When Special Agent Timothy McGee couldn't give Tony an answer, Tony stood from his desk and walked over to the window, speed dialing Ziva's number. He slammed the phone shut when it said it wasn't in service. He let out a sigh and furrowed his eyebrows together as he saw smoke rising into the sky. McGee walked over and stuck his hands in his pockets.
"Wow, that looks close." He commented. Tony turned his head sharply.
"That's too close." He said. He ran to the elevator and pushed the button 20 times.
"Tony, where are you going?"
"That wasn't an earthquake, McGee." Tony yelled.
"Then what was it?" McGee asked, but Tony already disappeared into the elevator. McGee returned to his desk just as the boss entered the bullpen.
"Where is DiNozzo?" He asked.
"I don't know boss." McGee said. "He's acting weird. After the earthquake..."
"Earthquake?" Gibbs stopped in front of McGee's desk.
"Yeah. The earthquake. You didn't feel it? Our desks shook." Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "And then Tony saw the smoke..."
"What smoke, McGee?" Gibbs snapped. McGee raised an eyebrow and pointed to the window. Gibbs dropped his coffee, the liquid now all over the gray carpet, as he ran to the elevator, almost breaking his finger as he punched the button. McGee, now overly confused, decided to follow.
The crowd around the scene prevented Tony from getting to his own car. "Get out of my way!" He shouted. He had to go and find Ziva. Her cell phone was never out of service. When he finally got through the crowd, he stopped dead in his tracks.
There were pieces of debris all over the garage, and the rest of what looked like a mini was on fire. Tony swallowed hard. He walked closer to his own car, the fire burning his face as he neared it. He could hear sirens entering the Navy Yard.
He flipped open his cell phone and called Ziva's phone one more time, and got the same message. Flipping it shut, he walked closer to the car and squatted down next to the motionless human that lay on the ground. He slowly flipped her over, and tears immediately flooded his eyes. He turned to the crowd, "Call an ambulance, now!" He yelled.
"We already have, Agent DiNozzo!" He heard someone say. He continued to stroke her face, the tears in his eyes ready to fall. He heard the same agent speak again, "Oh shit, that's his girlfriend. No wonder he's freaking out."
"Tony!" Gibbs said as he fought his way through the crowd, followed by McGee. Tony didn't even look up as he picked her up bridal style and ran away from the cars as the smell of gasoline filled his nostrils. The ambulance pulled up as he laid her carefully down on the ground, stroking her face as she remained motionless. "Ziva, sweetheart." He said. "Ziva! Wake up! You gotta..."
"She's still breathing." Gibbs pointed out.
"Sir you need to move." One of the paramedics pushed on him. Tony grabbed him by his shirt and held him tightly.
"Touch me again and I will kill you." He said through his teeth. He let the man go and picked Ziva's hand up again. "Ziva..." He said quietly. The oxygen mask was put over her mouth as they lifted her onto the stretcher. The crowd of people neared the ambulance, questions being shouted at Tony, Gibbs, and McGee. Just as Tony opened his mouth to yell at them, Gibbs' voice boomed.
"Hey!" He yelled, "Get back!" Tony thanked his boss in his head 20 million times as he climbed into the ambulance, Ziva's hand leaving his.
"Ms. David, are you with us?" The paramedic said, Tony's head shot up and he narrowed his eyes at her.
"It's Dah-Veed." He said through his teeth.
"Sir, you need to relax." The woman replied, and Tony had enough.
"The woman I love is lying there, unconscious! You shut the hell up and make her better!" He yelled. She only nodded in fear and returned to Ziva. He moved the hair out of her face again and kept his hand there, cupping her face. "Ziva..." He said softly.
"Uh, Agent DiNozzo?" She asked quietly, because, frankly, she was scared of him.
"Yeah?" He asked.
"Can I get where you are and check her vitals?" Tony only nodded and reluctantly dropped her hand. He sat next to the doors, at first watching the paramedic. He put his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He stayed that way until he heard her speak again. "Ms. Dah-Veed, are you with us?" She asked. Tony only blinked. "Ms. David, can you hear me?" She asked. Tony sighed and was about to yell at her again when he heard her.
"Tony?" She said through the mask, "Where is Tony?" Tony immediately grabbed her hand and held it tight.
"I'm here, sweetcheeks. I'm right here." He said. Her eyes were droopy and she could barely hold them open as she breathed hard.
