AN: SOOOO sorry for the delay! My computer crashed – yet again. Then, I got a brand new one for Christmas, but then as I was starting to write again, life got in the way. I got laid off from work and my boyfriend got hurt. Anyways, he is better and I have a new job, so I PROMISE to try and do better.

Also, I didn't get a chance to give my beta reader, WAYAMY27NARF major praise for the dream sequence last chapter. You rock girl!

Disclaimer: still working for a living, so I don't own squat except made up characters – though I can dream.

NCIS

Gibbs and McGee were working, and had been most of the day, on silently going over everything that their victim was working on prior to death. This had proven to be a difficult task due to multiple responsibilities that he was in charge of. So far, they had weeded out most of those responsibilities down to enforcing forced retirement. They also had ruled out most of the witnesses that they had talked to at the hotel.

Suddenly, Gibb's cell phone sprang to life, "Yeah, Gibbs." He answered on autopilot.

After listening for a moment, he jumped up and said, "Calm down Abbs. We will be right there." Turning to McGee, he said "We got a problem McGee. Come on."

Together, the agents stepped into the elevator. McGee waited until the doors were closed before he asked, "What's going on Boss?"

Gibbs glanced over at McGee's refection in the steel in front of them that surrounded them and replied, "Not sure. We will find out when we go see Abby."

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the lab. During the short ride down, Gibbs had a gut feeling that this was not going to be good. He could feel himself tense more and more with every passing second. McGee picked up on this tension and found himself starting to follow suit.

The elevator doors could never open fast enough for the agents, so they were off before the doors opened completely. They stopped dead in their tracks at the scene – well, lack of scene – in front of them.

Not only was it growing darker due to the setting sun, but it was was eerie quiet. This was not normal, Abby would have turned on more lights with the setting sun, but the thing that worried them more, was that there was no music playing. The only time it was ever like this was when Abby was extremely worried or upset. Those who didn't know her said she did this when she was tired, but she was used to working ten plus hours a day. She could never get enough of her lab or her "family."

By her computer Abby had placed broom Ziva and mop Tony that Abby had made when the agents had gone undercover. McGee had successfully finished Tony's mustache at some point in time during that case. No one dared do that to Ziva's.

They then heard the familiar flatulent sound made from her famously farting hippo. They followed to see Abby sitting in the floor with a crestfallen face squeezing the aforementioned Bert. Both agents sad down on each side of Abby and Gibbs placed his hand on her leg.

They sat there in silence for a moment or two before Gibbs spoke up gently asking, "What's wrong Abbs?"

"It's Tony and Ziva." Abby replied in a small voice and never looking up.

Gibbs subtly jutted his chin at McGee signaling that he needed him to go get Abby's famous Calf-Pow! to help cheer her up. That unspoken order from Gibbs was normal for the team, or as everyone referred the "family." They could all look at each other and have an unspoken conversation through, not as well as Tony and Ziva though.

McGee stood up, nodded, and left. Gibbs followed suit and stood up extending his hand down to Abby. She looked up and without saying a word, took his hand and stood up. He helped her rise to her feet. "What's happened?" Gibbs asked softly to his other daughter.

"I was tracking them, like I do whenever one member of my "family" is gone." Abby started as they walked over to her computer. "I was working on some blood samples from Ducky and the ones from the scene when my computer beeped. I looked up ad they were gone. They're gone Gibbs."

Abby took a deep breath and rewound the enhanced video a few seconds before the beep disappeared. "I re-watched the video and this is what happened." Abby started the video and started describing what Gibbs was seeing. "As you can see, Tony and Ziva were moving along just fine, and then here," Abby pointed to the screen, "they start to swerve around and then disappear."

"They have to be OK Gibbs." Abby said reaching once again for Bert.

"Everything will be OK Abbs." He kissed her temple.

"Promise?" Abby asked while holding out her pinky.

"Promise." Gibbs said and linked his pinky with hers.

Gibbs left Abby to run satellite images and see what she could find out. He promised that he would send McGee down to help. Once the elevator doors opened, McGee stepped out and almost into Gibbs.

"Here you go Boss." McGee handed Gibbs a cup of plain black coffee.

"Thanks McGee. Go help Abby. She will fill you in." Gibbs said stepping into the elevator and waited for the doors to close.

"On it Boss." McGee said before he turned and went in the lab.

The quiet quick ride back up to the bullpen was interrupted by a ringing cell phone. Looking at the caller ID, he saw it was DiNozzo.

Regular POV

Tony and Ziva had been walking, for what Tony would call, forever. They had been walking mostly in silence which was giving Ziva the necessary time to bury that "dream" deep down inside of herself. Tony, for once, was too worried about her to try and keep any conversation going. The would stop every little bit to gauge where they were in position with the map, how close to the road they were, and if any other life was around that wanted them gone.

The sun was starting to quickly disappear into the night sky which was turning the warm spring air back into the cold winter air. They decided to stop again and Ziva pulled out the map and was studying it and figuring out where they were. Tony, looked around in the woods and saw a small plush green clearing with an old deeply hollowed out tree with a small stream that made it into a small like island.

