There's a slight sting in her throat when it happens. An unusual burning. The kind where you feel bile transcend quickly up your throat and back down before you can even process what is happening. What's worse is the evident torment in her chocolate brown eyes, holding onto the pain before unleashing it out through thick, tear drops that roll down her cheek quicker than the wind would take tumbleweed.
He can't help but drop his hands off the woman in front of him, the shock written all over his features. That line above his brow more profound than ever and the few gray hair he now possess stick out like a sore thumb. He takes in the situation and his chest wrenches far worse than the pain he experienced with the plague.
"You cut your hair," He bluntly points out, the fear creeping upon him that he can no longer run his hands through the curly, brunette locks.
"You have a girlfriend," She's feisty, he shouldn't have expected anything different from the ninja.
"You stayed," Taking the odd chance of fighting back, he lets those words slip out, immediately regretting them.
"You could have too." Her brown eyes stay concentrated on him, revealing every word they've never spoken to each other in the past two years.
Before he can spit out anymore words, the woman by his desk turns away and shuffles past McGee's desk. But he knows better than anyone that she's heading for the stairs to leave.
"Ziva, wait!" He calls out, rushing after her and leaving Zoe beside the elevator.
By the time he reaches her, she's about to push open the door to the entrance of the stairs. Grabbing her arm and pulling her back, he notices just how hard she's trying to cover up her emotions.
"What?" She snaps, head whipping towards him.
"You'r... You're here," He comments in a low tone.
"Yes, and I see that you are busy. I will be leaving now," Turning her body to the exit once more, he pulled her back. This time closer to him.
"Don't-"
"Tony, why are you even trying? It is clear that things have changed, yes?" Ziva stated. The tears in her eyes glossing over with fury.
"Nothing's changed," Tony pleaded, placing his hands on her arms to which she shook away.
"Please. How dumb do you think I am? Hm," she sighed, stroking back the hair that fell into her face, "Actually I must be pretty stupid to believe everything you ever told me,"
"Just give me ten minutes to explain," His hands went up in defeat.
"I GAVE YOU TEN YEARS," Ziva yelled, startling the whole bull pen to turn and look towards the pair.
"Oh that's mature, Ziva. Make a scene here at work," The Italian rolled his eyes.
Ziva scoffed, "You and that whore were already making a porno in front of everyone,"
"I don't do porn, Zee-vah. You should know that from when you tried to jump me that one summer," The devilish smirk on his face pulsated the anger through her veins.
"So, it is all about sex with you? I understand that now. Such a gentleman," Her snark was perceptible.
"That's not what I mea-" Tony's ongoing excuse was interrupted.
"Clearly a lot of things are not what you meant, Tony. Now if you'll excuse me, I am leaving."
"Can we just talk about this?" He called out after her, but the exit door to the stairs slammed in his face.
Night fall was darker than usual. The mystic glow of the moon fading away alike the hearts of two souls that were once attached so fine, nothing could tear them apart. It could have been the position of the earth and the lateral location of D.C that night, causing the bitter dark to lure away all the light.
"I thought the earth moved," rang in his head, echoing deep into the pit of his soul and making it's round through the left and right chamber of his heart. The cigar smoke entering his once plagued lungs and exiting into the cool breeze of the night.
No, he wasn't a big smoker. But hell, he would do his best impression of Steve McQueen and move on from the beautiful woman with a glass (or four) of whiskey and a cigar.
Awaking the next morning to the rays of light casting in through the hotel blinds, Ziva stretched her arms out. Her chest felt heavy as it rose between each breath, results of a shattered heart weighing on her petite body. She hadn't planned on staying at a hotel in DC, no. She had planned on rushing home with her James Bond and spending the whole night celebrating her return. Not to mention, they had a lot to catch up on and the thought of his tongue tracing down her bare skin made her body long for it all.
But that was never going to happen. James Bond in disguise, Anthony Dinozzo Jr. had moved on.
It shouldn't have come as such a shock. It was a relatively known fact that the man was a player. Was. A. Player. Past tense. She had been fooled those nights after her father died, that night in Berlin and that whole month in Israel. Hell, even fooled that wonderful night they spent the night in Paris, the city of love.
"Couldn't live without you, I guess" struck her heart multiple times as she lay wrapped in hotel sheets. She had been sleeping alone for the past two years she had spent traveling around the world. But each night, she found herself reaching out across the feather comforters of hotels, looking for him.
It was hell the first few nights after Tony left Israel. Ziva spent most of them wide awake, yearning to go back to DC and be wrapped up in his warm arms. No, she couldn't do that. In order to be the woman he deserved, she had to become that woman.
And hell no, it was never about Gibbs. She found herself sputtering out random shit so Tony would keep his distance, yet that was never the case. If he had truly believed she wanted to change for Gibbs, a fool he would be.
This morning, a fresh start in DC hit Ziva the worst. Her Tony was no longer... her Tony. If she could've bet on him moving on, she would've bet on some blonde with huge tits. Not a woman who shared her similar characteristics.
The stress was killing her slowly, eating up every ounce of the new woman she aspired and worked to be.