EM: Part 2. I hope you enjoy. Reviews are greatly appreciated! I was thinking about dedicating my last chapter to someone…or someones. Perhaps that best reviewers?

Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own NCIS. If I did Malice and Gibbs would not have had that…thing. Or whatever. Bleh.

Why give up before we try / Feel the lows before the highs / Spread our wings before we fly away

I can't say I came prepared / I'm suspended in the air

Won't you come be in the sky with me

"Damn it Ziva!" Gibbs slammed his phone shut. When the elevator doors opened he rushed into Abby's lab.

"I want answers right now." Abby turned to look at him as her computer dinged while McGee continued to clack at his computer, intent on the screen.

"We ran facial recognition on the guy with the gun. And we just got a match." She looked back to her computer while Gibbs went to the monitor.

"His name's Mahar Jael. He's 42 years old, has a son in the Marines, a wife and 2 other daughters. He emigrated here from Afghanistan 21 years ago and is currently unemployed." She paused, eyes moving rapidly over the file.

"Uh-oh." Both Abby and McGee said at the same time as they looked up, then at each other. "You first Abby."

"Mahar Jael was arrested twice in the past 5 years for possession of illegally obtained firearms. He's also been spotted with these two." She pulled up two more pictures.

"There part of a sect of extremists who believe that Americans ensnare their enemies into coming to the United States where they can control them."

"And that's where I come in." Multiple screens popped up on the monitor. "I've counted at least 14 men who looked to be armed with something. And two of them resemble those two." McGee pointed to the two extremists that Abby had pulled up on her computer. They both waited for Gibbs to say something.

"Boss?" Gibbs eyes widened a fraction.

"They're going to tear the hospital apart."

/\_/\_/\

"Ziva!" Tony ran along the wall, keeping his head and voice down. She was like a cat, nimble and quiet. When she reached the end of a counter she reached back with her hand to quiet him. He caught up to her and tried to catch his breath. Sneaking was hard.

"Just SHUT UP! SHUT. UP." Ziva turned to him. Only one of them. Heavily armed. She mouthed the words to him and he nodded, reaching for his gun. She shook her head, placing a hand on his arm. She leaned in close, her lips grazing his ear.

"If we go in with guns he might overreact. We should go in like regular people. Make him feel in control." A chill ran up his spine at their proximity but he pushed it away. Ziva on the other hand wanted to just let her cheek rest against his. He smelled like excitement and men's cologne and Ziva wanted to breathe him in. But she too pushed away and nodded. Follow my lead. She nodded again as he stood up and held out his hand for her. She processed where he might go with this and reached up and placed hers in his. She would just trust him.

She felt him tug her behind him when she looked up to see the gun pointed in their direction. "Where the hell did you come from?" The gun shook and he screamed this time. "WHERE!" Tony put his free hand up in a calm gesture.

"We were hiding. That explosion spooked us out." He fired once and Ziva cringed as Tony reached back to hold her against him. They listened as the bullet hit something and ricocheted once.

"Get over here now! Before my aim gets better!" Tony released Ziva and shook his head, pulling her towards the group of people cowering against a wall. He continued to play protective boyfriend keeping himself between her and the gun as he assessed the people around him. Only a few people seemed slightly injured, possibly from the explosion. That was when he felt Ziva tug on his arm. He looked back at her as she jerked her head in a direction. When he looked up he saw her.

"Jeanne?"

\/_\/_\/

"Abby. I want this processed as fast as you can do it." She nodded as she unpacked all of the evidence from the exploded car. She held up the crispy box that was most likely the bomb. She turned to Gibbs.

"Where's McGee? This would go faster with McGee Gibbs."

"I know Abs but he's processing the crime scene." She nodded, her mind ticking.

"Tony and Ziva are okay right?" He kissed her forehead.

"I need it fast Abs." She watched him leave. She only worried more when he avoided answering.

/\_/\_/\

"Tony?" Jeanne moved toward them when their captor turned away. Tony pushed Ziva to the wall signaling Jeanne to follow. They waited once more when he looked back their way and then turned again.

"What are you doing here?" From what Ziva could tell this was going to be very awkward. For both of them. It didn't help that Jeanne looked distressed and Tony was nervous.

"I'm…I'm here for a friend. I wasn't expecting to be here this long!" Though they were whispering the man still heard them.

