A/N: This is beginning as a one-shot but will probably be continued soon. Post-Aliyah. Definitely TIVA, possibly McAbby. Rated T for language and later chapters.
Disclaimer: Wow, I really wish I owned NCIS...but I'm sure I'd completely ruin the show somehow, so let's be grateful that I don't.
Shattered
"…then I told him I was trying to work on this case for the agency, but he didn't believe me. So I launched into an explanation of all the forensics involved in fingerprinting, but he didn't seem too interested in that, either. So then-"
"Been spending time around Ducky lately, Abs?"
Tony and McGee looked up gratefully at their just-arrived boss. It was a sunny Tuesday morning. Abby was visiting the bullpen and had been rambling on for almost five minutes, chattering so quickly that both agents had lost the thread of her story long ago and had resorted to the occasional head nod to indicate they were still listening. Or at least to pretend they were.
"Good morning to you, too, Gibbs," Abby replied cheerfully, breaking off mid-sentence and smiling brightly.
"I hope you're up here because you've got a match on the fingerprints from that Ridley Forest case," their boss said as he slid into his desk chair.
Abby sighed. "Working on it, I promise. Why does it matter, anyway? That case is so cold, it's practically a glacier."
Gibbs smirked but didn't look up at the bubbly scientist, intent on his computer screen. He took a sip of coffee. "Work harder."
She rolled her eyes and seemed about to reply when her face froze and her eyes widened, fixed on something outside the bullpen.
"Abby?" McGee asked uncertainly. "What-?"
A single word escaped the Goth's lips.
"Ziva."
Instantly, Tony, McGee, and even Gibbs jumped to their feet and followed Abby's gaze. It was indeed the Israeli woman, hovering uncertainly by the elevators. She looked so familiar, so natural in the surroundings, that it was almost as if she'd never left. As if the past six months had never happened.
Suddenly, her head turned their way. Her lips tightened in a small smile when she saw them lined up in a row, looking back at her over the cubicle walls.
For a moment they simply stared, taking in the reality of the presence of a friend they were beginning to think they would never see again. Then Gibbs broke away, crossing the room to his old agent.
The others watched as he gently hugged the young woman. They spoke quietly. Ziva nodded about something, and her eyes swept over to the bullpen again. Her gaze lingered on Tony briefly. She and Gibbs began to move back to the others. Slowly, Tony sank back into his chair, his heart pounding wildly.
As soon as Ziva stepped inside the bullpen, Abby flew to her.
"Ziva!" she exclaimed, giving her friend a big hug. "You're back!"
"It is good to see you, Abby. But I am not back for long," Ziva said softly, and the sweet sound of her voice filled up the hole she'd left behind.
Now that she was closer, it was clear something terrible had happened to the Mossad agent since they'd last seen her. There were faded bruises on her face and something hollow in her brown eyes. She moved gingerly.
McGee stepped forward. "Ziva," he said simply, embracing her gently.
"Hello, Tim. I've missed you, too."
Tony did not speak or move, and was not surprised when Ziva ignored him, turning back to Gibbs instead.
"I need to speak with the Director."
Gibbs nodded. "Of course. McGee?"
"On it, boss." McGee hurried around the corner and bounded eagerly up the stairs.
"In the meantime, could I...sit somewhere alone?" Ziva asked. "It was a very long flight, and I would like to rest for a few minutes."
"You could wait in the conference room," Gibbs suggested. "Do you-?"
"I remember where it is." Ziva smiled and looked once more at her former colleagues. "I hope I will see all of you again later." She left the room, and after a moment Tony slipped out of his desk and followed, keeping out of sight until Ziva had entered the conference room.
He hesitated outside the closed door.
Just do it, DiNozzo. You may not get another chance.
Taking a deep breath, he plunged inside and allowed the door to close behind him.
Ziva was facing him, standing near the back wall. She did not seem surprised to see him. Her eyes were unreadable.
He swallowed. "Ziva." Her name felt beautiful on his lips. He hadn't said it since they left her behind, so long ago...
"Tony." Her response was hard, and Tony, stung, could not help the words that next spilled out of his mouth.
"What are you doing here?"
Ziva's face was defiant. "I am here on business from Mossad."
Business. Of course.
Tony nodded coldly. "Your family." He said the word derisively without meaning to, and Ziva snapped back.
"Yes, my family. My father."
"At least you know where your loyalties lie," Tony said loftily.
A spark of anger lit Ziva's eyes, but Tony missed it.
"Why did you follow me, Tony?" she asked wearily. "To mock me? To remind me that Gibbs chose you?"
Tony was unable to hide his shock. "I'm not that cruel."
"You could be if you wanted to be!" Ziva's voice rose in anger.
Tony's escalated automatically to match. "Is that what you want? Do you want me to hurt you, Ziva?"
"You already did!" Ziva shouted, her face turning red. "So go on, do your worst, Special Agent DiNozzo!"
"Fine!" Tony roared, suddenly incensed. "Gibbs was right to choose me! Is that what you wanted to hear? I've always been there for the team, but can you say the same? I livefor NCIS; you live for whatever your father wants, and if that includes manufacturing terrorists, fine! All for the agency, right? Truth is, no one really knows if trusting you will earn them a bullet in the head."
"I trusted you!" Ziva screamed, unbidden tears forming in her eyes.
"Really? It didn't seem like that six months ago!"
"Because you killed Michael! I trusted Michael!"
"You trusted him more." Tony's voice dropped to a regular level. He looked tired. "Because you loved him. I know, Ziva. But if four years of being your partner didn't earn me your faith, we never had a chance anyway."
"We?" Ziva asked.
"We," Tony repeated quietly.
"Why are you here, Tony?" Ziva asked again. "If you are so angry, why did you want to see me at all?"
Tony ran a hand through his hair in frustration, and what he'd wanted to say for a very long time simply spilled out. "Because I love you, Ziva David. I love you too much. Too damn much. I'm an idiot, and I don't care. I've fallen for you over and over again since we first met, even when I swore I wouldn't. And you're not going anywhere this time. I'm not letting you disappear again."
Ziva did not reply. Her dark eyes bore into Tony's green as she stood still.
Tony let out the breath he had not been aware he was holding.
"Well? Aren't you going to say something?"
His former partner opened her mouth to speak, but the door opened and Gibbs came in, walking ignorantly through their web of solitude.
"The Director is ready to…see…you…" he trailed off as he noticed the way the two younger people were looking at each other. "Did I interrupt something?"
"No," Ziva said, finally tearing her eyes away from the senior agent. As she passed him on the way out, she muttered, "I cannot give you what you want, Tony."
And with those words, his world was shattered.
A/N: I hope this is a good beginning. I originally wrote it to be a one-shot, but then I realized it has potential to go further. I plan to continue when I have the chance. In the meantime, reviews are great.
