Hey, here is the next chapter. Hope you like it. Sorry I didn't update yesterday but it was my brother's birthday so we were pretty busy.

You belong with me.

If you could see
That I'm the one
Who understands you
Been here all along
So why can't you
See you belong with me
You belong with me.

Ziva found herself sitting at her desk in the bullpen, much as she had been for months, staring across at an empty desk. Hours ago, she had seen his car blow up on screen. Minutes ago, she had been at the scene, taking photos of her dead partner.

His mission had been compromised. He had called the emergency number and finally, Ziva knew why he was away for such long periods of time.

In one way, it was a relief, knowing that he did not have some deadly disease. It had scared her when she believed he was having a relapse to the plague and now she knew he was fine. Other than being blown to pieces by a car bomb.

She should be used to this. Death. But this had hit her harder than any other. She had had partners before who died. It was part of the job. This was not like those times. She had never had a partnership that was so strong. Their deaths had been part of the job. Easy to push aside.

Tony's death affected her like no other. It was though a part of her had died along with him, and yet she couldn't help but hope. Perhaps it wasn't him in the car. Perhaps he was somewhere else. With Jeanne. Who wasn't really his girlfriend. But he did really love her.

This was such a mess.

--

He was alive. And he was heartbroken.

The feeling of elation when Ducky had told them the man downstairs never had the plague, rivalled all other emotions she had ever felt.

When he had walked out of the elevator and Kort had attacked him, she had been so close to shooting the man it surprised her. Tony was alive, and Kort was threatening him. It was only Tony's look over Kort's shoulder that stopped her.

She could tell he was upset despite trying to hide it behind his usual jokes. She could see the pain in his eyes and she knew he had told Jeanne.

She tried to find her, while Tony was with the Director. She didn't know what she would do if she found her. She only knew that she had to help.

Entering Jeanne's apartment sort of felt like an intrusion. This was part of Tony's life that he didn't seem to want to share and she didn't want to invade.

He took the envelope with his name on and looked up at Ziva. Their eyes met and for the first time since he had emerged from the elevator, it was as though he was really seeing her.

They stood closer than others would see as comfortable. But neither of them found it strange.

'Have you ever lied to someone you love, Ziva?' There was pain in his voice and his eyes.

She thought about the two of them, how much she loved him, and how she had never told him. She lied everyday when she said they were partners because she knew that to her, they were so much more.

'Yes,' was her answer and it was tinged with pity.

'They ever forgive you?'

'They never found out.'

He explained everything to her. How he had told Jeanne, what she had said. With each word she could feel her heart ache for the man in front of her. Turning, she muttered something about putting out a BOLO.

'We will find her.' She started to leave.

'She doesn't want to be found.'

She left, planning to out the BOLO out anyway. Really, she just couldn't be in that room any more. Tony wanted to be left alone and she needed to get out.

In the corridor, she leant tiredly against the wall. Things just kept getting worse.

Thanks for reading. I promise we'll get to TIVA soon! Also, not sure when I'll get to update again, because there's a lot of stuff going on here right now, so sorry if the next one isn't for a few days, but I hope it'll be worth it.

The pretty green button calls...

Jen.