A/N): Sorry this would have been up yesterday, but Hurricane Mathew knocked my internet out. Enjoy D.
Last Call
Chapter 7
Ziva had done nothing all day but wait and yet she was exhausted. She sat beside Tony's bed and dozed. When they had finally wheeled Tony back to his room, they explained that the anti-seizure medication would probably keep him asleep for several hours. So she continued her vigil by Tony's bedside. Her eye caught a brief movement at the door. She caught sight of one of the MP's shifting his stance. Their presence gave her small comfort. If Tony was indeed being targeted, then the attacker had already struck twice. She sighed and shook her head. Back when she was with Mossad such attacks were expected, a cost of doing your job. At NCIS it seemed that it was either Tony or Gibbs that the crosshairs were trained on. Although she had not touched a firearm in several years, she was now pondering whether she should apply for a carry permit, just to keep Tony safe.
"A nickel for your thoughts." Tony had at last woken up.
"I thought it was a penny?" Ziva frowned, she hated American idioms.
"Inflation." Tony deadpanned.
"I do not think that they are worth that much." Ziva countered.
"They are to me," Tony assured.
"It is nothing. I am just worried about you."
"Since there are now guards on the door I must be in trouble."
"How do you know that you are not a suspect?" Ziva teased.
"No handcuffs." Tony raised both hands. "What's going on Z.?"
"They now believe that you may have been the target of the bomb."
"Oh, it must be Tuesday."
"No Tony it is Sunday. Why would you assume it is Tuesday?"
"Sorry Ziva, it's an inside joke," Tony said lamely.
"I do not understand. What is so special about Tuesday?"
"It just means that I seem to be the target for killers so often that it must be a weekly occurrence."
"How can you make jokes at a time like this? Your life could be in danger!"
"That is just crazy talk, Ziva. Who would plant a bomb just to try to blow me up?"
"Take this seriously, Tony. Someone is trying to kill y….."
Ziva's emotions got the better of her. Since she had walked away from NCIS, she had worked a great deal on trying to open herself up, to tear her emotional walls down. She wanted to be able to be unguarded, so if she finally met that 'special someone' she could, at last, give herself totally to the relationship. It had taken years but she was finally able to allow her feelings to have free reign. The downside to this was when she felt grief and heartache. Her therapist had told her that bottling up her emotions was slowly poisoning her. She needed to release the poison so she could heal.
"Hey…, Hey…., Ziva, it's going to be ok." Tony held her hand in an attempt to comfort her.
"How do you know, Tony? Do you have a copy of the script that I do not know about? Can you see into the future?"
"No Ziva, I don't, but you are here with me and there is nothing that we can't face together."
She felt the sudden and overpowering urge to run. Tony had spoken from his heart and that had frightened her. She had faced down terrorists and defused bombs with steely determination. But Tony's unguarded heart and his love terrified her. After all the pain she had caused him, he still loved her.
"How, Tony how can you still love me?" Zive said through a tear stained, sad, smile"
"Look Z. You're stuck with me. You are my great love and I intend to hold on to you, for as long as I can and as tightly as I can." Tony vowed.
"Tony..." Ziva swallowed hard. Who would have thought that she, not Tony would have trouble saying the word aloud? Her heart had been singing the words for years. "My Beloved…. You cannot know the joy I feel at hearing those words. I never thought that I would get a second chance. I was terrified that I had lost you when you left Israel to rejoin NCIS."
"You know," Tony said with a sly smile, "There is nothing wrong with my lips… Or my tongue.."
"If you think I am going to kiss you when you have not brushed your teeth in a month, you are seriously delusional." Ziva smiled and gave him a kiss on the forehead.
"You missed." Tony pouted.
A/n): For those interested in what is happening outside the hospital.
Rock Creek Park
The Next Morning
Gibbs hiked a couple of miles from the parking lot to the crime scene. The autumn air was crisp and cold. The smell of autumn leaves assailed his nose as his boots ground them into powder. He also caught the scent of campfires on the wind. He loved this time of year. The weather was cool during the day, cool enough for a light coat and a ball cap, and the nights were cold enough for a blanket. He always slept better in this type of weather. The smell of the dead body didn't hit his nose until he was just about at the scene. The pungent sickly sweet smell of decomposing flesh assaulted him. He stopped to look around. The Park Police, the Park Rangers, and the local and State PD were in attendance. He wondered how much of a pissing contest he would have to get into before he was allowed to take point on the investigation. He saw Tim and by force of habit scanned for DiNozzo, before he caught sight of Bishop and remembered he was a man down. Gibbs noticed Tim making a beeline straight toward him so he waited.
"Boss, the ID seems to confirm it, it's Oscar Kaplin. The Uni.'s think that this is straight up suicide."
"But you don't." it was a statement.
"Well, Boss, it seems kind of stupid. Kaplin had been successfully eluding us for over a month. The note says that he killed himself out of shame for not taking out more soldiers during the bombing. It just smells hinky to me."
"Perhaps, Agent McGee, it's the dead body you smell." A rather large State Trooper said as he sauntered over. Sticking out a beefy hand toward Gibbs, "Trooper Hawkins," He introduced himself.
"Gibbs. Can you tell me who found the body?"
"A couple of kids, about 19, my guess is they were looking for a very private spot if you take my meaning." The Trooper winkled. "Anyway, the two Nature Lovers stumbled upon Kaplin about 6:30 this morning. Must have been a real buzz kill for the couple. I was first on the scene, about twenty minutes later."
"You mind if we take the lead?" Gibbs asked.
"Knock yourself out. When I saw it was Kaplin, I walked back out the way I came in and cordoned off the area, then I called NCIS. I gave Agent McGee my shoe print to eliminate those from the scene."
"Thanks for the help." Gibbs acknowledged.
"No problem, We caught the bad guy. The least you can do is the paperwork…"
A/n): Thanks to all who are reading, reviewing, and adding this to your Favorite and follow lists.