(Once again I do not own any of this)

Rain slashed at the Mustang's windscreen as they drove across town. The wipers snickered back and forth with an odd squeaking sound Tony noted ruefully. He hated to admit it but his baby was in need of a tune up. The clock on the dashboard read 9 pm. Only 9? It felt like midnight. He had been feeling drained by the week. However the prospect of getting Ziva to spend time with him was exciting. She could be confusing, and down right frustrating, but he enjoyed her. As much grief as he gave her she never complained. She just handed it back. Some how it didn't bother him. What did bother him is that he couldn't get her out of his mind. That was a new problem for him

Ziva rode in silence, oblivious to his thoughts. She was on high alert. Agents who failed to observe failed to live. She knew that in all likelihood she wouldn't be seeing her spy friend tonight. That didn't stop her from searching the vacant city streets for the demon from her past just in case she was wrong. In the morning she'd call in a few favours. Then she'd find him, snag him and bring him in to Gibbs.

She was picturing herself dragging her unwanted friend up the steps at NCIS by his feet with is stupid head going Bump Bump Bump when Tony's voice broke into her reverie. "So what was that Jujitsu stuff you did back there?"

"Krav Maga. Israeli martial arts. Usually it's lethal but we were just talking."

"Right. Just talking. That's like when we say "He accidentally hurt himself when we apprehended him' "

"I can teach you if you want," She offered. She checked the mirror. Nothing still.

"No thanks, I want to live."

"That's the whole idea." She said sarcastically.

Tony unzipped his jacket. His was starting to sweat. He couldn't tell if it was his nerves, or the fact that Ziva always turned the heat on high. Sometimes she made him so uncomfortable it made his brain hurt. Ziva currently seemed to be enjoying the blazes of hell blasting out of the heater. She had pointed all the vents at herself and was now basking in the sweltering heat.

"So."

"So what?" She asked

"I don't know. I'm just trying to start a conversation here. You know so much about me. I don't know anything about you unless you let something slip."

"You know more than you think. You're an investigator."

"True. But you're supposed to share. It's what partners do here."

She thought about it for a moment. "What was the first car you ever drove?"

He smiled. "This one. You?"

"Armored personal carrier." She responded.

Great. Emasculated with one blow of her tongue. Time to change to subject.

"Think there's a chance this guy will show tonight?

"No. Once I find out for sure where he is I'll bring him in." She answered. "You can help if you like."

"I do like." He responded. Sometimes he swore she had no sense of self- preservation.

Impulsively Tony reached out to touch her left earlobe where it was split in two pieces.

She winced. Gently she removed his hand and placed it in her lap, her hand on his. "A bit of flying glass. Bomb in a café. Two years ago today." She turned her head to stare blankly out the window. "It's no big deal. I lived." He voice sounded distant and hollow. He dropped the question.

For a while the only sound was that of the Mustang's engine as it plowed through what had now become a downpour. Then Ziva rallied.

"What's the longest you've ever been in a committed relationship?' She asked.

"3 months. You?"

"Two years. "

"He get scared of commitment?" Tony joked.

"He was with me in the café. He wasn't as lucky. "

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Unexpected loss is a part of life. He died. I caught a sliver of glass in my earlobe." She shook her head as if trying to shake the memory away. "Life makes no sense sometimes."