A/N: A little late this week, but it's still Friday, so I'm good! :D See the first chapter for the disclaimer. Tony's back in his apartment! Yay! :D This chapter also takes place after the episode "Recoil," just so you know. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please review! :D

Chapter 24: Home at Last

After moving everything back, Tony resettled his entertainment center, as it had been transplanted to Gibbs' house while he recuperated. He went grocery shopping, picking up a few things that he knew he would need. He made dinner, eating by himself for the first time in what felt like forever. After dinner, he took a quick shower before settling onto the couch to watch some TV.

After a little while, he got up, moving into his bedroom. He found that his bed was made up, and automatically knew that Abby had been to his place to clean and change the sheets. He silently thanked her as he climbed into bed, curling up for what he hoped would be a restful night's sleep.

What he got was anything other.

The wind whipping through the trees outside had made him nervous. His neighbors having loud sex on the other side of the wall was just disturbing. But the kicker was hearing the footsteps in the hallway outside his apartment. With every step, he feared someone was coming to get him and hurt him.

Around 8am he finally got up for the day, making himself breakfast and some coffee. He ate while watching a movie, finding himself relaxing more and starting to nod off. After a while he fell into a comfortable sleep on his couch.

*~*~*~*

It wasn't Richard's basement he found himself in, but rather Gibbs, as Tony sat down on the bench. The younger man stared distantly at the boat, not sure what he was doing here.

"This is a change of scenery," a familiar voice said as footsteps descended the stairs.

"Guess this means that basements don't mean pain anymore," Tony replied with a shrug, looking over at Kate.

"Which would be a good thing, right?" she asked.

"I guess. I don't know how this works, exactly."

"How do you think you're doing?"

"Better, I guess. I can make it through the day. The nightmares aren't as frequent."

"Are they still as bad?"

Tony half-shrugged, nodding. "Sometimes. But you already know that."

"How about everything else?" she asked, ignoring his point.

"Everything else is getting better too," he replied. "Why else would I be living at home?"

"If everything's getting better, then why are you afraid to go back to work?"

"I'm not afraid."

"You're not? Could've fooled me."

"I'm not afraid of going there. I'm afraid I'm not focused enough to be there."

"You're doing fine, Tony. You're more than able to go back to work."

"I just…"

"They don't look at you differently. They're worried. When you get back and show them that you're okay, they'll look at you as they always have."

Tony sighed, nodding. "I hope you're right," he said.

"I'm dead, DiNozzo," she replied. "By now, I know everything."

"So you know about…"

"Oh yeah. And you're lucky I never found out while I was alive, or I would've killed you."

Tony smiled. "Sounds about right."

"Take your time, but hurry up," Kate said, ignoring his comment before leaving Tony alone in Gibbs' basement.

*~*~*~*

He was awoken by a knock on his door, and he slowly got up and answered it. His ruffled hair and clothes were a telltale sign to Abby that she had woke him up. "I'm sorry," she said.

"It's okay," he replied, backing out of the doorway to let her in.

"I brought a visitor."

Tony smiled as she revealed the stuffed hippo. "Hey Bert."

"Bert misses you," she said, putting the animal in Tony's arms.

"I missed him too," he replied, squeezing Bert.

Abby reached over, hugging him tightly. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against his chest with the hippo. "I miss you at work," she said softly. "When are you coming back?"

"Soon," he told her sincerely. "And I miss being there with you guys too."

She snuggled her head against his chest, sighing quietly.

"You gonna ask for my honest answers to questions again?" Tony asked, noticing the serious look on her face.

"No," Abby replied, glancing up. "Because I know I'll get it anyway."

"What's on your mind?"

"How are you?"

"I'm getting better each day."

"The nightmares?"

"They're still there. They'll probably always be there occasionally. But they're not as frequent and they're not as bad."

Abby nodded, squeezing Tony's midsection gently. "I'm glad. You know, if you ever need anything, you can call me. I don't really ever sleep."

Tony smiled. "I know, Abbs."

She nodded, still hugging onto him as they sat quietly on his couch. Neither of them said anything, but at the moment, nothing else had to be said, as they both sat there, enjoying the fact that they could.

They were still alive.

*~*~*~*

McGee and Ziva arrived later in the afternoon, finding both Tony and Abby sleeping on the couch with Bert between them. Every time Tony breathed, the animal let out a farting sound as he got squished between Tony's rising chest and Abby's steady arm. The scene made the two agents smile as they tiptoed quietly into the apartment, not wanting to wake the duo on the couch.

