Sweetcheeks

by BethanyMClark16

DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ MON PETIT POIS THIS IS THE SEQUEL

Okay so to start with this is a sequel to Mon Petit Pois AND YOU MUST NOT READ IT UNLESS YOU HAVE READ MON PETIT POIS!

I hope this ending is more satisfying for you than the last one. I would like to say this was written because neither me or some other people were happy about the ending in Mon Petit Pois...so yeah...we continue :)

A week after Tony's funeral the team were still digging trying to find out who did it and why. Bishop had never known loss before and even though she had only known Tony for a year she found it hard. She looked around at her team mates tired faces. They all looked tired and beat but they hadn't gone home for days. They were all determined to find out who did this to Tony. They wanted closure for their friend. Ziva had been popping in every so often to find out how they were doing and to help out. She was here now sat at the spare desk typing furiously. She stood up to go and see what she was typing thinking maybe she had something. "What you got?" She asked looking on the screen.

Ziva glanced up at her. "Uh…I don't have...anything"

Bishop cocked her head and looked at the computer screen reading what she had typed. She felt her heart sink at what she read and pulled up a chair to speak with her. "Ziva…it's not your fault….seriously…why are you blaming yourself?"

Ziva shrugged "Because it is my fault….he wouldn't be dead if I had not agreed he come out and see me…Had I not even left then…he would not be dead…had I…"

Bishop silenced her "It is not your fault! Ziva! That much I know is true! I hardly know you and I don't know what you went through but I know Tony loved you…I know that and he wouldn't want you blaming you…especially when it wasn't your fault"

Ziva looked at the screen where she had filled a whole A4 page with 'it is all my fault'. She saved the document and then closed it down. Bishop moved her chair closer to Ziva's and took her hand. "Do you wanna talk?" Ziva shook her head and Bishop nodded "well the offer still stands."

Ziva nodded and McGee called everyone to the plasma "So I've pulled a list of all the names of people who would want Tony dead and what their motive. So far mostly everyone is either dead or in prison. There are only a four people left on the list after I've eliminated those people."

Gibbs nodded "Who are they?"

"Steve Hartland, Nick Maitland, Tommy McIntyre and Chesney McDonald. I've found where they live and where they work so we can go bring them in?"

Gibbs nodded "Ziva take DiNozzo with you" He said automatically. They all paused and looked at Gibbs. It wasn't often he slipped up. Gibbs stared back at everyone the spoke again correcting himself "McGee and Ziva get Hartland and Maitland and Bishop and I will get McIntyre and McDonald"

They grabbed their gear and all went out. Half an hour later they all had their suspects and had started interrogating them. Ziva and McGee were in the first interrogation. Ziva sat in the front of the suspect Steve Hartland. She had fire in her eyes. She wasn't going to have any nonsense in this interrogation. "Tony DiNozzo" She spat out at him.

"Oh my God. Him again?" Hartland said "He's always screwing up my life"

"Is that why you took his from him?"

Hartland frowned then scoffed "What the hell do you mean by that?"

"He's dead! Why did you kill him?!"

Hartland almost fell off his chair "He what?! I swear to God! Yes I didn't like him and yes I wanted to beat the crap out of him most times he screwed something up for me but let me tell you lady….I wouldn't kill him"

Ziva slammed her hand down on the table "Why?! What did he do that was so bad that you would want to beat him up?!"

In the observation room Bishop stood with Gibbs, Ducky, Palmer and Abby "I would not like to be interrogated by her" She commented.

Abby shrugged "She's usually calm in there and reasonable but when it's about someone she loves then she can be brutal…" He voice shook when she said loves. Ziva did love Tony…and Tony loved Ziva…now neither of them got what they deserved. She felt her blood boil towards the person who did this to her friends and her family.

Back in the interrogation room Ziva looked like she was about attack Hartland. McGee stepped in placing a hand on Ziva's shoulder trying to calm her down but by this point nothing would. Hartland was cowering in his chair "Believe me when I say this…I would never have killed Tony and if I had I would either have a layer or told you cuz damn you're terrifying!"

Ziva narrowed her hate filled eyes and shoved her chair back hard and stormed out of the room. Abby met her in the hall way with a huge hug. Everyone else came out and saw how much this was affecting Ziva. All of them other than Bishop knew how much she'd lost and none of them wanted to see her lose another person she loved because they all knew it would be her breaking point.

