She stands in the women's bathroom. She washes her hands. She hears the door open.
"DiNozzo, not now," she warns.
She doesn't get a response. She looks in the mirror, and finds that it's not DiNozzo who is standing behind her.
"What are you doing in here?"
"Isn't this where you have all of your private conversations?"
"Not all of them."
"The ones here, at work?"
"Yes," she nods, "Why are you in here? I am fine?"
"You're fine? Really?" he questions.
"Gibbs, I am fine."
"No you're not."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Not an option. I'm not letting you off the hook this time."
"There is nothing to talk about."
"Nothing to talk about? How many times have you ran in here this morning?"
"I wasn't counting."
"Three," he reveals.
"I guess..."
He cuts her off, "Ziva don't lie to me. There is no use. I know."
"No, you don't," she argues.
"Ziva, I know."
"Know what? What is there to know, exactly?"
"You don't want to talk about it, I can understand that, but I know. I know that look."
"What look?"
"I've seen it before a few times. It is a look that I would recognize anywhere."
"What look?"
"A panic-stricken look."
"I am not panic-stricken."
"It is ok to admit that you're afraid."
"Gibbs, I don't want to do this."
"Maybe not, but we are. We are going to finish this discussion."
"Because it's not going away. It's not something that you can work through, on your own, is it?"
"No, and I can't fix it, but neither can you."
"It isn't broken."
"No."
"But?"
"It's a mistake."
"You think that this is a mistake? You can change your mind, if you think that it is."
"No, that isn't the mistake that I am referring to."
"What are you referring to?"
"What caused this, that was a mistake."
"Does he know?"
"Does who know?"
"Your partner."
"Why would I tell him?"
Gibbs scowls, "You know why."
"He doesn't need to know."
"He is your partner, and he does need to know."
"I am not going to tell him."
"He will find out eventually. It will be best if he hears it from you."
"You don't understand."
"Yes, I do, Ziva. You need to understand me. I don't care what happened, or what didn't happen. I don't really want to know about it. You need to tell your partner, you need to fix whatever is broken between the two of you, or I will."
"You will what?"
"I will tell him."
"It isn't that simple."
"When is life ever simple, Ziva?"
"Rarely, but he has made his choice, and..."
"That's what this is about?"
"I..."
He turns, and walks away. She feels a wave of relief as he leaves the room. He returns to the squad room. He stops at DiNozzo's desk.
"You need to go talk to your partner."
"I thought that you just did."
"Go talk to her."
"Why? I don't even know what her problem is."
"Her problem is you."
"Me? What does that mean?"
"You've broken a lot of rules lately. You've broken one of the most important ones."
"Which one would that be?" Tony questions.
"Rule number eight."
"Eight? Never take anything for granted."
"Yes, DiNozzo it applies to people to."
"I don't take her for granted."
"Really?"
"Maybe I do, a little bit."
"Fix it."
"Fix what?"
"She has feelings too, you know."
"Feelings? You are talking about Ziva, and feelings, in the same sentence."
"She has feelings too. You can't trample all over them, and expect for everything to be alright."
"What are you talking about, boss?"
"E.J."
"Oh. Right. Ziva is a little jealous, she'll get over it."
"It's more than that Tony."
"You know something I don't know?"
"Yep. Now go talk to her, or give me your gun and badge."
"You can't be serious."
"Dead."
"Ok, I'm going," he huffs as he walks away.