Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Okay, so I got this idea while listening to a song on YouTube. I hope you like it!
Goodbyes
Sitting in his chair, his eyes focused on her cleared off desk, he didn't know what to do. At that moment, Abby had her in a choke hold and McGee was staring at the two, a little teary eyed. Gibbs stood at his desk with his arms crossed over his chest, a glare directed at Jenny Shepard, who stood by the window. Ducky, who stood beside Gibbs, was looking at the floor. Palmer and Agent Lee watched off to the side.
Running a hand through his hair, he decided he couldn't stand. Instead he leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He had lost her before he even had her and he felt his heart ripping in two as Abby's cries filled the office.
"Tony?"
He sat up and looked into Director Shepard's face. "Yes, Director," he said coldly. As far as he was concerned, it was all her fault. She was the one who made contact with Mossad.
"Aren't you going to say goodbye?" she questioned.
He moved his eyes from the redhead to the middle of the bullpen. McGee was now saying his farewells, giving her a small hug. Tony felt his stomach tighten. If he hugged her, he knew he wouldn't be able to let go. He turned away as Ducky enveloped her into a hug. When she first came, she had stood stiff in a hug, and now it appeared to her as second nature.
He remembered when he had first met her. He had been thinking about Kate, his former partner who was killed by a terrorist in front of his eyes. Over time, her cold exterior had melted slightly and they had all gotten to know and love their fiery Israeli assassin. Now, she was being called back to Israel and he didn't know if he could take it. He chuckled seeing Palmer walk up and shaking her hand.
They teased each other relentlessly. As time went by she would drop hints about her feelings for him and he would pretend to be oblivious, believing they had all the time in the world. Now his time was cut short and he didn't know what he was going to do. He knew now, watching her grab her backpack off the floor and say goodbye to Gibbs, did he realize that she was more than his partner.
So much more.
"Anthony?"
Tears filling his eyes, he looked up at Ducky. It seemed that she was avoiding him as well as she and the director were making their way to the elevator after saying goodbye to everyone but him. "Yeah, Duck?"
It was Abby that spoke up. "Aren't you going to say goodbye, Tony?"
Sighing, he shook his head, feeling a fat tear escape his eye. He groaned and wiped it away quickly, hoping no one had seen. He looked up and put on a fake smile, but everyone was staring at him. He swore lightly under his breath.
"Oh, Tony!" Abby yelled, tears still falling from her own eyes as she pushed through Ducky to get to him. Someone grabbed her arm and she stopped, stepping back. Instead of the goth scientist, Gibbs knelt down beside Tony's chair.
"Hey, Boss," he muttered.
Gibbs slapped him on the back of his head. "Why didn't you say goodbye?" he asked. His tone surprised Tony. It was stern or harsh, but sincere, almost fatherly.
"I couldn't," he said, knowing that everyone was listening for the explanation. "It would tear me apart to say goodbye."
"It looks like you're already broken up," Gibbs responded. "Tell me, what are you feeling?"
He sighed. Gibbs already knew - Gibbs knew everything - and the others would find out eventually. "I think...I think I love her, Boss."
Gibbs nodded and stood, grabbing Tony's sleeve as he went. "Go," he said.
"What?" Tony asked, confused at what he meant. Go, said by Gibbs, could mean many things.
"Go, DiNozzo. Say goodbye and tell her or you might not get another chance." Gibbs pushed him from behind the desk. Tony nodded and ran to the elevator, knowing he needed to get to her before the car left. He pressed the down button and the door opened almost immediately. He was about to run in when he noticed someone standing in his way.
He felt his breath catch. "Ziva?"
She looked up at him with her big brown eyes, which were glazed over with tears. Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms and giving her a hug that would give Abby a run for her money. "I thought I was going to have to chase you to the airport," he whispered into her hair, leaning his cheek on her head.
"No," she whispered. Her voice sounded scared, very unlike her usual personality. "I started to cry in the taxi," she added, her voice betraying that she was ashamed by her tears. "Jenny told the taxi to wait."
He let her go and held her at arms length as the elevator door closed behind her. He brought his thumb to her cheek to wipe her tears. "I'm glad Jenny told the taxi to wait," he told her. "Because I'm coming with you."
