When Ziva is stabbed chasing a suspect, will it help her make some choices regarding those she loves and bring her friends closer together or tear them apart? Strong TIVA. McAbby in later chapters. M for later chapters.
A/N: I'm actually making this one more than one chapter, guys! Shout out to my friend, Sammy Jo (TheIsrealiNinjaStarOfDavid) who loves NCIS as much as I do!
"I chose the wrong day to wear heels." Ziva mumbled as she tossed her heels, running down the street. "Tony, hurry up! The suspect is getting away." Ziva shouted back at her partner.
"I got that!" The agent hissed. Tony drew in one quick breath, and sped up his pace. Of course their suspect had to run the day he was wearing his new suit. The DiNozzo cursed as he dashed through alleys and caught up to his partner, a sexy Israeli. Through the corner of his eye, he noticed Ziva pulling for her gun. "I don't think so!"
Ziva sighed. "Why? I will just shoot his leg?" Ziva complained, still running after the suspect.
"He'll get tired soon. He's not in the best of shape."
"Fine." Ziva rolled her eyes and kept her pace.
Meanwhile, the man suspected of murder was strategizing his escape. He turned a corner into a dark alley and waited up against the wall of a warehouse, buying him time to catch his breath and regain his energy.
Tony and Ziva began to catch up to him.
"Wait, where'd he go?" Tony asked, confused on the suspects whereabouts. Ziva sped farther in front of her partner, being the fitter of the two.
"He turned at that corner…" As Ziva rounded the said corner, the suspect leaped out of the shadows. She tried to stop but her momentum carried her closer to the suspect. She looked down and spotted a knife in his left hand. Before she could move out of the way, the suspect drove the blade into her abdomen. She gasped in shock as a sharp, stinging pain shot through her stomach. She keeled over, holding the knife.
"Tony!" Ziva screamed in pain. She collapsed onto the cool cement, grasping the knife sticking out of her lower abdomen.
Tony knew that scream. She was in trouble. He nearly doubled his speed and was at Ziva's side in a few seconds.
"Oh my God." Tony gasped staring at his wounded partner. "I need to get you help." Tony said placing his hands on her stomach.
"No! I have to pull the knife out." Ziva said wincing at the pain. She sat up, clasping the knife harder.
"What? No, you're crazy! This is what is stopping you from bleeding to death, Ziva." He looked at her, praying that she would keep a level head and leave the knife in.
"Tony, I have to. It is too painful." Ziva exclaimed, almost pleading. But, before Tony could protest, her hands gripped the blade and pulled it right out of her stomach. Blood began to seep from the wound, luckily not in time with her pulse. Ziva's chest heaved frantically as she caught her breath. Tony immediately brought his hand to apply pressure to her stomach, causing Ziva to gasp at the pain. He took his jacket off and used it as gauze. The bleeding finally slowed down.
"Okay, so it didn't hit an artery. That's a plus." Ziva rolled her eyes at Tony. Why did he have to make jokes in this situation? "Here, I'll pick you up." Tony started to scoop her up before her protest.
"No, Tony that is not necessary. My wound is not that bad; I have been stabbed worse." Tony let go of her and watched as she struggled to stand up. He offered her a hand as she got to her feet, but her knees began to shake.
"Whoa there, my ninja. I don't think so." Tony helped her sit back down to regain her strength. "You ready?" He leant down next to her and placed one of his arms behind her upper back.
"Yes." Her voice sounded small, and her body appeared weak. He put his other arm under her legs, and picked her up wedding style. She slung one arm across his chest and held onto his shoulder whilst the other kept pressure on her wound.
They began back through the dark alley ways they were led through. Tony looked down and smiled weakly at Ziva, who returned the look.
Just as they had the low lit street in sight, Tony stopped. Ziva smiled softly up at him before he lowered her. She leant against the wall and watched her partner.
"Tony, are you okay?" She looked up at his face, carefully examining the stubble covering his chin and jaw. She worked her gaze up past his chin, over his lips and to his caring green orbs.