"Hey! What are you doing? What are you talking about?" He came closer, the gun still pointed at them. Ziva decided it was her turn to do some improvising. She deftly kicked Tony's feet out from underneath him. He dropped to the ground, surprised and Jeanne fell with him. Ziva flicked out her knife discreetly and cut into her forearm. Pain flared and blood oozed from her skin. She put the knife away and before Tony got up, knelt beside him scooping his head over her wound. The blood continued to fall down her arm and onto the ground. Jeanne saw it first.

"Tony you're bleeding!" He looked to her shocked and reached back with his hand. When he felt the slick warm blood his eyes widened and he looked at her. She very softly shook her head no.

"He was hit by a chunk of the ceiling earlier. I did not think…" He almost gave them away when he looked at Ziva like she had thrown a chunk of the ceiling at him right then.

"Get away from him!" Ziva looked up, pain etched across her face. "But he is hurt!" Ziva's sudden cry of distress startled the man. Tony was impressed. She sounded genuinely upset and he almost believed her himself. Except that he wasn't hurt. He saw Jeanne look up confused. The gunman hesitated. Ziva thought of Ari and a single tear fell down her cheek. He blinked then and lowered the gun.

"I'm a doctor. If you would just let me take a look to make sure it's not too serious…" Jeanne's voice echoed in the silence and he blinked rapidly, looked at his phone nervously and shook the gun.

"Fine. But when you're done you back away." And then he pointed the gun back at them. "And you too!" Ziva nodded in agreement. When he turned away from them Tony grabbed her free arm.

"What were you thinking?" She looked up to Jeanne.

"We only have so much time to speak now. Tony is not hurt but act like he is." She nodded and proceeded to check Tony's vision.

"Why are you here Jeanne?" Jeanne paused, flashing the spare mini light she kept across Tony's eyes. She looked up at Ziva. "A close friend of mine had her baby." Jeanne stopped and Ziva watched as she struggled to speak. "And she's here, in the hospital. When I walked in to find what room she was in, that man burst through the doors with a gun and then ripped open the front of his shirt, showing the bomb. Everyone panicked. A few tried to escape but he shot them." Tears slid down her face as she felt the back of Tony's skull.

"Have they demanded anything?" She tried to remember what it was he had asked of the doctors. "It was something about not being treated like real people. More like cattle. Then there was something about his son in the Marines and he shot a doctor." Ziva looked down to Tony.

"This sounds more personal than terrorism." Tony nodded in agreement. Ziva looked up to check on the man and found that he kept glancing in their direction.

"Look. We need to make a diversion of some kind and we need to evacuate these people. They are not going to sit here and wait much longer." Jeanne looked over as well. She started to scoot away. "I'm not leaving here without my friend and her baby."

Ziva lifted Tony gently and leaned him against the wall. She caressed his face. "When I find the right time," she kissed his cheek, "I am going to make my move." When she pulled away, she thought he was going to protest but the man came over with his gun pointed, staring at Ziva.

"Is he okay?" She nodded hesitantly and took in his stare. He was looking at her differently than he had before. Almost like he wanted to talk to her. She stood up and he held the gun at her.

"Might I…wash my hands?" He looked around and on the counter found a towel. "No but you can wipe them off." She walked slowly toward the towel and came within distance of the gun. All she had to do was reach out and take it. Instead she took the towel and began to wipe off her hands, pulling her sleeve over her wound.

"May I ask you something?" He turned to her looking confused. "I'm going to kill you and you want to ask me something?" He looked at her like she was crazy or stupid or both. "Fine. Ask." He turned to look back at the others. Ziva could see Tony staring at her intently.

"Why do this? Why die?" He took a deep breath. "You wouldn't understand." She thought about pressing further but decided against it. She noticed he was looking at her hands.

"You are not married?" He jerked his head in Tony's direction and she looked up at him. He was whispering with Jeanne. Ziva smiled. Her and Tony married? She almost laughed out loud. But something made her stop. Tony was and always had been a true and decent man. Sure he was a pain in the ass sometimes and acted like a child but he was Tony. What would he be without covering up all his insecurities and problems with a joke?

He would be Gibbs.

She really laughed that time and he looked at her oddly.

"No. Unfortunately we are not." She surprised herself that time. She had not meant to say unfortunately.

"Does he take care of you?" The gun was sitting at his side and he seemed intent on his question, completely unlike true suicide bombers. She studied Tony then. If she didn't think about the question the way he meant it, if she was honest with herself, Tony did take care of her. His investigative side may take over sometimes when he went nosing about in her desk and personal effects but he had always been taking care of her. When she had been with Rivkin and when he came for her in Somalia. When they were in the field she never doubted that he had her back, that he would take a bullet for her. Then she remembered Paris.

