A/N: So, before I saw the lovely preview for the November Double starting next week, I heard a 'spoiler,' or something of the sort. If you don't want to read the spoiler, do not continue reading this sentence, but go on to the story itself. I repeat, do not continue reading this authors' note; go on to the story itself. Thanks. Now that we have that cleared up... I heard that someone was going to get shot and that it would be life-threatening, and that by this happening, a relationship would be explored that's had viewers wondering for years...Well, I automatically thought, 'Tony, Ziva, McGee!' But then I ruled Tony out, because he's had his 'life-threatening, lying in a hospital' stint. So then, I considered the possibility of Ziva, because that would be, 'ZOMG, TIVA!'...and that's kept us all wondering for years, since it's, like, "Whoaaa, it's there, why can't they see that?" So I was talking to a fellow fanfic author, and I started to think. "Waiiiiiiit a minute, Kat," I told myself. "What if-what iffffff-Ziva does get shot, yes, but the relationship is really Tony-Jeanne? Jeanne went to Africa for an internship, and we haven't seen her since, but she must have returned by now, Kat. That was five years ago! She could come back, hear that an NCIS agent has been hurt badly, and then she shows up thinking it's Tony, and finds out it's Ziva, but sees Tony...what would happen then, hmmmm, Kat?" So, here you are, everyone. A small scene from the mind of Kat. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: This scene is formulated by me. It has nothing to do with the progress of the season whatsoever. Possible, yes. Feasible, yes. Definite, no. I don't own NCIS or its affiliates...Though I wish to high heaven I owned Michael Weatherly...Ahem...anyway, I only own the idea that went into this scene. All of the characters belong to CBS and Bellisarius. ::smiles widely::
He sits there, petrified and terrified and worried, but silent. He knows there's someone behind him but can't bring himself to turn around to find out who it is. Until she speaks.
"Tony?" Jeanne murmurs, half accusingly, while leaning against the threshold. Tony turns his head to look over his shoulder at her from his seat by Ziva's bed. His hand is holding his partner's while she flows in and out of consciousness. The slow but constant beep, beep, beep of the heart monitor and IV hookup set a grave mood, working well with the cold, blue walls and each square of the bleach-stained linoleum floors.
"Jeanne," he states gruffly, turning back to Ziva. His thumb brushes over her knuckles as he prays she wake up soon. He isn't a praying man, not overly religious, but somewhere between sitting in the ambulance with her as paramedics rush to stop the bleeding and now, he's decided he'll try anything to keep her alive.
Jeanne enters the hospital room and stands at the foot of Ziva's bed. "How long have you been here?"
"All day."
"Why?"
"My partner got shot."
"Your real partner?" Jeanne's eyes narrow considerably, but only the expression of pure hurt is held by her blue eyes.
Tony nods curtly. "Yes, Jeanne, my real partner. Ziva." Jeanne stands and stares at him. "She's been asleep all day. Lost a lot of blood."
"I can see that," she murmurs, bowing her head toward the blood transfusion bag. The clipboard secured at the end of the Israeli woman's bed reads four units. "What happened?"
"With Ziva? Or with us." Tony's eyes don't leave Ziva's face.
"I care more about the patient right now, especially since she means … so much to you." Jeanne stares at Ziva's gently rising and falling chest and takes in the paleness of her skin. "I heard that an NCIS agent had been shot. I thought maybe it had been you until they said it was a woman. I came down to check, since it's my break."
"Gotcha." Drawing a shaky breath, Tony elaborates for his ex. "It's my fault. I should've told her that the chick was dangerous but I thought she could handle it. She has fast reflexes. She would've been able to take her down if I hadn't stopped her and argued with her. She ducked. Behind the door of the car, and then when the fire stopped she stepped out and shot at the other woman. She hit her arm at the same time the woman pulled the trigger, so the trajectory forced the bullet on a different path. It hit her in the abdomen and the bullet just missed her vital organs."
"Ouch."
"Mhm." Tony doesn't do anything more than shrug his shoulders a bit and lets out a shaky sigh.
Jeanne shifts her weight onto her other foot, unfolding her arms and placing both hands on the end of the bed. "I'm sorry, Tony..."
"About?" His eyes are still trained on Ziva's form.
The doctor sniffs and looks down at her feet. "Everything. This...then..." she mumbles.
"'Then'?"
"Before...right after we broke up. I'm sorry. I was...melodramatic."
"Oh."
Jeanne's pager lets out a steady stream of beeps and she swiftly silences it. "Code blue on my level," she tells him. Before she races from the room, she hesitates and murmurs, "I hope she pulls through, Tony. Really."
"Yeah. So do I." Tony inclines his head slightly as a farewell before turning back to Ziva. "Damn."
He'll blame himself until the end of the earth if she dies. He'll never forgive himself. It'll haunt him beyond the grave. So there he sits, praying she'll wake up, and praying she'll forgive him, too.
A/N: Reviews are much appreciated; however, I have taken back the privilege of anonymous reviews. If you would like to know why, please read the NEW IMPORTANT NOTE on my author's profile. Thank you! ::makes heart with hands:: Mwa. Kat.