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Author's Note: Here is Chapter Seven! I know shorter chapters have been posted, so I decided to make this one as long as I could. :) Also, I added in and created a case of my own for the story-line. But don't worry, Chapter Eight will get the cases back to normal. Spoilers for Season Five Episode "RECOIL". You are warned! Reviews for the last chapter were very few, so maybe I have left you something to write about in this one. :) Thank you all for reading!
Disclaimer: NCIS is NOT my property.
Summary: The Trial Separation is on. But how is it changing Gibbs and Ziva?
Rating: T (Small amount of implied themes, very small.) :)
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Cases came and went.
Warrants were ordered and used.
Evidence was collected and processed.
Bodies were brought in and autopsied.
And the team could tell there was something different with Gibbs and Ziva. McGee, Abby, and Tony all three discussed it and none of them could truly figure out what they thought, though they did have lot of theories.
Ducky told them not to worry, though they were all worrying anyway.
Gibbs was quieter than usual and Ziva didn't find anything funny anymore. DiNozzo would try to get a rise out of her and she would have none of it. The work was done of course and it was done well.
But the humor, the light behind the eyes of both Gibbs and Ziva-was gone.
Abby tried her best to change that, her happiness and smiles fell even more upon Gibbs and David.
Ziva had been asked to dinner and a movie, shopping trips, lunches, and concerts by Abby-all of which she had denied availability to.
Gibbs had Abby's company some nights while he was working on his boat. She would bring food and they would talk sometimes, sometimes not.
Truth be told, he didn't mind her company.
Abby knew when to try to get him to talk and she knew when to leave him be.
But whether Abby was around or not, it didn't matter.
Gibbs was only thinking about one thing.
Ziva.
Whenever the word 'love' came around, he instantly clammed up. Loving someone meant opening up to them, embracing them in every sense, and accepting that bad things could happen.
Not only had Gibbs seen enough bad happen to the ones he loved, but Ziva was without a doubt one of a kind.
In more than just one sense.
She was wonderful at her job, honest and caring in everything she did, and she understood about Shannon and Kelly.
When Gibbs had sat her down and the conservation had come around to them, Ziva listened to what he had to say. True, she knew the story already.
She profiled him for Ari.
But he still wanted her to know certain things and she listened, even had a few questions of her own.
Ziva would do well opening up about a strong variety of things. But when it came to Ziva's family, she never opened up and on the rare occasion she did, there was never much information she would share.
And though Gibbs didn't blame her for that, he did wish she would let go and open up about some of the things she never spoke about.
Like her father.
And her sister.
And her brother.
And her mother.
There was definitely a theme to what she kept hidden away.
Gibbs always made sure that Ziva knew that even though she didn't talk about things, she could always go to him.
And he would always listen.
So now, Gibbs was the one who needed to listen.
To his own damn self.
Looking back over the years they had together, he could honestly say some of the best times he'd had were with Ziva.
So now, standing in his basement alone after Abby had dropped off food for him and stayed for a few minutes, he grabs his cup of coffee and looks at the just more than half finished boat.
The evenings without her at home with him had been Hell.
The mornings waking up without her had been Hell.
These recent days had not been enjoyable at all. And it sounded odd, because he did see her at work. But that just wasn't the same.
He couldn't hold her at work.
He couldn't kiss her at work.
Those were the things he missed, among many others.
Something violently ripped him away from his thoughts unexpectedly was the un-mistakable shrill of a ringing cell phone.
Turning around he puts the coffee cup down at the table and picks up the cell, answering without looking at who it is:
"Yeah Gibbs?"
McGee was on the other end, wanted to know if Gibbs wanted to go out for a beer with him, Palmer, and Tony:
"Staying in tonight McGee, thanks for the call."
They said their goodbyes and when Gibbs turned around to face the boat again, he knew it was going to be another long night.
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He left.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs touched her shoulders, kissed her forehead, whispered 'three weeks', and left.
Left Ziva standing there in her own apartment.
