A/N: Based off of the song, "My Last Breath" by Evanescence. WARNING: This one's a tear jerker. ;(

My Last Breath

"Hold on to me, love," She whispered, her dark eyes capturing his emerald eyes and holding them as she lowered him onto the parking lot floor. He stared up at her, bewildered and completely confused. She lowered her gaze from his face to his chest. She sucked in a sharp breath and muttered in Hebrew under her breath. Quickly, her leather coat came off and was folded into a suitable pillow. Gently, she lifted his head and slid the coat under it.

Her gaze immediately returned to his chest, where the bullet had pierced him right below his collarbone. Knowing what she had to do was going to be very painful for both of them, she swiftly shifted her position and muttered an apology to her injured teammate. She pressed both of her hands on his chest and winced at his startled cry of pain. Painful for both of them.

"You know I can't stay long," Her eyes flew to his at this gentle and almost embarrassed admission of his being hissed through his teeth as he squeezed his eyes shut. She sat there, stunned, not knowing what to say to Tony admitting that he was dying. And although she knows it's true, it doesn't help to have the injured admit that he's heading down the . . . down the tunnel?

She shook her head with a small smile. She would never get those idioms right. But who would correct them if Tony . . .

Her thoughts were quickly broken off by the scuffing sounds. She looked up and saw the suspect who they had been chasing- that she had forgotten about in the terrible aftermath of their shootout- scramble up off the pavement where he had been laying, presumably dead, a few seconds ago.

She muttered another cussword in Hebrew and quickly pressed a kiss to Tony's forehead, silently apologizing for whatever was about to happen next. She then quickly transferred her left hand to his chest, freeing her right hand. She pulled out her Sig and leveled it at his running profile.

All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid

His thoughts whispered the words he needed to tell her. To let her know that it was okay to let him go. Hell, he already had let himself go. He had always meant to tell her the words, but had hoped to do it before he died. He figured that, Worse Case Scenario, he would tell her as he was dying. Too bad he didn't remember how hard it is to speak when your lips are dead set against moving.

He watched as her eyes widened at something he couldn't see. He watched groggily as she moved, too fast for his brain to follow, into a different position beside him. He nearly gasped in relief as the pressure on his chest ceased. Even though the pressure meant keeping the blood that was almost certainly flowing out of him inside his body, he couldn't help but wish that it would all just end. Not that he would ever tell her that. Or Gibbs, for that matter. They'd probably kill him themselves for even thinking something so stupid.

His thoughts were mercilessly cut off as her hand returned to putting pressure on his chest. If he was still feeling pain, then he must not be dead. He couldn't tell if he was relieved or disappointed at the development. He felt his eyes slid shut and he struggled to keep a hold of the pain that was threatening to tear him apart.

He felt something brush his forehead, soft as a butterfly's wing. He struggled to open his eyes, panicking when he could not.

Can you hear me?

He longed to cry out to her. To have her hear the words that he never said. Or to hear the words he needed said now.

He needed her to see him. He needed her to finally see the feelings that he could never put into words, but always tried to show in his actions.

He took a deep breath, ignoring the ache in his chest, and managed to open his eyes again. He blinked several times and willed her frame to come into focus. Finally, he could see her. Her face framed by her dark, dark hair.

He watched as she raised her Sig and fired a single shot. He winced as the sound of gunfire flew around inside his battered mind, smashing into things. Did she hit? He relaxed as a satisfied grin swept across her features, turning her breathtakingly beautiful once again.

She turned to meet his gaze. Her grin turned into a grimace, her lips pressed together into a thin line. She quickly holstered her Sig and ran the fingers of her free hand through his hair. He sighed gratefully and let his eyes slide shut as her fingers slid down his face and caressed his cheek.

Can you feel me in your arms?

Holding my last breath

Safe inside myself,

Are all my thoughts of you.

Sweet raptured light, it ends here tonight.

"I'll miss the winter," Tony mumbled, his pale lips struggling to form the words. Ziva didn't even glance up as she pressed the heel of her hand on Tony's wound. Tony's life was on a higher plain of concern than his sanity was. If practically incoherent ramblings were keeping him awake and alive, then she would take them. Anything to keep him with her.

"A world of fragile things . . ."

"Ziva!" Her head jerked up at her name, her eyes quickly searching for the person to accompany the frantic voice. Her eyes fell on McGee just in time to watch him stumble, his horror filled gaze locked on Tony and the crimson life pulsing out of his chest with every beat of his heart.

"McGee," Ziva said softly, trying to shake the frozen agent out of his stupor. She cleared her throat and called in a harsher tone, "McGee!"

When his gaze flew up and locked on her face, she began snapping orders. Get Gibbs, call an ambulance, call Ducky . . . all in that order. All the while, silently pleading for him to stay. So she wouldn't have to be alone with Tony when he . . . if he . . . She quickly shook her head, her thoughts whipping around like Gibbs' car on tight city street corners.

