Tony paced back and forth for sometime, long enough for Zipporah to loosen her grip on him and relax slightly, slumping against him. He was about to peer around the ambulance to see what was going on when Ziva appeared, gripping Leora's hand tightly.

"They," she paused and sucked in a breath, struggling to regain some composure, "They are taking her away now." Tony didn't know what to say so he just nodded. "What did the paramedic say about Zipporah?" the girls head popped up at the sound of her name,

"Uhm that she's fine but that we should maybe take her to the hospital anyway," Ziva nodded,

"She said that she was in my room having a nap, she was not in the smoke for much longer than us." she sighed heavily, "Will you drive us to the hospital, my car keys, all my stuff is, is in there" she gestured towards the building.

"of course," he whispered, shocked she even had to ask, she nodded again and looked up at Zipporah who had been quietly observing the conversation she couldn't understand. Now she was watching her sister who was staring at the ground crying quietly.

"Leo," Zipporah reached out her arms to Leora who silently took her from Tony, wrapping her own arms tightly around her. Tony and Ziva watched them silently until Ziva abruptly spun around and headed towards the car , Leora followed her with Tony trailed behind them.

After an uncomfortably silent car journey they arrived at the hospital, they all sat down in the waiting room. A few moments later Tony excused himself to go to the bathroom-keen to escape the uncomfortable atmosphere for a little while. Catching sight of himself in the mirror he was surprised-he hadn't realised how dirty the short time he had spent in the fire had made him. His face was streaked with soot so he started to carefully wash it off. When he was as clean as he could get using a toilet sink he wandered back through to the waiting room where he saw Leora sitting alone, staring blankly into space. He stopped at a coffee machine on his way, he didn't hold out much hope for a decent cup of coffee he was mainly trying to delay the inevitable moment when he would have to go back and sit alone with the grieving girl. Comforting Zipporah was easy in comparison-all he had to do was lift her into his arms and hold her tight for a while but what the hell was he meant to say to a teenager who had just lost her mother? He slowly crossed the room towards her and then cleared his throat,

"Uh, I didn't know if you were thirsty or no or what you would like so I got you a hot chocolate just in case," she fixed her blood shot eyes on him and smiled slightly, "I'll just put it down here to cool a little then," he placed in on the table in front of her, "Oh unless you want something else, I'll go get something else if you don't like it." she shook her head,

"I like it,"

"Oh, ok then," he stood uncomfortably for a second, sipping from his cup of brown water, he had been right not to expect miracles from the machine, "Uh Leora," he started, trying to think of something comforting to say but he failed, "I'm getting something to eat. Want a chocolate bar? I'm going for a chocolate bar, where's the machine?" he spun round, searching for another vending machine, "Oh right there, sure you don't want anything," he asked, already backing away slightly. She stood up suddenly,

"No I am fine, but uh thanks for the chocolate," she met his eyes before reaching for her cup,

"No problem," he impulsively leant forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, "and I'm sorry about your mum." Leora froze under his touch and spun to face him, she had carefully been trying to regain some composure, embarrassed by the stares her weeping had been attracting from the others in the waiting room but when you are struggling with the pain of grief the smallest gesture from the most casual of acquaintance can be enough to destroy your defences leaving the pain to flood through you again. She suddenly began sobbing uncontrollably again and stumbled towards him caught off guard he staggered back a step before tentatively wrapping one of his arms around her shoulder, the other still holding his coffee which was now sloshing dangerously around. He carefully leant over to the side, placing his cup down and then moved his other arm round behind her too, gently and unsurely patting her back. They stood like that until Ziva and Zipporah returned, Ziva hurried across the room when she heard Leora's wild sobs and saw Tony's panicked expression. She ran her hand across the side of Leora's face until she turned round and moved into Ziva's waiting arms leaving Tony with a large wet patch on the front of his shirt. He flopped down into one of the uncomfortable moulded plastic chairs and Zipporah clambered up next to him, shuffling right back into the seat with her little legs sticking straight out over the edge. He leant across to the table to retrieve his coffee and gulped down a mouthful, watching as Ziva calmed Leora down a bit. By the time he had finished his cup Leora had was able to sit down next to her sister who then climbed onto her, straddling her knees and facing her. She reached up and traced the tears on Leora's face with her little fingers, mumbling quietly. He stood up next to Ziva who was watching them, she sighed and rubbed her forehead,

"WE better go, I need to find somewhere for us to stay tonight." Tony stared at her in shock,

"What? You can stay with me!" she tuned to look at him,

"Really?"

"of course," he said in disbelief, "what, did you think I would just drop you off at the nearest motel?"

"Well no, but, you have room space for us all?"

"Sure-there's a sofa bed in my study and . . ." she raised her eyebrow at him,

"Study? All I saw was a room full of DVDs an a large TV,"

"Yeah well that's what I like to study, what's your point?" she smiled half heartedly at him,

"Anyway you can have my bed and I'll sleep on the sofa, see, plenty or room for everyone," he rubbed her shoulder reassuringly and she impulsively spun round and flung her arms around his neck and whispered, "Thank you Tony," and then leaned back, "I do not know what I would have done today without you."

"You don't have to thank me," he said taken aback by her sudden hug, "Let's go then ok?"