K is for Kiss. From their first, fierce, hot and passionate, to the Tarmac, tender and devotion. ~ Debs
From their first, to their last, we knew these two were special. Tony and Ziva. Michael and Cote. Tiva, Mote, Two sides of the same coin. Their friendship and chemistry was something to behold, become a part of and appreciate and fall in love with. We saw them kiss as they went undercover as married lovers. It was heated and passionate as desire was running through their veins. Though it was pretend, eventually they would share a real kiss. After years of working together and fighting for each other. Little did they know and we know, that that real, true, I love you kiss...would be the kiss of goodbye. Goodbye, it...it can't even be accepted. Was it acceptable? It's unthinkable, unimaginable, unacceptable. Tears and raw emotions that are just so deep, and right, true, and should have gone forward, then to be snatched away and thrown about like trash and dangled like a carrot and crushed, to snuff out hope and creat heartache and heartbreak to the deepest level. To destroy something that was good and what could have become so beautiful, it's almost madness. Ziva was there for Tony when he needed her, and he was there for her when she needed him. The ups and downs of life...there is only so much a human can take before breaking, hitting the lowest point, giving up. But, see, they never did. They always found whatever they needed to continue to fight for each other, even when one was pushing the other away. In this life you do have to be tough. It's not about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep-moving-forward. And that is what Tony and Ziva did, almost every time even through the patches of not moving much at all. DiNozzo watches Ziva now as she sits across from him at her desk back at NCIS headquarters...It's been two years since that rescue mission. (S9) Two years of hard work and heartache, nightmares, fighting and then learning to trust again. As he stares at her for a long moment, watching her type on her keyboard and make notes on paper, his eyes become distant, and those memories from that time begin to swirl in his brain.
Tony leaned forward in his chair, gaze wide as he sees what's before his eyes. He and McGee had went on a rescue mission...out in the middle of the desert, and on top of that they were captured-on purpose-after being beaten up. He had been talking to Ziva, the love of his life. She was malnourished and obviously had been tortured. She was not exactly skin and bones but thin enough...what had they done to her? He thought she'd be almost too weak to know who he was. Her skin was pale, had a sheen of gray to it, dirty and scraped up, eyes swollen and almost lifeless and dull, lips chapped and cracked. He had asked her if she could fight. He tried to have hope that she still had something within her, but he only received his answer in the form of a single tear going down her cheek. She hadn't had time to respond as the door opened and their captor came inside. "Oh, hey, Saleem. What's up, man? What's the commotion?" The man came near them. "We're moving out." Tony nodded as he swallowed, his throat dry. "Oh, well, that's good. I was getting kind of tired of this place." Saleem stared at him. "We're not taking prisoners." Zivas eyes widened as Tony continued talking in his slight sarcastic way, bobbing his head as he went on. "Oh. Well, okay, it was nice talking with you." But Saleem shook his head and went straight to Ziva, she gasped as he grabbed her by the hair on the back of her head, a knife swiftly to her throat. "No, we're not done yet." Ziva breathed quickly, eyes wide and ready to meet her fate, voice trembling as she spoke. "If they do not check in, their people will come looking for them." She said and Tony looked to her. "Ziva shut up." He said as he slightly shook his head while their captor held his true love. His mind racing as he didn't want the plan to change. This rescue mission. He didn't want Ziva to end up dead but his heart sank as she continued. "Kill me. You'll need the Americans for leverage." She said pointedly. Saleem stared at her with a slight grin, not realizing how close he was to the laying McGee. "I don't make bargains." "Do you make pizza?"
Saleem stared at Tony with a confused expression. "What?" He asked. McGee suddenly came to life kicking at his captors legs and making the knife fall from his hand, making Saleem fall. But it was only a short upper hand as McGee went for the knife and Saleem pulled out a gun and aimed. "Stop! Stop!" Tony shouted. "There's something I haven't told you yet." Saleem came close. "And what is that?" He said, breathless from the quick scuffle. Tony continued to speak in a long monologue to keep Ziva, McGee and himself alive. "Well... I told you about the brains, I told you about the guts, I told you about the muscle, the scientist, the politician, the leader. I told you about every member of the team except myself. The part I play." Saleem licked his lips. "Which is?" Tony paused as he stared up into his captors face. Oh how he hated this man and others like him so much. What had they done to Ziva while she was here, all alone? Scared and vulnerable. One could only imagine. Truth serum, torture, random beatings, lack of food and water, maybe even rape. Just the thought alone of that last bit made DiNozzos blood boil at the image that came to his brain, flashing like a movie. God he hated this as he imagined her cries and screams of pain and protest against their advances, not being able to defend herself. Or maybe if she did they would inflict more pain. Who knows. "I'm the wild card...I'm the guy who looks at the reality in front of him and refuses to accept it. Like, right now I should be terrified, right? But I'm not. 'Cause I just can't stop thinking about the movie True Lies, you know, where Arnie's strapped to the chair and shot full of truth serum, then he picks his cuffs and kills everybody...You have 30 seconds to live, Saleem." Said dead man smirked, thinking this guy is delusional, he's not making any sense. "You're still bound...You're lying." Tony stared right back, not even blinking. "I can't lie. And I didn't say I was going to be the one to kill you..Remember when I told you my boss was a sniper?" Three seconds later a sound rang through the air as a hole in the glass broke from the window, and instantly Saleem fell back dead. Tony and McGee got themselves up and unbound then Tony cut Zivas bonds and had her lean against him, McGee getting on her other side. She was so weak she could barely walk. They opened the door to their prison cell and another man rounded the corner, gun in hand. Bam! Another shot came and he fell down dead. Tony and McGee exchanged glances as they hesitantly went around the corner and then continued down the hall. The sound of men shouting and a helicopter going overhead could be heard. Ziva grunted as her friends helped her, feeling Tony's and McGees arms around her waist and their shoulders under her arms as they held her up continuing their escape. She was having trouble grasping what was taking place. She was being rescued, being taken away from this hell hole and she felt a little bit of peace and relief. She should be dead..but she isn't. Someone else appeared around another corner. But before McGee could even shoot, for he had picked up Saleems gun, a shot rang out and their enemy fell to the side. Standing there in full marine garb and camouflage was Gibbs. "Let's go home."
