Title: The All-Seeing Eye
Author: rekkidbraka
Rating: T
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.
Category: Romance
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.
Spoilers: None
Summary: Tony and Ziva get the final word on whether he'll be reinstated at NCIS.

-------------------- The All-Seeing Eye ---------------------

The Director's office had always given Tony a fit of nerves. He'd never liked being summoned there -- not when he was first hired at NCIS and ever since Jenny's term as director he'd gotten even more uncomfortable in the place. His top secret undercover assignment, under Jenny, to date Jeanne Benoit as a way of helping Jenny gain information on Jeanne's father, the notorious arms dealer Rene "La Grenouille" Benoit, had given him carte blanche to come and go in the Director's office as he pleased.

But the prestige of being Jenny's chosen operative had come with a price: He'd gotten in too deep with Jeanne, found himself forced to become her lover even though he was beginning to realize his true romantic feelings for his partner, Ziva David. Tony was torn between helping Jenny, which meant keeping up the charade of being Jeanne's boyfriend, or letting Ziva know how he really felt about her.

And now, here he was, sitting in the same chair he'd spent so many hours in discussing the La Grenouille operation -- and the "progress" of his relationship with Jeanne -- with Jenny.

Tony's stomach muscles tightened. His head throbbed. He breathed hard, sweating. He hated the Director's office now. It held awful memories for him, the memories of the worst year of his life. And now this might be the place where he learned that his NCIS career was over.

Behind him, he heard the door open. Director Vance and Gibbs entered. Vance took the seat behind the desk. Tony thought of Jenny now, comparing how Vance looked in the director's chair to how Jenny had filled the seat. Even at his lowest moments and even if she was furious at him, Jenny made Tony feel warm and welcome in her presence. Vance left him cold.

Tony glanced over at Gibbs, whose ice-blue eyes were fixed on him. Despite his mentor's glare and obvious disappointment in the turn of events Tony's life had taken recently, Tony felt hopeful. Gibbs flashed Tony the slightest hint of a grin and Tony knew that somehow everything would be okay.

Ziva sat at her desk, anxiously awaiting the verdict on Tony's NCIS future. McGee, at his own desk, pretended to work but at last gave up, joining Ziva in her nervous vigil. Abby paced back and forth in the Bullpen area, saying "Okay... they CAN'T fire Tony! Because... because... we're already short-staffed and he's got way too much experience and it's not like they're just gonna go out and find someone who knows as much about how NCIS works as Tony does, right? And Gibbs! Who's Gibbs gonna slap in the back of the head if Tony's gone? Huh? Huh?" McGee gulped, his eyes widening at the thought that he'd be next in line for Gibbs-slapping. McGee's phone rang. "No, Ducky, nothing yet," he said before gently hanging up.

After what seemed like an eternity to the trio in the Bullpen, Vance, Gibbs and Tony exited the Director's office. Gibbs and Tony made their way downstairs, saying nothing. Gibbs glared at Ziva, McGee and Abby. Tony sat at his desk, opening some drawers. Ziva, McGee and Abby looked worried. Was Tony clearing out his desk?

Gibbs sat at his desk, pulling up files on his computer. Abby marched over to him.

"Let's have it!" Abby crossed her arms, frowning at Gibbs. He shot her a furious stare.

"You finish those ballistics tests I asked you for, Abs?" Gibbs turned back to his monitor.

"Details. Now." Abby wasn't budging. Gibbs sat back, staring her down. He sighed.

Getting up from his desk, Gibbs strode over to Tony's desk, smacked Tony on the back of the head and made his way back to his own desk. Settling back in, he tapped away at his keyboard and barked "And dont'cha EVER hack into my computer again, ya GOT that, DiNozzo?!!!"

Abby ran behind Gibbs' desk, grabbed him and kissed him on the cheek. He frowned, grunted and went back to work. She then ran to Tony's desk, grabbed him, kissed him on the cheek and squeaked. Then she ran off to the elevator, hit the "down" button and made her exit.

"HEY! Where's MY kiss?!!!" McGee griped, watching Abby leave.

That night, there was a knock at Tony's apartment door. He knew who it was before he answered.

"Ziva," he said, smiling as he opened the door, "Hey! C'mon in."

"I cannot stay," she replied. Tony's expression turned gloomy. "I just came by to tell you that I am glad you were reinstated."

"Uh... thanks. Why can't you come on in for a minute? Celebrate with me?" Tony smiled weakly. He, like Ziva, was clearly uncomfortable.

