I'm going into NCIS Withdrawal... so... because of that, you get a nice little spoiler. At the END of the chapter.... DO NOT SCROLL DOWN....!!! lol...Anyway, my shows are over for the week....and

OMG!!

Speaking of.....BONES!! It was new last night!! did ANYONE watch it? And the sad part to this story is I knew who did it about 25 minutes into the show ( which is the normal)....about 8 28 i went OMG!! I know who did it..(which i wont say in case some of you havent watched it yet))....!!! I also predicted that Angela was going to break her celibacy with Wendall ten minutes before that...and who was right?! Yepp..me!

And Fringe was awesome too! Can't forget episode however was a bit TOO easy to figure out.. right?

I'm pathetic..lol. I'm always figuring it out without meaning to.... I do the same with NCIS. I knew it was the childs mother as soon as Tony and Ziva went to Gibbs' house. It was SOOO obvious! Right? Or am I just that..creepy/awesome? Lol.

Song: Diamond Rio "Meet in the Middle"

*******************************************************************************************************************************************

Tony stared at her. She was joking. Had to be. There was no way in the world they were doing that. Nope. Not with the recent events of her shooting and there after. Not to mention THEIR personal issues! That was not ready for public. They weren't ready for public. And a public SHE barely knew to boot!

It was offical.

She was crazy.

Had to be the medication talking.

It was seven hundred fence posts from your place to ours Neither one of us was old enough to drive a car Sometimes it was raining, sometimes it would shine We wore out that gravel road between your house and mine.

"Ziva, we aren't going to that. I don't know how you found it, but we aren't."

"But you confirmed your attendance! It is rude not to go, Tony." Ziva said, holding the card in her hand.

"I think in light of recent events, MY buddy wouldn't mind. He'd understand that I can't make it. Matter of fact I've been meaning to call him about that...."

"You are one of the goons men, correct? You cannot just not go!" Ziva told him a frown on her face.

"Grooms men. And yes. I was." Tony corrected.

"It's two days away! You can't just not show. Don't these things get planned months in advance?"

"Normally yes. But trust me, he isn't short on men to stand with him. He'll get someone else last minute. It's how we work, no big deal."

"It still isn't right,"

Tony watched her. "Why are you so adamant on going? Who cares? It's just my buddy from Baltimore getting married. He's been married twice, by the way." He paused. "He might beat Gibb's track record if he keeps this up," he said thoughfully.

"Is it so bad that I want to get out of here for a bit? I'm going crazy staring at the same old scenery day after day. This provides the perfect opportunity to get out here, get out D.C. for the night." She needed fresh air...scenery. She wanted to go. Besides, she'd never actually been to an American wedding. It would be interesting to see the differences.

"No, it's not that bad." Great he was caving. And she knew it. "Al..alright. Do you have anything..."He eyed her. "simple, yet dressy, yet sexy?" Truthfully, the idea of going to a wedding with her terrified him. He couldn't not go, though, she was right. Sure, Greg would be upset at him for the backout out the last minute, but he would understand. "And you need at least four nights worth of clothing," he added.

"Four days?" Now she was confused.

"I'm in the wedding, remember? You pointed that out. Which means I would have had to leave tonight anway. I wasn't going to the bachleor party, so I was planning on leaving tonight after work. The wedding is saturday."

"But it is only Thursday."

Tony smiled. How naive she could be at times. " Ziva. The WEDDING is Saturday. Tonight is my friends party. Tomorrow is the rehersal dinner and wedidng for those involved. Saturday we will be too exhausted and drunk to drive back. At least I plan on being that way... and you can't drive. We won't be home until Sunday afternoon. Go pack what you need-"

"Tony, this is YOUR apartment. Not mine. I barely have anything here. Only what Abby got from my place the first time...."

"Alright, so give me about ten minutes and we'll go to your place so you can pack whatever it is you need." With that he turned and headed to his bedroom. He had forgotten he and Ziva were not actually living together. Three weeks of being around another person constantly could do that to a mind. Not to mention drive each other insane. But, it seemed after he had cut his finger the other day, the tension had resolved...slightly. It was still there, but they were getting better. It seemed that his finger slicing incident had caused something to change between them again. He wasn't sure what exactly had changed, but at least this time it was good.

