So I have a bunch of free time between my exams so I'm trying to do my best to get this story where it should be before I leave school. Yay! So super excited! Also I wanted to send out a huge thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I love you guys!
~A
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Before Gibbs could even blink Tony had jumped off the yacht after Ziva. He couldn't lose her this way. He knew he had a pretty good chance at saving her and prayed she hadn't been knocked unconscious by the fall. The water was absolutely freezing but Tony didn't even notice, he was on a mission. He saw Ziva still struggling against her ropes about ten feet below him. Leave it to his ninja to fight to her last breath. Tony quickly swam down to her and dragged her to the surface.
Ziva instantly took a breath of air and then proceeded to cough out the small amount of sea water she had swallowed. Her lungs were on fire and she had never been more afraid in her entire life, not even in Somalia. She would have never thought that Ray was capable of such a thing. She instantly started looking all around, nearly breaking out of Tony's grasp. Where was Ray?
"We didn't see him come back up." Tony explained sensing her thoughts. He was struggling just a little to swim them back to the boat. Ziva wished she could help him but any movement she made would only make it more difficult for Tony.
They made it back to the yacht and Tony handed Ziva up to Gibbs. It was only then that Ziva saw what condition Tony was in. The punch to his head had left a mark that was already a deep purple bruise, it looked as if his left eye was going to be a black eye by tomorrow, and he was bleeding from a cut on his leg; not to mention all the other various smaller cuts and bruises that covered his body. This was all because of her.
Tony knew what Ziva was thinking and he tried giving her the famous DiNozzo smile but it didn't seem to have any affect.
Gibbs had already called McGee and he was on his way with the local beach patrol. He saw Tony slump down in one of the chairs on the deck, completely exhausted. What the hell happened between the time the yacht left the dock and now? Gibbs then watched as Ziva faithfully took the seat next to him and laid her head on his shoulders. Ziva's eyes closed as she drifted off to sleep. Gibbs was definitely going to have a talk with DiNozzo but now was not the time or place. He needed to get these two home first.
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Ziva woke up two days later in the hospital. It literally felt as if she had been run over by a truck. She tried to shit up but found it impossible to move her left arm. She looked down at it and was completely shocked to find it in a larger plaster cast that went from her shoulder down to her fingers. She couldn't help the few tears that fell as she tried in vain to move it.
"Don't worry." A voice grumbled from the corner of the room. "Doc's said there won't be any permanent damage even though he swears that was your plan."
Ziva whirled her head around to see Tony sitting in a rather uncomfortable plastic chair. He looked exactly as he did on the boat; beside what looked like some simple stitches on his forehead. He was still wearing his tattered suit, complete with the bloody pant leg.
"You haven't gone home." Ziva said. It was a statement instead of a question.
Tony moved his chair closer to her bedside. "I couldn't just leave you here." He said, picking up her good hand and holding it in his own.
Ziva's words caught in her throat. Was this how it was going to happen? Did it really need to take both of them almost dying to admit what they felt about the other? Apparently it did.
"Tony, what is this?" Ziva asked in a whisper.
Tony gave her that famous DiNozzo smile. "I don't know yet, but honestly to me it just feels right and I'm willing to give it a try if you are." He said as he looked hopefully into her eyes.
For the first time Ziva was able to see Tony's true emotions play across his face and there was no way she could deny him.
"What about Gibbs?" She asked suddenly.
Tony shook his head. "I don't care. He doesn't need to know right away because we don't even know what we're doing yet."
Ziva simply nodded. All of her emotions were beginning to overwhelm her. Thankfully it was only Tony in the room and he had already seen her at her worst numerous times.
"So sweet-cheeks what do you say?" Tony asked with a smirk.
Ziva merely nodded again. She cursed herself for not being able to vocalize her feelings, but Tony seemed to understand. He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He then kissed her cheek and then her lips. Ziva returned the kiss with such passion that Tony almost pulled away. He definitely had not been expecting that.
A sharp knock at the door caused Tony to literally jump away just as Abby stormed in. "Ziva!" She exclaimed as she wrapped her friend tightly in a hug. Everyone else, including Ducky and Palmer, followed in after Abby.
Tony took this as his cue to stand back in the corner, his eyes never left Ziva for a second. This did not go unnoticed by Gibbs and soon Tony found himself being ordered to go home and get some rest. He cast one more glance back at Ziva and she merely nodded and smiled. They would finish this later.
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Hope you guys liked it! I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be the last.
R&R as always
~A