Ziva David walked around in the NCIS squadroom. She had always been good in working alone, but this time she just couldn't finish anything she had started. And she did know exactly why…

That morning she had gotten a letter. Director Vance had offered her a job back in Israel. Her first reaction had been an extreme excitement but it soon settled. She hadn't got anyone in Israel anymore. Or of course she had much friends and colleagues, but no family. Now her family was Gibbs' team. Especially Tony. Their relationship had shifted from colleagues to friends and from there to best friends. And Ziva knew she wanted to be even more than that.

Suddenly Ziva heard the phone ringing in her pocket. "NCIS, David" she answered. "This is doctor Ashley Ellis from the Portsmouth hospital." Ziva tried to recognize any signs of any feelings from the doctor's voice, but she couldn't. "Are you still there?" she heard from the phone. "Oh, sorry, yes. What's going on?" she asked. Somewhere deep inside she already knew the answer. "Some of your co-workers have had an accident. Or let's just say they have been injured." Ziva tried to catch her breath. "Which ones of them?" she almost cried. "Have they been shot? Are they…" on the last word her voice broke. "Dead? No, or at least they weren't when I last saw them. Their names are Timothy McGee, Leroy Gibbs and Tony DiNozzo." the doctor said. She tried to sound encouraging, but it didn't work at all. Now the tears ran down Ziva's face. "How bad are the injuries?" she asked quietly. "McGee and Gibbs don't have much injuries, just a few burns here and there. And at the moment they are unconscious. But then this… DiNozzo. He is in critical condition, we aren't sure how bad he's injuries are, but at least I can say the burns look terrifying. A serious head trauma is probable. It was a bomb." Ziva was shocked. She wanted to run in the hospital and save all three with some mysterious super power. Unfortunately she didn't have one. "Thank you for the information doctor Ellis. When can I come and see them?" she said as positive as she then could. "I think you should wait until tomorrow. Then you can see at least McGee and Gibbs, about the third one I'm not so sure." Ziva immediately realized that the doctor meant that Tony might not be alive the next day. "I'll come then. Bye" she said and switched the phone off. Then she collapsed to the floor and started to cry hysterically.