New chapter! Woo!

I'm hoping to have this story finished in the next week or two, as I have big plans for future stories

Like always, please read and review. It does mean a lot to me.

xo

xxx

Control

Chapter 9 – The First Date

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It had been about a month since Ziva had been released from hospital. She had spent most of her time at home watching movies with Tony, because she honestly had nothing else to do. She still had another month until she could go back to work, and that's only if she passes the psych evaluation she has in three weeks. She desperately wanted to go back to work, but apparently she needed to learn to live with her mental illnesses before she could be back around guns. They wouldn't even let her do desk work! It was "too easy for her to reach for a gun".

Since her time in hospital Ziva had been diagnosed with depression, PTSD and anorexia with bulimic tendencies. She had been put on medication and a strict diet. She was watched constantly by her co-workers, even Vance. She also had to attend counselling twice a week. She wasn't even allowed to exercise and she hated it.

"Hey Zi," Tony called, interrupting her train of increasingly negative thoughts.

"Yes?"

"When this movie finishes I think we should go out," Tony said.

"What do you mean by 'go out'?" Ziva asked.

"I mean like on a date," he explained, "I have been planning it for a while and I think now would be a good time to do it."

"Okay," Ziva said, smiling.

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Tony had left for about an hour to get ready before he went back to Ziva's place. He walked inside and called out Ziva's name.

"I am in the bedroom," Ziva called back.

He walked into the bedroom and was surprised by the amount of clothes thrown around the room. There was even a bra on the fan!

"Why does it look like a bomb has gone off?" he asked.

"I have no idea what to wear. Maybe if you told me where we are going, it would be easier to pick clothes," Ziva then took notice of what he was wearing, "So casual clothes? I still have no idea."

Tony walked over to her wardrobe and picked up her favourite cargo pants.

"What about these?" he said. He picked up a singlet top, "And these too?"

"Are they suitable?" Ziva said. Tony nodded. "Well then I suppose they will do."

"I will wait in the car for you," Tony told her.

By the time they had left it was late afternoon.

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It had been a short drive to the location of their date. Ziva was surprised to see that they were at a park. It was beautiful and private, but still it was a park.

"Wow, I thought you were more of an expensive restaurant type of guy," Ziva said, as they walked to the centre of the park.

Tony's face fell, "What? Don't you like it?"

"Tony, it is beautiful! I am just a bit surprised, that is all."

"Wait here," Tony said before he walked back to the car. He came back holding a picnic blanket and basket.

"Tony, this is perfect," Ziva said, smiling at him.

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Tony and Ziva had finished eating their meal and were starting to talk.

"So have you cut since the hospital?" Tony asked.

"Yes. I have."

"Okay." Tony face fell the tiniest bit.

"I cannot just drop it Tony. I wish I could but I cannot. Anyway they were not as deep or as big as my previous ones so I feel like it is still classed as recovery," Ziva explained.

"Sorry Zi. I am so proud of you though."

Ziva smiled at him before kissing him.

"You know I never did finish telling you about why I did all of this," she said.

"Zi, it's fine; you don't have to tell me."

"But I would like to," Ziva replied.

"Okay then."

"So I think I got up to Somalia," Ziva said, "Somalia was just horrible. I have never felt so alone in my life. But it was not just Somalia. It was also the events leading up to it. Rivkin... um... dying and just everything. I know it was my choice to stay in Israel but part of me wished you fought for me to come back to America. When I saw that plane fly away, this wave of loneliness hit me and I did not feel relief from it until Gibbs killed Saleem."

Tony could see the tears starting to form in Ziva's eyes, "We don't have to talk about this."

"I need to talk about this Tony. I am sorry but it is what I have to do," she said.

Tony held her hand, "Okay, then let's talk."

"I do not want to go into great detail, but I still need to say what happened. I was tortured constantly, denied food and," Ziva looked down, "I was raped over and over again by so many different men."

Tony growled, "I should have killed more of those fuckers."

"Tony, it is fine. I am starting to come to terms with what happened."

Tony hugged her while he asked her about happier memories. He tried anything that would make her forget about her torture, even if it was for only a millisecond.

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"You know it is getting late. I think we should go back to your place," Ziva said.

"Why?" Tony asked.

"You are a big boy," she said, "I am sure you can figure it out."

"Let's go," Tony said, with a massive grin on his face.

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