Author's Note
From what I have heard "Home of Brave" was an episode where the writers' intentions have become clear. The whole thing with Senior and Tony's apartment can mean one thing. Michael Weatherly might not come back as Tony DiNozzo on the show again, not even on the series finale.
Anyway back to the story.
Sue Dooley: Thank you for your review. The current chapter will answer your question.
Ana: Thank you for your review.
Debbie: Thank you for your review. I want to remember that Gibbs too not the current who is selfish and cares only for himself.
Specials thanks:
To Teresa: who is my personal consultant on this story. I hope you get well soon from your flu.
And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story
Warning: This chapter isn't edited and corrected by Beta so forgive me for my grammar errors. Unfortunately English isn't my first language.
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS and the characters.
This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces.
Athena
It was a difficult day for the team. Gibbs had officially restarted the investigation on the case after returning from Arden's hometown empty handed. After four days of doing completely nothing, the team started working diligently with a frustrated Gibbs wanting immediate results. Plus, it was Zoe's Keates first day in the bullpen as member of the team something that it wasn't pleasant for anyone, well, except Ziva who was clueless of who that woman was. So clueless, that she wanted to invite Zoe with her and Tony for lunch. The ATF Agent didn't want to drop the chance, but one of Gibbs' death stares made her stop and made up a fake excuse for not following them. Tony sighed of relief for one more time thanking his boss with a nod, as he and Ziva were exiting the bullpen. However, he knew than sooner or later Zoe's identity would be revealed eventually, and he had to do everything so he could minimize the damage on his relationship with Ziva. The Israeli woman was observing her fiancé with concern as he was picking at his lunch on the diner. He was deep lost in his thoughts, and she couldn't understand the reason. Tony raised his head and faced her still digging his fork on his food, as he felt Ziva's palm rested over his.
"I'm fine." he told looking at her and let his fork down on the plate.
"No you don't, and we both know that." she answered. "I used to say that line every time I tried to persuade the others for that, but I was feeling the quite opposite." she explained. "What's wrong?" she asked and Tony sighed.
"The case." he answered lying. "We have no progress."
"Yes we do." Ziva said back and took a bite of her salad.
"The only things that we have found out is that those three were arm dealers and that they forged military documents to steal arms." he shot back.
"Are you scared that it might affect our wedding?" she asked simply. Tony didn't answer. What could he say anyway?
'Hey, Ziva no it's not about that but for the fact that the new AFT Agent, Agent Keates is Zoe. You know my ex-girlfriend, your substitute when you were in Israel and I'm scared that you will find it out along with the details of our relationship and the fact that I-'
"Tony, are you alright?" Ziva questioned with worry interrupting Tony's thoughts, and he looked at her.
"Yeah, I was thinking something about the case." he replied and choked down a mouthful of his Bolognese.
"You are really obsessed with that, aren't you?" Ziva noted. "Anyway, to assure you nothing will happen to our wedding. I believe that if we don't solve the case until then, Gibbs will give us that day off. But even if he didn't," she continued and took his hand on hers. "At 12th of November you would be my husband even if I needed to marry you on a crime scene with the NCIS cap and jacket." she answered with a tease quoting a Tony's old statement.
"It would be shame to waste your wedding dress." Tony commented with a light smile.
"I don't care as long as you will be my husband at the end of the day." she repeated and raised her glass. "So, what do you think about Agent Keates?" she continued after she took a sip of water. Tony stopped dead in his tracks looking at her.
"What about her?" he questioned with a raising eyebrow.
"You don't like her, do you?"
"She just…." Tony hesitated.
'She's just my ex-girlfriend and she's next to you, like a nuke ready to explode and destroy everything two months before our wedding.' he thought.
"Cold butt." Ziva said and bit a slice of bread.
"Cold butt?" he repeated as question.
"Yes, the one who they are too distant, the one who don't express their feelings and they keep themselves isolated by other people. Sometimes I think that her smile is fake and she that she's even mocking us." Ziva explained "By who am I to judge her?" she questioned. "I was the same thing before I came to America. I was threatening to kill you and insulting you for years."
"No, you weren't distant." Tony shot back and rested his elbows on the table. "We had our first honest conversation few hours after we had met for the first time while with her it took me five months." he blurted out of nowhere and mentally head-slapped himself. He couldn't believe what his tongue had just slipped. The damage had been done. Tony opened and closed his mouth without saying a word, as he attempted to explain what he had just said.
"It could have taken." Ziva said "And you have the nerve to correct my English." she teased oblivious on the situation, before she laughed. Tony's face formed a fake smile on Ziva's comment.
"By the way there is no idiom 'Cold butt.'" he said correcting her. "You can say 'Iceberg' or 'coldblooded.'" he suggested.
"Stop it!" she shouted still laughing and threw the napkin to Tony. Tony was laughing along her cursing himself from inside, for fooling her. For being so coward to tell her the truth, like a real man and underlie the consequences. How could he do such thing to that wonderful creature? He couldn't find an answer to that question, or maybe he didn't want admit which that answer was. That he, Tony DiNozzo was indeed a coward. However, he knew one thing for sure. That the price that he would pay if the story with Zoe would be reveal it would be huge for him. So huge that it would let scars on his and Ziva's hearts for the rest of their life.
