DISCLAIMER: I don't own NCIS

And by the way, grappa is an Italian alcoholic drink made from grapes (go figure) and I don't own that either...

***

Gibbs scowled at the text he received from Ziva. Tony is with me. With you where? The others held their breath in anticipation as they waited for the news.

"Ziva's got Tony," he finally said. They all relaxed and Abby cheered.

"That means they are coming back right," she said hoping she could hug Tony back to health.

"Oh, I doubt that," Ducky remarked as he, Palmer, and McGee resumed picking up all of Tony's DVD's. The three had decided that cleaning up the mess would keep their minds busy. Gibbs and Abby resolved to pace the apartment in impatience.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I doubt Tony will want to be confronted by all of us."

Abby stopped clomping around and said hurt, "You mean he doesn't want us to help him? That's so wrong! Why does Ziva get to help him and we don't?"

"I think Ducky means that Tony would feel threatened by the amount of people, not the actual people Abby," Palmer stated as he looked interestedly at the cover of a movie.

"But why Ziva?"

McGee sent her a sympathetic look, "Ziva found him. And knowing Tony, she's a better drinking partner than any of us."

"They better not be drinking," Gibbs growled. McGee open and shut his mouth unsure of what to say. Deciding to stay silent he remembered the box from earlier and went to open the cabinet. He jiggled it again, but realized Tony must have locked it.

"Huh."

"What," Abby pounced as if anything could give her a clue to help Tony. McGee shook his head at her and she deflated.

Ducky noticed Abby's helplessness and put a hand on her shoulder, "You must remember Anthony grew up alone, depending solely on himself. He wouldn't know how to deal with so many people who truly care for him. It's as though we are a reminder of his lonely past."

Abby nodded, and whispered, "I just can't understand how he would rather be alone with his pain than lean on us."

McGee spoke up again, "I think that may be Ducky's point, Abs."

Gibbs harrumphed. He watched as the others all looked at him as though he of all people should understand Tony. He thought so too, he was, after all, Tony's official next of kin, because the bastard of a father couldn't care less, and mentor. He remembered the times when Tony needed supervision as he healed, and the nightmares that plagued the recuperating man. Once, Tony woke up when he had a concussion and acted as though he was a young child, cowering from Gibbs as though he was going to hurt Tony. It had taken an hour before Tony settled down and went back to sleep. Luckily, he didn't remember the episode in the morning. Shaking his head, Gibbs spoke,

"We should get some sleep before work in the morning. We still have a murder to solve."

The others all reluctantly followed Gibbs out Tony's apartment. As they drove back to the Navy Yard, Gibbs told McGee that he better come in with leads or not bother coming in at all. McGee swallowed and nodded, telling himself that Gibbs was worried about Tony and wouldn't really fire him. Not entirely assured he went home flip flopping between the case and Tony.

***

Ziva moaned as her alarm clock woke her up. Reaching out she slapped in the general direction. A grunt that didn't come from her and she realized as she opened an eye, she had hit Tony. He shifted next to her and slapped the snooze button on her alarm clock. Trying to ignore the pounding headache she knew came from drinking her way through a bottle and a half of grappa, Ziva carefully rose.

"Running Zi-va," Tony's gravelly voice asked muffled through one of her pillows. "Crazy…"

Ziva was inclined to agree, but knew if she didn't at least run half her normal route, she would not function as well.

"Yes. Want to join me," she smirked waiting for a 'hell no'. Instead as she picked out running wear she heard rustling from her bed and a thump on the floor. Turning around Ziva chuckled as Tony raised himself up from the floor and blearily blinked at her. Not exactly certain how they went to bed last night, or this morning, it was interesting to see Tony in his boxers.

Already realizing Tony was looking at her lack of pants and the long t-shirt she wore that she had stolen from him years ago, she moved to her bathroom.

"Aspirin in the same place," Tony called as he padded to her kitchen.

"Yes. I will bring it out," Ziva called. She finished dressing and opened her medicine cabinet and took a bottle. Moving into her bedroom in search of her tennis shoes, she winced at the hammering in her head. A morning of being hung-over was fine by her, though, if it meant helping Tony.

"Here's water," Tony said as he re-entered her room. He pulled on some jogging pants from her bottom drawer and put on his tennis shoes. "You know I'm glad I decided to crash at your place that time. Means I don't have to go home before work today."

Ziva smiled at him and tossed him the bottle. Catching the bottle Tony awarded her with a smile that was starting to enter his eyes. He looked at his t-shirt for a moment before pulling it on. They moved in tandem as they exited the building and stretched before finally taking off.

"We will only go six miles today, I think," Ziva said.

Tony clasped his hands together saying, "My head and knee thank you."

As Tony showered, Ziva pulled out her gun and cleaned it as she went over the situation in her head. She was unsure if Gibbs was going to let Tony stay at work, but was already putting an argument together in his defense. She was certain it do more harm if Tony wasn't doing something. And that way she could watch over him.

Listening to Tony sing lowly an Italian lullaby, Ziva caught herself humming along. Shaking her head, and then wincing slightly, Ziva hoped that this would resolve whatever it was that seemed to be getting in between them. Now that she learned a few things about what was bothering Tony, thanks to both of their inebriation, Ziva debated if she should tell Gibbs.

"Ow, okay I gotta say getting wasted was definitely cathartic," Tony was buttoning his shirt as he headed her way.

Letting her eyes wander over his chest in appreciation, Ziva waited for him to continue.

"Do you think Gibbs'll let me work?"

And there it was- the big question.

"I hope so Tony," Ziva answered honestly as they exited her apartment for the second time that morning. She hesitated before barreling through her next question, "Will you be okay Tony?"

Tony tensed before forcing himself to relax and say almost lackadaisically, "I've always recovered."

Ziva glared at his deflection, "Do not try to fake your way through whatever this is. You can trust me."

The car ride to work was silent until they stopped at the gate in front of the Navy Yard. Then Tony spoke,

"I don't think I will be."

Ziva glanced at him briefly as he clenched the wheel tighter and continued, "The last time this happened it was bad. Real bad. But all I had to come back from was a slight addiction to alcohol and wallowing in self-pity."

Feeling uncomfortable Ziva caught onto the fact that this had happened before, "How many times has this happened?"

Tony sent her a wry smile, "All the details or the quick fact sheet?"

Ziva stared at Tony contemplating, "How about the quick facts now and the details while I make you dinner tonight?"

"Dinner, huh? Look forward to it. Twice before."

Nodding Ziva strode through the parking garage with Tony keeping pace. When they entered the bull pen they saw Gibbs' coffee on his desk. After giving Tony a reassuring glance, Ziva turned on her computer and made it seem like she already onto the next task. In fact she was going over the things she learned that night before and that morning.

A/N: Getting there guys, but I've already started the next chapter so it should be soon. Let me know how I did! :)