Ch 3 Round One

Tony burst into the bullpen with Ziva hot on his heels. He snagged a printed out piece of paper that McGee was holding out.

MCU at NCIS

This is your clue for round one. Keep in mind that I am an impatient man and would not want to waste unneeded time out of DC.

"From humble beginning to a humbler end, add two together and you have ten. Pick one up and it's called luck."

You have 20 minutes.

Qalim

"Tony, it's the"

"Ford's Theatre, I know McGee. Alright, McGee you stay here. I want you to access their video cameras and get us an exact location on Gibbs and Qalim. Ziva, grab your Kevlar and let's go. You're diving." Ziva smirked as Tony tossed her the keys.

Despite Ziva's break neck speed and the drive only supposed to be taking ten minutes, they were still caught in Washington DC lunch traffic. Finally, Ziva got fed up and pulled over.

"Tony, we will have to run or we will not get to him in time." Tony zipped up his jacket to hide the vest, as did Ziva.

They set off running and made it to the theatre with three minutes to get Gibbs out when Tony's phone rang. Tony answered as they made for one of the doors. It was McGee and he was frantic.

"Tony, get out of there! Qalim and Gibbs left and Qalim pressed some kind of remote controlled activator." As McGee was talking, Tony pulled the latch of the handle down and immediately, Tony and Ziva were blasted backwards as the dorr exploded off its hinges.

"Guys! Tony are you there? Are you okay? TONY!" McGee was freaking out even more when he heard the explosion.

"Yeah McGee, we're here. We'll be back eventually." Tony flipped his phone shut and looked over at Ziva. She was sitting up with her head in her hands.

"You okay Zee?"

"Yes Tony. Just dizzy." Tony stiffly got up, walked to Ziva, and helped her to her feet. He noticed that both of them had multiple scratches from falling on the asphalt.

"Let's beat before Metro shows up," stated Tony dryly. Without speaking, Ziva put her arm around Tony's waist and Tony put his arm around. Getting back to the car was incredibly laborious and both Tony and Ziva needed each other to make it to the car without collapsing. Tony helped Ziva into her seat and all but collapsed into the drivers seat. They sat in silence catching their breath when Ziva's phone rang.

"David", she answered wearily.

"So it is true. The bastard Mossad director has a bitch of a daughter working at NCIS." The voice was in Arabic. Ziva knew who it had to be.

"How did you get this number?" replied Ziva fiercely. She also spoke in Arabic.

"It does not matter Ziva. I'm sure you noticed my absence at the theatre? Did you like the little present I left?"

"You bastard, someone could have been killed."

"So what Ziva? You know that that was a minute example of how much devastation I can cause. Don't you remember Ziva? The cave in Afghanistan? That little toy was one mine." Ziva froze as she was hit with a flashback. The week she spent in Israel after returning to NCIS after Vance split up the team up, she was on assignment to Mossad. She and her partner Michel were supposed to infiltrate a Hamas headquarters. She and Michel got separated and her presence was discovered. During a gun fight, someone lobbed a flechette grenade. Ziva had managed to escape most of the blast, but metal barbs had managed tear up her left shoulder and her back. She had scars to prove just how deadly Qalim could be.

"I thought you might remember. Anyway, the clue for round two is at your apartment. However if you try to get it before five o clock, the entire apartment complex will go up in flame. Keep in mind Ziva, that while Gibbs is responsible for killing Ari, you are not without blame. He was your brother and you did not know he was Hamas. You should have protected him." The line went dead.

"Ziva, what did he say? I know it was Qalim." Tony was worried. He had seen Ziva's fierce expression and how she froze for a moment, seeming lost in time. Tony tentatively laid a hand on her left shoulder. She flinched and hissed in pain.

"Did you get hurt back there?"

"No not there. It is an older injury and the fall agitated the muscle. It is just sore."

"You mind if take a look at it?"

"You can Tony. But first call McGee. Tell him to meet us in front of my apartment complex and a quarter to five."

"Why?"

"Because the clue to round two is there, but if we go now, the building will explode. We must wait until five o clock to enter the complex." Tony made the call and drove to his apartment. On the way in Ziva stated, "Tony, you have a sash on your neck."

"You mean gash Ziva, and yeah I noticed a little while ago." Ziva ushered Tony to his bathroom and sat him down on the toilet seat.

"Take off you jacket and vest so that I can clean it up."

"Trying to undress me Officer David?" joked Tony as he shed his jacket and vest.

"Not today DiNozzo. Maybe another time yes?" Tony chuckled as Ziva cleaned off the back of his neck. She applied antiseptic and bandaged it with a couple of band- aids.

"Hey I've got another shower. If you want to use that one and I'll use this one, we can clean up and I'll make us something to eat. We've still got three hours until we have to be at your place."

"Toda Tony. I think I will do that." Ziva turned tail and went to his other shower.

Twenty minutes later, Ziva walked into the kitchen with Tony working at the stove. He was wearing a fresh red sweater, as it was winter, and tan cargo pants. Ziva kept an emergency bag at Tony's place and so she was clad in a fresh tank top, fleece jacket and black cargo pants.

"I'm heating up some stew I made. How about while that cooks I take a look at your shoulder?"

"Alright." Ziva sat on a kitchen chair and took off her jacket. Tony's eyes widened when he saw the scars on her shoulder, running up just below her neck and disappearing behind the back of her tank top.

"God, Ziva, what happened?"

"Flechette grenade. You remember that week I left yes? To Israel? My father sent me on a mission. A grenade designed by Qalim got thrown. It tore up my shoulder and back."

"Your back?" Tony couldn't believe what he was hearing. His partner had gotten injured and he wasn't there to protect her. Further more, she didn't tell him about it. With a sigh Ziva pulled her tank top over her head revealing bandages wrapped around her entire midsection and her sports bra. She unwrapped the bandages to reveal numerous shrapnel wounds. Tony was about to comment on her figure when he saw how many scars and gashes there were. She had gotten back from her trip to Israel three weeks ago and the deeper of the wounds had not yet healed. In fact, due to impact of the blast, some were bleed.

"Bastard", whispered Tony under his breath. He went to his bathroom and retrieved his first aid kit. He pulled up a chair behind Ziva and began to clean the cuts more thoroughly. They sat in silence for a while as Tony worked and the aroma of the heating stew began to envelop them.

"Ziva why didn't you tell me," asked Tony with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Because I did not want you to worry Tony. I have lived through much worse, I promise."

"But I'm your partner Zee." Tony rewrapped Ziva in the bandages and helped her pull her tank top back on.

Knowing what Tony was thinking, Ziva turned around to face him. "Tony, this was not your fault. You were not even there."

"I shouldn't have let you go back. Maybe if I had put up more of a fight, this wouldn't have happened. I don't like you getting hurt Ziva. What if you died? What would I do then? I just can't", Tony shook his head with words that wouldn't come. He got up and went to stir the stew. Ziva couldn't let this go. He meant to much to her for her to let unspoken words hang between them. She walked up behind him and wrapped one arm around his waist and used the other to stop his hand that was occupied stirring the soup.

"Tony what can't you do?" Ziva was scared to ask but needed to know.

"I can't live without you Zee." Came Tony's whispered response. He was beginning to wonder if he actually said it when Ziva turned him around a placed a gentle kiss on his lips. She parted and looked into his eyes. "Tony, I am not going anywhere." Tears stung Tony's eyes. "Promise?" he asked with hope in his voice. Ziva smiled and came up to kiss him again. This time, Tony responded by kissing back.