Chapter 3
DISCLAIMER: However much I wish it was so, I do not own these characters. I'm going to simply let them play for a little bit and then put them back a little happier.
WARNING: Slash story - you have been informed!
WARNING: More Ziva/McGee bashing to follow (More Ziva than McGee though, McArrogant has gotten a clue!).
I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed (sorry I am unable to respond to Guest reviews, but they are greatly appreciated!), followed or have made this story a favorite. I am overwhelmed by the show of support - thank you all! Now back to our story…
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Tim and Ziva walked stiffly out of the Directors office feeling wrung out. They both quietly signed what Cynthia had waiting for them, taking the copies she handed them afterwards and then walked quietly back to their desks with their escorts.
Balboa and Franklin shared twin smirks before dismissing the four Marine guards. Balboa set a large stack of files that had been sitting on Tony's desk on McGee's desk while Franklin did the same with Ziva. They both then stood by Tony's desk with their arms crossed facing their charges.
"Alright people, since it's been so long, we'll explain with small words." Balboa started.
"These are case files." he said slowly, looking back and forth between McGee and David.
"These are from the first week after Agent Gibbs retired. They will be the first of many case files you will complete between now and Sunday."
Ziva, who had been looking through the files, finally lost her temper.
"I do not understand! These files are completed, there is nothing more to do!"
"What don't you understand, Officer David?" Franklin asked her as he leaned down over her desk and into her personal space.
Ziva did not back down. "These cases are all closed and have already been filed! There is no reason for this busyness!"
"I think you mean busywork Officer David and this is far from it." Director Shepherd remarked as she walked up with Tony who had a few files in his hand. "This is you and Agent McGee completing work that you should have when these cases were new, and I believe we went over this just a few minutes ago in my office, did we not?" Her tone had become icy as she looked back and forth between the two agents.
Balboa glanced at McGee who had already started on his files and was keeping his head down. He looked at Tony who nodded slightly back at him. Yeah, McGee had gotten the message. David would be the challenge.
Tony took a deep breath and stepped closer to Ziva's desk.
"Officer David, are you questioning an order from a superior agent?" he asked with that shark's smile firmly in place and a dangerous glint in his eyes.
As angry as Ziva was, she recognized that now was not the time to voice her complaints to Tony or the Director. She blew out a frustrated breath and replied, "No" while slamming the file she was holding back down on her desk.
Tony was immediately right next to her chair towering over her. "I thought we had established chain of command Officer David or was that just you biding your time until you can manipulate the situation back into your favor?" he asked in a low, menacing tone. "Because if that's the case, we can end it right now and have you escorted out of the building."
Ziva drew in a breath in shock and looking at Tony's face, she had no doubt that he meant every word. She glanced at the Director, Agents Balboa and Franklin and finally noticed that the Bullpen was silent as several other agents watched the scene unfold that she had put in motion. She was surprised at the looks of contempt she was getting from all sides. She finally realized that maybe she had indeed underestimated DiNozzo, and that maybe that was one of the biggest mistakes she had ever made.
She took a deep breath before answering him.
"That will not be necessary. I will start my reports now."
"Good answer, Officer David." Tony replied as he turned back to the Director.
"Director, I'll start on those interviews right away." he said as he waved the files in his hand.
"Good, Agent DiNozzo. We may have to utilize them sooner rather than later." she replied while sending a dark look in Ziva's direction. Ziva's cheeks colored slightly, but she didn't say anything more.
"I think so, Director." Tony replied while sending a wry look at McGee, whose eyes were big as saucers. McGee's face reddened further and he ducked his head back down to the file he was working on.
"Do you have this, guys?" Tony asked Balboa and Franklin.
"We sure do, man!" Balboa smiled and clapped Tony on the shoulder.
"That we do." Franklin added while shaking Tony's hand. "Don't worry, we'll make sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to." he added while looking back and forth between McGee and David.
Tony moved to his desk, putting the files he had into his backpack. He then retrieved his gun and badge before slinging the backpack over his shoulder.