She couldn't wait for the time to come so she could confront her, but Gibbs and his impatience for progress in the case kept her for hours in the lab, running whole the evidence from the beginning for the umpteenth time. However, when the lunch time came, she stepped onto the third floor of the Navy Yard and the bullpen furious like a wild animal ready to devour its quarry. Zoe wasn't on the desk where she was supposed to sit, but the whole scenery in front of her was witnessing on where she might was. Bishop was eating chips with her favorite spicy sauce, typing furiously on her laptop and sitting behind her desk. McGee was eating his lasagna intrigued by what he was reading on a file, while Gibbs was throwing an empty cup of coffee in the trash bin, before taking on his hand the next one over his desk. She knew that Tony and Ziva preferred to have their lunch the last couple of months on restaurants or diners, and that day wasn't exception, especially with Zoe's presence in the bullpen. Abby headed towards the break room where she spotted Keates eating her lunch. Entering the room, the Goth scientist shut the door with force, making the woman flinch.
"What in the hell are doing here?" Abby asked frustrated after she locked the door behind her. Zoe dropped her sandwich back on her bowl groaning. She had tired of hearing the same question over and over again, and much more for her to give the same answer to everyone. The ATF Agent was ready to speak but she didn't manage to utter a word. "And don't tell me the same crap that you have told to the rest because I don't buy it that you are here because of the case." Abby continued with aggressive intentions.
Placing her hands on the table, Zoe stood up from the chair. "I'm indeed here for the case." she answered simply making an eye contact with her interlocutor.
The Goth scientist took a few steps towards her and the table. "Bullshit!" she shouted. "Out of so many ATF Agents it had to be you? Especially after you had reassigned to Seattle? Really?"
"I was reassigned back to D.C." Zoe replied. "Permanently." she clarified and headed towards Abby.
"You asked to be reassigned on purpose here, didn't you? It wasn't enough for you that almost ruined Tony's life, to destroy his career; you want to harm him more."
"He played on me!" Keates shouted.
"Stay away from us." Abby warned. "STAY AWAY FROM THEM!" she emphasized and Zoe chuckled.
"What if I don't?" she questioned. "What if by 'accident' Ziva finds out who am I? You are terrified Abby. You, Gibbs, Tony hell all the team is terrified in case I hurt your valuable friend." she mocked with attitude. Leaning toward the scientist she continued. "All of you are shaking from fear, especially Spider."
"Tell her everything." Abby challenged her and Keates eyed her taking a few steps back. "Tell her who you are."
"What-"
"You are Tony's ex. So what?" Abby shot back. "Tell her everything and let's see if she's going to believe you."
"All of you kept secret from her that-"
"Still," the Goth cut her. "It's your words against ours."
"I'm gonna tell her that Spider and I-"
"Prove it!" Abby fired. "You are Tony's ex-girlfriend, or to be more exact his fucking buddy for all that time that Ziva was in Israel, nothing more." the Goth scientist approached the door and unlocked it. "Go ahead." she encouraged Keates "Go ahead and tell her." she repeated but Zoe didn't move. Taking a few steps toward Zoe, Abby continued. "You are alone Keates. You messed up with Tony you messed up with everyone in the team and NCIS. No-one will support you; no-one will stand by your side. You made your bed, you have to lie in it." she declared sternly and opened the door. "Lunch time is over. Grab your toy and go back to bullpen and work." Abby demanded and Zoe said nothing. She just made her way to the table, grabbed her bowl and went out of the door. Closing the door behind Keates, Abby leaned against it, and sat on the floor crying. She was crying not because of her words or her behavior to Keates but for the fact that she was the reason that Tony was involved with that woman who almost ruined his life. She was crying for the fact, that she had betrayed Ziva and the friendship she had with her. She was crying because she knew that not only would never forgive her self for those mistakes but also would regret for them for the rest of her life.
"Oh there you are." Ziva shouted to Zoe as she was standing in front of screen with the rest of team. "I was going to call you. We found something." she explained "Actually McGee did and called us to come here." she clarified. Tony and rest of the team were seeing with discomfort the convenience that Ziva had with Zoe. But it was normal. She was clueless who that woman was and the part she had on Tony's life. Because if Ziva knew who Keates was, things would have been the quite opposite between them.
"I just finished my lunch." Zoe informed and let her bowl on her desk. "I was coming back anyway." she continued and tried to stand in front of the screen next to Tony. However, Bishop understood Zoe's intentions and switched quickly spot, so Tony would be standing between her and Ziva, not Keates. The ATF Agent seemed annoyed from the young woman's action and stood on Ellie's previous spot next to McGee, throwing her an angry glare, which Bishop completely ignored."So, Agent McGee," Zoe began with a hint of irony in her voice "What did you find out?" she asked and McGee rolled his eyes.
