Chapter 5
Ziva looked up when she heard her apartment door open and saw Tony, McGee and Gibbs walk in with deadly looks on their faces. When they walked over to her she could tell she had some explaining to do. She sighed and waited for Abby, Palmer and Ducky to leave but was surprised when they just stayed put, turning the television off.
"I could have underpowered them." Ziva pointed out with an arched eyebrow.
"Overpowered, Ziva." Tony snapped at her. "You wouldn't have laid a hand on Abby, Palmer or Ducky and you know it."
"What is wrong with you?" Ziva asked confused as she stared at her partner.
"How can you ask that when it's so obvious? Now I can't let you out of my sight for even two seconds." Tony grumbled as he took a seat opposite her. He crossed his arms and just stared at her with an angry glare that made it clear he was serious.
Ziva could tell almost immediately that any plan she may have come up with to ditch her friends wasn't going to work. She could already tell that Gibbs was ready to kill her for running off again without one of them with her and she knew that McGee and Tony seemed hurt that she left them hanging at the hospital like that. She sighed and leaned back into the couch cushions. She still couldn't tell them the truth about what was going on because that would put them in worse danger but she would try and find a way to solve this without completely ditching them. It would mean putting herself in worse danger but she knew the only way to ensure her team and friends were safe was to let this person have their revenge.
Tony knew that Ziva was upset about something but wouldn't say. It was starting to hurt that she didn't feel like she could confide in him and let him know what was going on inside that head of hers. They were partners and he had thought that they were friends as well. So the fact that she didn't feel like she could trust him enough with whatever was going on was killing him inside. Tony looked over as Gibbs' phone rang and he could tell by the dark look that a case had come in.
"McGee, Abby, Ducky and Palmer are with me. We have a dead Marine down at the Twilight Hotel on Maine Street." Gibbs said clearly not wanting to have to work this case. "Doesn't mean I forgot about the person who shot at you, that evidence is enroute to Abby's lab and while we are working this scene Abby can start on that evidence." Gibbs said with a glare at Ziva who seemed relieved.
"You should take Tony, yes?" Ziva asked with a suggestive look.
"No I shouldn't take DiNozzo because he is sticking to you like glue David." Gibbs said sarcastically as he glared at his Mossad Liaison Officer. "Don't make me call your father in on this one David." He threatened.
That did the trick as Ziva quickly shut up and gave a small smile towards Tony. "Looks like I am stuck with you no?" Ziva asked with a sigh.
"Gee make it sound like a death sentence why don't you." Tony grumbled as the team left.
"You staying with me could become your death sentence." Ziva muttered under her breath as she got up from the couch. "You are hungry yes?"
"I lost my appetite when I thought you went and got yourself killed." Tony said as he got to his feet and followed her into the kitchen.
"You could not lose your appetite." Ziva said arching an eyebrow.
"Well I did." Tony said defensively as he watched her.
Tony was standing in the kitchen opposite his partner. He could feel the old feelings that had always been there slowly rising up. He wasn't all that sure what he was going to do about them but he couldn't ignore them anymore. His fear for Ziva's safety and her little game had taken a toll on him emotionally and physically. Sighing he watched her cook some eggs. All of the frustration he was feeling was slowly building up inside of him and he wasn't all that sure what he was going to do about it or if there was anything at all he could do about it. Tony wanted nothing more than to just tell Ziva he had feelings for her but he was worried that that would make her want to run away more than ever. He kept his mouth shut and his feelings to himself as he just stood there and watched her.
Ziva could tell that Tony was fighting and internal war and she wasn't sure what it was about. She could tell that nothing she did at this point would get her away from him though. He was more determined than ever to keep her in his sights and that meant that Ziva would have to be quick about her plans. However if Gibbs called Mossad and told them of the danger she was in and what she had been up to then there was no doubt that Mossad would step in and she would have no chance in getting away from her fellow trained officers. She had to think of what she could possibly do next. Could she trust Tony with her deepest and darkest secret?
Gibbs and the rest of the team worked tirelessly on everything they had. They were now working two cases and instead of admitting they might need help they worked harder. Gibbs could see how worn down Abby was with all of the evidence lining up in her lab. He was about to offer her McGee when her remembered McGee was the only Agent helping him right now and there was no way he could spare him. Ziva had better have a good reason for this whole thing otherwise he might just see her transferred back to Mossad without a backwards glance, of course this would only happen after the team had gotten her out of whatever trouble she was in this time.
