Okay team, so this is not a nice chapter. We start heading into some serious angst here. Every rainbow has to have a storm first, right?
Also, little bit of an AU spin on the interrogation scene in Aliyah. Because I do love that scene.
Chapter Sixteen
It had been a long day of surveillance today; he didn't leave the dingy apartment he and Sarah had been couped up in all day. The day today had definitely dragged on. He hadn't seen Ziva all day as she had been off on some ninja tasks in the neighbourhood, trying to find information on a different avenue.
He and Sarah had returned to the office not long ago and just packed up their equipment. Everyone else had either finished up or was still out doing their tasks so they decided to call it off for the night. It was late, just before midnight so he couldn't wait to get into bed.
He didn't know if Ziva would make an appearance tonight, she was probably still off doing what she does best.
Sarah had left not too long ago, he told her to head home as he had a couple things he wanted to finish up. Now, he was finished and was walking back to the apartments. He didn't know what was happening until he was on him, grabbing him around the neck. He'd come out of nowhere, slipping out from the darkness.
Tony was struggling for breath and he swung his elbow back into the assailant's chest. That broke the grip from his neck and Tony spun, swinging out a right hook. He made contact with the face of the man behind the attack.
Michael.
"What the fuck?" Tony was outraged. Where the hell had this come from?
Michael reached out, grabbing him by the throat and gripping hard. His other hand swung out and connected with Tony's face. Realistically, Tony was no match for Michael, but that didn't mean he was going to back down.
"You should have kept your hands off her" Michael growled at him, hitting him again. That comment had put more fire in Tony's blood. So, this is what this is about? Tony swept his leg out at Michaels, bringing them both crashing onto the ground. He saw blood suddenly, coming from who he wasn't sure.
"You need to leave her the fuck alone" Tony spat. This guy, seriously just didn't give up.
They scuffled on the ground, Michael twisting his arm to the point where his shoulder gave protest. Tony was trying to get his hands-on Michael, trying to get him to let him the fuck go. That's when Tony saw the knife and his heart started really pounding. Was this guy going to kill him just for sleeping with Ziva? Surely not.
Tony's hands went to Michael's wrist when he saw the knife come towards him, they fought over the knife and it caught Tony on his own wrist. Blood was definitely everywhere now. Tony was losing this fight; he wasn't as strong as Michael.
As much as Tony wrestled with Michael, the knife clipped him buy his ribs. Not quite getting him deep, Tony's resistance most likely saving his life on that one. They rolled and Michael had him from behind now, Tony holding his wrist with all his strength as it came up to his neck. This was it. This was how he was going to die.
All for her. But honestly, it had been worth it.
He only had one option right now, and it was either going to work in his favour or he was going to have his throat cut. He quickly let one hand go from Michaels wrist, going to his shoulder holster under his arm. As the knife touched his neck, he pulled the trigger.
Michael's hand dropped from his neck then and Tony tried to stand and get away, he lost his footing and fell, only managing to crawl away. As Tony saw Michael's body go limp, blood seeping from his chest where Tony had shot him, everything had gone white noise in his head.
His ears were ringing, his whole body hurt. He had blood all over him. Multiple soldiers were running out, guns drawn. He fell back, closing his eyes.
Fuck.
As soon as the soldiers got to him there was all sorts of yelling and grabbing, obviously he was the one who didn't belong and he was still breathing so he must be the bad guy in this. Derek had appeared not long after that, defending him and almost starting a fight with them.
Tony had insisted he was fine, but Derek wasn't putting up with his bullshit. Derek wasn't dumb, he could see he'd taken damage and not just a little. Tony ended up at the hospital in the city, not left alone. Derek had refused to leave him alone and definitely not alone with Mossad. There were two Mossad agents who had followed them to the hospital, not letting Tony leave their sight.
He was in some deep shit now. Tony wondered if he was going to suffer the fate of being sent home, or something far worse once Eli David had finished wiping the floors with him. Pissing off Mossad wasn't on the top of Tony's to do list. He may not have meant to, but it seems as though that's exactly what he'd done.
He was starting to think maybe dying would have been easier.
He felt slightly uncomfortable when the doctor made him take his shirt off and Derek and the two Mossad guys were in the room. Talk about no doctor-patient confidentially. He winced as the shirt came off, the blood had dried somewhat and made his shirt stick to his ribs. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, he was really sore.
The doctor's hands came to him, assessing all the damage. He could see himself in a mirror across the room and he felt so exposed suddenly. Wounds and secrets scaring his skin for too many eyes to see.
