Part 1

It was too late. She should have been at home and not there. But he was at home. She didn't want to go back to that, not yet anyway. She looked down at herself. He got a bit carried away She thought looking at all the newly formed bruises. She knew her lip was busted and she could feel the black eye forming. She should just leave. Got to the gym until work. Say that a spare got out of hand. She was about ready to go when he opened the door.

"Ziva?" He asked standing in his boxers and shirt. "Holy shit what happened to you?" He said guiding her inside.

"Nothing." She said mentally kicking herself. She had gotten so used to saying that about all her bruises.

"Oh really? Your face says otherwise." Tony said getting his first aid kit from the kitchen.

"It... It was my fault... I got home late..."

"Zi, calm down. Tell me what happened." Tony said sitting on the couch next to her. He started to put cool packs onto her bruised arms.

"I got home later than normal. When I do not get home on time he... He startes to drink..." She said with tears.

"Wait, did Ray do this to you?" Tony asked taken aback.

"Yes Tony, but I was my fault." She said shaking her head. She could not believe that those words were coming out of her mouth.

"How the hell was this your fault? Why didn't you fight back?" Tony asked angry and confused. He couldn't believe that she would just let this happen, that Ray did this. It all started to make sense now. All the bruises all the broken ribs. Everything. This had been going on for a while.

"No. I can not fight back. I am stronger than him. I could kill him." Ziva said as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"He could kill you!" Tony yelled.

"No, I would not let that happen." She said crossing her arms only to hiss in pain.

Tony shook his head and started to clean the cut on her lip while she held an ice pack to her eye.

"Alright. You're taking the bed."

"Thank you, Tony. But I will take the couch." Ziva said quietly.

"Nonsense," he said waving his hand as he got up. Ziva flinched. "Zi did you... Did you think I was gonna hit you."

"No. No of course not." She said looking down. What was wrong with her.

Tony kneeled down to her eye level. "Ziva David, look at me." She slowly looked up with tears in her eyes. "I will never hurt you. I will never hit you. I will never put myself before you. I will do nothing to you that Ray did. I love you more than that."

"He will find me." She sobbed.

"No. Because you are with me now. Got it? I love you, and I won't let anything happen to you."

"Alright." She said calming her tears. She laughed a little. "I will take the bed."

"There ya go. There's that million dollar laugh. Come on." Tony said smiling holding out his hand. She stared at it then took it. He got her settled in his bed then went to the living room.

He got about an hour worth of sleep until he felt someone watching him. He rolled over on the couch to see Ziva staring at him with tears running down her face.

"Zi?"

"I had a nightmare. He found me here in your bed and killed you in front of me." She said with tears from where she stood.

"Well, that's just not gonna happen." He said standing up.

"Tony..." She started to cry.

"Alright, alright. Let's get you back to bed." He said standing up and guiding her to the bedroom. "We have to be up in like, five hours."

He laid her down on the bed and next to her. For a few minutes, she laid stiff in the bed until she sighed and turned to face him. "Why do you love me?"

"What?"

"Tony, I know you heard me."

"Well, you are the definition of beautiful, you are funny, strong, a fighter. I love everything about you. The good the bad and the ugly of you. And trust me, I don't see any ugly." He said staring at the ceiling.

She stared at him for a minute then sighed. "You are funny. You take care of me even when I do not want you too. You are handsome. You are always there for me. And no matter how broken I am, you can always find a way to fix me."

"What was all that?" He asked turning to meet her eye.

"The reasons why I love you." She said quietly. She scooted over to him and rested her head on his chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist. "I will not go back to him. Do not let me. No matter what he or I say. I do not want him near me."

"That can be arraigned. But what about your stuff? He moved in with you. How do we get around that?"

"I will move and get my things when he is away at work," Ziva said into his chest.

"Alright. Later we can go and get your stuff. Then you can move in here."

"No, Tony, that is okay-"

"Where else are you gonna stay? At Gibbs? With McGee in the nerd cave?" He laughed.

"Perhaps Abby has a spare coffin." Ziva smiled. "Alright. He leaves tomorrow for a mission. Then?"

"Yup. Then work the next day." He kissed her head. "Now get some sleep. Got a lot of stuff to do tomorrow. Gotta rearrange this whole apartment."

Part 2

They woke up in each other's arms. It was perfect until Ziva tried to say something and split open her lip, then everything came back. Her entire eye was a sickly black, and her bottom lip was swollen and cut. Her arms were dotted with bruises that were going to take some time to heal.