The apartment she rarely went to now that she and Jethro were seeing each other.
He left because she came up with the idea.
And what a stupid idea!
Three weeks, who the Hell made periods of time for three weeks?
Turning, Ziva makes her way into the kitchen and turns off all of the downstairs lights. Going upstairs, she finds her hand wraps, changes clothes, and leaves.
Getting in the car, she had never been more grateful for the NCIS gym than she was right now.
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Looking in the basement and not finding what he was looking for, Gibbs crosses the room. Digging through his shelves of old tools he finds old case file boxes.
Some held memories of Shannon and Kelly, others files, and some held the woodworking tools he rarely used. Selecting a box with tools he carries it with him and uses the bottom of the boat as his table.
Placing the lid to the side, he thumbs through envelopes and pictures from his years as a Marine and ones of him and his dad.
Seeing the tool he needed in the bottom, he reaches for it.
But Gibbs feels something else as well.
A picture had been pinned between the tool and the side of the box, so Gibbs grabs both.
The picture.
The picture takes his breath away and his mind runs through a mile-a-minute race down memory lane.
It's the Thanksgiving dinner Ducky hosted three years ago.
Abby suggested that before the turkey was carved that a family photo should be taken. Ducky thought it was a wonderful idea and enlisted McGee's help in setting up the timer and tri-pod for his camera.
All were a little amazed the Duck man had such a nice camera.
Insisting that Ducky be in the middle, Abby organized the group, all at the head of the table.
Looking at the photo from the left, there's Tony, Abby, Ducky, McGee, Gibbs, and Ziva. Abby has hooked arms with both Ducky and Tony and Tim has one hand on the shoulder of both Ducky and Gibbs.
Then there's Ziva.
Ziva's not looking at the camera and Gibbs could honestly say this photo was one where he was giving a genuine smile.
He'd gotten there late but it had been a wonderful night filled with wine, great food, and laughter.
Smiles are on all faces but Ziva is looking at Gibbs.
Gibbs remembers standing there, he remembers he put his hand on McGee's back and the other on Ziva's waist, pulling her in for the picture.
But was it really for the picture?
He'd owned this snapshot of happiness for three years and this was the first time he had really looked at it.
She was looking at him.
Dressed in red, she had a small smirk on her face, even from the side Jethro could tell. He loved her in red, it suited her so well. So fierce, strong, bold, she was a lot to handle.
And Gibbs had been the lucky one handling her for almost three months.
But if they were on a trial separation, what the Hell did that mean?
And that's where the problem en-lied.
He was supposed to know what that meant, how he felt, and what to do. He did know not having her around was something he didn't want to ever do again.
Deciding to put the boat on hold, Gibbs takes the photo and goes upstairs. Not having a frame, he puts it on the mantle above the fireplace, leaning it against a book so it would stand on its own.
And though nothing had been figured out, Gibbs did feel a little bit better.
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The next case they had caused more than a few problems. It was relatively simple, their main suspect had no alibi and the evidence was overwhelming.
But with anything that is important, there are struggles along the way.
Gibbs, Ziva, Tony, and McGee had a new lead which took them to a house in a very quiet neighborhood.
They were trying to track down a man named Kyle Annett, who was believed to be the final piece in the case. The suspect sang like a canary once in Interrogation and said Annet was who they really needed.
Gibbs took Tony with him, letting Ziva and Tim have the back.
Upon entering the house, all going in different directions, the three gentlemen called out clear.
Ziva didn't.
Finding Annett in the bedroom, her gun was knocked out of her hand and a fight ensued.
Ziva was fighting a grown man, well built and more than six feet tall. The team knew she didn't call clear and heard the scuffling upstairs.
Gibbs lead Tony and Tim, his heart without a doubt beating clear out of his chest.
This was the risk they took everyday.
This was the job they held.
This was the life they lead.
This was scary.
Plain and simple.
