Tony flipped his phone shut, head lowered but still feeling the intensity of his Boss' gaze, his steely blue eyes trying to pierce through his soul.
The silence in the squad room was overwhelming.
It had been like this the last 2 days since they had returned home. Tense, solemn… not even after Kate's death had it been this somber. Back then they'd had the power of vengeance running through their veins, adrenalin had kicked in to go after Ari and prevent him from doing any further harm, and to make him pay. Then Ziva arrived, Ari was killed and although it had never returned to normal, a different kind of normal took place. One which he was okay with.
But now, they had nothing. Nothing to avenge, no newbie to check out, not even a case. He was sure Ducky's Morgue was livelier.
Even with McGee, it just wasn't working. He tried to banter but his heart wasn't in it. So they'd fallen into an eerie silence. McGee blamed him for Ziva, he was sure of it.
And Gibbs was just as inscrutable as ever. Sometimes he knew, he would never be as good as Ducky but he'd have some inkling of what his boss was thinking or feeling. But at this present moment he was unreadable. Had been so for days.
He probably blamed him too. They were both probably wishing that it was Ziva sitting in their squad room instead of him.
Last time their loss had banded them together, this time it had torn them apart.
******
Ugh.
Through the gray haze she slowly opened what she could of her eyes. The left one was firmly swollen shut. She had taken beatings before but this one had taken the cookie. Her ribs ached, she estimated that at least 2 of them were broken, the rest maybe bruised. And her face felt like it had been pulverized. Luckily her legs and arms were relatively untouched and she had a clear head.
She also had another thing going for her, years of listening to Tony's mostly inane ranting had rubbed off and she had sufficiently memorized all of Gibbs' rules Tony had constantly brayed. Both Tony and she were was most fond of rule #9, a rule which she had followed the day that day she was captured.
The man in front of her paced the floor before dropping his cigarette and stubbing it out on the ground in front of her. She guessed that was preferable over stubbing it out on her skin.
He leant into her and grinned, his yellow teeth glowed as his rancid breath enveloped her.
She grinned back.
******
Tony excused himself and made his way to the men's bathroom. Before he left he noticed the faint concern etched in McGee's face. He was probably stressing over Ziva's disappearance as much as Tony. She had gone MIA as soon as they had left the tarmac. It's the way she probably wanted it, but it didn't hurt any less.
Tony gripped the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. Dead man walking. If he hadn't known better he'd say he had died himself 5 days ago. Difference was that whilst Rivkin's prone body lay awaiting burial in Tel Aviv, he kept trudging around like a zombie. It hadn't helped that with his arm trussed up like it was, he could barely shave or do his hair let alone dress properly. If his frat brothers could see him now, he knew he'd be mocked mercilessly. DiNozzo's were to take great care with their appearance. But right at the moment, he just couldn't muster up caring.
He scrubbed his free hand across his face and turned on the tap with his good hand. It had gotten very hot the last hour, he noticed as he dripped water over his face and neck. Perhaps it was karma whilst Ziva was stuck in the heat Tel Aviv.
******
Ziva struck out with her fist, making a satisfying crunch as it hit the cartilage on his nose. As blood sprayed everywhere she smiled in satisfaction, imagining the black eyes he would have himself once this ordeal was over. If she allowed him to live that was.
Grabbing the man, she flung him against the wall before producing the knife that had helped her escape her bonds, the knife that may just end his life.
******
He had to get back to the office. The air in the bathroom was stifling. Not only was it hot but it had become so thick, so hard to breathe.
His lungs would openly fail him ever since that darn plague incident. He had to compose himself before he met with Vance. That man would jump on any weakness he showed and pick at it with his annoying toothpick until nothing was left.
******
She slid over in what felt like slow motion and grabbed his gun as he made a play for it. He had made his last mistake. She unloaded the clip into his leg, just like she had threatened Tony a few months ago. Or was it days?
******
McGee's blurred face swum into his consciousness. He was talking to him, well his lips were moving, but he couldn't hear a damn word. Was this some nasty prank he was playing on him? Trying to get him back for gluing his hands on the keyboard, again.
Maybe his wish had come true. He had always wanted to be able to put McGee on mute, especially when he started on about his elf lord stuff. He had wished for that remote from the movie Click, where Adam Sandler could forward, rewind, mute and pause time. God he wanted that remote 5 days ago. He would have never gone to Ziva's apartment.
McGee's face danced above him as he struggled to ascertain where he was whilst catching his breath. Oxygen was coming harder and harder to come by. Was he on the bathroom floor? God. He'd need to drench himself in disinfectant.
Suddenly a pair of strong arms pulling him up from the cold smooth surface. Familiar blue eyes peered at him, worried. They were never worried. Now he was worried.
Finally he succumbed to darkness. Was this what Kate, Jenny, Rivkin had felt. Before..?
******
Ziva strode purposely out into the hot sun, the bright light practically imprinting on her corneas.
It was time to go home. To NCIS. To her family. Whilst her wounds were still raw, she knew it had been her choice to stay in Tel Aviv. There was no way Gibbs would have ever yielded to her demand. And deep down she knew he was right, Tony was his guy. He trusted him. And deep, deep, deep down she did so too. Whilst she would never forget, she could forgive.
She had a second chance.
******
He didn't.