Chapter Ten

"I thought we agreed she would return, I can not have her continue filling a position that doesn't exist!"

"Well than you make it exist!" Director David slammed his hand against his desk as he sat up straighter in his chair angered by what he was hearing.

"Eli I have no use for her here. I'm sorry that things fell through for you but she can't stay."

"She can and she will! She fulfilled my half of the deal and you better do the same with yours." The location had been a bust and whether he'd admit it or not he had been left scrambling.

"I don't have anything else, If you want I'll send her back with a few favors on my behalf but its the best I can do."

"Well you'll have to do better than that because right now there is no place for her! She dealt with Haswari now you deal with this!" And with that he slammed his phone down onto the receiver.
He was so angry that he didn't notice the man who had been standing outside of the slightly opened door slither away in silence.

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"Did I miss any calls?" Was Zivas first inquiry as she entered the bullpen.

"You were gone like two minutes." Tony reminded as Ziva sat down. She had been near glued to her desk phone for the past two days and when it wasn't that her cell wasn't far from her fingers.

"I'll take that as a no." She couldn't say she had expected Spencer to call but in the very least she had hoped he would, especially after McGee let her know he had been there.

"What's with the disappointment?" Tony redirected his attention to Ziva, she was ten times more interesting than his report.

"I am not disappointed." Ziva stressed as even McGee raised an eyebrow in accusation. The work ethic in this agency peeved her and though she enjoyed the banter she enjoyed her privacy more.

"Denial, tell the lady what denial means McGee." Tony tisked at her as he shook his head in disbelief.

"It usually means someone's hi-" McGee started to explain what any good probie should know but Ziva wasn't having it.

"I know what it means and I am not attempting to hide anything." She stood ready to get away from them and there for the night.

"What's his name?" Tony sung out, as he too stood joining Ziva in the middle of the bullpen.

"There is no one!" This man did not understand the meaning of privacy.

"You hear that McGee," Tony looked at McGee who was watching them with interest from his seat. "DE- NI-AL. She's definately hiding something."

"The only thing I will be hiding if you two don't leave me alone is the bodies." She whispered threateningly close as she patted his cheek lightly.

"Hope he calls!" Tony laughed as she glared at him before heading out, McGee on the other hand looked slightly wary.

"Don't be a McWorrywart," Tony squeezed McGees shoulder slightly. "she was only joking." He waited for McGee to relax a bit before whispering, "I think."

"You alright kid?" Morgan asked as he closed the door to their hotel room, Reid had plopped down on one of the double beds with an indignant sigh.

"Yeah," He rubbed his hands over his face trying to rid some of the exhaustion. "it's just been a long day."

"Well you'll get used to it, and sorry to break it to ya' but they can get even longer." They were on the third day of this case and this was the first time they were actually seeing the inside of their hotel room.

"I'm sure I will." Eventually. The jet was still something new and so were long cases. The ones he had been on were closer to home and the longest had been eight days, and though he didn't know why he felt as if this one would take triple that at least.

So he was exaggerating but who knew with how things were going, cause it certainly wasn't well.

"You want first dibbs in there or can I..." Morgan tilted his head to the opened bathroom door as he stepped on the back of one shoe to loosen it from his foot before stepping out of it, repeating the same action for the other.

"You go ahead." He barely got out before he yawned, he'd save his shower for the morning.

"Alright, I'll take fifteen - twenty tops." Morgan excused as he grabbed his bag from in front of his bed.

"That's fine." Reid agreed as Morgan turned on the bathroom light and shut the door behind him.

Stretching out Spencer kicked off his shoes as he pulled off his sweater vest. Sharing hotel rooms with Morgan wasn't the greatest but the bureau was cheap and it was better than sharing with Hotch or Gideon.

Soon after he heard the shower come on and couldn't help another yawn as he pulled down the what he hoped to be clean comforter. Sleep was the only real thing on his mind but that didn't stop him from pulling out a few case files, if he found something tonight maybe they'd be able to get home by tomorrow.

It was a ridiculous thought as he couldn't even keep his eyes focused and for the first time in his life he'd actually claim not being able to think. Grabbing his bag he returned the files retrieving something else instead, maybe it wasn't that he couldn't think, maybe it was that he was trying not to.

It had honestly slipped his mind when they had gotten this case but now his head was clear and the thought was back as he flipped her card between his fingers.

What to do was the question?

He could ignore her, make her suffer the way he had.

He could call and say they were done, that what she had done was unforgivable and he wanted no part of it or her anymore.

Could ask for space, for a chance to sort his thoughts and figure out what he wanted to do.

Now that was the real question.

What did he want to do?

What did he want?

The easy answer, the simple one was that he wanted her but was that for the best.

Did she still want him?

She was trying though wasn't she, going an hour out of the way to attempt contact. She wanted to speak with him and he wanted the same, he just didn't know how to go about it.

He was still angry and full of questions but there was another part of him, a part that grew stronger everyday that told him to be thankful he hadn't lost her and to do something about it before he did.

He grabbed his phone from the side table but just as quickly put it back.

Was he ready to have an actual conversation with her?

Did he have enough control right now to let her speak without interrupting, to actually hear what she was saying?

Only he was stuck in situations like this, it seemed like he couldn't have even one normal day in his abnormal life.

Ughh, relationships. This was why he didn't do them.

Well maybe not but still.

He did believe they were only as good as what you put into them though and right now he wasn't putting anything into theirs. He wanted to but then again he didn't know what he wanted.

One thing that he knew for sure, they needed to talk, and it wouldn't be over the phone either. No, they needed to speak face to face to figure out what they were doing together because that was a question he couldn't answer on his own.

He heard the shower go off and knew Morgan would be making an appearance soon and realized his time for these thoughts had just run out. He grabbed his phone again breathing out deeply as he closed his eyes for a second doing what was necessary before he could change his mind.

A text, probably a cowards way but it wasn't a breakup so he doubted it would really matter and he didn't want to talk to her until he could have the chance to actually speak with her.

It said simply, On a case, we'll meet when I get back.

You could consider it cold but he considered it to the point. The bathroom door opened as he finished saving her number and he quickly moved to take his turn in there.

As he adjusted the sinks temperature he was suddenly unsure, not of having sent the text but of wanting this case to be over soon.

It wouldn't be so bad if it lasted a little longer, maybe a month or two.

E/N: So I got preoccupied on a few other things and let the plot of this story slip my mind. No worries though, I'll figure it out and updates will get back to normal.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!