Previously: "Ziva." He slowly turned around to face her. Ziva smiled back. "Hello, Gibbs."
..
48 hours earlier-
It was Friday morning and most of the team had not arrived at the bullpen yet. Tony was early this time, he wasn't about to risk coming late again and tipping Gibbs off. Gibbs being Gibbs, was already there.
"Looks like we're the only ones here." Gibbs said roughly as Tony set his backpack down.
"...Yep." 'Oh boy! This is not sounding good for me,' Tony thought.
"Something on your mind Dinozzo?"
"What?" Tony looked at his boss. "Oh, ah, no."
Silence.
For a whole five minutes. Tony was counting. Where was McGee when he needed him? By now Tony knew Gibbs wanted to speak to him, but he couldn't come up with a good reason. "Sooo-" he started.
"Zoe Keats."
Ah. There it was. No preamble or subtle nudging. Just point blank, typical Gibbs style. "What about her?" Tony squirmed.
"I dunno. You tell me Dinozzo."
"Well I don't know what to tell you boss." Tony deflected.
Gibbs gave him a stern look. "Mmhm."
Tony sighed and ducked his head. "Things didn't go so well for us." Tony paused, hoping Gibbs would leave it at that.
"And…"
-a hope that was apparently dashed.
"And so we broke up!" He shouted. Gibbs looked at him. Judging from Tony's expression Gibbs wasn't the only one startled by his sudden out-burst. Tony shook his head. Why did he react so harshly? It wasn't like he'd never broken up before. Gibbs knew that. Heck, everyone knew that! So why did he just shout at Gibbs? He wasn't really THAT upset over it, was he? "I'm sorry Boss, don't know why I yelled at you like that. Just sorta came out before I could stop it I guess." Tony stopped there, and Gibbs didn't push him to say more but it got Tony thinking. Soon after the rest of the team caught up with them (now they come) and Tony dropped the matter all-together. He needed to focus on his job, that's what was important.
But that night, it was all Tony could think about.
...
A/N Soo I'm back! This chapter was hard to write. REALLY hard. I couldn't get it the way I liked it for a LONG time which is one of the (many) reasons (including computer trouble :P) I haven't been able to update sooner. :( Hopefully I will be able to continue to update fairly regularly (cross your fingers!) but regardless I know I will finish this no matter what.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for sticking with me! I can't express how amazing you guys are! Really. I mean it! So thanks again, and see you (Soon!) in the next chapter where we will see what Gibbs says to Ziva about her return... :-)
~ In his heart a man plans his course, but the the Lord determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9