"Don't leave." She mumbled. Tony grinned and put his hand on her forehead, brushing her hair backwards.
"I'm not going anywhere." He replied. She nodded slightly and her eyes became too heavy as they shut completely.
"Ms. David? Stay with us." The paramedic said. Tony shook her slightly.
"Ziva..." He said. She opened them again.
"I am so sleepy." She said.
"You don't need to go to sleep, sweetie." The nurse said.
She looked over at Tony, "What happened?" She asked.
Tony shook his head, "Don't worry about that. You're going to be okay." He said with a smile. Ziva closed her eyes again as the ambulance came to a stop. They pulled her out and rolled her to a room, Tony never leaving her side. After about an hour, the nurse was back with results.
"Alright Miss David, your blood pressure is a little high, but other than that your vitals are okay. Looks like you just have some minor injuries. We maybe can get you out of here tomorrow." She said with a smile.
"I do not want to stay here." She said.
"Well, if you do, it won't be long."
"I do not want to stay here at all." Ziva reiterated.
"The doctor will be here soon and he can give you a definite leaving time."
"I am leaving in one hour." Tony squeezed her hand and she looked up at him. "What?"
"Thank you." He said. She smiled and nodded at him before leaving. Tony let out a sigh and brought her hand to his lips. "You had me worried, Zi."
"I am fine, Tony."
"You weren't fine." He swallowed, "I thought I lost you." He managed to say. She smiled slightly and was about to speak again when her room door opened. Abby wasted no time in grabbing her into a hug, causing her to wince slightly.
"Are you okay? McGee called and said...No! It doesn't matter. You're alive. And breathing."
Ziva gave her a closed smile, "I am fine, Abby." She said quietly. Gibbs walked up closer to Abby and sat down on the edge of Ziva's bed.
"You sure you're okay, Ziver?" He asked. She nodded slightly.
"Yes, Gibbs." Tony leaned on the bed, for there was nowhere else to sit. Ziva responded by moving over, allowing him to sit beside her. "What happened?" She asked again. Gibbs cleared his throat.
"Your car exploded." Ziva furrowed her eyebrows together.
"Do you remember anything that happened?" McGee asked. She looked up at him.
"I was at the Embassy and..." She stopped and thought some more, "Officer Bashan was asking me about..." She began to frantically feel around her neck. She looked at Tony, her eyes wide.
"Ziva, calm down."
"Where is my necklace?" She said.
"Oh, this necklace?" McGee pulled it out of his pocket. "I...uh found it in the garage and just stuck it in my pocket. I forgot about it." Ziva took it from him and handed it to Tony, who happily put it around her neck.
"Why was he asking you about your locket, Zi?" He asked. Ziva let out a sigh.
"I do not know Tony. But it is not any of his beesnacks." Everyone laughed and she looked at Tony, confused.
"I think you mean beeswax, Ziva."
"What is in that locket?" McGee asked.
"I know." Abby said proudly. Tony glanced down at Ziva and half smiled. It didn't go unnoticed by Gibbs.
"Abby, McGee, why don't we let Ziva rest?" Gibbs said. Abby hugged Ziva again, followed by McGee. Gibbs stood up, but stopped at the door. "Hey DiNozzo, try not to up the heart monitor." He smirked as he closed the door behind him. Ziva continued to play with her locket.
"I would've got you another one, Zi." He said softly.
"I do not want another one, Tony." She said. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips. He took his thumb and ran it over the scratch that was across her face.
"That hurt?" He asked.
"Only when I think about how I got it." She replied.
"I'm gonna get this bastard."
"Bastards." Ziva corrected. "It is not just one person. It cannot be." Tony nodded and leaned his forehead against hers.
"I'm not letting you out of my sight again, Ziva." She laughed and gently slapped him on the cheek.
"Do not be ridiculous. I can take care of myself." She said. He grinned and licked his lips.
"I can take care of you better." He said. Ziva laughed.
"You can?" She asked. Tony nodded and he kissed her, and she put her hand on the back of his head as a response, deepening the kiss. The doctor walked in, clipboard in hand and laughed, breaking them from the kiss.
"I hope I'm not interrupting." Tony laughed. He held out his hand for Tony to shake.
"It's okay Doc, we're used to it." He stood from Ziva's bed and walked over to him, shaking his hand quickly.
