Chapter Eleven
Hospital rooms all had one in thing in common they were places you just didn't want to wake up in because it meant you'd been injured. Consciousness slowly returned for Tony. He opened his eyes and immediately took in the salient facts that the room had all the warmth and medical equipment of hospital room. Along with the sight, he smelled coffee so Gibbs either had been there or was there, and someone was holding his right hand. Looking down he saw Ziva sleeping in a chair and holding his hands. With further exploration, he saw Gibbs in the corner seated and sipping a coffee.
"Hey, Boss," he said in a hoarse voice.
"DiNozzo, are you trying to get yourself killed?" asked Gibbs. "You got yourself a nice concussion and a large, sharp piece of wood stuck in your back right under your right shoulder blade. Do you like to get into trouble?"
"Not that I am aware of, Boss," said Tony. "How's Lieutenant Hess?"
"Fine. She's a little bruised and battered along with dehydrated and hungry, but she was the one who dragged your ass to shore. She is going to be released today and I'm driving her to NCIS to take her statement," said Gibbs.
"She see who kidnapped her?" asked Tony.
He asked but he knew that they weren't going to be that lucky. Enigma was too smart for that. The bastard wouldn't let this end that easily.
"No. She told us she was at a bar. After she finished her drink, she left to go to her car then started feeling tired and dizzy. She passed out and woke up on the boat tied up and blind folded," explained Gibbs.
"When can I get out of here?" Tony asked.
"Ask Ziver when she wakes up. She's been in charge of taking care of you, DiNozzo," Gibbs smiled. "It seems that you belong to her."
Gibbs stood up and stretched, "Well, I better let Detective Hawes know that you are awake and feeling better. He sent everyone back to DC, but has stayed himself."
"Tell him to go home and see his family and I'll talk to him later," said Tony.
"Rest," said Gibbs then he exited.
Tony lay back down in the bed and tried to do as he was told. Unfortunately, rest was coming easy. Yes, they saved the marine lieutenant but all that would manage to do was make Enigma double his efforts to show up Tony in their game.
"You should sleep," he heard Ziva's voice say softly.
He opened his eyes and looked at her. She was wild haired and disheveled and the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in his life.
"Sorry," he said.
"About what?" she asked.
"Almost getting killed," he said.
"You should be. You do not take chances like that without having backup. You have a whole unit full of detectives working for you but you decided to be the lone cowboy," she stated.
"That's Lone Ranger," he smiled.
"Do not correct me right now," she warned him.
There was no room for argument in her tone, which made him smile. The one thing he didn't want to do with her was argue.
"I love you, Zi," he said.
Her eyes opened just a little wider. She wasn't expecting this from him. Maybe she knew he felt this way, but she didn't expect him to say it so soon.
"You hit your head harder than I thought. I should get the doctor," she said.
"Nay, I hit it just right. I don't need a doctor," he smiled.
"Tony," she said then took a pause.
He knew the tone all too well. She was going to apply the brakes to the situation, add a little logic and Israeli common sense, but he wasn't going to have that.
"Zi, you don't have to say it in return. You don't have to love me even. All you have to do is know that I love you and I'm no longer willing to hide from it. Maybe it was the hit on the head, but I don't want to hide my feelings about you any longer. I guess you're just going to have to live with my feelings towards you," he told her.
He waited for her response. At first, her face was scrunched up in annoyance. He had gotten by her defenses before she had a battle plan, but then her expression change and his heart sang. Her Mona Lisa smile made an appearance. It was the same one he snapped a photo of in Paris. It was the smile that gave his heart hope.
"You are too stubborn for your own good, Inspector DiNozzo," she said.
"I know, Special Agent David," Tony said.
"You almost got yourself killed, Tony; I can't let that happen. We have too much to work out between us. You know that I also have feelings for you," Ziva said.
Tony tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her towards him. She didn't fight him. Instead, she allowed him to pull her into his arms and into his bed.
"I'm sorry, Zi," he said.
"Are you, Tony?" she asked.
"Yeah, I am. I didn't mean to worry you. I meant to beat Enigma. The bastard can't be allowed to win this game between us. I have to beat him," Tony said.
"I know, Ahuvi Sheli," she said.
"Ahuvi Sheli?" he asked.
"My love," she smiled.
"I like that," he grinned. "Now when I can I go home?"
"I will talk to the doctor," she said.
"Thank you, love," he said.
NCIS
Ziva got permission to take him home under the condition that he wasn't left alone for the first twenty-four hours. She drove them to her apartment first to pick up a few things then to his apartment. As he was trying to open their door, his neighbor Jordan came out of her apartment. She was holding her smartphone to her ear as if she was listening to someone. As she brought it down Tony thought she had taken of photo of him and Ziva but disregarded it as paranoia.
"Hey, Tony," she said then looked at the bandage on his forehead and then Ziva. "You okay?"
Ziva looked at his neighbor. She didn't want to feel jealous of the attractive woman, but she couldn't help herself. Now that she was trying to have a relationship with Tony, she was feeling territorial.
"Jordan. I'm fine," he said then he looked from Ziva, who looked guarded if not annoyed by his neighbor's presence, to Jordan. "Jordan, this Ziva David, my ex-partner at NCIS…"
"And his friend," she completed his sentence.
