Eleven

"My name is Ziva Channa David, and I am an NCIS Special Agent." Ziva said confidently.

Jordan stood up and walked around his table. "You were the agent who officially arrested the defendant, is that correct agent David?" He asked.

Ziva nodded. "Yes, I was. Agents Gibbs and McGee were there as well."

"So how did you find yourself out in the woods to arrest mister Clemens? What happened that day?" Jordan asked.

Ziva took a deep breath. "Agent McGee gave me the coordinates, where they thought mister Clemens was. I arrived at the house first and approached on foot." She said.

"By yourself?" Jordan asked.

Ziva nodded. "Yes."

"Why didn't you wait for backup, agent David?" Jordan asked.

"Because we did not know how long mister Clemens would remain in the house, if he was even there at all." Ziva told him.

Jordan nodded. "Alright, so you approach the house, what happened next?"

"I opened the front door and entered the house."

"Was mister Clemens inside?" Jordan asked.

Ziva nodded. "Yes, he was in the living room watching television. He turned and noticed me and asked me who I was. I told him."

"And what did mister Clemens do?" Jordan asked.

"He bolted out the back door. I went after him, through the woods behind the house." Ziva said.

"Obviously you caught him." Jordan stated.

Ziva nodded. "I actually lost sight of him, and he jumped me."

"You fought?" Jordan asked.

Ziva nodded again. "Yes, Clemens knocked my weapon out of my hands. He grabbed me, and I struck his hand and then his cheek. He managed to knee my stomach and throw me to the ground."

"What were your injuries agent David?" Jordan asked.

"I had a bruise similar to the one agent DiNozzo had on his back on my stomach. And my entire left side, from my ribs to my knee was bruised."

"Okay, so you're on the ground, how did you come to control mister Clemens?" Jordan asked.

"I was well trained." Ziva stated. "I got up and threw a punch and I kneed mister Clemens in the groin. He fell and I picked up my weapon."

Jordan nodded. "Had agents Gibbs and McGee arrived by this time?"

Ziva nodded. "Yes, they had just gotten there. I used agent McGee's handcuffs, and I read mister Clemens his Miranda Rights, and agents Gibbs and McGee transported him back to NCIS headquarters."

"Did you have any contact with mister Clemens after you handed him over to agent Gibbs at headquarters?" Jordan asked.

"No, I did not."

Jordan nodded. "Thank you agent David." He said. "No further questions."

Jordan turned and walked back to his chair and Ziva watched closely as Scott Lincoln lumbered toward the witness stand.

"Agent David, why did you use agent McGee's handcuffs to arrest my client?" Lincoln asked.

"Because I did not have my own." Ziva told him.

"Why not? Were you not on duty?" Lincoln asked.

Ziva shook her head. "No, I wasn't technically."

"Then how did you know where to find mister Clemens?"

"I was told by agent McGee." Ziva said.

"Why? Did he not think that he and agent Gibbs could handle the arrest?" Lincoln questioned.

"Of course, they could have. Agent McGee called to tell me because I am in a relationship with agent DiNozzo." Ziva told him.

"So, you wanted to arrest mister Clemens for what? Revenge? You wanted to get a few swings in before he was out of your sight again?" Lincoln asked, his voice getting louder with every question he shot at her.

Ziva did her best to keep her expression neutral and her breathing calm. She was about to open her mouth to respond when Jordan stood up from his chair.

"Objection! Your Honor, why is mister Lincoln treating the witness as hostile?" Jordan asked.

Judge Anderson nodded. "I have to agree with mister Jordan here, mister Lincoln, settle down."

XXXXX

Tony sighed as he flopped down onto the couch, opposite Abby. He ran his hand through his hair nervously.

"I wanna know what Lincoln's asking her." He told Abby.

Abby smiled sadly. "She'll tell you as soon as she gets home." She reminded him.

Tony nodded. "I know, I just… I don't know. I don't want her to have to face him." He said. He knew it didn't make any sense, but he also knew Abby would figure out a way to make it make sense.

"Lincoln or Clemens?" Abby asked.

Tony chuckled lightly. "Both… I didn't want any of you to have to face them." He told her sadly.

Abby reached out to squeeze his hand. "We aren't scared of them." Abby told him. "Especially not Ziva."

Tony nodded silently.

"She'll probably have to try really hard to find a reason not to hit him." Abby mused.

"She's protective." Tony said.

Abby smiled. "She has been since the day we met her. Of all of us… mostly you, but she protects the people she cares about. Even if they aren't her biggest fans." Abby remembered.

Tony nodded. "Yeah you two were an interesting relationship to figure out in the beginning." He said.

Abby laughed lightly. "I didn't want her to replace Kate because I didn't want to forget her… it took me a bit to realize that nobody can replace a part of your family, but you can build on it."

Tony nodded. "Family first."

Abby nodded. "Exactly."

