What Is It You Want Most?
Tony didn't hear the sirens until they were screaming on top of him. The paramedics saw him trying to revive Ziva and ran over immediately. They gently pushed Tony aside and began working on Ziva.
"What's her name?" the one paramedic asked. This is where time came to a standstill for Tony, he knew that she would be less likely to respond to Lisa, but it might blow their cover if Vance came out to see the damage.
"Lisa," Tony said, making his decision.
"How old is she?" the other paramedic asked. Tony tried to remember, she had mentioned it before and he had read it in her file.
"Twenty-eight," Tony said finally. The paramedic who asked picked up the radio and called it in.
"We have a twenty-eight year old female, victim of the NCIS bombing, unconscious, multiple lacerations on her arms. Heart rate is one-twenty, BP is seventy over ninety, and respiration is thirty-two," the paramedic said.
"Where are you taking her?" Tony asked, following the paramedics after they had strapped Ziva onto the bodyboard.
"Bethesda," the paramedic who had asked for Ziva's name said.
"I'm coming with her," Tony said.
Gibbs ran outside just in time to see Tony follow a paramedic into an ambulance. Gibbs knew that this could only mean one thing; Ziva had been hurt in the explosion. Gibbs ran back inside, around the destruction and ran back to the lab.
"Zi-Lisa was hurt in the explosion," Gibbs said breathlessly when he arrived at the lab.
"Where are they taking her?" Abby asked, tears slowing forming in the corners of her eyes.
"Probably Bethesda," McGee said.
"Then let's go," Abby said as she tried to bolt towards the door, but McGee grabbed her arm and held her back.
"Abby, you can't go bolting off to be by the side of a woman you supposedly just found out about yesterday," McGee said.
"Tony will need, us, isn't that a good enough reason?" Abby said.
"No, Abby," Gibbs said gently. "We don't want Vance to suspects Lisa's real identity." Tears were now pooling in Abby's eyes and her lip quivered.
"But she needs us," Abby whispered.
Once Tony arrived at the hospital with the paramedics, he was shoved out into the ER waiting room with nurse's promising to update him on Ziva's condition. Tony couldn't escape the image of Ziva laying in the street, her own blood pooling beneath her.
Through his silent depression, he heard the hurried footsteps and loud babbling that he had come to associate with Abby. She appeared around the corner and flew into Tony's arms.
"Thank God you're okay," Abby said, but when she pulled her hands away, they had blood on them. "Tony, you're bleeding," Abby said, horrified.
"Really?" Tony asked, feeling the back of his head. Sure enough, it felt sticky and wet.
"Nurse," Abby yelled and one came running over.
"What's the problem?" the nurse asked and then saw the blood on both Abby's and Tony's hand. "Who's bleeding?"
"I am," Tony said.
"Come with me, I'll fix you up," the nurse said, leaving Abby to wait for the rest of the team.
While the nurse was irrigating Tony's wound, Tony thought to ask about Ziva.
"There was a woman brought in, from the NCIS explosion, she's my wife, do you know how she is?" Tony asked.
"No, but I can find out for you," the nurse said as she began stitching up the cut on the back of Tony's head.
"Could you, please?" Tony asked, his voice cracking. The nurse noticed and her expression softened.
"What's her name?" the nurse asked.
"Lisa DiNozzo," Tony said. The nurse waved over an orderly and whispered in his ear. He quickly disappeared, leaving the nurse to finish stitching Tony's head.
Ziva was floating in the same white room that she had been dreaming about. She was still covered in blood which sharply contrasted with the stark white of the room. The mirror was gone and she believed herself to be alone, until Jenny walked into the room.
"Red does nothing to flatter you, Ziva," Jenny said.
"It always did look better on you," Ziva replied.
"I'm impressed, you adopting your disguise from Cairo. Trying to remember me?" Jenny asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I never pegged you to be nostalgic."
"I know," Ziva said. "Am I dead?"
"No," Jenny said. "You're in between."
"I've been dreaming about this place," Ziva said.
"I know," Jenny said.
"Can I ask you something?" Ziva asked.
"Sure," Jenny said.
"Did you know?" Ziva asked.
"About what?" Jenny asked, clearly confused.
"About Vance," Ziva said. Jenny sighed deeply and she looked ashamed.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell anyone? You could have prevented Vance from becoming director in the first place," Ziva said.
"I don't know," Jenny said. Suddenly, the room became darker and Jenny started fading from view. "Tell Jethro I love him."
After Gibbs had convinced his team to stay and process the scene, he and McGee followed Abby to Bethesda. They found Abby sitting in the waiting room by herself.
"Where's Tony?" Gibbs asked.
"He had a cut on the back of his head," Abby said. "A nurse took him back." Gibbs looked around to make sure that no one from NCIS was around and then looked back at Abby.
"And Ziva?" Abby shrugged her shoulders.
"No idea," Abby said. Just then, Tony walked down the hallway.
"DiNozzo," Gibbs yelled.
"Yeah, Boss," Tony said, looking confused. He hadn't even been around Gibbs long enough to go something wrong.
"How's your head?" Gibbs asked, a smile gracing the corner of his mouth.
"Excuse me," a doctor said from behind McGee. "I'm looking for the family of Lisa DiNozzo." All four of them swiveled their heads towards the doctor.
"I'm her husband," Tony finally spoke up.
"Your wife is awake and doing fine," the doctor said.
"Can I see her?" Tony asked.
"Of course. She was also asking for a Jethro Gibbs," the doctor said. Tony and Gibbs looked at each other but followed the doctor down the hall.
When they got to Ziva's room, she was sitting up in bed, looking bored.
"Hey," Tony said as he sat down on the bed next to her and took her hand in his. "How do you feel?"
"I feel fine," Ziva snapped.
"What did the doctor say?" Gibbs asked.
"That I must stay overnight for observation," Ziva said.
"Then you'll stay overnight," Tony said, looking at Gibbs for help. Ziva opened her mouth to respond but was silenced when Gibbs looked at her.
"We'll wait for you," Gibbs said, answering Ziva's unvoiced question.
Hehe, another cliffy, although not quiet and hanging as the last chapter's.
I would just like to say I told you so to aserene, who told me I was dead……… (Hehe, I know you were kidding)
Also, thank you Cable Addict for that invigorating pep talk yesterday. I didn't finish it last night because there was a thunderstorm. And thank you also for giving me ideas when I go stuck.
Please review, you know you want to!
Much Love,
Vamp