"Tony I insist. You take the bed. I do not wish to hear you complain the entire trip home." She took her pillows and placed them on the couch.

"No Zi-va. You take the bed. I'll take the couch." And he took her pillows and placed them back on the bed. They were each holding a set of pillows on opposite sides of the bed. To be honest, Ziva didn't mind taking the couch. She probably wouldn't sleep anyway. Since Somalia, most nights were long and she moved a lot in her sleep. If she wasn't going to sleep anyway, then why take the bed.

"Ziva?" She looked up. "I am sorry. What did you say?"

"We could just…sleep in the bed. Together." He stared at her intensely. She had thought it herself, but she was afraid that she might keep him up with her tossing. Not to mention the scars...She hesitated a moment too long.

"Never mind. It's cool. Like I said. I can take the couch." Watching his shoulders, she felt that he looked a bit rejected. She had slept with Tony before. Surely it would not be a problem.

"We can sleep together." He stopped and turned back to her. He waited for her to say something more. "You sure?" She placed her pillows on her side of the bed.

"It is big enough for the two of us. Besides, we did it before when we were under covers." He laughed. She had said the same thing then too.

"Under cover Ziva." He too placed his pillows on the bed. They both stared at it. When more seconds than necessary passed he decided to jump in the bed. Maybe take away what he was beginning to recognize was awkwardness. He and Ziva were never awkward. He patted the space next to him. "It's actually pretty comfortable." She smiled and joined him, pulling the covers up to her chin. She reached over and turned off the light. She felt Tony get situated next to her.

When minutes passed in silence she turned onto her side, facing away from him. "Goodnight Tony." There was a pause before she heard him answer.

"Goodnight Ziva."

Unfortunately she had fallen asleep. And with sleep came her dreams.

"No one is going to come for you. You came here alone and you will die alone." She accepted that because she deserved it. After what she had done to Tony and Gibbs and the team she did not deserve to live. She was ready to die. At least that was what she thought she had accepted. Instead a small part of her kept clawing its way back up. She wanted to live. She wanted to go back home, to McGee and Abby, Ducky and Jimmy, Gibbs, Tony. She belonged with them and she hated herself for throwing it all away on nothing. Why? Because it was her fault that Michael had died? If she had gotten him out faster he would have lived. His death was not Tony's fault. And she knew that. Despite her abandoning them.

And her father. She knew who her father was. He was the Director of Mossad first and foremost. He would not come for her. She was suddenly wrenched back to reality.

"No one wants you." Saleem's cold eyes bored into hers and she suddenly wanted to cry.

She jolted awake, the sheets tangled around her legs. She heard Tony snore next to her. She reached up to her face and found it wet, not with sweat but with tears. She had not expected anyone to find her. But Tony had. She looked down at him next to her. He was facing her, one arm under the pillow. And something in that moment told her that he would always find her.

She laid back down, her heart still racing. She closed her eyes, hoping to sleep and yet not sleep. She heard Tony snore one more time when suddenly she felt his arm wrap around her waist, his hand clenching her side. Her eyes snapped open and she looked at him. He seemed to be asleep. When she tried to remove his arm he merely tightened his grip and pulled her further into him. She almost squeaked but held it in. His breath rushed over her head and his heart was beating slow and steady against her. She was stiff for a few moments, unsure of what to do. When it seemed that he would not let go she attempted to relax.

She had never really been the cuddling type. But she was uncomfortable the way she was. So in a move very unlike her, she turned into him and snuggled. Ziva snuggled. She almost pushed him off the bed that's how completely absurd she felt. But she placed a hand against his heart and tried to breathe.

She hadn't been held by anyone like this since Michael and that still wasn't the same as this. This was warm and soft and it was Tony who was holding her. And before she could help it she began to melt against him, her body fitting neatly with his, her breath slowing and her mind falling to darkness. And then she fell asleep.

She did not have another nightmare.

"Yes." She finally answered him. "He does take care of me." The man watched her.

"You really do love him." She turned to him shocked. She had never said anything about loving him. "Why do you say that?"

He studied her for a moment. "Your eyes told me so."

And then his phone rang.

\/_\/_\/

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!" Gibbs grabbed her by the shoulders. "Abs, slow down." She held up the crispy box.

