DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters or anything else concerning NCIS.

This is purely for fun.

I am sorry if there are any mistakes, I am not a native speaker, so forgive me. Enjoy!

His whole body was in pain, he tasted blood in his mouth and he felt like the car crashed every bone in his body. Yet there was one thing that mattered more than that.

Ziva.

He wanted to call her name, but he couldn't make a sound. He tried to turn his head a bit and he caught a glimpse of Ziva's motionless hand.

Ziva.

Though the pain had most of his attention, he started panicking. She can't be dead. It's Ziva.

Before the pain made him lose consciousness, he managed to move his hand, trying to reach for hers.

...

When Gibbs got the call, he was about to leave the office. He rushed down to Morgue to tell Ducky. He took the stairs.

"Tony and Ziva were in a car crash. The driver that crash into them is dead. I want you to do the autopsy."

"Oh, dear Lord... Tony and Ziva... Are they all right?"

"When the police called, they were. I need to go to the hospital, Duck. They'll get you the body."

"Of course, the body. You can rely on me with that Jethro. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Watch out for yourself, Duck. Someone's targeting our people," Gibbs said and almost ran out of the morgue. As he was going up the stairs, he dialed Tim's number.

"McGee, I need you back here. I have two cars that were in a car crash."

McGee yawned. "Isn't that Abby's job?"

"Abby can't do that, she's going with me. When you're done with the cars, talk to Ducky and call me."

Abby was still in her lab, waiting for Tony, who promised to stop by.

"We have a case?"

"Not really."

"Then is this a friendly visit?" she smiled at him.

"Not really. I need you to go with me."

"Where?"

"I'll explain it on the way."

...

He knew Abby doesn't take these things well, but he didn't blame her for that now. Actually, he never blamed her. But in this case, who could take it well?

She was still crying when they get to the hospital.

"I'm special agent Gibbs, NCIS. Two of your agents were brought here about an hour ago. Car crash."

When he said those two words, Abby sobbed aloud.

The nurse called a doctor who was in charge of the ward.

"Are they going to be okay?" Abby asked him when he came.

He looked in the file he was holding. "Miss David was quite lucky, she has a minor concussion, some scratches and bruises."

Gibbs closed his eyes in relief, but then he opened then with a question. "And DiNozzo?"

"Mr DiNozzo is still in surgery. I'm afraid I can't tell you more at this moment."

"But he will make it, right?" Abby cried.

"Our surgeons are doing their best, miss."

"Can we see Ziva?" It seemes like he wasn't even listening to the doctor. She was looking at Gibbs, hoping he would say something to make her feel better.

"Well, usually, we don't let anyone in the first few hours, but in this case, I guess we can make an exception," the doctor said and he took them to the room 107.

...

Ziva was lying on the bed, looking out the window, with tears silently falling from her eyes.

When the door opened, she wiped them.

"Ziva!" Abby cried, ran to the bed and wanted to hug her, but didn't do it.

"Can I hug you?" she asked, looking at all the bruises on Ziva's face and hands.

"You can always hug me, Abby."

Abby squeezed Ziva in her arms. "I am so glad you're okay."

When she let Ziva take a breath, before she hugged her again, Gibbs squeezed Ziva's hand and smiled.

"We all are glad you're okay."

"The doctor said you were lucky," Abby mumbled in her shoulder.

"I was not. Tony saved my life. He protected me from the worst impact."

"That's our Tony." Abby started sobbing again.

"How is he?" Ziva asked. "They did not want to tell me anything."

"He's still in surgery," Gibbs replied. "Can we get you something?"

"No, thank you," she said with tears in her eyes again.

...

Ziva.

The pain subsided. He still couldn't move, but his brain worked properly again. Tony opened his eyes.

He was lying in bed in a hospital room. There were flowers on the table in front of the window, and it was a beautiful day outside.

"You look like hell, DiNozzo." He knew that voice. He turned his head and saw Mike Franks sitting down on the chair next to the bed.

"Hi, Mike. Aren't you dead?"

"Yep. Thanks for reminding me."

"Am I dead?"

"Do you want to be dead?"

"Well, I could meet Elvis," he shrugged, or at least tried to do it. "Is this in my head?"

"DiNozzo, I'm dead."

"Okay. So why are you here?"

"I wish I knew. You summoned me."

"Why would I do that?"

Mike laughed. "Maybe you want a piece of advice from someone more experienced. What was the last thing on your mind before you passed out?"

Tony didn't have to think twice. "Ziva."

"There you go."

"You're not Ziva."

"Well spotted. But I was your boss' boss. Maybe you wanted to talk to me about Gibbs."

"Wow, my head is complicated."

"You're standing on the crossroads. And you have to choose a way."

"Oh, rule number twelve."

"Screw number twelve, that's not important. This is not about dating a co-worker, DiNozzo."

"What are my options, then?"

"Your life with Ziva, or your life without Ziva. Both could be good. But you can't have both."

"This has been going on for too long," Tony sighed. "Eight years."

"You have to make a move, now. Make a decision."

"I love her, Mike. She's the one."

"There you go," Mike stood up.

"Wait, but that's not it. What about my job, and Gibbs, and all of that... I love my job."

