Authors Note: Hello readers! Hope you like this one, a little idea I had the other day, chapter two will be up soon if people like this one. (Let me know in reviews!) To the people who will undoubtedly reply after reading the first few chapters of this story with 'This would never happen' or 'That is so unlikely', keep an open mind. It will all become clearer in later chapters...(Ooh so mysterious eh?) Serioiusly though, please enjoy!

Chapter One

"Ziva you been sparring again? Who was the victim this time?" Tony joked noticing a large, dark bruise on her hip as her shirt rode up whilst she removed her sweater.
"Just training Tony." She replied pulling the shirt beyond her belt, as far down as it could go before she stretched it.
"Well don't go at it too hard eh?" He laughed and leant back in his chair, nothing new there. Ziva was always fighting it seemed, either the bad guys at work or peers in martial arts whilst she trained.
"Don't worry about it Tony." Ziva smiled at him as she went back to her paperwork.
"As if I could, I know you can kick anybody's ass!" It was true she could, physically speaking that is, but it didn't mean she always would.
"How long is Gibbs gonna force us to our desks with paperwork?" He groaned tapping his pain against the side of his head in an irritating way. Ziva sighed at the distraction, why was he so juvenile?

"I assume, Tony, until it is done. So can you just shut up and let me concentrate please?" She said please but there was a sharp edge to her Tony.
"Jeez...what's up with you today? Time of the month?" He immediately regretted his joke, somehow he'd never realised that was something you never ask until he said it out loud. On any other day she probably would've ignored him, but instead she just got up and left the squadroom.

Methodically she pushed each cubicle door open to check she was alone before locking the main door to the women's restroom. Inch by inch she rolled up her shirt examining the bruise, she hadn't noticed it till Tony's remark, she had no idea how. Yikes. It was massive, dark purple at its center and slowly lightening in colour towards the edges surrounded by a yellow ring. The purple covered from her hips up to just below her rib cage, some of it was patchy and left small uncoloured patches of smooth tan skin, but mostly her entire abdomen was painted. Tony had only caught a glimpse, he'd barely seen the damage. The door rattled against his frame and she quickly pulled down her top.
"Hello? Hello! Seriously whoever's in there I gotta pee…" Abby, Ziva thought reaching for the lock. The door swung open the moment she released her grip, almost hitting her in the face.

"Ziva?" Abby asked confused as to why she'd locked the restroom. "Never mind I've had three Caf-Pows today and Larry closed the downstairs restrooms for cleaning." She rushed into a cubicle and slammed the door, Ziva heard the waterfall begin to gush as she headed for the door to return to the squadroom. Quietly she took her place again and Tony stared at her waiting for an explanation for her sudden departure. When she did not give one he went back to the open folder on his desk. She was shocked by the silence, it lasted almost two hours, probably a record for DiNozzo.

"Lunch?" Tony asked. "I'm paying." Once he said that her hesitation faded and she grabbed her sweater and bag.
"That is very...generous of you Tony. Are you okay?" For a brief moment he pretended to look hurt at her quip.
"Well since McGee and Gibbs are at Norfolk I think I can stretch to paying for the both of us. So would you like to be my lunch-date?" He curved his arm for her to interlink her own in a mock fashion.
"It would be my pleasure Tony." They walked arm in arm to the elevator laughing.

"So you ever gonna let us meet this guy you've been seeing?" He asked removing his arm to press the ground floor button.
"It is going well I think." Tony watched as she shrugged as if it didn't bother her.
"I'll look forward to meeting him, so where do you want to go for lunch?" The abrupt subject change didn't go unnoticed by Ziva and she was thankful for it.
"I am not fussy. Anywhere is good with me." It was mostly small talk from then onwards, they didn't have a current case to discuss so lunch went mostly without work coming up. Tony had chosen a small cafe and they had both ordered a salad, not unusual for Ziva, but Tony for some reason was apparently on a 'health-kick'.

She reached for the salad dressing and in a similar way to earlier, the fabric shifted up as she extended her arm. This one was more concerning to Tony. His earlier glimpse was nothing odd, probably from landing too hard after being flipped, but this new reveal was clearly from fingers. The bruise wrapped around her wrist, like the hand that had given it. Ziva was a skilled fighter, she wouldn't have allowed sometime to grab her wrist in such away, or let it be kept in the hold longer enough to bruise.

"They must have been almost as good as you…" He said lightly trying not to stare, it was strange the other bruise was more severe but somehow this one warranted more worry.
"Yes, they were a worthy opponent...very strong." She prodded lettuce with her fork.

"Ziva I know you enjoy fighting, but you don't go beyond your limit. You can take most people, hell I even think you'd win against Gibbs, but don't go getting yourself hurt." He smirked at her with a trademark DiNozzo grin, he tried to mask how much he cared about her with jokes but he really did care.

"Tony I appreciate your concern, but honestly, don't worry about me. If I were to only fight when I would win, then I would never improve!" She prodded him playfully on the arm and took a mouthful of grated carrot.