"These bombs? There junk. Literally. Whether Ziva had cut the yellow wire or the black the bomb would have exploded. It's also why it dropped to 3 seconds and not to detonate. It was poorly made. I'm surprised it made it as long as it did." She smiled proudly.

"Is that all you got?" She frowned.

"Gibbs! You think I only called you down here for that? I thought you learned!" She turned back to her computer. "I found Tony and Ziva. They're doing fine by the way." Gibbs' eyebrow rose, waiting for her to continue. "And I also got the number. I can call the bad guy!" His eyes lit up with recognition.

"Call him Abs." She turned and hit a button, the dialing noises coming through.

"Who is this!" Gibbs and Abby watched the screen as Mahar Jael started to panic.

"This is Special Agent Gibbs. We have the building surrounded." He watched as Mahar turned in a circle, Ziva backing away slowly.

"No. I don't believe it. You can't stop us! No one can! You people treat us like animals. We will never give up our freedom!" And he hung up the phone.

Ding.

"Uh-oh." Gibbs went back to Abby as Ducky came through the door.

"Jethro."

"Hold on Ducky. I've really gotta show Gibbs this."

"Abby I do not mean to be rude but I have something I must tell Jethro. That man was not attached to the bomb. He was controlling it. I found particles of metal and plastic embedded in his palm. He was carrying something when the bomb went off. And his posture suggests that he was relaxed when it went off. Not nervous." Abby stomped her foot. Gibbs looked at her incredulously.

"He stole my ding!" Gibbs just shook his head.

"I got a face with our dead guy. He wasn't on the police force. He's with the extremists." His face popped up and Gibbs frowned.

"That bomb was the cue for them to start." Abby turned to watch Gibbs exit.

"To start what!"

/\_/\_/\

"McGee. Domino effect. We have to evacuate the hospital. Now!" McGee stuttered on other end of the phone piecing together what Gibbs had said.

"You mean the first bomb was the starting fire? Now they're going to go off one by one?" Gibbs barked a yes. He nodded his head even though Gibbs couldn't see him as he threw orders at him.

"On it boss." Tim flipped his phone shut and looked to the cop next to him. "We need the bomb squad here now. Those bombs inside could go off any minute." He turned to his NCIS team. "We need to get in and get the hostages out. Quietly. Do not take out the terrorists unless you have to. Their bombs may be triggered to go off to anything." They all nodded.

Tim turned to the hospital. He really hoped Tony and Ziva were okay.

\/_\/_\/

"Please, do not do this." Ziva backed up slowly, her hands raised. She felt Tony grab her jeans and tug her back faster. She bumped into his chest. She glanced back to see Jeanne standing behind him. "I called McGee. His name is Mahar Jael. He's got a son in the Marines," he whispered into her hair.

"Mahar." His eyes widened at his name. "Please. Think about this." She dropped her hands, letting one travel to her side where her gun was. He cocked the gun and she stopped. "Would your son want you to do this?" The gun exploded and Tony jerked Ziva behind him as she pulled out her gun pointing it at him underneath Tony's arm.

"Tony. Are you alright?" He looked back at Mahar and nodded as her heart beat frantically. He really needed to stop being so protective. She moved in front of him this time, aiming her gun at Mahar. "Put the weapon down Mahar. I do not wish to hurt you." He shook his head forcefully and fired again. Ziva did not flinch this time. She fired once and he fell to his knee, blood dripping from his thigh.

"I told you. I do not want to hurt you. You have a family Mahar. Do you not want to take care of them?" That was when he started to cry.

"Tony. Move them out of here. Help Jeanne find her friend and get everyone out."

"No Ziva. I'm not leaving without you."

"Tony!"

"It doesn't matter." Ziva, Tony and Jeanne all turned to look at Mahar. "I cannot control it anyway." And he lowered his gun. Ziva turned to Tony, Mahar forgotten and started pushing people to the exit.

"Get out! Get out now!" Everyone started to scramble then. Ziva supposed they were lucky that Mahar was not shooting but at the mention of his family he seemed to have given up. She turned around and felt her heart go out for him. She started to walk towards him.

"Ziva! Don't!"

"Tony. Get Jeanne's friend and her baby out of here. I will be right behind you."

Walking up to Mahar had her nervous, she wouldn't deny that. But her gut told her that she a few minutes to spare, that she needed to speak to him one last time.

"Mahar. Why?" He was crying, the gun discarded at his side.

