Hello out there! Here's the next chapter! I do not own NCIS or the book "501 Movies to See Before You Die."

*

Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping...waiting... And though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws, and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank... Without passion, we'd be truly dead.

*

"Tony!" Ziva cried out as she watched the snake lunge for him. She didn't even think about what she was going to do next, it was just a reflex. All she knew was that she had to protect him, to keep him safe, to make sure he wasn't going to be harmed. If she could just do that, then she could handle whatever happened to her.

Years of Mossad training were on her side as she threw herself onto Tony, trying to cover him as much as she could. If the snake wanted to harm Tony, it would have to get through her first. Together, she and Tony watched as the snake lunged for Tony's hand, the easiest biting point within reach. Right before the fangs struck and bit down into his soft, warm flesh, Ziva thrust her own hand out and stuck it over his.

"Ziva NO!" Tony yelled, squirming, trying to free himself so that she would remain unharmed, but she was having none of it. She tensed her limbs, wrapping them around his, effectively keeping him in place. She was breathing hard, thoughts running frantically through her head.

Tony had to remain safe. That was not just a feeling she had, but a fact of life in her world. In Mossad, they had taught you to avoid the things that would cause you the most pain, if you could. Ziva acted upon this now. A small snake bite to her meant nothing if Tony would remain unharmed.

The snake's fangs were now ready to sink into her hand, and she tensed, waiting for the inevitable pain.

But it never came.

A quarter of a second before the fangs hit her hand, the snake flicked its head away, looking almost as frantic to get away from Ziva as Ziva was to get it away from Tony. Instead, its scaly body hit Ziva's hand, sending goosebumps down the arm it hit. The snake curved its body and turned so fast that all Ziva saw was a dark blur. Then it rose up to its full height. Ziva instinctively knew to follow it, and she raised herself up on her knees to the snake's height. Only then did she see how big it was. It looked to be as tall as a small car, and its width was about the same size as a tree truck. It flicked its tail and its emerald eyes looked around her to where Tony lay, dumbstruck on the bed. Seeing Tony, it bared its fangs, hissing. Its eyes flickered back to Ziva, and she somehow knew exactly what it was saying.

"Over my dead body." She muttered through gritted teeth. The snake hissed once more, but then astonishingly lowered itself back down to the bedspread. Ziva slowly followed it down, lowering herself onto Tony once more. However, the snake simply slid off the bed and out the open window it had come from.

As soon as the snake disappeared, Ziva felt her body relax, and she simply lay on top of Tony, her energy spent by the confrontation with the snake. The room was silent for several minutes as Ziva lay on Tony's chest, listening to his breathing.

"Ziva…" Tony's voice broke the stillness, it was both shocked and comforting. He gently raised a hand and ran it through her hair. The soothing gesture set Ziva off completely. She tensed her muscles back up again, and lunged for Tony. In between applying rough kisses to his neck, face, hair, anywhere that was dotted by purple and yellow bruises, she wondered what exactly she was doing. Her partner had almost been attacked by a snake, she had fended off said snake by trying to make him bite her, and the most miraculous thing of all, the snake hadn't bitten her. And in between all those worrying and fantastic things, Ziva couldn't help but thing that the most astounding thing of all was that Tony was kissing her back. Finally, he pulled away and Ziva gave a little moan of discord.

"Ziva…" He said once again, although this time it was through rough pants. She cut him off by kissing his lips once more. She didn't want to be reminded that this wasn't the time or place, that they had a job to do, that they shouldn't even be thinking this while their was a killer on the loose, but she couldn't help it. When she was sure that Tony wouldn't be protesting any longer, she began to trail her kisses down…down, all the way to his chest, where she began to claw frantically at the sweater he wore, almost desperate to get it off. Tony, meanwhile, was having more success with the pullover she was wearing, simply ripping it over her head in one rough move. Only her thin white blouse separated her body from his.

Which was where they were when Astrid came running in and found them. The expression on her face might have been funny, Ziva thought, if the situation wasn't so mortifying.

"Oh," Astrid said, beginning to back out of the cabin, "oh, I'm sorry. I just heard screaming and I thought -" She stammered. "I'll go now."

"Oh, no! No! It's okay!" Immediately Tony began to slide off Ziva, much to her disappointment. If Astrid had only not heard her screaming Tony's name before the snake attacked…Which brought her back to real life. Tony had been attacked and she had been smothering him instead of making sure he was okay. He was her partner, it was her job to do so. Turning to Astrid, she attempted to relay the details of the incident so she could ignore the guilty feeling that was currently building inside her.

"A snake slipped in through an open window, and nearly attacked Tony. I tossed myself in its path, and it retreated." Astrid's eyebrows raised so high they were nearly lost in her snow white hair.

"What did this snake look like?" She asked urgently.

This time it was Tony who answered. "Just a regular dark black."