He then faced the two lead agents and the Director.
"I have no doubt you will. I know you have my back." he replied.
He didn't miss the slight flinch his words caused in McGee or the tinge of red in Ziva's cheeks.
"Take until Saturday for those interviews Tony, we'll take care of things here." The Director said.
"Thank you ma'am. That will give me plenty of time to decide." he smirked seeing the worried look on McGee's face and the hint of uncertainty on Ziva's. He then made his way to the elevator and was gone.
The Director then turned to the two lead agents.
"I trust you have everything in hand here, gentlemen. You know where to find me if you need me." She had a little smile on her face as she made her way back up to her office.
"Yes, ma'am!" they replied in unison as she left.
Balboa made his way over to Tony's desk while Franklin settled in at Gibbs' empty desk. Both of them booted up the computers to start in on their own reports.
"Oh, one other thing." Franklin said as both McGee and David looked up. "Bring your finished reports to either myself or Agent Balboa as you get done with them so we can check them for errors."
"What, Tony cannot check them himself? Is he now too good for that?" Ziva sniped.
Tim was amazed at the hole that Ziva kept digging for herself. He could not believe he had ever thought she was smarter than Tony. Then again, he had also thought himself superior to Tony. Looking back, he was also amazed he still had a job. I have a long way to go to be as good an agent as Tony is. He thought to himself. At least I won't ever make the mistake of following Ziva's lead again. He just hoped it wasn't too late to prove to Tony that he could trust him.
"I think AGENT DiNozzo has spent quite enough time correcting your mistakes, don't you Miss David?" Franklin replied with a glare that would make Gibbs proud.
Surprisingly, Ziva ducked her head and resumed her work without a reply. Franklin and Balboa shared a smirk across the Bullpen before they went back to their own work.
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As Tony was driving away from the Navy Yard, his thoughts turned back to the files in his backpack.
Flashback:
As the door closed behind McGee and David, Tony rubbed both his hands down his face, as if to wipe away the confrontation that just occurred. He sighed deeply and then stood to leave.
The Director also stood and asked him, "Do you think it worked?"
"I think it worked for McGee, he may have wet himself." he replied with a smirk.
"Ziva will be a tough nut to crack. She's been told her whole life how important she is and how superior to others, that won't be easy to overcome." he grimly said.
"Hmm. I'm afraid I helped that attitude along when I forced her on your team. I just hope she comes to her senses and straightens up before we have to take drastic measures."
The Director moved over behind her desk and Tony moved to stand in front of it, facing her.
"Tell me this, Tony - Do you trust them to have your back in the field?" she asked.
"At this point, I'm not sure." he truthfully answered. "I'm pretty sure McGee would cover me, but I don't want to turn my back on Ziva just yet."
"I'm hoping this little report marathon will force her to realize just how much they have been slacking off. Then again, it'll probably just piss her off and get her thinking about creative ways to off me." he sighed.
"That's what I was afraid of." the Director replied.
She picked up four files from her desk and handed them to Tony.
"Take these with you and look them over while you're off. These are four of the most promising agents at FLETC that I think would fit in. Even if they both straighten up and do their jobs, you will need a fourth for the team. If they don't straighten up, you'll be all set with replacements." she smirked.
Tony took the files with a smirk of his own.
"I like the way you think Jenny."
Jenny saw a shadow pass over his face as he looked back down at the files.
"What are you thinking, Tony?"
He smiled wryly at her. "You're almost as good at that as Gibbs."
"I think we both learned from the best." she replied. "Now, what's bothering you?"
"I understand the need for a forth, but what if Gibbs does come back?" He asked her with a forlorn look on his face.
Jenny sighed as she again silently cursed Jethro for tearing this man's heart out.
"If he does come back, there are no guarantees he can walk right back into his position." she answered, Tony's eyes widened and she had to smile at the surprised look on his face.