"Well, Agent Keates." McGee answered on the same tone. "It appears that Lance Corporals Arden and Gartner have a connection through a person."
"So?" Zoe asked like it was nothing what McGee had just found out. "They were friends, co-workers; they can have connection through other people, who might be friends or co-workers."
McGee felt annoyed by Zoe's behavior. It was one of the reasons that he felt pleased when Tony announced that everything between him and her had come to an end. Although, at the beginning on her relationship with Tony, Zoe was pleasant addition between the members of the team, her bitchy behavior towards the SFA after few months made her quickly unwelcomed. "You didn't let me finish, Agent Keates." McGee replied a little angrily. "First of all, this particular person was known to our dead Lance Corporals before they joined on the US Army plus he has connection with Montgomery."
"Cut to the chase McGee." Gibbs barked throwing a knowing a look to McGee that he would start head-slaps, if the young Agent didn't start to explain anytime soon.
"Captain Eric Harris, age 51." McGee started putting a photo of the Officer on screen. "Divorced twice. He was Commander 35th Unit, the unit where our Lance Corporals had first served together. But what we didn't know was that our Captain was the one who asked their assignment on it." he continued. "Through my research I found out that Captain Harris was married to their aunts, their mothers' sisters Dana and Gillian." he concluded.
"So Captain Harris is involved too. The uncle was the master mind and the nephews were the executors of the business." Tony answered and unconsciously wrapped his arm around Ziva's waist caressing the hip where the Israeli woman had hooked her badge. Over the months Gibbs and the rest of the team got used to on those kind imitate moments between the couple. So much that the ex-Marine didn't even bother to head-slap them.
However, Tony's action didn't pass unnoticed from Zoe. She had never had such closure with Tony during their relationship in front of his co-workers, at least not from his side. The way he was functioned around Ziva made the ATF Agent easily guess that the couple might not have problem of making out in public. She started hating Ziva. If it wasn't Gibbs, if it wasn't the way that the team protected that woman from her, she would make her suffer from the first second she found what Ziva was to Tony.
"He has spotless file, Tony." McGee argued. "Besides, all this might be a coincidence and has to do nothing with the case."
"There's no such coincidence." Tony quoted. "And don't forget that Arden and Gartner had spotless files too but they proved of being arm dealers and forgers." he shot back in the end.
"What about Montgomery, McGee?" Ziva questioned. "You said that there is connection. What kind of?"
"Same with our Lance Corporals." McGee replied "Harris requested Montgomery's, assignment on his unit, but after two months he got injured when Taliban attacked his track on a convoy."
"The two months when the three of them had served together." the Israeli woman added and McGee nodded.
"But he wasn't related to Harris and I searched a lot but still nothing. Apart from Harris' request for Montgomery's assignment any further connection to him is…" McGee trailed off trying to find the right word.
"Unknown, undefined." Ziva completed.
"Exactly!" McGee pointed smiling and Ziva returned the smile on him. Zoe was looking with envy the interaction between Ziva and McGee. She understood now why all them were so overprotective. Those members of that team weren't just partners and friends to Ziva. They were family. They could easily communicate through the eyes, through the thought, completing the other where someone had lack. Yes, she had been welcomed as Tony's girlfriend, as the woman on Tony's life the time she was in relationship with him, but she wasn't her. She wasn't Ziva. She wasn't Ziva and she would never be.
"Come on!"Tony exclaimed interrupting Zoe's thoughts. "Harris is our guy." he went on. "He was the organizer of the job. He had contacts for the trafficking as a commander on a Middle East country. He hired Arden and Gartner for stealing the firearms, Montgomery for the transportation. The business was going well and our dead guys became greedy, they asked for more and Harris killed them. Let's go arrest him and close the case already." the SFA completed wanting this case to come to an end as soon as possible. Because he wanted Zoe away from Ziva as soon as possible, and closing that case the danger of Ziva finding out the truth was minimizing.
"As much as I would want that too DiNozzo, we can't." Gibbs informed his Agent. "There is something that is missing" he went on and took a sip of his coffee. Tony was looking at his boss waiting for him to continue. "Evidence." he stated and made his way on his desk.
"Boss we have indications!" Tony shouted approaching Gibbs' desk.
"Exactly DiNozzo! Indications." the ex Marine shouted back "And those indications are not even enough for interrogation. Look," he continued sighing. "Take Ziver, and interview him. Maybe we find out something like that unknown, undefined connection with Montgomery."
"On it Boss." DiNozzo obeyed and motioned his fiancée to grab her backpack.
"McGee, Ellie." Gibbs barked "Check Harris' phone records bank accounts."
"On it." both Agents said in unison and sat on their desks to work.
"What about me?" Zoe asked and all the Agents turned to look at her and Gibbs.
"You….Agent Keates." Gibbs pronounced and stood up from his desk. "As long as the rest of the Agents are working on their tasks." he started to explain and came around it "you," he repeated and started gathering files from his Agents' desks. "You will work on these." he concluded and let a pile of files on Zoe's desk.