"Besides the color. Was there anything that would distinguish it from other snakes?" Astrid asked.

"The eyes." Ziva replied, remembering those eyes looking into hers right before it lunged at Tony, and then again as she stood her ground, shielding Tony's body with her own. "They were green – emerald to be precise."

"Emerald. That's – that's not good. It didn't bite you anywhere, did it?" She asked. They shook their heads now and she relaxed right away. "Good, one little prick from those fangs and you would be dead in just a couple of minutes." Astrid muttered. "Stay here, and I'll go get help." She turned and ran off again, leaving the two partners in an awkward silence.

"So…" Tony began, turning to stare at Ziva.

"I do not wish to talk about it, Tony." Ziva began to busy herself with attending to her appearance. She put her pullover back on, and began to adjust her hair, trying to make the places Tony's hands had run through lie flat. As she probed them, she could have sworn she still felt the warmth she experienced when he had touched her.

"Are you okay?" Tony asked.

"Me? I am not the one who had a snake throw itself at me, Tony." Ziva turned her face away from him, pretending to focus all her attention on pulling her boots back on. Showing raw emotions was a sign of weakness, and if Tony saw the emotion on her face as she thought of how close she had come to loosing him…

"Yeah, but you threw yourself in front of me! What was up with that, anyway?" He asked, his voice beginning to grow a little bit upset.

"I trust you are not mad?" Running out of things to do with her appearance, Ziva now focused her efforts on readjusting the things next to his bedside. A flashlight, one of his usual magazines, a "501 Movies to See Before You Die" book… She felt her throat close up.

"Why would I be?" He asked, the discomfort in his voice rising.

"You just sound a little bit…bugsy." She said, purposely trying to distract him by messing up an American idiom.

"Antsy, Ziva, antsy. And yeah, I should be when my partner nearly gets herself killed for me!" His voice was beginning to rise, and she was ripped her eyes away from the word "Die" on the front cover of the book.

"That is my job, Tony. Partners are supposed to protect each other." She said, keeping her voice neutral.

"Protect each other, yeah. Not commit suicide for them!" He said, almost yelling.

"Well what did you wish for me to do?" She finally lost her temper, throwing the book back down on the table. "Just stand there like a helpless fool and watch the snake kill you?"

"It would better than me having to watch it kill you!" He replied, now finally yelling. Ziva looked up and met his eyes, only just now realizing that they had been crossing the room during their fight, their bodies so close they were almost touching. As she stared into Tony's eyes, she saw him soften, and then he sighed.

"You almost drowned just a few days ago, Ziva." He said, his warm breath blowing into her face.

"But you saved me." She reminded him, her voice just a murmur now.

"I know." He admitted. "I just – I just didn't want that to all go to waste by having you die a few days later."

"So then this isn't about me, this is about your egoistical attitude!" She snapped.

"What? No!" He said, disbelief coloring his handsome features.

Ziva knew what he was doing. He was laying himself out, flesh and soul for her, telling her that he cared about her more than his own life, that he had almost died for her once, and would be willing to do so again. She had caught only glimpses of it in the looks they had exchanged recently, the small, knowing smiles they gave each other. She liked that knowledge, felt comforted by it. Now, though, she was seeing the true amount of Tony's feelings for her, and she was terrified by them. That much commitment, that much adoration, it scared her worse than any torturer, any bomb, any killer. So she did what she had learned to do: she hide her emotions and pushed him away.

"Of course it is!" She yelled, the louder she was, the less energy she would have to focus on her heart breaking. "You just can't stand that I had to rescue you!"

"What are you talking about?" Tony asked incredulously.

"You know exactly what I am talking about. Your stupid, macho pride." She turned her back on him, so she could hide her face.

"This that what you think this is about? That I almost gave up my life just so I could say, 'I rescued the damsel in distress! Look at me!'" He was yelling too now, and it made her so upset that she almost made up some excuse for what she was saying, to tell him it was just a joke or a slip of the mouth.

Almost.

"Yes, Tony, that is exactly what I am saying." She said.

"You're a fool." The words flew from his mouth, so sharp that Ziva winced. He had not sworn at her, not beaten her with fists, nor shot any weapon, but it hurt just as much, maybe even more, than if he had. "You don't know anything." And with that, he strode towards the door, trying to leave the cabin. Ziva didn't say anything. She knew it would be easier if they were not in the same cramped, hot cabin together. But the door suddenly swung open and Astrid rushed in again, accompanied by several of the Village Elders, many of the residents of Haven, and Abby.

Within seconds, Tony and Ziva were swallowed up by a crowd of concerned, eager to help people. Ziva wanted to scream, all she really wanted to have some space, to be alone. But the next two hours were devoted to being interrogated by the Village Elders, who demanded her story several times over and over again. She wondered if they thought she was lying, that the snake hadn't really shied away from her skin. Eventually, though they pronounced her fine, and asked that she go back to her cabin for some well deserved rest.

