Here is the next chapter. Thanks again to those who are reading and those who reviewed. A little more Tiva on this chapter so that should make some people happy. Please review. I love getting reviews. Enjoy

People were starting to gather around. She could hear sirens in the background, she felt someone talking to her and yet she couldn't get herself to look away from the car and the unmoving and burnt driver. He was dead and it was her fault. Her vision got clouded as tears started to fall, she tried to stop them but couldn't. She never thought this would go so far, now he was dead and as unbelievable as it sounded it hurt. She didn't know how but in the twenty four hours she had known this man he had managed to wake something inside her that she thought was dead forever, he was able to make her believe in the possibility of love again. And now he was gone, just like that.

She felt herself shaking but couldn't do anything to stop it. She closed her eyes wanting the image in front of her to go away. People were still trying to get her attention but she wasn't responding to any of them, she didn't know if her voice would work. All of the sudden she felt a breeze, she tried to hug herself but the cold wouldn't go away, she then felt the need to turn around, it was something stronger than her and that's when she saw him. At first she thought he was a hallucination, her mind playing tricks on her. She closed her eyes and opened them again sure that he wouldn't be standing there but he was, he was running towards her yelling her name.

"Ziva are you okay?" Tony heard the explosion and ran as fast as he could, as soon as he emerged from the underground parking lot his eyes started scanning the crowd for Ziva. He hadn't seen her immediately but he did see her red mini cooper in flames. His heart started racing, as his eyes kept looking for her, he wouldn't think the worst, she had to be fine. He finally saw her, standing mere feet from the car. He could see people trying to talk to her but she didn't answer. She yelled her name in hopes that she would hear him but it didn't seem to work, the sirens as well as the talking of all the people around them seemed to drown his voice. He tried once more, and this time she turned around and looked him straight in the face. He ran towards her and in a moment was besides her asking her if she was okay. She didn't answer, just stared at him. "Ziva, are you okay?"

She didn't know what came over her, but she couldn't talk. She was still shaking and he must have taken this as a sign that she was cold because he took her in his arms and held on to her.

"It's okay Ziva, you're okay." Once again she didn't answer but at least her shaking seemed to stop, still he didn't let her go, just held on to her for dear life.

A couple of minutes later the police and the firefighters arrived. Everyone was moved back. Tony didn't identify himself as a police officer. Never letting go of Ziva, he moved towards the side of the building, took out his cell phone and called Langer, he answered after the second ring. "Langer I want you outside TelAviv headquarters now"

"What happened boss?"

"They tried it again. They blew up her car."

"She okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Stop asking questions and get your ass out here. I want every detail of that investigation."

"Sure thing boss."

"One more thing. When you get here you don't know me."

"Got it."

Once he finished his conversation he turned to her. She was no longer shaking but she was pale and he could see the marks of dried tears in her eyes. "Hey, you're okay."

She finally answered him, "Yeah I am okay." She was still processing the fact that he was alive. She could breathe easier now. He was fine, he wasn't dead.

"I know it can be traumatic, that was supposed to be you."

"Who was it? I thought you were getting the car."

"I was, but when I got down there someone was already bringing it up for you."

"Who?" she suspected who, but needed him to confirm it

"Apparently the man you were speaking to in the morning"

"Oh God, Saul!" she tried to stop the sob that escaped her mouth but couldn't. Saul couldn't be dead; he was just an innocent man.

"I am so sorry Ziva." He tried to touch her shoulder to comfort her but she moved away. "Did you know him well?"

"Yes, I did. I've known him all my life." She turned around not wanting him to see her tears.

He knew she was crying but decided not to pry. This was obviously someone she knew well and cared for, and she needed to grieve. Tony's mind kept reverting from man to police officer. As much as he wanted to be attentive to what she needed he couldn't help but wonder why was it so important for these people to kill her, there was something more going on here and he was going to find out what it was, and he'll be dammed if he didn't do it because one of these attempts on her life was actually successful, the alternative just wasn't acceptable. He made himself stop thinking about that now and turned her around. "Ziva it's not your fault." Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because she got mad.

"Of course it's my fault!" she was yelling at him now. "Don't you see they wanted to kill me? He had nothing to with this, he was an innocent man. How can you say it's not my fault?"

"Because it isn't. Those maniacs are the ones to blame and I promise you I will catch them and make them pay."

"It's not enough Tony. It'll never be enough. Believe me nothing is enough when they take the life of someone you care about, not even seeing the guilty person dead in front of you is enough."

Her last statement froze him in place. What did she mean? What was this woman hiding from him? Had that happened to her? Too many questions and no answers were making him very frustrated. He was brought back to reality by her voice.

"Oh god how do I tell Alice?"

"Who?"

"His wife Alice. How do I tell her that he died because of me?"

"Ziva he didn't die because of you."

"Yes he did, and nothing you say will change that." He heard the determination in her voice, and just like that the shocked Ziva was gone and in front of him was that seemingly cold woman again. He watched as she angrily brushed her tears from her face, fixed her clothes and walked back out to the scene with her head held high leaving him no choice but to follow her.

The fire was now extinguished. Ziva headed straight to the police officer and introduced herself. She informed him that was her car and told him she knew the driver. The officer took the information she gave him and told her she would need to go to the station the next day and make a statement. She replied no problem and turned to face the employees that were standing nearby. She addressed them, told them this was a very unfortunate incident, to go home and let her know if they needed anything. Someone asked her the identity of the driver and she said they were still trying to determinate it. She didn't want anyone contacting Alice before she did. After a few more minutes of talking to her employees, she turned to Tony who had been silently standing behind her.

