Hi! So I told ya I'd update by Sunday, so here it is. Not perfect… I think I went a little OOC with the two, but at least it's longer than the last chapter! I'm thinking one or two more chapters, then perhaps a sequel? Or epilogue? I don't know, what do you guys think?

Anyway, hope you like this chapter! Please review!

Disclaimer: NCIS, not mine.

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

Bang! Bang! Thud.

Ziva panicked as she saw Tony go down a few seconds after Austin had collapsed a foot away from her, as a result of her kill-shot to the head.

"Tony! Are you okay? Harah, answer me, Tony!" Ziva tried to remain calm, but was quickly becoming more and more nervous as her partner refused to answer her. "Tony!"

"Ughhh, what's with the shrieking, Frau Blucher? Did I scare ya, Sweetcheeks?" Tony smirked, gingerly pushing himself off the ground, slightly favoring his left arm.

"Well excuse me for worrying that my partner could possibly be dead, Tony! Next time I hear two gunshots and see you go down, I will remember not to care!" Ziva replied huffily, coming out of her panicked state. Why must he joke about everything? I thought he was dead.

"Sorry for scaring you, ninja. I didn't mean to. But I'm fine," Tony replied, walking over to Ziva and crouching down beside her. Geez, I didn't think she cared that much. She was really worked up.

"I was not scared, Tony. Merely worried that without you, I would not find my way out of here," Ziva quickly covered up, ashamed for showing such emotion towards her partner.

Tony just cocked an eyebrow, silently saying he didn't believe her excuse.

"And you are my partner. I don't want to lose you," confessed Ziva quietly, suddenly finding great interest in the small pebbles beneath her hands on the ground.

"I don't want to lose you either, Sweetcheeks, which is why we better get you back to the car soon," Tony said, kissing her forehead while wrapping his arms around her waist to help her stand.

"Tony, you are bleeding. You are not fine," Ziva noticed a patch of blood on the shoulder of his jacket.

"Just a graze wound, ninja. Nothing to worry about," Tony shrugged off his injury, downplaying how much it actually stung.

"Put me down and take off your jacket. Let me see it," Ziva stubbornly replied, her concern for her partner immediately returning as she saw him grimace as he stiffly removed the jacket.

"See, mom? Nothing to worry about. A few stitches, and it'll be as good as new."

Ziva was relieved to find it really was nothing more than a graze wound. Though it was bleeding profusely, the bullet had done no major damage, aside from leaving a nasty cut on Tony's upper arm.

"Here, rip off part of my shirt to wrap it," she offered, gesturing to the hem of her green cotton top.

"Zi, it's fine—"

"Tony, just do it. Please."

Tony ripped off a two inch thick strip of cotton from the bottom of Ziva's top and tried unsuccessfully to wrap it around his injured arm.

"Let me help you, come here," Ziva stated as she witnessed his struggle. Using both her good hand and bad one, she stiffly wrapped his injury, tied the two ends of the "bandage" off. "There, that should make it. Just try not to move too much."

"That should do it. Not make it. And thanks, ninja. Now let's move! We'll send Gibbs back to recover the body once we make it to the car." With that, Tony helped Ziva to stand and maneuvered her onto his back, both wincing slightly as they jostled their respective injuries.

"We've got about a mile to go. Let's go."

The pair set off in silence, both exhausted from the day, concentrating only on getting back to the car safely, sans any other incident.

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

Tony really scared me earlier. I have never reacted that way when a partner was in danger. America has made me soft. Maybe it is just Tony. I cannot deny that I care about him. Maybe more than just a partner. Oh no… Ziva, you did not just admit that. But I think it is true. Benzona… I am tripping for Tony DiNozzo.

I must stop. He obviously will not return my sentiments. Or maybe he shall. He was awfully caring earlier today. No, he was just concerned because I am his partner. Or maybe not. We shall see…

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

Thank god we only have a mile to go! I need to get Ziva to a hospital. I'm sure her leg is killing her. She won't admit it, but I know she's in pain. Her face is pale and her eyes give it away. Plus she way overreacted at the whole shooting incident. What was that about? I'm sure she just panicked because she doesn't feel well. In her situation I guess I would panic too.

God, I don't want to think about that… Ziva being shot at. That would suck. She's like my best friend. And my partner. And maybe more… DiNozzo, snap out of it! Ziva's your partner and friend, nothing more. She doesn't like you any more than Phoebe likes Chandler on Friends. But they did kiss in that one episode… right? Besides the point. But maybe she does feel more for me… she did freak out earlier. But Zi's special. I don't want to blow our friendship. I don't know, I'll just play it by ear I guess.

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

Both partners were too lost in thought to realize they had arrived back at the car already. It wasn't until Ziva looked up from her gaze, unintentionally fixated on Tony's shoulder wound, and let out a sigh of relief that the two noticed their location.

"Finally! We're here! Let's get you in the car, Sweetcheeks. Then we'll call Gibbs and let him know what happened," Tony exclaimed as he dug around his jacket pocket for the keys, momentarily releasing his grip on Ziva's leg.

He made is way around to the backdoor and after auto-unlocking the car, gently slipped Ziva onto the bench in the back, going around to the other side to help slide her over so that when he closed the door, her back would be resting against it and her leg outstretched on the seat.

"Comfortable, Zi?" Tony grinned at his partner, genuinely relieved that everything would be okay now.

Ziva simply grunted and nodded, her eyes closed as she unsuccessfully attempted to fight off a much needed sleep.

"Glad to hear it. We'll be at the hospital in about twenty minutes. It's ok to sleep, ninja. I'll wake you when we get there," he smiled, absent-mindedly stroking her hair. Of course when he realized what he was doing, he immediately pulled back, watching nervously for a reaction from his partner. Instead of making some smart remark about keeping his hands to himself, she simply kept her eyes closed and smiled softly. Tony smiled back, despite her not being able to see him.

He shut both doors and went around to the driver's seat. After starting the car and maneuvering it back onto the main road, he finally paid the bossman and long awaited call.

"DiNozzo, what the hell? I haven't heard from you all day? Did you get Austin?" Gibbs all but screamed into the phone.

"Yeah, Boss. We got him. He's dead about a mile into the forest from our initial starting point. Not too hard to find, but I'll give you more detailed directions later. Ziva took a tumble out of a tree and I'm pretty sure she snapped her fibia and tibula, as well as did some pretty good damage to her ribs and wrist, so I'm driving her to the hospital right now," he said as he glanced at his sleeping partner in the rearview mirror. Even in sleep, he could tell she was hurting.

"Okay, DiNozzo. Good work. Call me once she's settled."

"Will do, Boss," Tony replied, expecting Gibbs to do his signature "hang up without saying bye right after he's gotten all the information he needs".

But Gibbs threw him a surprise, "Take care of her, DiNozzo" before hanging up abruptly in his usual style.

Tony answered to nobody, "Will do, Boss. Will do."

Review, porfis (pretty please)! Your opinion matters!