"I'm Doctor Mark Preston." He walked over and loosely shook Ziva's hand.
"I am ready to go." Ziva said. Mark smiled.
"I know you are and we're going to get you out of here soon. Everything looks good, I'm going to get you clean up here and I'd like to keep you here overnight, just for observation."
"No." Ziva said simply. "I do not want to stay here."
"I apologize Miss David, but..."
"Dah-Veed." She said harshly.
"Dah-Veed," He said, "But you need to be under observation."
"I will be with Tony. He can observe me." Tony grinned.
"Oh, I can do much more than that." He said.
"You are not helping, Tony." She said.
"Sorry." He replied.
"Well I can't make you stay here, but I strongly advise it."
"You are right, doctor. You cannot make me stay here." She said with a smile. Mark only nodded and put down his clipboard, pulling on a pair of rubber gloves.
"Lets get you cleaned up then. None of these look too bad." Tony's gut churned when he sat down next to his girlfriend, first tending to the long scratch on her face. "This is going to burn a little." The doctor warned. Tony walked over to Ziva and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly as the alcohol was rubbed on her face. She winced a little, squeezing Tony's hand a little tighter. Mark then sat her up further and looked on her bare back, his hands wandering on Ziva's skin. Tony narrowed his eyes at the doctor.
He's only doing his job. Tony kept telling himself. He looked up and saw Gibbs standing outside of Ziva's room. Gibbs motioned for Tony to come with his head. Tony nodded and let go of Ziva's hand. "I'll be right out here, okay?" Tony asked. Ziva nodded and Tony left the room.
"She okay?" Gibbs asked.
"Yeah, she's going to be fine." Tony said. "At least that's what the doctor said." Gibbs smirked.
"He's just checking on her, DiNozzo. He's not taking your job." Tony chuckled.
"I know boss. Doesn't mean I have to like it." Tony then became serious, "I want this guy in the ground."
"You think it's only one person?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know. But I know that they were after Ziva." Gibbs crossed his arms and nodded in agreement. "The first bomb, NCIS was at the crime scene. The second bomb, Mossad. The third bomb, Ziva's car."
"Ziva is the only tie in all three of those." Gibbs said. At that moment, Abby and McGee joined them in the hallway.
"I got Ziva some fresh clothes." Abby said happily.
"How did you get into..."
"I had your keys." She said happily. Gibbs glared at him as he took the items from the Goth.
"Thanks Abby." Tony said quietly.
"McGee, Abs, I want you two reviewing everything of the Mossad bombing." McGee nodded.
"On it, boss." Abby grabbed Tony and hugged him tightly.
"I'm glad she's okay." She said happily. Tony smiled.
"Yeah Abs, me too." She let him go and hooked arms with McGee as they left.
"Get her dressed. Take her home." Gibbs said, and promptly slapped Tony on the back of the head.
"What was that for?"
"She lives with you, DiNozzo." Tony grinned as he walked back into Ziva's room.
"...and those will heal themselves. Do you have any questions?"
"No. Thank you." Ziva said with a slight smile. Tony walked over and grabbed her hand again.
"Looks like you're in good hands." Mark said.
"Oh, she is." Tony said. Ziva chuckled as her room door shut again. Tony held up her clothes.
"Um, Abby got you some fresh clothes."
"Good. I am ready to get out of here." She said.
"Want me to help you get dressed?" Tony said. Ziva chuckled.
"Well I am injured." Tony smiled as he pulled the curtain around her bed. As he finished slowly putting on her shirt, his cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and groaned, flipping it open.
"Yeah boss?"
"Quit playing grab ass and get back here."
McGee frowned as he watched the ZNN feed from his computer. He looked up at Gibbs, who was sitting at his desk, staring at nothing in particular, "Boss I...."
"I know, McGee." he quietly said, "I know." He then stood up and pointed towards the plasma, "Put it up."
"But boss, everyone will see, and-" Gibbs just looked at him.
"Put it up, McGee." He said, firmly yet in a hushed tone.
He just nodded and then pressed a couple of keys before the feed appeared on the screen. They showed a couple of people carted off into ambulances and McGee stood up, grabbing the clicker off of his desk so that he had control of the speed of the satellite video feed.
"So this was around 2300h our time, meaning it was 0600h in Tel Aviv."
