Sorry it's been a few days since an update, work has been super busy lately and I've been exhausted. Your reviews and support have been super this week so it has been very appreciated.
We start to get a bit of angst here team, just a warning.
Always love, Danni.
Chapter Twelve
She's tense, angry. He noticed it as soon as his eyes saw her this morning. It's rolling off her in waves and for the life of him he cannot remember what he did wrong. What did he do to upset her? All he remembers is her kissing him goodbye this morning, and it was sweet. It wasn't like this. What had happened?
He'd noticed that Ziva and Ezra had been sharing slightly heated whispered discussions. Neither had looked his way so he could only hope it wasn't about him.
He'd tried hard to keep his nose down at work and focus on the task at hand. He'd managed to distract himself well for a few hours as he found something of interest. Both the dead marines and the IDF soldier used the same gaming site online.
It was a violent game, one where you played an American soldier who hunted down and killed any foreigners. These were mainly portrayed as middle eastern people. Tony could see where this could have caused an irritation, because it came across very racist.
But then why was the Israeli visiting the site? He took the information over to Azriel.
"Hey man, can you take a look into this?" he asked, giving him a few papers of information. Azriel's eyes lit up.
"Of course, I don't know how I missed this" he said. He'd been focusing more on the IDF soldiers computer history, not as much the victims.
"Let me know if you find anything good" Tony replied, smiling. He hoped this was a lead. They were desperate.
"So this is the little taskforce huh?" he heard a unknown voice fill the room from the door. He turned to see a Israeli man, thick sideburns, short curly hair. And for some reason there was a smug look on his face. He didn't like this.
The room was tense and he saw Ziva. Fury filled her gaze as her eyes connected with his. She was doing everything in her power not to turn around and face the male that had just come in the room. He didn't know who this guy was, but whoever he was Ziva was wild at him.
"You're not supposed to be in here Michael" Ezra's voice was heated. He didn't appreciate him being in this space either.
Michael.
It all made sense now.
So this was Michael huh? Fuck him. Tony felt himself get angry at the thought of this guy, he'd hurt Ziva. And clearly, he was still hurting her.
"I'm privy to any Mossad operation thank you Ezra" Michael replied, attitude dripping from every word.
Tony found himself walking towards the man then and Derek shot him an unsure glance. This was a Mossad issue, not their place. But oh yes, this was his place. Because Ziva didn't belong to this asshole anymore and Tony felt a need to protect her. This had nothing to do with an agency turf war.
Michael looked him up and down, shooting him a look as he approached him.
"This isn't just a Mossad operation, so you are not privy to being in here. I suggest at that, you do yourself a favour and leave" Tony stated, getting closer to the man. Closer than what would be considered professional.
He could see the way Michael was sizing him up. Tony noticed the fresh cut on Michael's neck.
"Or what?" Michael challenged him. As much as Tony wanted to smash this guy in the mouth, he didn't.
"This isn't a dick measuring contest, it's called professional courtesy" Tony replied, his voice low. Serious.
Michael didn't budge.
"But clearly you like to piss people off" he added, referring to the cut. He watched the way Michael's eyes shot to Ziva then.
Fuck. Was that cut from her?
"You don't have any place telling me what to do" Michael retorted, stabbing his finger into Tony's chest. That's when he felt Derek at his side. Tony was holding everything he could back, his fists were ready to strike.
But if he did, that would surely be his ass on a plane home.
"Touch me again asshole" Tony challenged. And yeah, it was personal now. Ezra was at his side now too. Cleary everyone saw this was about to go south very fast.
Derek placed his hand on Michael's shoulder.
"Come on brother, you can't be here" Derek was trying to break this up. It didn't seem to deter the male. He just kept eyeing Tony up. Wondering why he was being challenged so hard by the male. Tony hoped he just put it down to him being a hot headed male, which was definitely not the case here.
"The director will hear about this if you don't fuck off right now" Ezra then challenged. That's what made him take his eyes from Tony.
"He knows you're already stirring shit after this morning, so you better watch yourself" Ezra was the one challenging him now.
Michael's eyebrows drew together and his lip twitched. He was pissed now. Tony dreaded to think about what happened this morning. Especially if Ziva had gone to her father about it.
Michael snarled at them and turned, leaving.
He was fired up, Ezra at his side was fired up.
"What the fuck was that guy's problem?" Derek stated, looking at Tony and Ezra.
Tony let out a sigh and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. The way he was affected by this, wasn't missed by Derek.
"He's an asshole who likes to put his nose where it doesn't belong" Ezra explained, not going into detail. Derek and Sarah didn't need to know about it.
"Well he's definitely looking in the wrong place for trouble" Derek replied. Tony was about to clock the guy, Ezra was right behind him, and Derek had both of their backs if a fight started.
Tony didn't say anything he just tried to keep himself in check and walk back to his desk. But when his eyes found hers, it was so hard not to scream and punch something. Her eyes were hurt, sad. Michael was purposefully fucking with her. And it was working. Tony wished he'd punched him in the face now.
They all tried to get back into their work, but the energy in the room was suffocating. Obviously that energy was felt by everyone when Derek spoke up.
