He watched her. He watched her all the time.
There was nothing on the outside that gave him reason to, for the most part, to most people, it would have been deemed unnecessary.
She laughed, she smiled, she teased and taunted.
To anyone else she would seem untouchable.
But he knew better.
When all three team members of them were knee-deep in paperwork, sifting through endless files and folders, typing away at the keyboard for hours, he would look up and see her lost in thought. Her eyes would be on the keyboard, fingers poised to type, but he could tell her mind was elsewhere.
He never dared ask where her mind went during these periods. He would continue through the motions of his work, never letting his eyes off of her. Eventually she would slowly snap back to the present and carry on as if the time freeze had never happened.
He tried to imagine different reasons for these moments. Everything seemed so distant and miniscule. Her father. Her home she left behind. Her time away… But everything seemed so far gone. Was it as distant to her as he thought it was? He hoped that it was.
It was a late night for everyone. McGee had gone down to Abby's lab to deliver some more Caf-Pow, and in all honesty probably just to get away from the desk for a while. The bullpen seemed darker than it was. Tony could see only his and his partner's light giving off any illumination. He placed the papers he was reading for the hundredth time on his desk, rubbing his eyes and leaning back in his chair slightly. He put his hands behind his head and looked at the desk across from his and smiled.
Ziva had nodded off, head tilted slightly back, arms crossed tightly in front of her.
He watched her, in her peaceful state, preferring this look of peace on her face over the anguish he usually saw when he watched her.
He watched her all the time.