While she worked on her lip, Tony called Gibbs. "Hey, boss. Listen, I think that I got some food poisoning from China King... Yup, I don't think I can come in; it's coming out of both ends... Yup... Thank you, boss... Won't tell you again." Tony hung up.

"Got the day off. And some other team is taking the weekend shift. You know what this means?"

"What?" Ziva asked with a small smile to keep her lip from cracking.

"We got three days to get this place habitable for you and me." He said looking around.

She sighed with a smile. "Oh, I don't know if that is possible. You need many more books."

"Right," Tony said. "Maybe we should just get a new place."

"Tony, are you sure about this?"

"What isn't there to be sure about?" Tony asked hugging her waist. "I love you. And to be honest I always kinda knew I would end up living with you."

"Really? Why?" She asked hugging him back.

He held his breath letting the answer out with his breath. "Fate?"

They both laughed. "Your turn to call." He said holding up her cell phone.

"Yes, Gibbs?... I need the day off... Personal reasons... Yes... I will... Thank you."

"What? Just like that?" He asked shocked.

"How often do you try to get out of work?"

"When I'm at work? All the time." He smiled. "Let's get ready. You can borrow some of my clothes."

"That everything?" Tony asked grabbing the last of the boxes.

Ziva scanned the apartment. Her old one. She had no idea how many things she had managed to accumulate. It looked almost bare now, only his things and some things that she didn't care to take with her were left. "Yes. Let us go." She said turning.

"You sure about this?" He asked after she closed the door.

"I do not have to move in with you if you wish, but I will not stay there." She said grabbing two of the last four boxes. Tony picked up the last two.

"Whatever you say sweet cheeks. But you are gonna move in with me." He said next to her.

"And why should I?" She asked coyly.

"Well, other than me loving you and being the best place, I'll always have a beer in the fridge, close to work, I'm there, uhh sometimes I make dinner." Tony finished putting the boxes in the car.

"You make quite a salesman Tony. Maybe you should have sold real-estate instead of being in NCIS." Ziva said smiling getting into the passenger's seat.

"Over a bit more," Tony said as Ziva stood on her tippy toes trying to find out where to hang a photo of both of them in Paris.

"Here?" Ziva asked strained.

"No, the other way," Tony said smiling. He had gotten away with this for a good minute.

"Here?" She asked balancing on one foot.

"Ummm no no, go back again."

"Tony!" Ziva yelled turning around.

"Two minutes." He said laughing.

She grabbed the pillow off the couch and threw it at him.

"Hey, I could have lost an eye." He said jokingly. He walked over to her and threw her over his shoulder. "Let's-"

"Ow, Tony, Tony, put me down!" Ziv yelled hitting his back.

"Sorry, sorry. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" He asked terrified putting her down on the couch.

She hissed in pain as she felt her ribs. "No, you did not." She lifted her shirt up slightly so that it was just below her bra. There were deep, dark and massive bruises all over her ribs and a large one in the center of her stomach.

"God, Ziva. What did he do to you?" Tony asked sadly. His fingers hovered over one of her bruises; she pulled away.

"It is nothing. A few ribs got broken last month." She said putting down her shirt.

"Ziva-"

"I am fine Tony. I went to Ducky. They should be healed soon. I forgot about them actually."

"Ducky knows?" Tony asked.

"No. It was around when we had that warehouse case when I fell down the stairs. I told him that was the cause." Ziva looked down.

"I'm so sorry," Tony said taking her hand.

"Do not be. I was the one that bought him whiskey-"

"No, I'm sorry that I didn't notice. I should have. I'm your partner and your best friend. I should have known." He shook his head.

"No, Tony, no. This is not your fault. It is mine. I... I let him hit me. I stayed." She put a hand on his face.

"Can't it just be his fault?" Tony asked smiling.

Ziva laughed lightly. "Alright. It is his fault. And alcohol."

"Deal. But I swear if I see him again-"

"You will not." She smiled. "But if you do. I will give you five free minutes before it it is my turn."

Part 3

Tony and Ziva walked into work the following Monday together. Gibbs and McGee were already at their desks when they came in. Ziva and Tony were giggling to eachother Tony was leaning on her while they walked making her have to lean on him to keep a straight line.

"Feeling better Dinozzo?" Gibbs asked making them stop thier joking around.

"Much better Boss, thanks again. Sorry I had to leave you McGee with all the work."

Gibbs looked at him for a second. "You okay, Ziva?" He asked looking at her face.

"Uh, yes Gibbs. Thank you. I actually broke it off with Ray." She said sitting down.

