Still do not own the NCIS characters….sad, I know. Please read and review!!!
Tony and Ziva POV
Ziva swung the closet door open to reveal the tearstained face of the kidnapped girl, who had tape covering her mouth and ropes binding her arms and legs. The disheveled two year old shrunk into the back of the closet whimpering. Holstering their weapons, the both knelt beside the young girl. Talking soothingly, Ziva gently removed the tape and stroked the child's hair calmingly. Although Tony was working on untying the ropes he observed Ziva from the corner of his eye noting the motherly actions she used. Refocusing his attention on the ropes Tony pushed thoughts of the soft-hearted Ziva, he had just witnessed to the back of his mind.
"It's okay now. We are gonna help you." Tony joined Ziva in talking to the girl. "Tony is actually right. We will not hurt you. Come here sweetie." Ziva lifted the shaken girl from the floor and held her protectively against her.
Tony kept talking to calm the little one further, "We will be out of here soon, Carrie." Recognition lit the girl's crystal blue eyes when Tony said her name and she visibly relaxed into Ziva's shoulder.
"Tony, how do you know her name?" Ziva puzzled. "I guess I just remembered it from the case file. Weird, huh, I actually pay attention." Tony responded playfully. Tony started walking the room to look for a signal from their phones, but had no luck. Even though the flashlight lit some of the dark room, the basement was still fairly black and unnerved the innocent girl.
Rocking Carrie gently, Ziva hummed to the girl as she relaxed. Tony came alongside Ziva and stood next to her watching Ziva's natural movements and caring ways seep through Ziva's normally tough façade. "I have never seen this side of you, Zee-vah. "
"Oh and I suppose you always show your true woods." Ziva bit back defensively. Reacting quickly, Tony responded, "True nature Ziva not woods," Ziva rolled her eyes, but was always thankful for the corrections. Tony continued, "And your right I don't always show every aspect of my character, but that is not what I meant."
"And what did you mean DiNozzo, that I cannot show my emotions."
"I meant that I like it when you let your guard down and show your more compassionate side that I know you have, but do not like to show." Tony knew Ziva well and they were close, but she still held walls up fairly often.
Satisfied with his sweet answer, Ziva relaxed again and shifted the girl to her other arm. "Well, thank you." Her arms were getting heavy from the child, but she just moved her into a different position.
Noticing Ziva's discomfort, Tony stepped toward her. "I can hold Carrie for a while, Ziva. You can try your cell again." Balancing the option Ziva protested lightly, "You do not like children."
"We have been over this, I do like children, but unfortunately McGoo is right in surmising that they do not typically like me."
"Tony that cannot be true. Children are good judges of character and would see that you are almost just like them." Ziva picked up the teasing and smirked good naturedly. "Ha, I am very mature. Seriously, I will at least try to hold her." Relenting, Ziva passed the blonde toddler to Tony.
"Hi, Carrie. You don't mind me, huh? I am way cooler than most guys so you like me. Tony talked to the girl while bouncing around like Ziva. With big blue eyes, Carrie peered at Tony listening intently. She timidly laid her head on his shoulder and sat quietly. In about three minutes, Carrie had snuggled her nose into Tony's neck and after securing her thumb in her mouth she had drifted to a peaceful sleep. Tony moved to the chair and sat down with the girl.
From nearby, Ziva watched Carrie melt into Tony. She smiled at the touching scene and realized Tony had a softer side as well. "I have never seen this side of you, Tony."
"Thank you!" Tony grinned.
"What if I did not mean it as a compliment?" Ziva teased. She actually giggled when Tony froze calculating her question. She continued, "However, it was a compliment and I told you children are good judges."
Tony caught the hidden admiration Ziva masked in the comment. "What do you think Carrie decided about me?"
"She probably feels safe, comfortable, and care. She obviously trusts you to fall asleep in your arms." Ziva was slowly letting her walls down and allowing Tony to glimpse her feelings.
Tony actually looked touched and his eyes betrayed buried feelings. "You feel safe with me?"
"Well, you are my partner and I trust you." Ziva did not want to reveal just how much she felt for him.
"Right, of course Gibbs is first and me sometime after him." Tony answered bitterly. Although Tony pretended to be confident, he had his insecurities and one happened to be the doubt that people actually liked him. He knew that doubt was due to his degrading father. When he had been team lead, the team did not respect him or come to him with problems, but instead they trusted Gibbs.
Ziva was shocked because of his apparent doubt in himself that she had never seen before. "Tony, I do trust you." Tony covered his feelings again, "K, well you are cold so help take my jacket off." Hearing the authority in his voice, Ziva obeyed by helping him shrug the jacket off without disturbing Carrie. Putting it on over her tank top, Ziva tried not to shiver from the warmth that filled her when she felt the leftover body heat from Tony sink into her cold body.
As Ziva prepared to sit on the floor against the wall, Tony spoke up, "Ziva, you can sit here," he patted his thigh, "just so you don't have to sit on that disgusting floor." Her eyebrows shot up as she considered his offer.
Eventually, she caved moving toward him. Lightly she perched on his knee and leaned forward. Chuckling softly, Tony remarked, "Ziva, you won't hurt me. You can relax a little, it is so you can rest for now since we aren't going anywhere." Taking his advice, Ziva leaned back against his shoulder and relaxed.
Both of the team members ignored the way they almost fit together like that is how it was meant to be. Refusing to admit it, they sat in silence wondering what the other was thinking. Slowly, Ziva drifted off to sleep while Tony sat patiently waiting for McGeek and Gibbs to find them.
Gibbs and McGee POV
It had been nearly two hours since Tony and Ziva had disappeared and Gibbs was definitely on edge. He and McGee had scoured the house and its perimeter at least twice without finding any sign of the agents.
Gibbs was moving toward the back door when something made him pause by the fridge. He carefully inspected it and discovered a strand of black fiber sticking out from beneath the appliance and called McGee to come and help him.
Thank you everyone who added my story to their story alert list!! Please review! I would love feedback! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it may have been too fluffy for some. I will update soon!
