Chapter 19

Tony flinched as the door swung open and Tzahal strode in, Ziva had quietly filled Tony in on the story only moments before, Tony knew she was keeping something from him and he was about to push for more before he was interrupted by the entrance of Tzahal.

"Ah Miss David," Tzahal smiled "It is good to see you are finally back in my company.

"Yes, good to be reunited again, Tzahal." Ziva watched as the man flinched at the sound of his real name, for a mossad officer he is very bad at hiding his emotions she mused.

Tony looked the man scared about what his reaction might be, instead he just smiled and nodded carefully.

"Good to see you remember Zi," The man stated, Tony was confused why was Tzahal treating Ziva as if he knew her "It has been a long time."

"13 years." Ziva replied

"15 since Morocco," The man added.

Tony's mind was spinning, these two were chatting like old friends, just like Gibbs and Jenny used to. Perhaps? Could Ziva and Tzahal have been lovers? Tony remembered that Tzahal had a wife and a kid but then again Gibbs had been remarried…

"You will pay for what you have done Ziva David." The man snarled. "You will pay for ruining my life and ending the lives of those who were closest to me!" Tzahal was screaming now he rammed the Desert Eagle against Ziva's skull. She blinked but stared on.

Tony's mind was reeling at this latest revelation. Tony knew about Ziva's past as an assassin but he had never really thought about it. Could it of been Ziva who had snuck into the home of somebody in the middle of the night a brutally and mercilessly execute a small child. Could Ziva really have done that? Tony knew she had the skills and abilities but could even a Mossad assassin who had been trained since birth be that heartless?

Ziva sealed her lips shut, she hung her head in shame not wanting to look at the man who was her former partner, the man whose like she had destroyed. Ziva could feel the tears forming in her eyes and she hurriedly blinked them back.

"You took away everything I cared about, everything I loved!" Tzahal grabbed Ziva's hair and ferociously yanked upwards forcing Ziva to look at him. Tzahal let go of her hair and stepped backwards. "And now I will do the same."

Tzahal quickly cut Ziva's hands from the chair, he did the same with Tony before striding out of the basement and the door shut with a heavy clang.

The pair sat in silence for a while, both unsure of what to say.

"Did you kill them?" Tony asked his voice was aas soft as a whisper but the words still stuck in his throat.

"Yes," Ziva hung her head, her hair blocking her face from Tony's gaze "I was under my fathers orders," She continued "He knew of my friendship with Tzahal."

"Where you lovers?" Tony asked, he had to know.

"Yes Tony, when we were in Morocco we were putting our lives in one another hands, it was inevitable."

"Nothing is inevitable Ziva." Tony said simply.

"My father said if I did not kill Tzahal then he would order a hit on Ari's terrorist cell…" Ziva trailed off.

Tony stood up and tried to take a step towards Ziva but his legs buckled and he fell to the floor, he let out a cry of pain and Ziva quickly stood up and rushed over to him.

"Tony, Tony? Are you all right?" She cried desperately shaking him. Her only reply was a horrible raspy cough that seemed to last for an eternity.

"You think I am a monster don't you?" Ziva questioned.

"No, I realise the reasons why you did it and I do not blame you for the way you were raised and how your father forced you to do things…," He muttered "To be honest I don't know who I blame!" Tony sighed

"I am a monster." Ziva muttered

"No Zi……" Tony started before Ziva interrupted him by placing her finger on his lips.

"I deserve to die." She said it like it was the truth.

Tony said nothing instead he just wrapped his uninjured arm around Ziva and brought her close hugging her to his chest. He could feel her tears sliding down his torso but he didn't care.

"I deserve to die Tony," She repeated "I have caused so much pain and misery I spilt the blood of many innocents."

"Yes," Tony shrugged "But you have also brought happiness and joy to the world, think of all the lives you have saved Ziva, think of it as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, you can either be Eli's Ziva the cold hearted assassin or you can be my Ziva, the one who makes me feel like every day is worth living!" Tony said pressing her further into his chest. They sat there for silence for a while Tony feeling comforted by her head resting against his chest and Ziva feeling safe wrapped up in his long arms.

Finally Tony bent down and whispered 5 words that would change both of there lives forever.

"I love you Ziva David."