"He went through extreme trauma to his body and mind and he has been out of commission for over three months now. He would have to go through a psych eval, a physical and re-qualify at the range before I would even consider letting him back into the field. Also, if he thinks he can waltz in here and push you aside to take back his team, he is seriously delusional. That will NOT happen!" she stated emphatically..
"Thanks Jenny." Tony replied with a small smile.
"Don't worry Tony, you're an excellent team leader. I will not have one of my best agents disrespected!" He again ducked his head as his face colored slightly.
"Well, I better go and make sure they're not kicking up too much of a fuss for Balboa and Franklin, not that they can't handle it." he said.
"I'll go with you. I don't want Ziva thinking she can get away with anything because of our previous work together." the Director said as she rounded her desk to walk with Tony.
"I'm glad to hear you say that Director, I was wondering that myself." he replied.
"No worries Tony. If it came down to a choice between you or her, I would pick you every time."
"Good to know Director, good to know." he smiled as he held the door open for her.
End Flashback.
Tony again smiled as he recalled the Director's words. It was good to hear someone had so much faith in him.
He sighed to himself as he thought back over the scene in the Bullpen. McGee was going to be fine, but Ziva was talking herself off the team faster than she realized.
If he could not trust her to have his and McGee's backs in the field, it would be too dangerous to keep her on the team. He would really take a close look at those files. It looked like he would be needing someone new sooner than he thought.
His musings came to an end as he pulled into the parking lot for the supermarket to get the makings for his dinner with Abby.
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Abby was bouncing as she hurried down the hall to Tony's apartment. She couldn't wait to talk to him. News of the dust-up in the Bullpen spread rapidly through the Yard and she had pulled up the security feed to watch it for herself.
She danced around cheering Tony, the Director, Balboa and Franklin as they lay down the law. She couldn't wait to tell Tony what happened after he left and Ziva got snotty with Franklin! She had already arranged baskets of goodies to be delivered to him, Balboa and the Director as thanks for standing up for her Tony-boy!
She had been watching everything again when Ducky and Palmer came into her lab to drop off samples. They too had heard of the altercation and came up to discuss it. She rewound it back to the beginning and they all watched it again, high-fiving each other when it was over.
Palmer was grinning from ear to ear and Ducky had a satisfied look on his face. They had both returned to autopsy in a lighter mood than when they came in.
Abby knocked on Tony's door until he opened it. She immediately launched herself at him and squeezed the stuffing out of him.
"Abs, can't breathe!" he wheezed out.
She let him go, but peppered his face with kisses while he laughed. Sometimes she really did remind him of a manic puppy!
"What is all this?" he asked as he pushed her back to arm's length.
"I saw what happened in the Bullpen! It was so great! I'm SO proud of you!" she said as she pulled him into a tight hug again.
"Abs!" he squeaked as his air supply was again cut off. He had to pry her arms away from him and push her in the direction of the living room as he closed and bolted the door.
He took a deep breath and winced a little as he rubbed his tender chest after her assault. Man, that's gonna leave a mark! He thought to himself as he walked back into the apartment.
"Dinner will be ready in about 20 minutes. Do you want to start with a salad first?" he asked her.
"No!" she nearly shouted. "You need to tell me everything that went on with the meeting! I want all the details!" she plopped down on the couch and pulled him down next to her.
"I can't give you all the details, Abs. It was a disciplinary meeting between the Director, myself and two subordinates. McGee and Ziva deserve a little privacy. How would you feel if you were in their position and your supervisor blabbed confidential details all over the Yard?" he sternly asked her.
She sighed deeply. "You're no fun!" she pouted. "But, I guess you're right. That would suck."
"But wait until you hear what happened after you left!" she gushed.
"Uh-oh, I'm not sure I want to hear it." he replied, looking apprehensive.
