Based off of 11x03.

I don't own NCIS.

Enjoy!

He had to pick up her phone today. Each ring was like a stab in the heart because all he could hear was her voice, saying "Special Agent Ziva David,". He could feel McGee's and Gibbs' gazes on him, could feel their eyes burning into him as they silently urged him to pick up the phone, probably because they knew that if they tried to, he'd probably punch them in the face. So he picked up her phone. And for the first time, he had to tell someone outside of their little family that she didn't work there anymore. His heart nearly snapped in two when he had to voice those words out loud.

It had only been a week since he'd gotten back. Only a week since he'd kissed her. Only a week since he spun that 180. Now he'd done many stupid things. But turning around and leaving her all alone on that strip of asphalt with tears streaming down her face, that, by far, was the stupidest thing he'd to date. He missed her so badly. So badly. He was constantly on the verge between breaking down and calling her to tell her, to beg her to come home to him—well, that is if he knew what number to call—and punching a wall till his hands were bleeding and broken.

As he lay in bed that night, he thought about her like he had every night since he left Israel. He thought about her like he had for years. Except, instead of knowing that she was in bed, at her apartment, safe and sound, he wondered what she was doing right now. Was she okay? Was she healing? Was she finding peace as she rebuilt her life? Was she thinking about him too? Did she miss him? Even as he asked himself the questions, he knew, in his heart that, yes, she was okay. He knew that she was healing, slowly, peacefully, as she started over. He knew that she missed him just as much as he missed her. He knew because she told him—she told him with that kiss. That stupid, beautiful, magical kiss that had been haunting him for a week now.

He ran his hands over his face. He was tired, but he couldn't sleep. He sat up, throwing the covers off, and made his way into his living room. He sat down at his table, opened his laptop, opened his email, and stared. What the hell was he going to write? He didn't want to say that he wanted her to come home because he loved her and that he needed her and whatnot. As much as he wanted to, as selfish as he wanted to be in the moment, just to have her in his arms again, he couldn't do that. This was about her. This was about her starting over, finding peace, and becoming somewhat of the woman she wanted to be.

Tony looked over at his goldfish. "Well, Kate, any bright ideas?"

Kate stared at him for a moment, then proceeded to continue swimming.

Frustrated, he logged off and shut his laptop a little too forcefully. Not bothering to change out of his pajamas, Tony slid into a jacket and grabbed is keys, heading to the one other person he could talk to in this instance.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Tony found Gibbs in the basement, not sleeping either—surprise, surprise. Gibbs didn't even look up to see who it was.

"What're you doin' here, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, but he didn't sound angry, just concerned.

"Couldn't sleep, I suppose," he replied, not really knowing what else to say.

Tony sat down on one of the stools, watching Gibbs sand the piece of wood he was currently working with. It was another minute or two—though it felt like forever—before Gibbs took his safety glasses off, set down his tools, and went to the counter behind him to grab the whiskey sitting there. Wordlessly, Gibbs poured them each a glass, and handed one off to Tony.

He'd been trying not to resort to alcohol as a means to ease the pain in his heart, but a little, he reasoned, would be okay. He took the glass and took a swig out of it, enjoying the feel of the alcohol burning down his throat.

"So," Gibbs started. "what's up?"

Tony considered shrugging it off and saying nothing, but he knew he couldn't do that. Besides, Gibbs already knew the answer.

"Ziva," he said, not meeting his boss' eyes. Saying her name made his heart race in a pleasant way, but then the feeling dissipated once he remembered that she was half a world away.

"Tony…" Gibbs trailed off, as if he weren't quite sure how to proceed. "I understand that you miss her. We all do. But—and I'm saying this because I have to be the boss here, I have to keep the job in mind, just like you. You have to let her go right now."

Tony looked up at Gibbs. His boss' face was tired. Tony hadn't really thought of it before now, but Gibbs had lost Ziva too. She had been like a daughter to him, and having her go was painful for him as well.

"Yeah," Tony tried to say, but it came out breath, his voice hitching more than he wanted it to, and he bowed his head.

"Tony,"

The gentleness in Gibbs voice made him look up again.

"She'll be back." Gibbs continued. "Maybe not tomorrow, but she will. But right now, she needs time. And I need you to focus on the job. Okay?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, okay."

As he said it, he remembered the necklace. The promise she made through the gesture. She would be back. But until then, he had to try and keep the drinking to a minimum, had to try to not get annoyed when other people sat at her desk, had to just remember that she was going to come back.

Or he'd go to her.

He attempted a smile. He just had to get through, one day at a time.

So there's chapter 2 for you! Hope you liked it!

Please let me know what you think! Feedback is very much appreciated!

Thank you for reading!

-DaughterOfPoseidon333