He was shocked at his own words. That was not in his plans. She looked at him. "Tony, you have to stay here with Gibbs."
"Then stay with me," he said desperately.
She looked down at her feet. "I can not ignore my father's orders, Tony-"
He cut her off by placing his lips to hers. She kissed him back, but he felt her hot tears falling from her closed eyes. He pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. "Well, I can say no one has ever cried when I kissed them, Sweetcheeks," he joked, trying to make her feel better. He sighed. It was now or never. "I love you. I just wanted you to know that."
She buried her head in his chest, the tears flowing like a stream down her face and onto his shirt. She was muttering something in Hebrew. He couldn't hear it very well, but he could feel her lips move against his shirt. "I'm so sorry," he told her.
Pulling away, she looked up shocked. "Why are you sorry?"
"I'm making you cry," he stated.
This made more tears fall and he knew he'd set off a rocket. These tears were all of her bottled up emotions, feelings she had never let out before. He pulled her into his embrace, knowing that every eye in the office was on them.
The elevator door opened and Jenny stood inside, unable to step out. Tony sent her a glare, knowing she had come to get the Israeli he held in his arms. He picked Ziva up and carried her away from the elevator, away from Jenny, and away from the eyes of the nosy workers of NCIS. Hiding behind the stairs, he sat on the ground and held her in his lap.
It was a good amount of time before Ziva's tears subsided. He didn't know how long, but he had a good feeling the taxi had left. "Tony, I can not do this," she whispered. "I am not the person, the fighter, they sent to America and think they are getting back."
He stroked her hair which was straightened and falling to shoulders. "Convince Mossad you belong here," he said. Her eyes began to fill with more tears and he kissed her forehead. "But, no matter what, remember that I love you."
She shook her head. "Until you see a pretty girl two days after I leave. That's what always happens."
Letting go of her, he placed his hands on her cheeks to stop her shaking head. "Not this time," he said seriously. He thought back on his previous relationships. The only one close had been with Jeanne, of course he had been Tony DiNardo as well, but even then he had been hesitant to tell her he loved her. It was almost as if he was forced to. It had been easy, once Gibbs told him to go, to tell her.
"I love you," he told her, kissing her. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "And I was stupid not to notice before."
The corners of her lips grinned. "Really?" she asked. He nodded, his eyes full of honesty. She wiped a tear from her cheek. "I love you too, Tony."
His face broke into a smile and he hugged her tightly. "You can't leave now. I'll do what ever it takes to make you stay," he said, not wanting to let go of her. "I'll even fight Mossad."
She giggled and pulled away. "You? Fight Mossad? Then I should just go anyway. They will kill you."
They stood up and Tony fingered the palm of her hand with his own. She looked up at him. He grinned at her before lifting her small frame off the ground. She started to complain, but he sent her a look and she shut her mouth. He carried her into the bullpen where Ducky, Abby, McGee, Palmer, Lee, and Jenny were circled around Gibbs's desk talking. Abby noticed them first and squealed with excitement.
Tony carried her to her chair and set her down at her desk. He turned to Jenny and pointed at Ziva. "She stays right here," he said firmly. "Or you'll have a resignation on your hands in the morning."
Jenny nodded. "I know."
"No, I'm serious. I will quit if you don't-"
Gibbs, who had walked up to him, slapped him on the back of the head. "Would you be quiet?" Then he turned to Ziva. "Your father is waiting for you in MTAC. He wants to talk to you about a more permanent position at NCIS that Jenny has offered you."
Ziva grinned and stood, walking up through the bullpen and up the stairs to MTAC with Jenny right on her heels. Gibbs waited until the door closed before turning to Tony and slapping him again.
"What was that for?" Tony asked, rubbing the back of his head.
"Breaking Rule 12, DiNozzo!" Gibbs yelled as he walked to his desk. "David will get hers when she comes down," he added with a grin. Tony smiled and sat at Ziva's desk, ready to be bombarded by Abby's questions and McGee's smug remarks of 'I told you so' in reference to his book. He leaned back. He always knew he'd have a happy ending.
So. Tell me what you think! I know that they might seem a bit out of character to some of you but I tried to get their characters to react like I think they would to Ziva going back to Israel.
Review!