"What do you think about camping here for the night?" Tony asked drawing Ziva's attention away from the map. Tony could tell she was still having an effect from the dream more so than the wreck by the way she was acting.

"Looks good to me." Ziva simply said and started to make her way warily over to the clearing through the forest.

Under normal circumstances, this spot would be romantic, Tony though wistfully. He has one woman in mind who he wished he could share this thought with, but he often thought that she didn't feel that way about him.

"What's the game plan?" Tony asked after they had finally made it to the spot.

Ziva set down her things by her feet and looked around. "Well, we need a fire, something to cover us as well sleep, a way to get clean water, and to call Gibbs." She took out her cell phone and looked at it. "I do not have any service." She said slowly waving it around and in different heights.

Tony got his out as well following her actions and replied, "I don't have any either. But there should be some by the road."

"You should go call Gibbs and I will get the campfire going." Ziva suggested looking around for the needed materials.

"Are you sure?" Tony asked not wanting to leave.

"I am sure. There is no point in both of us going. Plus, it will be dark soon, and I estimate it will take you about thirty minutes to make it to the road. That will be a total of sixty minutes with the addition of a thirty minute phone call, so about an hour and a half. It will starting to get really dark by the time you get back. I do not like us splitting up, but I think we have no choice." Ziva said while moving their things to the tree.

"Ok. I will hurry back. Please stay safe. I can't loose you again." Tony said and he left in a hurry to make the call and come back.

ZIVA POV

I stood there in shock. Were my ears deceiving me? Did he really just tell me that? I watched Tony leave to go call Gibbs. I prayed that I would see this man – this man that I was madly in love with – again. When I could not see him any longer, I turned back around and started to make the campfire, a blanket type thing to cover us, and hopefully to find a way to make sure we had some pure drinking water.

As I was working on those chores, I felt something wet fall on my arm. I looked down to see a few clear drops of liquid. I looked up at the clear evening sky wondering where they came from. It was then that it dawned on me that they came from me. I was crying. No matter how much I tried, I could not get all these emotions to settle down. I had all these thoughts in my head from being in love with Tony, to being so broken, to the need of survival.

Enough pitty for myself, I thought. I dried my eyes and looked at my watch. About an hour had past. I had paused many times to listen for sounds of any indication of other life out there. I was starting to get really worried about Tony because it was starting to get dark. I was kicking myself about not going with him.

Suddenly, I started hearing heavy forest footsteps coming towards me. They were far enough away that I could hide. I quickly darted into the darkness of the tree with my gun off safety so I could spring into action if need be.

TONY POV

I made the 30 minute walk, or should I say climb – uphill, to the road stoping occasionally to check for signal. Unfortunately, I had to go all the way to the road to make the call. I wanted to be back at that spot, with Ziva.

Once I reached the road and was within range of cell service, my phone beeped with 20 text messages, 43 missed calls, and 10 voice mails. I ignored them all, to save batter and to quickly get back to Ziva, and just made the call to Gibbs.

The phone only rang once before Gibbs answered and barked, "Where the hell have you been DiNozzo!?"

"Good to hear from you too, Boss." I said dryly.

"Well, what the hell happened?" Gibbs demanded gruffly.

"Well, the car went over the hill and flipped several times. We are OK, but knocked unconsious. However we had someone shoot at us. Not entirely sure how many shooters there were. Tim has the description of the vehicle that's been following us. I do, however know that we hit one of the gunman. We have left the scene and are camping tonight and continuing back on foot tomorrow." I reported quickly so I could hopefully head back and make sure Ziva was OK.

"What aren't you telling me DiNozzo?" Gibbs demanded. He could often know when things were 'hinky,' as Abby would put it, even if he wasn't there. It was sometimes creepy.

"It's...It's Ziva, Boss." I said.

"What's happened?" Gibbs demanded with his protective fatherly attitude that he had with Ziva and even Abby.

"Well, when we were unconscious, I woke up first. She was having some sort of dream...nightmare. I'm not entirely sure, but she terribly upset. Boss, I'm really worried." I said

"What did I tell you before? Keep an eye on her. She will talk when she is ready. Don't pressure her. She has been through so much. But talk to her and be there for her. In the meantime, get back to her watch each others sixes, and call me as soon as you can tomorrow." Gibbs ordered and broke the connection.

Taking one more look around, I headed back towards our site. At least it was downhill so hopefully it wouldn't take me as long to get back. I walked through the quiet, peaceful woods deep in thought. I knew Ziva was having a hard time healing from all wounds Somolia. I kept thinking of ways to help her and be there for her.

Before long, I was back at the site. My heart started sinking because I could see the progress that Ziva had made, but it looked like she had been disturbed. I quickly got my gun out of the holster and shelved my heavy sunken heart. I couldn't, however, shelve my worry about my love, my Ziva. Crossing the small stream I carefully made my way onto the site.

AN: I hoped that everyone liked the chapter! I know it wasn't that exciting, but not every chapter can be filled with excitement, right? Please read, review, and repeat. Thank you all again for being patient, and I PROMISE I will be better with the updates!