A/N: okay here it is the next instalment of this story for you lovely people. In the light of the recent events I feel like I should be posting fluffy happy stories. but I had written this chapter and many more, before the release of that catastrophic news, and I can't change that now, but rest assured there will be happy times in this story, or as happy as it can realistically get based on the circumstances of the story. For now it is still intense but nothing major, it is just hurt/comfort and a revengeful Tony. Also I have written an new story named 'new beginnings' it is a fluffy, romantic story so do check it out .And also thank you very much for all your amazing reviews and support without which I wouldn't be writing, you people helped me get through the initial shock of that news and specially thanks to my guest reviewer Liz, and no worries readers we will keep the spirit of Ziva alive.
DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters or NCIS I do not make any sort of profit from this.
CHAPTER 8
Ziva had cried herself to sleep on her couch, and when she opened her eyes she saw that it was still dark outside but it had started to rain. She looked toward the DVD player to see it was almost 2'o' clock in the morning.
Ziva sat on the couch her knees pulled towards her chest and head resting on them crying her eyes out, thinking about what had happened earlier.
She felt incredibly bad for being unreasonably afraid of her best friend and pushing him out when she needed him the most. He was trying to help her out and it was no surprise that he felt angry, he was most likely at his apartment blaming for what had happened to her.
She felt as if she was being suffocated sitting in her couch, she moved towards her window to get some fresh air. The light wind from the unseasonal rain felt cool on her already damp cheeks, through her blurred vision she saw Tony's car still parked on the street opposite her apartment.
She wondered what his car was still doing on the street; she wiped her cheeks furiously clearing all the evidence of tears and ran out of her door towards the stairway.
She reached the lobby panting and breathing heavily, to see Tony sitting on the stairs outside the apartment building.
He was sitting on the stairs, head cradled in his hands, completely drenched from the rain, and shoulders sagged in defeat.
"Tony!" she called out to him.
Tony's head snapped up as soon as he heard her voice. He stood up from where he was sitting and turned to see Ziva standing there, her face had tears running down it uninhibited.
As soon as he turned around Ziva ran towards him and into his embrace crying relentlessly. She didn't mind a bit that she was drenched completely by the rain.
Tony held her close, her head tucked under his chin, he closed his eyes and whispered into her soft hair, "I am sorry I failed you Ziva." Ziva was choked by her emotions that all she could do was shake her head into his chest.
"I'll never let you down Ziva, I'll make that bastard pay for this, I'll be there even if it is the last thing I'll ever do." he said to her.
Ziva moved away from his chest looked at him for a moment; she then took his hand in hers and led him upstairs to her apartment.
Once inside Ziva went to her room and changed into dry clothes and came outside holding a towel for Tony to dry himself.
Sorry I don't have anything you can change into." she said as she saw tony dripping water on her carpet.
"Don't worry I'll go and get my Gym bag from the car." he said and went out to get it.
THE NEXT MORNING
Tony lay on his side, wide awake after a restless night on the couch. He heard movement in the kitchen; he got up and peeked into the kitchen to see Ziva moving around making coffee.
"Do you need some?" she asked all of a sudden, sensing his presence behind her without even turning to look.
Tony smiled to himself seeing Ziva was somewhat her ninja self rather than the sobbing frightful mess she was the previous night, this is what he wanted for her, her to be normal again, to be happy, but unfortunately for both of them he knew it was a long road ahead for her to achieve either of that.
Suddenly Ziva stood before him offering a cup of steaming coffee, breaking him from his trance." figured you needed this as much as I do." she said noticing the dark circles around his eyes that indicated lack of sleep, not just from the previous night alone but for many nights recently.
He took the coffee from her and followed her to the couch.
They sat silently beside each other sipping on their coffees. Tony looked up from where his gaze was fixed and looked instead at Ziva; he took a deep breath and started talking what was on his mind.
"Ziva I think you should take a couple more days off, you don't have to even tell Gibbs I'll just convince him of what you said to him yesterday." he said look at her.
"I am fine Tony." she said in a clipped tone.
He huffed out irritatingly and shook his head in disbelief.
Ziva understood what she had just done, she placed the coffee cup back on the table, she sat sideways looking at tony.