"Paperwork?" she asked in disbelief. "You ask me to do your Agents' paperwork, instead of working on the case? Listen Agent Gibbs I came here to work on the case not-"
"It is about the case." Gibbs cut her. "Listen Agent Keates, we are a team and we're helping each other with any way we can. For now I'm your superior you like or not. But if you don't like whatever I say to you, I can call your Director to send me another Agent, like Combs who was willing to do whatever I was asking." he completed and put the phone out of his pocket ready to dial. Zoe headed and sat at her desk furious and opened the files to start working. Gibbs smiled with satisfaction on Keates' discomfort and put his phone back on his pocket, while McGee with Ellie kept with difficulty their laugh at bay.
"If I hadn't known that we have met Keates for the first time during that case, I'd have thought that Gibbs probably had met her before and has some kind of personal vendetta with her from the past." Ziva commented as she made her way to elevator along with Tony. The SFA didn't say anything as an answer to his fiancée as he was having only one thought in his mind.
'If only you knew Ziva, If only you knew.' he thought.
"What is this about?" Harris asked the NCIS Agents nervously. Both Tony and Ziva, who were sitting across him, were looking at him with suspicion. Since the moment he had found out that the pair were Federal Agents and belonged in Naval Criminal Investigative Service, his behavior, was strange, almost incriminatory.
"Why are you so nervous Captain?" Ziva asked with interest. Although she had found Tony's theory overreacting at the beginning, now she had second thoughts seeing Harris' reaction.
"Ma'am," the Captain pronounced Ziva and the Israeli managed with difficulty to fight the urge to punch him. During her spiritual trip, she had learnt to control her anger, to be more tolerant with situations, with people and their behaviors. However, every time she heard that word especially when she was the one who was addressed like that, she was boiling with anger and wanted to kill with multiple ways anyone who had the guts to utter that word. Even now. "All those 31 years I' had served the force, I've never had a visit from NCIS." he explained. "And I found it weird."
"Well, your Unit is one of the most disciplined on the US Army and NCIS never had to interfere with your men, not even for simple bar fights." Tony mentioned. "but there is always the first time." he went on.
"Especially when it concerns a triple homicide." Ziva added.
"Triple homicide?" Harris asked surprised. "Wait a minute are you thinking that-"
"Lance Corporals Jonathan Arden and Robert Gartner." Tony announced locking his eyes on Harris'.
"Nickolas Montgomery." Ziva continued with no further information and closed the file that she was keeping in her hands.
"Johnny, Rob, Nicky." Harris murmured and buried his face in his hands.
"Sir," Tony started and Harris raised his head. "Where were you on the 13th of September between 22:00-23:00?" the Agent asked and the US Army Officer sighed.
"Here alone." was Harris' answer. "You think I killed my nephews and Nicky." he said more as statement than a question.
"Actually that is the indentified TOD only for your nephews. Montgomery's was defined from the coroner 2.5-3 earlier." Ziva clarified simply "Were you that time too here alone?" she asked and a speechless Harris was looking at her with eyes wide open.
"Captain," Tony pronounced and Harris turned his attention to the Agent. "Your nephews along with Montgomery were part of Illegal Firearms Trafficking and forgery. Forgery of military documents to steal weaponry." he explained. "And the only connection between those three men is you and your request for their reassignment on your Unit 5 years ago. Why did you ask their reassignment and what's your connection with Montgomery?" he asked with Ziva having her attention turned to him.
"I never wanted my own children with either of my wives." Harris confessed "I know it sounds selfish but being on the battle field every day… I just I didn't want to leave a child without a father." he explained. Both Tony and Ziva waited for him to continue. "But when I got married with their aunts, I loved those boys as my own. As my flesh and blood."
"That's why did you ask their reassignment on your Unit when you learnt that they joined the Corps? To protect them in a way?" Ziva asked and Harris nodded. "What about Montgomery? Which was your connection with him?" she continued asking for more.
"Nicky…" Harris hesitated. "Nicky was a son of a… of an old friend." he answered and both Tony and Ziva eyed him curiously. "Let's say that this old friend was…ahem," he cleared his throat before he went on. "One of the reasons that I got divorce with my second wife. I asked Nicky's reassignment on my Unit few days after I had found out that Paula, his mother had died." he revealed and Ziva noted it on her notebook.
"Sir, did you ever have any indications or suspicions about Illegal Firearms Trafficking in your unit?" Tony questioned before he heard Ziva's cell beeping. The Israeli read the text that she had received from McGee quickly and wrote something on her notebook.
"I told you I have never been involved with NCIS before." Harris declared sternly.
"This doesn't answer my question, Captain." the SFA shot back with a raised voice. Feeling a light touch on his arm, he turned and looked at Ziva. She beckoned him lightly with her eyes to look on her notebook and what she had written on it.
'He's not our guy but he's definitely hiding something' were the written words on the notebook and Tony raised his eyes giving his fiancée a knowing look that he was agreeing with her. However, he couldn't push Harris more. He wasn't a suspect for now and all of this was a simple interview, not interrogation.
