They climb onto the elevator, neither of them saying a single word. She stands on one side, he on the other. She looks up, he meets her glance. She quickly looks away, but realizes that all he needed was a second. He only needed one second of eye contact from her, to read her like an open book.

He knew that it was time, to say things, that needed to be said, to ask the questions that he wanted answers to. He knew that she would never tell him, on her own volition. It seemed as if they were always going the opposite directions. He knew that all it would take, to set the world right, was to push her. He didn't have to shove her with great force. She just needed someone, to push her back. Something was clearly weighing on her mind, and... she would never let him in, if he didn't ask.

He clears his throat, to get her attention. She doesn't say a single word, but her eyes meet his. This time she doesn't quickly look away. She stares at him in irritation. Her eyes beg one question, what?, they ask him. She flips the elevator off, and crosses her arms across her chest. She waits for him to ask whatever it is, that is on his mind.

"You've been distant lately," he begins.

"There is no question in that."

"Something is bothering you."

"That is an accusation, not a question."

"What is bothering you?"

"It is not important?"

"Really? Ziva everything, that we are not saying. All of the secrets that each one of us is keeping, it is tearing our team apart. At first I didn't notice, when we started fraying at the seems, but now... there are wholes, and no one is doing anything to patch them. I feel like everything is about to fall apart."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"We all need to try and fix it."

"Starting with me?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"What is it that you really want to know."

"I know that there is are things going on in your life, that you don't want to share with me, and I get that. I have never been very...understanding about any of your relationships. I can understand why you don't want to talk about them. I am not asking you to. I'm simply asking what is bothering you? I can tell that it's something big, something that is going to cause upheaval, and I want to know what it is."

"You will not like it," she warns.

"Just tell me."

"Tell me why this is so important for you to hear."

"You first."

"I have been thinking about leaving."

"NCIS?"

"D.C."

"Where would you go?"

"I think that you know."

"What would you do for a job?"

"I would go to the NCIS branch there."

"Why?"

"I want more. I want more than just a job. I need more."

"You can't go."

"See, this is why I can't tell you anything. You never, ever support any decision that I make. I can never do anything right. I do not live my life to please you."

"Don't go."

"I have no reason to stay."

"You worked so hard to get where you are, why would you give it all away now? For a guy? A guy who, promises you the world, but will only let you down. No one can give you everything that you want. I thought I knew where your loyalties were, but now... Gibbs will not be happy about this. If you leave, you won't..."

"If I leave, I won't be coming back. I do not want to come back. I need to keep moving forward, I can't stand still."

"I don't know what you're looking for, but you never stay in one place long enough, to find it. You can't keep running."

"I'm not running."

"Really? It certainly feels like you are."

"Don't do this. I do not want to leave things like this. I don't want to leave, being angry at you. I know that you are trying to... no, actually I don't know what you're trying to do. I just know that you aren't helping. You are making this worse. You say things, and you don't care if they are hurtful or not. I am tired of playing games. I am tired of pretending that I am ok. I do not want to pretend to be happy. I have the things that I want, if I stay here. That has been made perfectly clear to me."

"You're wrong."

"And, you are a jerk. What is your point? Tony I am beginning to think that you just don't want me to be happy. I know that you aren't happy, but you can't drag everyone down with you."

"Ziva, that's not it at all."

"Then, just for once say what is really on your mind. Say what you really feel, instead of trying to come up with excuses for a situation to turn out the way that you want."

"You don't want that."

"What happens if I stay? What changes? Nothing. I will be stuck here, with the same daily routine. I will have nothing to show, for anything."

"If you leave, how will you ever know? Is he that great? Can he give you the things that you want? If you're with him, is he going to be married to you, or the job? Is he going to put you first? Do you really think that he can do that? Because I doubt it. I am not trying to hurt you, I just want you to think about it. Think about where you will be, if things don't work out."

"Why do you have to insist that things won't work out? You don't know how things are going to play out."

"Maybe," he breaks eye contact, he looks at the floor, "Maybe I just don't want it to work out. Did you ever consider that?"

She doesn't say anything, she begins to chew on her fingernail. She stares at the panel of buttons in front of her. She knew how to operate this elevator, all of the buttons to push to make it do what she wanted. After five and a half years together, she still did not know all of the buttons to push. He was her partner, and she knew him almost as well as she knew herself. Finally she had found a new button, the one that she had been looking for, all along. The one to get him to be truthful. The button that would bring down his walls, for a second, so he could let her in. He always accused her of not letting him in, but the truth was they both kept themselves guarded. Neither of them had ever been ready to let the other one in, but now, she just needed the truth. She purses her lips, and looks over at him. He stares back at her with pleading eyes. In her heart she knows exactly what question to ask him. Finally she exhales.

"I need you to be honest with me, just once. I don't want one of your safe answers. I want the truth. Are you happy?"

"No," he admits.