Previously:

"Drop us off at the hospital, DiNozzo." Gibbs ordered, as the three of them made their way out of the apartment, smirking to himself as Ziva's glare got even darker.

"I'm allowed to drive?" Tony said, not trusting his own ears. "He doesn't want to drive?" thought Tony, but then saw his boss' stare "Nevermind".

(NCIS Headquarter - 12:30 am)

After having dropped Gibbs and Ziva off at the hospital, Tony had run some errands, before finally driving back to NCIS headquarter.

"Maybe Toothpick has told Ducky something about the documents. I hope Abby doesn't know anything yet," Tony mused as he stepped out of the NCIS elevator.

"Probie!" He came to a stop in front of the other agents desk.

"What!?" McGee replied, annoyed to be interrupted once again.

"Have you seen Ducky or Abby?" Tony asked but got no reply.

"McWork!" He shouted.

"Ducky went away after he got a phone call, Abby lounged around but then went off too, most likely to her lab."

"This is how many times they've interrupted me today? 3,4 times? Argh..." thought McGee.

"What are you concentrating so hard on?" the senior field agent wanted to know.

"Work," McGee replied, acting very short with Tony.

"Ya, right."

"Tony, leave me alone!" snapped McGee as Tony, who wasn't impressed at all, rounded the other agents desk, looking over McGee's shoulder. Just in the moment as Tim clicked something on his computer, switching views.

"What are you hiding McSecret?"

"I'm not hiding anything."

"Oh I think you are," Tony said, reaching for the mouse.

"Tony," warned McGee as he took his mouse to keep it out off Tony's reach.

Finally Tony won the battle over the computer mouse. "Yes!" Celebrating his triumph he put the mouse on one of the drawers behind McGee's desk and switched the screens.

"I knew it!" Tony screamed, seconds before McGee got his senses back and shut the monitor off.

"Tony, keep it quiet," hushed the other agent since curious agents were already looking over the cubicle walls at them.

"When were you going to tell us you're writing a new book?"

"Thinking about it.. After I'm dead," muttered McGee.

"Haha, McWriter."

"Seriously, every time I write something you make fun off me. So why should I tell you?" McGee demanded.

"Well Timothy, someone would say that this is what brothers do," Ducky said.

"Hi," greeted Tony cheerfully, while McGee looked deep in thought.

"Ducky, could I speak to you for a minute?" he asked the M.E., shooting McGee a look and seeing him smiling. "One problem less to worry about," thought Tony.

"What is it Anthony?" the older man asked once they reached the back-elevator.

"I was wondering if Vance let anything slip about the envelope?"

"No, the director was in MTAC, so I gave the envelope to Cynthia."

"Oh," Tony face was showing disappointment at the news.

"You worry," observed Ducky. Seeing Tony nod he tried to reassure the agent in front of him.

"Ziva will be ok. While she's not her normal healthy self at the moment, it's nothing permanent. Don't worry too much."

"It's not her health I'm worried about," Tony muttered, causing Ducky to go on.

"Just be there for her. But don't corner her. She'll come out of her shell in her own time."

"Cornering an assassin? Not planning to do so..." giving Ducky a shaky smile before he inquired after it. "You sure everything will be ok?"

"Everything will turn out good," Ducky reassured again, "Jethro won't let anything happen," patting Tony's shoulder before stepping off the elevator to go back to autopsy.

"I hope you're right," Tony said to himself, making his way to Abby's lab.

(Hospital - 12:00 am)

Upon arriving at the hospital Gibbs led his female agent over to the reception.

"Hello," Gibbs said as he gave the nurse a fake smile.

Looking over behind Gibbs at Ziva, the nurse pulled out some forms and handed them over, "Please fill this out and then come back."

"Come on, David," Gibbs said as he turned around, about to walk over to the rows of chairs.

"David? As in Officer David?" Another nurse asked from behind the reception, seeing Gibbs' raised eyebrow, she continued: "Then you must be Agent Gibbs. Your Director called."

"And what exactly did he want?" Gibbs demanded to know. Sounding annoyed that the director took it upon himself to intervene with his way of doing things.

Somewhat stunned at the annoyance swinging in the agent's voice she replied, "Your agency will take over the cost. You only need to fill out the first sheet," giving the agents her best smile.

Deciding not to ask further Gibbs took a seat, "Got an idea why the director would do so?"

Getting no reaction from the person beside him he decided to be harsher for a minute.

"Hey!" This snapped Ziva out of her trance, also her confused expression told the gray-haired agent that he wouldn't get an answer, so he returned to filling out the forms for her.

