Ziva sat beside a hospital bed. Many machines were buzzing, bleeping, people were talking, whispering, and somewhere a wail rang out, but Ziva heard no one of this. She heard only the faint breaths issuing from Anthony DiNozzo's mouth and the steady bleep from his heart monitor. The right-hand side of his face was burnt, distorted almost beyond recognition, what had been left of his hair was carefully been removed by a doctor on his arrival. It had made McGee smile wanly when she had joked as the man did it. She desperately wanted to hold his hand, it seemed appropriate. It was what they always did on television, in books, in the movies. In the books and movies the person's hand tended to be intact, or their face if the hand was unavailable.
She laughed, but immediately felt bad about it. Now was not a time for laughter, as hysterical as it may be. Nor was it a time for moping or tears. She had to be strong, strong enough for the both of them, for her and Tony.
She had been joking, pulling ahead after their dinner in mock disgust standing by the driver's door, shaking the key with a crafty smile. Tony, twenty metres behind, groaned and rolled his eyes. Walking slowly, as if he were stalking his prey (or car keys) he approached the car. His eyes widened as a man threw something at him, causing him to recoil a pace.
Tony looked down at his feet in horror, he yelled something at her that she couldn't hear. His lips formed soundless words as the grenade forced him away from her. She looked around as people rushed from the restaurant, gathering around his maimed body. The attacker had gone.
Gibbs and McGee were tracking him down. Missing two of their team, they were doing their best. Gibbs had ordered her to stay. Protection detail, he had told her, the man might try again. She hoped he would. Next time she would be ready, she would not wait, one shot. One shot would be enough.
She laid her arm across his chest as her mind slipped from below her and she dozed off.
Tony turned to her looking endearingly irritated. " You ever Gibbs Slap me again David and I will slap you back harder."
Ziva looked offended, "I was following orders!" ...
... " It was no secret. He's writing about us."
Tony gave her an incredulous look, although they both knew what the other was thinking. "Oh come on, it's not about us. I mean the whole part about Liza and her broken heart."
" The memento she keeps from a relationship that would never have a chance to happen."
" Yeah, where's he getting than? Or the scene between Liza and Tommy where they pour out their hearts to each other and spill their secrets."
" Ha-ha. When he tries to explain the profound nature of his identity crisis."
" Yeah! I mean the hidden struggle between 'who he is?' and 'what he's becoming?' I don't even know what it is."
Suddenly they both realised what they were saying and inwardly shook themselves straight.
" Totally unrealistic."
" Would never happen."...
...The grenade exploded, Tony's lips moved, "I love you." He was thrown back.
She woke up, her heart racing. She leant towards his ear and tried to say the words, but they would not come out. She was angry with herself, she was trained so well in hiding her emotion, and she could not even tell the man she loved that... She could not even think it.
Unthinking, she grabbed his hand and just said it, "I love you, Tony." His hand squeezed hers, his eyes fluttered, and his heart monitor flat-lined.
I don't usually write Tiva, I'm not a Tiva shipper, so what do you think? I wasn't sure about it, and I definitely didn't write very much but... fingers crossed.
Please review.