Hey all! Here's the chapter you've all been waiting for, Ziva finally visits Tony... I'm not going to say much, except it took us ages to write this to make sure it was good enough! So we hope it is.

Disclaimer:... I wish!

Update! Just added more to the end of this chapter, sorry for the delay on the story, but the next few chapter will be up today!

Ziva took a breath before she walked into Tony's room. She could feel herself begin to shake, but wouldn't let it show to the others. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared. She was petrified. It was only a few days before where he was lying with a tube sticking out his mouth, forcing air into him.

Raising her hand to the door she knocked and waited for the reply before she entered. Once in, she turned and shut the door, keeping her back to Tony. Her eyes closed, she tried to compose herself.

"Ziva," a soft voice broke her from her trance. Turning on the spot, her eyes instantly met with Tony's. His eye's softened and he smiled when he saw she was fine. Despite everyone telling him that it was only him that was hit by a bullet, he couldn't help but worry that they were may be telling him that so he wouldn't stress and damage his chest more.

Taking a few steps forward, Ziva came to sit on the chair by Tony. She stared down at her hands as she spoke.

"I'm sorry" she whispered.

Confused, Tony asked, "For what?"

"For this, I should have done something. Should have noticed something was off about the house, all the curtains were closed and-"

"Zi," Tony interrupted, placing his hand over hers, and with his other hand, put it under her chin, lifting her head so he could look her in the eye. "This isn't your fault! Don't you dare blame yourself. Never!"

Ziva nodded, forcing a smile, she felt her eyes begin to sting.

"I'm fine. I'm alive," Tony smiled; and pushed himself further up his bed so he could face Ziva better. "You saved me."

Ziva frowned, "How?"

"You stayed with me. You stopped me bleeding out. If you hadn't I wouldn't be here. I'd be -"

"Don't say it." Ziva interrupted, shaking her head. "I can't think about, I couldn't bare it if it were true."

"But it's not." Tony enforced, raising his voice a little to try and get it though to Ziva. He grabbed Ziva's hand again, tightening his grip. His eye's roaming her face; he noticed a bruise under her eye, which she had badly attempted to cover up with make-up. Using his thumb he gently wiped the powder away. "What happened?"

Ziva couldn't resist rolling her eyes, "It's just a bump. The man hit like a guru anyway."

Feeling a small smile tugging at his lips, "Girl, Ziva, he hit like a girl." Curiosity and anger at someone hitting his Ziva got the better of him, "Who hit you?"

Shrugging, Ziva replied, "Some drug dealer we were after. It does not matter."

Tony made a mental note to ask Gibbs later exactly who she was talking about.

Feeling Ziva tense a little, he moved his other up to meet her cheek. She closed her eyes and lend into his touch. He brushed his thumb up and down her cheek, watching as he saw Ziva begin to relax again, feeling her hands relax.

She opened her eyes and was met with Tony's soft green ones. She felt Tony lean in; she knew what was going to happen. But she couldn't let it, she wanted to, but she couldn't let it happen.

Ducking her head down, she slowly reached her hand up and pulled Tony's hand away from her face. She could feel the tears build up in her eyes.

Surprised and shocked, Tony whispered, "Zi?"

Swallowing her tears, she spoke, never meeting Tony's eyes. "I can't. We can't. Gibbs' rules, he still doesn't truly trust me, I know. I can't risk that."

"You can. I'll talk to Gibbs. I can't, I won't sit here and do nothing. Please I need you." Tony begged. He couldn't watch her walk away. He couldn't let her walk away from something he knew she wanted just as much as him.

She could hear the desperation on Tony's voice. It was breaking her heart. "I just think -"

"Well don't," Tony whispered, placing his hands on her cheeks, "Don't think, just feel."

Ziva could feel all the emotions and feelings she had bottled up for the past few days begin to take over. Her mind was telling her no, but her heart was telling her this is what she wanted, what she needed. She needed him as much as he needed her. She needed to feel his touch, feel he was alive, that this wasn't a dream she was about to wake up from.

Tony inched forward, closing the gap between them. He could feel her breathe on his face. Their eyes never leaving the others. His heart raced as all his feelings for her begin to bring themselves to the surface, to show her just how much he cared for her.

"Agent DiNozzo."

The pulled apart, jumping at the sudden unwanted intrusion. The nurse walked in, pulling a trolley behind her.

"I need to change your dressing." The lady spoke.

Ziva sat back in her chair, trying to bring her breathing back to normal. What had she almost done? They had been milliseconds away from crossing a line that they would no longer be able to back over. Standing, Ziva made to leave the room. But Tony's voice stopped her in her track.