The two sat in silence for a moment before Abby let out a small laugh. "I wonder what Gibbs said to Lincoln when he got to cross. Lincoln looked like a kicked puppy when I walked into the room." Abby told him.

Tony chuckled. "Good. He's an ass. I'm sure he asked Gibbs the wrong question, and Gibbs put him in his place. Lincoln was called into chambers after my cross." He told Abby.

Abby's eyes widened. "Really? What did he do to be offered that pleasure?" She asked.

Tony sighed, running his hand through his hair again. "He asked a question that wasn't necessary or appropriate in the way he brought it up."

Abby nodded, understanding that Tony didn't really want to talk about it. "Good. I would've loved to have seen the look on his face."

Tony smiled. "Kicked puppy pretty much sums it up."

XXXXX

Ziva walked toward the elevator and hit the call button. She stepped back, waiting for the doors to slide open. She heard footsteps, and a voice creeped in behind her.

"Having a good time protecting your sweet little pansy agent David?"

Ziva's fist clenched and she swung around, one hand grabbing the man's throat, the other at his groin as she shoved him against the wall, not caring about the other courthouse visitors staring in their direction.

"Excuse me?" She asked angrily. She recognized him from the courtroom, he had been sitting on the defense's side of the gallery.

He seemed a little shaken by her actions, but still kept his voice steady as he said, "you heard me."

"Do you want to leave this building alive?" Ziva asked. "Because if you plan to ask me that one more time you better be sure your answer is no." She growled.

She held him there for a few minutes before she heard someone approaching with police officers.

"Is there a problem here?" One of the officers asked Ziva.

Ziva released her hold on the man's throat and groin. "No problem at all. He knows his mistake, and he will not make it again."

The officer nodded. "Are you sure ma'am?" He asked.

Ziva looked over the man carefully once more before she nodded. "Yes, I am sure." She said as she reached over to press the call button for the elevator again.

"Sir, why don't you come with us for a few minutes?" She heard the second officer speak as the doors slid open in front of her and she stepped into the elevator and took a deep breath.

She hated it when people snuck up behind her. She always had, but after Saleem and his men were so quiet… she didn't understand how they could be that quiet to her well-trained ears, managed to sneak up on her in that room time and time again.

The elevator doors slid open to reveal the courthouse lobby and she shook herself out slightly before she walked across the marble floors toward the parking lot.

XXXXX

Ziva opened her apartment door twenty-five minutes after she left the courthouse. She was thrilled to find Abby and Tony on the couch, talking animatedly about something she was sure she had never heard of.

They noticed her come in and waved briefly before going back to their conversation. Ziva slipped her shoes off and walked down the hall into the bedroom.

She changed her clothes quickly and walked back out into the living room. She sat down on the edge of the couch beside Tony and wrapped her arm around his waist gently. She turned to kiss his cheek softly.

Abby smiled brightly when she saw Tony's face light up when Ziva kissed his cheek.

"I missed you." Tony said quietly as he leaned into Ziva.

Ziva smiled a bit. "I missed you too."

"How'd it go?" Abby asked curiously.

Ziva sighed. "Jordan's questions were fine. Lincoln and his cross… ninety percent of his questions revolved around my motive for the arrest of his client."

"What was the motive?" Abby asked.

"According to Lincoln? Revenge. Can a law enforcement officer not just do something because it is the right thing to do? On duty or not?" Ziva asked.

Abby shrugged.

"It kinda was revenge Zi." Tony pointed out.

Ziva sighed. "I know, but that wasn't the entire situation. And just because I am in a relationship with you doesn't mean I wouldn't do the same thing for anyone else on the team." She retorted.

Tony smiled softly. "I know you would. I really don't think the jury is buying any of Lincoln's crap." He told her.

Ziva nodded. "I hope not."

"What else did he ask you?" Tony asked.

"It was honestly almost all about me not following protocol. I went in first, without backup, when I was technically off duty…" She trailed off. "Anderson was angry for a little while… apparently Lincoln felt that I was hostile, and he kind of started to question me like I was." Ziva told them.

Abby nodded. "Good. He's a prick." She stated bluntly.

Ziva nodded. "He is."

Abby grabbed her bag off of the coffee table in front of her. "I should get going, Wednesday is bowling day with the nuns."

Tony and Ziva smiled.

"Alright. I wanna hear the score." Tony said.

Abby stood up to hug them both. "You will. I'll see you guys later."

"Bye Abby." Ziva said as she watched the dark-haired scientist leave the apartment.

"Marshall testifies tomorrow and then defense presents their case." Tony stated.

Ziva nodded. "We do not have to go." She told him.

Tony nodded. "I know… I kind of want to though. I want to know what kind of asshole follows someone's lead in a rape." He said.

Ziva nodded. "Well let's just see how the rest of today and tonight go, and if you still want to in the morning we can."

Tony nodded. "Alright." He said simply. "Movie?" He asked.

Ziva nodded. "You pick it. I will go make popcorn." She told him.

Tony arched his neck to kiss her cheek softly. "Sounds good."