"Anyway," Tony said and stood up from the couch along with Ziva. "Thank you for your time Captain. If we need more information, we will get in touch."
"And if you remember something useful, let us know." Ziva added and handed him on of her cards.
"Ziva DiNozzo?" Harris asked in disbelief after he read the card, while Tony looked at Ziva with surprise. "I thought DiNozzo was your colleague's last name and David was yours."
Ziva chuckled. "Actually Sir, you were right. It just Agent DiNozzo and I are getting married in two months." she explained with a sly smile and a huge grin was formed on Tony's face. "Anyway, have a nice evening." the Israeli woman wished and both she and Tony exited the house.
"What was the text was saying?" Tony asked as both of them were approaching the Agency's car.
"It was from McGee." Ziva answered as she opened the passenger's door. "He checked Harris' credit cards. He was lying. He wasn't in his house the time of deaths but he's not our guy either." she clarified.
"I know but where was he?" Tony asked and turned the engine on. "Why would he lie to us?" he continued asking and pulled on the driveway.
"He was on a place with a company." she explained and Tony looked at her with a raising eyebrow while he was driving. "Naughty company, on a naughty place." she remarked looking at him, and Tony returned his eyes on the road.
"What do you think he's hiding?" he questioned. "Do you believe that Montgomery was his son?"
Ziva shook her head. "No. It's about the case about the firearms."
"How do you know it?" he asked and looked at her. Ziva returned the gaze.
"It's what you Americans say 'it is just a hunch.'"
"Well, Ziva you are American too." he shot back looking again on the road with a smile and turned on dirt road. Pulling up the car into the woods, Tony turned and looked at Ziva.
"What's wrong Tony?" she questioned. "Why are we here?"
"You should tell me Agent…DiNozzo." he teased.
"Stop it!" she shouted smiling and punched him lightly on the shoulder.
"So tell me, what did make you change your mind?" he asked seriously. "One week ago you didn't want to hear not even as a joke at work that name and the next thing I found out is that you have printed business cards with it." he said. "What has it changed?"
"I love you." Ziva breathed seriously and ran her fingers through his hair. "And I know how much you have put into this, on us and I want...and I want to show you that I feel the same." she explained and with a quick move she climbed into his lap on the driver's seat.
"Ziva are you-"
"I love you." she whispered while she was loοsing Tony's tie. He one the other hand he cupped her face and kissed her passionate.
"Isn't it too much for us to have sex on the Agency's car in the middle of nowhere?" he asked breathless after they broke the kiss while Ziva had started kissing his collarbone.
"Do you want me to stop?" she asked huffing after she pulled herself from Tony.
Tony thought for few seconds before he finally answered with a grin. "Hell, no!"
Ziva smiled seductively "Let's make a baby." she whispered and started unbuttoning his dress-shirt.
"I love you." he breathed before they lost on each other.
Ping
Ziva's messenger notified her for one more incoming text from Tony. From the moment they stepped into the bullpen the SFA started sending her hearts and funny faces along with love messages in her Messenger. Texts full of promises, for an amazing night after they returned back home. The only thing that Ziva did was to reply back those texts not only through her computer but also with her seductive looks towards him. With Gibbs on Director's office and the rest of the team nowhere to be found they couldn't stop having eye-sex. Eye-sex which the only thing it did was to increase both Tony's and Ziva's libido, making them want each other more and more.
Ping
The notification was heard again but they didn't lose the eye-contact.
"Tony." Ziva said her eyes still locked on his. The tone of her voice was seductive, loud enough only to be heard as a whisper from Tony.
"Yes Zee-vah?" Tony questioned stretching out her name completely hypnotized by her brown eyes. From the first moment Ziva had heard him pronouncing her like that 12 years ago, she loved it. She loved it so much that she wanted to jump on him every time he was did it.
"Could you please stop texting me?" she pleaded. "So I could finish my work?" she continued to clarify the reason of her request.
Tony stood up from his desk and walked toward Ziva's. Kneeling in front of her he rested his elbows on her desk and crossed his fingers. "What if I don't?" he questioned quietly keeping his eyes all the time locked on hers. Ziva leaned closer to him.
"Then we won't be able to go home early so I will make your wish to come true." she whispered into his ear, before she pulled back.
Tony rolled his eyes groaning from annoyance and stood up, making his way back to his desk. "Only because you asked it nicely." he answered with a smile and sat on his chair. Ziva laughed remembering the first time he had said that line and stood up from her desk. "Where are you going?" he questioned.
Ziva stopped to look at him. "Ladies' room" she answered. "To splash some cold water onto my face."
"May I join you?" he didn't want to leave her out of his site that day. He didn't know why. He just wanted to be by her side every hour, every minute, every single second. Ziva threw him a glare making him know her annoyance, before she headed for Ladies' room. "Damn!" Tony cursed seeing that there weren't any Nutty wafers in his drawer. Slamming it, he stood up from his desk and headed for the break room following the same direction with Ziva as it was at the same hallway with Ladies' room.
