A/N: Okay so here is the next chapter. You people are amazing with all these reviews and follows and favourites I am overwhelmed. Keep it coming, it inspires me to write more.

DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters or NCIS I do not make any sort of profit from this.

CHAPTER 9

08:30 pm

BULLPEN

Ziva finished typing up the report of their latest case. She looked up to see the others busy with their work.

She started collecting her stuff and got ready to leave for the night. She stalled as much she could because the prospect of facing an empty house was terrifying her.

Tony looked up from his paper work and noticed Ziva was lingering at her desk, shuffling things around just to while away her time. He knew Ziva was scared but was too stubborn to admit it and ask for help.

At last she reluctantly got up from her place and started moving towards the elevator, Gibbs couldn't bear to see each of her hesitant steps, he got up and followed, when he reached her by the elevator doors where she was waiting for it to arrive, he placed a hand on her shoulder and she responded by flinching away.

"Ziver you could stay at my place, if you don't feel like going to your apartment." he said softly.

She looked up and gently shook her head, "no Gibbs it's alright, It's just silly that I feel this way about my home."

"It's not silly Ziva you have a reason to be scared." said Tony who had followed behind Gibbs.

"Give me ten minutes and we will go together." Tony said.

"No Tony you have work to do, I will be fine on my own." she said

"Ziva.." he started when she cut him off.

"Finish your work and I'll wait for you at my apartment." she said trying not to hurt Tony.

He nodded his head and went back to his desk, Gibbs too stayed with Ziva and after she got on the elevator he went back to his desk.

when they were all settled at their desks and resumed their work there was an uncomfortable silence in the air.

McGee had enough of these secrets and huffed out irritatingly, Gibbs and Tony looked up at him.

"You know this is frustrating for me too, right, seeing her hurting and not able to help. What is this all about?" he asked.

"We do need their help to track the bastard, so just tell him and get it over with, we need to use all the help we have to find him." Gibbs said to Tony.

Tony ran his hand through his hair, exhausted by the events of the past few days, he looked up at McGee and said "call Abby, she too needs to know."

NEXT MORNING

Tony was woken up from his sleep by his vibrating phone. He looked at it and saw it was Gibbs calling.

"hey boss! do we have a case" he answered

"no DiNozzo come to my basement now." he ordered and hung up.

Tony looked up at the clock and saw that it was almost 06:00. Just as he got up and started putting on his shirt, Ziva came back from her morning jog.

He was standing there with his shirt open and in his boxers, and as soon as she saw Tony in his state of undress she breathed in sharply, turned away and walked into the kitchen.

Tony slapped the back of his head himself for his stupid choice of nightwear. He made a note to bring sweatpants and shirts from his apartment.

He got ready quickly and went into the kitchen, where Ziva was standing in front of the sink gripping it tightly , making her knuckles go white.

Tony threaded his fingers through his hair worried about the condition of his friend.

"I am sorry Ziva I should have thought about what I wear before I went to bed." he said

"Please Zi look at me." he pleaded.

She turned around slowly still clutching the sink with a death grip," No Tony this is not fair to you, you should be able to go to a proper bed every night and wear whatever you want, I don't want you to have to go through this." Ziva said.

"Ziva, I don't mind any of this as long as you are feeling safe." he said.

"No this will not happen anymore, I can't make others suffer because of that bastard, tonight you are either going to sleep on my bed or going back to your place ." ziva said.

"Ziva I am not going to leave you alone unless I make sure that scumbag is dead and buried. And me being close to you in your sleep can trigger your memories..." he started saying but was cut off by Ziva.

"No, If you are not leaving, fine, but if you are going to be sleeping it will be on a bed tonight." ziva said.

"Okay, okay fine we will see about it tonight, now I need to go to my place and run some errands, see you at work." he said as he left for Gibbs's house.

GIBBS BASEMENT

"What took you so long DiNozzo?" asked Gibbs as he descended down to the basement.

"I had some errands to run." he lied he didn't want the others to worry more than they already did.

McGee was also present already dressed and ready for work. "okay, so last night after you guys left I stayed behind a little longer and delved into Ray's phone and bank records, well the phone records were useless the number is not in use any longer, but the bank records show that he had withdrawn money from his bank day before yesterday."

"I could track down the exact branch from which he had withdrawn his money, this morning I went back to the office and putting in a few request was able to extract the video footage from the parking lot cameras. and we have a licence plate number of the car Ray used." McGee said.

"And?" Tony asked.

"And I have also tried to extract the traffic camera footage, and the car appears in many of them but later it enters an alley and then doesn't appear anymore ." he continued.

