Ziva's eyes narrowed as Tony quickly hung up the phone as soon as his eyes met hers. That was definitely suspicious. As was the grin he flashed her. And yes, he had a suspicious grin. It was not difficult to recognise when you knew him, which she definitely did. And that was a suspicious grin. Which meant that he had done something which she definitely wouldn't approve of and he was trying to unsuccessfully cover it up. She just had to figure out what it was.

"Lovely morning, isn't it, Ziva?" He said cheerfully.

"You are in early," she said without returning the greeting.

Because he was. He was very rarely in before her so this was something that just added to her suspicions. What was be doing that required him to be in work early?

"Am I?"

He said it in that in an airy sort of way. Like he hadn't realised it until she had pointed it out but she knew him better than that. He voice was just a little bit off, a bit too carefree. Her eyes narrowed.

"You are."

"Maybe you're just late."

She actually laughed at that.

"I am not late."

"You sure?"

Her eye twitched. He was taking far too much delight in being infuriating this morning. But that wasn't going to distract her no matter what he hoped.

"I am not."

He made a big deal out of looking at the big clock on the wall and being very shocked by the time there.

"You're not. I am early. Huh. Funny, that."

Another eye twitch. Deep breaths, Ziva. Deep breaths. She was not allowed to hurt Tony. She was not allowed to hurt Tony. She did not want to hurt Tony. No really.

"What did you do?" She decided to come right out and ask.

No beating the tree around, as the saying went.

"Nothing."

She raised an eyebrow. Did he really expect that to work on her? Of course, he did something. He should not even try to say otherwise.

Hmm. How to get him to tell her? Nonchalantly, she made her way over to his desk, putting both hands on it and leaning over him.

"Are you sure that you don't want to share?" She flirted.

That normally worked. Or at least let her get a bit further.

Unfortunately, Tony was not in the mood to participate.

"Oh, I'm sure. Nothing to share here."

She only got a little bit closer when Tony figured out what she was trying to do just as she was putting her plan into action. There was a brief scramble where Tony tried to prevent her from getting his phone but she was quicker and she was soon holding his phone aloft in triumph.

"Wait," she said slowly, squinting at the screen. "I know this number."

He redoubled his efforts in trying to get his phone back but she easily rebuffed him, even while she was frowning at the phone.

That was definitely a familiar number but whose number, was it? McGee's? No. His didn't have any sevens in it like that. Palmer's? No, why would he be calling Jimmy this early? Then her brain registered the country code.

Israel.

There was only one person in Israel who Tony knew. Well, knew of. He technically knew her father but she did not see him contacting him for any reason.

Which just left...

"I told you not to ever call her!" she hissed.

It was very satisfying the way he gulped at her. Good. He should be afraid. Extremely afraid. She did not need her aunt and Tony conspiring together. Just... no. It should never happen. It was not going to happen.

Because his face just confirmed it. He had been talking to Aunt Nettie.


There were many things that Tony was scared of, not that he'd readily any of them. Him getting something else that would further damage his lungs. Getting fired from NCIS. Some form of alien lifeform taking over the world. Though, that last one might be the result of a few too many apocalyptic movies. Anyway, still a fear.

None of those compared to the utter fear that rushed through him when Ziva came to the realisation that he had been in contact with her Aunt Nettie. Lovely woman, by the way. Came across as no-nonsense but what else did you expect from a relative of Ziva's?

He thought that he would be safe. He had deliberately got up stupidly early so he could call her. His downfall was coming into work before he did so but he didn't want to run the risk of being on the phone too long with Nettie and be late for work. Though, that might have been better than whatever Ziva had planned for him.

"Now, Ziva..." He said cautiously.

Slow and steady. That's what you were supposed to do so as not to startle a predator, right?

"Would it make it better if you knew that I didn't actually call her?" he tried.

But Ziva wasn't having it. "You were talking to her. On the phone. Which meant that you had to call her."

"Technically I called one of your cousins who just so happened to pass the phone over to your Aunt Nettie..."

It was rather strange but from the look on her face a that didn't make it any better.

"So, you were talking to her."

"Well, yes," Tony could see no other way around it.

"Which I told you not to do."

That was true. But that was so long ago, did it really apply now? Apparently so.

"Well..." he began but he was interrupted by Ziva.

"How did you even know her number anyway?" She asked suspiciously.

"Oh," that was easy. "I already had it."

Now that confused her.

"How?"

"I didn't hack your phone or anything," he said quickly. "I had it from that time I had to apologise for the whole thing about thinking she was an annoying boyfriend and that Majong partner of hers..."

"Which is when I told you never to contact her ever, yes?" Ziva asked sweetly.

Dangerously sweetly. Tony gulped.