Thank you all so much for following this story and reviewing. It is now coming to an end. I have one maybe Two more chapters after this one, but I just wanted to say a huge thank you.

Chapter Eighteen

"Tony, what is McGee talking about?"

Tony's body was frozen to the spot, only his eyes moving between the two others, glaring at McGee and pleading with Ziva.

"Let's go inside and talk" Tony said calmly, guiding Ziva back to the room.

Her eyes were tearful and sleepy, she looked confused and so impossibly exhausted. Her body hurting in so many ways, she had little fight within her to argue. The look from Tony scared her but the man she knew and loved would never hurt her.

"I didn't mean to…"

Tim tried to speak, tried to explain but Tony could hardly bare to look at him, angry that he left him in this position, especially after Ziva's ordeal.

"Go do your job McGee"

The door shut on Tim and Tony helped Ziva back into the bed, pulling the sheets up and over her lower half. Her hair was messy from sleep and he couldn't help but run his fingers through It, smoothing the fly away strands.

"Please be honest with me" Ziva whispered, her usual fight in her voice lost beneath the sleep deprived feeling.

"I did nothing wrong; I promise you"

"I know, but something obviously happened, she did something"

Tony inhaled sharply, holding his breath for a moment before exhaling. He took her hands in his, tickling over her knuckles, grazes still on her skin from the explosion.

"She followed me in there, tried to get something out of me. I told her to leave, I pushed her off me, I headed for the door then we were both knocked to the ground. She was unconscious in the opposite corner. I tried to wake her, I got her eyes open and then I left to get help and find you"

"Okay"

"You're not angry with me?"

Her voice was so calm and soft Tony almost didn't trust her reaction.

"Of course, not Tony, I'm angry at her"

"She's a flirt, she gets what she wants, and she doesn't like it when she's told no. I promise you; she is not a problem, I am only interested in you"

Ziva smiled but it didn't reach her eyes, she was still drained but Tony could tell she had something on her mind still, that she was worried.

"Talk to me Zee"

"It's nothing"

"Don't lie to me babe"

Her world felt so broken even though the most amazing little girl had just completed them. She felt like she was cracking, like she couldn't be enough. The fear for Tali, the worries of becoming a mother, of being a good enough partner. She felt drained and unattractive. Her body was not the same, her hair matted and curled and her skin dry and grey. She had gone to the event to show herself off, to make Tony aware that she still had it in her to turn heads and drop jaws. The risk she took to Tali just to flaunt herself proactively, to compete with another women. It wasn't her.

"Do you find Georgie attractive?"

Tony swallowed thickly. He knew lying would not pass, Ziva knew all his little tell tales, but the truth might hurt her in her state. Georgie was not Ziva, no one ever would be, but she was an attractive woman.

"I do, but I also found Kate attractive and she was only ever a sister to me. The nurse outside is also very pretty, oh and that girl in the bar…what's her name, oh Sadie…stunning girl." Tony waffled, hoping Ziva would recognise the light tone.

She smiled, her eyes glinting a little, but she couldn't keep her eyes on Tony for long.

"All of them women and more are attractive, but none of them are as attractive to me as you are." Tony said firmly.

He tilted her chin, forced her eyes to his.

"No woman will ever come close to you, ever. You are beautiful and sexy and so damn fierce. I will not deny that I notice other women, but they are not you. You Ziva David are mine, I only want you."

A lone tear rolled down her cheek as she nodded slowly, biting her lip to prevent anymore tears falling. His words so honest, so full of love that she finally believed them.

"I'm sorry I asked, I wasn't suggesting you would…"

"Hey, no apologies, I know Georgie has been a problem"

"I just feel…not very pretty right now" Ziva sighed.

The vulnerability that Ziva exuded in front of Tony would always stun him. She was so strong, never letting her walls down but with him she was so beautifully delicate, so raw and he loved it. He loved that side of her, being her shoulder to cry on.

"You just gave birth in a debris filled room while injured. Babe, you are gorgeous even with hair like a porcupine" Tony laughed.

Her smile finally reached her eyes and she reached out to pull Tony in for a kiss. Taking her time to really feel him, to taste him and love him.

"Tony"

"Yeah?"

"Go fix things with Tim"

Tony sighed, he wasn't really mad at McGee, he couldn't stay mad at the younger agent anyway.