"You love it more than you love her?"

"No."

"You know, Gibbs is not an idiot. He knows you're head over heels for her. But he's waiting for your decision."

"So he can backslap me and fire me if I choose her."

"Don't forget he was once where you are now."

"With Jenny?"

"He made a decision."

"He let her go. And he regrets it now."

"Maybe, maybe not. The point is, he understands. I'm not saying things won't change once you and Ziva make it official, but... The changes won't be all bad."

"I like the way it is now."

"Can you live like that for the next eight years?"

"No."

"At some point, you will have to take responsibility and move on. You can't work for Gibbs forever. And you have to admit you're not so young anymore. You're getting old. And you're alone."

"Why does it have to be so hard?"

"That's life, boy. It sucks and it hurts, but we have to make the best of it." Mike walked to the door. Before he left the room, he turned around and looked at Tony again.

"Good luck, kid. Make your choice carefully. You want advice? Do what's best for yourself. It's your life and it's you and only you that will have to live with the consequences of your decisions."

And he was gone.

...

He didn't have the chance to process his thoughts when the door opened again. This time it was Jenny who entered the room and sat on the chair.

"How do you feel?" she asked him gently.

"Like someone who's just been crushed by a car. Who else is you there?"

"Whoever you want."

"You chose work over love," he said suddenly.

"I did."

"Did you regret it?"

"Sometimes. It wasn't all bad. I loved my job, I was completely dedicated to it."

"But you loved Gibbs as well."

"I had feelings for him, yes."

"Have you ever thought what your life would look like if you chose him?"

"Yes. My life, or the years I had left, would have been great. But I couldn't be an NCIS director. I think I can say I was a good one. But if I hadn't been an NCIS director, I wouldn't have sent for Ziva. You two wouldn't have met."

"You brought her into my life," he realized.

"I did."

"Thank you, Jenny."

"You're welcome."

"She's like you. Strong, independent, stubborn."

"But she's not aspiring to be a director."

"Thank God. Can you imagine that?" he tried to laugh, but it hurt.

"You have to do something, Tony. It's torturing both of you."

"I don't know what to do," he admitted.

She gave him a smile and touched his hand. "You're just scared. I know that. I was scared too."

"What if she...?"

"Then you will know. But nothing hurts as much as not knowing."

"I've seen it in her eyes. Before the crash. It was there. For a second I thought,... You must think I'm a stupid jerk."

"I think you are a man who is scared to move on. But you want to move on. "

"It's time to move on."

"Then make a move."

I'm not entirely sure it's worth dying over.

Nothing is inevitable.

I couldn't live without you, I guess.

Cherish each other, every day. That's all I'm saying.

At lo levad.

Then I should catch her before she leaves. You know, thank her.

Ziva.

...

It was about half past two. She couldn't sleep. Gibbs and Abby talking to McGee and Ducky somewhere and she felt alone. All she could think of was Tony. She still felt his hand touching hers, she saw his eyes looking at her with admiration. With love.

The doctor said he was stable. Stable. So he will make it.

At that moment, nothing else mattered.

She almost lost him. It felt like her heart stooped each time this crossed her mind.

...

About an hour later she got up from the bed. She had to see him. She had to be near him.

She almost started crying when she walked into his room and looked at him. His face was bruised and so were his hands. Her head was killing her, but the pain of seeing him like that was much worse. She touched his face, kissed him on the forehead and then sat on the chair next to the bed.

Tony.

She fell asleep there, holding his hand. It was Gibbs who woke her up.

"It is my fault," she whispered.

"It's not your fault, Ziva."

"I distracted him."

"The guy went through red light. Don't blame yourself."

"He saved me."

"I would backslap him if he didn't," he tried to cheer her up. "He's gonna be fine."

"Do we know who wanted to kill us?"

"Actually, we do."

"Who?"

Gibbs took a moment, wondering if he should tell her. "Mossad."

"Orli?"

"Maybe. Or Yaniv."

"How much did you get out of him?"

"Not much, so far."

"Can I talk to him?"

"Ziva... You should rest."

She shook her head. "I am going to find whoever is behind this. And I am going to put a bullet into their heads for what they did to us."

"You'll have your chance."

"I can't just sit here and do nothing. They killed my father. They hurt Tony." She didn't mean to say the latter out loud. "I would want revenge if any of you were hurt."

"I know, Ziva."

She felt Tony's hand moved in hers.

"Gibbs, I think he is waking up."

Tony made a painful sound and opened his eyes a bit.

"Tony?" she squeezed his hand.

"Zee." It hurt when he breathed in.

"DiNozzo?"

Tony took a deeper breath, his face twisted with pain. "Boss. Where are the diamonds?"

Gibbs laughed. "We got our hands on them, don't worry."

"I think I'll need one," Tony mumbled and then he smiled.

"What did you say?" Ziva leaned to him.

"I've never been so happy to see you," he squeezed her hand back and intertwined his fingers with hers. "You too, boss," he added, when he saw Gibbs' face.

"I'm gonna tell Abby," he said and left the room, letting the two have their moment.

When he shut the door, he smiled as he was reaching for his phone. He's always hoped Tony would break rule number twelve with Ziva.