Note: See??? I told you I would update more frequently! And I did. I would think of somethin funny or interesting or witty but it's like 1 in the morning for me and I'm pretty beat/loopy right now. Oh yeah, and i just wanted to clarify something. Rivkin is in the morgue, but not the NCIS morgue nooooo he's a sneaky bastard. He's at the hospital morgue. Because thats where ambulances take people. to the hospital, then they die, then they go to the morgue, and theeeen they mail him to NCIS. So in this chapter, while taking place at more or less the same time as the previous, is in two different places. I didn't want people getting confuse, because that would be bad. alright so now just read and review. I mean please read and review. Oh yeah and this is the chapter which explains the title of the story which i know has seemed a little random so far.
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Gibbs watched Ziva's departure impassively. Once she disappeared from view, and he was sure that scattered hospital staff she had left in her wake would recover, he slid into the drivers seat grabbing the keys that had been forgotten in her anger. He nearly reached for her cellphone as well, but quickly thought better of it. Some things were better left alone.
A short drive later, Gibbs arrived at NCIS headquarters and quickly made his way to the morgue. There, as he had expected, sat Ducky studiously poring over several X-Rays and CAT scans scattered across his desk.
"Ah Jethro!" The medical examiner called as he noticed his old friend approaching. "I didn't quite expect you to be here for a while, what with poor Anthony in such a state. I would be at the hospital myself, however, Director Vance requires my expertise on an autopsy of some importance. In the meantime however, a friend of mine from the sent over several charts and such concerning our young agent. He is quite lucky you know."
Gibbs raised an eyebrow.
"Lucky, Duck?"
"Yes, according to his records, the shard of glass entered his chest, glancing off the sternum and puncturing his left lung."
"I'm no doctor, but that doesn't sound very lucky to me." He observed wryly.
"Yes well, it isn't so much as what happened, as what didn't. Had Rivkin stabbed him, say, six inches to the left, it would have punctured his heart. I am afraid that a wound such as that would have likely resulted in sudden and instantaneous death. On the other hand, had the glass struck half a foot to the right, it would have missed him entirely. There seems to be a curios case of symmetry to it if you ask me. Actually, it reminds me of an experience I had in Africa in my youth..."
Gibbs let his mind wander a bit as the medical examiner continued his anecdote. He hadn't needed any reassurance that DiNozzo would recover, the man was too stubborn to succumb to something as trivial as death. No, his true worry was Ziva.
The young woman had witnessed the death of her lover at the hands of her partner, the man who she had trusted to watch her back for the past three years. Trust like that did not come easily to anyone, especially a veteran Mossad Agent. Whether Tony had acted in her best interests did not matter, all that mattered was how she perceived his interference. Not shooting him was a positive sign, but still...
And as if her psyche was not under enough stress, she then had been forced to confront her father about...something.
No, he hadn't looked at her phone, but conjecture was something very different, and very acceptable. He had been an investigator before she had ever held a gun, which was saying something and from what he could tell, there were only a few people that could throw Ziva off balance. One was in the hospital and the other was in Tel Aviv.
He just hoped she would be able to cope.
"And then the guide said, 'Well at least it wasn't my camel!'." Ducky finished laughing. "Oh dear, I haven't thought about that trip for a long time. I had forgotten how amusing brushes with death could be."
Gibbs smiled. Then paused.
"Do you remember the psych evaluations you did for my team Duck?" He began, revealing the true motive of his visit.
"Of course, I wouldn't have trusted them to anyone else. Did you know that they wanted to fly in that young man from Los Angeles do to them? As if I couldn't handle a few simple psychological evaluations. In hindsight I may have been a bit to melodramatic in my protestations."
"I wouldn't expect anything less." Gibbs paused again, debating with himself. "Is there anything I should know about Ziva?" he finally asked.
Ducky smiled a sad little smile.
"I wish I could help you, but as you are loyal to your fellow marines, I must grant my patients the same loyalty. Anything I am told in confidence, must remain in confidence. Secret, I'm afraid, even from you Jethro."
Gibbs nodded understandingly and turned to leave.
"But," Ducky continued, "Between two old friends, our Ziva is a strong young woman, she wouldn't be here if she weren't. Even so, she is confused, about her loyalty and perhaps her own motivations of why she does what she does. She simply needs time to sort her new ideals from the old; and a little support from her friends wouldn't hurt. Never fear Jethro, I'm sure she will be back to 'kicking ass' ,as Anthony would put it, in no time."
"Thanks Ducky." Gibbs replied, the ghost of a grin playing on his face.
"Semper Fi Jethro."
"Semper Fi."
