''Let's play a game'' Saleem says as he points his gun at Tony.

''You dosed me with the truth serum, go ahead and ask.''

''You see that is where you are wrong. The question is not for you. It is for her!'' Saleem says and points towards Ziva.

''What?''

''The game is: tell me a secret. But make it juicy, or he dies.''

''What secret?''

''Something you have never told anyone, not even your partner. And make it quick, my hands are getting slippery.''

''Alright, fine.'' she thinks for a second and then says; ''I think I made a mistake.''

''Boring.'' Saleem says and shoots a warning shot near Tony's leg.

''Wait, wait I wasn't done. I abandoned my family. I disappointed my father and I made a mistake that led me here. I got caught and I never saw it coming.''

''Last warning'' — Saleem shoots Tony in his thigh.

For the first time in her life, she's forced to acknowledge her feelings and acknowledge her fragility. She could be bruised. She could humiliate herself. But, it is worth it for Tony.''

''No, wait. I had a plan. I never intended on being captured alive.''

Saleem is now intrigued, but still not satisfied. At this point Ziva doesn't know if he will ever be satisfied.

''I grew up in the Middle East, I have never known peace. I grew up surrounded with violence and pain.''

'' I know what it is like living in the Middle East, I got my Doctorate at a very prestigious university in Jordan. There were quite a few bombings there, truly terrible. I do not know what kind of person could ever do such a thing. Murder is the worst crime. '' Saleem says while still pointing his gun at Tony.

''Are you not a murder too?''

''Semantics, continue with the story. I am bored, speed it up.''

''Fine, I did not intend to be captured alive, but I had hope. I hoped that my father would come for me and instead a man I have not seen in months, a man I abandoned without an explanation'' — Ziva's voice breaks, but she keeps going. — ''Tony deserves to live, because he is the reason I am still alive. He makes me feel, for the first time in months I feel, and yes the only thing I feel are pain and sadness, but for months I have felt nothing. I was numb and empty.''

She looks up at Tony.

''You deserve to live too. Duck!''

''Where?''

'' No, Ziva… Get down.''

She looks at Tony like he has lost his mind, but if he is going to die she might as well make him happy one last time. She lowers her head as much as she can, and she hears a gunshot.

''Tony!''

''It's all good. We're fine.''

''He does not look fine.''

Saleem is on the floor in a puddle of blood. He is gone.

''Up and at 'em!''

''We are tied to a chair in a terrorist cell with armed guards everywhere. The odds are someone heard that gunshot and the backup is minutes away.''

''Too bad for them that ours is already here.''

''We have backup?''

''Didn't you wonder where McGoo was?''

''You brought him to Somalia with you?''

''Well, we volunteered to come.''

''You volunteered, McGee is here against his will is he not?''

''Well, he is doing better than us since he is out there with a gun, and we are here tied to chairs.''

''Are you flirting with me?''

''I knew you liked being in control, but this is kinky for you?''

''Well, I prefer handcuff over the rope, but since we have limited resources I would be happy with the rope.''

''Stop teasing me.''

''Oh, what Tony? What did you think that we were going to have sex now? Here?''

''No. I was just trying to get your mind off of everything else going on around us until the team arrives, and I was very successful, look behind you.''

Once McGee graced the captured due with his presence, they were saved. It took them awhile to get out of the camp, with Tony limping and bleeding and with Ziva being hurt both on the inside and on the outside.

One thing was certain; this will be an interesting debrief.

''And then you offered to, agent DiNozzo I can't believe I'm saying this, you offered to have sex with her? After she has been in a terrorist camp for months and endured worse things than either of us could ever imagine.''

''It was a joke.''

''Agent DiNozzo, will we have to repeat the sensitivity seminar?''

''Sir, I spent weeks in a terrorist camp being tortured, I don't need any additional torture.''

''It was one week Agent DiNozzo. You were gone for a single week.'' — at this point Vance regrets rescuing him.

''Well, it felt like it was longer. I was severely dehydrated and disoriented.''

''Agent DiNozzo, please let's finish this as soon as possible. What happened next?''

'' Agent McGee helped us out of that situation.''

''You mean he rescued you?''

''I would prefer not to put it that way.''

''He saved you!''

''Semantics. If he learned Arabic better we wouldn't have even been in that situation''

''You both wouldn't have been in that situation, if you, Agent DiNozzo, did not volunteer you both.''

''Who cares about tiny details?''

''Well, that explains why your report is deficient. Including how you two managed to stall Saleem long enough for Gibbs to get a good shot.''

''I charmed him.''

''Well, that explains why he shot you.''

''Well at least both your report and agent DiNozzo's report are semi-alike. You both agreed on the most important parts, but you left something out didn't you?''

Ziva is stunned. She can't help it but to wonder if Tony wrote into his report her most vulnerable moment.

''I completely understand why you would choose not to write it, I personally know that I regret reading it. At this point I doubt that conversation ever happened''

''What exactly did he say?''

''I cannot say that. It's confidential.''

''Alright are we done?''

''Yes, I'll have someone escort you out of the building.''

''What?''

''David, you were never an agent. You were the Mossad Liaison Officer, which by definition requires you to have a relationship with Mossad. Have you even spoken with your father?''

''No.''

''You're damaged goods.''

She is, she knows it. But him saying it like this; it hurts her even more. She's speechless and broken.

''How damaged I need to know before I know before I can even begin to figure out what to do with you. You pass the Psych Evaluation and we'll talk.''

There is still hope for her.

''Thank you.''

''David, no promises.''

A security officer escorts Ziva through the hallways of the building and eventually they get to the bullpen elevator.

''Hey, hey, wait, I'll do it''

''You really like volunteering for things do you not?''

Tony smirked, but didn't respond. Instead, he just pressed the call button. They enter the elevator but don't even get two floors down before tony pushed the emergency stop button.

''Ziva…''

''I have nothing to say to you.'' Ziva snaps back.

''I saved you and you are still mad about Rivkin?''

''This is not about Michael.''

''Then what is it about?''

''You told Vance, and even worse you wrote it into your report, so now everyone can read it.''

At this point Ziva can barely hold back the tears. She trusted him and he revealed her secret. How can she trust ever again? To anyone?

''Read what? Ziva, we always flirt everyone knows it, even Gibbs'' — Tony as clueless as always doesn't even understand what he did wrong.

''Do not play dumb with me. You know that I'm talking about the thing I said when Saleem threatened to kill you.''

''Ziva…''

''What?'' — she now sounds mad. She doesn't want his apologies or empty promises, she just wants to turn back the clock.

''I would never… I haven't written it into my report. I swear. What happened there is between you, me and Saleem's dead body. No one has to know what was said.''

''You did not?'' — She says as she looks him straight into his eyes.

''No, I didn't. Maybe… I'm not as bad as you thought." — Now he is the one that's hopeless and blue.

''I never thought you were bad, Tony.''

''Then why do you always doubt me? Why do you never believe me?'' — he stops only because his voice breaks, if it hasn't he would've said much more, maybe even some things he would later come to regret.

''Tony…''

''What?'' — now he is the one snapping back at her.

''You are the person I trust the most in this world.''

''Ziva?''

''What?'' — this time she says it quietly and gently.

''Can I hug you?''

Instead of a reply she puts her arms around him and starts to sob onto his chest. She doesn't need Tony to fix her, for she is not broken or damaged, she just needs him to hold her hand while she's healing.