She place a hand on his knee prompting him to look up, "I didn't mean that I was fine in spite of what was done to me, I am not any super woman and I know that, what happened to me two nights ago was brutal, I was violated and I am reminded that every time I walk or breathe." she said tears welling up in her eyes.
"Ziva..." he started but was cut off by Ziva shaking her head.
"Tony you don't understand, I have to do this. I desperately need to get out of here. I can't stay here for a moment reliving what transpired within this house. It is too much to endure I...I feel like I am being strangled the more I sit here doing nothing."
"You don't have to be here, you can pick a few things for yourself and I will drop you off at my place, you can rest there as long as you want." Tony offered, desperately trying to make her stay at home and rest.
"No Tony that is not what I meant, it doesn't matter where I am, I carry the nightmare with me." She said as she turned to face the window and slumped back into the pillows.
"I need to do what I do best, get out and catch some bad guys, I can't live with myself if I sit all day trying to chase away the nightmares, besides I have you to have my back, and as long as that is there I will feel way better than being holed up somewhere." she said as she rested her head on the back cushion and looked sideways at Tony.
Tony smiled and reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ears.
08:00
NCIS BULLPEN
Ziva sat at her desk typing up an old case report when she heard the distinct ding of the elevator.
she didn't even look up as she greeted Gibbs," good morning Gibbs" she said in the most pleasant voice she could manage.
McGee had a slight frown on his face as his gaze kept shifting between Tony who was staring intently at Ziva every now and then, Ziva who was fidgeting uncomfortably on the chair but blissfully unaware of Tony's intense scrutiny, and Gibbs who since his arrival was standing just outside the bullpen looking just as intently at Ziva.
Ziva looked up when she didn't see Gibbs's shadow cross her desk. Gibbs who was standing beside her desk placed the coffee cup on her desk and knelt in front of her turning her chair to look at him, he tapped his fingers against the long sleeved jacket she was wearing that covered her scars.
She shook her head pleading him not to do what he was about to do. He moved the material up her arm and looked at the scars littered across her skin.
"Ziva go down to Ducky." he said softly.
"No, I don't need a check up." she said as few tears dropped from her eyes.
"Ziver" he said in a pleading tone, placing a hand on her cheek.
She flinched away from his touch and kept her eyes on her interlocked fingers.
Gibbs sighed and looked towards Tony and McGee and with a stoic expression ordered "Abby has a lead on the case, come on."
ABBY'S LAB
The elevator came to a stop on the floor of Abby's lab. The four of them got off the metal box and walked towards the lab.
Abby who was working on her computer spun around to see her favourite team walking in. She noticed that Ziva was back after her sick day and ran towards her and enveloped her in the bear hug she usually gives everyone.
Ziva not expecting screamed out in shock rather than pain and stumbled back and fell on the floor.
Tony who was right behind her caught her midway through the fall before she hit her head, "hey, you alright? Are you hurt." he asked concerned by her violent fall.
Tears were streaming down her face, when she looked up at him, then abruptly stood up and ran out of the lab towards the staircase.
Tony ran out right behind her and stopped when he saw her sitting beside the stairwell door.
He approached her and sat beside her, "hey Ziva look at me." he said
Ziva looked up into his eyes and asked "why? Why can't I have a normal life? Why does everything have to be so complicated?"
"Ziva everything is going to be alright." he tried to console.
"No I just screamed when Abby hugged me, I scared her Tony, she is like my sister and I scared her." she said with tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.
"It's alright Ziva you were just surprised, you are not ready for surprising physical contact, but you will be alright eventually, I'll be there Ziva every step of the way." Tony said as he cradled her close to his chest.
"You told Gibbs didn't you?" she asked her voice muffled by his shirt.
Tony sighed and answered, "Yeah I did, I had to."
"You promised you wouldn't say." she said
"That is if you took a few more days off Ziva, even then I would have told him." he said as he lifted her head to make her look at him.
"You are his adopted daughter Ziva, this doesn't concern only you, and it matters to all of us. Besides I want to hunt that scumbag down, and I want Gibbs beside me to rip him off when we get a hold of him." he said.
Ziva shook her head and started protesting when Tony laid a finger on her lips to stop her.
"This is not up for discussion Zi, I will find him and I will make him regret the day he was born."
A/N: So what do you think? Please, please, please leave a review I can't emphasise enough on how much I need it. And hugs to the whole NCIS fandom, you are not alone we are there for each other.
