I do not know where this story will go so please watch up here for WARNINGS. This will be very important as time goes on.
Also, I know I've said this before, but I've started a Facebook page called SilverMidnight52. I believe this will be an easier way for us to communicate and for you to get a say when I have questions.
Someone said they wanted Ziva. I hope this answers that.
I own nothing. Enjoy!
"Ziva?" a soft, sleepy voice questioned.
Turning towards the hospital bed I saw blurry brown eyes staring at me in confusion. I could not blame the younger man for his reaction to my being here. I was beginning to question it myself.
Of course there was a simple answer. McGee asked me to check on Dmitri while I was out to get lunch for the team. Both he and Tony were following leads while Gibbs was talking with Ducky.
I had simply been waiting for some paperwork to be delivered. When McGee asked me to see Dmitri I had agreed easily enough if not only to stop myself from feeling as if I was wasting time.
Because of this I found myself in the room of a man that I barely knew. Dmitri had been working at NCIS for a year and a half, but he and I had barely talked. Something I was not proud of.
From the first time I saw him and Gibbs I knew that there was a past between them. I had no idea what it was but it was enough for me to be wary of growing close to the younger man.
A part of me continued to think that I was right. A great many things had changed since the mans arrival. I could not say that this is what I had thought would happen during that meeting, but I also could not say I was surprised either.
When I first arrived at NCIS the thing I did before anything else was figure out the people I was going to be surrounded by. It was the easiest way to figure out how I had to act around which individuals and which were the best to simply avoid.
It was easy enough to be around Tony and McGee. They were not thrilled with my joining the team, but they would come around. Gibbs knew who I was and did not trust my being there though he also came around to it. Ducky and Palmer followed their lead.
There was only one person that I wanted to stay away from me. Abby. She was the only person that I found myself worried about. I might have been assigned to Gibbs team, but if Abby had wanted I would have been out of there before I knew what was happening.
At NCIS the most powerful person was not the Director as I had originally though. No, that title belonged to Abigail Scuito. As long as you had thought woman on your side than you were virtually untouchable. A fact I had used quite often.
Slowly the team had become my friends. It was an odd thing to happen, but I found myself happy for this fact. I could see that they were good people to have in ones life. I was lucky to be able to have them all in my life.
Maybe that was why I was able to be fooled. I had known what Abby was like long before I met her. That seemed to do very little the longer I spent time around her. Her personality pulled you in and made you forget what she was capable of.
I allowed myself to fall for her act. I should have known better or at least known what was happening. Instead I was blinded. Now everything was up in the air and I was unsure of where I was going to land when things settled.
I did know where I had to start. Perhaps that is why I had volunteered to visit the younger man. He was important to not only to Gibbs, but to Tony, McGee, and Palmer. Still, I had not bothered to give the man a chance.
It is not for the reason most think. I know that I have some issues getting close to people and in my mind there is no point if they would be gone before the days end came to be. I had truly thought that Abby would get her way once more and Dmitri would be fired.
The longer the younger man was there the more concerned I grew with what was going on. Still, I did nothing to step closer to him. I now could admit to myself that I was afraid that growing close to him could result in my losing the team.
It was truly a ridiculous thought. Tony and McGee had grown very close to the younger man. I do not understand why I had let my fear rule me, but I had. I could only hope that I was not too late.
"Is everything alright?" Dmitri questioned trying to sit up.
"Yes," I nodded, "Everything is fine. McGee asked me to check on you."
"Oh. Well, you can report back that I'm fine."
"Are you?"
For the first time since I arrived I found myself truly looking at the younger man. The cuts and bruises from the explosion did him no favor, but he truly did not look well. What had the doctors been doing to make him look so poorly?
Dark circles were under his eyes showing how little sleep he's been getting. There were also bloodshot as if he had been crying recently. Then there was the slight tremors coursing through his body. I could not be sure if it was from pain or not.
"Are you in pain?" I questioned looking towards the door, "Should I get the doctor?"
"No," Dmitri sighed, "I think I've have enough of them today."
"They are running more tests?"
"Right now they're more focused on my mental health. I have some bones to heal before I can start physical therapy."
"That does not sound like the most fun thing."
"You'd be right. Not to be rude, Ziva, but why are you here? Besides Tim sending you."
A slight smirk came to my lips at that. I had over heard Tony saying Dmitri could have been a cop if he had wanted to. That was a very high praise coming from Tony. It seemed as if he was right to say it as well.
I was not trying to hide my emotions, but I was still not the easiest person to read. It was something I had always prided myself on. It seemed as if Dmitri was very good at reading people.
"I would like to apologize for how I have been acting towards you," I supplied gently, "While I have not been out right cruel I have not been welcoming either."
"Ziva," Dmitri shook his head, "You don't have to..."
"I do. I can admit that I did not see what the other did. I allowed myself to be blinded by Abby. I am sorry."
Dmitri offered me a slight smile his mouth opening to respond only to be cut off by the door opening. A young man in red scrubs walked in. He offered both of us a smile as he rolled in a cart with trays of food.
"Lunch time, Dmitri," the nurse offered, "How are you feeling?"
"Tired, Glen," Dmitri sighed, "I'm not very hungry."
"You didn't eat breakfast. Are you feeling any nausea? Or are you in pain?"
"Just...Not hungry."
"I'm going to have to tell Dr. Messer if you don't eat. I'm still going to leave the try. In case you change your mind."
Dmitri nodded his head looking out the window as the nurse left. I watched the younger man closely noting that his heartbeat jumped as did the shaking of his body. It seemed that there was something going on in his mind that was holding him back.
"You are not doing alright," I started calmly.
"I don't know," Dmitri looked at me, "I'm not a fan of reliving things."
"What are you reliving?"
"Too much I've talked about this too much already. I just want to forget."
Hearing the pain in his voice as well as seeing it in his eyes that had me reaching forward to take his hand in mine. Brown eyes widened as he looked between the hand and myself. It seemed he was just as surprised by my action as I was.
"I do not know what is going on, Dmitri," I offered, "But I do understand that running from the past help no one."
"What about hiding?" Dmitri questioned with a weak smile.
"That does not help either. I know that this is not the easiest thing to do and that you in fact do not want to do it all. I do know that you beginning this means you want to try and change whatever it is that happened."
Dmitri gave me a small smile while squeezing my hand. I might not be friends with the younger man, but I was glad that I was able to offer him some advice. He was a good person and hopefully a good friend someday.
"Thank you, Ziva," Dmitri spoke, "Can you hand me the tray, please?"
Nodding my head I placed the food on the table and pushed it in front of the younger man. Dmitri reached for the fork and slowly started to eat. I doubted he would eat much, but he would at least have some food in his stomach.
"Thank you, Ziva," Dmitri said once more, "You don't have to stay. You have work to do."
"I will visit again," I said moving towards the door.
"See you then."