I'm typing this author's note super fast because the new Harry Potter phone game came out today and I'm super anxious to keep playing. I just need to get this chapter posted so I can get back to it haha.
I forgot to mention before the first chapter that the idea for this story came from listening to the song "Rude" by MAGIC! So go listen to that if you haven't. It's catchy.
Here's the next chapter. Thank you all for the great responses! I love seeing the long, in-depth reviews (which I don't often get), so I appreciate it a lot. Hopefully this chapter starts answering some of your questions.
Chapter 2:
"Gibbs," the familiar voice of Tobias Fornell said over the phone. It was the middle of the night, and Gibbs was struggling to rub the sleep out of his eyes as he sat up from his bed—or rather, couch.
"Yeah, what is it?" Gibbs asked, flicking on a nearby lamp.
"Call Director Vance and Miss David," he ordered urgently, causing alarm bells to go off in Gibbs' head.
"What happened?" Gibbs asked as he rushed to put shoes on and grab his car keys. If Fornell was calling in the middle of the night, something big must have happened. Something was very wrong.
"Just get Ziva and the director to NCIS, I'll meet you there," Fornell commanded, ending the call before Gibbs could ask any more questions.
As he sped toward Ziva's apartment, he dialed Vance's number and woke him, telling him all that he knew from Fornell so far. Vance promised to be at NCIS as soon as possible, and he hung up. Gibbs knocked urgently on Ziva's door once he arrived. He only had to wait a few moments before a groggy Ziva opened it with a questioning look on her face. Gibbs knew he must looked panicked, and he kind of was, but he didn't even know what was wrong yet. He just knew that they needed to hurry, so as soon as Ziva was able to put shoes on and grab a jacket, they were on the road to NCIS.
"What happened?" Ziva asked worriedly. This wasn't the ordinary midnight wakeup call for a case. This was something different…more serious.
Gibbs shook his head. He didn't know what to tell her because, truth be told, he didn't really know anything at the moment. The car screeched to a halt in a parking spot, and the two agents stepped out, jogging into the building in haste.
Fornell was already in the bullpen pacing back and forth, and Vance was perched on the edge of Gibbs' desk, having a very hard time sitting still and staying composed. Evidently someone had called in McGee, Abby, and Ducky, because they, too, were seated in the bullpen. Everyone looked tired and worried, and Gibbs didn't even have to ask before Fornell started explaining.
"Look," he said blankly, flipping on the plasma TV and directing their attention to an Israeli news channel briefing.
"Earlier this evening, Eli David, the director of Mossad, was the target of an attempted assassination," the reporter stated, and Ziva let out a gasp. Gibbs steadied her with an arm around her shoulder, and the report continued. "The director was unharmed, thanks to an unidentified American federal agent, who jumped in front of the bullet and managed to shoot and kill the attacker before losing consciousness." And then, everyone in the bullpen knew why they had been summoned here. Tony.
Ziva let out a sob, and McGee's mouth was hanging open in disbelief. Abby curled into his arms, seeking protection from the bad news, though McGee could not give it to her.
"The attacker has been identified as rogue Mossad officer Ilan Bodnar. We do not yet know what motivated the would-be assassin, but authorities are keeping an eye out for possible accomplices. If anyone has information pertinent to the case, Mossad has requested that a call be placed to the number below."
"What about Tony?" Ziva cried desperately, clutching at Gibbs who was the only one keeping her from falling to the ground.
"The American agent has been taken to the nearest hospital. We have been told that once they are able to stabilize him, he will be taken back to the United States for further treatment."
The report ended and Fornell flicked off the TV.
"That was four hours ago," he said, breaking the horrified silence. "Mossad called us after it happened. Agent injured is FBI jurisdiction."
Injured. "So Tony will be okay?" Ziva asked, feeling her usually calm, solid exterior start to crumble.
Fornell nodded. "It sounds like it. DiNozzo was shot in the chest and the bullet narrowly missed his heart, but the doctors were able to take control of the situation." Ziva let out a sigh of relief, and allowed the tears to flow from her eyes. Gibbs ran his hand over her hair comfortingly as she let out her distress and worry. "I think he was scheduled to fly out on a military jet a half an hour ago. They'll get him here as soon as possible. He has medical personnel with him on the plane in case anything happens."
"Why would Tony take a bullet for my father?" Ziva asked through her tears. "What was he doing in Israel?"
