Authors Note: I'm a HUGE Tiva fan, i'm not going to begin to describe how much I obsess over that couple. *SPOILERS* So when I got to the beginning of Season 11 and watched Ziva's last scene, I cried...and I still cry :'( (seriously, broken heart right here!) I suck at writing and stories, but i'm attempting one so don't hate me if the characterization is not perfect or if the dialogue is off. Normally my stories are told from one perspective, but I've decided to try two for this story. Most stories I've read that are worth reading are told from third person all knowing, so this shouldn't be too bad. Since this is the prologue, I decided that it would be shorter. But I'm planning on updating only once a week (maybe). The ENTIRE story has been loosely planned, so...yeah it should be good.

Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of repeating things so I'm saying this once for the ENTIRE store. I herebye state that I do not own anything related to NCIS; whether its characters, plot, etc.

The Story: Its been two years since Tony did the hardest 180 of his life in Israel, but time still hasn't removed Ziva from his heart. Things grow complicated when she appears in Washington with her fiance. With unanswered questions, a very complicated case and the entire NCIS team to back him up, will Tony and Ziva ever have a closure to the relationship they deserve?

[DECEPTION IS THY NAME]
Prologue - The Beginning of Forever

Tony

It had been the hardest one eighty of his life.

No moment could compare to Tony backing away from Ziva in Israel. Walking away possibly forever from the one woman who had captured his heart. The facial expression she held as she watched him get farther and farther away from her would be a permanent image in his mind. His heart shattered, and yet he forced a smile. But the smile only shattered his heart more. He wanted to stop where he was, stop walking away from the best thing in his life. Stare at her for eternity and bring a smile to her face. Swoop in and drag her towards the plane. Kiss her forever. Live a life with her in Washington.

Be with her. But she wouldn't allow. She was funny that way.

"I have to do this alone," She had said several minutes ago, "I have to let go of everything. Or I will be," Ziva struggled to hold back her tears, holding the e of the last word longer than normal, "back to where I started." Her voices wavers a little. But all he could do was listen, stand there and watch as she poured out her feelings, attempting to give her last statement...her parting words to the friends she had known for eight years. Like the last words of a dying man in Shakespeare. Was falling in love really like this? Painfully watching as the person he loved gave up everything, while he would walk back into his everyday routine and continue to act normal? As if the last eight years had never happened? No. He couldn't do that. But he had to do that. For her. Its what she wanted.

Tony thought back to what happened after he had found Ziva. When she didn't want to be found, of course HE would find her. Tony knew her better than anyone else. And why shouldn't he? They had been through a lot, more than other partners. And he knew it. She knew it. When he saw her, her eyes weren't as he thought they would be. Rather than being shocked at seeing him, she looked at him her mouth open slightly and her eyes wide. But it took only a few moments before her mouth shut and her eyes narrowed. Ziva had started grinding her teeth and let out a loud sigh. She was annoyed. He knew it. But who cared...he had found her; he had completed a part of his mission.

But he failed to complete the second half. He had boarded the plane alone.

"...sir?"

Tony's head snaps up. He had been staring at the back of the seat in front of him for too long, so long that for a moment he had forgotten where he was. He forces another smile, one too many for his liking in one evening,"What?"

Standing in the aisle beside him was a tall, blond haired woman with a petite figure. She extends her arm out, her hand underneath a round platter with several clean cups. Inside those cups is a yellow, fizzy liquid, "Champagne?"

It was tempting, his taste buds immediately begin to crave the taste of the drink, "No thank you," And he denies it. The moment those words come out of his mouth he mentally kicks himself. He should have taken it, he needed it right now. He goes to say something to the lady as she walks by and offers the person in front of him a glass, but stops himself. As sudden as the craving came, it was gone. Tony shook his head, glancing out the airplane window into the dark space outside. In the reflection images came up, maybe it was his imagination, but they were familiar images.

He saw two people standing in a bathroom, a familiar male staring at his reflection in the mirror. The second figure moves her hand so its on the counter in between his hands that are stretched on far apart on the surface, "That you had my back, " She says. There is a short pause, she looks away from his face, swallowing, "that you have always had my back. And that I was wrong to question your motives." He had noted how she tried to smoothly choke out the last sentence. Either she didn't want to say it or it was difficult...knowing her it was the second...or the first.

Then it changes. The figures stand at a dock, its dark out with only one street light; the one they stand under. They are close to each other, their arms around each other. A warmth returns to him. A familiar feeling, different that the unfamiliar one he had earlier. Earlier his heart broke, the warmth was desperation as he held her for the last time. It was worth tears. Agony. Against that warmth was a stranger. And yet he remembered. Tony's heart still broke as they embraced, when Ziva had approached and wrapped her arms around him. But that time was different. There was joy.