"Oh… yeah." Tony sighed and smiled down at her. Ziva reached up her hand to the side of Tony's face.
"Thank you." Ziva said softly as she patted his cheek. Tony looked down at his partner caringly, took a step towards her and slowly leant his head down placing a tender kiss on her cheek.
"Anytime, Ziva." His voice just short of a whisper.
Before he could start back to the car, Ziva interrupted him.
"Tony?" She rested a hand on his chest and took a deep breath in. Slowly, she leant up and brushed her lips over his, catching his bottom lip between hers. After the initial shock, Tony responded by deepening the kiss and pulling her flush up against him by her waist. He opened his mouth, granting her entrance to explore him as he felt her tongue trace his bottom lip. He spun them around and gently pushed her up against the alley wall, keeping her stab wound in mind.
After a few moments, he felt Ziva pull back, so he looked down at her. The sparkle in her eyes lit his heart up and he leant down once again, smiling into the kiss.
"That is something I have wanted to do for a while." Ziva grinned.
Tony saw McGee pacing up and down the sidewalk looking stressed.
"We should probably…"
"Yes." Tony smirked at Ziva before he lifted her up in his arms once again.
"Ziva!" McGee exclaimed as he saw the blood surrounding her wound.
"I am okay, McGee. It's just a stab wound."
"Just a stab wound? Ziva, you got stabbed; we're taking to you to the hospital." McGee looked shocked to see how calm Ziva was in a situation like this.
"I'm with McGeek on this one." Tony agreed with his coworker.
Ziva rolled her eyes once again, and succumbed to their protest.
"Watch your head." Tony lowered her slowly into the back seat of the car, and joined her. He helped her with her seatbelt as she kept pressure on her wound.
After ten minutes of McGee's overly careful driving, they were in front of the hospital. Throughout the whole drive Tony couldn't stop thinking about how soft Ziva's lips were. How sweet she tasted when he slid his tongue against hers. The way her lips felt when she smiled into the kiss, and the way that smile caused a spark that lit his heart.
Ziva was also thinking about the kiss. She thought about how long she'd wanted to do that very thing. She remembered the way his lips had felt undercover, and she wanted it for real. Ziva was lost in her own little world, all the pain gone for the moment.
"Ziva, are you ready?" McGee called as Tony opened her door.
"Oh, yes. Sorry." Ziva slowly climbed out, pushing against her wound.
"Daydreaming? Who's the lucky man?" Tim joked.
Ziva laughed nervously and looked over to Tony. He smiled slyly at her, realising that she was daydreaming about him.
"Uh huh. Come on." Tony bent down and lifted her up once again, carrying her through the sliding doors of the emergency department. A doctor met them at the door, and Tony explained what had happened to Ziva.
"She pulled the knife out?" The doctor looked down at Ziva, surprised at how little pain she looked like she was in after pulling a knife out of her abdomen.
Two other doctors came up behind them with a gurney, ready to take Ziva into surgery.
"Yep." Tony couldn't stop the smile that crept onto his face.
"Put her on the gurney and take her into surgery. Book OR two. Sir, you'll be able to see her in about…" The doctor paused and looked at his watch. "Two hours, but I'll keep you updated. By the way, I'm Dr. Stuart Shepard." He offered his hand to Tony who took it firmly.
"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."
"Nice to meet you. Okay, we'll see you in two hours. Don't worry; we will take very good care of your wife." Dr. Shepard smiled back at him as they wheeled Ziva off to the OR.
"She's not my-" Tony began to retort.
"Don't bother, Tony; he's gone." Tim interrupted as his phone rang.
"McGee."
"Hey, Tim!" Abby greeted him on the other line.
"Hey, Abbs. How's the evidence going?"
"Fine. Where are you?" Abby asked calmly.
"The hospital. Ziva's-" McGee started, but was interrupted by Abby.