When they went out Ziva had to shield her eyes for the light was blinding to her. She had been in one of those cells for almost four months so it was usually almost dark accept for what bit came through the small window. Tony never left her side as they boarded the plane. Once they stepped in, that was when Ziva could no longer hold herself up and started going down. Tony held her in his strong arms as he and a medic helped her, carefully laying her down on a cot that was in the back of the cargo plane they had commandeered for their mission. Tony held Zivas hand as she was looked over. She was a sight. Hair filthy, body dirty, and..was that a scar on her shoulder? Tony looked and there was a rip in her light jacket, and there on her skin he could see what looked like a long scratch line, about 4 inches. It was partially red, a little yellow, and it was unclean. He hoped her wounds weren't infected. First things first, she needed treatment and care and lots of recovery time. The medic had went to hook her up to an IV as she was dehydrated and needed other fluids she has been deprived of. But when he brought out the needle her eyes widened with fear and she began breathing fast, eyes flashing like a frightened animal, her hands up in defense like that of a scared child. Tony wasn't exactly sure why she would fear needles. She was a Mossad Ninja after all. He wiped his eyes, then remembered in his fuzzy brain. Of course. They must have used the serum on her as well and tried to get information. Gently and slowly he reached out and took her shaking hands in his. "Ziva, Ziva it's alright. He's trying to help you. It's okay. It's gonna be okay." He murmured to her in hushed tones as she held onto him. Ziva took in some quick breathes and just gripped her fists, trembling and she squeezed her eyes shut at the poke of the needle and the slight burn feeling that follows.
The medic found the vein and then removed part of the syringe and inserted the tube that was hooked to the Iv and bag with fluids, then taped it to Zivas arm after removing the insertion needle entirely. After that he began using a cloth and cleaning the cuts on her face and forehead. Ziva flinched a couple of times and the man apologized over and over. Ziva knew he was trying to help..but being around a man made her uncomfortable. She was surprised that she accepted Tony's embrace easier and so much more calmer. With his arms around her, she felt safe. She didn't know why, she just did. So she just sat through it best she could. The medic did what he could to her face, cleaned it up and wiped the few cuts she had on her cheek and forehead. But now was a harder part. The medic suspected of torture with it being one woman and 30 men. He planned on getting her into some fresh clean clothes but this was going to be a slow process. He asked her to come with him to a different part of the plane so she could change in a private setting but Ziva refused to budge. "No." She said very quickly, shaking her head. "Miss David you are safe, nothing is going to happen to you." "I said no now leave me alone!" She yells, stating firmly but with a trembling body. She was so weak and wanted nothing more than to go and sleep for a month and eat something more nourishing than what she had been given. Which wasn't much. Tony looked to the medic and they exchanged glances and he left them to be alone. Ziva relaxed a little more when he left, letting her eyes close and her body sag a little, not to go unnoticed by Tony. He held her weak body in his strong arms and kissed her cheek.
"Hey." Tony was shook from his thoughts when Ziva touched his hand. "You okay?" She asked, brow slightly furrowed and her expression conveyed concern. DiNozzo looks to her and nods. "Yeah. I'm fine." He leans back and stretches a little. "You looked like you were spaced out." She said and moved from in front of his desk to the side, next to him. Tony shook his head. "Naw I wasn't spacing out." Ziva swallowed. "Well whatever it was, you were deep in thought. The expressions in your eyes changed a couple times as I watched you, your..eyes...they were distant. Recalling a memory?" Tony looked to her for as Ziva was talking she had eased down onto her knees so she was eye level with him. Tony stares a long moment before taking a breath and he licked his lips then pressed them together, then sighed. "It's nothing." He shook his head, trying to put up a surreptitious smile but Ziva could see right through the fake facade and she swallowed, leaning her head to the side and wresting her hand around his. Tony knew he couldn't hide himself from her, so why should he try? "I was just thinking.." he paused and Ziva inclined her head to the side, sending it was difficult for him. "Thinking about, you...And two years ago." Ziva swallowed, instantly knowing what he was referring to. She caught his gaze and looked down at her shoulder, at the small, lighter toned scar. She moved her shirt and covered it, taking a breath.
She looked into his eyes after a moment, wondering if she should speak up or stay silent. It was something that she-that they, had been trying to forget. But with her scars it will always be a reminder. Has she fully recovered? One can never really say. Nightmares still came in the night, her own mind a torture from the memories. Ducky said they would eventually fade with time, she just had to try and continue on with life and making new memories and start a new chapter of renewal. Tony gave her hand a squeeze and gently rubbed his thumb over hers. They both had grown much much closer during her recovery time and since then. "Just remember seeing you...". Ziva looked to him as he continued. "The way you were. I...I t-thought I'd lost you." He looked away, slightly shamed for bringing it up cause he didn't want to cause bad memories to surface, but his emotions showed. If he could he would have been the one to kill that monster and his minions. Ziva swallowed and nodded. "But you didn't, Tony." Slightly hesitating, she reached up her other hand and rested it on his cheek, making him look at her. "I am here, Tony. Right here..And I always will be. I promise." And with that, she leaned in, and sealed her promise...with a Kiss.
Yeah. I'm a lousy updater.