The kids went off to school and the child-minder's somewhat relentlessly the following morning. When Tony arrived at work Abby was waiting with the rest of the team in the bullpen. They hadn't heard. She obviously just wanted to see how Ziva was after Azaleigha's outburst. They hadn't expected him to come in alone. He didn't know why he had expected her to show up to work. Perhaps it was because she was always there. It didn't matter, she wasn't there.

"She's gone," He told them after a few moments of everyone's questioning looks. "She got her stuff and left."

"What?" Abby asked, stepping forward, "She can't just be gone."

"She's scared she'll hurt one of them again," He sighed, sitting on the edge of his desk. "She isn't picking up."-Everyone was quite for a few moments-"Anyway I'm sure she'll call, tell us she's alright."

He sat down at his desk. He knew everyone's eyes were boring into him but he didn't feel like caring. It was another hour before his phone rang. He picked it up in a heartbeat.

"Zee?" He breathed. For a couple of seconds he was scared she'd hung up.

"Tony," He could hear she was close to tears.

"Oh god Zee," He wiped his face with his hand in relief before gesturing to McGee to trace it. "Where are you?"

"It is better for everyone if I don't," He listened to his wife trying to form words she didn't want to say, "How are the kids?"

"What do you mean 'how are the kids'? They're devastated how do you think they are," He got up, moving away from his desk, "Zee come home. We miss you."

"I've got to…" He cut her off.

"Don't you dare hang up on me,"

"I know how long it takes to track a call, I love you."

The line went dead. He sighed, dropping the phone onto his desk and turning to McGee. "She knows how long it takes to track a call."

He dropped to his desk, holding his head in his hands. Of course that wouldn't work, are you going to sit feeling sorry for yourself?

"Trace her bank records; see if she's made any transactions." Tony told him, "Meanwhile I'm putting out a bolo for her for,"-he thought for a moment-"petty theft, something low key."

Gibbs smiled. Ziva was going to love this. If it got her back though he didn't really care too much. He just hoped Tony was prepared when it all came back with nothing. This was Ziva. If she didn't want to be found the chances were she wouldn't be.

"Nothing, she's using cash,"

"How?" Tony looked up, finished with the bolo. "She didn't have any money on her, all she had was the bag she put her stuff in and my old coat. It only had my…search under my name."

"You, Mr Anthony Dinozzo withdrew three hundred dollars yesterday afternoon from a cash point in town. She won't be there anymore but it's a start."

He smiled. The next three hours were spent following Ziva's car with security cameras. He managed to lose her twice but the third time she was gone. She was good at losing them. When the bolo came back he was gone with only a quick word of goodbye. He needed Ziva, he had always needed her. Even if they hadn't had children, children that loved and depended on her, he would still be chasing after her. He loved her and he wouldn't let her get away again.

He knocked on the door his wife was supposedly staying at. He stood there for almost five minutes, knocking every thirty seconds. He looked around. Everything was old, used, you could almost tell it was the place everyone went within a ten mile radius when they were either kicked out or left. It just had that air to it.

"Zee I know you're in there," He told her, sitting down and leaning against the wall beside the door, "You came up on our bolo. By the way you owe me that money. I'm not leaving so you might as well let me in."

He heard the door unlock and open just a little way. When he went in he found her sitting on the lone chair in the corner of the room. To think she spent the night in that dumb.

"Well it's not Buckingham Palace but we've spent nights in worse," He tried to make light of the situation, failing that he sat down on the bed facing her. "Come home."

She shook her head. "I can't. I love you and I love our children, that is why I am doing this."

"They need you, I need you," He tried to kiss her but she moved away. "You should have seen them last night. They were in bits. Eden spent the night with me, wrapped it your favourite top, she wouldn't part from it this morning. The boys played twenty-one questions with me, asking when mama would be coming home. Azz thinks it's all her fault."

"It's not,"

"I know that. Please come home."

"Go," She commanded, turning her back to him, "Go now."

"I'm not leaving," He stood up, coming to her. He stopped three feet away when she brought out her gun, pointing it straight at him. She would never use it. It was just to make a point. He turned away, shutting the door behind him and whispering, "I love you."

Wow thank you all so much for so many wonderful reviews. You have no idea how happy I am right now. I am writing right now instead of studying or doing homework so I'm in so much trouble tomorrow but I don't care. You all mean so much to me thank you so much. REVIEW