"Early morning bombing." Gibbs mused out loud. McGee paused the feed right as they were putting a body into the ambulance.
"Yeah, boss. Uh...so I checked the time that the FBI bombing happened, and it was at around 0700h in the morning our time, yesterday. Ziva's car bombing was..."
"Yeah, I know when that was."
McGee sighed, "So they're about twenty-four hours apart from each other, boss."
"More than enough time to get from DC to Tel Aviv by an express jet plane." he said, turning around and starting back towards his desk, "But DiNozzo's right. Can't just be one of these bastards. There's gotta be more than one. There is no way that they coud pull together that big of an operation with that strong of a force and magnitude in twenty-four hours, when twelve of those are spent on a plane. No way. This wasn't a target on Tel Aviv."
"Well no, it was also a target on the FBI..." McGee looked down at his notes, "Maybe they're targeting different government agencies? Should we contact the President? Get him up in the air?"
"No, McGee." Gibbs walked towards him, "Three bombs." He held up three fingers to make a point, "FBI, Mossad..."
"Both government agencies."
"Ziva's car."
"Yeah, that's the part I don't get."
"No, McGee, what you don't get is why NCIS went to the crime scene."
"A dead petty officer."
"Yeah. NCIS. Mossad. Ziva's car. And what connects the three?" He prompted.
"Ziva..." McGee said, gasping a little as he realized, his eyes growing wide, "The petty officer has nothing to do with the bomb. He was just used to get NCIS to go to the crime scene! They bombed Mossad because she is Mossad....they bomb Ziva's car..." he looked up from his notes that he was quickly going through and up at his boss, "Ziva was the hit."
"Still is. She's not dead yet."
"Aw Tony's gonna freak."
Gibbs smirked, "No he's not. He's the one that told me himself. Figured it out on his own."
"Wait...Tony figured it out before I did?"
Gibbs just smirked again, "Well yeah, McGee. He's more determined to solve this case than any other I've ever seen him do."
McGee rolled his eyes, "I wonder why."
Gibbs pointed towards the screen, "Roll it." McGee pressed the button and the tape rolled again. They showed the entire city from an aerial view right as the elevator doors dinged open and Tony and Ziva came walking out. Tony approached the two and stuck his head between them, "Ziva's in the room." he muttered before McGee quickly turned it off as Tony backed away and took his seat at his desk. Ziva looked a little paler than she did in the hospital as she too took her seat.
"You okay, Ziver?" Gibbs asked, furrowing his eyebrows together and sharing a look with McGee.
"I am fine."
"You look a little pale." Gibbs started towards Ziva, glancing at Tony for just a second or two, "Are you sure you don't need to go back to the hospital?"
She shook her head, smirking slightly, "The hospital is probably the reason that I am pale, Gibbs. And I am fine." Gibbs nodded, unsurely however, like he didn't quite believe her.
Gibbs turned towards McGee and then nodded, motioning for him to cut off the paused video feed that Ziva's eyes were glued on. McGee pressed a button and the plasma went blank, causing her to look around, a little confused as she turned to Gibbs, "I could watch it."
"Yeah," Tony nearly spat, cutting off Gibbs, "She tortures herself by watching it."
"I do not torture myself, Tony." She quietly said, "I just want to determine that everything that I am seeing is real."
"Well it is."
They stared at each other for a little until Gibbs broke the awkward silence, "You sure?"
She nodded, "Yes. I am sure."
He turned around, "All right. Roll it, McGee. You know, click-click the thingy-mabob..." He motioned with his hands.
"The clicker, boss. It's called a clicker." He said, standing up.
"Whatever. Just play the feed."
"Got it, boss." McGee responded, standing up and sharing a look with Ziva, "You sure you want to watch this?"
She laughed shortly, exasperated, "McGee!" She stood up and walked towards them, where Tony already was; he had walked up earlier to stand next to Tim, "Why must everyone ask me that?"
"Because it's your..."
"Family." Tony cut off, looking down at her as she took her spot next to Tony at the plasma.
She nodded, "Family." She then looked at McGee, "Go."
He fumbled with the clicker before pressing the button to play it, the video continuing to roll. Gibbs stood up from his desk and stood behind the three, watching from quite a distance. They finished showing the people being hauled into ambulances as Tony thought back to not only Ziva on the MTAC feed but also Ziva just hours earlier, after her car blew up. He looked down at her, his eyes taking in the cut that now had a bandage on it in a cross to stop the blood flow as well as the couple of bandages she had up and down her arms. He couldn't even imagine her back.
