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Chapter 11

The shot was accompanied with a breath-taking bang. At the same moment as the shot went off, he felt how somebody packed him from behind and pulled him to the ground. Ziva. Good to know that at least one of us reacted in time. He drew his gun simultaneously to Ziva and aimed it at Hayes.

„NCIS! Put your gun down and hands where we can see them Hayes, or this will end badly for you." Tony shouted at Hayes.

Hayes seemed to realize the situation he was in and laid his gun on the ground and raised his hands in surrender. „Man, I didn't know that you two are cops. I thought you're were some burglars."

„Well, you should always make sure who's standing in front of you before you shoot. " While Ziva still aimed her gun at Hayes as a precaution that he wouldn't get any stupid ideas, Tony cuffed Hayes. „You are under arrest."

„What?! Why?"

„Because of a violent attack on two federal agents. But don't worry, I'm sure we'll find some more to grant you a free vocation behind jail."

Tony and Ziva were standing behind the one-way mirror of the interrogation room and were waiting for Gibbs. Hayes sat, chained at the table, quietly on the chair and stared directly at the one-way mirror. Even though he couldn't really see through it, he seemed to know that they were there.

Tony thought again about the situation at Hayes' home. It could have easily turned out the other way. If it hadn't been for Ziva, he'd now be lying on an OP table and possibly be fighting for his life. That is, if he would've come that far. Maybe the bullet would've hit him at an inconvenient spot and he'd have died because of his injuries right then. Jo would have lost her father. Though Tony was no religious person, he thanked God for the fact that he survived the morning. But Tony also knew that he didn't owe just God for that.

„Hey, err, because of this morning ….thank you that you pulled me out of the line of fire. It would've end up badly for me if it weren't for you. "

Ziva looked at him and gave him a small smile. „We are partners, or did you already forget that? You would have done the same for me."

„Of course! But after all that has happened between us lately..."

„Tony, you have said yourself that whatever happens between us at the moment, we will always be, professionally, partner. This also means that we will always have each other's backs. I will always have your back."

Tony gave Ziva a soft and warm glance, which let's Ziva's heart flutter. This moment felt like one of the moments before Bodnar, Adam and Amelia. When everything was okay. She was happy that her actions at Hayes' house lead to this reaction. But for her this had been a natural move. She could've never forgiven herself if something would've happened to him. She couldn't imagine a world without Tony, without her partner. It didn't matter how hard the times were and will be with Tony, the thought of living a life without Tony somehow in it, caused her pain.

And she couldn't bear the thought that Amelia could've lost her father. She hadn't had the best relationship with her father, but his death had hurt her very much. Amelia and Tony seemed to have a better relationship and thus Ziva believed that the pain Ziva suffered by Eli's death would have been a thousand times bigger for Amelia.

She knew Amelia not that good and she longed for a better first meeting than they had at Gibbs', but Ziva liked her. She has a refreshing aura and she seemed to be good for Tony. She provided for the fact that he remained on the ground. They were a team. A unit and Ziva was a little bit envious about that fact. Amelia and Tony were a well functioning team, exactly like her and Tony were before their arguments. Amelia could do something that would Tony annoy, but on the contrary to her, he'll always forgive her instantly. Like a father should do. Not that she thought that what she did was alright or that Amelia would do such things but nevertheless she was a little bit jealous of their relationship.

„Thank you and I hope you know that I would've done the same for you." Tony inhaled deeply. Maybe it was time that he apologized to Ziva. He felt bad since the moment Ziva got to know about Jo. However, he repressed the guilt every time it came up again and justified himself that she too had hurt and betrayed him. But these were two different things. Just because he felt hurt and betrayed didn't justify his mistakes.

The fact that Ziva tried all the time to reconcile showed that she handled this situation like an adult, where he behaved like a little kid who didn't get cookies and stopped talking until he got some.

They both made mistakes. They both were just humans who made some mistakes now and then. What was important, however, was to forgive each other and move on and that was exactly what Ziva tried. But he was too stubborn. He hold onto the hurt feelings and blocked every attempt of Ziva. He should be lucky if she'd still forgive him.

„Ziva." Only when he had her full attention, he continued. „I'm sorry. I am really sorry. I should have told you sooner about Jo. Much sooner. We are partner and, like I see it, best friends and while you tried to sort this whole mess out like two adults, I behaved like an idiot. I don't even know why I've never told you about my daughter. There were moments, in which I was on the verge of telling you, but then I didn't know how to tell you and chickened out. Now, here am I standing before you and don't even expect you to forgive me. We hurt each other mutually and these feelings will remain for a while, but I owed you an apology and I want you to promise me something. "

„And what would that be?" Ziva was quite confused. She hasn't expected an apology from Tony right where they were. But he was right, she still felt betrayed but the apology helped.

„Don't forgive me just yet. I deserve a cold shoulder for a while."

