"So, what'll it be, Zee-vah?" He sounded out her name. She loved when he did that.
"Whatever you are having, Anthony" She smiled. Tony liked it when she called him 'Anthony'. The way she pronounced it was beautiful.
Tony ordered Scotch.
"So, was McGee not awake or did he reject your offer?" Ziva asked, observing the bartender as he poured their drinks. Tony was confused.
"I didn't ask McGee, Ziva, I asked you."
"Why?"
"Why didn't I ask McGee?"
"Why did you ask me. It was out of the blue, Tony. You have not asked in forever."
"Maybe I asked you because I wanted to talk." He lied.
"Or?" Ziva continued.
"Or maybe because you're my partner, and I know something's bothering you." Tony looked her straight in the eye. Ziva should have been thankful that someone had finally broken down her barriers, but now she had to explain everything. Tony was the person she would want to tell, but she didn't want to go through it again. "Spill." He ordered.
"It is a…long story." She tried to get out of it.
"Not buying it. Even if it is, I've got nothing but time tonight, Ziva. Gibbs isn't going to walk in tonight, my phone won't ring, and I want to know what's up. Is Ray back?"
"God no! It's much… much deeper than that. Before Ray. Before… before a lot of things." Ziva's eyes wondered across the room as Tony's hand grabbed her shoulder.
"Wait, you're not talking about… Somalia? It is isn't it. Oh Ziva I didn't… I didn't know…"
"I know. But yes, you are right. Lately, it is all I can think about. It is why I cannot sleep. I have nightmares about Saleem and what he… what he…" She trailed off.
"What did he do?" He nearly choked. Ziva being hurt was one thing, but being hurt enough to have nightmares over it was terrifying. He always knew something had gone on in Somalia, but never knew what it was. "I'm not going to make you tell me, Ziva, but it might help to talk about it."
"I know. I… Alright. Where should I start?"
"Anywhere, I guess."
Ziva sighed, and begun, "Well, they basically just wanted to know anything and everything about NCIS. I would not tell them anything, which made Saleem angry. I am sure he smacked you a few times while you were his prisoner, so you know what I'm talking about. Each day it got worse. At first, he would just yell, but progressively, he started to hit me, first with his hands or fists, then with different objects," She swallowed hard, "once… he hit me with a chain so hard… it bled."
"That's why you hesitated today with the drug dealer. God. Where did he hit you?" Tony asked, genuinely concerned at this point. Now, he wished he had shot Saleem himself instead of Gibbs.
"My back…"
"Did he leave a scar?"
"There was one a one point, yes. But I am sure it's gone now."
"Can I look?"
"No!" She snapped.
"Alright, alright. Sorry."
"I am sorry it's just…I do not want to-"
"Relive the pain? Yeah, I know the feeling." He smiled at her.
She hesitated before beginning again. "After a while, they would not bring me much food. All I got was a few pieces of bread and water here and there. Sometimes, they would bring me an apple, but most of the time I was too drained to eat it. He was cruel, Tony. Relentless. The time I spent prisoner there, most of it was spent thinking about what had happened. I realized you were right in protecting me, and I was wrong in what I had said to you. All you have ever done is be there, so has everyone else. I just sometimes do not feel like I'm given the chance to watch out for myself. And by the way, when you asked if I could fight? I couldn't, without a doubt."
Tony was stunned for a minute. "I will always be here, Ziva. Whether you like it or not, I'm going to be. I went half way around the world to get you back, and I would do it again. I knew in my gut something was wrong, and nobody would believe me for the longest. . I knew you were alive, though. I just knew. When we heard the Damocles went down, they started believing the worst. Soon, so did I. But I didn't give up, and I still had hope that you were alive. If all else failed, I would have avenged you."
Ziva made a look of despair, then chugged the last of her drink, and took Tony's. She drank the entire thing.
"Let's go." He ordered, laying down the money and grabbing her arm.
"Woah wait. If this is about your drink-"
"No, Ziva. You need sleep, and without nightmares. The last thing you need is to be alone."
"Tony, my car is here. I cannot just leave it!"
"Yes you can. We'll get in in the morning. For now, you're going to my place."
Tony's apartment was clean, much to Ziva's surprise. By the way he eats, she was certain there would be junk all over the floor. His apartment was different than hers, too. On the far left was his bedroom, where Ziva's was down a hallway near the middle. His kitchen was almost connected to the living room, and Ziva's was clearly separated. The only difference in the kitchen layout, really, was Ziva had a kitchen table, and Tony had a bar.
"Welcome to the DiNozzo Dorm." He said, smiling, as he locked the door behind them.
"Cleaner than I imagined." Ziva smiled back at him.
"Thank you. I think," DiNozzo laughed, "I don't like having a mess in my home. It's irritating."
Ziva took that as a surprise. "DiNozzo the dirt picker-upper" She laughed to herself. "I don't suppose you have any pajamas I can wear?" Ziva joked, walking over to the couch.
"Actually, I do," He smiled, "Go to my bedroom, and it's the third dresser drawer down." Well isn't he just full of surprises? A clean apartment with women's clothes included. At this point, Ziva was beginning to get more suspicious than surprised.
Ziva made her way to the bedroom and found the drawer. Upon opening it, she found only Ohio State sweat shirts and OSU pants.
"Tony? Are you sure it's the third drawer?" She hollered.
"Yeah, Zee, it is. Unless you want to wear a suit. Then check in the closet." He smarted off. She rolled her eyes. If anybody came by DiNozzo's apartment tonight, she was screwed.
Ziva walked back in the living room wearing one of Tony's Ohio State hoodies and a pair of his boxers. It was, after all, in the same drawer. The other pants were way too big, anyway. The peculiar part was, she didn't even feel embarrassed about having them on, and Tony didn't even care. It felt natural.
For the second time now, Ziva made her way to the couch. She was arranging pillows when Tony strolled over.
"What are you doing?" He questioned with a puzzled look on his face.
"I am going to sleep. I will put the pillows back, Tony." Ziva gave him a look.
"What? No, I don't care about the pillows. You're not sleeping on the couch."
"But it is your bed, Tony."
"Yes, and it happens to be a queen sized, not a twin." Tony explained with a laugh. Ziva looked confused. "We've slept in the same bed twice already, Ziva, Paris and when we were undercover. You might snore, but I have a solution to that."
"I do not snore!" She retorted. DiNozzo smiled.
"You sounded like a drunken sailor with emphysema when we were undercover. I'm sure I told you that."
"That bad?" She was shocked, but actually snickered.
"Worse." DiNozzo smiled a cunning smile. Ziva punched him in the arm. "Hey!"
"I could have given you a head slap." Ziva teased. Tony got serious.
"You wouldn't"
"I have before, have I not?"
"You, Ziva David, are an unpleasant person." He joked.
"Thank you." Ziva grinned. "I'm going to head to bed. Goodnight, Tony."
"I'm right behind you, David."
11:30
Ziva had been lying down for about ten minutes when Tony walked in. The TV was on, and a boring movie was playing. He started talking to Ziva as he put his pajamas on, "Nothing is on TV at this hour. This is another adequate reason why I watch movies. Plus, there's no commercials, and-"
The sound of Ziva's snoring stopped his rambling. He thought about waking her up and telling her to use the night cream he had bought for his snoring a few years back, but she was finally asleep. If she woke up during the night, he would tell her. As long as she was sleeping peacefully and nightmare free, he didn't care if she was a drunken sailor with emphysema. He just wanted her to sleep.