Gibbs placed a hand gently on her arm "Ziva…take a break"

Ziva shook her head "I can't Gibbs…not until this person is found…I can't…I need to find him…he needs to…I can't take a break until I find the person who killed the only person I knew I could love!"

Gibbs sighed and pulled her into a hug. He hated seeing her like this. He wished he could just shake her so hard so that all the weight she'd been carrying around would fall of her shoulders. He wanted to take some of that weight that was slowly crushing her and throw it away and give it to the people who deserve it.

She was shaking and he could feel how thin she was from the last time he'd saw her. He realized her leaving hadn't just taken its toll on the team but also on her. Seeing one of the people he called his family, like this broke him. He turned to his team. "All of you…go home. Get some rest. We'll all work better with some sleep"

Ziva shook her head "Gibbs…" She said quietly to her former boss.

He looked at her. "What?" he asked her gently

"Can we at least get the interrogations done? Please?" She was almost begging him. She needed this.

He sighed and saw in her face and heard in her voice that she needed it. His whole team needed it. They needed to find out if it was any of the four people who had killed their friend. He nodded "Fine. Get this done then all of you go home. Is that clear?"

They all nodded and did as he said. Interrogation after interrogation and they didn't get the response they wanted. No questions were answered and they all felt beat. Were they ever going to get this done? Would they ever find the killer? Ziva vowed to herself that she would bring Tony and the team closure if it was the last thing she did.

Gibbs made them all go home. Ziva waited behind until she thought everyone was gone and sat down at Tony's desk. She opened one of the drawers. No one had wanted to clear it out. Possibly thinking if they left it alone long enough he'd just walk back into the Squadroom. She found an envelope taped to the top of his drawer. She pulled it off and opened it looking at the piece of paper he had written on.

"Get out of my desk" It read. Tears started pouring down her face as she laughed at the paper. She let her emotions finally over take her and she completely broke down. She wanted everything to be over. She wanted the case to be over, the search for Tony's killer, the day, the memories, and even her life. She had nothing now. Yes she loved Gibbs and the team but Tony was it for her. She had nothing. Even though she had left the team and the country she always knew she could go back at some point and she knew one day she would. She had never thought it had been like this.

She shook and cried violently at Tony's desk. She looked up still crying when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Gibbs was looking down at her pain in his eyes. He hated seeing her like this. He pulled her into a hug and sat down on the floor with her, holding her close just letting her cry.

"Why?" She asked Gibbs. "Why does it have to be this hard?"

Gibbs kissed the side of her head "It's hard because you loved him. Feeling pain at the loss of someone you love proves that the love you had for them was real."

Ziva swallowed hard "There is always another one"

Gibbs nodded knowing what she was talking about. "It'll be ok" He tried to comfort her but they both knew his saying that it would be ok was a lie. Something like this was never ok. They could never get Tony back. It might get easier but the pain would never go away. Both knew that first hand and Gibbs knew exactly what she was going through. He had felt the same when Shannon and Kelly died. He had almost killed himself. When they died he had nothing left to live for. But he did and he had built himself a new family.

He kissed her head again "Keep going Ziva. Don't give up now. It will be worth it." He knew her thoughts would be so messed but he didn't know exactly what she was thinking. No one could know other than her and only she could make herself pull through this.

She shuddered once more before her breath slowed and her tears dried on her cheeks. Gibbs wasn't going to let her go home alone in this state. She needed someone to be there for her and he felt it was his responsibility.

Gibbs let her lean on him as they walked out. They got back to Gibbs's house and Ziva was asleep. He carried her to his sofa and placed her gently down covering her with a blanket and then sat down in the armchair opposite to keep a vigil over his broken girl.

The next morning McGee and Bishop were back in the office digging into any possible leads they could have. Bishop looked up at McGee "Where's Gibbs and Ziva?"

McGee looked up and shrugged "Dunno. They'll be here."

Bishop nodded and got back to work. Five minutes later she stopped again "Do you think they're in trouble?"

McGee shook his head. "They would have given us some sort of sign."

Bishop sighed "Tony didn't"

McGee clenched his jaw. She was right. What if they were in trouble? Neither Gibbs nor Ziva were usually late. He typed Gibbs's number into the mobile search and then pressed enter. Bishop jumped up, went over to him and looked at his screen. A red dot appeared where Gibbs's phone was. "He's at him….or at least his phone is…"

"What about Ziva?"

