He immediately discarded the idea of just asking Ziva for their numbers. One, she would definitely not give them to him and two, would probably do more than threaten him if he did. So, no. That was not a good idea. Or even a legitimate idea in the first place. Right, that wasn't even going to be idea number one, that's how much he wasn't considering it.

Another idea that was cast aside relatively quickly was trying to sneak her phone and get the numbers off there. But there were several problems with that. The most prominent one being that he was afraid to even try and steal something from his partner. The other being je had no clue to go about doing that. She was a ninja, after all. She was hyperaware of her surroundings which would basically make it impossible to lift her phone from her without her knowing. That was a sure-fire way of him losing a limb. So, no.

Which was a pity because technically it would be the easiest way to get the number. No magic tricks or possible hacking to come up with it because it was already saved. Ziva did have her aunt's phone number saved in her phone, right?

Also, Tony got this feeling that even if he did manage (somehow, if pigs flew) to get her phone, get the numbers and return all without her realising she would still find out that he had done so. She would, he just knew it. Ninja, remember? Knowing his luck, she would appear when he had her phone in one hand and he was writing down the number in another. He shuddered. What she did if she caught him doing that was just too horrifying.

The second idea (because that very first one wasn't going to even get counted, remember?) was maybe ask the Director? She had worked with Ziva in the Middle East, maybe she knew Nettie? Bit of a long shot though. And she might not appreciate him asking and tell Ziva. Which was not an option.

So, what did that leave him with? He couldn't ask anyone for it and he couldn't sneak it. What was left? Tony drummed his pen on his desk impatiently, letting hi eyes wander around the office, hoping for some sort of inspiration.

There were the international clocks, which just reminded him that there was a time difference involved here which was going to make things more awkward, the wanted posters (he was starting to feel a bit like a criminal), what-his-name from the Middle East desk was the universe trying to mock him?) and there was McGee. A very busy McGee who was pointedly ignoring him and typing away on his computer, hacking into God knows what.

Hacking. McGee. A smile slowly spread across his face.

McGee was very pointedly not looking at him right now Which had to be fixed before he could do anything.

"Hey, McGee!"

He was ignored. Which was just rude.

"McGee!"

A piece of crumpled up paper hit McGee on the head. He might have been the one to throw it.

McGee looked up from his computer. "Yes?"

"I need you to look up a number for me."

"For a case?" he asked hopefully.

But his hopes were visibly dashed when Tony gave him an evasive look.

"Not exactly…"

"It either is or it isn't."

"It's for a case I made up?" Tony tried.

McGee raised an eyebrow but he had started typing in whatever he needed to do before he even began the search.

"Its location is in Israel," Tony tried to be helpful and then frowned. "I think."

Ziva never said anything about her Aunt Nettie travelling.

McGee's fingers froze when Tony said that. Actually, froze just over the keys in mid-aor. As in, he wasn't doing any typing.

"McGee?" He prompted, hoping to get the man moving again.

He anxiously looked around. Israel meant only one thing. It was for something about Ziva. Which was dangerous. More dangerous than your standard phone number search because if Tony wanted to find a number related to Ziva it meant something was going to happen and it wasn't going to be good. That and they only had a small window of time, after all. And the quicker they were, the better because who knew when Ziva was going to reappear. She definitely needed a bell or something.

"Why do you need an Israeli number?"

So suspicious, honestly.

"No reason."

"Tony."

Okay, if anyone asked, McGee pressed him for it. Even though it was just because he was bursting to share.

"I need Nettie's number."

"Ziva's Aunt Nettie?"

"Do we know of any other Netties?

"I honestly thought you already had the number."

Tony crossed his arms, still feeling annoyed. "And why would I have that? The whole point of me asking you was that I didn't have them."

McGee rolled his eyes, not even sorry that he wasn't doing anything to help him.

"What about that whole board game partner incident?"

"Mahjong," he corrected automatically. "The guy was her Mahjong partner."

And there went McGee with the eye rolling again. Which was completely unnecessary.

"Yeah, who Ziva was trying to help her aunt break up with."

"What are you getting at, McGoo?" Tony said in exasperation, wracking his brain so hard for what McGee was trying to remind him of that he couldn't even come up with a good McNickname. "I was there. I spoke into the phone. Trust me, I remember that. I even sent flowers."

He did. Food a place in Israel and everything to send them. It was surprisingly easy. The wonders of the internet.

"I mean, if you sent her flowers then you had to have talked to her, right?"

Tony blinked at him, realisation slowly dawning on him.

"I did!" He said excitedly, running back to his desk to seize his phone.

Yanking the charging lead out of it, he impatiently waiting for it to start up again. Why did it aways take so long?

"Right, you do that and I'll actually do some work then."

"Ah, ah, ah, McMemory," Tony chided

"You do realise we should both be doing work, right?"

Which, of course, he just ignored. Even if it was said rather pointedly.

"I still need your help."

"With what?" McGee asked in exasperation.

Tony held up his now started up phone

"Searching my phone."