"No," Ziva said quietly. "I will see you tomorrow. At the office." She pressed her hand on his forearm kindly and turned to walk away.

"Ziva, wait -- what is this? You were waiting it out with me before and now we're just gonna see each other at the office?" Tony's green eyes searched her face. "What's going on?"

Ziva's dark brown eyes were pained.

"Tony, you did not trust me. You thought there was something going on between Chad and myself -- you thought I was getting involved with him... in the same way I have been involved with you." She swallowed hard. "How do you think that makes me feel? To know that after all this time, after all we have been through together, after we have become lovers... that you still do not trust me completely?" Ziva studied his face. "I trust you, Tony. I still trust you with my life -- even though you nearly got Chad, yourself and me killed. I still trust you."

Tony swallowed, his throat so tight he could barely speak.

"You're right," he whispered. "I was jealous. And I screwed everything up. For everyone." Tony looked down, fighting back hot tears. "Don't you think..." He fought to control his voice, still a whisper. "Don't you think I know that I almost got you killed, Ziva? Dammit, that's all I've been able TO think about since that night! I just play it out in my mind, over and over again -- how you threw yourself on me and you coulda taken those bullets that shoulda been meant for me. That I got those two guys killed and wrecked your assignment. That I hacked Gibbs' computer because I had to find you. Believe me... I know I've burned all my bridges." Tony sighed. "I know I'm a failure. As an agent. As your lover."

Ziva reached up to stroke Tony's cheek, brushing back a tear.

"You are not a failure, Tony. Not in any way." She gently pulled him to her, planting a tender kiss on his lips. "Certainly not as my lover." Tony held her close, hugging her against him. He didn't want to let her go.

"Ziva, I love you," Tony whispered in Ziva's ear. "I love you. Please give me another chance. Please."

"I have never stopped loving you, Tony," she replied. "And I have never given up on you." Ziva nuzzled Tony's neck. "I will see you in the morning at work. Gibbs told me he has an assignment for us." She kissed him once more, this time deeply, before leaving.

Tony leaned back against the doorframe, watching Ziva disappear down the stairs. Closing his eyes, he ran his tongue along his lips, sighed and went back inside his apartment, softly shutting the door behind him.

"You're on probationary status, DiNozzo," Gibbs said gruffly, reviewing a folder in his lap. "Based on how you perform in this assignment, you could return to normal status. Or not."

"Excuse me, Gibbs," Ziva interjected cautiously, "I thought that Tony had been fully reinstated as an NCIS agent. Is that not correct? I am confused." Tony stared down at his shiny, well-polished dark brown shoes.

"He's back," Gibbs said, "but if he screws up this operation, Vance is gonna reassign him to the Records Division. Permanently."

"Filing. Sorting. Typing on an actual typewriter. Putting little colored tabs on folders. Collecting dust and cobwebs every hour as I wither away and die alone in that mausoleum from seven to five each day. No one ever comes down to the Records Division. Siberia is a Carnival Cruise by comparison," Tony muttered, his eyes fixed on a stack of files at Gibbs' desk. "Only the freaks, geeks and paper-pushers even know where Records is."

"I still go down to the Records Division every day," Gibbs said.

"Yeah, Boss," Tony whimpered, "I know." Ziva chuckled.

"What is our assignment, Gibbs?" Ziva asked, nodding at the file her boss continued studying.

"You two are gonna go undercover as husband and wife, gettin' jobs at the El Oro Casino in Las Vegas. Guy that owns it is a suspect in the murder of a former Marine who worked for him. Body was found out in the desert. Two shots to the head, execution-style." Gibbs pursed his lips, frowning.

"Any idea on motive, Boss?" Tony asked.

"The owner, Frankie Martino, has mob connections goin' back to his father, who was a made guy in the old Vegas mafia," Gibbs said.

"Which he of course denies," Ziva said.

"Ohhhh yeaaah," Gibbs replied. "Fornell says the FBI's been watchin' Martino on suspicion of money laundering. Haven't been able to establish that connection yet. But we've got a good shot at nailin' him for the Marine's death. That's your job."

"So who's workin' on the money laundering?" Tony asked.

"Sacks," Gibbs answered. "He's already there, working undercover as security. You get in town, you contact him first thing. Got it?"

"Yes," Ziva said. "We understand. When do we leave?"

"Grab your gear," Gibbs said, handing Tony and Ziva a pair of airline tickets. "Your hotel room, meals, all that -- it's already set up. Go. Good luck. I'll be keepin' track of you."

"Slacks," Tony hissed as he and Ziva headed for the elevator.