As soon as the trio left Vance's office they headed straight to the elevator. Nobody spoke until Tony flipped the well exercised switch that would give them a very much needed moment of privacy.
'What now?' Tony asked as he circled the elevator looking for an answer he couldn't find. He looked up at his team mates, only to see Ziva and Mcgee staring back at him unable to respond.
Ziva was the first to notice the need for an answer, stepping forward closing the distance between herself and her partner. 'We get our things and we leave.' Tony noticed Ziva stiffen up at the sound of her own voice and before he could do anything she had already turned to face Mcgee. 'What other choice do we have?'
'If we stay longer than we need to Parsons won't buy it and continue to pursue us. We leave. We don't come back,' Mcgee said as if convincing himself that it was the only way.
'Only way to save Gibbs,' Tony said affirming Mcgee's statement.
'Let's go.' Ziva looked back to Tony. 'DiNozzo, please.' Only Tony could see her eyes begin to water slightly. He flipped the switch and soon they were heading down towards tears and chest crippling hugs from Abby, and demands for more information from Ducky and Palmer.
It took them several attempts to leave the building as Abby refused to let them go. As the resigned agents had silently packed away their belongings Abby had been continually hiding small but important items in a desperate attempt to make them stay. She then proceeded to follow them demanding there should be another way and that Gibbs would get them back. The trio couldn't look at her when she had said that because they knew enough to know that wouldn't happen anytime soon if at all. Ducky and Palmer were strangely quiet for the duration of the final hour they spent at the office. They simply offered their help whenever they could, with the look of just losing a loved one on their faces.
Once the trio had re-entered the elevator for the final time they all struggled to look at each other. That was until Tony suggested they get a drink and they all headed to their different cars heading towards the same bar.
It didn't take them too long to arrive at the bar and down their first drinks silently.
'Another?' Mcgee asked offering to Tony and Ziva who were sitting beside him in one of the small booths that was available when they first arrived. The pair nodded in agreement and watched as Mcgee headed to the bar before looking back to each other.
'So what are we going to do with ourselves?' Tony asked his partner finishing off his drink.
'We?' Ziva asked raising her eyebrows slightly confused where he was going with the conversation.
'Well Miss David we've both not got jobs anymore; we've both got a lot more time on our hands to do, I dunno, things that our job has been preventing us from doing.' Before Ziva could say anything Mcgee had returned with their drinks. They continued to drink quietly taking in the loud atmosphere in the bar only making small talk every now and again.
Eventually they began to talk about work. They talked about memories, stories, rumours; anything that made them smile and laugh. Before long however Tony noticed Ziva was a little bit more relaxed than he had seen her in a long time. He silently counted the empty glasses that had been taken away from her and how many were sitting in front of her at that moment. Six. Was Ziva David really getting drunk?
'I should go. Promised Abby I would have lunch with her tomorrow,' Mcgee said sliding out of the booth standing up.
'Well you better not miss that.' Tony replied taking another sip from his beer.
'I'll see you guys,' Mcgee stopped himself from saying anything more. He then walked to the door waving before he was out of sight.
'I'm going to miss seeing him every day,' Ziva sighed as she swirled her drink around.
Tony looked at her for a moment, 'But not me?' he said teasingly. Ziva looked up to face Tony.
'I think we both know that's not going to happen,' Ziva smiled. 'Friends can hang out you know?'
'Yeah, they can,' Tony took Ziva's hand like he had done before in his car before they had crashed. Ziva had almost forgotten what his warm strong hand felt like intertwined with hers, and just how much she had actually liked it.
'Tony?' She smiled.
'Yeah?' He returned her smile waiting for to say what he knew she had wanted to say since their fateful car journey after Berlin.
'I'm glad I met you DiNozzo.'
'Me too.' The pair stared at each other wondering and waiting to see if the other was going to add or say anything neither wanting to move or let go of each other. Ziva was the first however to notice the passing of time.
'I better go; it's getting late.' Tony slipped out of the booth to make room for his partner to leave holding out his hand for her along the way. Ziva looked down at her hand, still intertwined with Tony's. Why was he not letting go? Not that she was complaining however.
'I'll drive you home; your driving is dangerous enough without any alcohol.' Tony laughed slightly to himself.
'I am not drunk Tony,' Ziva eyed Tony as he chuckled to himself.
'Better to be safe than sorry,' he winked at her. He then led her, not letting go of her hand outside of the bar and towards his car. Ziva followed without any hesitation. He was still holding her hand after all and she didn't want him to let go, not yet anyway.
Once they got to his car, Tony opened the door for her before making his way into the driver's seat retaking her hand without a word. They both sat quietly neither knowing what would happen once their journey would be over. Questions swirled around in both of their heads, both patiently waiting for the passing time to answer them all for them.