Title: Stupid Questions
Fandom: NCIS
Author: Alidiabin
Words: 889
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Warnings mentions of rape
Spoilers: general S7 up to 'Patriot Down'
Parings: Tony/Ziva
Summary: Tony was gets angry at McGee's comment.
Stupid Questions
Tony DiNozzo would never admit it but he was a little envious of Tim McGee. Tony was not jealous of McGee's looks, bank balance, or athletic ability. Tony was jealous of McGee's naivety and innocence of the man's ability to see holes in the walls and not instantly think family violence, of McGee's ability to assume all military wives were faithful until proved otherwise. Tony saw holes in the walls and instantly thought abuse, he saw a suspicious phone call on a military wives phone log, and he instantly thought cheating wife.
Tony would happily admit he was angry with McGee, as McOblivious had asked Ziva who had lived through rape during her time at Salim's summer camp, what she would do if she was raped. Tony was envious of McGee's ability to believe her answer. McGee had not seen the 'S' etched into Ziva's inner thigh by Salim. McGee had not had to watch as she slowly crumbled during the Kaylen Burrows case. McGee had not noticed she was back on the sleeping pills again. McGee did not know the nightmares were back with a vengeance.
McGee emerged from Abby's lab.
"McIdiot" Tony shouted catching the younger man's attention.
"Do your own paperwork Tony" McGee replied. Tony spun his chair around to face him.
"Are you completely stupid?" Tony asked. McGee looked at him about to mention his two degrees. Tony cut him off. "I mean like seriously McDumbo why did you ask Ziva what she would do if she was raped" McGee was this time given an opportunity to speak.
"It was a valid question" McGee protested, "She's a woman who's served in male dominated positions"
"She can also empathize with Petty Officer Burrows," Tony said softly looking down at the desk. He did not notice Ziva and Kaylen Burrows walk into the pumpkin walled squad room.
"Well she's a woman who has spent most of her life in a male dominated world," McGee said. "It seemed relevant,"
"No McOblivous" Tony shouted. He gulped. "She was raped," he whispered.
"How. Dare. You," Ziva said slowly trying to contain her anger. She turned to McGee "McGee can you take Petty Officer Burrows downstairs" Ziva said clenching her hands into fists and taking deep breaths.
"Ziva" Tony said as she ran from the Major Case Response Teams desk headed toward the bathrooms. She was angry. There was no way Tony could not leave her that state, so he followed her.
He found her under the stairs that led from the director's office and MTAC.
"How dare you?" she shouted all her anger boiling inside of her. "I am not" she paused took another series of deep breaths. "A piece of gossip to be discussed" she exclaimed.
"Ziva" Tony said softly. "I was angry he didn't see how upset his question made you, McGee was being stupid"
"No Tony it was you who was being stupid," she shouted. She paused and released her fists. "Tony there are reasons I did not just tell him the truth when he asked," she uttered as she begun pacing the floor as a new outlet for her anger. She rubbed her face with her hands and focused on an outdated poster on the fake brick walling. "It is bad enough I have you, Gibbs, Vance and Ducky treading of seashells around me," Ziva uttered Tony did not correct her idiom. "I just want one of you to see me as normal, not to see me as a victim," she begged. She paused. "I feel ashamed enough," she admitted.
"Ziva" he whispered. Tony knew from the many rape cases he had worked over his over a dozen years in law enforcement that shame was a common side effect of rape. "You have nothing to be ashamed about"
"You have no idea Tony," Ziva shouted back again clenching her fists. "You have no idea what it is like, to have everyone think that you are a victim, to have everyone treat you like a leper," she raised her fist very close to the pumpkin walls but stooped herself. "You have no idea how dirty you feel and however many times you shower you can't feel clean" she slid down against the pumpkin wall. "You do not have nights where all you can do is recall everything, the smell of his breath, how his middle tooth on his upper jaw was fake. You do not have nights where you can remember it all far too vividly." Ziva paused averting her eyes from Tony as tears formed. "You do not know exactly how many times you were called a filthy Jew Bitch by an Arab man while he was inside of you." Her eyes became glassy. Tony sat down next her they did not touch. "For nearly three months you did not have that sudden burst of fear when a man touched you," she whispered. His hand met hers. She placed his hand in hers.
"Ziva" he whispered as he wrapped his arm around her.
"I just wanted McGee to see me as Ziva," she said "Just Ziva" she whispered "Not rape victim Ziva, not survivor Ziva, just Ziva" she continued. They sat in silence as the tears fell down Ziva's cheeks. Tony rubbed her back and let her lean on him as the sobs softened.
A/N: I loved how in 'Patriot Down' they told so much of a story with so few words.