Gibbs watched Tony as he looked her over, and he knew that he wasn't checking her out. Well he was checking her out, but he was just doing it because he wanted to make sure that she was...okay.
Tony looked at her eyes, which were shaking as they watched the screen, fear evident in them. He then looked back up at the plasma, right as they showed the aerial shot with the bomb being dropped near the Mossad building. He could almost feel her take a deep breath next to him and he quickly reached down and grabbed her hand, interlacing their fingers together as he squeezed it once in reassurance. She moved closer to him and Gibbs watched the two, his eyes fixated on their intertwined hands. Under normal circumstances he would have shouted at them about Rule number three, but considering that they pretty much shot all of his rules to hell anyways, and this was a rough time for both of them, he let them rely on each other.
Just this once.
He watched the screen again before he noticed the Director walking towards the bullpen, stopping the entrance, "Leon." Gibbs said, and the other three agents turned to look at Vance. Gibbs watched as Tony quickly dropped Ziva's hand. Vance noticed this as well but chose not to say anything, like Gibbs.
"Officer David." He called, "Your father requests you up in MTAC."
"My father?" She demanded, furrowing her eyebrows together, "It is clear that my father wants nothing to do with me!"
"He said it was urgent, Officer David."
She looked at Tony who just stared at her, no real expression on his face, "I will be there in five minutes."
"Hurry." He said, nodding before starting back up the stairs.
"Go, Ziva. Your father wants to talk to you." Gibbs said, motioning towards the stairs and Ziva nodded, sharing a look with Tony that said, 'Come on, let's go.' Tony smiled at Gibbs before following her out of the bullpen. Gibbs watched the two climb the stairs side by side, neither one of them saying a word to the other. She scanned her eyes and turned the handle, about to open it when she turned to Tony.
"I want you in here with me."
"What am I supposed to say?" He demanded, his voice hushed, almost a whisper.
"Nothing." She smirked, "Who said that I wanted my father to see you? Squat down behind one of the chairs, sit on the floor...just do not be seen." He grinned.
"Covert is my middle name."
She rolled her eyes and then put a finger in his face, "If you say a word or make a noise, no sex for a week."
"Lingerie?" He pleaded, putting on a lost puppy dog face.
"No." She grinned and he quickly shut his mouth as she opened the door. Gibbs watched as Tony slipped in and he rolled his eyes, sighing.
"DiNozzo..."
"What, boss? What'd he do?" McGee asked.
"Let's just hope he doesn't say anything stupid, McGee"
Ziva made sure that Tony was not able to be seen and then nodded at the tech person to put the feed up from Mossad.
She walked to the middle of the rather large 'platform' in front of the screen and waited for her father to appear, "Shalom, Ziva." He said, "Are you well?"
"If by well you mean perfectly fine about the fact that you wanted to disclose any information having to do with the bomb that was set off last night just outside of Tel Aviv, then yes. I am perfectly fine." She crossed her arms and Tony smirked from where he was sitting.
"Ziva..." Her father sighed and pulled off his glasses, "You must understand that I-"
"Felt I was too busy?" She demanded, "Felt that I was not at liberty in knowing the information?" She asked, spitting back responses that she had gotten from Officer Bashan and Director Vance.
"You would have shared the information with your American co-workers, Ziva."
"And this is a problem?" She asked, "It was all over ZNN last night at 2400h. That is how I found out about it. The Americans know. And yet I am the one that is kept out of the loop?"
"They do not know it all."
"What is it you are holding back? What information could be so important that you do not want to share with me?"
He sighed again, deeply before pausing and looking at her, squinting as he put his glasses back on, "Is there something on your face?" He questioned and she furrowed her eyebrows together before lifting her hand up subconsciously and feeling her face. It was only then that she remembered the bandage on her left temple. She quickly dropped her hands.
"No." She said, shortly, "Now tell me, papa. Why. Why can I not know the details of this? Surely it is not that large..."
"It is larger than you think, Ziva! And I do not know who you would keep the information from and who you would tell. I do not know anymore, Ziva. The last time I saw you, you were different."
She scoffed, "I was not."
