A/N- Here is my contribution to the mass outpouring of post-finale ficcies, I wrote this the weekend after the finale, but studying for finals and my total lack of typing skills prevented me from posting sooner.
BTW- my grammar is horrible, and my beta is the most patient person in the world, also when I say director I mean Eli, to me Vance is simply a, well, …
Disclaimer: nope, sorry not in a million years, maybe I'll ask santa
Okay, so on to the actual storyJ
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"You gotta listen to me, Boss" Tony's eyes pleaded with Gibbs. "She's not okay, I can feel it, I know it" his heartfelt speech had been delivered to Gibbs at least ten times since they got back, eight days ago. Gibbs, finally, acquiesced and sent Tony up to plead his case with Vance. Gibbs figured it wasn't likely, but worth a try. He was surprised when Tony ran down the steps with a smug smile on his face, but he was concerned as to why the emotion behind the smugness was pure terror. Gibbs grabbed his bag and went after Tony. Slamming the elevator to a stop, Gibbs stared at him, the question obvious on his face.
"Boss I'm taking a vacation" he paused, cautiously, "In Somalia"
Gibbs' expression went from annoyance to confusion, "You're going alone?"
"No, you're coming"
* * * * *
Tony marched up the stairs to the Director's office, Gibbs hot on his heels, Tony told the guards he had an appointment and then barged right through them. They entered to find Eli David deep in conversation with someone over the phone, in what Tony suspected to be Arabic.
Tony smushed his finger into the disconnect button, cutting off the directors conversation. The director put on his best sad face and said quietly, and with reservation "Thank You, I was negotiating the release of my daughter."
Release… Tony's face showed everything that zipped through his head, curiosity, anger, sadness, and overall, terror.
'Ha.' he thought, 'the boy does not speak Arabic'
Tony's eyes locked on to Eli's and he refused to back down. "Where. Is. She." not meant as a question really, but to Tony spat the words with so much venom even Gibbs was taken aback.
Eli, thinking he would send them to their deaths, obliged the information "Currently, she is being held at a training facility, in northern Somalia, exact coordinates are 52 E, 12 N, a little bit outside Iskushban.
Tony was suspicious, but Eli's smug grin only made him more determined.
* * * * *
The plane ride wasn't a particularly eventful one, and after deplaning, they rented a car. Gibbs allowed Tony to drive, figuring he needed to be control of something right now. Gibbs deduced, after being flung from one side of the car to the other, (several times) that Ziva's driving skills had definitely worn off on Tony. Tony programmed the coordinates, while driving with his knees, which served only to increase both the speed and recklessness of Tony's driving. As they sped towards their destination Gibbs asked Tony what he had in the way of weapons.
He answered, "Our service weapons and eleven arms ranging from semi-autos to full on machine guns, of varying illegalities."
* * * * *
They pulled in front of a cement and wood bunker, in the middle of the dessert. Tony and Gibbs both carried automatic weapons as they entered. No one stopped them. It seemed as though the building was empty. Tony panicked and began to call out as he frantically searched the rooms, hoping to God that she could hear him, that she could hold on a little longer. His shouts were cut short by a head slap and Gibbs whispering "You love-struck-idiot, have you ever even heard of an ambush, remember who sent us."
Tony proceeded quietly as he went through, clearing each room. He paused before the last door, seeing a pile of cigarette butts outside the door. He slid the bolt and cautiously peered into the room: empty, save for a single figure. His heart jumped through the roof of his mouth, his eyes bugged out of his head, staring disbelieving at the face before him.
She looked dead.
These were the only words his brain seemed to be able to process. He quickly knelt down and untied her wrists, her ankles. Her eyes, liquid pools of chocolate, filled with tears, stared up at him with a reverence he never could have imagined. She stood up and he looked at her. One word came to mind: Broken. Her whole body seemed to be recovering from innumerable injuries, half of her face was a light shade of purple, her arms mottled with bruises, several deeps cuts bleeding through her clothing. He wanted, more than anything, to reach out, hold her, he refrained though, afraid his touch would break her. She looked at him, granting silent permission, as he wraps his arms around her, gentle, but at the same time wishing he could just engulf her body, protect her, save her. Love her.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." he was fighting to keep his voice from cracking, and losing the fight. He rocked her back and forth, his lips pressed to her forehead.
"Tony" she choked out, her voice hoarse, before her body was consumed in sobs.
Gibbs, watching from the doorway, silently retreated to the car, to wait for them.
Ziva wrapped her arms around his neck and collapsed, Tony guessed from exhaustion. He scooped her up and carried her like a child, back to the car, he held on to her the way back to a hospital, then a hotel. He refused to let go of her but he wasn't sure who he was comforting more, Ziva or himself.
They flew back to Tel Aviv, at Ziva's request. Tony figured she wanted to personally shove her father's face in the fact that she was still breathing. Tony didn't want her to go through that, but he was thankful enough that she wasn't pissed at him anymore.
* * * * *
They walked up the stair to the director's office, Ziva chose to go in alone, and Tony sat, nervously, in the waiting room. Almost, but not quite, running in there and physically kicking the shit out of this guy.
Tony heard some of the argument and wasn't particularly happy, though she was dishing it out worse than she was taking. He knew she was tough, though he didn't know how much more of this her body could take.
This is a multiple chapter thingie, and I won't type up the other three pages unles you want me to… kay, so since I'm not quiet fluent in mind reading yet I need you to actually tell me J