McGee typed her number in to the search bar then waited. The map zoomed out and across the seas to Israel and Tel-Aviv international airport where the red dot was being showed there. Bishop looked shocked "She went back?"

At that moment Gibbs and Ziva walked into the Squadroom. "No, she didn't" Gibbs said.

Bishop straightened up. "But her phone says-"

Ziva shook her head "I left it in my car in Israel last week when I found out about…" She paused and gestured to Tony's desk. "I forgot to pick it up when I went to get the flight out here"

Bishop nodded in understanding "You left your phone at home Gibbs" she said.

"I know. That's not important…what you got?"

"Well…The four men who we interrogated last night all had reasons to hurt Tony"

"What were they?"

"Well, Tony and Hartland had beef when they were at school. Tony was apparently always hounding him for the homework and when Hartland didn't give it to him, Tony would get his friends to flush his head down the loo or hang him from the flag pole by the pants for days. Then at Baltimore Tony arrested him for drugs and espionage."

"What kind of espionage?"

"Hartland had been spying on Tony's friend's family. He was going to kill them to get back at Tony but he arrested Hartland before he got the chance. When Tony found out he made sure he got a severe punishment. He got fifteen years in prison but he was let out early for good behaviour. Moved to Nashville as soon as he was out and never went near Tony again"

Gibbs frowned "Why was he in DC? What was he doing?"

"Visiting family. He has an alibi for the morning Tony was killed. He was with his Mom in a hotel. They sent their security footage over and it shows Hartland checking in at seven pm the night before Tony's murder and then checking out again two days later. Security said that he and his mom went down for breakfast on the morning Tony died but didn't leave the hotel once."

Gibbs sighed. "The other three?"

"Maitland was just jealous of Tony. He wanted Tony to suffer for being better than him and he didn't like Tony because he had a dad but Maitland had nothing. He was jealous of Tony's life and family and job…so basically everything. On his Facebook page he had threatened to make Tony's life hell and go out of his way to ruin it. He tried and failed a few things but he always said this…and I quote 'There are many things worth living for, a few things worth dying for but nothing worth killing for' He hated war and fights but loved pranks. The most he would do is prank people he didn't like. He wouldn't even hurt an animal."

Gibbs frowned. "Next?"

"McIntyre and McDonald both knew Tony from school. They were friends with Tony for years and they had all agreed to stick together no matter what. If anyone of them got a better offer from a school or friends they all agreed to turn it down unless they could all go. But Tony got an offer from a law school and he took it betraying the agreement they had all made. They wanted to give Tony payback but neither of them would take it as far as murder because even though they didn't like him for betraying the agreement they had made they still liked him and they were still friends with him at some point."

Ziva shook her head "So they were pissed that Tony took a opportunity to do what he wanted? Would they not have done the same if they had been given that opportunity?"

Bishop shrugged "Probably but it wasn't them so they don't think like that."

Ziva scoffed "I would have been encouraging him if I was one of them."

Gibbs shrugged "We all would have been. What if they got someone to do it for them? Do the last three have alibis?"

"Yeah… Maitland was with his girlfriend at the movie theatre…McIntyre was out of this state…in New York for business and McDonald was- of course- at work. In the busiest part of town. Washington central…dressed as a Subway sandwich."

"Did anyone see his face?"

"As the sandwich?" Gibbs nodded "No…he went straight from home dressed like that."

"Neighbours see him leave?"

"No…apparently went out before dawn and came back after sundown"

"So…a guy dressed a sandwich went out to advertise Subway before most people would be up and came home later after most people get home?" Gibbs said sceptically.

They all thought about how unrealistic it was. "Bishop, Ziva, go to the Subway McDonald works for and speak to his boss"

The girls walked out and got in the car. Bishop laughed as Ziva started the car up "Its funny someone called McDonald working at Subway"

Ziva frowned "Why?"

"You know McDonalds? The fast food place?"

Ziva nodded "Oh…yes…I did not think about that"

The drove in silence for about five minutes before Bishop spoke up again "How well did you and Tony know each other?"

Ziva was quiet for a while before responding "We were partners. For eight years. We learned to know each-other well. Know what move the other would do next and follow the other blindly into the situation trusting they knew what they were doing and trusting they would have you back no matter what"

Bishop looked at Ziva. "What was your relationship with him?"

"We were friends and co-workers."

"But you loved him?"

Ziva was quiet for a while "Yes"

"He loved you"

"How do you know?"