"America has made you soft, Ziva. You are a softer person. Someone with feelings-"
"And what is wrong with feelings?" She demanded getting angrier by the second. Tony, from where he was sitting, could tell that she was about to burst.
"They get in the way!" He slammed his desk with his hand causing her to jump slightly, "They prohibit your training, they interfere with your work!"
"Papa." She said coldly, "If you have not figured it out yet, I am no longer a Mossad Assassin. I am not a killer anymore. An investigator. By doing softer work, of course I am going to be softer! I have been with NCIS for three years!"
"This is exactly why I did not want you to take the Liaison position when it was offered by Director Shepard."
"I am happy that I took it." She said, firmly, "You should be happy that I am happy."
"No. I should be happy that you are doing your job. I am amazed that you have not turned into one of those rotten American snobs. But who knows, maybe you have."
"Why are you so against Americans?"
"I am not against Americans, Ziva, I just do not think that they are the right people for the job. They let their feelings interfere with their work too much."
"There is nothing wrong with Americans. I have made better friends with them than I ever have when I was in Tel Aviv."
He sighed and pulled his glasses back off, leaning back in his seat, crossing his arms, "You have found someone, yes?"
She gulped and had to resist the urge to look behind her where Tony was currently hiding. She shoved her hands into her pockets to keep her from playing with her locket. "Why was I not informed about this?"
"Ah, you have."
"Does it matter?" She nearly shouted.
"If it is that Anthony DiNozzo..."
"If it is?" She shouted, enraged now, "What will you do?"
"Trust me, you do not want to know. And you will not be able to protect him."
"Nothing is wrong with my partner." She said through gritted teeth.
"Not according to his dossier."
"Does it matter?!" She yelled at the screen, "I do not think so! What matters most, Papa, is that I was not informed of the bombing! Not my relationship with Agent DiNozzo!"
"There are good reasons!"
"Then please, share them!"
"Please..." He sighed, "Please....please..." He mumbled, looking around at his desk, shoving a couple of papers away before looking back up at her, "Pack your bags, Ziva."
She stepped back a little, "Excuse me?" Tony had to keep himself from jumping up from his hiding place and strangling the man through the MTAC screen. He didn't know how he'd do it, but he knew that he would find a way. Sometime.
"A Mossad escort will pick you up on my private jet at approximately 0500h American time in three days. I will send Leon more information."
"Why?" She demanded, "All I wanted to know was why I was not read into the fact that Israel was bombed! That is all I wanted to know! I do not want to go back to Mossad!" She regretted it the moment it passed her lips and she clamped her mouth shut.
"Even more a reason for you to come. Three days. 0500h. If you are not there, Ziva." He leaned towards the screen, his eyes narrowing, his voice getting low, "You will be stripped from your Liaison Position at NCIS at you will never even dream about going back to Washington DC, understand?"
She nodded, "Understood." and then, the screen went black. At the second her father's face went away, she nearly ran up the steps out of MTAC. Tony barely had a chance to stand up and look at her, for she was already gone.
As they entered their apartment, Ziva ran a hand through her hair and took in a deep breath.
"Ziva?" Tony questioned, "Are you okay?"
She shook her head, "I am fine." Though she was shaking her head negatively, as if she was lying, "My father is such a..."
"Bastard?" Tony finished for her, questioning her and she stared at him before silently nodding and then starting into the kitchen, pulling open the refrigerator and pulling out a bottle of beer, considering it was the only thing that she could find. She then threw open a drawer and pulled out a pen and a sketch pad before starting back into the living room.
"Pizza?" She asked, though it came out more of a statement than anything else. Tony grinned.
"Sure!" He grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed the number, the smile on his face as he watched her sit down onto the couch and pop the beer cap off. She flipped the sketchpad up to a new page and then flipped on the television, turning up the volume. It was a commercial on ZNN, so she decided to take this time to scribble down what she knew about the bomb blasts. Occasionally, she would shove her hair back as it fell into her face every couple of seconds and Tony sighed as he flipped his phone shut and then walked into the bathroom, pulling out her toiletry bag. Grabbing a hair scrunchy, he walked back towards the living room and sat down next to her, handing it to her. She smiled and looked at him as she took it from him.
"Thank you, Tony." She softly said, kissing him lightly on the cheek before pulling her hair back into a bun, quickly. He watched her, a small smile placed on his face from the light gesture of a kiss.