"That sucks why?" McGee asked.

"Trust me. It doesn't suck." Tony said with gritted teeth.

"Whys that Dinozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"Because it was for the best." Ziva spoke up.

"Do you need a place to stay? I'm sure Abby would love having you." McGee said.

"Thank you McGee, but someone is already loving having me." Ziva said before she realized how it sounded. Tony burst into a giggle fit. "Shut up Dinozzo."

"Ziva-" Someone behind grabbed her shoulder. She flinched then went into ninja mode. She snaked her arm around his pulling it behind his back and slamming him onto her desk, without thinking she pulled out her gun and put the barrel on the back of his head. Her adrenaline was high.

"David!" Gibbs yelled standing up. McGee stood up without a sound putting a hand on his gun. Tony bolted out of his desk and grabbed her gun away. She still had the person pinned, but her grip did loosen.

"Zi, let go of Dorneget. I know he can be annoying, but he comes in handy." Tony said slowly.

Ziva's face relaxed and she let him up. "I... I am sorry Dorneget."

"Uh, it's okay. It was probably my fault. Here's that file you wanted." He said putting it on the desk. "I uh think that I'll go back downstairs." He said scurrying away.

Ziva fixed her hair and shirt. "Thank you Tony." She mumbled taking her gun.

"You alright David?" Gibbs asked as McGee sat down. Tony stayed by Ziva.

"Yes. I am fine, I just thought that it was... Someone else." She said putting her gun back on her hip.

"I told you, I won't let him get to you." Tony said.

"Let who get you, Ziva?" McGee asked.

"Is this something we should know about?" Gibbs asked still standing.

"Nothing, it is fine. I am fine." Ziva snapped at them.

"Zi..." Tony said rubbing her upper arm.

"Is this about why your lip is split and why you have a black eye?" Gibbs asked gently.

"No. That was a spare that went to far." She snapped again.

"Zi, please." Tony pleaded.

"Love Dove!"

Ziva spun around to the elevator seeing Ray coming out of it. Tony grew a few inches taller while Ziva sank into herself.

"Ray..." She said sadly.

"Love Dove, what happened? I went home and all your stuff was gone. You okay love?" He said walking near the squad space. Tony stood between him and Ziva.

"I think you should go now Ray. Ziva doesn't really want to see you right now." Tony said puffing out his chest.

"Last time I checked you don't talk for her. I do." Ray said puffing out his chest.

"Well, as of Friday night, when I last checked. She spoke for herself." Tony countered.

Ray turned to her. "Oh, so that's where you went. I should have known." Ziva took a step back. "Then I'm guessing that she told you I did all that." He said motioning to her face. "It was her own damn fault."

"If you don't remember, I said to get out." Tony said getting back in-between them again. Ray went to grab Ziva's arm. Tony pulled out his gun and put the barrel on his shoulder.

"Go ahead and touch her. See how long you last after it." Tony said through gritted teeth. Gibbs and McGee stood up putting their hands on their guns.

"Really? You are gonna threaten me in a goverment building, full of witnesses, and possibly lose your job, for her?" Ray said laughing.

"Gibbs, McGee, you see any of this?" Tony asked.

"See what Dinozzo?" Gibbs asked sitting down.

"I sure don't." McGee answered.

"This is ridiculous, come on Ziva." He said grabbing her arm. Before Tony could pull the trigger Ziva stepped forward sending a punch square to Ray's nose sending him stumbling backwards.

"Sorry Tony, your five mineutes were up." She said shaking her hand. Tony grinned.

"You bitch!" Ray shouted holding his nose. "You're in for it tonight."

"No. I am going home to safe place. Because unlike you, Tony loves me and would never hurt me." She said stepping to Tony's side. "Now. I believe Tony said that you should leave."

Ray stood there for a second weighing his options and thinking about what he should do. Before he had a chance Gibbs stood up and went to their side followed by McGee.

"I believe my daughter said for you to leave." Gibbs said crossing his arms.

"What the hell ever. If you guys want the whore she's yours." He said turning to leave. Before the elevator door closed Gibbs slid in. After a few minutes he came back shaking his hand.

"He won't bother you anymore Ziver." Gibbs said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you Gibbs."

He leaned over to her. "My basement is open for whenever you wanna talk about it." He kissed her cheek and went back to his desk.

"Thank you Tony, McGee." She said walking back to her desk.

"David, Dinozzo. Keep it out of the workplace."

"Yes boss." Tony said sitting down.

"Thank you Abba." Ziva said smiling at him.

They all smiled as they went back to work.