Set after Two Faced
She doesn't know why she asks. Doesn't know why she even bothers, really. It's just that it seems so … natural for her to care about her partner after five long years of having his back, and she feels she almost has a right to be made a part of his secrets. By all means she and Tony and bars have never had great chemistry: just look at the night before his car (and supposedly him) was blown up, or when she met the first of her Michael series or again, when she kicked some pool-playing jerk's butt … the list goes on and on.
It should be shocking to realize that they haven't been going out drinking after a case since … well, forever. Now that she thinks about it, last time she remembers the two of them, alone, on a non-related night out in a club was during his time as a team leader. They were really close back then, despite all the secrets and the angst.
So, while in a way she's annoyed at him for having followed her, instead of leaving her with her own grief (because, yeah, despite her tough "I-don't-really-care-about-it-don't-worry-I'm-fine" attitude, she's definitely mourning the ending of still another relationship and most of all, she's blaming her increasingly clouded judgment when regarding men), she's somewhat relieved to still matter to him just enough to postpone his dinner date with E.J. (yes, she knows that too … spy/killer training, remember?).
It shows her that the team still comes first, so she can't stop herself from reminding him of Him, of Gibbs and of his "homemade set of rules" that he's always been so obliging to before she came and caused havoc in the whole family, as Abby had so eloquently called them more than once.
"I understand this one, Ziva." He whispers, as if admitting it could somewhat have jinxing effects. "I understand her." He drops his gaze. "That's why it's working."
He can't see the way her face freezes for a split of a second, her lips trembling slightly as she silently reminds herself not to break down in front of him … 'cause he's dropped her heart too and she's almost sure there's no turning back now: he's found what he was looking for and she cannot really blame him for moving on just like she did. She should probably tell him, anyway: she's not sure about what Ray told him … lies, most certainly … and he's been the closest thing she's ever had to a best friend … he deserves to know what she feels about the other woman and why.
She's still munching over it when he jumps in shock at the sight of the ice cube inside the drink. An eye bulb. So much for a quiet evening alone: she pulls out her phone and speed dials.
"Gibbs?" she says in a professional tone, carefully concealing her irritation at herself for not having realized the guy was in the same bar they were, that maybe he'd followed her there too … or he'd followed Tony … she shivered the thought away. "He's left another present."