Title: Carry On
Author: Geekery15
Rating: R (to be on the safe side).
Summary: The continuation to "Wandering Around This Town". Will Gibbs and Ziva ever find a way to get back all that they have lost?
Spoilers: Possibly
Time Period: Season 5
Author's Note: I lack a beta, but I will try my best to catch my own spelling and/or grammar errors.
Special Note: For better understanding, read "Wandering Around This Town".
Feedback: Such kindness shall not go unnoticed
Disclaimer: The characters of NCIS do not belong to me.
Chapter 1: Flying Tigers
Fifty-five yards away a Hong Kong Sniper steadies her arm and properly positions her rifle making sure that when she is given orders, one shot will be the one and only kill shot.
This is what Snipers are used for. This is their duty--to make sure that while they practice the taking of one life, they center themselves with the knowledge that they will save a life in return.
Such a different speed for former Ziva David.
These days Ziva David answers to Zanna Sato; A member of the SDU, Special Duties Unit, a sub-division of the PTU, Police Tactical Unit, of the Sniper Team.
Going rogue had been an option, but blending into another country and their Police Agencies had meant a better means of protection and survival for her life. Naturally she took into great consideration of the knowledge that she perhaps did not deserve to live; to survive in a world that had given her more downs than ups, but she could not quit now. Giving up would have been far too easy--far too shameful; lacking dignity.
She also knew that without her being alive; her father could go on with his life and she was not ready to let him get the best of the situation. He has orders to kill her now, but he can not find her.
Whether she is behind decisions or ahead of them, there is one man that shares his world with hers; a former Michael Rivkin.
In today's world Michael answers to Makio Sato. His professional duties on the same exact page as Zanna. His decision respectful and beloved, as it should be for his wife.
When he popped the question her heart was certainly not in the right place, but her mind was. She knew of his devotion to her now; after having to come to her rescue twice even if the first time had been orchestrated for killing her--as ordered by her father.
Without his help she would have never been able to return to America and get the chance to ever face Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs again--to apologize and to possibly try for that special bond they once had between each other. Without his help she would have never been able to flee America and get another chance to live.
A Mossad had been her devil while a former Mossad had been her angel. She was grateful for the strength to untangle the two; to understand the evil within her father without truly accepting it and to accept the good within Michael with truly understanding it.
The ability to know the difference established a sense of pride within herself.
A smoking gun, out of bullets--trigger still being held down by his firm finger is clutched firmly inside his hand. His forehead creased; sweat glistening his brow.
In the corner of the warehouse he hears Special Agent Timothy McGee's voice through his earpiece.
"Shots fired--I'm going in!"
Team Gibbs is banged up as they shuffle into their squad room. The first person to meet their leader's eyes is Director Shepard. Her eyes icy, some-what humorous. Gibbs fights the urge to grunt in her general direction knowing that from her elevated position she will not receive the full effect he intends to give to her.
The snark is alive in the air, and it clings to him like a second skin. It overpowers his tiredness from their most recent case and their incredibly instant completion of said case because Director Shepard is due for a mouthful.
When Gibbs learned of the Director's Special Operation consisting of the focal point of her obsession to The Frog and his Senior Agent; he wanted nothing more than to stick it to her in ways he never had the need to ever do to her before.
Their confrontation was everything, but sweet. That is the way he wanted it, too. He wanted to finally set her straight. To plow into her as she had done to him when she left him without a concrete reason years before; then to throw himself in reverse and plow over her once more for much more effect. He wanted the episode to be monumental, and satisfying.
He felt the need like he had never before. As a professional he stood beneath her, but as a human being he hovered above her like a cooperate tower--and his Agents positioned on his six.
He took it personally. Her decision to defile his team twisted his one and only gut--the object he used to crack cases and get through his difficult life, and she knew this. She knew using his Senior Agent would come to a difficult and unsatisfying end for him and his team, but never for her.
Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo was hit the hardest. The entire team walked around his tormented heart as if the ground around him was littered with cracked egg shells. The issue was classified as being sensitive and due to Tony's emotional withdrawal evident on his face throughout the days, weeks, and the months--a sensitive case it remained.
Special Agent Jasmine Huntington is the first to finish her report. Standing before Gibbs' desk, she awaits his open hand.
"Am I free to go?"
He skims her perfectly executed paragraphs; the proper header and finish to her usually perfect reports.
"Yeah." His gaze returns to his own report, "But I wouldn't stay out too long." He hit's a few keys before looking at her. "You've got an appointment for an evaluation first thing in the morning."
Her face falls a little, but she has grown used to her personal business being spread amongst her team members. If is not Gibbs who says it loudly, it is DiNozzo who gets to the bottom of it in an impressionable amount of time.
"Oh, oh--BUSTED!" Tony points his pen at her from across the room.
Ignoring Tony, she looks at Gibbs, "Right." After addressing Gibbs, she returns to her desk to gather her things.
"Evaluation…estimations…calculations…" Tony looks to McGee for additions.
"…assessments…appraisals…valuations…" McGee looks between Tony and Gibbs, slightly nervous that he should have not joined in with the teasing.
"Juvenile." Agent Huntington mutters under her breath.
"Getting nervous now are we?" Tony winks playfully at her.
"We?" She zips up her backpack.
"Well…you and the little voices in your head."
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barks; hoping his loudness will frighten him.
"Kidding, boss. I was kidding." He throws in his boss' general direction. "What's your hurry?"
"Do you really have to know?"
"No." He straightens his shoulders, "…but I would like to."
"Let her go, DiNozzo." Gibbs tries again.
Tony looks at his boss working. Thinking about his own report, he sighs in slight defeat. "Alright…I'll let her go…"
"Thank God." She says very clearly while making her way to the metal doors of the elevator.
"Bright and early, Huntington!" Tony hollers.
She rolls here eyes while tapping her feet. In seconds the steel doors split and she rushes inside hardly letting those that are getting off the elevator to even get off normally.
As soon as the metal doors close again, Tony looks at McGee.
"Nice one, Probie."
"Thanks." McGee smiles proudly.
"I never want to hear that again." Gibbs warns McGee more than he does Tony. McGee frowns and continues to type his report as he listens to Tony's faint snickering. "That goes for you too, DiNozzo." Tony's snickering stops and his back straightens in his chair. "Yours is at the end of the week."
"Wait--me?" Tony plucks at his shirt with his two fingers. "I'm as ace as…the ones that come with a deck of cards. There's no reason to evaluate my performance--" He snaps his neck and looks to McGee. "That wasn't an invitation for a joke." He glares as McGee tries to hide the grin on his face. "Why boss?"
"Mandatory." Gibbs is breaking from his report to check his email. "McGee's got one, too."
"When?" McGee handles it better.
"One week from today."
"How come I'm first?!" Tony's nerves are on slight edge.
"Because ace's are first." McGee offers.
"He's right, DiNozzo." Gibbs adds while closing his email and returning to his report. "Besides, nice guys finish last."
Tony knits his eyebrows in confusion. Looking to McGee he can see the reflection of his own expression.
While polishing a sentence in his report, Gibbs smirks to himself as he watches his Agents from the corner of his eye.