"I mean you can see how much Ziva has changed but I didn't think so much." Dolores from the Human Resources said to Anna from the European Department. Ziva was ready to enter the half-open door of the Ladies' room, but the words what followed the next few moments made the Israeli woman freeze. "Being so civilized and cheering with your fiancé's ex." Dolores went on.
"Maybe Ziva had no choice than working with Zoe Keates despite her past with Tony." Anna assumed shrugging "You know how Gibbs is. Never interfere the personal stuff with work. There no such coincidence that he had the rule #12." she continued looking at the mirror as she was putting mascara in her eyelids.
"A rule that went out of the window because Tony screwed things off with Keates." Dolores commented. "I don't think Gibbs would ever have done it under other circumstances. I mean he hadn't done it all these years that Ziva was still on the team."
"You are right. Tony screwed things up with that Zoe. And a big time." Anna noted. "I wouldn't like to be on their shoes especially Ziva's." she continued.
Dolores nodded. "I feel kind of sorry for her." she added.
Ziva couldn't believe what she had just heard during that conversation. Keates was Zoe. Tony's ex. Closing the door as noiselessly as she could, she leaned against the wall to support herself. Everything that moment made sense. Tony's constant fear of being abandoned by her, his discomfort around Keates, his behavior, the way he made love to her the night before. Gibbs' dislike towards the ATF Agent, Zoe's isolation from the rest of the team, the weird looks from everyone on NCIS on her. Everybody had fooled her. The whole NCIS had fooled her. Her whole team had fooled her. Ellie, McGee, Abby, even Vance with Ducky and Jimmy. But most important, Gibbs and Tony. Tony The love of her life, her future husband. Ziva pushed herself from the wall and headed for the bullpen, so she could confront her fiancé. So she could tell him that she knew the truth about him and Zoe that she wasn't the fool anymore he thought she was. However, Ziva stood dead in her tracks as he saw Tony from the corner talking to the AFT Agent on the doorframe of the break room. He wasn't happy with the conversation she could tell. He was mad. So mad that when Zoe told him something he grabbed her so wildly by her arm and dragged her into the break room along with him. The Israeli woman approached and stood outside the door of the room which Tony had forgotten slightly open.
"What is this about?" Tony asked angrily and leaning against the edge of the table, he crossed his arms in front his chest.
"We need to talk." Zoe said and she crossed her arms like Tony had done.
Tony uncrossed his arms and placed his hands on the edge of the table sighing. "I'm listening."
"I asked you a question yesterday but you didn't answer." Zoe started. "What does she have that I don't?" she asked.
Tony raked his fingers through his hair sighing again. "I did answer to you." he replied. "Many things but if you want more specific answer, I love her. I always have."
"But still you got involved with me." Zoe fired locking her eyes on his and uncrossed her arms.
"Look Zoe." Tony began and pushed himself from the table. "If you want a repeat of the conversation we had over a year ago, I won't-"
"You played on me." she said with hurt. "You played on me and broke my heart." she repeated angrily.
"Zoe I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I tried to work things out between us but it just-"
"Do not apologize. It's a sign of weakness." Zoe interrupted him. "It's one your boss' famous rules am I not right? But you…" she cut herself and pointed her finger on him briefly as a lump was created in her throat. "You keep breaking it."
"But someone had told me that when you really apologizing for something takes a lot of courage." Tony quoted Ziva's words when she had come back on NCIS a year ago. "And I mean my apology like I meant it back then."
"I bet when you made love to me you were thinking of her." Zoe said more as statement than a question. "But wait. You never made love to me, because you never loved me." she corrected and Tony shut his eyes from shame before he opened them again. "You never said the word 'love' to me." she continued. "I was your fucking buddy the one who you were handcuffing on your twin bed just to fuck her like mad!" she shouted close to his face. "Because you couldn't do that to her."
Ziva couldn't believe what she was hearing. During her time as Mossad and as an NCIS Liaison Officer she had many one stands, meaningless sex with men who she had used for release. However, she always had thought that the man she would marry if she had ever had married would be gentle, caring with women. Like Tony was with her. She knew that in the past he was an impenitent womanizer who used to brag about his 'bed abilities' but deep down he was a man who wouldn't have treated to a woman like that. 'I always had fantasies with you but I knew that when the time would come that I would be careful, that I would be gentle'. Ziva had remembered Tony's words back then when they were at beginning of their relationship. And they were true. She was practically begging him to have rough and wild interaction now and then with her. And when they did, he was always worrying if he had hurt her or if she was ok. 'The only woman who slept on that bed was you. No one else. Ok?' she also thought going back to her memory bank and shut her eyes Thinking all those words she couldn't believe what this man was Tony. No, this man that Zoe was describing wasn't him but someone else. He wasn't the man who made love to her, with gentle with care. He wasn't Tony, the man who had treated her like Goddess that night in Paris. Zoe was lying and Ziva opened her eyes keeping her breath, as she was waiting for Tony to deny all these accusations.