He also noticed that, while she was in pain when moving, it seemed to be getting better now that she was taking the medication regularly and taking it easy. Imagine that! God forbid she actually listened to him the first time. Then she'd only have three weaks left, not seven. He stuffed some random clothes intoa duffle bag and grabbed the tux he kept dry cleaned and stuck in the back of his closet. Throwing dress shoes into the duffle bag, he slipped his tennis shoes on and went back into the main room of the apartment.

"Ready, Ziva?" He looked around. Didn't see her. "Ziva?" Where the hell had she gone? He hadn't been gone for more than five minutes!

"In here, Tony," she called from back in her room. He turned and headed toward her voice. He leaned against the frame.

"What are you doing?" He watched as she put stuff into a plastic bag.

"Packing some of the stuff I need from here," she told him tossing her medication into her bag along with a few of the clothes she had.

"Well, you dont need anything but those pain meds. We're stopping at your place first, remember?"

"I'd like to pick out my own clothes,"

"Just leave those. You can bring more." Was that his way of telling her he didn't mind her stuff in his place? Ziva eyed him.

"Alright, Tony. Then I am ready to leave when you are."

"Then lets go. We've got a few hour drive ahead of us," he said. Then he paused. He forgot she wasn't supposed to do so much walking. "Wait here for me. I'll come back up and get you-"

"No."

"No? What do you mean no?"

"I can walk...."

They were starting this again? "No, you can't. You aren't supposed to do anything unnessessary. BED rest," he stressed to her.

"Please, Tony. What is the harm in letting me walk slowly to the car? I'll be sitting for the next few hours," Ziva reasoned. Honestly, did he have to be so protective and mother hen-ish over her?

He sighed. She was right... it wouldn't hurt much.. and it wasn't like they were in a hurry- yet. "Alright, but I carry you to your apartment nad back to the car. Got it?"

At least he gave her that. "Deal."

I'd start walking your way You'd start walking mine We'd meet in the middle 'Neath that old Georgia pine We'd gain a lot of ground 'Cause we'd both give a little And their ain't no road to long When you meet in the middle.

He raised an eye. The last time those words were spoken she had ended up in the hospital three days later. "Let's go," he said taking her medication from the bag she had tried to put together, went out to grab the keys and opened the door. He waited as she slowly walked out.

It killed him to see her wince with every other step- even with the medication working in her system. He was pretty sure that though she wanted to get out of the city for a few days, she had no clue how much fun.. or in this case torture, weddings could be...dancing, walking, talking. Poor Ziva. Though he had to admit he found it a bit amusing. Just a bit.

*********

When they arrived at her place, Ziva allowed Tony to carry her up stairs. She ignored the funny looks from her neighbors- ones she hadn't seen in weeks- as he took her to the fourth floor of her building. As she went in to pack, Tony following her, she frowned. It was the first time she'd been back in three weeks and the place felt....empty. Cold. Not at all...like home.

It's been seven years tomorrow since we said our vows Under that old pine tree, you ought to see it now Standing in the back yard reminding me and you That if we don't see eye to eye there's something we can do.

She stopped dead when she realized she thought of TONY's place as home. Well, talk about startling revelations. Before she could continue down to her room she heard a rather annoying voice. One she never liked.

"Ziva, welcome home," Victoria Mellow's voice floated through the door. The woman was a bit odler than Ziva, but rather annoying. Nosy too. "We were wondering what happened to you,"

Ziva gave her a tightened smile. "Accident at work. I've been staying elsewhere." she said with a small shrug.

"Oh? You must have very dangerous work. What happened? A box fall on you? A forklift run into you?"

"I was shot." Ziva said tersely. God, this woman got on her nerves. Always Nosy.

Victoria's eyes widened. "Really? Where at?"

To Ziva's relief, Tony's voice answered for her. "Two places actually. Her stomache and her side. But you know, I dont remember her inviting you in, and I don't really think its any of your business where she has or hasn't been."

