying to move on," Violet said sarcastically.

"You wanted to move on?"

"Well, you made it pretty damn clear that you did," She informed him, spitting in the sink, before proceeding to put on her make-up.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Don stared at her with a stunned expression.

"Jessica Angell, that's what that's supposed to mean." Violet said before she could stop herself.

Don looked at her and then said, "Where did that come from?"

"Lindsay told me," Violet muttered, crossing her arms over her chest, and looking at him.

Don suddenly looked as though he wasn't sure what to say, and Violet said, "So, she was right," She wasn't sure what hurt more, that her sister had been right, or that she had just begun to feel… something for Don again and then this had blown up in her face. "You actually are dating her?!" Violet's temper suddenly exploded, and she said, shrilly, "I can't believe you!"

"It was just a couple of dates, Violet," Don said carefully. Violet's bad temper had become the stuff of legends, and when something set her off, you had to be careful. "It didn't… it didn't mean anything."

"Oh, I'm sure," Violet spat, her blue eyes flashing, "You went on a few dates with Jessica Angell, and Danny told me that they worked a scene at a different girl's house, which you were conveniently spending the night at also!"

"So, I dated! You left, Violet, what was I supposed to do?!" Don exclaimed, sounding tired.

"You know what? Yeah, I left," Violet nodded, "I left, and I haven't gone on one single goddamn date since I got here!" She was in tears, but she still looked angry, "Unlike you, I didn't get over everything so quickly!"

Don stared at her, before saying, "What did you want me to do?"

"I wanted you to fight for me!" Violet exclaimed, "I wanted you to chase after me, after I left the apartment, and tell me that you trusted me more than anyone, that you loved me, and you didn't want anybody else. I wanted you to show me that you wanted me, instead of just letting me go!"

Don looked at her incredulously, "Violet, how the hell was I supposed to know that?!"

"The fact that you didn't makes me wonder if you knew me at all." Violet said softly, shaking her head, as there was a knock on the door.

"Are we going to talk about this?" Don asked her as she walked away.

"Why? You want to see me cry some more?" Violet said angrily, before pulling the door open and finding Gibbs and Tony on the other side.

Both men looked surprised at Violet appearance, the runny make-up, now puffy eyes, and hurt expression. Gibbs was wise, and decided not to say anything, Tony, on the other hand, decided to ask her.

"Are you crying?"

"No, DiNozzo, it's my allergies," Violet sniffled. Pushing the door open, "Come in."

"Monroe, can I have a word?" Gibbs said, after Tony entered.

Violet nodded, "Of course, Gibbs." She went outside the hotel room, and closed the door over behind her, before looking at her boss expectantly.

"Violet," Gibbs said slowly, "Are you okay?"

Violet blinked rapidly to try and stop more tears from falling, but she failed as she felt them spill over onto her cheeks. She shook her head, "No, not really, Gibbs."

"Did something happen?" Gibbs asked her gently.

"I'm kind of wishing you hadn't chosen me for this," Violet said softly, shaking her head.

Gibbs nodded slowly, "Yeah, I'm starting to feel like maybe this was a mistake."

Violet nodded also, and said, "I feel so stupid, Gibbs. Like, I was actually believing he might've changed. That he might've still…" She shook her head again, and wiped away the tears, "I'm stupid." She finished weakly.

"Violet," Gibbs put his hands on her shoulders, "You are anything but stupid. You're a wonderful, beautiful woman, and any man who doesn't see that is an idiot."

Violet looked at him with tear-filled blue eyes and said, "Thanks, Gibbs."

"Are you going to be okay to finish this?" Gibbs asked.

She nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, I can do this."

"Good girl." Gibbs hugged her briefly before pushing the door to the hotel room open and found Tony and Don practically glaring at each other, not saying a word.

"Are you two ready to go, or not?" Gibbs barked.

They both nodded, and then the four made their way down to the dining room for what Violet was sure was going to be an awkward meal.