"They sounded like they knew what they were doing. They were so convincing!" She shook her head. It was a shame he had been swayed so easily to give up his life. If he had been given other options perhaps he would have chosen a different path. But now, he would never know.

"You knew you had other choices Mahar. This could not have been the only way!" His whole body shook but he only sobbed. That was when she saw a red light bleep on his chest. She opened his shirt and the timer said 45 seconds. She looked up into his eyes.

"Go. Go to the one you love. Live." She gripped his arm tight and then fled. She slammed the door behind her and looked up to see Tony a few feet in front of her.

"Thank god. Ziva, let's go." She smiled and took off to him.

"What about Jeanne's friend?" Tony was walking quickly, his grip on Jeanne's arm tight.

"They were evacuated before the bombers could get to her area. She and the baby are safe." Jeanne looked back and smiled.

They felt at that moment the ground and the walls shake. Sirens started to blare and lights were flickering. When Ziva turned to her left she saw in a room two children, huddling in a hospital bed. And then she turned to her right and through the doors and down the hall she saw him. Another one with a bomb, running towards them.

"Tony go! Run! Get out now!" She saw Tony look back before taking off, his grip on Jeanne's arm tighter. Ziva on the other hand bolted into the room to find the children crying.

"Come. We must go." She picked up the youngest one and grabbed the other by the hand. She exited and the man was closer now, screaming. She started to run in the direction Tony had gone and then heard the doors slam open. She turned into another hallway and then another door when the explosion went off behind them, throwing them and debris everywhere.

/\_/\_/\

The boss worried was not a good thing.

"Abby. We have a problem. The bombs inside are being remote controlled. Do you think you can find the signal and stop them?" Abby was frantic.

"McGee. Ziva and Tony barely got out of that hospital before two more went off." McGee cringed.

"Actually Abs, they were both still in there when the bombs went off." Abby screamed once and then started yelling at McGee.

"Abby, Abby stop. We need to prevent more of those bombs going off!" She started to settle. "Can you do it?" She huffed in response.

"Who do you think I am? Of course I can do it." He smiled.

"Thanks Abby. Gotta go." He hung up and turned to Jeanne next to him. "You should find someone to take a look at you and then wait for someone to take your statement." McGee turned to leave because he had more important things to worry about than Jeanne Benoit, when he felt her grab his arm.

"Is Tony…are they going to be okay?" He looked into her eyes and saw that she genuinely cared to know.

"We'll make sure they will be."

\/_\/_\/

"Ziva!" Tony coughed violently as the cloud of debris from the last explosion floated around him, blurring his vision. He was walking down a hallway, feeling the wall along the way to guide him. He stumbled over a chunk of ceiling on the ground. He stopped briefly to catch what breath he could. Stupid Ziva. He cursed his partner's impulsive actions and continued navigating the hospital. He should have waited for her. He should have gone with her! How could he have been so stupid? After Somalia he should have chained her to him.

"Stupid Jeanne." He cursed his feelings. They always popped up at the wrong time.

"Tony go! Run! Get out now!" He grabbed Jeanne's arm and started running with her in tow hearing Ziva's words echo in his mind. He wasn't sure if they would make it out of the hospital before that idiot's bomb went off. But he was damn well going to get as far as he could before it did. Jeanne stumbled and Tony held her up slowing only momentarily so that she could straighten her feet out. He needed to get her out of there. And get her out of there he did, after navigating the halls of the hospital to find that glorious automatic glass door a beacon in his view. He pumped his legs harder, practically dragging Jeanne when he burst through the door. He saw Tim ahead of him, his mouth moving rapidly, talking through a com. He skidded to a stop before him, huffing loudly, and his grip on Jeanne tight. And that was when he realized he heard only one other set of lungs painstakingly drawing in breath. He whipped around to find that Ziva was nowhere in sight.

"McGee! Was Ziva running behind us just now?" Tim looked up at him, still listening to the walkie in his hand and shook his head absently. Tony's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach as realization smacked him upside the head, giving Gibbs a run for his money.

His arms fell to his side, Jeanne all but forgotten. "Ziva…" and then he was off. Running through those doors once more only to be hit head on by a bomb few seconds later.

"Dammit!" He punched the wall next to him, pain rippling up his arm. Blood was running down the side of his head, his arm hurt like hell and he felt like he had twisted his ankle.

"ZIVA!"

Misaki: Thanks for reading! Come back for the final part next week. Did anyone really enjoy tonight's episode and references to Under Cover? Cuz I sure got excited!