"It was obvious. Whenever someone would talk about you his attitude changed completely. And then he when he went to find you he wouldn't stop until he found you. That was his primary concern. It was obvious"

Ziva felt a lump in her throat. She quickly wiped a tear away and floored the gas. Bishop clung tightly to her seat and sat tight in her chair. They somehow managed to arrive in once piece. They got out and Ziva slammed the car door. She stormed into the shop, Bishop close on her heels.

"I would like to speak to the manager" Ziva demanded.

The sandwich maker frowned "If you're not happy with your sandwich then you can leave a complaint on line." He commented.

"NCIS. We would like to speak to your manager"

"NCIS? What do you want?"

"We are investigating the murder of one of our own" Bishop showed him her ID knowing Ziva didn't have any.

The sandwich maker nodded "Right this way" He led the way to the back and showed them the room the manager was sat in. "Sir…you have some NCIS agents to see you"

Bishop and Ziva walked in "Agent Bishop and Agent David. We would like to ask you a few questions about your employer Chesney McDonald"

"Okay…shoot"

"Did he check in at work on the fourteenth of March?"

The boss known as Lloyd David frowned "No….he called in sick the night before and didn't come back until the fifteenth. He was supposed to be advertising Subway dressed as a Sandwich but we had to send out Hannah due to his absence. When he got back he seemed distracted and then had to rush off early. He's been skipping days since then and going home early, coming in late. It's very out of character."

Ziva narrowed her eyes and immediately saw red. "Did he tell you where he was going and where he's been?"

"Said he had animals to feed…"

"And you let him go?"

"Yeah…It was really hard to stop him. If I tried he'd yell at me and cause a scene in front of the customers. I had no choice. One time I got another worker to follow him to make sure he wasn't lying."

"What did they find out?"

"He didn't go home. He travelled out to a quiet part of Pennsylvania where there was desert. There were no animals anywhere but I was told he took a cattle prod into the house"

Ziva nodded "Thank you"

Lloyd nodded and show the women the way out. Ziva and Bishop got in the car "So…this guy keeps cattle in his house?" Ziva said with a slight laugh.

"Oh yeah…Ziva…most American's keep cattle in their houses now a days…especially when it's not their actually house."

Ziva laughed. She was starting to like this woman. They got back to the Navy Yard and relayed all the information they had got to the team. "Something's not right"

"Yeah…." Gibbs looked at Ziva "Go interrogate him again"

She nodded and went down with the team close on her heels. She walked into the interrogation room and slammed the door so loud McDonald jumped right out of his seat.

"Why did you do it?" She growled at him.

"Do what?"

"Kill Tony. He was your friend. You knew him for years! Is what he did that bad that you felt the need to kill him?"

"What? Okay tell me what he did"

"He left you and your other friend Tommy McIntyre to follow his dream"

"Oh that…nah, that's old business. We forgot and forgave him. We'd been catching up a lot in the past year. He'd been telling us about this woman who he'd fallen in love with. She was apparently beautiful inside and out. He said she was a crazy ninja chick with impulse issues, but has a warm heart and a lot of loyalty. He was crazy about her."

"So that is why you killed him? Because he was in love?"

"Well….I didn't kill him…but if I were to kill him that would be the reason. Yes…"

"What was her name…the woman he was talking about?"

Behind the glass everyone made shocked noises and McGee face palmed. "Did she really just ask that?" Bishop asked.

"Yeah…she did. Rule Three…don't believe what you're told…double check."

They all nodded in understanding.

In the interrogation room McDonald laughed "Her name was…probably still is…Ziva David" Ziva swallowed hard "What's wrong? You hoping it was you? Or do you know her?"

"That is me…I am Ziva David"

McDonald's eyes widened. "You….?"

Ziva nodded. "Want to tell me why you killed him?"

McDonald laughed. "I didn't kill him."

"Who did you hire to kill him then?"

"No one."

"You know I am always disappointed when liars pants don't actually set on fire"

"Really? You think I'm lying?"

"I know you're lying"

"DiNozzo always told me NCIS was good. But really…you guys aren't what he made you out to be…"

"Meaning?"

"You might wanna double check your research. And possibly your dead boyfriends body"

Ziva frowned "What are you trying to say?"

"You're wrong in more ways than one"

Ziva stood up and walked out and then into the observation room. Ducky clenched his jaw "I hate to tell you this Jethro but if we want to double check Tony's body then we're going to have to dig him back up."

