Wild Cat

Chapter 1

The bullpen was still quiet, though weeks had passed since Gibbs had left. Most of the team wasn't willing to accept new leadership, especially not from agent Tony DiNozzo. They'd been solving cases left and right, same as before, but no one respected their new leader. Yeah, they obeyed his orders, but they still questioned whether or not he actually knew what he was doing. Hell, he couldn't blame them for that, he barely knew himself if he knew what he was doing. At least he could consult Ziva, she was his partner, and didn't that mean it was okay to rely on her? Sure, he was "technically" her boss now but…hadn't Gibbs and the director remained partners through to the very end?

A handsome man with black hair and piercing blue eyes was sitting at Tony's desk with a seductive smile aimed right at Ziva. Now, Tony considered himself a fairly mature person, but he stared at that man with the same malice he'd thrown at Ziva when she'd taken Kate's desk the first time. That's not your's, Tony roared inside his mind. This guy had really overstepped his bounds on this one. Ziva had her dark eyes locked on her paperwork but it was quite obvious that she wasn't paying it any attention. She was desperately trying to ignore the horny toad hitting on her from Tony's desk. Her black hair fell dutifully down to veil her expression before her mask of ice broke. Ah, at least Tony had one loyal person in his life.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Tony demanded as he walked to his desk.

"I'm Calvin, I was assigned to be partners with Miss David." The man explained.

"By who?"

"The director."

"Well, you can pack up your stuff, Calvin. Special Agent David has no need of a partner."

"You always need backup for dangerous missions. You should know that, as a former field agent."

"Look, buster, I am not a former field agent. I am a field agent, AND I happen to be the partner of Special Agent David, so get your sorry ass off of my team!"

"I thought you were the boss."

"Where does it say I can't be both?"

"It's implied."

"Implied my ass. Do you want a new partner, Zee-vah?" Tony twisted around to glare at her.

"Tony, whether I want one or not doesn't matter. Calvin's right, I do need a partner." Ziva kept her head down.

"And what am I? Swiss cheese?"

"You're my boss, Tony."

"How about we make happy Calvin the boss? Everybody seems to like him, and his stuffed tiger could be our new mascot," Tony grumbled.

"DiNozzo! My office, now." The director marched through the bullpen on her way up to her office.

"Tony?" Ziva caught his arm as he walked by.

"Ziva," he acknowledged with a chill that stung.

"As for if I want another partner, you should not have to ask."

"You never gave me the impression I was liked, Zee-vah."

"You need to pull your boot out of your ass."

"My head, you mean?"

"You must be very flexible."

He laughed unwillingly and pried her hand off before continuing up to the director's office.

"I thought you'd be a little more mature about this," the director scolded as she sat down behind her desk. "Gibbs wasn't nearly so hysterical when we were separated. You do know that we used to be partners?"

"Yes ma'am. But I am still here, ma'am. I can't…I can't just watch someone steal my partner from me." Tony lowered his head, knowing full well that he was being unreasonable.

"You and Ziva care about each other, there's no denying it DiNozzo."

"She's my partner, of course we care about each other."

"Try to listen to me, Tony." The director drummed her fingers on her desk irritably. "If you want Ziva to be safe, you would actually prefer to have someone around to look out for her when you can't. You have a bigger job to do now."

"The last time we hired someone to help out this team, he tried to kill Abby. With all due respect, I don't trust this guy and while my gut isn't as famous as Gibbs' was, I still trust it."

"You are jealous."

"Ziva doesn't want another partner either."

"She knows that she needs one. She may not want one, and she may not trust him, but she does need a partner."

"I think you're the one who's not listening, Jen." Tony bristled. "Ziva is my partner, she helps me and I need her. This Calvin guy is not a part of my team and he never will be."

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Go figure, even Abby liked Calvin. The sick bastard doted upon the team constantly yet still managed to do his job. Tony hated him with a passion that made his head swell and threaten to explode. After filing the report for their latest case, Tony left his office for home only to find Ziva and Calvin still there...talking. Flirting. It burned his hide. Tony silently willed Ziva to whack Calvin over the head with a stapler and leave him to wallow in agony. His darling ex-partner missed the memo. Ex-partner, he felt his eyes water. It was like losing Kate all over again, only now…his partner was alive, and just out of his reach. He wasn't sure what was worse. Then, Ziva turned her head to look directly at Tony. The look in her eyes changed, her smile grew more natural. Tony just knew he was imagining it.

"Heading home, boss?" Calvin asked.

"What are you still doing here?" Tony stared him down.

"My partner wanted to stay, so I thought I'd keep her company."

"Your partner?" Tony slapped him on the back of the head. "Your partner is a living person, call her by her name."

"Miss David—"

"Ziva!" Tony slapped him again. "Dammit, you're supposed to be keeping her alive and you don't even go by first names. Stop pulling this prince charming bull! You're already on my list, buster."

"Christ, no wonder they put the two of you together." Calvin stormed to the elevator and vanished behind the doors.

"Thanks for waiting up, Ziva. I appreciate it." Tony turned his attention on her.

"I miss your style, Tony. This one just isn't as much fun." She flashed a suggestive look.

"Yeah, what'd you expect?" he smirked. "I wish there was a way we could still be partners. If I had a choice, you'd run the team with me."

"I know, that's what I like about you. That and the fact that you're as stubborn as a mule."

"Ass, Ziva."

"Fine, you're an ass, then."

"That's usually not a complement."

"It wasn't intended as one."

"And that's what I like about you." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Shall we go, sweet cheeks? I haven't slept in three days and you don't look so rested yourself."

"Sleep sounds good, my little hairy butt."

"DiNozzo, David." The director stepped into the bullpen with an expression that bespoke of both sympathy and impatience for both of them. "Might I ask what you're doing?"

"Just going home, ma'am." Tony gave Ziva a squeeze and refused to move his arm. "Long case."

"And Calvin?"

"Just left." Ziva looked up to Tony's face, not bothering to veil her adore for him. "He would've left earlier, but he's confused as far as who my real partner is."

"Not you too, Ziva." The director groaned.

"What did you expect? We're two of the same."

"Two of a kind, Zee-vah," Tony corrected.

"Two of a kind?" The director looked at the pair of them with a strange light in her eyes. "I suppose you are, aren't you?"

"Ma'am?"

"I'm going to go on a trip for a few days."

"When did you decide to do that?"

"Just now." With that, the director left the two agents alone.

"So…need a ride, Ziva?" Tony offered.

"I could use one, are you offering?" She rested her head on his shoulder for a moment, just long enough to repair the damage that Calvin had done to his ego.

"Yes, didn't that bastard partner of your's do the same?"

"No."

"Well, what's he good for?"

"He's not so hard to look at."

"Yeah, but he doesn't have the DiNozzo charm, does he?"

"No, but there's quite enough DiNozzo charm around here."

"You think this Calvin guy is better than me?"

"Why are you so upset about him? Tony, I told you that I like you better."

"Yeah, but everyone just loves the guy. I mean, even Abby's accepted him and she's still uneasy around you."

"I tend to have that effect."

"Just, tell me what is so great about this guy, Ziva."

"I don't like him, I'm not the one to ask."

"You were flirting with him."

"But who is taking me home, Tony? Who is the bigger man?"

"I know…it's just…"

"Stop worrying, it's not attractive on you." She pulled him to the elevator by his hand. "The others are still upset about Gibbs leaving, they'll accept your leadership soon. You'll see."

"Says the Mossad agent who still doesn't fit in."

"We have each other, yes? Two of the same."

"Two of a kind, Zee-vah."

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