"You seemed to enjoy it though." Tony shot back and Zoe tried to slap him, but he grabbed her arm from the wrist and stopped her.
Ziva put her own hand in front of her mouth so she wouldn't start sobbing. She couldn't believe what Tony had just said. She expected him to deny these accusations that Zoe had on him but instead of this he mocked, admitting practically everything.
"Look I'm sorry." he went on and released Zoe's wrist. "Even if you had, I shouldn't have said that." he continued and started walking around the break room running his fingers through his hair.
Zoe the only thing she was doing was to watch him walk around the room. Tony stood for few seconds before he approached Zoe and leaned against the table placing his hands into the pockets of his pants. "Like I told you back then, I was completely lost, confused." he started. Ziva was listening with interest Tony's words before she turned her head to check in case someone was in hallway and had seen her standing there. "I thought I had gotten over Ziva's leaving. I even had a one night stand with an FBI Agent, so I could prove to my self that Life goes on." he confessed.
Ziva swallowed hard on Tony's revelation. 'One more secret. One more lie from him.' she thought and tried to remain calm, so she could hear the continuation.
"But I couldn't do it, so" he hesitated a little before he continued. "So I pretended that I was dating." he completed "But the team had it found out and…and then you showed up and-"
"And you decided to use me as comfort." Zoe added completing Tony's sentence.
"We have made this conversation before. Anyway," Tony continued. "Abby and Gibbs told me to move on. That Ziva was not coming back." he explained.
Tony's words were like stab on Ziva's heart. Gibbs her surrogate father betrayed her, so Abby her 'sister'. The two people on that team who had the word 'family' as something sacred, they threw it like a trash.
"I enjoyed your company I tried to work this out between us Zoe, If I hadn't I wouldn't have given you the key of my apartment for God's sake." Tony defended and the revelation hit Ziva like a ton of bricks.
"But you never loved me." Zoe stated and Tony ducked his head. "One more question Gibbs and Abby were the ones who persuade to-"
"It doesn't matter." Tony cut her. "And don't you ever, ever mention that again." he emphasized pointing his finger at her.
"Are you scared?" Zoe asked and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Tony put his hands on his hips and pushing himself from the table he turned his back on her. "Don't you ever mention that again." he repeated pointing his finger at Zoe again after he turned and faced her.
"Come on Spider!" Zoe challenged him uncrossing her arms. "Answer my question! Did Gibbs and Abby were the ones who-"
"Yes!" Tony screamed. "Yes Gibbs and Abby were the ones who told me to do it, the ones who told me to move on, and the ones who encouraged me to propose you, Zoe to engage to you." he shouted.
Ziva's blood turned to cold. 'He got engaged to her. He got engaged to Zoe. He lied to me. He said that it was nothing compared on what we had but he got engage to her.' she thought and her eyes filled with tears. "He lied to me." she whispered with a cracked voice. "He fooled me. He fooled me." she said twice and rested her hand on the wall so she could support herself as her knees gave way beneath her. Gathering as much as mentally strength she had left on her, she opened the door slowly so she could face both Tony and Zoe.
"I bet she doesn't know all those things does she?" Zoe asked.
"No I didn't know." a female voice replied interrupting Tony's attempt to answer. Both he and Zoe turned the attention in the direction of the voice. "I didn't know." Ziva repeated and made few steps towards them. "But I do know them now." she went on.
"Zi-Ziva." Tony stuttered. He could see tears on Ziva's cheeks, her eyes full of pain. "Ziva let me explain." he tried to defend himself.
"It's not what you think, you misunderstood? What kind of excuse will you use this time?" the Israeli asked with hurt standing few feet away from them. Tony took two steps towards Ziva while she took two steps back at the same time. "Stay away for me!" she warned. Without any other warning she rushed out the room with Tony following right behind her shouting her name.
"Justice is served." Zoe said and smiled devilishly before she sat on the chair crossing her legs.
"Ziva!" Tony shouted as he spotted her to push the door on the stairwell. She had already gone back to the bullpen and grabbed her backpack so she could leave the Navy Yard "Ziva." he repeated and grabbed her from the arm.
"Don't touch me!" she screamed and tried to free her arm her eyes full of anger.
"Ziva."
"Don't touch me!" she repeated and Tony let her arm free. Ziva turned her back on him and went down the stairs.
"I love you." Tony whispered with hurt more to himself than to Ziva while he was watching her leave.
"I hate you." Ziva whispered with anger more to herself than to him without looking behind as she was going down the stairs.
"What happened?" Ellie asked Tony who had just come back from the stairwell and sat on his desk looking at the blank. Both she and McGee, who had seen Ziva's bad mood and sensed the tension between the couple, approached his desk. "What happened to Ziva and left like that?" she asked further.
Tony turned his attention to the young woman. "She knows." he uttered with hurt. "She knows." he repeated.
"DiNozzo." Gibbs pronounced going down the stairs from Director's office.
"Boss." Tony murmured and looked at him. "She knows Boss. Ziva knows." he went on. "She heard my conversation with Zoe in the break room." he sobbed and buried his face in his hands.
