A/N: Tags to Legend Part 1! Maaaaajor spoilers! So if you haven't seen it, stop whatever you're doing right now and figure out a way to watch it right now. There were literally times during this episode I jumped up and down screaming "No, no, no!!!" Fairly certain I freaked out the girls that live next to me… Anyway, go watch it! And find the descriptions for the last three episodes! I nearly hyperventilated when I read them…
Disclaimer: Ugh, if I owned NCIS, do you think it would be anywhere near as good as what's currently on? Absolutely not… So yeah, not mine. Everything (other than the disclaimer and A/N) in italics is direct quotes from the episode Legend Part 1, and not made by my lack of creativity at all. This is all from Tony's perspective.
Enjoy!
~*~
"And while you sign, you can tell me why you came down to see me."
Ducky hands me a pen and a large packet of papers, all for me to sign as Senior Field Agent. I sigh, not really wanting to give away for my reason for coming to see him. I could think of a hundred reasons, some professional, some based solely on my friendship with Ducky, but my curiosity outweighs my hesitancy, and I say the single word that has been stuck in my head for days.
"Ziva," I mutter, not quite looking in his eyes.
"Ah, personal, not professional," Ducky says knowingly. Trust Ducky to realize something quicker than I do.
"It's not what you think," I protest.
Ducky shrugs and shakes his head. "I'm not thinking anything." He says. I don't believe him. "What are you thinking?"
"Well, I'm thinking she's worried about something…" I pause, attempting to find the right words to describe how she's acting. "She seems distracted."
Ducky notices my lapse in concentration. "Yes, well we all get distracted. Keep signing!" He says, pointing to the papers in front of me. I continue to sign, not caring what exactly I'm signing to.
Seeing that Ducky isn't going to offer up any information, I struggle to figure out how to get fill my thirst of curiosity without being too suspicious. "She ever talk to you about what she did..." I pause, trying to figure out the words to say. The few months of separation bothers me more than I'd like to admit. "when she went back to Israel?"
"No." Ducky says. I don't look up to see him. If he can't tell me anything… but he continues on. "She was involved in an undercover operation in Morocco."
I sigh, disappointed there's no new information. "Yeah, I know all about that,"
"She almost died."
Those three words punch me in the stomach. Not believing what he just said, I look up slowly and see his face. There isn't a mischievous glint in his eye, no joking smirk. He's completely serious. I have to keep it together. I have to pretend this doesn't surprise me.
"Really?" I feign that I'm not wholly interested, but I know that my surprise creeps into my voice. "I didn't know about that."
Ducky nods. "There was a glimpse of her on some newsreel footage after the bomb blast. If she's distracted…"
No, I don't want to hear any of his observations or his thoughts. I've had enough. "You know, I'm just probably overreacting and look at that! Done and done!" I look up and grin, most likely not convincingly, but I need to get out of here quickly. "Is there anything else I should know about?"
Ducky continues to explain how he died, and mentions that the suspect would have a rope burn on his hand. I pay attention just carefully enough to make sure I remember this information, but my stomach is still churning over this new information I learned about Ziva.
~*~
I'm in MTAC. I've found the footage Ducky had mention. I hit the play button, taking a quick breath and bracing myself for what I'm about to see.
It isn't pretty at all. In fact, it nearly devastates me. I watch as they take her away on a stretcher. She looks around, confused and scared. No… this couldn't be my Ziva. My Ziva is a ninja. Invincible. My Ziva would never look around scared.
I pause on her face, bloody and beaten. It breaks my heart… how could I have missed this? How could Vance have let this happen? Why her?
I feel tears well up in my eyes, and I swear to myself mentally I won't cry. I rewind the tape to take it in again. I have to make sure that I can keep my emotions under control when I confront her about this.
Suddenly, something catches my eye. I pause again and zoom in on a face. So this was why Ziva was looking around. She was looking for someone who was there with her. Someone to comfort her. Tell her everything was going to be all right. I person I desperately wanted to be, but couldn't…
Michael Rivkin.
~*~
"Hey!" I call, running to the elevator. I put my arms between the doors and push them open again. Ziva looks up and glares at me. "Thanks for holding that."
She sighs. "You're welcome, Tony," Something isn't right. She sounds like she's just… given up? But I don't care about that now. I want some answers.
"Never thought I'd say this, but I almost miss McGee. Almost," I chuckle, trying to ligen the atmosphere. I won't get any answers from her if I get her angry. "What about you? You miss him?"
"Yes, I do," She answers quickly. Too quickly.
"Miss anyone else? Gibbs?" I know I'm pushing it, but I want to know about this Michael guy.
"Some," She agrees, avoiding my gaze. And the answer I'm looking for. I'm desperate, so I go for the low blow.
"What about your friend from Tel Aviv?"
She sighs. "Tony…"
"I'm just saying." I shrug. I know it's bothering her, but she's hurt me too much already.
"Yes, I miss Michael too," She states. There's an awkward silence between us. Then I ask the question that could make or break everything I've ever thought of her.
"When he called before the other day, I thought he must have been here." Tell me the truth… please Ziva, if it's the last thing you ever do for me, please just tell me the truth.
"No." No. She lied. She lied straight to my face. I glance in her direction, and she's looking forward. There's a pained look on her face… but any pain she's feeling can't be anywhere near how hurt I am. "Sadly, Michael is not… here."
We stand there awkwardly in the elevator, and the memory of the last time we shared the elevator, just the two of us, comes into my mind. She said she was tired of pretending. But maybe she was just lying then too. Maybe she's just lied about everything.
Maybe I can never trust her again.