Ziva looked horrified "Wait…no….that's not fair"

"Ziva…he told us we need to check his body…" Ducky said calmly.

Gibbs said the rule he told the others earlier again but to Ziva "Rule three Ziva…."

Ziva thought for a minute then clicked her fingers "Don't believe what you're told, double check"

Gibbs nodded and Ziva stepped forward. She wasn't going to give this up without a fight. She didn't want to dig Tony back up. "Gibbs…would you want to go and dig Shannon and Kelly up, a week after burying them?" She fought. She knew it was below the belt but she needed Gibbs to know how she would feel.

"If it would find their killer…yes"

Ziva stepped back. She knew she wasn't going to win this fight. Gibbs saw she had given up. He put his hand on the side of her face to make her look at him. "Ziva…it'll be hard for all of us…but we need to do this to get answers."

She nodded "Okay." She took a deep shaky breath. They all walked back up to the Squadroom and all went to their respective desks to get what they needed to be able to unbury Tony. Director Vance came out of his office and onto the balcony outside M-TAC.

"Age-" He stopped himself before he said 'Agent'. "Miss David. Can I speak to you up in my office?" He called down to her. Ziva looked to Gibbs, just as she had always done, and he nodded. The entire team looked at her worriedly as she walked up and followed the Director to his office.

He shut the door behind him and offered her to sit down. She did so and he picked up a file. "I've seen you working this case. I've seen you adjust to the new team member and the recent events very professionally." He paused and picked up a tooth pick and put it in his mouth. Ziva frowned at the Director. He sighed "You and I have both been through a lot. You lost your father, I lost my wife. Then I lose a good agent."

"Tony wasn't just a good agent, sir"

"I wasn't talking about Agent DiNozzo…I was talking about you"

Ziva looked down feeling guilty about leaving the team again.

"Then I lose another agent. One of the best the agencies ever seen…and you lose someone else you love"

"Director, I'm not sure what you are getting at…"

Director Vance nodded "I'm asking you to come back to the team. Re-join NCIS."

Ziva looked shocked. "Are you asking me to take Tony's place?" She asked quietly.

Director Vance sat in silence for a few minutes then took the tooth pick out of his mouth "Indirectly. Yes"

Ziva looked up at him, meeting his eye directly for the first time since she walked into the office. "I don't know, Director. Tony isn't replaceable."

The Director nodded. "Neither were you, Miss David. But I still had to get a new agent in."

Ziva looked down again. "Can I have some time to think about it?"

The Director nodded once "But don't take too long. This position won't be empty forever"

Ziva nodded and stood up. She got to the door and as she rested her hand on the handle "Director Vance…Tony was not just a good agent…not just one of the best….not just someone I loved…he made the team what it was…he made every hard thing easier…he was a great son and friend. He could make someone laugh by just saying one thing. He was loyal. He'd always make sure everyone was ok. He'd be the one person who would keep going until his friends were okay. No…Tony wasn't just a good agent. He was a great person"

With that she turned and walked out the door back down to the team. Gibbs looked at her "Everything okay?"

She leant on the side of her old desk. "He asked me to fill Tony's place."

Everyone looked at her "What'd you say?" McGee asked.

"I asked him if I could think about it"

"What did he say?" He asked

"Yes but I should not take too long. The place will not be empty forever."

Gibbs nodded and everyone else kept their gazes locked on her. A beeping sound came up on McGee's computer and they all turned their heads to him. "We've been granted permission to….unbury Tony's body."

They were all did nothing for a minute before they stood up and silently walked out to the van and cars. They got to the cemetery where Tony was buried and got out. Ziva, Bishop and Abby had taken the car and gone to the flower shop to buy a bunch to put on Tony's grave. They got out and walked to where the others stood. Ziva looked at the head stone reading it.

'Tony DiNozzo Junior

1968-2014

A beloved son and friend

Who was taken from us too early.

Gone are the days

We used to share,

But in our hearts

You'll always be there.

Night, night

Sleep tight"

Abby and Bishop let Ziva put the flowers down. She rested them on the headstone and whispered "I'm sorry Tony"

She stood up and moved back letting the digger move in and start its job. There were two people stood to the side to bring the coffin out. The digger moved back so they could pull the coffin out. They lifted it up and then put it on a gurney to wheel back to the van.

They got back to the HQ and took Tony down to the Autopsy room. They had to take him through the Squadroom to get down. As they the elevator doors opened every single agent stood up…even Vance was on the balcony outside M-TAC. Everyone fell silent and turned to the procession of Agents bringing the deceased back.