"How can he just disappear?" Tony questioned frustrated that they had got so close to catching him and he just disappeared.

"I don't know Tony, he is CIA and he is good at disappearing without a trace, I am trying to figure it out." he said.

"Okay , we could ask the local police department of that area to go and find that car, also we need to know what was the closest building right next to that alley. Then we can enquire with them about Ray and that car." Tony provided.

"Yes Tony that could certainly help us." McGee said.

"Good now you two get to the navy yard and try to keep this on the down low, we don't want to make Ziva anxious." Gibbs said.

NCIS BULLPEN

01:00 PM

The MCRT had not caught any case today, so it was a day of cold cases, and paperwork.

The atmosphere in the bullpen was tense, as was usual these days. But Ziva felt something else, she felt on edge the whole day, her team mates were acting weird they were contacting people, taking down information and running off to Abby's lab now and then, they were acting as if they were investigating an active case.

At last when McGee got up to go to Abby's lab she stood up and mumbled something about lunch and lest her desk.

She caught up with McGee before the elevator doors slid shut. "You do know that, you should take the back elevator to go to Abby's lab?" she questioned.

McGee did not dare look at Ziva, in the fear of blurting out the truth." No I have to meet someone." he said in a low voice.

"You have got a lead on the cold case?" Ziva asked

"No not yet, maybe I'll know after meeting this person." he lied trying to keep his voice still.

"Sorry McGee I don't intend to be annoying but I feel you guys are hiding things from me." she said defeated.

McGee had something in his mind and he wanted to get it out desperately, so he stepped forward and flipped the emergency switch , the elevator came to a halt.

"you remember Sarah?" McGee asked out of the blue.

"Yes of course, she is your sister." Ziva replied confused as to where the conversation was heading.

"Yeah, ever since she was born I have really loved her, I used to try to be the best big brother, protect her from everything and all. Ever since I left for college I haven't been able to see her as much as I have wanted to. But when I joined NCIS that void was filled by you, You are like a baby sister to me, we might not be related by blood and you might be a very dangerous assassin but I can only see you as my little sister that I need to protect and fight for. So remember you are not alone in this, you have all of us by your side." McGee said.

"Tim, that means a lot to me and yes you are like a brother to me too. I can see how much you care for me, and I am grateful for that." she said with tears filling her eyes at the affection McGee just showed her.

McGee flipped the switch and the elevator started again. when it reached its destination and the doors opened, he reached and kissed the side of her head and left the elevator.

Ziva tried to wipe away all the tears that were pouring out, but a new one kept coming. She didn't know what she had done to deserve this but she was thankful for this family. It was her light in this darkness, a reason to believe and a reason to live.

11:00

ZIVA'S BEDROOM.

Ziva had insisted and was very stubborn that Tony should sleep in her bed and with her from that night onwards as long as he would be there in her apartment.

Albeit reluctantly, Tony agreed to this reasoning to himself that he would wake up at the slightest sign of discomfort from her. She had also wanted him to be comfortable in his night clothes but he decided that being in the same bed was enough for the night

They both lay there on opposite sides of the bed as far away as possible from each other, both of them were staring at ceiling.

"So, where is he now?" Ziva asked suddenly.

Tony was confused as to what she was asking. Then seeing her stone cold expression he figured out what she meant.

"McGee." he said in a whisper.

"Don't blame him, I kind of figured it out myself." Ziva said as she turned her head and looked at Tony.

when Tony didn't say anything she said, "I need to know Tony, being in the dark about this isn't helping me, I have to be prepared." she said.

"Ziva there is nothing to be afraid of right now. He is nowhere near you, we will make sure it stays that way." Tony assured.

"but still, where is he?" she asked inquisitively.

"We could track him to a place 80 miles from here and then he just disappeared." Tony gritted out.

"Not surprising, he is CIA, it is his job to disappear at will." she said.

"We will get him Ziva, we are better than that, and we will break him into pieces right in front of you, but promise me you will not go out looking for him without any of us." he said.

Ziva shook her head from side to side, " I won't, and please I do not need to see him ever not even his dead body. I just want to make myself believe that such a thing never existed." she pleaded.

Tony nodded his head. He was scared, this was such a different Ziva, the one he knew must have already been half way across the world seeking revenge. But this broken version of her was heartbreaking. He reached out and squeezed her hands reassuringly.

They lay there silently, each listening to the other breathe and were slowly lulled to sleep.

A/N: How was it? please leave a review and let me know. Next update will be up in a week.