WARNING: Major character death and very sad :(
This fic takes place in the future after Tony and Ziva are already together and very much in love.
This is not my first fic writen, but my first fic published.
I don't own this show or its 20 million awesome viewers.
Three gunshots rang out in a dark warehouse that night just out of the D.C. city limits. This guy NCIS had been chasing was dangerous – almost worthy to get his picture posted on the Most-Wanted wall. Gibbs' team knew this was a 50-50 gunfight when they walked in, and they either just won or lost.
Tony kept his gun pointed in front of him for defense as he looked for the result of the gunshots. Nothing could've prepared him for what was displayed in front of his eyes.
"Ziva!" he yelled, sprinting over to her body. Her face was still, her brown eyes frozen, her lips slightly parted. Blood pooled out around her body from her chest. She was dead. "No!" he cried out as he fell to his knees in the blood beside her body, carelessly discarding his weapon. "No, no, no," he said to her. "You're not dead. You're not dead!" He began doing CPR on a lifeless body. He moved his bloody hands from her chest to her face, leaning down to give her air. This cycle continued for at least ten more minutes before he finally gave up in tears. He picked her upper body up off of the cold concrete and cradled her head in his hands and lap. "I love you, I love you." He repeated those three words over and over until his voice went into an incomprehensible sob.
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Tony stood over Ziva's covered body on Ducky's table. He wasn't moving a muscle, not visibly breathing, too sad to cry – just standing over her corpse. Her olive skin looked grossly pale under the florescent lights.
"Anthony," Ducky began. "You've haven't moved in hours. Go home."
He silently stood his ground.
Both men heard the autopsy doors open behind them knowing exactly who it was.
"Duck," Gibbs said. When Ducky turned around, he continued, "Give us a minute."
After Ducky left, Gibbs and DiNozzo stood in silence, Tony still not moving. Gibbs slowly walked over to the younger man overlooking Ziva. Gibbs forced himself not to look down, afraid that he wouldn't be able to keep himself together for Tony.
"It would've taken ten seconds to put on a vest," Tony spoke for the first time since Ziva died.
Gibbs placed a hand on Tony's shoulder, squeezing gently.
"I was in love with her."
"She knew."
Tony took a small box out of his pocket and chucked it at the hard floor, letting out a loud yell of anger. The box opened on impact and a diamond ring rolled out onto the floor, landing on its side after going in circles a few times. It was then when Tony fell to the floor and finally burst into tears, being very vocal about the fact. His sobs echoed through the autopsy room.
Gibbs looked down at the hysterical man, each sob tugging on his heart. Out of all the years they've worked together, he had never seen Tony cry, and most definitely not to these extremities. Doing his best with a situation he had never been put in, Gibbs squatted down to the same height as Tony and curled one hand over his shoulder and placed his other in the middle of his back. Words weren't going to help right now.
After a while, Tony's cries calmed down enough that he could speak again. He crawled over and sat against the cabinets on the floor followed by Gibbs.
"You probably didn't cry when Shannon was killed," Tony started. "I'm ready for lessons."
"Don't have any. I cried myself to sleep for three months straight."
Tony tried to visualize Gibbs crying but couldn't. He was probably thinking the same thing about him before letting go of his pain. "The pain. Does it ever become less?"
"No. You learn to deal with it."
"I don't want to be like you."
"Well gee, thanks DiNozzo."
"Marrying people I don't love. Is that what I'm gonna turn into?"
"Only if you let it."
"And building boats in my basement and drinking bourbon? I don't even like bourbon."
"You could always switch it out with scotch."
Tony chuckled. It soon turned into a fit of irrational laughter mixed along with his dry tears.
Gibbs smiled. He didn't think what he said was all that funny, but if it got Tony to laugh through this tragedy, he was all for it. His smile faded when Tony's laughter subsided into silent tears. If Tony were a woman, he would've pulled him into a hug, but he was desperately trying to keep their masculinity intact.
Feeling vulnerable but rather brave if he must say, he turned and hugged his boss, a gesture that he really needed right now. "Why?" he asked.
Gibbs complied and patted his senior agent's back. "You needed an angel. She was the only one good enough for that job."
Tony drew in a deep breath. "I would've rather had her alive."
"I know. Sometimes you don't get to choose."
Tony retreated to independency and stood up, subtly wiping away his tears. "Is it okay if I don't come to work tomorrow?"
"No, you're not allowed to. You show up and I'll send you home."
He nodded his head once, then took a final glance at his love. "Thanks, Boss." Tony finally left after all of those hours standing over Ziva.
Gibbs stayed on the floor for a moment and grabbed the ring off of the floor. It was a simple yet beautiful diamond, much like the one he got for Shannon. He got up and took a look at Ziva, a sight he didn't want to see. He situated her Star of David necklace back straight on her chest. He was thankful Ducky had the courtesy to not take off a piece of jewelry that meant so much to her. One more piece wouldn't hurt. He grabbed her left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger where it belonged. He placed a kiss on her forehead and then turned to leave. On his way out, he said just one line.
"She would've said yes."
Even though it would be awesome if one of you NCIS show writers read this, please, please, please do not get any ideas.
Thanks for reading! R&R, good or bad. xo