"Look for me in the white forest, hiding in a hollow tree," Ziva returned her focus to Tony. His eyes were slowly dimming, his breaths coming in longer and slower bursts. Already, she could feel him slipping away from her. No amount of pressure on his chest was going to stop that. She kept her eyes locked on his, watching silently as he valiantly fought the losing battle with his body.

" Come and find me." He whispered, his eyes, dark in the parking lot, pleading with her to find him. To find him in the world his mind had chosen as a refuge from the pains of this one. To save him and take him with her, to wherever she chose to go. As long as he wasn't alone.

I know you hear me.

His thoughts slid like melting butter, down the slick slopes of his already fading mind. He struggled to say the words. The things he needed to tell her before he . . .

I can taste it in your tears.

Liquid fell and splashed against his face. His nose, his eyes, his lips. He squinted up at the sky and wondered why it would be raining. The forecast had promised a blissfully beautiful day . . .

He licked his lips and tasted the salt water.

Oh.

He slowly, and not without effort, returned his gaze to Ziva. Ziva; his strong ninja Mossad assassin. Silent tears were dripping down her face and onto his, bathing him and making him pure.

He stared up at her, hoping that she would read the acceptance on his face and follow in suit. He watched as she searched his face, struggling to find the fighting DiNozzo spirit somewhere. When she found none, she closed her eyes, trying to stem the flow of tears.

Closing your eyes to disappear

You pray your dreams will leave you here

He felt torn at the heartbreak tearing her face in two; half unbelieving, half crying out in agony. He didn't want to leave her, and certainly not like this. He needed her to approve, to say that it would be okay.

Ziva quickly opened her eyes as rescue came in to her and Tony in the only way it could. In the form of one very displeased Leroy Jethro Gibbs. She glanced up at him, afraid of what his reaction would be to her and Tony, but his reaction was nothing like she expected.

She almost wished that he was mad.

Instead, he hovered over her, his expression torn between shock and fear. He lowered himself onto his knees beside her and his hand flew to Tony's neck, searching for a pulse.

"He's alive," she muttered, coughing, her voice hoarse from her tears and her emotions. His steel eyes flew to hers and he nodded.

He jerked his head and ordered, "Go."

She stared at him, confused.

Not wasting any time, he slid her out of the way and replaced her hands with his. He leaned on Tony's chest hard, hoping that would be enough to drag his agent back from wherever he was.

Ziva and McGee were across from him, Ziva with Tony's hand clasped firmly between hers and McGee pacing, furiously barking into his cell phone. Ordering the paramedics that he needed an ambulance now . . .

Gibbs glanced back down at his Senior Field Agent and blanched. They weren't going to need that ambulance.

Tony's world swam. Sounds and sights and smells all fading into one. Desperately, he struggled to hang on to something. Something that would keep him anchored to this world. He quickly realized that his sight was of no use to him, and the smells were nothing he wanted to remember. So he latched onto the sounds. The voices of his co-workers, his friends, his family.

McGee; His brother.

Ziva; His sister. More? Maybe.

Gibbs; Father? No. Father figure? Definitely.

Gibbs called out to his agents. One look at his face told them all they needed to know. They had minutes, maybe less, with their friend. Ziva bit her lip and returned her gaze to Tony's face, her hands crushing his hand between hers. McGee said one word into the phone and snapped it shut on the reply. He quickly came and kneeled next to Ziva, close to Tony's head. Hesitantly, he rested his hand on Tony's shoulder, trying to find a place to touch him without making him hurt more.

Not needing any convincing that his time was running out, they began to murmur their last words to Tony. All of them blending together in a symphony that kept time with his thoughts and heartbeats.

"Say goodnight," Ziva's voice comforted, her words giving him permission to leave. To go this time.

"Don't be afraid," McGee's shaky voice broke through, reminding Tony of how he needed to be brave. If not for himself, then for them.

Calling me, calling me

As you fade to black

Holding my last breath

His own thoughts taunted him, assuring him that he would never wake. Never see them again.

"Say goodnight,"

Holding my last breath . . .

"Don't be afraid"

Safe inside myself . . .

"Calling me, calling me"

Are all my thoughts of you . .

Sweet raptured light . . .

"It ends here tonight," Tony gasped, his hands grabbing air as he tried to hang on.

They all looked up, startled, as Tony's voice broke through their chants of comfort, shattering the sweet and soft scene.

All of their voices broke through at once. One forbidding him to leave, two pleading him to stay, and one undecided.

Sirens wailed in the distance as the promise of life came closer.

"DiNozzo!" A yell. A command. No choice but to obey.

"Tony," A whisper, a plea, a promise.

"Tony!" A cry, a prayer, a desperate call.

"Holding my last breath." A guess, a gamble, a life.

A/N: Sorry about the sorta cliffy ending. xD Sad little oneshot, eh?