Blowback
2 Weeks Later…
Tony's POV
I was in an open air market with my eye on a man who was believed to be a contact of Ghalib's. A few feet down I could just see McGee. It was hot, you could see the heat waves and my gun was sweaty against my back where it was stowed in the waistband of my jeans. Just then, Agent Stein's voice sounded in my ear.
"Tango eight; do you have your target in sight?" Stein asked.
"Target is in sight," I said as I ran my hand through my hair to disguise my talking into the microphone.
"What about you, Bravo seven?" I heard Stein ask McGee.
"Target in sight," McGee answered.
"Tango eight, on my mark you and Bravo seven will apprehend the suspect, quietly. We do not need to draw attention to ourselves," Stein said and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. He was acting like McGee and I had never done this before.
"Copy," I heard McGee say. I slowly began moving closer to the suspect and out of the corner of my eye I could see McGee do the same.
"Take him down," Stein said and I moved next the suspect.
"Benito Suarez?" I asked and the man looked up.
"Yes?" the man said in a heavy Spanish accent.
"You're going to have to come with me," I said as McGee moved in and snapped the cuffs on Suarez's wrists.
"What did I do?" Suarez asked.
"Hmm… let's see, helping a terrorist comes to mind," I said as I yanked him backwards. "Let's go dirt bag."
Ziva's POV
It had been two weeks since we had heard anything from Tony and McGee. Jenny had put Agent Lee back on our team and she had also moved Agent Balboa from the Minor Case Response Team to ours. Lee had taken McGee's desk, I had taken Tony's, and Balboa was at mine.
I was typing Tony an email when Gibbs walked into the bullpen.
"Tony and McGee are on in MTAC, call Abby," Gibbs said.
Ten minutes later Abby, Gibbs, and I were in MTAC and Tony's and McGee's faces filled the screen.
"How are my babies?" Tony asked right away. I placed my hands over my slightly swollen stomach.
"We're both good," I said.
"Yeah, she gets cravings out the wazoo. Yesterday she was craving bacon and I bet today she can't stand it," Abby said, causing everyone to laugh, even Gibbs.
"How are things there?" Gibb asked.
"I'm not gonna lie, they suck," Tony said.
"Today we brought in a known contact of Ghalib's," McGee piped up.
"Yeah, the satellite time was a reward for good behavior," Tony said. In the background I could see someone signaling for them to wrap things up.
"We have to go," McGee said. "I love you, Abby."
"I love you too, Tim," Abby said.
"I love you, Zee," Tony said, using his newly adopted nickname for me.
"I love you too," I said, and then the screen went black.
McGee's POV
After our time was caught off I watched as Tony ran his hands through his hair, leaving them resting on face. I walked over to him and I placed my hand on his shoulder.
"You okay, Tony?" I asked and he moved his hands off of his face and looked up at me.
"Yeah," he said as he sighed audibly. "It's just hard, you know? I should be there, sharing the experience with Ziva of being new parents and instead I'm in a war zone chasing someone who has nothing else better to do than to piss us off."
"I know, Tony, I know," I said. "Hey, you want to go out for a beer? My treat," I offered.
"Yeah, McGee, thanks," Tony said.
Tony's POV
McGee and I were on our way to the bar when I saw her. She looked exactly like Kate, right down to the eyes. She was standing in front of the bar that McGee and I usually went to. Kate's parting words from 4 months ago rang in my ears.
I can only contact the dead and the dying. It's my job to push people back when it isn't their time.
If I was seeing Kate, I knew the outcome could not be good. Then, her eyes connected with mine through the crowd and I knew.
"McGee," I said as I grabbed his arm. "We have to get out of here."
"Why?" McGee asked, looking confused.
"Just trust me," I said and pulled him through the crowd away from the bar.
We had just made it onto the next street when the resounding 'boom' filled the air and the ground beneath our feet shook briefly. McGee just looked at me.
"How did you know?" he asked me shakily.
"It's a long story," I said. "I'll tell you later."
"Do you think we should go back?" McGee asked.
"Yeah, that spot was a popular Marine hang out, Stein and Michaels will probably show up," I said as I started to walk back to where we had just come from.
Abby's POV
I was walking past the bathroom when I heard the sounds of violent retching coming from inside. Knowing that it could only be one person, I pushed the door open and saw Ziva's shoes sticking out from under the stall door.
"Ziva, are you okay?" I asked.
"Yes," came the weak reply. I heard the toilet flush and the lock on the door slide back and Ziva appeared in the doorway, wiping her mouth off with her hand. She walked towards the sink and began washing her hands.
"What happened?" I asked.
"I don't know," Ziva said. "I felt the baby kick and then I had to throw up," Ziva said as she rinsed out her mouth out.
"Who are you staying with tonight?" I asked. Ever since Tiny had left, Gibbs, Jenny and I had come up with a schedule so that Ziva never had to be alone. I usually went home with her Mondays through Wednesdays, but I couldn't remember who she went with after.
"It's Thursday," Ziva said. "I'm with Jenny, remember?"
"Oh yeah, when do you go with Gibbs?" I asked.
"Saturdays and Sundays," she replied.
"Oh," I said as I remembered our conversation in MTAC earlier. "Since when does Tony call you Zee?" Ziva smiled.
"That's what he out in his emails," Ziva said.
"Aw, how cute," I exclaimed as we walked out of the bathroom and almost walked into Gibbs. His face was grim and we immediately sobered up.
Ziva's POV
I saw the look on Gibbs's face and my stomach dropped.
"There was a suicide bombing at a Marine bar," Gibbs said. I grabbed Abby's hand and held it tightly. "The boys are okay; they got away just in time." I felt myself breath again and I relaxed my grip on Abby's hand. Abby walked forward and punched Gibbs in the shoulder.
"Why did you do that?" Abby demanded to know.
"I didn't mean to make it sound bad," Gibbs said. "They're up in MTAC again; they want to talk to you." Abby and I didn't even let Gibbs finish before we took off for MTAC.
When we got up to MTAC Tony was on the screen but McGee was nowhere to be found.
"Where's McGee?" Abby asked
"Stein wanted to ask him some questions, relax, Abby, he's fine," Tony said, reassuring Abby.
"Are you okay?" I asked quietly and Tony saw the concerned look on my face.
"I'm fine, Zee, just hot and sweaty," Tony said.
"I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, I wish you could be there," I said.
"Who's going with you?" Tony asked me.
"Jenny is," I replied. "I miss you."
"I know, Sweetcheeks, I know," Tony said. "We're going out with a convoy tomorrow to a place where Ghalib is believed to have been."
"Be careful," I warned.
"Aren't I always?" Tony asked.
A/N: So, here is chapter 2. I typed it up throughout the day while watching Atonement and Sweeney Todd. I hope you enjoy it! (Did anyone catch the reference?)