"Fine, but only because I enjoy winding him up and I can't do that if I'm ignoring him" Tony relented.

Ziva laughed and waved him off, promising to get some rest while he was gone.

McGee sat at his desk, staring at his computer but not doing any work. He couldn't focus, after his disagreement with Tony. Never in the years of knowing him had they really fallen out. It hurt inside, his own emotions a little haywire under the circumstances. The case was draining him, and he felt he was losing his friend after interfering. Distracted by his thoughts he failed to notice the presence in the bullpen until something hit him on the head.

"What the…"

"McGoo" Tony muttered, trying not to laugh at the paper ball that had just hit McGee.

"Was that necessary?" Tim asked shakily.

"It made me feel better"

"You're a child Tony, I feel sorry for Ziva"

Tony smirked and collapsed in his own chair, swinging around a little as he tried to find the words he wanted.

"Look, Tim…"

"I shouldn't have interfered; I just came to the wrong conclusion and I was worried about you and Ziva" Tim jumped in.

"I know…I shouldn't have snapped"

"You've not had it easy past few days, I don't blame you"

"Did you really think I did something with Georgie?" Tony asked softly.

Tim relaxed a little, looking over at Tony.

"No, but I though she must have, and I guess I just thought she may try incriminate you"

"You're a good friend McNosey"

"You to Tony"

The two men continued chatting, talking about baby Tali, Tim being pleased with the choice of name when Gibbs interrupted.

"Grab your gear, we got him"

"Really boss?" Tim asked as he jumped up.

"Yeah, let's go, Fornell is meeting us"

Tony went to stand also, grabbing his bag when Gibbs stopped him.

"Not you"

"What, I want this Son of a bitch!"

"We all do, but you have a new baby and an exhausted girlfriend…sit this one out"

"Boss, this guy almost left me without either of my girls…I want him"

Regardless of Gibbs want for Tony to stay behind and go be with his girls, he really understood where he was coming from. He knew that is it was him in Tony's shoes he would have been out the door after this guy without stopping to discuss it.

"Fine"

When Tony returned to the hospital it was three hours later. He knew Ziva would be mad, especially if the twenty-four missed calls and angry voicemails were anything to go by. He felt like a total jerk for not letting her know where he was, but he knew she would worry, her baby brain was on over drive. The main thing was they got their guy, Tony dealing the final blow that shot him down to a crumbling heap. His army of merry men also captured or killed. Aside from a few more cuts and grazes he was okay. He hoped the new wounds would blend into the old but the look on Ziva's face as he walked into the room told him otherwise.

"You are so dead Anthony DiNozzo!"

The full name reference sent a shiver up his spine, both in fear and attraction. He secretly loved when Ziva got angry, a secret turns on he knew wise to keep to himself.

"Look babe…"

"No! I called McGee, he said you went with them…you didn't tell me, you could have been killed!"

"Zee…"

"How could you just go off, what was going through your mind Tony!"

He felt like his soul was being dragged from his body, he paced over to her, pulling her into his arms as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her face buried in his neck as he rubbed her back.

"Sweet cheeks, it's my job. There is always risk…but I needed to get him. I needed to get him for you and Tali, he hurt my babies"

"I know" She sighed, still clinging to him.

"I'm okay, I'm here"

"I don't like the risks"

"Your concerns are just heightened because it's been a tough few days"

"No, Tony I am scared that something will happen to us and Tali won't have anyone"

Ziva pulled back, looking Tony in the eye as tears pooled in hers. She felt like she had been crying non-stop, surprised there was any tears left to fall.

"I know, but this is what we do and were good at it. Our jobs our scary and dangerous, but we save people, we do good things"

"And bad" Ziva mumbled, thinking of her past rather than killing daily in their current job.

"We have never done anything bad; we've done what is necessary"

Ziva nodded, she preferred his wording although some of her actions still ate away at her through nightmares.

"It's normal to worry Zee, that feeling I had when she was born and not crying…I never want to experience it again, but she will scare us, we will worry. It being a parent."

"When did you become so wise, Anthony DiNozzo"

The way she said his full name this time was seductive and suave, and he couldn't help but kiss her.

"I am still mad at you" She mumbled against his lips.

"I will make it up to you"

"I will hold you to that"

Tony pulled back and smile, holding her face in his hands.

"Zee"

"Hmmm"

"I am so proud of you, and I love you"