A/N: I'm so so so sorry it's taken me literal months to get this next chapter out to you guys! Thanks for all your great reviews and for your patience!
Anyway, this takes place the next day after the funeral, when Gibbs is still on leave for his father's funeral.
Ziva was pacing Gibbs' kitchen, holding her phone out in front of her.
"Just call him, David. It isn't that hard."
"But it is, Gibbs. You don't know how- what the circumstances were when he left."
"So?" he prodded.
"So he's probably mad that I didn't call him or email him or even communicate at all after he got on that plane, but I had my reasons, and also I don't know what he's been going through, I mean, he could be married by now. I could be married by now. So I can't go over to his apartment and ring his doorbell, but emailing him seems unnecessary now that I'm here. And then there's the possibility that-"
whack.
"Dial. His. Number," Gibbs growled at her before turning and heading toward the basement to work on the boat.
Ziva was somewhat stunned that he had just headslapped her. The past two days had been emotional for both of them, and this was the first time he had acted like her boss again. It was a gust from the past that somehow it put her in a better mindset to talk to Tony.
"Thank you Gibbs."
"Don't thank me yet," he called from the stairs.
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"DiNozzo," he answered. His voice was lower than she remembered, but she could still tell that the gravelly tone was because he'd just been sleeping. She glanced at the clock and realized it was after midnight.
"Tony?" She paused for a moment, hoping he would recognize her voice. HHe didn't say anything, so with a quick breath she continued.
"It's Ziva. I'm, um, back in D.C. now. Hopefully for a while. So, uh, give me a call back if you want to, okay?"
In her opinion, it was a miracle he hadn't hung up on her yet, so she thought she'd just hang up and they'd talk another day when he was ready. She was about to hit END when he cleared his throat. She froze, then pressed the phone up against her ear, listening to his breath, in, and out. Thirty heart-wrenching seconds passed before he finally spoke. His voice sounded thicker now, like he had something stuck in his throat. Or maybe it was just the phone connection.
"Ziva? It's-it's you? Ziva David, former Mossad Operative and NCIS Special Agent?"
"Yes, Tony, it is me," she replied, and her throat constricted on her, although she wasn't quite sure why.
"Do you, uh, is there any specific reason for your return?"
"I have decided to go to college, Tony. I want to be a teacher. It took me a while to figure that out, but I think it is the best option for me."
"Are you here looking for colleges then?"
"No, actually I have already decided to go to Georgetown in the fall." The conversation had taken a drastically different turn from what Ziva was expecting, but she supposed it was for the best. Of course they couldn't just pick up from where they left off. It was silly of her to have even considered it.
"Oh, that's good."
"Yes it is," Ziva replied, unsure what else to say. She wanted to ask him how he was, but she knew he would reply with Oh, I'm just peachy, or something of the sort. Plus, when if she saw him, she would be able to tell for herself.
"Would you- Would you want to go out for coffee with me sometime?"
"Ms. David, did you just ask me out on a date?" he replied in his too-fake, incredulous tone. "Cause if so, I'm free tomorrow morning," he continued. She could just picture him wiggling his eyebrows at her, or winking emphatically, a big grin on his face.
She rolled her eyes at Mind-Tony but couldn't stop the smile that was spreading across her face.
"That works well for me," she said, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Would you like to pick me up, or should I meet you at the Navy Yard?"
"I can pick you up, no problem. Where are you staying, anyway?" She hesitated before answering. This was the part of the conversation that she'd been dreading. He had so many reasons to be angry with her, and the fact that she told Gibbs before him could be the frosting on the cake.
"I'm- I'm staying at Gibbs' place." He didn't respond right away, so she continued speaking. "Please, Tony, don't ask any questions. I can explain myself better in person tomorrow."
"I didn't have any questions, Ziva, I'm just still- Wow. You're here."
"I'm sorry, Tony. Ideally I would have told you before I got here, but-"
"Ziva, don't worry about it, it's fine. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay."
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Tony sat up in bed slowly. Wow. This was not happening. It couldn't be. He wasn't prepared enough.
But you've been preparing yourself since she left, he told himself. Before he could get his hopes up, or down, or...whatever, he needed to be sure. He unlocked his phone and dialed a number.
It took a few rings before a tired voice answered, "Hello?"
"Hey, there, buddy, good friend, wanna do me a favor?"
"Not really, Tony. Do you know what time it is?"
"Time for you to rise and shine, McGrumpy-pants. Can you trace a number for me?"
McGee sighed audibly. "Yeah, hold on. You owe me one, Tony." Tony could hear footsteps followed by the sounds of a whirring computer, and after a minute or so, McGee asked for the number.
There was a ping as the results popped up, but McGee was silent.
"Well?" Tony prodded.
"Uhhh, um, where, how?" Obviously the Probie was still waking up; this was the most incoherent he'd heard him in a while.
"Can you just, like, give me something to go on here, McGee?"
"Tony, the phone, it's registered to Ziva. And...it's at Gibbs' house."
"Can you tell when it was first used?"
"It was used last night to call a pizza joint. And then again tonight-just now, to call you."
"Okay, thanks man, I appreciate it."
Tony was about to hang up when McGee spoke again. "How are we going to tell Abby?"
"I haven't figured that out yet McGee. I don't even really know how things are going to go down between the two of us. We're meeting for coffee tomorrow. I'll keep you posted. Oh, and thanks Tim, I appreciate it."
"No problem, Tony."
A/N: I know Tim probably doesn't have tracking software at his house but whatever. Let me know what you guys think!
