Team

In Between Daydreams

They were really going at it. Their voices bounced off of the squad room walls, and everybody, including Vance and Gibbs, were staring intently.

"What were you thinking Tony?"

"Ziva, I-"

"No Tony. Do not even BEGIN to make excuses! We are partners. We are supposed to be in this together yes?"

They were a good two feet apart, each wanting to keep their respected distance. His jaw was clenched tightly, though his eyes remained soft and caring. Her eyes were full of fire and concern spread its way across her face. She was angry about the way in which their latest suspect had been brought in.

Flashback:

"Well that was easy." Tony said as he watched his partner cuff Miles Wallace, their latest suspect, Norman Wallace's, brother and right-hand man.

"You shut your trap." Miles replied, which only cause Ziva to tighten the cuffs, causing Wallace to grimace in pain. Tony then saw Miles look down the street to where somebody stood behind a tree and watched the scene play out with a close eye. Tony recognized him as none other than Norman Wallace. Their main, and most crucial subject to the case. Without a word, Tony took off down the empty street and pursued Norman Wallace.

He caught up quickly and soon Wallace fell down to the ground with a loud thump. The man wouldn't go down without a fight and elbowed Tony hard in the ribs, giving him but a second to rise to his feet and get into a fighting stance. Tony soon rose to his feet, before Wallace ran at him and kicked his legs out from underneath him. Tony was sore, and weary, at this point, though he quickly realized an easier solution to the problem. With experienced reflexes, Tony pulled his gun from its holster and shot Wallace three times in his right leg, sending him to the ground.

Soon after, Ziva appeared and ran over to where Tony sat next to a bloodied Norman Wallace. She decided they would live, before calling an ambulance, and then Gibbs. Tony and Ziva didn't say a word to each other on the way to the emergency room, where Tony got a boot for a fractured growth plate in his left foot, or during the ride back to the office.

Ziva wasted no time and soon proceed to question Tony's reasoning skills.

Present:

Ziva didn't wait for a response before stepping closer and raising her voice even louder. "We are a team, Tony!"

"David, DiNozzo! Take it somewhere else." Boomed the director from where he stood next to Gibbs at the top of the stair case. Gibbs gave a nod of approval and soon the two were alone in the men's bathroom.

"Ziva, calm down." Tony pleaded, which only made her angrier. She grabbed his forearms and pushed him against the nearest wall.

"Tony, this is serious! You should never chase a suspect down without somebody watching your six. That is what I am there for." She replied.

Tony gently removed her arms from their current spot on his arms and took her smaller hands in his own. He pressed his forehead against hers.

"Ziva. I'm alright. We got 'em, right?"

"Right after Wallace gave you a fractured growth plate and two broken ribs."

He took one of his hands from her grasp and brought it up to cup her cheek. She felt his cool wedding ring on her face and leaned into his touch with ease.

"I am sorry Tony. It would just be… very hard to cope. If something bad were to happen to you." Ziva said, her eyes closed and forehead still against Tony's own. He leaned down and kissed her. The kind that made her shudder and wrap her arms around his neck while he pulled her closer. When he pulled away he looked her dead in the eyes and softly said,

"How do you think I felt, Ziva?" He said, gesturing to her abdomen, where, two years ago she had been stabbed several times by a drug dealer.

"That was a long time ago, Tony." She replied quickly. He only chuckled slightly and pulled her into another kiss, letting their lips linger there, for a few seconds. She spoke up quickly and said softly,

"Just, do not let it happen again." She smiled slightly before flickering her gaze toward his lips and then back to his own eyes. She pulled his face closer and kissed him once more, before unlocking the bathroom door, grabbing his hand, and leading him back to the squad room, where everybody had gone back to work. Gibbs glanced at the two, before continuing to read an old case file, while McGee just smirked and shook his head.

They were a team. And if they couldn't take you down together, they wouldn't even look your way.