"What? What happened? " Abby's voice climbed three octaves in less than five seconds.
"Ziva was stabbed in the abdomen by a suspect, but she'll be fine. She just went into surgery." Tim replied.
"Oh my God Tim, that's horrible!"
"I know, but everything will be alright. We'll be back soon."
"Uh huh. Always so confident, Timmy." Abby said.
McGee smiled. "Yeah. Talk to you later."
Tony had taken a seat in the waiting area, and was reading a 'Woman's Weekly' magazine.
"I'm hoping that you are reading that magazine for the fashion advice, and not for the lingerie models.
"I'm just trying to stay calm, McGoohead."
"You're not calm?" McGee took the seat next to Tony and picked up a newspaper.
"No, I'm not Probie! Ziva is down that hall in surgery for a stab wound. A whole lot of hot-shot doctors are in there, stitching up her insides. What kind of person stays completely calm during this situation?" His voice was slightly higher than usual, and his forehead was crinkled.
"Wow… You really are worried for her." McGee turned his head back to the newspaper and began reading.
"Yep." Tony kept his answer short and sharp. He didn't want it to seem like he was worrying too much, because McNosy might suspect something between them.
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Tony felt the need to say something.
"Did you know that Hugh Jackman wanted to be a journalist before he became an actor?"
"No, Tony, I did not know that." McGee sounded annoyed, and turned his page all too calmly for Tony's liking.
"This is taking forever." Tony sighed and put the magazine down next to him.
"It's major abdominal surgery, Tony. They aren't going to just shove some needles in her stomach and sew her up in ten minutes." McGee turned his page once again.
Tony slumped in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face. This was going to be a long two hours.
Finally, after Tony had read through every magazine, Dr. Shepard came through the sliding doors of the hallway.
"She's fine, and conscious. The surgery went well, and we managed to repair all the damaged tissue around the wound."
"Thank you." Tony looked relieved to hear that Ziva was okay.
"What the hell happened here, DiNozzo?" Gibbs strode up to the two agents.
"Well, Boss. Ziva got stabbed by the suspect, Trent. Then she pulled out the knife, so she's just had surgery… But she's 'A-Okay'." Tony's relief subsided and he became tense again.
"She's okay?" Gibbs turned to the doctor.
"She's fine. I just need someone to fill out forms." Dr. Shepard's gaze reached Tony.
"Yeah, I'll do it." He took the papers and clip board from the doctor and went to sit down again.
"Visiting hours are over, so you'll have to go in one at a time. Who's coming first?" McGee opened his mouth to speak, but Gibbs cut him off.
"That's me." Gibbs followed the doctor with McGee tailing him.
"Dreaming about me?" Tony grinned as he quietly slipped in to her room. McGee and Gibbs had finished talking to her a few minutes ago, but Tony waited until they had left the hospital before he decided to visit her.
Ziva grinned, still feeling groggy from the anaesthesia.
"McDreamy says you'll be fine." Tony sat down on the chair next to her bed.
"McDreamy?" Her voice was quiet, yet she sounded amused.
"The doctor's name is Shepard, like in Grey's Anatomy, so I called him McDreamy. He also has really nice hair… Remind me to ask him what shampoo he uses because-"
"Tony, your hair is fine. You are not going bald, okay?"
"Okay." He smiled at her and gently took her hand in his. Her small, slender fingers interlaced with his and he moved to sit on the side of her bed. "Does it hurt?" He traced his fingers along the white bandage that small speckles of blood had soaked through.
"No. They gave me a car load of painkillers."
"Truck load. They gave you a truck load of painkillers." He squeezed her hand gently, and she chuckled at her incorrect idiom.
They stared into each other's eyes, hoping that the other would make the first move. Tony moved closer to her as Ziva moved her hand up to his neck and gently pulled him down to her. Tony paused just before their lips touched.
"Are you sure?" Tony was as sure as he could be, but he wanted to make sure Ziva was ready for it. He could feel her warm breath caress his lips and jaw as she exhaled.