"I think we've worked hard enough this morning for a coffee break" he said standing, stretching out. Tony caught his gaze and in it, Tony could see Derek realized something far more was going on. That much was obvious.
"I could use a coffee" Azriel replied and he joined Sarah and Derek out of the office.
It was quiet for a long time, before someone spoke.
"I do not need either of you to defend me like that" she said, shooting daggers at them both.
"Fuck that Ziva, you know what he's trying to do" Ezra exclaimed. He was trying to get to her, and it was working.
"He is my problem, not yours" she retorted, shooting a look at Tony. She didn't want him dealing with her issues. She needed to deal with them herself. Why must she try carry this weight herself? She'd given so much to him lately, she can trust him to have her back.
She stood then, slamming her hands onto the table in upset. She turned on her heels and took off. The door slamming behind her. Ezra pinched the bridge of his nose with a deep sigh. Then his eyes settled on Tony.
"You should follow her" he said then. Normally Tony would guess that this would be the point where Ezra would follow his friend and calm her. But now, maybe he'd taken up that job. Tony nodded. That meant more than Ezra would ever know.
"She'll be very angry, but just let her get it out" he gave Tony a heads up before he left the room.
Tony didn't know where she'd gone, but it couldn't of been too far. When he walked passed the bathrooms down the corridor he could hear the tap running in the women's bathroom. He cracked the door open and her fiery gaze met his in the mirror.
A look to his left he could see all the bathroom stalls were empty and he stepped in, closing the door behind him. Locking it.
"You made it my problem when you let me in" was his soft words. He was angry. She needed to just let him in, let him protect her from bullshit like this.
"Having sex with you does not mean I want you to get involved in my problems" she snapped. That hurt, her words were like a knife in his back. Like what they had was just sex. She was staring him down in the mirror.
"That's fucking bullshit and you know it" he pressed out. He went to touch her, to turn her to face him. She pulled her shoulder away from him.
Her walls were up, she was keeping it all locked inside and wasn't giving him an inch right now. This was so far from what had happened last night that it was physically painful. What happened to that woman that shared with him last night?
"What happened this morning with him?" he demanded. Her hands gripped tightly around the sink. Her eyes told him in the mirror that it wasn't good, and that she wasn't going to tell him.
"What fucking happened?" he was wild at this point. Something in her eyes flickered. Memory, fear. It was at that point he remembered that Michael hadn't treated her well and he probably yelled at her, he probably violently put his hands on her.
He let out a heavy breath and ran his hands through his hair, pulling just a little bit just to feel some pain. He turned around and paced, then all of a sudden his hand hit the wall with force. That gave him pain. That's what he needed.
His hand was pounding and he placed his palms on the wall, leaning his head on the concrete surface. It wasn't like him to outburst like this, but the thought of how she'd been treated made him so angry. So angry at the fact anyone would do something like that to her.
"Goddammit Ziva don't lock me out" he whispered, suddenly he wasn't angry, he was just upset. It was quiet for a moment before her voice spoke softly.
"He saw me walking down the corridor to my apartment and he tried to follow me in" she began. He had to strain his ears she was that quiet. But he stayed where he was.
"He tried to force himself on me" at that his hands were balling on the wall and his anger was climbing back into him. He really needed to smack this guy in the mouth.
"It turned into a scuffle, and… I thought… it was going to end like last time" her voice wavered at that and he had to turn to her then. He didn't like what he saw on her face in the reflection in the mirror. She was physically shaking.
"So I pulled a knife on him. I would not let it happen again" she explained, like she was justifying why she'd pulled the knife. He took a few steps until he was close to her. He placed a hand to her shoulder and she flinched at the touch initially.
"I swear to god if I see him again" Tony wanted to do more than just smash the guy's head in now.
"Do not" she warned then "He is dangerous" her voice choked out.
For her, a dangerous woman herself, to feel that way he must be dangerous. More than Tony could probably handle if he was being honest. He wasn't Mossad. Tony let out a sigh of deep frustration.
"It makes me wild knowing he hurt you" he said quietly, coming up behind her. He didn't know if she would allow touch right now, but he was willing to risk it.
He pressed his chest to her back, wrapping his arms around her front to settle on her stomach. His gaze dropping from hers as he pressed his face into the side of her neck. She was stiff in his arms, but he held her regardless.
"I just wish I could take all that pain away" he whispered against her skin, pressing a soft kiss to her neck. She relaxed in his arms then, her breath shaky as her hands came to touch his. And yeah, she was careful to avoid his hand that was pounding in pain.
"You do" she said, so quiet he almost missed it. He squeezed her a bit tighter at that.
"Then don't lock me out, I won't hurt you" his voice held such promise. He lifted his eyes to meet hers. She didn't look so sure.
"You will not be here forever" she remined him. Bringing up the one thought he tried to avoid. Yes, he would hurt her one day it was inevitable. He might not mean to, but it doesn't mean it wasn't going to happen. Because this posting wasn't permanent.
She stepped out of his arms then, making a beeline for the door.
When she disappeared he was left staring at his reflection. How come when he finally finds someone that makes him feel the right way, and he make her feel the same way, that the universe was out to get him and just won't let him be happy?
He guesses that life is never meant to be easy.