Vance shook his head at the glances the other agents sent him. It wasn't his doing. Tony had come to him days ago to request leave time, and Vance and given it to him. It wasn't a mission. Just a "personal trip" as Tony had put it, and Vance hadn't asked any questions.
"It'll be okay," Gibbs said softly to Ziva, still staring at the blank TV screen. "It'll be okay."
-.-.-
The military jet shot through the air. Everything had happened so fast, and Eli David was still in shock. As he sat in the uncomfortable seat of the plane, he glanced down at his blood-stained shirt and wondered for the billionth time why this idiotic, disrespectful man-child had dove in front of a bullet for him.
He certainly had no obligation to. Why, he didn't even like the man. Hate was a more accurate description, but still, he had saved his life.
The hours passed in a haze, and Eli was awoken from his thoughts by a flurry of medical personnel. "He's waking up," he heard one say in Hebrew.
With an urgency he hadn't expected from himself, he leapt from his seat and rushed to the area where they were keeping Tony DiNozzo. "Let me talk to him," he demanded. The nurses looked like they wanted to argue, but after considering who they were talking to they decided against it and gave the director some privacy. "DiNozzo," Eli shouted to get his attention, though not very gently.
Tony's eyes opened slightly and he peered out at the man looming above him. His eyes closed again as his head fell back onto the pillow. "I'm still gonna marry her," Tony said drowsily, barely able to keep his eyes open.
Eli was at least relieved that Tony had, in fact, survived. But now he had questions. A lot of questions. "What were you thinking?" he asked, his brow furrowed in irritation and confusion. He wanted more than anything to go back to hating the man before him, but he couldn't help it. A small amount of respect for Tony was manifesting itself inside him now.
"I didn't mean to," Tony answered, causing even more confusion in the director.
"Mean to what?" he demanded.
Tony sighed. "To fall in love with her." Eli made a sound of disgust. That wasn't what he had asked. But now he couldn't help the way his heart softened toward DiNozzo. Obviously, he cared deeply for Ziva.
"No, why did you save my life?" Eli asked again forcefully. He needed to know. For some inexplicable reason, this thought had been nagging at the back of his mind since the incident had happened. He felt like he was going crazy.
"Because Ziva loves you," Tony finally answered, his voice slurring. "And I love Ziva."
These words knocked the air out of the director. "You are mistaken," he said once he had regained the ability to speak. "I lost my daughter's love long ago."
Tony shook his head ever so slightly. "No," he corrected, his voice raspy and breathless. "I can see it in her eyes when she mentions you. She loves you." Tony swallowed with difficulty and looked up at Eli, whose eyes now swam with emotion, for the first time in a long time. "Even though you hurt her," Tony finished, slightly accusingly.
Eli felt shame wash over him. His heart hurt, and now he remembered why he had closed it off in the first place. Because he had lived through enough heartbreak in his time. Risking it again with Ziva would have been too much for him.
But now that his emotional barriers were back down, he could see what a monster he had been, and it terrified him.
How could Ziva possibly still love him? How could she think of him with anything besides hatred in her heart?
Another glance at the injured man on the stretcher told him everything he needed to know. Tony's impact on his daughter's life was bigger than he ever could have imagined. He had taken the emotionless warrior she had been 8 years ago, and shown her how to feel again. How to love. How to forgive.
"I was wrong," Eli stated, and Tony opened his eyes as much as he possibly could. His eyelids were heavy, and he needed rest, but Eli had his attention. "My daughter is right to have chosen you."
A small smile tugged at Tony's lips, and he wanted to laugh but his lungs did not allow him to. Instead, a pained, strangled sound escaped his lips. "Does this mean… we have your blessing?" Tony asked between breaths.
Eli nodded. "Yes," he affirmed, though it pained him to do so. He owed this man his life, and that was a debt he would never be able to repay.
Just have to let you know that Eli will be changing in this story, which you can already probably tell. Also, it is only 6 chapters long, so some of that will move a little quick. I'm not a big "character development" kind of writer where you can spend entire chapters delving into their minds. I'm not sure why, but that is hard for me to do. (I also get a little frustrated when reading that kind of story, maybe its just not my thing). I hope it doesn't feel too rushed (maybe only a little rushed) and that you can still enjoy the story. Like I've said, I'm really happy with it.
Apologies for the long author's note. I hope you liked this chapter. Please continue to review and follow, I've loved reading your kind words (and today is a rainy, dreary day, so I think some reviews could spruce it up).
~NCIS Obsession