Author's Note: Wow it's been awhile since my last update. I just haven't felt in the mood to write anything and then I moved and lots of things got lost including my flash drive with my fanfics and notes on it. Well I hope this new chapter is good. Enjoy and please review.

XXIV

Tony was exhausted in every way possible, he honestly couldn't remember the last time he slept, he was plagued by visions of Officer Ziva David every time he closed his eyes and to top it all off he was exhausted mentally from trying so hard to pretend he was alright in front of Abby, Kate and McGee.

Tony entered his apartment and sighed in relief, it was good to be home even if home didn't feature Ziva in it.

He made is way to the kitchen and got himself a can of beer from the fridge and a take out menu from the counter, then made his way back out to the living room to flip on the tv, make himself comfortable on the couch and order in some food.

After placing his order he decided to take a look around his apartment, he hadn't been there for awhile after all. The air was a little stale but the place was clean and after a thorough search he was able to determine that nothing was missing. He couldn't help but be thankful that he had forgotten to cancel his standing contract with his cleaning coming to send someone over once every fortnight because the last thing he wanted to deal with now was coming home to a dusty apartment.

While he waited for his food he flipped through the tv channels and found one of his favourite Magnum P.I. episode on, with a grin he settled down to watch it. However after a few minutes Tony found his mind wondering off to the last few hours he had sent in Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv 38hrs Earlier

Tony had spent most of the time since he had gotten there trying to convince someone, anyone to give him a television for the room he was staying in. So far he was having absolutely no luck and Ziva could be there any minute now. Finally round 1700hrs someone finally promised him to bring one to his room.

He returned to his room and attempted to make himself comfortable on the bed. The room wasn't by any means the Plaza but it wasn't a broom closet either. It had a fairly comfortable double bed, a small desk in a corner and it had Wi-Fi so he wasn't complaining. He knew it could be a whole lot worse.

He must have drifted off because the next the thing he was aware of was the telephone by the bed ringing and the quickly darkening room. He answered the phone to a female voice informing him that there was a Ziva David here to see him and if he wanted them to bring her up. He told them yes and a minute or two later there was a knock on his door.

He opened the door and came face to chest of a big angry looking guy, "My God Ziva you've changed!" Tony exclaimed.

A very sexy and one hundred percent feminine chuckle came from behind the guy and he stepped aside looking none too amused to reveal Ziva.

Tony moved from the door way to allow Ziva entrance into the room and watched the man walk back down the hall, "Sorry about that!" he called after the guy, "You just aren't my type!"

Tony and Ziva settled in after that, she had Chinese food with her and the two for them ate and talked and after the food was gone they talked some more. Tony loved talking to her, he felt he could talk to her about anything. They talked about the war, his work, her work (as much as she was willing to disclose), their families and friends, their schooling, Tony's spring break adventures, his obsession with movies, and a lot more including how many grapes it was possible to fit in someone's mouth at once.

By the time the tv came it was close to 2200hrs and Tony found himself for the first time in a long time not even interested in turning on a tv and wondering if he had ever had this much fun in his life with a girl not having sex. However his fun was ruined as close to midnight Ziva's phone rang.

Ziva answered and held a very quick conversation in Hebrew, "I must go," she told Tony after hanging up, "It is important."

"You'll come back to see me?" he asked her.

"Yes, in the morning if I am not called in." she told him.

"How about tonight?" he asked hopefully.

"Tonight?"

"Yes," he told her, "you could sleep here with me."

Ziva gave him a questioning look.

"I won't try anything I swear." he promised.

"Alright," she said, "This should not take long to deal with. I will return as soon as I can."

Ziva leaned over to give him a quick kiss but being unable to resist the urge he pulled her into a deep kiss. After they pull apart Ziva left and Tony was left to think dreamily of her.

About fifteen minutes passed and then there was a knock on his door, thinking Ziva had returned Tony rushed to open the door, however he was greeted by three men and a gun pointed in his face.

The man with the gun signalled for Tony to sit on the bed and all three men entered the room closing the door behind them.

"You are not welcome here Agent DiNozzo," the man with the gun said, he looked to be in charge so Tony ignored the other two and addressed only him.

"So not fair," Tony said, "you know my name but here I am without the slightest clue as to who you are."

"You may call me Michael." the man told him, "as to who am I that is need to know and you do not need to know."

Tony shrugged, "Depends on what angle you're looking at it from," he told Michael, "from where I'm sitting there is some guy standing over me with a gun, the least he could do is tell me who the hell he is."

"tsk tsk Agent DiNozzo enough with the talking," Michael said seemingly annoyed, "all you need to know is that you have out stayed your welcome here and there is a plane scheduled to leave in the morning from Tel Aviv to New York and you will be on it. There will be a brief lay over in London but you will make do."

"You can't just make me leave," Tony said angrily.

"I can and I am," Michael said, "You will be on that plane tomorrow Agent DiNozzo," he said thrusting an airline ticket in Tony's hand, "if not it will not have a happy ending for you. Mossad orders."

Tony wasn't too happy to be threatened or to hear that Mossad was behind it.

"Ziva…" he started to say but was cut off by Michael.

"Officer David is done humouring you now," he told Tony, "you will return to America. I am sure there are women enough there who will have you."

Tony was outraged. Humour him, he couldn't believe that Ziva was just humouring him. He wanted to punch Michael but he definitely didn't want to run the risk of getting shot.

Tony spent the rest of the night waiting up, hoping that Ziva would show up and proving that this was all just a horrid joke. She never showed up and as morning came Tony found himself gathering his stuff and getting a taxi to catch his 0800hrs flight out of Tel Aviv.

As he flew over Israel, Tony could not help but think that it must have all been real. She couldn't have been humouring him after all she did tell him about her younger sister dying in a car bombing, and Ziva David definitely did not strike him as the type who would just offer up something so personal so freely.

Hours later he arrived in London with a black cloud hanging over him to discover that Michael's brieflay over was actually six hours long, so fifteen hours later with little sleep gotten from brief naps every now and again, and him being in a very sulky mood Tony finally arrived in New York where he had to wait two hours to get a flight to D.C. and then come face to face with everything he had ran away from.

Coming home definitely was a bitch.

At Present

Tony was pulled out of his memories by the sound of his doorbell. He grabbed his wallet and went to answer the door thinking it was the delivery guy. Remembering his previous bad luck with opening doors he looked through the peek hole to see Kate holding a pizza box. He opened the door for her.

"I thought you could use some cheering up so I brought you some pizza," she said.

"Thanks Kate," he said meaning it, "I have some Indian food on the way but I could use some company."

Kate joined him in the living room, "What are you watching?" she asked.

Tony looked at the tv screen to discover that Magnum had ended, "Nothing really," he said.

They sat together in silence munching on the pizza she had brought and waiting for the delivery guy.

Tony was wondering where Ziva was, what she was doing, did she feel anything for him or was she just humouring him like Michael said, Kate was wondering if Tony being back would finally open up a new chapter in their relationship, and on the other side of the world Ziva was furious that Tony had left without even so much as an explanation as to why or a goodbye.

Author's Note: Ok so that's that for now hope it's a good read. I'll see if I can do better about the updating. If not Summer's just around the corner, I'll have lot's of time and hopefully lots of inspiration.