"Oh!" He remembered, grinning, "I almost forgot." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone, handing it over to her, "Here. Yours kinda got..."
"Burned?" She inserted and he nodded.
"When your..."
"Car blew up?" She finished again and he nodded again as she took the phone. She looked at it and then promptly punched him in the arm, lightly of course.
"Ow!" He grabbed his shoulder, "What was that for?!"
"This is pink!" She shouted, holding it up and he grinned.
"Yeah, but see, it should be Abby you're hitting, not me. She was the one that got it for you! But don't worry, it has all of your numbers and all that stuff in it, so you really didn't lose anything."
"Except the fact that it is not black anymore!"
"Hey, don't complain. If you didn't have one, I'd be following you all over the place."
She shrugged, "True." She said, nodding, "Thank you." She smiled as she put it on the table. He grinned as she turned back to the television and watched the news, which now was showing a man getting arrested for a local robbery. She rolled her eyes. There were more important things going on in the world. As she became concentrated on the television screen however, Tony watched her, his smile dropping from his face. He noticed the burning, oozing cut at the base of her hair and he carefully reached his hand up and ran his fingertips over the top of it. She stopped what she was doing and looked at him.
"Does that hurt?"
She just stared at him, "No." Before looking back at the television screen.
"Your father hurt you."
She sighed, "Does it matter?"
"To me, yeah."
"I do not want to go back, Tony."
"I know." He said, "I'll go with ya." He grinned and she laughed.
"You? Go to Tel Aviv? They only have one season."
"Doesn't matter. I always feel hot when you're around anyways." He winked and she laughed again before looking down and stopping, the smile slowly fading off of her face as she looked up at him.
"No, Tony. You cannot go."
"Why not?"
"Did you not hear my father? He does not like you!'
"He's never met me!" He leaned back and pointed to himself, "And once you meet me....a DiNozzo....your life is suddenly changed! And it's a thousand times better. Trust me, no one hates a DiNozzo."
"Oh really? Well what about Sacks?"
"Well he-"
"Trent?"
"Well, Ziva..."
"The people down in the evidence garage?"
He laughed, "They-"
"Vance?"
"He's just a-"
"And I am pretty sure that Fornell does not like you either."
He gaped, "Fornell likes me!"
"Maybe." She smiled before she let if fade and she groaned, "I have so much on my mind."
"I can handle that..." He leered towards her, but he didn't expect her to turn on him.
"No! Tony, it is all about sex to you, isn't it?"
"I wasn't talking about sex." He shook his head, his voice soft, "I was talking about a movie." He seemed a little taken aback and Ziva felt horrible for turning on him.
"Oh." She quietly said, "I am sorry, Tony, I just..."
"I understand. Why don't you go and lay down in the bedroom? I'll make you a cup of tea and then I'll get you when the pizza comes-"
"No." She cut him off, "I will just go for a run, yes?" And with that, she stood up from the couch and started towards the bedroom. Tony followed.
"Excuse me? Alone?"
"Yes, Tony. Alone."
"No." He said firmly, "Last time I left you alone, your car blew up and you ended up in the hospital! You're not going alone."
She sighed as she pulled out her workout clothes from the drawer and laid them on the bed, "Yes, Tony. I am."
"No, you're not." She stripped and then put on her skin tight clothes before grabbing her tennis shoes out of the closet.
"Tony...yes I am." She pushed past him and went into the living room, sitting down on the couch as she pulled them on and tied them tightly. She stood up and pushed some of her hair back from out of her face.
"No." He grabbed her firmly by the shoulders, "Wait a couple of minutes and I'll come with you."
"No." She said, her voice stronger and louder, "I am going alone. I will be fine, Tony. I need to think. I need to clear my mind."
"No, Ziva!" He nearly shouted.
"Tony!" She shoved away from him, "I am going alone." She reiterated, slowly, "If you come with me. No sex for an entire week."
He gulped, "Fine." He narrowed his eyes at her, "But if you aren't back in thirty minutes, I'm calling Gibbs and calling the police, the SWAT team, and even the damn FBI to go and search for you. Got it?"
She rolled her eyes, "Yes, Tony." She sarcastically said, her eyes wide, "I got it." She then rolled her eyes before starting towards the door.
