Chapter 11
That night after everyone was caught up; they were about to head home when they noticed tony wasn't in the lab anymore.
"Where did tony go?" McGee asked.
"Does it matter" Ziva walked out of the lab.
"Ziva, he is your partner."
He was more. "He is not my partner" she paused "anymore."
They walked to the elevator to leave, McGee pushed the button. "Abby I was wondering if I could stay at your place since I have no place to stay?"
"Of course Ziva, you know you don't need to ask."
"Todah Abby"
The doors opened "no need to stay with Abby."
"Tony I do not have an apartment mine exploded if you do not remember"
"That is why I went and found you a new one. Same neighborhood, a little cheaper, and there is a pool; which I may or may not have already tried." He hands her the key "you're welcome"
"I do not have any furniture tony"
"Fully furnished"
"oh." It is very hard to continue to be mad at him when he does stuff like this.
"Oh? I work my butt off getting you a place to sleep and all I get is oh."
"Thank you tony, although I could have found one on my own"
"I know but I wanted too"
"Whatever"
They arrived at the parking lot to see a red mini cooper sitting in front.
"How did my car get here?"
"I drove it" tony answered.
"Oh."
"You know this oh thing is getting really old, it's even worse than the one word answers."
"Would you rather I kill you now!"
"Can I watch? Ow!" McGee said getting elbowed by Abby
"I think this would be a good time to go night guys" Abby said as McGee and she left to go to their cars.
"Here is the address to your new apartment Ziva; you need me to show you?"
"No I got it"
"Ok bye Ziva"
With that she got in her car and sped off. She was about halfway when she saw tony following her.
He does not think that I can find it. I will show him.
She stepped on the gas, and flew around the corner until she saw it. She slammed on the breaks and pulled over to the side of the street in front of the building.
I have been here before. She thought.
A minute later tony pulled up behind her.
"What are you doing here tony?"
"I'm making sure you get to your apartment ok."
"Whatever"
"Alright, back to one word answers. I'm moving down the da-veed anger scale."
She pushes her bag into his chest "if you are going to follow me, you get to carry this."
They walk up the steps until they get to 625 "here it is. Thank you tony you can go."
"Alright bye Ziva" he walked down to 620 and unlocks the door.
"Wait a second Anthony DiNozzo! This is your building."
"Well yeah I said I used the pool"
"And you live 5 apartments away from me." She said it as if she couldn't believe it. "This cannot be happening."
"Oh it's happening, for six months too. That's how long you have to stay to get your deposit back, well my deposit since I paid for it so you owe me"
The one person in the country entire she would rather not see is five apartments away.
"Tony I cannot believe you did this. I mean did you even think before you did this?"
"Sorry! I thought that after twelve hours in that freakin plane you would like a bed to sleep in and not a coffin! Sorry I knew I could get you a deal here! Good night special agent David." He slammed the door.
She walked slowly back to her apartment, not knowing what to do next. Normally if she was upset or confused she would run or box, it would clear her mind. Tonight though she was still recovering and the doctors would kill her if she did any of those things. She couldn't just sit there all night, and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep with all these things in her head. Only one thing came to mind.
Gibbs was in his basement, working on his new boat. He heard footsteps coming from upstairs heading to the basement they stopped at the doorway.
"Come on down ziver"
"How did you… oh never mind."
"What wrong Ziva?"
"Why does something have to be wrong?"
"Ziva."
"Alright, I may have a problem"
"What kind of problem?"
"Tony. I just do not know what to think about him."
"He gave you his word ziver; you know tony would never lie about something like this."
"I just do not know Gibbs" she was on the verge of tears, it was like the apartment was the final straw and all of the emotions of the past weeks just came out.
"He's just so annoying. He bought me an apartment five away from his, he's acting, well like tony! I mean you've met the man! Sometimes I just want to…to…"
Gibbs got up and pulled her into a hug where she finally released the tears she had been holding in for so long. They stayed like that for a while until she fell asleep still in Gibbs' arms; he carried her up to a spare bed room and laid her down where she slept the rest of the night.
Tony woke up at six in the morning and got ready for work. About forty-five minutes later he was ready he walked down to ziva's place.
"Special Agent David? You ready? Ziva?" he said as he knocked on the door.
No answer. He pulled out his phone and called her.
"Shalom I cannot answer the phone leave a message after the beat."
"Hey Ziva first off, its beep leave a message after the beep not beat. Just wondering where you were call me back ok." He hung up and headed into the office.
"Hey there Probie Pan, where's tinker bell and captain hook?"
"Gibbs is out on a coffee run and I have not seen Ziva"
"Do we have a case?"
"Just cold ones."
"Oh goody. Boxes and boxes of paperwork. My favorite"
Gibbs walked out of the elevator with Ziva following behind.
"Gear up, dead body!"
"YES!" smack. "Sorry boss it just I hate cold case but that was inappropriate wasn't it"
"Just a bit tony" McGee said heading for the elevator.
"Ziver are you sure you're ready. You can stay if you want"
"I am ready Gibbs" she grabbed her gear and they all headed for the elevator
-At the scene-
"David, shoot. DiNozzo, sketch. McGee bag and tag."
"On it boss" "yes Gibbs" "yes, boss"
"Tony move I have to shoot"
"And I have to sketch zee-vah. I already started here if I move it will be off"
"That's not the only thing off" she muttered.
"What!"
"I said that is not the only thing off to-nay!"
"DAVID! DINOZZO!"
"Sorry boss" "sorry Gibbs"
They finished their work in silence then packed up the truck and headed back up to base.
"McGee take the evidence up to Abby. David, DiNozzo with me." They stood there. "Now!"
"Great what did you do now tony!"
"Me why is it always me?"
"I do not know tony, why is it?"
"Shut up and listen you two!"
He smacked the elevator button and the three steps inside. He pressed the button for the squad room. They all knew the routine, 3 2 1 flip.
"You two are driving me crazy. If you want to continue to be on my team you will stay in this elevator until you fix whatever needs to be fixing." He flipped the switch and took it up to the squad room.
"And I mean it you will not put a foot in this room again until you work this out. Am I understood!?"
"Yeah"
"Yes Gibbs"
He stepped out of the elevator and the doors closed with tony and Ziva still inside. 3 2 1 flip.