Hello everyone! Sorry for the major delay on this, I had to think a lot of things over and so much thinking makes Kiera's brain hurt…
Anyways, hope you like the direction I went in with this. It was actually one of many routes I could've gone down, but it was the one I liked most. Hope you do, too.

Disclaimer: You know you're obsessed with NCIS when you dress up as Abby for a charity fundraiser, and people think it's your normal clothes…

Listening to: Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley

He looks up at his partner, sitting across from him, with a small grin on his face.
"Emily..." he calls in his trademark annoying voice.

Her head snaps up and she glares at him in a way that is as scary as a sleeping rabbit. Presuming one doesn't find sleeping rabbits scary. Anyways, point is he isn't intimidated. He picks up his ready-rolled paper ball and throws it in her direction, laughing as it hits her square in the face. He chucks another one toward her, and he has a hard time keeping vaguely serious at her dreadful attempt at catching the object mid-flight.

His partner is a geek. You can't deny it. She's no ninja, no badass warrior, just a plain girl who decided to work for the government. She doesn't like her juvenile work partner, and is dreadful at acting as if she does. Fair play to her for trying, though. She's just not... compatible, with him.

She just works all the time. She sits down, and works. They drive to a crime scene, and she works. She goes home, she works. Cold cases. Who does that? Objectifying as it sounds, he might cut her some slack if she was easy on the eyes. But her hair's greasy and always pulled back, her glasses are snapped and actually held together by a band-aid, and the pastel yellow skirt suits make everyone within a five mile radius cringe. And yes, he knows it's about what's on the inside and that appearance doesn't matter, but even the inside doesn't seem too interesting either. Maybe he's just misjudged her, but there is definite, genuine dislike felt on both sides.

So he resorts to this- paper bombs, spit balls, superglue. She's like another McGee, for goodness' sake.

And Gibbs doesn't like her, McGee certainly doesn't, and Abby? Best not to mention her.

Because Emily replaced Kate. And Kate was well-loved. So Emily is constantly referred to as "Kate's replacement."

Today, however, Tony's being annoying for the sake of it. He's not missing Kate- and yes, it does happen. Emily hasn't been complaining about latex gloves or blood or not enough work, so he hasn't been given reason to pester her. He's simply bugged. Itchy.

The paper is a welcome distraction, because he can't stop looking at his phone.

Two days, and she still hasn't called him. Maybe he didn't make his intentions clear enough, or she was happy to put up with him for a plane ride, but now, he's jumpy and grouchy and can't shut up. And if he happens to take it out on his partner? Well, it's her fault.

He's just not sure who the her is that he's talking about.

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She fiddles with the button on her jacket as she sits, the gaudy wallpaper and thick smell of incense not helping the already strong feeling of nausea that is overcoming her. The chair she rests in is cushioned but lumpy, and she constantly shifts and moves to try and get more comfortable.

It doesn't help.

The guard standing at the door is glaring at her again, and she rolls her eyes at the incompetence of the staff. Officer Bashan has still not turned up, despite her appointment being fifteen minutes ago, and the woman babbling into a cell phone whilst sitting at a desk, seems not to have realized that everyone can hear her conversation. Ziva has a sneaking suspicion the blonde is painting her nails, as well. How somebody like that got a job at the Israeli embassy, she'll never know.

She suspects it's her father's doing; the delay and arrogance of this meeting, probably as a punishment for messing up her last mission and losing her protection detail. The huge mistake is the only reason she's in the US.

Not that she minds, of course. Not only is it refreshing to escape the rumors and conflict back at home, with regards to her brother's whereabouts, but Ziva's met some genuinely nice people.

Well, one nice person.

Whom she has yet to call back, because she's too scared.

The receptionist hangs up just before a clicking noise sounds from the door, and Officer Bashan strolls in, paperwork in hand.

"Shalom, Ziva. My apologies for the wait, I got… caught up. "

"I am sure you did. " she retorts, noticing how everyone in the room is focusing on her.

After a brief discussion, she leaves the Embassy, equipped with knowledge and an assignment, and follows her instructions on how to get to the Navy Yard, and the NCIS building. The building, in which she knows a certain Tony DiNozzo could currently be.

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She pulls out her cell phone as the elevator nears her floor, finally dialing the number she has resisted for two days- a feat much harder than it sounds.

"Hello?" answers a husky voice, and she grins whilst stepping out and searching for him.

"Shalom, Agent DiNozzo." she replies, catching sight of him. He's sitting at a desk, a phone in one hand and a pen in the other. His face falls momentarily as she speaks, and he drops the pen, too, then grins.

"Ziva? Where are you?"

Her voice shakes as she replies "Look up, Tony."

And he does. And she smiles. And it feels amazing.

Thoughts? Good? Bad? Myeh?

Also, don't think it'll be as simple as she'll join the team. For one, I doubt they'd have room, then there's Gibbs, whatever's happened with Ari (oh yeah, I haven't actually thought that bit up yet) and that Emily person…

Reviews are always appreciated. Have a biscuit.
-Kiera. x