He saw the gash on his ribs, the one on his wrist, blood all over his skin. His eyebrow was split, more blood there. A black eye, bruised jaw. A small cut to the side of his neck, where the blade had pressed just as he pulled the trigger.
Those were the wounds; however, he was more worried about the secrets exposed on his skin.
He could see remnants of her teeth marks on his shoulder and if that was still there his back would still hold the scratches from her hands clawing at him in pleasure. Those were things he didn't want anyone seeing, those were private.
He didn't miss the way all the eyes in the room assessed every inch of him. They would see those marks, know exactly what they were from. Suddenly his mind was now on her, what was she going to think? What was she going to do when she found out he killed her abusive ex-boyfriend? When he'd promised to leave him alone.
He closed his eyes as the doctor began cleaning his skin with something that stung. This was such a mess.
The doctor had cleaned him up, stitched him up. He had just finished putting the bandages on when the door swung open and Ezra was bursting into the room. He took one look at Tony, eyes of concern in his gaze. He then turned to the Mossad agents and that was when he started speaking in Hebrew.
The conversation was heated and at one point the doctor dismissed himself. Derek didn't seem to know what was being said either, but he was standing between them and Tony. Ready to fight if anyone thought they were getting their hands-on Tony.
Derek was ready to bat for Tony, no questions asked. Tony was sure Ezra swore in Hebrew just before the two Mossad agents left the room. Ezra turned to them and let out a long breath.
"Fucking spooks" Ezra muttered before walking towards Tony and Derek "Are you okay?" he asked as he got to Tony, assessing all the bandages and stiches. He handed him a shirt then and Tony didn't miss the way his eyes flickered to his shoulder briefly, eyeing the secrets.
"Yeah I'll be fine" Tony stated, wincing as he slipped on the shirt Ezra had given him.
"You definitely aren't fine Tony" Derek spoke up for the first time since they'd got to the hospital.
"Well it could be worse; I could be fucking dead" Tony snapped. He was suddenly not in the mood for anything. He just wanted to go back to last night, before this all happened and Ziva was snuggled into his arms. When everything felt so carefree.
"Yeah well you're not dead, a Mossad agent is" Ezra began, raising his voice to meet Tony's "And yeah I bet Michael fucking deserved it and you were justified, but that doesn't mean Eli isn't going to try and come for you over this" Ezra explained. This wasn't time for Tony to get his knickers in a twist. He needed to pull his head out of his ass and be very careful about his next step.
Tony closed his eyes, bringing his hands into his hair and letting out a very heavy breath.
"Now you need to tell me exactly what happened, because I'll do my best to keep you from drowning under that asshole" Ezra explained, his tone tight. Tony knows he hates Eli. The fact Ezra was willing to bat for his team, against his boss was something Tony hadn't truly expected.
Tony's eyes were still closed, hands fisting in his hair. He took a deep breath and looked up and Ezra and Derek.
"He attacked me because I'm sleeping with her and that didn't seem to sit too well with him" Tony said quietly. This part of the story wouldn't leave this room. Ezra briefly flicked his eyes to Derek, but he suddenly realised he wasn't the only one who knew about them.
"I tried to get away from him and then he pulled that goddamn knife on me. I had no choice; it was me or him" Tony continued. Neither of the males in front of him believed anything else, they know he was justified.
The only thing was, Eli had to be convinced of that.
Ezra's phone rang then and after looking at the screen his eyes caught Tony's. It was her.
"She's not happy" Ezra warned him before he took his leave from the room to take the phone call. Clearly, he didn't want the phone call to be in earshot of Tony.
Tony raised his eyes to the celling, closing his eyes. He guessed when he gets back, he should probably start packing his bags, he didn't think he was going to be here much longer.
She was so angry right now; her blood was boiling. She didn't know who to be mad with, Tony, Michael, her father. All of them.
When she was on the way back from her job and she'd got a call from Ezra, telling her what had happened she didn't know how to feel. Every emotion had spun in her head at once to the point she felt dizzy. She'd finally reached the end of her tether.
By the time she got back to base Tony was back from the hospital and was being held in an interrogation room. She knew her father, she knew that he would be trying to hang Tony for this. Was it his fault? Had he been the one who approached Michael?
She'd told him not to and he'd promised her. Fucking promised.
She marched herself into the viewing room, her steps coming to a halt as her eyes settled on Abbott and Ezra. They both looked pissed off. She didn't say a word to either of them, just turned to look through the privacy glass into the next room.
Her father had just entered the room, slamming the door behind him.
It wasn't often her father did this anymore, interrogated. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen him. That just told her how serious it was. She crossed her arms and didn't take her eyes from the scene in front of her.