"Yes." Her voice came out stronger than it had during the past few minutes.
Tony smiled and leant in just that little bit further. Ziva caught his bottom lip between hers as he sucked in her top lip. She traced her tongue over his lips, and he opened his mouth to let Ziva explore him. He placed one hand on her waist, and with the other he combed it through her hair. She moaned into his mouth as one of his hands moved to rub up and down her back. She pulled on his shirt and tie to get him as close as she possibly could.
"Oh my God, Tony," Ziva gasped as he placed a trail of kisses all down her neck and across her collar bone. He moved back up and nibbled on her ear.
"What's the recovery time?" Tony sounded desperate to get Ziva undressed right then and there.
"Nine weeks." Tony stopped what he was doing and looked back up to her. She couldn't keep a straight face for long and began to giggle at him.
"What? I can wait that long…" Tony looked extremely doubtful of himself.
"I am joking, Tony. It's only three to four weeks." She watched him as relief settled his features.
He went back to nibbling her ear and whispered in it.
"You know I've had a few dreams like this, and I can tell you; they weren't PG." He moved along her jaw and crept down toward the neck of her bed dress.
"Tony…" Her voice was more of a gasp as he slipped his hand under her bed dress.
"Tony, Gibbs wants us to-" The nerd walked casually into the room.
"McGee!" Tony's voice was higher than ever as he jumped off the bed and straightened his suit. Ziva pulled her blanket up to cover her partially visible chest.
"Oh my god! Were you guys-"
"No, we were-"
"Yes you were!"
"Well then McGee, why'd you ask?" Tony looked extremely angry that McGee had walked in on him and Ziva together.
"Does Gibbs-"
"NO!" Both Tony and Ziva shouted in unison.
"Okay, I'm just going to wait out here while you…"
"Thank you, McGee. I'll be out in a second." Tony's jaw was clenched in frustration as McGee left the room.
"I'm sorry, Ziva. I'll come back straight after I've sorted out what Gibbs wants." He walked back and gave her one last kiss before leaving the room.
Tony looked outside the door to see McGee grinning like a child in a candy shop.
"Shut up, Elf Lord."
"I never said anything." Probie said innocently.
"Shut your face."
"Fine, but I knew it. When? Where? What even-? Abby and I said it would always-" Mcgee rambled on before Tony cut him off.
"Just-what does Gibbs want?" Tony really didn't want to talk about what just happened to the nerd.
"Uh, what? Oh, yeah. There's a lead. He wants you to talk to the suspect's brother. But anyways, what about-" McGee exclaimed.
"Okay. Not now. And tell Gibbs and I will murder you. Or I could just tell Abby about those dreams you had that you told me about last Friday at the bar." Tony threatened.
"Okay, okay, I got it." Tim mumbled.
"Good. By the way, those were some interesting R-rated dreams you had." Tony grinned.
"Just shut up." McGee mumbled.
Tony laughed and patted the younger agent's shoulder. Tony leant close to McGee's ear and whispered, "I'm almost impressed. I never knew you were into that sort of thing. Abby sure would like that in bed, you know."
McGee couldn't hide the smile on his face.
Tony was about to walk away, but after seeing the smile he stayed. "Wait a minute, don't tell me you and Abby-"Tony was proud of his little Probie.
McGee didn't say a word, but his face gave everything away. "I'm proud." Tony said, patting the agent's shoulder.
"Oh dear God, for Lord's sake." McGee rolled his eyes.
"Come on. Tonight, our usual bar. There's some stories to be told." And with that, Tony walked back into Ziva's room to say good bye for the night.
"I got to chase a lead. See you tomorrow. Hopefully there aren't any more distractions for my hospital fantasy to play out." Tony winked, kissing Ziva's cheek.
REVIEW if you liked it or even if you didn't. I love feedback. Special thanks to PA1NB0W for Beta-ing this story.