Another one-shot. I hope you like it :)
I'm sorry for all the mistakes but English isn't my native language.
I own nothing.
#1
Ziva dropped her head in hands while her elbows were placed on the desk. It was almost 8 pm and she had a long day behind her. The case wasn't easy. They had to deal with an aggressive former Marine who killed his younger friend that happened to be still in active duty. Although Ziva had been used to taking down men twice her size that one was way too strong. He pinned her to the ground and held her so tight that she couldn't breathe. If Tony and McGee hadn't threatened him to shot him she would've passed out in next few seconds. Or worse. He could've strangled her.
Her head was pounding and half of her face was swollen because of a punch she received that left a big dark bruise under her left eye. She thought she deserved to feel the pain. It was all her fault. She shouldn't have let him distract her and take control over the whole situation.
Tony'd been observing her for at least ten minutes since they came back. He saw everything. He saw her fighting to get the man off of her. He saw her gasping for air. He saw her shaking for a few seconds after he helped her to sit down while Tim held the suspect. He saw how scared she was because she had no control despite her Mossad training. And his heart ached for her every single time.
He opened the bottom drawer of his desk and took a bottle of painkillers. Sighing he stood up and went in the direction of her desk. He noticed she opened her eyes slowly and looked at him confused. Tony didn't say anything and she remained silent as well. He left pills on her desk hoping she would stop punishing herself and take some sooner than later.
Before he stepped into an elevator he saw her smiling slightly opening the bottle of water and swallowing two pills.
She'll be okay tomorrow. She always is, he thought.
#2
He was mad. He was so angry he could have overthrow his desk if she hadn't been standing in front of him glancing at him concerned. He was afraid he would hurt her as well. Instead of that he punched the wall behind him twice not feeling the pain in his knuckles. He should've done something else. He should've protected this boy. He should've run faster. He should've shot first.
"Stop it." Ziva hissed seeing a hole in the wall. A big one. "It will not change anything. You did all you could and now you are only hurting yourself."
"I could've saved him and now he's fighting for his life!"
"Doctors are optimistic! Besides, he was shot in his arm and still conscious even when medics got him into an ambulance!" she shouted at him as well.
She couldn't stand the fact that he was blaming himself for everything that had happened that evening when they found Lieutenant's son. In the morning they got a call that somebody found a badly hurt man that happened to be a soldier. He didn't make it. His son was kidnapped and okay till the moment the kidnapper realised he was in a no-win situation. He opened a fire and six-year-old boy took a bullet in his arm. After killing the man Tony kneeled down next to Ben, as he found out his name was, and tried to stop the bleeding. He asked him about school, his friends, things he liked – anything to make him stop thinking about the pain and ensure himself that the boy wouldn't have passed out.
"He will be okay, Tony. I am more worried about you right now."
He sighed and took three deep breaths. That wasn't a perfect end of the day. He planned to close a case, drink a few beers in his apartment and watch a film. Maybe even snooze for a while during that. But it was almost 11 pm and instead of that he was still at work with Ziva by his side. A nervous and concerned Ziva. Because of his behaviour.
"Damn it." he whispered. "It didn't go the way I planned."
"I bet." she said taking a few steps closer towards him. "Come on, I will make you a late dinner. Maybe even a breakfast."
"I look forward to that, you know."
"Oh, I do."
He placed his hand on her lower back while she took his other hand checking on his knuckles. It was her habit – making sure he really was okay.
#3
He saw her hurt physically so many times that he didn't care to count. He also saw her heartbroken. The first time was when Roy, the man they met at the hospital, died. She used to wear his bright orange hat to work every day for at least three months. He knew she missed him even though they didn't know each other very well. They were just attracted to each other but they didn't have much time to spend together.
The second time it was him who screwed up. He really didn't mean to kill Michael. He was attacked by the Israeli. It was him or Mossad officer. He hoped Ziva would understand but when she stormed into her apartment she didn't. She barely looked him in the eyes for a long time. It was him who was guilty. He felt responsible for her leaving - leaving them all behind, for staying in her homeland, for her being held captured in that camp in Somalia. But he rescued her even though that was not what he had on mind. He was so mad and wanted to kill everyone accountable for her death. But when he saw her dirty, bruised but alive and breathing body he felt so relieved. Like never before. His entire life made sense again.
And now – the third time - she was standing with her back against the wall next to the big window in their office. She was biting her bottom lip gazing at her feet. How could she be so stupid? How could she ever trust Ray? Was it because he was working at the CIA? She wanted something permanent and stabile. When he proposed she started to have second thoughts. Yes, she considered that maybe she would get married one day if she lives long enough and doesn't get killed during one of her Mossad operations. But now when she was in DC for good, she wasn't sure if she wanted to start a family with him, if he was the one.
Tony stood next to her and glanced at her face. Well, at a part of her face he was able to see behind her curly hair. He brushed her arm with his own on a purpose but she didn't notice that. Probably because she has been used to his touch after all these years. She knew he was aware that she needed comfort now but was too proud to ask anyone even for a stupid sitting down with her somewhere - anywhere - and remaining silent for a while.
Seeing her shaking next to him, his heart clutched. She wasn't crying, not yet, but he knew she was fighting with herself. She didn't want him to see her in such a mess. Not anymore. He's already seen enough for the past few years.
"He's a jerk, you know?"
She nodded slightly.
