"McGee?" Said Ziva as she opened the door to find him standing there "Where's Tony?"
"Er...Tony's at the hospital, Ziva" He said
"Why? Is Gibbs Okay?" As soon as she said it she realised the other possiblity.
"Ziva..." He stuttered.
"What's happened McGee?" She said getting aggitated "Tell me!" She yelled.
"Well, it was Thorn...we think" He said.
"Think what?" She asked
"Tony's been stabbed, in the back, Ziva"
"This is a joke, yes?" She laughed.
"No" He said
"How serious?" She asked comprehending the realness of what she was being told.
"It's not good, Ziva"
"This cannot happen, not tonight" She said as she went inside to blow out the candles "Where is he being treated?" She asked.
McGee didn't answer. She pushed him up against the wall.
"Where, McGee?" She asked again.
"Monroe" he said "I think I should drive, you're not exactly stable right now" But it was too late, she pushed past him and was gone.
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Jeanne sat in the lounge with a mug of instant soup when Matt walked in.
"How are you doing?" He asked pulling a chair next to hers.
"I can't believe this is happening, not only does he pop up in my life again like a bad penny, but he comes here...in that state"
"Jeanne, things don't look great, the attacker used the whole blade, the wound's deep" He grabbed her hand.
"There's something else" He began.
"Now what?"
"The partner, this Gibbs guy, when I mentioned next of kin he said there was a wife"
She looked up at him.
"Well" She felt like her heart had been ripped out, just like it had when they sat on that bench two years ago "I guess he moved on"
"Jeanne lose the brave face, I can see right through it" He said.
"After we broke up I kept telling myself that I fell in love with the sweet university professor. The man they just brought in was the one who shot that guy in the morgue, the one who revealed himself to me that day, he wasn't the mild mannered, harmless guy I fell for"
"Just because they carry weapons doesn't mean they don't have feelings, I saw your face when I had that bag of personal items"
"What's your point?" She asked a little defensivly
"Well how do you know that Agent Dinozzo isn't the same man as Professor Dinardo?"
"It's pointless, Matt, he's married now"
"So you do still have feelings for him" He realised.
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Gibbs, Abby and Ducky were given a small family room in which to sit and wait. It felt torturous for Abby, she had seen Gibbs and even though his arm was in a sling she threw herself at him in true Abby style to celebrate that at least he was alright.
"He'll be alright, Jethro, he always is" Reassured Ducky.
"You weren't there, Duck" Said Gibbs.
"I guess you weren't either" Said Ziva venomously in the door way.
McGee came panting his way behind her and put a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Ziva, this isn't the time"
"Excuse me, Officer David?" Replied Gibbs.
"This is your fault, where were you when Thorn put a knife in Tony's back?" She asked
"I do not have to answer to you Ziva, I'm your boss" He said, now standing and facing her.
"You may have forgotten, Gibbs but Ziva is Tony's wife, surely she deserves answers in that capacity" Offered Ducky, trying to avoid a potential situation.
"I was after Thorn, that's what we all wanted wasn't it?" Said Gibbs finally. "Isn't it what you'd be doing?"
"No, I would be looking out for my partner!" She began to shout.
"Come on, my dear, lets go and get a cup of tea" Said Ducky ushering her out and up to the cafeteria.
Gibbs knew on some level that Ziva was right, he took the ring out of his pocket.
"Ziva" He called and she turned around "I though you should have this, I kept it for you"
She simply took the ring and placed it on the chain around her neck.
"You know what's funny?" She said "My ring fell off, this evening. I should have known something was wrong then"
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Gibbs re-entered the room.
"I don't think Ziva is up to calling her father-in-law, I'll go and call him" Said McGee.
"I'll come with you" Said Abby.
And Gibbs was left alone.
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Ducky put a cup of tea in front of Ziva. She was gazing into space until Ducky put a friendly arm on her shoulder.
"I can imagine how you must be feeling, Ziva, but you mustn't blame Gibbs" He began
"This shouldn't have been what I was doing tonight" She said "I was setting the table when McGee knocked"
"Of course" He said smiling "Your surprise, Tony was trying to guess what it was all day" He was trying to lighten the mood.
"Yes...my surprise, he was supposed to find out tonight" She said in a daze.
Ducky was now intrigued.
"What was the surprise, Ziva?" He said seriously
"Ducky, you can't tell anyone, especially Gibbs"
"I won't, your worrying me now" He said concerned.
"I'm pregnant, I found out yesterday"
For once Ducky was speechless.
"I could be made a single parent tonight"
She said and proceeded to cry on his shoulder. He hugged her close.