Ziva smiled. That, she could do. „Do not worry, I will not let you off the hook just yet."

Before Tony had the chance to reply, the door opened and both expected to see Gibbs coming in the room before he'd go to interrogate Hayes, but they were surprised to see Cole instead of Gibbs. And the Team Manager certainly didn't look pleased.

„Agents David, DiNozzo, I was just in a meeting when I got informed that two of my Agents were involved in a firefight. Can one of you explain to me why I got to know this from a third party instead of you?" asked Cole angrily. However, before one of them could answer him, he continued and raised his voice. „I'm not sure whether you really understood why I'm here exactly. I'm here to control the actions of this team. I'm here to ensure that there will be no complains and inconveniences caused by your team. That means that I will get informed about everything and every field work will be discussed with me, no matter if it's a raid against a drug lord or just questioning witnesses. Only when I approved it you're allowed to do it and the arrest of Malcolm Hayes was definitely not approved by me!"

„No, the arrest of Hayes was approved by me, Team Manager Cole."Gibbs stepped unnoticed by all into the room.

„Agent Gibbs, I haven't thought you'd have problems to respect superiors."

„I don't. I just didn't want to bother you because of something as irrelevant as an arrest." replied Gibbs with a calm voice.

The Team Manager glared at Gibbs. „Next time you inform me about such matters. Do you understand?"

„Understood."

Cole glared at Tony and Ziva, telling them with his eyes that they shouldn't do something like that again and left the room without speaking another word.

„I don't like him." said Ziva.

„He doesn't make it easy for us to like him." Gibbs turned to DiNozzo. „How long were you his partner?"

„Two years, why?"

„Because you two behave like you don't know each other."

„We separated not on good terms."

„What do you mean? Did you have any problems with Cole?"

„Boss, don't be angry with me, but at the moment it is just something between me and Cole. If I have the feeling that things will go the wrong way, I'm telling you."

Gibbs looked at Tony. He didn't like it, when one of his Agents did something without the back up from the team. Even less if hinted that Team Manager Cole has something to do with that. But he trusted Tony. He knew Tony long enough to know that he'd do nothing reckless. Especially when he has to think of Amelia and her safety.

„Alright, DiNozzo. But as soon as things will get out of hand, you'll tell us. "

„Understood."

Ziva switches off her computer. Tony already went home half an hour ago to spend some time with his daughter and McGee also went home five minutes ago, wishing her a good night. Though Gibbs was still somewhere at the Navy Yard, she has no idea where he could be.

For the first time in the last three hours she looked at her mobile phone. Two missed phone calls from Adam. He slowly started to annoy her. She didn't know how she should handle their situation. He was an old friend and Ziva cared about his well-being. By no means had she ever wanted to hurt his feelings, but now, seeing that he fell in love with her, it was quite unavoidable.

If she wanted to prevent hurting his feelings, she'd have to start a real relationship with Adam, but she didn't want that. Despite the problems between Tony and her, it existed only one man she could imagine getting old with. It took a long time to get her to realize this for herself, but now when she admitted that fact to herself, she felt somehow a little bit freer. Of course she still felt hurt that Tony hadn't told her about Amelia and she liked it that Tony hadn't asked for an immediate absolution. This meant that he acknowledged his part of the guilt and that he was really sorry.

On the contrary to Tony, Adam has no problems talking about his feelings. But just like Tony he was a charming and lovable gentleman. However, Adam deserved someone better than her. Somebody who hadn't already given her heart to somebody else, somebody who didn't have that many demons to fight with and above all, somebody who would love him wholeheartedly.

Although Ziva really liked him and he helped her through hard times, she wouldn't go so far and declaring it as love. Because that would be a big lie. He was just a friend. A friend with whom she slept with in the past. There wouldn't be a future for them.

Maybe she should meet him. Then they could finally speak openly and she can try to let him know as gently as possible, that they wouldn't have a future together. She just hoped that the meeting won't end badly.

„Yes?" Cole accepted the phone call.

„Hey, it's me. Riley."

„Why are you calling me?"

„ I thought it would interest you that there were a FBI Agent and an Agent of Secret Service snooping around in your things."

„What do you mean with that?"

„Well, today the FBI guy was here and wanted a few files concerning you and your cases and that guy from Secret Service has requested your bank data."

Riley waited for a response of Cole, but he was only met with silence on the other end of the line.

„Should I take care of it?"

Cole considered briefly how he should react to that. He didn't really think that Tony would suddenly surrender. He was sure that his little visit would have egged on Tony, but he thought that it would have at least damped him and he first had to gather himself up again before he continued with his investigation. He hasn't expected that Tony would react this fast.

„No. I know what I have to do. Thanks for the warning. "

„Sure, no problem."

Cole hung up without saying goodbye. He got up and collected his things. He has to make some arrangements. If Tony wanted to play, they can play, but if he thought it would be played fair, then he was certainly wrong.

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