"Agent DiNozzo" Eli's voice held a venom to it as he said Tony's name.
"Director David" Tony returned. God, she hoped he wasn't going to take her father on in challenge, he would snap him in two.
"You want to explain to me why one of my agents is dead?" Eli began. He walked around behind Tony, sitting himself on the edge of the desk in front of Tony. His eyes were burning a hole down on Tony and she knew her father was trying to intimated him.
She'd seen many men falter under her father's intimidating, but Tony, he just looked up at her father and held his gaze. Not backing down.
"Would you be having the same conversation with him if I'd let him cut my throat and you had a dead U.S agent on your hands?" Tony threw in challenge. She could almost feel the anger rise in her father without seeing his face.
"My agents do not attack for no reason" Eli rose to the challenge, almost ignoring the question from Tony. At that, she watched as Tony laughed at her father. Laughed. Tony leant closer to Eli and Ziva wondered if he had a death wish. No one got in his face like that.
"Rivkin was an unstable agent, out of control, you of all people should know that" Tony whispered, spiteful. Ziva's heart was suddenly in her throat. Tony was referring to what had happened between her and Michael, and her father wouldn't miss a beat on that for sure. Her fathers silence told her he knew exactly what Tony was referring to. Tony didn't even flinch when her father suddenly grabbed him around the neck.
"You think you are smart, don't you?" he growled down at Tony. Tony didn't once break her fathers gaze.
"I'm smart enough to know you have cameras everywhere in this place and that if you look, you'll see your agent attacking me for no reason" Tony pressed out, even with the restriction around his throat. She watched her father lean in closer.
"I don't think it was for no reason" her father whispered, so quiet she'd almost missed it. Eli pushed Tony back and let go of his throat then. He stood up walking behind Tony's chair, placing his hands-on Tony's shoulder and leaning down.
Her father whispered something to Tony, so quiet that it was not caught on the microphone. She watched as Tony turned his head towards her father.
"That's none of your fucking business" Tony returned. It was quiet but she'd heard it. Her father looked up then, at the glass. Looking at her even if he couldn't see her.
He knew. He knew she was sleeping with Tony. She saw the anger in her father's eyes as he squeezed Tony's shoulders hard, to the point Tony winced. Then he was storming out of the room, slamming to door behind him.
She looked across the room when she felt eyes on her and Abbott was looking at her. Reading her. She didn't know what he could have picked up on in that integration, as it hadn't exactly been telling if you didn't know all the facts. Maybe he knew more than she thought.
At that point she walked out of the room.
She was mad at Michael.
She was mad at Tony.
She was mad at her father.
She was mad at the whole world right now.
She found herself in her father's office, she'd had enough this time. He thought she'd been angry last time she was in his office; well he had another thing coming today. He was sitting at his desk and she couldn't remember the last time he looked this angry.
"We need to speak" she said, her voice short with him. His eyes settled on her. She was so angry with him right now; she knows this conversation wasn't going to end well.
"That we do" he returned; his tone unpleased. He motioned her to sit but she refused. She stood her ground where she was.
"You have a lot of explaining to do" he began, his hands picking up a manilla folder.
"I have explaining to do? What about you? I told you to get rid of Michael, that is on you" she snapped. She couldn't believe he was trying to say she had been in the wrong in any way.
"Well maybe if you weren't sleeping with that American, none of this would have happened" Eli returned, throwing the folder across the desk in front of her. She saw a few photos slip out of the folder, pictures of her leaving his room.
"Who I sleep with has nothing to do with you, or Michael and it definitely doesn't give him the excuse to try and kill someone. He deserved what he got" she threw back, her hands clenching into fists. She was so goddamn angry.
"So, you admit that you are sleeping with him?" her father spat.
"That is none of your business" she pointed a finger at him. This was the first time ever, that she wanted to physically hit her father. She'd never felt such violence to him. Her father laughed, full of spite. Before he was about to say whatever he had on his mind, she was on the attack.
"You know what, fuck you. You are meant to be my father and you do not even treat me like family. I want nothing to do with you, I will not drop everything I am doing to do your little side missions you have me do. Do not invite me to any family dinners, I am done. Consider your last daughter dead to you" she yelled at him. She knew anyone close to this office would have heard her scream at him. She didn't care.
He wasn't laughing anymore; she couldn't even tell the emotion that crossed his face now.
She stormed out at that. She heard him calling her name but she just kept going. She really didn't care about anything he had to say. He'd treated her like shit since their mother had died and she had never really acknowledged it. But now, now she had had enough. This had been the last straw.