They were silent as they walked through and into the other elevator. They got down to autopsy and Ducky and Palmer shifted the coffin onto one of their metal tables. Jimmy got the crow bar and placed it under the first nail and looked at everyone else. The looked around for a minute prolonging it for as long as possible. Ducky looked away from Gibbs to nod at his young assistant. Jimmy started cranking the nails out. He put them in a specimen jar and then held his hands on the side ready to open it looking to Gibbs and Ducky to get final confirmation. The two older men nodded and Jimmy who slowly pushing the lid up. He was shaking as he opened it up and he stopped when he saw Tony lying there and pushed his glasses up his nose. He continued until it was open fully and everyone else could see their friend.

Tony's suit which they had put him in for his burial now hung slightly off his body. Gibbs and McGee stepped forward to help Jimmy and Ducky get Tony out onto another metal table. As they lifted him out Ziva covered her mouth and nose to stop any noise from coming out but the tears streaming down her face were unstoppable.

Abby and Bishop were fighting back tears, Abby letting a few slip out but Bishop managing successfully to keep her face dry. Ziva shook her head "I can't do this…I'm sorry" She said as she turned and walked out. Abby and Bishop were close on her heels.

They were waiting in the Squadroom for the second Autopsy to be done on their friend. Gibbs and McGee came rushing up with files. The three girls looked up at them. "Ziva, Abby, Bishop, McGee take a break. I'm going out to check up a lead." He paused and faced his team and before they said anything said "I'm going alone"

Ziva sighed and sat back in the chair she was in. "Did you find anything new McGee?" She asked him.

"No…nothing we could notice. I don't know why McDonald told us to check again. Maybe he was just trying to cause pain to us"

Ziva thumped her head down on the table then stood up. "I'm going down to see him…"

Bishop nodded "I could come with you?"

"No…thank you, Ellie…I would rather go alone" Ziva said.

Bishop nodded "I understand…call me if you need anything"

Ziva nodded and walked out. She got down to Autopsy and walked in slowly. Ducky and Palmer looked up. Ducky saw the look on her face and looked at Jimmy "Mr. Palmer…" He said meaningfully. Jimmy nodded and followed Ducky out. Ziva walked over to the table Tony was on and sat down. She started gently stoking his hair. He ran his hand over his chest once. She followed the pattern she traced and her eyes fell upon something she had never seen before. She had seen him shirtless many times before but had never seen this before.

She ran her hand over the mark again to try and wipe it off in case it was something. The mark didn't come off. She shook it off in case something had come up, like a burn since she had been gone. She continued to stroke his hair. She pulled the cover up to his chin. "In case you're cold" She whispered.

She felt the sudden urge to look him in the eyes. Even though she knew he wouldn't see her she wanted to look at them one final time. She gently pulled his eyelids up not knowing what she was doing to herself. Her eyes flicked down to his and her heart skipped a beat. The beautiful green eyes she had gotten to know so well weren't there. In their place were deep hazel eyes staring back but not seeing.

She looked away for a good few minutes before looking back to make sure she was sure. She then searched his body for other things that might not have been there when she had last seen him. She ran her hand over his hip bone checking and felt something wrong. His bone was an odd shape. Not the shape of a normal hip bone. The shape was completely wrong.

She carried on searching his body knowing he had no disorders with his body other than his lungs from the plague. And the scar on his back from when they had been on a mission together and he was injured. She rolled him over carefully and saw that there was no scar. She went into the freezer and pulled out Tony's organs. His lungs were clean…no marks or any signs of having the plague.

She looked at the man laid out in front of her. She rolled him back over and covered the whole of his body which she had uncovered and ran up to the Squadroom. Ducky and Palmer were there with everyone else and they all looked up as she ran in. "Tony…" she said slightly out of breath.

"Ziva….he's gone…" McGee said gently.

"Tony had green eyes, Tony had a scar on his back, Tony didn't have a birth mark, Tony had no bodily disorders other than his lungs…"

Abby stepped forward towards her "Ziva? What are you getting at?"

"The man downstairs had brown eyes, he has no scars, he has a birth mark on his chest and his hip is oddly shaped…his lungs are as good as new"

"Are you saying…"

"Yes! That is exactly what I'm saying! I know Tony! I know my partner!"

Gibbs looked around at his team. "Ziva…are you sure?"