"I wanted this to work out. At least for once."
He sighed placing his right arm around her. He tried to hug her but she resisted. Only for a while though because in a next second she realised that it wasn't a bad idea. If she could trust anyone right now, Tony was definitely one of those people.
"You'll find someone. Someday." he kissed her temple. "And you're going to make it right."
#4
Thirty-seven hours. It'd been thirty-seven hours since he woke up and left his warm bed. He wasn't that young anymore and his organism needed at least a short nap but as a senior field agent he didn't think it would be appropriate with everyone around if he decided to lay his head on a report on his desk and snooze for fifteen minutes. No, definitely not professional.
And Ziva was sitting in front of him behind her desk as long as he was. Every time she tried to hide her face when she needed to yawn but he still saw every single one of them. She probably has been up for about two more hours than him considering the fact she always runs in the morning, even at weekends.
She reached for her cup of tea again. He was aware that in the bin under her desk were at least eight more of them. Well, in his own one were about the same number. But he preferred coffee. Not that he had something against her taste, no, he just needed caffeine to stay awake. He had no idea how she was still holding up with only cups of tea and two slices of pizza she ate about six hours ago.
"You sure you won't drink anything stronger?" he asked seeing how she rubbed her eyes.
"I do not like coffee."
"Yeah, I know but you don't look so good."
"Oh, thank you very much." she chuckled. She didn't know why. He just told her how bad she looked and she laughed. She tried to tell herself that it was probably the tiredness she was dealing with. "I appreciate your compliment."
"You know what I mean. You don't drink coffee, you haven't slept for what, forty hours? And you haven't eaten anything since that pizza we had for dinner."
"Are you keeping track of me?" she asked throwing out the next empty cup of tea. "Well, you have nothing to worry about. I ensure you that if someone tried to shoot you, I would take him down first."
"Nope." he denied. "I see how tired you are, that's all."
"We all are, Tony." she told him squeezing his arm and walked out of the bullpen.
Fifteen minutes later she came back to see him lying with his face on the report he was filling in when she left to arrange something to eat for both of them. McGee decided he needed some fresh air and went out with Abby to grab something he could eat outside the Navy Yard.
She placed a bag with take-out on his desk quietly hoping she will manage to work and let him sleep for a while at the same time. She was younger than him, she could work alone for a moment letting him rest. That's what partners are for, right? They do care for each other. Anytime. In many ways.
#5
"Help me." she begged him without simple 'hello'.
She was desperate, really desperate. Her neighbour – a single mother - that had been living next to her door for last seven years had to go to the hospital immediately because her mother got in a car crash and was in a critical condition now. Ziva couldn't say no, she couldn't refuse and that's how she ended up with a crying baby in her arms.
She tried everything. She tried to make baby girl fall asleep, sing her a lullaby, talk some random and imaginary stories, make stupid faces, feed her and she even checked her diaper but the child was still crying her eyes out. And lungs, literally.
"What happ-" he stopped. "Is that a baby?"
"Oh my God, yes, that is a baby. Please, I need your help."
She wanted to cry seeing how badly Alice missed her mother. At least that's what she thought was the reason she was weeping at the top of her lungs. It was not like Ziva had no experience. She was taking care of Tali when they both were kids especially after their mother's death. But this time was different. She had no idea what to do anymore. She was helpless.
"I don't babysit, Zi."
"I am not asking you to stay with her alone. I am asking you to help me. I am begging you. I am even willing to do your paperwork for next two weeks."
"Ziva-"
"Tony, please." she whispered. "I need my partner."
He sighed loudly. It was Friday evening. Not that he had any plans for tonight but dealing with a baby wasn't on the top of his 'to do' list. He really needed to chill out after a long day spent at work. Besides, beer and James Bond movies sounded so good in his head. So, so good.
"Do you remember when we had to look after Vance' kids and you-"
"Fine, I'll be there in ten minutes." he said before he hung up.
When he stepped out of the elevator and headed towards her apartment he wished he hadn't agreed so easily. Baby's crying was very loud he was certain he was going to have a headache as soon as he gets inside.
He knocked on the door and she opened them almost immediately. Even though the baby girl was crying so loudly she still clung to Ziva tightly.
"I think she is scared." brunette whispered kissing Alice's head. "She must be very confused and missing her mother."
"Okay, let me try. I'm no expert but I managed to calm suspect's infant once while you were in Miami a few years ago."
"You did?"
"Well, Gibbs made me but yeah, I succeeded."
"Fine. But please, be careful." she said placing baby girl in his arms.
"As always."
Alice looked unsure for a few seconds but didn't stop crying even for a moment. Tony took a pink bunny in his other hand and tried to catch her eye which happened to be successful after he started chatting to her pretending that is was actually the toy that was talking to her. Her crying became quieter and then she was just sobbing. It wasn't long after she was almost calm clinging to the bunny in her small hand.
Tony sat down on the couch still holding Alice with her back against his chest. She looked so peaceful that if not the traces of tears on her cheeks, Israeli would never guess that is was the same girl who was crying her eyes out ten minutes ago.
"Nice work." Ziva said hoping that if they would be quiet enough Alice might fall asleep soon. "I guess I owe you those two weeks of paperwork."
"Nah, I prefer a dinner."
"Tonight? Here?"
"Yes." He smiled.
That was really all he wanted, maybe needed or wished for that evening. A quiet night with her by his side.