"No, No! It's really good! So, Franklin told them both to bring their finished reports to either him or Balboa so they could check them for mistakes and then Ziva gets all snotty and makes some remark about you being too good to check them now, and Franklin blasts her back saying "Don't you think Agent DiNozzo has wasted enough time correcting your mistakes!" Tony's eyes widened at that. "Oh, yeah! She called you Tony when she was being snotty and Franklin made a point of calling you Agent DiNozzo to correct her, it was SO cool! Go Teddy!" she was bouncing up and down on the couch as she related her little tale. She reminded him of an eight year old on a sugar high.
"Wait, you call him Teddy?" he asked her incredulously.
"Of course! That's his name, isn't it?" she asked him brightly.
"Well, yeah…but that would be like calling Director Morrow Tommy!"
She then got this gleam in her eye that prompted him to ask, "Oh, tell me you didn't call him that?"
"Heck no! That man was scary!" she replied with a shudder.
He chuckled as he kissed her forehead. "I'll have to buy him and Balboa coffee and maybe lunch when I get back for putting up with them."
"What do you mean, when you get back? Where are you going?"
"Nowhere Abs. I'm just taking a few days to decompress.
"Cool! OH! I sent goodie baskets to Franklin, Balboa and the Director as a thank you for taking care of my Tony-boy!"
"That was very sweet, Abs. Thanks for having my back." he smiled warmly at her.
"Anytime, Kimosabe!" she threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
"Sooo, you can't tell me anything about the meeting?" she asked him with pleading eyes.
"Nuh-uh, I'm not as easy as everyone thinks I am!" he replied smiling while getting up to check on their dinner.
"Oh, I know you're not easy!" she retorted as she got up to follow him into the kitchen.
"In fact, you're probably the most complex man I've ever met, and that includes Gibbs." she said as she sat down at the breakfast bar in the kitchen.
Her eyes widened as she realized what she had said. "Oh Tony, I'm so sorry!"
"No problem Abs. Invoking the name of Gibbs doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did right after he left." he answered her while putting their salads together.
She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist while resting her head on his back.
"My poor Tony-boy! I still can't believe he did that!" She kissed him between his shoulder blades when he tensed at her words. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories, Tony. You've had a bad enough day. Forgive me?" she asked him in a small voice.
He turned around in her embrace and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Of course, I forgive you. I've been thinking a lot about that and I'm hoping he was just not in his right mind. I mean, he did call me McGee!" Abby snickered as Tony shuddered at that memory. He extricated himself from her arms and finished the salads.
"What are you going to do if he comes back?" she asked him as she sat back down.
"I'm not sure." he replied as he set her salad in front of her. "Raspberry Vinaigrette or French?" he asked from the fridge, deflecting her question expertly.
"Ooh! Vinaigrette, that sounds good!"
He smiled at her choice. "That's what I thought you'd say. I got it just for you." he told her as he sat down beside her at the breakfast bar and poured them both a glass of wine.
She leaned over for another quick hug as he added the French dressing to his salad. "You always take such good care of everybody. Nobody sees how thoughtful you are."
"You noticed Abs." He replied with a soft smile. "There's not much you miss about anything."
"Aww, thanks Tony-boy! Love you too!" This response got her a genuine DiNozzo Dazzler. Her name for his big smile that actually reached his eyes and made him look ten years younger. She was very happy to see it again and happy that she had put it on his face. Gibbs was the last one who had been able to do that, it had been too long.
They talked about movies, TV shows and celebrities over the excellent veggie lasagna with homemade garlic bread he had made for her. Over a dessert of cherry cheesecake they caught up on the office gossip. He discovered that a threesome was going on in the mailroom and she discovered one of the cyber geeks was dating the new hot chick from HR. They both laughed and reconnected as they had not done since Gibbs left. It felt good to both of them.
As they both settled on the couch with a bottle of water each and a movie playing softly on the TV, Abby started asking more serious questions.
"How are you really doing, Tony? And don't just blow me off with an I'm fine - you know that doesn't work with me Mister!" she asked him while facing towards him on the couch so she could read his body language.