"Well, it good seeing you again, neighbor," she said.
"Have a good one, Jordan," he said then let him and Ziva into his apartment.
Once they were inside, Ziva dropped her bag and wrapped her arms around Tony. A passionate kiss and caress of his face later, she let go of him.
"Jordan is no one. I never even dated her. Hell, I haven't been dating much lately anyhow. I guess I've been wanting more out of life, out of relationships lately," he admitted.
"You shall have more than," she smiled. "Go sit down on the couch and I will make you some real food. I know you hate hospital food."
"God, I love you," he said with a big grin.
"Thank you," she said sweetly then she went into the kitchen and opened his refrigerator door.
He sat down on the couch. From his comfortable vantage point, he heard her sigh of exasperation. If he wasn't mistaken, she had just found out his deep dark secret: he hardly ever had food in the house. He lived on takeout and restaurant food.
"Tony, all you have is beer, old pizza, old Chinese, and not much else in your refrigerator," she said.
She came into his living room. Tony tried to hide his amusement.
"Okay, I still live like a college student," he said.
"This I cannot allow. You need to eat healthier," she said.
"I hope you don't mean vegetables," Tony sighed.
"Yes, I do," Ziva countered.
"There is no use in arguing with you, is there?" he asked.
"No. And the sooner you come to understand this the better it will be for you," she said. "I'm going out and getting you some proper food then bringing it back here and making you a proper meal. I thought pasta primavera would be nice."
"I wouldn't mind that," Tony smiled.
"Good," she said then she walked over to him and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.
"We could order in and have food delivered to us," he suggested.
"I want you eating healthy and the best way to assure that is to cook the food myself," she said.
"Okay, you win," he said. "I'll sit here and pass out while you go and collect the makings of a late lunch."
She kissed him again, "I'll be back as soon as I can."
NCIS
Ziva returned, made them pasta, and then ended up in Tony's bed. They made love for hours without talking. Instead of conversation or talk, they allowed for their pent up passion for each other to spill out and break on the rocks of their lovemaking. After all these years, they had as much not to talk about as they did to talk about. Once they were finally spent, they fell asleep in each other's arms.
Tony wasn't sure what time it was when his smartphone rang. He reached for it and answered it.
"Yeah," he said in a confused hoarse voice.
Ziva's head didn't leave his chest.
"Boss, we have a body and it's from Enigma," said Hawes.
"Tell me about it," he said.
"I got a call from a burner cellphone. The voice was run through one of those machines that distorts it. It said that Inspector Batman won a round so he had a gift for you. He gave me an address in Georgetown. I called in Holloway and Justiz and then we checked out the address. It belonged to," Hawes paused.
"Who did it belong to, Jason?" asked Tony.
"A Ziva David," he said.
Tony's stomach turned, "Was there anyone in the apartment?"
"Yes," he said. "A woman with long dark brown hair. She had her throat cut. A very pretty girl. We are checking her prints now."
"I'll be there soon. I'm going to call in NCIS on this one, too," Tony said.
"Don't blame you. They have to protect one of their own," he said.
"Yeah," Tony said then hung up.
He placed the smartphone back on the night table. Ziva sighed.
"What is wrong?" she asked.
He kissed her head, "I'm going to protect you with my life if I have to, ZI."
"Tony, what is wrong?" she asked.
"Enigma killed someone and put them in your apartment," he said.
She sat up like a bolt and stared at him. He saw no fear in her eyes or face, but anger. If he was honest with himself, he'd rather see fear in her eyes. Enigma should be taken seriously.
"I will kill the bastard," she said.
"We need to get dressed and check it out. I also want to call Gibbs," he said.
"Go on," she said as she tossed off the sheet and got out of bed. "I am taking a shower then we will go."
"Zi, I meant what I said. I won't let him touch you," said Tony.
"I will accept you as a lover or boyfriend, maybe even something more, but not as a protector, Tony. I can take care of myself," she said then left.
He laid back done in bed and sighed. What was difficult now had become even more so and even more painful. But wasn't that what he wanted.
It took less than an hour but they arrived on site. Gibbs was already there with Hawes. He looked like a man ready to chew heads off live chickens. Jimmy was there with his assistant. Hawes had them waiting.
"DiNozzo, tell him that you are okay with NCIS doing the autopsy," growled Gibbs.
"It's okay, Detective," said Tony. "They can get it done quicker than us and with quicker labs."
"Okay, Boss," said Hawes then he nodded at Jimmy.
Jimmy looked over at Tony, who nodded yes. The NCIS ME and his assistant went to the body. Tony looked over at Ziva, who was pacing like a caged animal. Gibbs walked over to Tony.
"He's coming for her because of you. What do you intend to do?" asked Gibbs.
This was his form of tough love, a kick in the head or a smack in the teeth in order to get the person to react the way he wanted. He especially knew how to motivate Anthony DiNozzo.
Tony glared at him for a moment, "NCIS and Metro are now working this case together. As for Special Agent David, I request her as a liaison until this case is closed."
Gibbs smiled, "Will you take care of her, DiNozzo?"
"You know I will, Boss," said Tony.
"We'll talk to Vance tomorrow. We make this work," said Gibbs then he moved in close. "Keep her by your side."
"Yes, Boss," said Tony.
