THIS IS FOR GRANDE!

And it's a continuation of Grace Period. We see Tony and Gibbs' reactions after Paula Cassidy died, but what about Ziva? She was standing right outside of the Mosque when the bomb blew. What if things had gone in a different direction….

…..

Life stopped for a moment.

His hands clawed at the brick wall, quickly growing hot from the heat of the lapping, blue specked frames.

His burnt cheek pressed hard against the rough brick, into the plaster and pieces of ceiling that were slowly coming apart.

And then just as quickly, life resumed. For him.

He heard a faint voice in his ear – was that, Gibbs? – lined by a persistent buzz, hoarseness.

Paula had…

She jumped…

There was nothing I could have…

Was there something I could have…

He slowly peeled himself off the brick, the hidden door that only opened from the other side, the one the terrorist had crept out of, bomb strapped to his chest.

Paula had…

I didn't…

What he didn't want was to see her on the other side. Victims of a bombing – especially those designed by terrorists to take no prisoners – were not pretty.

It was even worse when it was someone you know. Knew.

A loud "HEY" pierced through the buzzing, and he suddenly found sounds and sights returning.

Only a few men remained in the mosque, and those who did were shouting and running.

Gibbs was staring directly at him.

"Tony." His boss' voice was firm and even, willing Tony to stay focused, on point. Anything less and he'd be yanked out of the field faster than…

Paula had jumped.

Into the arms of a terrorist.

"Get Ziva. Ducky and McGee on their way."

Tony glanced slightly to his left, to the door that hid a now dead fire. Two charred bodies.

"Need you both. Here. Now."

And then he separated. "Right away, boss."

Brushed ceiling dust off his shoulder and stalked out of the mosque.

…..

She wasn't outside and he was surprised to hear his voice sharp, gruff when he spoke. "Ziva!"

He was surprised to find himself annoyed that she was detracting attention from…

Paula.

Sirens approached in the distance as he rounded the corner, inhaling dark, thick smoke and the smell of charred bodies.

His voice louder this time. "ZIVA!"

And then, he saw….

At first he wasn't sure what he was looking at. The form was still, obviously human. He thought it might have been the terrorist's accomplice, or an innocent bystander.

Until he saw the four letters, stark white against the black jacket. NCIS.

Until he saw a loose curl, dark and silky, poking out from underneath a charred hat.

And then he saw the blood.

And life stopped for a moment.

He wasn't aware that he was all of a sudden kneeling on the dusty sidewalk, pressing one hand into the gush of blood coming from her stomach. The other, hovering over her face to feel for breath.

And then just as quickly, with a tickle of hot air, life resumed. For him. For her.

It has to be both of us.

He left bloodstains on the pound and one keys – Gibbs on speed dial. He didn't wait for his boss to bark when he heard the click of an answered phone.

"Ziva's down. Need medics on the north side of the Mosque. Now."

Tony was stripping off his shirt, placing it over Ziva's open wound and visually assessing her eerily still body for other injuries, when Gibbs rounded the corner.

Tony glanced up only momentarily when he heard the uncharacteristic, anxious bite in Gibbs' voice.

"ETA 2 minutes."

"She's unconscious. Something from the blast pierced her stomach." Tony's lips and brows furrowed, fueled by worry and loss. "She's losing a lot of blood, Gibbs."

Tony wasn't sure his boss had heard him. Gibbs held one hand over her nostrils as Tony had, checking for breath. "Ziva, c'mon."

Gibbs' eyes scanned up and down her body, frustrated by her silence, lack of response.

"Wrist's broken," he muttered, noticing the odd bend, angle of the slim bones.

He placed his hands over Tony's, offering his own jacket to cover the shirt, now soaked through. And tried once again, voice forceful. "Ziver. C'mon. Open'er eyes."

Stillness. Silence save for the quick intake of Tony's breath as the rise and fall of Ziva's chest slowed.

She was bleeding out.

"Where's the damn medic," Tony growled through clenched teeth.

And then he heard her.

"Mmmmmm." Her eyes flicked, opened once and then closed again. "Ohhhh. Ow."

"Ziver," Gibbs clenched her shoulder with one hand, her chin with the other. "Stay with us."

Again, her eyes opened and shut. "Ziver, open your eyes." His voice sliced through the fog in her mind. She tried to move, but everything, her lips, hands, legs, felt so heavy.

Paralyzed.

"Ohhhh." The low moan escaped her again.

Tony didn't turn when the ambulance pulled up beside him.

He didn't acknowledge the medics' shouts.

But he did move when he felt the last breath escape her.

When once more that night, life stopped.

…

A/N: Alright readers – thoughts? Do I continue and close out with another chapter or two? I'm a little iffy about this one, so I'm just gonna say, I need a good 9 – 12 replies to continue. Yep, I said it. Reviews make me feel good AND let me know that people aren't just skimming the story, but actually enjoying it.

So just let me know lovelies!