"Make yourselves at home," Tony said quietly, not opening his eyes. McGee furrowed his brow, turning to Ziva.

"I thought he was sleeping," he whispered to her.

"I'm not sleeping as well as I used to, McSneaky," Tony replied, finally looking over at McGee and Ziva. "Make yourselves comfortable."

The two new arrivals sat on Tony's other couch, and Tony looked them over.

"What happened to you, Ziva?" he asked gently.

"Nothing," she replied. "I am fine."

"You don't look fine. Something happen in the field?"

"No."

Tony nodded quietly, saying nothing. He knew Ziva wasn't telling the truth, but he wasn't about to push it in front of McGee. Abby woke up quickly after their arrival, disentangling herself from Tony as she got up and headed for the bathroom.

"I'm gonna go pick up dinner," McGee said as Abby headed back.

"I'm going with him," Abby replied. The two of them quickly exited the apartment, leaving Tony and Ziva alone.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened in the field?" Tony asked softly.

"I was undercover," she said.

"You get hurt?"

She looked up at him, finding nothing but concern for her in his eyes. And immediately she felt worse, knowing that she wasn't helping Tony by being there. "I am fine," she said quietly.

He sighed, moving over onto the couch next to her and resting his arm behind her. "Please, Ziva," he said. "Talk to me."

"Why should I tell you anything, when you have been keeping me in the closet?"

"In the dark, Ziva."

"Either way, you have not told me what happened. You have not even bothered to talk to me. Why should I talk to you?"

"Because who else are you going to talk to?"

Ziva sighed, knowing Tony had a point.

"You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine," Tony said.

She looked him in the eye, realizing that he was being honest. "You only have to share what you're comfortable with," she told him.

"Same to you."

She nodded, closing her eyes. "He could've killed me. I killed him first but… I almost died."

He nodded, sliding closer to her on the couch.

"This has happened to you before, yes?"

Tony nodded again. "Many times," he confirmed softly.

Ziva nodded, sighing and letting her head drop back against his arm. "In Mossad, a hesitation like that means instant death," she explained.

"You're not dead, though."

"I could have been."

"But you're not. Could haves and would haves mean just about as much as almosts, which only count in horseshoes and hand grenades."

Ziva said nothing, closing her eyes.

"What exactly was the situation?" Tony asked.

"I was undercover," Ziva said. "Dating this guy… we were sure he was a serial killer. We were right, of course, and he led me to this warehouse where he held me at gunpoint… he shot at me… he almost killed me."

"I take it you killed him?"

She nodded tiredly.

"When did this happen?" Tony asked.

"A few days ago," Ziva replied.

Tony let out a quiet sigh, moving his hand from the back of the couch to her shoulder gently. "Haven't slept much, have you?"

"Not really. I am not tired."

"I know what you mean."

Ziva looked over at Tony as he stared across the room. "You're not sleeping either?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I am," he said softly.

"Just not restfully."

He nodded. "Nightmares tend to make that very difficult."

Ziva turned to sit sideways on the couch before taking Tony's chin in her hand gently and turning his head so he was looking at her. "What did they do to you, Tony?" she asked gently.

"They tortured me, Ziva," he replied, his voice just as gentle as hers. "Beat me, whipped me, burned me… tried brainwashing me too, until they realized that I was more stubborn than they thought. So they beat me some more."

"They did not break you?"

"Obviously they did on some level."

She fell silent, letting go of his chin to put her hand on his shoulder. "You are strong, Tony," she told him.

"And so are you," he said. "But even the strongest of people have their moments."

She nodded, understanding his words and the deeper meaning behind them. He gently hugged her close to him, smiling inwardly as she returned it. She exhaled deeply as she turned, staying in his arms and still holding him but moving so that she could look up at him. He gave her a small smile, and she genuinely returned it.

"I am sorry for what you went through, Tony," she said softly.

"I'm sorry for what you went through too," he replied.

She nodded, closing her eyes and settling her head against his shoulder. He rested his cheek on the top of her head, closing his eyes as well.

"You're welcome to stay here tonight, if you'd like to talk more," he offered.

"I appreciate that," she replied. Neither said another word until Abby and McGee came back with dinner.