As Ziva walked out the door, she tried to lock eyes with Abby, but already the goth was trying to make her way through the crowd. As Ziva followed her path, she realized that she was trying to make her way to Tony. Suddenly Tony's eyes caught hers, and they both stared at each other for a moment. This wasn't one of charged, meaningful looks that they had given each hours and days before. Tony's eyes were now hard, although Ziva knew that hurt lay underneath. She purposely made her expression blank, so he could read nothing of it, not even from her eyes. They stared into each others eyes for a moment, but then somebody from the crowd accidentally pushed into Ziva and she was thrust out the door.

Walking along the path back to her cabin, Ziva tried to tell herself that she had been doing the right thing, that she was right to focus on her job right now, and deal with her personal life later… But deep down she knew she was just trying to cover for her own cowardice, for her fear of love. That was why, when she heard the sobbing, she did not react instantly. She was heartbroken, and although she know she would not, could not cry, she didn't immediately distinguish between her pain and the one in the sobs. Eventually, though, the knowledge slowly crept into her, and she began to follow the soft, high hiccupping gasps she heard. She walked for a short period of time before she found Astrid curled up under a tree trunk, head in her hands and body hidden by the drooping leaves and branches of the tree.

"Astrid?" She said, as gently as she could.

"Ziva?" Astrid's head jerked out of her hands and whipped up to meet Ziva's. "Oh, Ziva, I'm so sorry to be doing this!" She spread her hands helplessly, her eyes a red, soggy mess. "After what you and Tony have been through, this is the last thing you need. But, it's just so horrible…"

"Astrid, is there anything I can do to help you?" Ziva felt empathy for the tiny woman, who had been through so much to help Tony and Ziva. She had been the kindest resident of Haven that Ziva had met yet, always willing to lend information or a helping hand.

"It's – it's just that everything is so messed up!" Astrid wailed. "Everything that's happened! You being thrown off a cliff, you and Tony almost drowning, and now there's – there's this poisonous snake in your room!"

"It's going to be okay, Astrid." Ziva knelt down to where the younger woman was sitting, trying to reassure her.

"No, it's not!" She wailed again, throwing her head back into her hands. Ziva felt a brief flash of annoyance, but then remembered the way she had looked at Tony when he had first arrived. And then, just hours ago, she had caught them kissing – and almost more – on his bed. She felt slight pity for the girl. She had only been a minor flirtation for Tony, Ziva knew that he had never meant to hurt her, but after Ziva had nearly drowned, all his attention had become focused on her.

And what if someone else gets hurt, and he focuses on them. I'll be just like Astrid. I can't let that happen. Ziva tried to make a good excuse in her head, but she secretly knew that Tony would never simply forget her the way he had forgot Astrid. He hadn't given Astrid that same loving, caring look he had given Ziva just hours before.

A loud sob awoke Ziva from her thoughts and made her stare at the younger woman again. Astrid barely knew them, but already she had gone for help in two dangerous situations, putting herself in danger to keep Tony and Ziva safe. A tiny thought began to make its way into Ziva mind, and she wondered if Astrid wouldn't be willing to put her life on the line for Ziva, just one more time.

She cleared her throat and attempted to use the softest voice she could. "Do you really want Tony and I to be safe, Astrid? Do you want Haven to be safe once again?"

"Of course I do!" Astrid said, lifting her head out of her hands one more time.

"Then I need your help, Astrid." Ziva said in a low whisper, not sure of who might be watching now. "There is someone here that doesn't want Tony and I to survive to find out what's going on. The incident this morning just shows that we can't stay here by ourselves and figure out what's going on. Astrid, I need your help to get to the nearest city so I can contact Gibbs and tell him to bring assistance.

"But couldn't you just call him?" Astrid asked, beginning to sit up in interest.

"My cell phone, and Tony's, was destroyed when we fell into the river, remember?"

"And nobody else here has a phone." Astrid said. "Not even that new camper. It wasn't in her supplies. She said she lost it coming in." As Astrid said something else, but it was drowned out by the cursing in Ziva's head at Vance for letting Abby come without a cell phone. But if everything went well, in just a short time she wouldn't have to worry about Abby's safety here anymore.

"Can I count on you, Astrid?" Ziva put her hand forward, asking for her loyalty. Astrid took it rapidly and shook it.

"Is Tony coming with you, too?" She asked.

"No! Um, no." Ziva replied. "He needs to stay here and guard Haven." Truthfully, Ziva needed to leave him to watch Abby and make sure she was unharmed. She also didn't want to talk to Tony for many, many days. With any luck, Ziva would be so quick in getting to the nearest town and back that he wouldn't even notice she was gone.

"Alright then. It's just us." Astrid said. She stood up and brushed the leaves off of her dress. "Let's get started."