He was facing the TV, but she had a good view of his face, so she saw the brief look of pain that crossed it. He took a slug of water before answering her.
"I'm better." he answered quietly. "I was a mess right after he left, but even though it still hurts a lot, I'm better."
"I just - I don't know what I could have said or done to make him react like that!" He got up and started to pace back and forth as he worked through his emotions.
"We were good! We hadn't had any big blowouts! I don't get it!" he ran his hand through his hair making it stick up in spikes as he tried to figure out what he had done to piss Gibbs off so much.
"Well, maybe he was just still really angry about what happened at work and it didn't have anything to do with you!" Abby reasoned.
"C'mon Abs! The only things he tore up or destroyed were mine! Hell, he even threw the food I liked away! If that wasn't personal, I don't know what was!" he threw himself back on the couch next to her with a sad look on his face.
"I just don't know what I did." he said in a small voice.
Abby cuddled up next to him and lay her head on his shoulder.
"Well, we're just going to have to ask him." she said in a determined voice.
"Abs…"
"No Tony! I know he's our functional mute, but he's going to have to talk about this! You can't just attack someone like that for no reason and then not expect to have to explain yourself!" she said heatedly as she sat up and looked at him.
He looked over at her face that wore such an outraged expression on his behalf, and felt a blossoming warmth in his chest. He was so incredibly lucky to have found these people who cared about him so much! He had a small smile on his face as he replied to her.
"This is Gibbs we're talking about, Abs. When have you ever known him to do something he didn't want to do?"
"Oh, don't you worry Tony-boy! When I get through with him he'll be talking about every thought and feeling he's had since the explosion or I will move in with him and break my Caf-Pow record! I'll even have a Caf-Pow machine installed in his kitchen so I don't have to go out!"
He started laughing as an image of Gibbs trying to escape a seriously caffeinated Abby ran through his mind.
"Thanks Abs, I really needed that laugh."
"My pleasure." she said brightly as she snuggled back against him.
"There's one problem, though." he said. "What if he never comes back?" he asked sadly.
"Oh, Tony." Tears threatened to fall as she snuggled closer to him. What are we going to do, if he never comes back? She thought to herself.
They fell asleep against each other as the movie continued to quietly play.
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Tim collapsed on his bed, absolutely drained emotionally.
What a day, he thought to himself. Man, did I really screw this up!
How could I have been so blind?
His brain was in overdrive, going over every snarky comment and hurtful remark he had thrown at Tony over the last year.
I can't believe I was so cruel! Sure Tony played pranks on him, but he was never cruel. He replayed some comments in his mind and recalled the brief flashes of hurt that Tony quickly covered up. He even remembered feeling glad that he had hit a nerve and caused Tony pain. He must really think I'm an asshole he thought miserably.
He then thought back on everything Tony had done for him. He remembered how Tony had been there for him when he had shot that undercover cop and he had still treated him like a jerk. He started thinking back to when Kate was still alive and how they had all bantered. They had all gotten in some good digs, but it was never intentionally cruel. He remembered when Tony and Kate had teamed up against him when they were investigating that mafia bone yard at Quantico. He actually laughed a little to himself.
Man, was I naive! He realized now they were only doing that to toughen him up. He mused that, that was not long after he began seeing a change in Gibbs. He smiled more, even joked more. He had also caught him smiling at some of Tony's comments. That had started when Tony had been missing in that sewer looking for Sgt. Atlas. He had been called in after Tony had been kidnapped to try and help track him down. Gibbs had been a bear with a sore paw and everybody stayed out of his way.
He remembered when they had all come back after finding Tony and Gibbs had made that joke. Tony had been looking at Gibbs with that wry smile on his face and Gibbs' eyes were twinkling - twinkling! They did that thing where they talked to each other without speaking and Gibbs told everyone to go home, reports could wait. He had been shocked, but Kate just had this knowing smirk on her face as Gibbs herded Tony back into the elevator saying he was giving him a ride home. He remembered Kate saying under her breath "Yeah, I'll bet he's giving him a ride!" When Tim asked her to repeat it, she just said "Nothing! See you tomorrow McGee!" As she rushed out.
