A/N: Thank you to everyone who read yesterday's chapter—I know, answers to a few questions but only accompanied by, you got it, more questions. This chapter is shorter, I know, but stay with me. Everything that happens is for a reason and it's all going to make sense at the end.

Please review with all your questions, theories, and ideas. Your participation is key in this story!

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS. If I did I would not be causing myself ulcers, strokes, and heart attacks over the ground breaking spoilers yesterday brought. Much more of this and I'll need a portable oxygen tank.

"Follow me," McGee said, leading Ziva into the elevator two days later. He was bringing her to NCIS headquarters in hopes that she might remember. "This room has a lot of memories," He mused.

"An elevator?" Ziva said skeptically. If only she knew.

"I'm tired of pretending,"

"So am I,"

"Come on," He said as it opened to their floor. "This is your desk. That one next to it is Gibbs'. The one across from his is mine, and the one to the left is Agent Jennings, who you'll meet later,"

"Then whose desk is this?" Ziva asked, pointing to the one across from hers.

McGee took a breath. "That one was Tony's,"

Ziva inhaled sharply.

"What, do you remember something?"

"It—it is almost a, a voice. I feel like I know who he is,"

"Was," Tim corrected gently.

She looked at him, confusion evident in her eyes.

"He died four months ago,"

"He's dead? How?"

Tim paused before speaking. "This apartment was on fire. He died in it,"

"How would an apartment catch on fire? Most apartments around here are brick, yes?"

"Tony was… Tony was murdered, Ziva,"

Ziva felt as if she had taken a sharp blow. She backed up against her desk, staring at the floor, taking in the truth.

"By who?"

"We don't know,"

Ziva as quiet for a moment as she pressed her lips together, desperately trying to remember. "Was he my friend?"

"Yeah. You two were… you were unusually close. You had this connection, this weird thing you did with your eyes, communicating without saying a word… Do you remember anything?"

She shook her head. "No. I am sorry,"

"Gibbs tell you about his rules?"

"His rules?"

"Guess not…" McGee sighed. It had been a good try. "Come on, let's go see Abby,"

Vance and Gibbs had been watching from above the stairs, overlooking the squadroom.

"How's she doing?" Vance asked.

Gibbs shook his head. "Nothing. Not even her name,"

"How long will it last?"

"We don't know yet. She hit her head way too hard on her way down. She's lucky to not have any brain damage,"

"Except for the memory loss, which I heard you had a few years back,"

Gibbs smirked. "Yeah, yeah I had some of that,"

"How long did it take you to come out of it?"

"A few days,"

Vance looked down to see Ziva looking defeated, staring at the ground. "What do you think he told her?"

Gibbs looked at them for a moment. "Tony,"