Ziva nodded "Yes! Go downstairs and check…Tony had beautiful green eyes…I would know! He never had a mark on his body…his hip…if he had the hip that the man downstairs had then he would not be able to walk without a limp…I was there when Tony got the scar and I know it was there a year ago when he came out to Israel looking for me he still had that scar!"

The team looked around. They knew a scar that had been there for over three years wouldn't just disappear in a year. They knew his eyes wouldn't change from green to brown since his death. They knew he wouldn't grow a birth mark and they knew his lungs wouldn't magically go back to normal

"I want you all to find out who the hell that guy downstairs is. Torture McDonald if you have to. I don't care how you do it…just find out"

Ziva left the room as soon as Gibbs gave the order they could torture McDonald. Everyone followed her and went into the observation room to watch what she would do. She stormed into the room and slammed the door as hard as she could. "Who the hell is he?!" She yelled.

"Hahaha! You figured that isn't him then?" He laughed mockingly.

"Yes! Now you will tell me who he is and what the hell you have done with Tony DiNozzo or I will seriously, seriously hurt you!"

"I'm not scared"

"You should be…I will cause you so much pain that you will regret the day you ever decided to touch someone I loved! You tell me who the hell that is and what you have done with the real Tony DiNozzo and then maybe I will let you off!"

"I thought I asked you to figure it out?" He asked cockily.

Ziva lashed out and gave his face a hard punch. He doubled over in his chair and clutched his face. "You're not allowed to hit me!"

"I can do whatever the hell I want!"

"You'll be fired from NCIS"

"I don't even work for them! I have nothing to lose! Now you will tell me everything you know!"

"Well…I know Tony is probably getting quite hungry...I mean…I'm here so…"

"What do you mean?"

"Tony…he's probably go a very empty stomach unless he rationed his food in case of an emergency"

"Are you telling me he's alive?"

"Well…"

"ARE YOU TELLING ME TONY IS ALIVE?!" She screamed slamming her hand down on the desk.

"It depends if he's eaten…he might have starved to death."

"So he is alive…" She paused and sat down feeling shocked and disbelieving. "Where is he?"

"Now…that is something you'll have to find out for yourself"

Ziva narrowed her eyes and stood up, walking round to his side of the table. "I AM GOING TO ASK YOU ONE MORE TIME! WHERE THEN HELL IS HE?! I WILL FORCE THIS INFORMATION OUT OF YOU IF I HAVE TO!" She raised her voice again.

McDonald was now quivering in his seat terrified of the woman stood in front of him. "Old Mill Farm…off the 45…there's this old barn…he's there…"

Ziva wrote down the information and stood up leaving him cowering in his seat. She met the others in the hallway and gave them the information. "Good job, Ziva." Gibbs praised her.

He handed her a spare gun and walked with her to the car, McGee and Bishop following. Abby, Ducky and Palmer stood in the Squadroom, terrified of what might be uncovered but hoping for the best. Ziva sat in the front seat of the car and sat with her heart thumping in her chest. McGee and Bishop sat quietly in the back and Gibbs kept an eye on his team making sure they were all okay to do this. They all wanted to bring Tony back…they all wanted Tony to be okay. Gibbs pulled off the road onto an old dirt track and then spotted the old barn.

He pulled up and they all got out, guns drawn. Bishop and McGee went into the barn and Ziva and Gibbs into the connecting house. "You search downstairs, Ziva, I'll search up" Gibbs said. She nodded falling easily back into the old routine she knew so well from her eight years at NCIS.

She had come this far and she wasn't going to leave this house without Tony, dead or alive. She searched the whole ground floor before spotting a smaller door. She opened it cautiously pointing her gun into the darkness. She flipped the light switch but nothing happened. She didn't have a torch but the light from the house was enough to light her way down the flight of stairs and into the basement.

She heard a croaky, gravely, unsteady voice. "Come to bring me my food? Took you long enough McDonald…I was starting to get hungry…"

Ziva's breath hitched. That voice. She knew it so well. It was the voice she had learnt to trust. The voice who soothed her. The voice she had learnt to love. The voice she hadn't heard in a year. It was the voice of Tony DiNozzo.

"Tony…?" She said quietly.

"Oh wow…look at that…I'm so hungry I'm starting to hear things…next I'll be seeing her…"

"Tony…"

"There it is again….you know…McDonald…when you love someone as much as I love her then you'll understand about it all…for now…just take my word."

