15 Minutes Too Late
Tony decides to skip the elevator and head right for the stairs. With a little help from one of the store's employees, he changed out the flat tire for the spare and had made it back to NCIS headquarters only 15 minutes after his planned time. Maybe she had been delayed and was still reading. Nope, according to the security log, she had been right on time...as usual. As he reaches the bullpen's floor, he slows down to catch his breath and takes the corner toward their desks. Ziva isn't there. There's the vase with the bouquet and the note is sitting near it, opened and, he presumes, having been read. Where's Ziva? He checks both restrooms – knocking politely on the Ladies Room door – no Ziva.
"This is damn peculiar."
He heads back down and rechecks the security log...there it was. He'd missed it the first time. Ziva had already left again, almost 15 minutes earlier. He felt a cold knot forming in his stomach. Maybe he hadn't read things right. Maybe she had left because she didn't want to face Tony after reading that letter. She had not waited very long – only about 10 minutes had passed between her arriving and leaving again. Maybe he should head over to Gibbs to see if she decided to go there since he didn't show up. Wait, did she take the camera? Heading back up, he finds the camera right where he'd left it. Okay, time to put his finely honed detective skills to work to find out where she was. He pulls out his cell and dials her cell. It rings twice and she picks up.
"Hello?"
"Ziva?"
"Oh, hello Tony."
"Hi, are you on your way to Gibbs'?"
"No."
"Is everything okay?"
"I am fine, Tony."
"Where are you?"
"I was feeling below the weather and decided to go back home."
"'Under'."
"What is under?"
"Under the...never mind. I'll call Gibbs to let him know we won't be over and I'll come right over."
"Please do not do that, Tony. I will be fine. I will see you back at work on Wednesday."
Wednesday!? Crap! She doesn't even want me to come over Christmas Day. I screwed up royally.
"All right, Ziva. I'll let Gibbs know when I see him."
"Thank you, Tony. Good bye."
Waves of emotions roll over him and through him as he slams his cell phone down on his desk so hard, the display screen shatters.
Phfft(Picture goes gray)