Ah, Italia!
Not much TIVA at first but lots later. Set sometime in season 7. Please excuse any geography errors.
NCIS Squad Room
Tony looked over at Ziva's old desk for the 1000th time that week. He missed her, wished her father had not recalled her to Israel, wanted, no needed, to hear her voice and hold her in his arms again. His attempts to communicate with her by normal channels had failed miserably. Nearly four months had passed since her father had recalled her. Like a dutiful daughter, she had obeyed without hesitation. But not before accepting Tony's tearful and heartfelt marriage proposal.
As always, special agent Tom Bradford looked up at Tony, when the older agent glanced in his direction. Sensing that Tony was, again, thinking about Ziva, he went back to work. Bradford was a good agent, by any standard. An ex-marine like Gibbs, the tall, slightly built African-American agent was proficient in martial arts and small arms and a pretty good investigator. Not as good as Ziva but good enough to meet Gibbs' strict requirements.
"DiNozzo, with me," ordered Senior Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, as he hung up the phone. "Director Vance wants to see us right now."
"On your six, boss," Tony replied, hastily getting up and following Gibbs upstairs. "Any ideas what's going on?"
"No, but I doubt it's good," Gibbs said, stepping up the pace, forcing Tony to move faster.
Tony said nothing else all the way to the Director's office. Whatever was going on had to be big to get Gibbs to move that fast. He nodded to Cynthia as Gibbs went straight into the Director's office. NCIS Director Leon Vance was dressed in fine Armani suit and looked up bemused as Gibbs barged in with DiNozzo right behind him.
"You wanted to see us, Director?" Gibbs asked, looking at Leon's grim expression with some concern. He prayed that nothing had happened to Ziva. Losing her would be a devastating blow to Tony.
"Yes," Leon replied, standing up and picking up a thick personnel folder and a thinner manila folder. He motioned them over to the conference table. When they were all seated, he began. "How well do you two know Kip Bellasario?"
"He runs the NCIS-Naples, Italy office," Gibbs replied. "Good man."
"Yeah, I met him once a few years ago at a counter-terrorism seminar. It was back when you were on your Mexican vacation, boss" Tony said, nodding in remembrance. "Man, he could really knock down those sake bombs."
Leon quirked a slight smile at Tony's expression. "Unfortunately, he was killed in a car wreck a few hours ago outside a small town called Posillipo near Naples."
Gibbs nodded at the grim news. Tony lowered his head for a moment, silently bidding farewell to another fallen comrade. "This accident brings up an even bigger problem. Bellasario's team is in the middle of a major arms trafficking investigation. His death could set this case back months."
"So, you want my team to go to Naples and wrap the investigation?" Gibbs asked.
"No," Leon said, surprising both men. He slid the manila folder over to Tony. "You have an exemplary record, agent DiNozzo. You are well-respected by your peers and supervisor. It's time for you to step up and assume command of your own team."
Tony was dumbfounded by the offer. "Well, sir," he stammered, opening up the folder containing his transfer orders. What could he possibly say? Should he take the job. He loved his position as Gibbs' second-in-command but since Ziva left the job wasn't as much fun as before. "I don't know what to say. This certainly is an honor but umm..."
"Take the job, Tony," Gibbs urged. "You've earned it."
"But, boss, the team..."
Gibbs sighed. "Nothing lasts forever, Tony."
"Ok," Tony conceded, waiting a moment to digest this news. "When do I start?"
"Sir? There's been a development regarding the NCIS team in Naples."
The Director read the report silently. He shook his head as he skimmed the details of the accident report. A shame. Bellasario had been a good man. For an American. Bellasario's death would set back their investigation by many months. Possibly giving his own people time to shut the flow of arms into Israel. His unspoken question about who would take over the NCIS team lead role was answered in the last paragraph.
He set the report back on his desk and leaned back in his chair. This was an unexpected development. He considered the possibilities and effect it would have on his own operations in Naples. Handing the report back to his aide, he said,"See that this is passed on through the normal channels."
"Yes, sir."