Ziva nearly smirked at the look on the woman's face. "Victoria, meet my work partner, Tony. Tony, this is one of my neighbors." she introduced. She also didn't miss the once over Victoria gave Tony.

"Well, we were all just worried about Ziva. We hadn't seen her in a while and suddenly she shows up with a man and is being carried up to her apartment." Her eyes slipped down to Ziva's stomach. "Shot, huh? I bet shotgun is more like it,"

While Ziva didn't catch the implication, Tony sure did. And he didn't like it. "Would you like proof?" he almost growled. "Show her Ziva. Both of them, so that she can get a REALLY good look and go tell the rest of the busybodies that you aren't pregnant."

I'd start walking your way You'd start walking mine We'd meet in the middle 'Neath that old Georgia pine We'd gain a lot of ground 'Cause we'd both give a little And their ain't no road to long When you meet in the middle.

Ziva didn't like the tone of his voice, but she slowly lifter her shirt as he asked, stopping just under her her breasts. The sharp intake of breath told her Victoria got the picture. But Tony wasn't done apaprently.

"You see those? Yea, Those are bullet wounds." He pointed to her side. "See that one? It came form a suspect we were chasing who cornered us." Victoria pointed to Ziva's stomach. "And this one.. well, I did that. Shot her with a bullet while taking down one of the other guys that were trying to kill us. She's lucky to be alive and she certianly doesn't need YOU coming in and questioning her or where she has been."

Suddenly, everything clicked into place for her. This was why he was being a mother hen over her? Ziva lowered her shirt and turned to stare at him. "Tony....No... you didn't. It was an accident," Ziva said softly, ignoring how close Victoria was watching the interaction.

His eye turned dark as he looked at her. "An accident a probie like McGee makes. Not me."

She shook her head, placed a hand on his arm. "I read the report-"

"How? You haven't been to work since-"

"Abby," she smiled thinly and he snorted.

"Should have known," he said. "But that doesn't matter. I made a probie mistake, Gibbs even agrees.

"But you're taking care of me now. That is all that matters. I do not hold anything against you for letting a stay bullet catch me."

Victoria frowned. "Just what do you two do for a living anyway?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "NCIS. We work for the Navy....kind of like CSI only much more real and dangerous.

"You have guns too?"

Tony grinned, it was obvious she was terrified of such things. "Yep. Sure do. Badges, IDs, tracking devices, knives...all kinds of methods so we can get what we need done. Not to mention working with the CIA when they aren't trying to kill or frame me for murder, the FBI, and bringing down all kinds of bad guys."

Victoria slowly backed away. "I'll see you later,Ziva. Nice meeting you uh.. sir..Agent..Tony." she said hurriedly. Tony laughed harshly.

"Well, isn't she a push over?"

"Tony, we need to talk-"

"You need to get packed," he returned. "Or we won't make it to the hotel by nine, which is the cut off for check in,"

She sighed as she followed him to her room. They needed to talk. Soon. It was obvious he was feeling guilty, but he didn't need to.

Maybe they could talk on the car ride up. It would be hard to avoid that, right?

Babe, I love the way we work it out That's what love's about. I'd start walking your way You'd start walking mine We'd meet in the middle 'Neath that old Georgia pine We'd gain a lot of ground 'Cause we'd both give a little Their ain't no road to long When you meet in the middle.

********************************************************************************************************************************

So...... interesting chapter, huh? :D

Spoiler:

Rumors state that sometime soon ( as in before the end of November) there will be a crossover epidode between NCIS and NCIS:LA. Abby is sent out there, despite her fears for a case in which her presenace is required to work on. Those fears only multiply when shes kidnapped because of the case she is helping them work on later in the episode.

How THAT?! Lol.... Sorry... my NCIS withdrawal still has not been resolved, but hey... maybe writing this chapter and the next will fix that? Hold me over till tuesday? Yea right...not to mention I was disappointed by the EW ausiello files this week. Too short. Nothing mildly interesting for ANY of the shows I watch....