"Ziva, stay, please."

Stopping, she turned around, walking over to the window instead and stood staring out of it, listening to Tony's lighthearted teasing with the nurse.

"I should really get a sign to put up outside the door. 'Do Not Disturb. All Doctors and Nurses enter at own risk.'"

"And what would that 'risk' be Agent DiNozzo." The nurse laughed. "Can you lay down please."

Doing as he was told, Tony replied, "I'll get someone to bring in a guard dog for me. Or even better, I'll keep Ducky by my side at all times. The sign can be 'Beware, Scotsman in the room. Enter at risk of boredom from stories of his youth.'"

The nurse shook her head as she began to peel off the dressing over Tony's wound. Tony winced as it stuck to his stitches. Wiping around his wound the nurse asked, "Just who is this 'Ducky' character?"

Ziva turned around and answered before Tony could, "He's the M.E that works with us. And would be very hurt by your comment, Tony."

She smiled and Tony grinned, as the nurse laughed. When the nurse turned back to the trolley to prepare the clean dressing, the smile fell from Ziva's face and the colour drained from her cheeks.

She could see it. The hole. Where the bullet had entered him. It was too close, far too close to his heart. Beside it was another wound, where the surgeons had cut into him to retrieve the bullet. Both had been stitched up. The skin around it was red and angry, dried blood stuck to the stitches.

Ziva felt sick, her stomach churned at the thought of just how close she was to losing him. Had it been a little more to the left, he would be gone. She would have lost him forever.

Even after the nurse had covered it back up and left the room, Ziva could not stop staring at where the wound was. Where a scar was sure to form, marking his chest with a reminder of this event.

"Ziva." Tony's voice broke her stare. She looked up and saw him patting the bed beside him for her to sit.

Taking a few steps forward, Ziva sat on the edge of Tony's bed as he pushed himself to sit upright.

Tony took Ziva's hand. Holding it he raised it to his chest. Feeling her pull back, he whispered, "Trust me,"

She let him guide her hand. He placed it on his chest, on top of his heart. Pulling her closer with his other arm, she let her head fall onto his shoulder, keeping her hand where it was, feeling his heart beating steadily beneath it. Raising his mouth to her ear, he whispered, "You feel that. I'm alive. It missed and I'm still here. Still with you. I'm not leaving you."

She lifted her head off his shoulder, and placed her forehead on his. "I thought I lost you."

Shaking his head Tony closed the gap between their lips. Gently placing a kiss on hers, waiting for her to respond. When she did, he deepened the kiss, moving his hands to rest on her cheeks. They let everything they felt for one another pour into the kiss.

All the fear Ziva had for him, all the emotions she had been toying with for the past couple of days. She knew how she felt; she knew then exactly how she felt. All doubts ran from her mind. She loved him. There was no other way to say it.

Tony moved his hands down her sides, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking for entry. When she opened her mouth a little to let him in, he pulled her as close as he could get her. Never wanting to let go. He never wanted this moment to end. He wanted to keep her in his arms. He loved her.

Suddenly, a voice from outside the room caused them to pull apart. Ziva jumped off the bed and turned to face the window.

"Ducky, tell McGee and Abby they can have the next few days off."

The door then opened as Gibbs walked in.

"Hey boss," Tony coughed, trying to regain his breathing.

Ziva forced a smile, nodding to acknowledge Gibbs before walking out the room and out the hospital.

Gibbs inwardly smirked as he saw Ziva leap away from Tony and sprint past him into the hallway, but he managed to conceal his amusement and stepped further into Tony's room.

"Good news DiNozzo I just spoke to your doctor and they will be releasing you tomorrow."

"Yes!" Came Tony's sudden outburst, "Thank you boss, I really can't wait to get out of this place."

"What you thanking me for? I just want you back to work, who else is gunna clean out the van?" with that Gibbs turned on his heal leaving Tony with a worried look on his face.

As Tony was left in the room he found his hand reach out of its own accord and touch his lips, the ones that had just been on Ziva's. Wow he thought. Tony had been with his fair share of women, okay more than his fair share, but he could definitely say, hands down that Ziva was the best kisser of the lot, damn she wasn't even in the same league. The question remained for Tony though, what now? She had left but there was still so much more to discuss. He definitely wanted to be with her and from the kiss he could safely assume that she wanted to take their relationship further too. But how? Some how they would have to get around Gibbs' rules and all the barriers they had put up between them. He just hoped that they could work it out, because after today, there was no way he was going to let her go.

Sooooo what you think? It's hard to keep Ziva in character in this scene, but we thought we did well with Tony... Review and tell us what you think... Please! :) :)