"How much does she know?" the silver-haired asked.
"Everything." Tony answered without hesitation and the ex-Marine shut his eyes sighing.
"Everything?" McGee asked in disbelief. "When you mean everything does she know also what happened afterwards?"
Tony shook his head, his face still buried in his hands. "No, not that part yet."
"Ellie!" McGee shouted as the blond young woman heading towards the corridor where the break room was. Tony raised his head and stood up from his chair.
"Go find Ziva." Gibbs said to Tony and tossed his truck's keys on Tony's desk before he followed Ellie. Tony grabbed his backpack along with Gibbs' keys and headed for the elevators.
"Tony." McGee shouted and Tony turned to look at him. "Good luck man." the Junior Agent wished and the SFA nodded before he continued his way towards the elevators. McGee returned on his desk and dialed a number on his phone sighing. "Abby it's me Tim. I have some bad news to tell you. What happened? The inevitable."
When Ellie had first met Zoe, she liked her, because she was completely different than her. Yes, she was smart like the ATF Agent, but on the rest things the blond woman was completely the opposite. She was lacking on all sections. Zoe was adventurous, with better skills on martial arts, and a little better than her on the shooting range. She was a woman with confidence. Ellie on the other hand was only a simple former NSA Agent, taking that time her basic training as NCIS Agent. Ellie looked up so to Zoe that she would have been happy even if she had the half skills as Agent than her. When Zoe appeared on the bullpen to visit Tony she was for on the prospect that her co-worker had involved with that woman and she couldn't be happier that her suspicions were confirmed. Because she would have the ability to hanging out and learn things from her. The time had dragged on and Tony's relationship with Zoe had moved few more steps more, so the woman's friendship with the team. When Tony decided to take the big step, with Gibbs' and Abby's encouragement, Ellie knew that Zoe Keates would stay around once and for all. However, she could see that her co-worker wasn't very excited for his decision but Ellie was happy, like the rest of the team. Happy for Tony who decided to settle down at last and for the fact that he had moved on from the memory of his old partner Ziva, the woman that she had replaced. She was happy that Zoe would be eventually official member on this 'dysfunctional' family. However, things are not always what they seem. And that had happened on Zoe's occasion. She started to behave possessive to Tony, wanting to control him on everything; his job, his personal life, his time with the rest of the team. She wasn't even letting him for drinks with the team when a case had unwrapped. Even McGee had busted Zoe to try unlocking Tony's file cabinet and the first drawer of his desk, the drawer where he kept Ziva's necklace. Zoe had suspicions that Tony was cheating on her and she wanted to confirm them with proofs. He behavior, her attitude made the team to isolate her and of course to feel relieved when Tony announced the end of his engagement few weeks afterwards. Ellie felt disappointed from Zoe's behavior especially after few months with the way the ATF Agent acted against Tony. If only she knew that few weeks later she would have found the person that she would really had to admire on Ziva, when she came back on NCIS. The sister she never had. And now Zoe had destroyed Ziva's life with Tony. She had destroyed the lives of two people who she loved from the bottom of her soul. And Ellie, that nerd Agent who loved sitting on the floor eating all the time junk food was determined to impose any punishment she could on the woman that turned the team's calmness on an unrelenting storm.
"I'm gonna kill her." Ellie said having those thoughts and boiling with anger, she rushed into the break room furious. She saw Zoe sitting on the table eating a nuttier butter.
"Oh Agent Bishop what a surprise." Zoe mocked and took a bite of the bar.
"What have you done?" Ellie asked furious. She was so angry that she was ready to rip Zoe apart.
"I suppose you heard the news." the ATF Agent said more as statement than a question, pretending the sad. Standing up from the table she came around it and approached Bishop "I did nothing." she defended. "Probably your princess overheard. It's not my fault." Zoe managed to complete before Ellie's fist is connected squarely her jaw.
"That hurt." the blond woman commented rubbing with her left hand the knuckles of her right hand.
"What happened?" Gibbs wondered watching Ellie rubbing her hand. "Feel better?" he asked his Agent again seeing Keates leaning against the table rubbing her jaw. Ellie nodded. "Go to Ducky and take an X-ray in case it's broken."
"I don't think so but even if it iwere, it was worth it." Bishop stated with a grin and looked at Zoe.
"Go!" the ex-Marine encouraged Bishop and she exited the room. Gibbs took a few steps towards Zoe
"She punched me." Zoe exclaimed with anger.
Gibbs smirked. "Told you, Keates, to stay away from them but you didn't listen. You messed with my team, my 'family', time to face the consequences." he warned. "Welcome to Hell Agent Keates." it was the last thing that Gibbs said and made his way out of the room.
I'm sorry about this but it had to be done. I must say that this chapter is just the beginning but trust me, it's worth for you to continue reading the story. Thank you for reading and PLEASE REVIEW so you would let me know what you think and encourage me to continue writing. And remember: You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM or my Twitter Account. ( AthenaKokkali), having as only request the reviews will be only for the storyline.