So, you'll notice, if you watch Grey's Anatomy, in the first line of this chapter I borrowed the name of their hospital, and later I'll be using some doctor's from the show. If you don't watch it, don't panic, I promise you won't be lost. I'm not turning this into a crossover, just using the names and a few of the characters.
Review when you get to the end?
Four agents with scrapes and bruises but no bullets sat in the waiting room of the Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital. Silence had flooded over them since the doctor informed them that he was alive, but unconscious from blood loss.
Gibbs looked over at McGee who let out another deep sigh and changed his position in the small chair again. The boss put his left hand on McGee's shoulder and gave it a squeeze, "Calm down."
McGee glanced over at Gibbs and took another deep breath to try and do just that. "If I was paying attention and not talking to Villa I would've seen that guy and Tony would be alive right now."
"Tony is alive, McGee." Ziva said from her position two chairs down from him.
McGee let out another sigh, "I know he is."
"It is not your fault, McGee." Gibbs said, "Calm down." He repeated.
On the other end of the row of agents, Villa shifted in his seat, then looked over at Ziva, "I'm glad we shot the guy." Ziva was staring at the wall with her elbows on her knees. When she didn't respond to him, he leaned forward, mocking her position, "We shot the guy." He said again, and this time he got a stare from her.
"We did not kill him."
Villa nodded, "But he's probably very injured. We almost killed him."
"He almost killed Tony." She snapped. Luke pressed his lips together and sat back in his seat.
"You okay?" He asked her softly as he stared at the side of her head.
"I am fine." She said quickly and stood from her seat, walking down the hallway. Luke looked over at Gibbs and McGee who were staring back at him and stood, walking down the hall after her. He rounded the corner and walked into the vending room where Ziva had walked into just seconds before him. She just pressed the button for a water to drop out of the machine when he cleared his throat to get her attention. She sent him a glance and sat down at one of the tables in the room. "What?"
He leaned on the frame of the door and crossed his arms and left leg over his right, "You say you're fine, but you're not acting like it."
She stared at him as he moved out of the way for another person to come into the room and joined her at the table. "I do not want to talk about it."
"Okay, let's talk about something else." The only response from Ziva was a stare, so he continued, "Where are you from?"
"Washington DC." She deadpanned.
He chuckled, "No, I mean originally."
She rolled her eyes at him, "Israel."
"Do you like it in the States?" She nodded and stood from the table, walking out of the room and started towards the waiting room again. He got up and followed her again, jogging a few steps to catch up with her.
"Are you married?" She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, shaking her head firmly. "Boyfriend then?"
She stopped so abruptly that Luke had to walk several steps back to her. "I am not talking about this either."
Luke smiled at her again, "Sorry, I just…want to get to know you a little. Maybe take your mind off things."
"Thank you for your concern, Agent Villa…"
"Luke." He interrupted.
"…but I am fine."
He lifted his left hand and scratched the back of his head, "Well to be honest, it wasn't all concern. I know you're going to think that I'm a horrible person for asking you out now, but it's your fault for being so damn beautiful." She eyed him as she started to walk again, "I'd like to take you to dinner." Ziva walked past the waiting room and outside, wanting to get some fresh air. She sat down on one of the benches, closely followed by Luke. "Come on, it'll be good for you to get out of the hospital. I understand that you're worried about Tony, but there's nothing you can do right now. The doctors are taking care of him."
Ziva pinched the bridge of her nose, "No, thank you. I am here to work, and I do not think it would appropriate to go on a date."
Villa chuckled, "Oh come on, I'm sure Agent Gibbs wouldn't mind." The look he got from Ziva was 'yeah right', so he laughed, "I tell you what, if you agree to go with me, I'll ask him if it's cool with him. If it's not…" He chuckled, "Then we'll just have to sneak out. So what do you say?"
Ziva shook her head again, refusing to say what her mind was screaming at her. Despite all the bull shit she had gone through with Tony, she still had crazy, hormonal, wish-she-could-get-rid-of-them feelings and thoughts for one Anthony DiNozzo. Her feelings for Tony were out of control, again, just like they were before they started dating. She couldn't possibly go on a date with this guy. "No, I am sorry. It is not a good time," She sighed, "And there is someone else."
Villa smiled at her again, "Ah, a boyfriend."
She shook her head, "No, it is…complicated."
"What? You love him or something?" His smile was bigger now as she turned and looked at him, "Wow, you do love him. Is it somebody I know?"
Ziva turned back to the front and took a sip of her water, "I think it is best we end this conversation."
"It's Agent Gibbs, isn't it?"
She let out a sarcastic chuckle, "Gibbs is basically the only father I have. No."
"I can't see you with McGee at all, and Tony…"
"We are not playing this game, Agent Villa." She said and stood again, walking away from him.
"Call me Luke, please. I'm sorry, I just…wanted to take you out. I literally felt like a kid in high school again when I saw you in the airport. And that hasn't happened since I first saw my ex-wife, so I took it as a sign."
Ziva tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "I am sorry, Luke, but I can't."
He over and gave her a kiss on the forehead, "There's no need to be sorry."
"Hey!" Gibbs shouted from the door, walking towards the two federal agents, "What are you doing?"
"We wanted some fresh air, Agent Gibbs."
He nodded towards the door, "Go back inside, Ziver. A nurse just told us a doctor will be out to tell us about Tony."
Ziva sent a glance to Luke before walking away from the two men and back into the waiting area.
Gibbs waited until she was out of ear shot, "You leave her alone."
"Now hold on a second, Gibbs, I wasn't doing anything wrong."
"I've seen the way you've been looking at her, Villa." He said. "Her partner is lying on a hospital bed, almost dead. Knock it off."
"Is it your job to tell her who she can and cannot date?"
"Leave her alone." Gibbs said again, walking away from him and into the hospital.
Villa chuckled in disbelief and followed Gibbs.
It didn't take Luke long to figure out who Ziva was in love with.
He only hoped Tony made it through.