Ziva felt a whole lot of warmth run through her body when she heard him say he loved her. "Tony, I'm not McDonald…where are you?"

"I'm in the far corner…who are you if you're not that low-life dirt bag who's made everyone I love believe I'm dead and now they're-"

Ziva cut him short "Ziva…it's Ziva…" She said walking up to him slowly. "We know you're not dead…we figured it out…"

Tony was silent for a long time she started to worry "Tony?"

"You're kidding? Ziva?" He asked

"Yes…"

"But you're in Israel…"

"No…" She placed a hand on his shoulder as she approached him and squatted down. "…no…I'm right here."

He had a hood over his head and his clothes were dusty and torn. He was thin. He moved his body round to the sound of her voice. "Why are you here?"

Ziva smiled "Couldn't live without you…I guess" She replied.

Under the hood he grinned. "Of all the people in the world who could have found me…it had to be you"

She laughed lightly "I had to return the favour"

He sighed audibly. She removed her hand from his shoulder and he panicked. "You're not leaving me are you?"

"No…I'm untying your hands and taking the hood off" As soon as she had undone his hands from the pole he was chained to he immediately searched for her. His hand came into contact with her thigh and he left it there getting his breathing back in order. She reached forward and undid to hood slowly taking it off his head.

As soon as it was off their eyes met. They just stared at each other not doing anything else. Gibbs, Bishop and McGee interrupted them by charging down into the basement with flashlights. Their eyes set upon the pair and they stopped dead in their tracks.

Gibbs and McGee walked forward and helped Tony up and supported him back to the car. The whole time he didn't take his eyes off Ziva almost as if he was afraid if he looked away she would disappear.

They took him to a quiet country hospital where no one would ask questions. He was treated for any injuries he had and sent home being told his wounds were nothing serious.

They thanked the doctors and drove back to NCIS where a group of apprehensive people were waiting to see what the team bought back. Everyone burst into applause as they walked out the elevator- much like Somalia- but this was different. They had seen Tony's dead body.

Tony sat in his chair and lent back "So…how'd ya do it?" He asked them.

Bishop and Abby were quick in telling him it was Ziva who had made the discovery that the dude downstairs wasn't him. Tony looked at Ziva who was looking at the floor. He smiled. He never knew she paid that much attention to him that she knew he didn't have a birth mark.

When the agents had settled down Tony stood up and walked over to Ziva. He asked her to hold out her hand so she did. Gibbs smiled slightly at her. She still trusted him…she didn't even question his judgement when he asked her to do that when nine years ago she would have.

Tony dropped something into Ziva hand and she looked at it. Her Star of David necklace sat in her palm. "I figured you'd be coming back for this at some point." He said closing her fist with his larger hand and holding his over hers.

She looked up at him in the eyes. There was a comfortable silence between them. They didn't need words. Ziva's eyes flicked down and settled on their joined hands as she spoke "This changes nothing Tony…" She said quietly.

Tony nodded "I didn't expect it too." She nodded. "But…When I said I can change with you, Ziva…I meant it…and I still mean it…I can change with you and I want to change with you." He paused lifting his free hand to her chin to lift her face up to meet his. "My offer still stands."

Their eyes burned into each-others for a few moments more. Ziva looked scared and confused "You would…do that for me?" She asked.

"Ziva…I would do anything for you…remember I followed you across the desert…twice…because it's true…I can't live without you."

Ziva took a deep shaky breath in. She had never been loved by someone so much and she had built up walls to protect herself from ever being loved or loving but ever since she met him Tony had been breaking these walls down. And now he was finally in. She stared at him with tears in her eyes. He pulled his hands away and held his arms out to her.

She looked at him. He was offering her everything she had wanted. She took a deep breath. This would be the last time she fell. If Tony caught her she knew everything would start looking up. If he let her fall she'd have to start over again. She'd put the walls straight back up and promise herself to never let anyone else in. But he did catch her. He caught her and held her tight to him and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Ziva" Tony muttered the words.

He knew she wouldn't be ready to tell him those three words yet but she had trusted him. She had trusted him to not let her fall. But he was shocked at the next words that came out of her mouth. "I love you too…"

Gibbs smiled at the pair of them. He knew he wouldn't have his agent back. But he had Ziva back. And that's all he could ask for. His family was bent and there were pieces missing but when they stood together they were unbreakable. And no matter what happened or who came along.

Nothing would change that.

I hope this ending was more satisfying for y'all...it deffiantly was for me