The afternoon was as slow as the morning, endless paperwork broken up by bickering over the tedium.
"Tony! If you flick one more rubberband at me I swear…" She didn't finish that sentence, not wanting to threaten a co worker. The again it wouldn't have been the first time.
"I'm bor-e-e-ed!" He stretched the vowels running his fingertips through his hair repeatedly.
"I noticed! Look McGee and Gibbs will be back soon, and then you can bother them alright? Until then please, I am begging you, just please, shut up! Otherwise I'm gonna finish this in the morgue." It was meant to be a threat, but afterwards she realised it was probably the smartest idea she'd had all day. The morgue was cool and quiet, with no current cases there were probably no bodies laid out. She could used Ducky's desk also.
"I wouldn't if you want to breathe…" Tony said seriously. "Palmers wiping everything down with bleach. But okay I'll be quiet."
"Thank you Tony." Ziva replied genuinely.
"One more thing though," She sighed and put down her pen. "What's with you today? You seem really uptight. Is anything wrong? You know you can always talk to me right?"
"No there is nothing wrong just trying to get this work done but like I said at lunch, I appreciate your concern."

They had the paperwork done by the time Gibbs and McGee returned from Norfolk. With more paperwork. All of them loved their job, but no one would argue that paperwork was one of the worst parts. Tony eventually settled down and got on with it and with the occasional break he was bearable. Probably because of Gibbs' presence. McGee, Gibbs, and Ziva just got on with it. After all the sooner they got it done, the better. Ziva didn't know the other's plans but she was certain they had better places to be than stuck in the pumpkin walls staring at files full of After-Action reports. It could be worse she thought, it could be Internal Affairs reports…
"Does anyone want to go and get a drink after this?" McGee addressed the bullpen.
"Ooh Mc Reckless, drinking on a school-night? I could sure use one though!" Tony chuckled and shut another case file.
"Gibbs?"

"I'll pass Tim." Blunt as ever he answered before returning to the M'Naghten report.
"Zee?" Both Tony and McGee looked at her waiting
"I can't tonight, sorry McGee." She didn't explain why. None of them asked as it wasn't unusual for Ziva to skip social events especially drinking ones. Ziva rarely drank, she liked to keep her mind sharp. Once the work was done Tony and McGee left for their cars to drive to one of their favorite bars, Ziva stayed behind still buried in her own papers.
"Ziva go home, it's late." Gibbs ordered, it wasn't a suggestion and Ziva knew this but still she tried.
"Honestly, I need to get this done. If I don't I'll be chained to my desk tomorrow."
"Ziva I said go. I'll finish it for ya'." Gibbs' tone was less agreeable now and she relented picking up her backpack. She grabbed her gun holster and badge from the desk draw and placed them in her bag.
"Goodnight." She added stepping into the elevator putting her arms through the straps of her backpack.

She drove fast, even for her, several cars 'honked' at her as she sped through the streets of DC recklessly. Usually people disliked her driving, she'd no idea why, but that night there were even more pissed off drivers for she was especially illegal. She ran red lights, ignored the stop signs all together, trying to get home fast. She'd promised she would finish work at 7pm, but hadn't even left the office till half past. Ziva hated breaking promises, and not being punctual. The stairs up to her apartment were a nightmare, probably because she hadn't been very active that day, hadn't even gone for her morning run. She inserted her key into the door but before she had a chance to turn it in the lock it swung away from her.
"Adam." She noted seeing the man behind it. "Thanks." She added putting her work things away.
"You said you would be home half an hour ago!" He said in a mildly annoyed tone. "Who were you with?" His voice got angrier, as he jumped to conclusions.
"No one I swear. Work ran late because of paperwork. I am sorry." She took off her jacket and placed it on the rack before kissing him softly. Trying to make it up to him, to hopefully make him forgive her for letting work get it the way.
"Ziv," He said using his special name for her, "when you say you are going to be home at seven, I expect you to be home at seven. The meals gone cold now." He sounds disappointed and she can't look at him. It was her fault, she didn't have to stay, she could have left when Tony and McGee did.
"We can heat it up?" She offered, he looked more mad than before. He stepped away from her and turned his back before kicking the table out of frustration suddenly. She flinched at the harsh sound.
"No! Ziv. We cannot heat it up, it is ruined-" He groaned.
"-I can make something else." Ziva knew at this point it was useless but she still tried.
"Fine do that. I won't eat any of it, then you'll see how it hurts when you spend a long time preparing food only for it to end up in the trash." It sounded like Adam had gargled with gravel before addressing her. His body was tensed up, she could see that even with his back to him.
"I'm sorry…" She added once again feeling guilty for allowing NCIS to come before him. Work was work, and relationships were more of a priority.
"No Ziv, I'm sorry I got angry but can't you see that NCIS is just a job, those people aren't really your friends, just coworkers, they don't care about you like I do." He walked over to her and pulled her tight to his waist, a little more forceful than she would've liked. "They don't touch you like I do." To reinforce his statement he grabbed her ass possessively, his fingers digging into her buttocks. Ziva wriggled beneath as his grip tightened. "Don't pretend baby, I know you like it rough." He kissed her and her lips responded gently. He deepened the kiss and she was forced to do the same as he shoved his tongue quickly into her mouth. It ended quickly as if he had just wanted to prove his point about NCIS not caring for her like him. She took a gasp of air as he pulled his lips from his. "I don't think you should spend so much time at NCIS when it's not work. I think you should spend more time with me…" He's leading her towards the bedroom, pulling her hand with his own. She lets him and shuts the door behind herself.