"Oh, no! Tony!" he said aloud as he sat up. "Oh, God, if they were together and Gibbs forgot who he was!" "Crap!" he said as he put his arm up over his eyes. Tony had been kicked to the curb by Gibbs, even if he couldn't remember, it still sucked, and he and Ziva had made his life a living hell this whole time.
He sighed deeply as he thought of Ziva and her campaign against Tony. He could only see it as a campaign now as he thought back on everything she had done and had roped him into doing. He should have known when Tony had not been invited to that "team" dinner party she had thrown. He remembered the look of hurt on Tony's face when he realized he had not been invited. He had felt a twinge of regret for teasing him about it when he saw that and then he remembered Gibbs looking troubled when he saw Tony's reaction. He didn't know Tony had not been invited! That smug look of triumph on Ziva's face though! She had gotten the reaction out of Tony she was aiming for.
He now realized that Ziva must have seen Tony as a threat. She had immediately placed herself on an equal level with Gibbs, but her position on the team made her a subordinate of Tony's and she wasn't going to let that stand! She either knew they were a couple or suspected and was trying to drive a wedge between them! She had always acted jealous when Gibbs listened to or deferred to Tony, but he never thought she'd go that far.
She was trying to get rid of Tony and get herself put in as SFA! She was furious when Gibbs had left and the Director had made Tony the lead agent. She had really stepped up her campaign against him then, and stupid me went right along with her! You moron! He didn't blame Tony for saying they were no longer friends, but that had really hurt. He was going to try to speak with Tony one-on-one when he came back and try to fix whatever he could.
He was going to start with looking into that case he looked over today from right after Gibbs left, concerning Renny Grant. He hadn't done all he could have done research-wise at the time and he was going to correct that tomorrow! Jeez, he hoped they hadn't sent an innocent man to jail! Tim forced himself to his feet and got ready for bed. Balboa and Franklin had not let them leave until almost 10pm and he had to be back at his desk by 8am tomorrow, so he better get to bed.
As he lay in his bed with his mind still racing, he realized that he had treated Tony just like his childhood bullies had treated him. He was no better than they were. He hoped it wasn't too late to make amends and start new. He really didn't know what he'd do if he couldn't be on a team with Tony. He didn't trust anyone else to watch his back. That morose thought chased him into sleep and he tossed and turned all night dreaming very bad dreams.
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Ziva was surprised she made it home in one piece. She had probably been going close to 100mph at some point and she had no real memory of the drive home. She had slammed her apartment door so hard there was a crack in the paint above the door.
Damn Tony DiNozzo! Damn him!
She could not believe he had bested her and now had everyone on his side! Her mission had been to get close to Gibbs and collect all the intel she could from the Navy. Tony had thwarted her at every turn! She had thought it would be easy to get around him, but he had never been fooled by her. He had never trusted her and when she found out he had investigated her a few weeks after she had joined the team, she had been furious! How dare he! She picked up a vase of flowers and smashed it on the opposite wall.
The smashing vase had brought her back to herself and she sat down heavily at her dining room table. The adrenalin leaving her body also cleared her mind and she started rolling things over in her brain. She had done the dossier's for Ari on Gibbs' team and she knew how extensive Tony's education was. She knew his IQ was over 180. He also had numerous commendations and awards for bravery or service above and beyond the call of duty. She had found out that he came from a very wealthy family, but had put himself through school. She found out he had no relationship at all with his father and that his mother had killed herself when he was eight years old. She also knew that he had been the one to find his mother's body and that he had spent nearly 12 hours alone with her until a housekeeper had found him. Recalling that, she remembered sitting with Tali's body for nearly a day in the rubble of their home until help had come. She had read psych evals of his where he stated that he was sitting with his mother's body so she would not be alone and he was protecting her. She had read how his worthless father had left him alone in a hotel room in Hawaii for three days when he was ten years old so he could chase a wealthy divorcee back in California!