"I'm serious, Ziva." She turned and looked at him.
"I believe you." She smiled, "Thank you for caring." She let out a deep breath, giving him another closed smile. He just closed the space between them and grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing his lips against hers for a second or two before letting go.
"You're welcome." He grinned as she pecked him one more time.
"I will be fine!" She laughed, running her fingertips down his cheek, "Trust me."
He just looked at her, deep into her eyes as he nodded before she left, "Thirty minutes!" He called after her.
"Thirty minutes!" She yelled over her shoulder and he watched her until he couldn't see her anymore, closing the door to the apartment and looking down at his watch.
"Thirty minutes." He mumbled, "Thirty minutes."
Tony switched through the channels on the television set, glancing at his watch a couple of times. She had fifteen minutes until he was going after her. He turned his phone in his hands and stared down at her new pink one on the coffee table. However, he heard a knock on the door and he smiled. It could only be two people, the pizza delivery man or Ziva....who forgot her key. Though then again, she would have banged down the door, picked the lock, or shouted his name instead.
So it had to be the pizza delivery guy. He reached for his wallet and flipped it open, searching through the amount of dollar bills he had in there. About twenty minutes? He had to give this guy a tip, especially since he was clear on the other side of town.
They knocked again, louder this time, "I'm comin', I'm comin'!" And with that, he opened up the door expecting the sweet smell of pizza to greet his nostrils. However, what greeted his nostrils smelled like cheap perfume, not like pizza.
And he didn't expect the pizza delivery guy to jump into his arms, "Tony!"
He shoved her away, "Christina?! What the hell are you doing here?!" He demanded and she grinned.
"Nice to see you too, Tony." She flipped her blond hair off her shoulder as she brushed past him and into his apartment. She looked around the apartment, grinning, "It is so good to see you again, Tony!" She squealed and Tony just stood there, mouth agape. He couldn't believe this was actually happening.
"Why are you here?" He asked, trying to keep his voice down. He was enraged. Everything with Ziva and now...this? He didn't think he could possibly take it anymore.
"You told me I could come over!" She smiled, looking around his apartment before smiling, "Ooo...your bedroom!" She took off and Tony sprinted after her.
"Christina!" He shouted, "Hey! Don't you go in there!"
She stopped as she entered the bedroom, both his and Ziva's clothes all over the floor, the pillows on the ground and the comforter and sheets in tangles on the bed. She smiled as she walked over and grabbed the red lingerie off of the ground, where Ziva had discarded it. He looked down at his watch. He had ten minutes to get her out of there before Ziva came back. He didn't think that Christina would be good for her health. And vice versa.
"Ooo...Tony. What is this? Either you hired your own personal prostitute, or you're living with someone." She smiled and sighed, "Still the same old Tony I see. Just the way I like him." She gave him a sexy grin and licked her lips, "So which is it?"
"Option number two." He growled and then grabbed her wrist in his grip, snatching the lingerie out of her hands and throwing it somewhere in the room, "And you have two options as well." He said in a dangerously low voice, "One...you leave. Now. Or two...I kick your ass out." She hesitated, "Let me choose for you. You were never good at choosing who to sleep with and who not to sleep with in college, so let me choose for you...." He paused for a fraction of a second, "Option number two." He narrowed his eyes at her as he dragged her out into the living room, closing the door to the bedroom behind him.
"But Tony, I thought you wanted to see me! Can't we just catch up?"
"No." he growled, "Now get out. It's not a good week." He turned towards her, his back to the door.
"Why?"
"Look, it just isn't!"
"Tony, talk to me." She put her hands on his forearms, "I can get you through it."
"I'm getting through it just fine. I'm dealing with it. Now leave!" He pointed towards the door. She didn't move. In fact, she just looked at the door and then smirked, "Christina!" He shouted, "Go!"
"Tony?"
He literally thought that the air was sucked out of the room as his breath hitched in his throat and his eyes grew wide. He whirled around and came face to face with her.
Ziva.
Damn, I couldn't get rid of her fast enough. He angrily thought to himself. Damn, damn, damn.
"Ziva!" He nearly shouted and she just stared at him, confused. He looked down at his watch, "You're ten minutes early!" Wrong thing to say! Wrong thing to say! You're screwing things up and Christina's not even your fault!
"I ran faster than normal." She narrowed her eyes at him, "And now I know why."