So here you go the chapter you have all been waiting for. I hope it meets your standards. This authors note is pointless because at least half of you will probably skip it

Disclaimer: I claim to own everything I own nothing

Spoilers: kind of obvious don't ya think

Tony looked hopelessly at Ziva. She could not be dead she could not be. He reached out to grab her hand just wanting to hold some part of her. Then he felt it, a faint pulse in her wrist. She was not dead yet, but she was still not breathing. "Gibbs, she has a pulse," Tony called to his boss who had just arrived in the doorway. "She is fading fast. We need Ducky."

Gibbs looked down at his agent's devastated face and nodded. Normally he would not take orders from Dinozzo but there was nothing normal about today. He turned and left the doorway sprinting back the way he had come. He just hoped that it would be enough.

In barely five minutes Gibbs had reached Ducky's hiding spot. He skidded to a halt in front of the bushes. Abby was leaning on McGee's good side as the sat looking at Ducky. "Jethro, what is it?"

"We found Ziva. She is hurt really badly and Tony is trying to get her to breathe. We need you help and you two can come or stay as it suits you." Gibbs said. He was only giving the other two the option because he knew that it was just as safe in there as out here. The other reason was that both of them were close to Ziva and if, by some hideous twist of fate, she died they would want to be there. No he told himself, Ziva was strong and she would make it. She had to.

Back in the room Tony was bent over Ziva's limp form. "Come on, Ziva. Wake up," he pleaded with her. There was no reaction so he started CPR. He had not had to do it in a while which he supposed was a good thing but it sure made it difficult to remember what to do. He did several chest compressions first. Then he checked her mouth and throat. There was nothing there so that was good, but she still was not breathing which was bad. He tried to remember what he was supposed to do next but could not so he picked what seemed like the most logical step.

Bending low over Ziva's face he put his lips to hers and gave her two breathes. Nothing. He did ten more chest compressions then gave her two more breaths of air. He wait for ten seconds that stretched an eternity, then he heard a small cough. He looked at Ziva in amazement. She was breathing again. It was ragged and uneven, but it was breathing nonetheless.

Seconds later Ducky and Gibbs appeared in the doorway followed closely by Abby and McGee. He heard Abby's sharp intake of breath behind him, "oh my God! Ziva!" She tried to run to her fallen friend but Gibbs caught her and held her back. "Gibbs—" she started but he cut her off.

"Abby, the three of us need to stand back her and wait. Right now every second makes the difference in whether Ziva lives or dies. Tony and Ducky are the ones who can do something constructive right know." He pause seeing the tears forming in Abby's eyes and realizing that he had been talking his anger at being helpless out on her. "Abby I am just a frustrated as you are but there is nothing we can do for Ziva except be here." He hugged her then let her go back to McGee's arms or arm as the case may be.

Across the room on the floor, Ducky crouched next to Ziva. "Oh my dear, what have you gotten yourself into this time." He said quietly to Ziva, and then added to Tony, "What have you done since you found her?"

"I gave her CPR but I think I did it wrong." Tony said nervously.

"Is she breathing?"

"Yes."

"Was she when you started?"

"No."

"Then you did it right. We are in the middle of a desert with no hospital for a hundred miles. Right now there is not right and wrong out here. There is only life and death." Ducky said remembering how many people he had lost due to conditions like this, but this time was different. She was strong and relatively healthy, leaving aside the cuts, and she had something to fight for. He smiled at Tony who was gently stroking the side of Ziva's face. "Anthony, could you sit her up so I can work on her cuts?"

Tony nodded and shifted Ziva so that her body was leaning up against his and her head was falling on to his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her supporting her dead weight so Ducky could stop the blood flow. She could not die now. He had finally realized he loved her. She could not die now.

Ducky looked at Ziva and realized relatively quickly that to be able to do anything he would have to remove Ziva's shirt and that she would probably hurt him for it when she woke. Ducky glanced at Gibbs. "Abigail, Timothy, I need you two to go out in the hall."

"Ducky, please don't—" Abby started but a look from Gibbs silenced her and she followed McGee into the hall. Gibbs walked forward to crouch next Ducky.

"What can I do, Duck?"

"Nothing right now." He smiled slightly, "I would appreciate it if you keep Ziva from killing me for this later." He was in the process of removing the blood stained tatters of Ziva's shirt from her body. Gibbs eyes narrowed in fury as he saw exactly what had happened to Ziva. He wondered how long she had suffered before falling unconscious. She had deep cuts across her legs and arms and a deeper cut across her upper chest.

Tony's thoughts were almost the same as Gibbs. Instinctively he tightened his arm around her shoulder. He had never seen Ziva like this before and his grief was now mingled with anger at her attacker. "We will get the person who did this to you Ziva. I promise."

Ducky worked for nearly a half an hour bandaging Ziva's cuts. When he was done he wiped off as much of the blood as he could then looked up at Gibbs. "Jethro," he started. Gibbs nodded and removed his jacket. Ducky took and wrapped it around Ziva's shoulder to protect what was left of her privacy. "She should be fine as long as we get her to a hospital within twenty four hours. She lost a lot of blood but nothing more severe than that. Someone will have to carry her back to the plane…"

"I will," Tony volunteered. "Please I haven't been able to do anything all day."

"Tony," Gibbs said gently, gently for Gibbs at least, "You gave her CPR and you gave her something to fight for. You are the reason she did not give in for so long."

"No, Gibbs." Tony contradicted him, "We are the reason she did not give up. We are her family." Gibbs nodded as Tony lifted Ziva in his arms.

The silence was suddenly broken by a voice so quiet they could barely here it. "Tony," Ziva whispered before slipping back into oblivion.

Ziva is not dead yet so you can all put your paper clips away. For now. She is not safe yet. It is not that easy. Or is it? I hope that this was an except able chapter. It is incredibly hard to describe someone giving CPR. Please review.