She knew he had been disowned by said worthless father at the age of twelve and had been sent alone to a military school over 300 miles away from his home. She knew he had practically raised himself from the age of eight and he had still turned into a decent human being. She put herself in his place and realized she would have been suspicious of herself too. Coming in like she had, right after a great tragedy that deeply affected the team, she would have investigated her also. Her psych training had helped her realize that he saw the team as his surrogate family and she had used that against him. She had tried to drive a wedge between him and the rest of the team so either they would cut themselves off from him or he would distance himself when they hurt him. She thought she had succeeded with her 'team' dinner that he had not been invited to.
What she didn't know was that he was dating Gibbs and they had a very strong relationship. She had surmised that Tony had seen Gibbs as a surrogate father, not as a romantic endeavor. After he had talked to Gibbs and Gibbs knew she had lied and had never invited Tony to the party, he had all but frozen her out. Gibbs had caught her in a stairwell at work the next morning and told her if she ever had a team get together again, she had damn well better invite the whole team. He had then crowded her against the wall and hissed in her ear, that if she ever lied to him again or did not watch Tony's back in the field that they would not have to ship her back to Israel, because there wouldn't be a piece of her big enough to ship. If they ever found a piece at all.
Gibbs had scared her badly that morning. She knew he did not make idle threats. After calming down a bit, she had gotten angry and got back at Tony the only way she could, by isolating him. She had enlisted McGee in her campaign of slander against Tony. She knew Gibbs could not say too much about her cutting remarks concerning Tony's bimbos, because they were not open about their relationship and did not want anyone to find out. She thought her mission was doomed for failure and she would have to return home anyway soon when Gibbs got blown up. At first, she had been delighted. Gibbs could not be team leader, and he obviously did not remember that he was suspicious of her, so that threat was taken care of. When she realized he did not remember Tony either, it was like she had won the lottery! She could almost see Tony crumble in on himself when Gibbs left with a "You'll do". When she found out he had fled the country without a word to Tony and that Tony had moved out of Gibb's house right away, it was more than she could have hoped for. She didn't have to crush his spirit, Gibbs had done that all on his own!
Then Jenny had made Tony the team lead! What was she thinking? Ziva now knew exactly what she had been thinking. She had seen beyond Tony's frat boy mask to see the outstanding agent and human being hidden inside. Ziva had actually marveled that after taking so many blows, he had stepped up and kept the team together. True, he had been lenient (much to her delight!), but they had still closed cases at the same rate the did before Gibbs left. She now realized he had done most all of their work by himself. She had thought he would break, but he had not. He had kept things together despite her best efforts to derail him.
She had seen a different man today. A man who had a core of pure steel that could not be broken. She thought he might even be stronger than Gibbs. He was able to take everything that life threw at him and still turn it to his advantage and come out of the experience a better person. Gibbs did not seem to have that ability. She had no doubt he was a good person, but he did not handle life as well as Tony. The loss of his first wife and daughter had crippled him and it had taken many years to get past that. It seemed Tony had been the one to draw him out of his grief and allow him to live again. Yet he still had his moments that threw him right back into that grief and made him unbearable to work with. Tony was the only one who could draw him back out and was also able to take the brunt of the abuse Gibbs could dish out to protect the rest of the team.
She realized that she had been sitting for some time and she was sore and hungry. She fixed herself a quick snack and then went to bed. She had an early day tomorrow and she found she didn't want to be late. As she lay in bed and contemplated the mystery that was Tony, she berated herself for being so blind. Her father, Ilan, and many others had warned her not to underestimate Tony DiNozzo, he was more than he seemed on the surface. She had thought herself to be a superior judge of his character and had dismissed their warnings as inconsequential. She had learned a hard lesson today, that she would not soon forget: Never, NEVER underestimate Tony DiNozzo!
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TBC
Whew! That was a long one! Let me know what you think. More soon.