Entering the bedroom, Gibbs saw Annett lying on the ground. Glass was everywhere and Ziva's gun lie abandoned in the far corner.
Ziva was beneath him.
He saw this same sight five years ago, when Ziva went undercover.
And almost died:
"ZIVA!"
Gibbs knows McGee and Tony have his six and when he yells the two agents behind him share a look.
A look that Gibbs couldn't see.
But it was a look that said: 'If Boss is reacting like this, this is worse than I thought.':
"What?!"
Ziva' voice was refreshing to say the least. Her tone was annoyed and frustrated, but not one that said she was in physical pain.
Holstering his gun, Gibbs crosses over and begins to get Annett of her:
"He is not dead, I kicked him in a tender area."
He nods and having moved Annett fully off of her, Gibbs gains and maintains eye-contact with Ziva. She's not bleeding anywhere and she's already beginning to stand up. He takes her by the elbows and helps her get upright. The moment is lost when Tony speaks:
"Well done David. Good to see you still have those Mossad skills handy. Hey McBored, wanna help me here?"
Tim crosses the room, motioning to the glass while looking at Ziva:
"What broke?"
"A glass vase."
Tony and McGee get Annett standing, though he's grumbling in pain the whole way. They cuff him and now the party of five was ready to leave.
Gibbs wanted to get her to Duck, wanted her to be checked out anyway:
"Let's go."
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The ride back to NCIS was cramped for the men in the back, but Ziva was quiet in the front seat.
Too quiet.
Arriving at NCIS, Gibbs joined McGee and Tony to take care of Annett, saying Ziva needed to fill out her paperwork.
Around fifteen minutes later the three musketeers entered the bullpen.
Tony sits behind his desk and McGee does the same. Gibbs however has a different plan.
Standing in front of Ziva's desk, he notices she's hiding her right hand, letting it hang by her side.
The left is typing something on her computer:
"Yes Gibbs?"
Feeling his glare on her skin, she looks away from the computer and to him:
"Conference room."
He walks away, heading to the elevator. While Ziva follows, feeling the curious eyes of Tim and Tony on her the whole way.
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Ziva enters the elevator and Gibbs puts them into motion. Waiting a moment, he pulls the emergency stop and turns to face her:
"Ya okay?"
This is what he wanted to talk about?
Really?
"I am fine Gibbs."
That was her automated answer. And even in the light of the elevator before he made them stop, he could see bags under her eyes.
She hadn't been sleeping:
"Right,"
He didn't believe her and his tone held nothing back. Reaching out, he takes her right hand in his, carefully inspecting it. Finding that her palm held the injury, no doubt from the broken vase she had mentioned at the scene:
"This 'fine' too?"
Ziva found a response and quickly:
"It is just a scratch."
The 'scratch' she was referring to would need about three stitches, but left up to her she would more than likely ignore both the pain and the need for stitches:
"Duck's gonna see to this. You're not sleeping."
"Is that a statement or a question?"
Gibbs lets go of her hand and looks at her. Making a bold move, his hands cup her face as he looks down into her eyes. His voice is soft:
"Ziver…"
Her instinct was to lean into his touch, but she decided against it:
"Jethro?"
They were both so confused. Not having the other around was causing a problem and that needed to be fixed:
"Know you're not sleeping,"
Ziva would give anything to put her arms around him and be held by Gibbs again. But in doing that, the time they had worked away from each other would prove pointless and the real issue would not be solved. She had to be strong.
Gibbs continued:
"Miss you."
That was not what Ziva was planning on hearing:
"We only have a few more days. Then things will change."
And she was right.
No matter what his answer was, good or bad, things would definitely change.
And Gibbs knew she was right:
"Yep."
"My hand can be left alone."
"Nope."
Gibbs smirked, she always was a fighter. Resisting the urge to lean in and kiss her, he lets his hands fall from her face and moves to flip the switch.
Now going to Autopsy for her hand, Gibbs could only hope the next days would go by quickly.
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Will Gibbs figure it out? :)