(Abby's Lab - 12:50 am)

"Hey Abby!"

"Tony!"

"Abby!" mimicking her cheery tone.

"Where have you been?" Abby wanted to know.

"Out."

"You got a new case?" Delight written all over her face. "Where's my evidence?!" She scolded the agent.

"New case? We don't have one," answered a confused Tony.

"But where have you been? I was upstairs and you weren't there. Tim was obvious to it. Then Ducky hurries off. I waited but none of you came. Not even Gibbs is gone that long for coffee. He wasn't upstairs either. I checked with Cynthia and then..." rambled Abby.

Tony put his hands on her shoulders, interrupting her, "Abby, breathe!"

Once she calmed down somewhat. "I didn't even get my Caf Pow yet," pouted Abby.

"I'll bring you one," Tony hastily said, seeing a way out of his misery of answering Abby's questions.

Nearly out of danger, Tony stood in the elevator as Abby came running out of her lab. "Hey, you still haven't answered my question!" just as the elevator doors closed. Leaving Tony in peace.

(Hospital - 02:05 pm)

"Alright," said Ziva's attending physician, after having done some tests and X-rays.

"The X-rays are showing no glass shards. Which is good. Not as good as your right hand. While there are no bones fractured, your hand is badly sprained and your metacarpal is slightly cracked," he told Ziva as he pointed at the crack showing on one of the X-rays which he had hung up.

"A nurse will apply a splint on your hand in a few minutes," he continued, giving Ziva a small smile.

"It will have to stay on for about 2 weeks. We'll rescan your hand then. If the crack is healed we can remove the splint."

"Don't try to use your hand without it!" The doctor warned her. "She won't," stated Gibbs matter-of-factly. Having joined them in the treatment room a few moments ago after getting himself a fresh cup of coffee.

"The stitches I applied on your left hand can come out in 7 days," the doctor continued, causing Ziva to roll her eyes.

"This is unnecessary. I want to get out of here," she thought.

"You won't leave till they're done with you David," whispered Gibbs into the ear of his female agent as he stood next to the bed on which she was sitting.

"I know what you think," smirked Gibbs to himself while Ziva's mind was questioning the comment, "How does he do this?"

Meanwhile the doctor continued to explain his findings, completely unaware of the interactions between the other two people in the room.

"The cuts on your feet, legs and arms are already healing and show no signs of infection." Smiling while he said so.

"I'll subscribe you some antibiotics for your right hand as well as painkillers and also some vitamins which will help you recover from not having eaten or drunk for some days."

Ziva was about to roll her eyes again at this comment, when she saw Gibbs starring at her. Averting her eyes to her hands, which lay in her lap, she reflected on the past few days, "I just felt like not eating anything after what had happened..."

"The I.V. will be through in 20 minutes. Then you are free to leave," the doctor told his patient and Gibbs, just as a nurse came into the room. Looking at Gibbs the doctor continued, "Please make sure she eats and drinks regularly. Don't let her sleep too long, it could be counter productive. The I.V. already helped her to recover some of her strength and her fever went down notable too, but this can easily change if she doesn't take care of herself."

Turning to Ziva, "I hope you'll get better soon and I won't see you again this week," he said as he bid his farewell. Leaving the two alone with the nurse who had started to apply a splint on Ziva's hand.

Gibbs was staring at the Israeli, "What happened to you Ziver," while she continued to look at her left hand, not bothering to look up at the agent or the nurse.

(Vance Office 02:30 pm)

After Gibbs had summoned Tony back to the hospital in order to pick them up, he was now on the way to Director Vance's office, Ziva in tow.

Ignoring Cynthia's attempts to stop him from going into the office unannounced, he opened the door. Holding it for Ziva before shutting it behind them, however, not before giving Cynthia a small smile.

"Agent Gibbs, Ziva. Please take a seat," Vance greeted them.

"Have you told Agent Gibbs yet?" he asked Ziva, who in return shook her head.

"Alright," Vance started to say, "Besides the cancellation paper and the papers surrounding the termination as liaison officer there are also some others.."

"Oh really.. " Gibbs interrupted him sarcastically.

"As I said, there are others," the director continued unperturbed, "One set of papers relieving her of duty as Mossad officer." Vance paused, giving Gibbs the time to absorb this new information as the eyes of the gray-haired agent darted to the female Israeli sitting across from him.

"Furthermore there are ..."

TBC...

A/N: Someone asked me how I came up with the cat.

-- visit icanhascheezeburger com and search for a picture called 'pocket protector' (there's also one called 'ok as long as u hold mah hand')