As familiar it was, it was like Tony was seeing these images in a new light for the first time. He chuckles at the memories. Suddenly he felt like something was ripping his heart of his chest, his smile fades as his hand brushes his left hand pant pocket; a small bulge. He frowns, struggling to get his hand into his pocket because of the tight space in between his pants and plane seat. The space was tight, but he was still able to somehow wrap his hand around the small object and pull it out to where he could look at it. Tony held it far from his face, the small object hangs from the chain around his middle finger. It was beautiful, the object was a star and it sparkled. He recognized it, Ziva never took it off. He had passed it to her...and yet somehow it was back in his pocket. It was odd for sure. But nothing happened by accident with Ziva. She wanted him to have it. Whatever the reason he couldn't argue...unless she started communicating telepathically or teleported on to the plane. With her ninja skills, it wouldn't surprise him if she was there now.

And then his eyes widen, his head suddenly turning to look at everyone behind him. He see's a few men at the back of plane; one is sleep and another watching a movie. Tony's curiosity boils, what was that guy watching? Probably a newer movie since nothing but new releases were on the airplanes. One reason he never bothered with the movies on airplanes. They weren't worth his time.

He glances out the window again, flashing back to the night he and Ziva were dumped by their dates and spent the even at work watching an old movie. It was one of those times he didn't think much about what was happening around him; what he had at the moment. It was natural, the time he spent with his partner. Of course he was wishing that he had not just sat there; instead taken advantage of the time he actually spent with her alone.

But it didn't end there. There are several instances that came to mind. The elevator after the bombing. The undercover engaged assassin mission. Los Vegas. Paris. He should have seen this coming; Tony wanted to shoot himself for his slow timing. Most instances he didn't mind jumping into bed on the night of a first date, but Ziva was different. She was…special.

Tony sighs. It was his fault; but exhaustion was beginning to set in. His eyelids heavy like lead and his head pounding. Tightening his grip around the necklace, he carefully places it back into his pocket and leans back against the airplane headrest. His mind is still clouded with memories of Ziva, not that it was a bad thing. But Tony's eyes opened, his mind didn't want to settle and so shifting positions every five seconds seems like a better alternative, "C'mon old boy," Tony murmurs to himself, "just five minutes." However Tony still couldn't shake this sudden feeling that was overwhelming him, something different. Tony hit his head against the headrest, "Well this sucks." Indeed it did.

For an hour this pattern emerged, until finally exhaustion took over and Tonys body succumbed to slumber.

Ziva

She did not move an inch, not after he disappeared into the plane. Or even as the plane made its slow ascent towards the sky. It been several minutes, the plane was gone...and she still couldn't move. Her arms cross over her chest and she stares up into the sky. The runway empty.

Her heart empty.

Saying goodbye would be hard, she knew this much at least. That feeling of a knife ripping through her chest was beginning to torment her...but there was no knife. No one was even close enough to her to try. And even if they were, she would sense it. Ziva could do that. She had been trained to do that by her father when she was Mossad. But no longer did she want that life. Now she was in hiding in order to escape her previous life...to follow her heart if she could manage it.

And yet something was missing.

Ziva didn't hide from her feelings, she was conscious of that, but she wasn't a fan of showing them. These last few days seemed to compromise that. Knowing very well that she would be giving up everything, including Tony...made it almost impossible to hold back the tears. Even now they were threatening to fall down her cheek. She had only cried a few times in the past in front of him, one time in the elevator. He had held her as an attempt to comfort her. Surprisingly it made her feel better. But she was no longer denying her feelings at that point. Then what had stopped her? What was different from now?

She looks down to the ground, contemplating this. Possibly it was because they were partners, and a relationship was forbidden. She knew that is what drew him to her, or she thought it was one of the reasons. Knowing Tony it would make sense, but was it the only reason? Perhaps not. And that kiss just now was the proof she needed.

Suddenly Ziva shakes her head, "Do not think about this," She says out loud, trying to compose herself. Normally it wasn't difficult, normally she wouldn't talk out loud to herself but for some reason she was doing it anyway, "A new life, you want a new life." Thats what her heart had been telling her and it was true. To get away from what she hadn't wanted, to get away from the horrible things she had done. To start new. Fresh. But had she made the right decision? She wouldn't know for another few months, when the results of her actions would sink in. When her new normal would become a reality. She was following her heart.

But was she really?