"I still need to go to my father's and then to Saul's house. Can you take me in your car until I secure another vehicle?"

"Of course" they walked together to the parking lot. They got on his car and not a word was spoken. He didn't ask for the address since he already knew it and she didn't offer it either.

Twenty minutes later they were parked outside a mansion in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods. They got out of the car and when they were almost at the door she turned to face him.

"I need to see my father alone."

"Of course I'll stand outside his door."

"Thank you"

They entered the mansion and were greeted by a butler. He immediately welcomed Ziva, she acknowledged him and without another word went up the stairs and straight to her father's room. Tony juts followed, that seemed to be what he was doing the most, following her. She stopped in front of a door and he took this as his clue to stay in the hall. The door opened, she walked in and a nurse walked out. The middle age woman gave him a small smile and closed the door behind her taking a seat in the chair across from him in the hall.

"You might want to sit down. She's usually with him for some time." He muttered his thanks but remained standing beside the door.

Inside the room Ziva sat in his father's bed, trying to hold the tears that were threatening to burst from her eyes. It was always like this whenever she saw her father. It was difficult for her to see such a strong man tied to a bed barely being able to move or speak. It reminded her how fragile life was. But no matter what she was feeling she always put a happy face for her father and offered him the best smile she could. "Hello papa, how are you today."

With some difficulty the man in the gigantic bed answered her while taking her hand into his. "I am fine my child. How was your day?" Eli David was no fool. He saw the pain in his daughter's eyes every time she came to see him. He would do anything in the world to take that pain away but he couldn't. He was stuck in this bed that had become his hell. When he woke up in the hospital paralyzed from half his body, he wished he could have died, he prayed to die, but then he saw his daughter, his now only daughter thanking the gods that he was awake and he no longer asked to die. He asked to be strong enough to live like this, for her and only for her. Her visits were the only bright part of his days, and even though he saw how sad she became every time she saw him, he couldn't stop her from coming, he wouldn't because he knew they both needed it. They both needed the companion of the only family they have left in this world. He still remembered when they were a happy family. Him, and his girls, Ziva and Tali. They smiled and they laughed, and even when outside problems were overwhelming they knew that as long as they had each other everything would be okay. But then Tali died, and his body turned against him, and his Ziva became the bearer of all their tragedies. How he wished he could turn back time and make everything like it used to be. But he couldn't, all he could do is try to smile when his little girl comes to see him.

"It was good papa. But I missed you. You know I always miss you." When she was with her father was the only time Ziva allowed herself to freely express her emotions.

"I miss you too Ziva. Tell me are the police protecting you?"

"Yes, I promised you I would allow them to give me protection."

"I know. I am just making sure they are. How was work?"

"Work was good papa. I made a good deal with the Italian exporters."

"I am so proud of you Ziva."

"I know papa, you always tell me."

"And I will keep telling you because it's true. I am so proud of you, of the woman you have become and I am not just referring to the great job you are doing at the company. "

"Yes papa, you tell me every time." Ziva didn't want to hear her father once again tell her what a great human being she was because today, more than any other day she felt undeserving of such praise. She now had the weight of someone's death over her shoulders, today she felt dirtier than ever.

"I know my daughter. You must forgive this old man. I am probably boring you with my talk."

"Nonsense papa, you could never bore me. You know I love you."

"And I love you, more than anything in the world." She moved closer to him, kissed him and stayed close to her father for a few minutes, she felt comforted in her father's arms. She wished she could go back to when she was a little girl and daddy always took care of everything. But it was impossible.

"I must go papa. I am tired. But I promise I will come tomorrow. Earlier and maybe we could go around the garden and I could read you a little bit."

"I would love that." She kissed him one more time and got ready to leave, she hated to cut her visit with her father short but she didn't think she could hold the smile on her face much longer, not today. "Ziva before you go I want to speak to the police officer who's guarding you."

"What for papa?"

"I just want to meet the person."

"Papa, I don't think that's necessary."

"I know my daughter, just indulge this old man"

"Very well papa." She went to the door and opened it, not surprised when she saw Tony standing beside it. "Would you come in? He wants to meet you."

Tony was a little shocked by her request but didn't think twice about going in the room. Once inside he was a little hesitant but a nod from her head got him moving further into the room until he was standing in front of the bed. Ziva was now sitting beside her father who seemed to be looking Tony over. "Mr. David it is nice to meet you." For some reason he couldn't explain he was nervous about meeting this man, kind of how nervous he was when he met the father of his prom date.

"I seemed to be at a disadvantage young man because I do not know who you are."

"I'm detective Anthony DiNozzo."

"And you are in charge of protecting my daughter."

"Ah, yes sir."

"Mr. DiNozzo, she is my biggest treasure so I beg of you, take care of her."

Tony could see he meant every word he said. Ziva was all this man had in life. "Sir, I promise you I will protect her with my life." Mr. David seemed satisfied with that, and Tony realized that he meant it, he was not only assuring Ziva's father that he would keep her safe, he was telling himself that he wouldn't let anything happen to her, and then it hit him. When did this woman because so important that he would risk his own life for her? He knew when. It was the moment he saw her car burning and thought she was dead.

Anthony DiNozzo had never believed in love at first sight, but as of today he did because he madly in love with Ziva David.

I hope you liked the chapter. Please let me know what you thought. Thanks