Revelations

A/N: Yeah, I'm about to leave for a week so I want to post at least one more chapter before going. I'm taking it on faith that someone will review the last couple for nine in my absence! Just one more chapter after this one!

Ch10

Ziva woke slowly, drowsily, feeling herself curled in someone's warm, strong embrace. Someone's well muscled, one armed embrace. Tony…

Her eyes flicked open, to stare into Tony's worried green gaze. "Hey," he whispered, a smile on his face.

The brunette sat up, almost falling off the seat before Tony caught her good arm with his own.

"Careful."

Ziva nodded, looking over Tony silently. A bandage stretched over his chest, red blood leaking slowly through still. His left arm was back in a sling. He had cleaned off most of the blood on him; but she was clean, too. And wearing a fresh tank top.

Tony saw her glance down, and blushed a bit. "I couldn't leave you like that."

Ziva suddenly realized why he blushed. He was the one who had changed her… Apparently, her cognitive skills were still not at pear.

Then, she remembered a few things she had needed to ask. "What happened? The last thing I remember was hitting my head."

"Well, you got knocked to the floor by that idiot interrogator. Gibbs shot the interrogator at the same time as he shot me. I passed out, but McHero says that he shot one goon while the other one drops me and pops two at McGee and the Boss with terrorist leader's gun, then gets shot by Gibbs."

Ziva fingered the place where her necklace should have been, thoughtful. After a minute or so, she met Tony's eyes.

"Tony, we need to talk," she began.

"I talk, you listen," Tony murmured, voice husky. He realized that now was when he had to make his choice, had to follow through.

"The way it was laid out for me, I was given two options. Either I can make it easier on you, or harder. I picked easier… Well, your dad did, and I made a promise." He looked at her a bit sadly. "Trust me, Zi. It's better this way."

Ziva stared as the man she loved retreated to another part of the rented plane.

She turned in her seat, seeing McGee- both arms bandaged now- on another armchair a few feet away. She slipped into the chair across from him.

"What promise did Tony make to the Director of Mossad?"

McGee looked up from his magazine, noting that she did not say 'Eli' or 'my father'. "I'm… not sure that I should tell you, Ziva."

"Tell me or I will ask Abby to kill you and leave no forensic evidence."

"All right, all right." McGee paused, glancing towards where Tony sat on the other side of the door to the conference room. "Just know that it was your father's idea, but Tony would do anything for you."

"Tell me, McGee." Ziva's voice approached danger levels.

"Your father made Tony a deal. Tony could rescue you, but then he'd have to get out of your life…" McGee paused. "Forever."

Ziva hissed, "How dare he!"

McGee did not ask who she meant. Either one seemed appropriate in her situation. "You don't know how much it hurt him, how much it still hurts him, Ziva. You weren't there to see how your staying back messed him up."

She nodded shortly. "I know how much it hurt me, though." Ziva slipped away again, to stand outside the conference room door, hand poised to knock.

****

Tony slammed the wooden door, leaning back against it. He regretted having done what he had…But it was better for Ziva, to think that was his limit. It was better for her not to know he loved her. It was better for her not to know how much he cared.

…

Wasn't it?

Tony had no idea.

A minute or so later, he just sat down at one of the table's chairs, lost in fantasy.

****

A hand touched Ziva's shoulder. She turned… It was Gibbs. "Leave him be," the silver-haired agent said gently.

Ziva followed Gibbs to where he had been sitting. The garbage can beside him was filled with coffee cups, of course.

Gibbs sat down, inviting Ziva to do the same.

"Ziva, I know how you feel. DiNozzo's got it worse… Trust me."

"What does Tony have?" Ziva asked, bewildered and concerned.

"The love bug,' Gibbs replied with a slight smile touching his lips. "But I know where your loyalties lie."

The shadow across his face suggested he knew more than told. Vance must have mentioned her orders on Ari; it was the only thing that would make Gibbs' face sour like that.

"So does DiNozzo." Because she had stayed in Israel. "He won't push you, except to keep you away. He will not force you into anything, no matter which way you choose. Tony thinks it's better for you to stay away."

Gibbs paused.

"And so do I."

Ziva stared, shocked. That was not what she had expected…

But what had she expected?

Gibbs' blessing?

Ha, not likely. Rule twelve.

Ohhh, how she had hated that rule. How she hated it still.

"Don't get me wrong, Ziva. I will always have a desk ready for you in my bullpen. But Tony's heart cannot take any more breaking."

Tony's heart?

Ziva drew in a breath, now realizing why he had avoided saying anything and avoiding letting her say anything.

Oh, Tony… He was always so masochistic, so self-sacrificing, when it came to others. When it came to her.

No matter what others said, Tony… Tony cared.

He did not want her to get hurt, like he had before without meaning to, even through his own pain.

Ziva put her head into her hands. "Gibbs, I have to stay in Israel."

"I knew you would."

She looked up, her brown eyes steady on his icy blue stare.

"Keep that desk open, though."

Ziva retreated, pulling herself into a chair to stare at that wooden door.

****

Tony knew he should be somewhere Gibbs could keep an eye on him. He had been shot in the chest, after all. Ducky had coached McGee through patching him up, and the wound was… fairly… minor… ish… but the hole right below his collar bone still hurt.

Oh, well.

Who would care if he dropped dead?

That niggling, annoying voice in his head pointed out, Well, there's always Ziva.

Ziva…

There was always Ziva.

But were her feelings real?

Had she been speaking rationally, in that dungeon of a place?

Tony hoped not. Tony knew that, even if he had not made that promise, he would not be able return her love so fervently.

Not forever.

Not with his track record.

Tony banged his head on the table, wishing there was a way to solve this without hurting her.

****

Ziva could not contain it anymore. Not in the lightest.

Just as she reached her hand to the door, the phone next to her seat rang.

Being nearest to the device, Ziva lifted it to her ear. "NCIS," she murmured, figuring it would be for Gibbs.

"Do not forget your loyalties, daughter." Eli David spoke in Hebrew.

Ziva drew in her breath. This could be the conversation she had been dreading. "I shall return to Israel, and Mossad, for now. We should land in a few minutes," she replied in English, glancing back to see if Gibbs had heard her addition.

"Good, for now," he replied, slightly acidic. "I await you on the runway."

Her father hung up, leaving Ziva no choice but to accept her own decision.

She felt tears build again, but held them back.

Ziva lightly knocked on the door to the conference room. Hearing a resulting crash from within, she quickly opened the door to see Tony collapsed on the floor.

She offered her hand, which Tony took and stood shakily up. "Tried to stand up a bit too fast," he explained sheepishly.

Ziva nodded, dark eyes piercing his green ones.

"I have to stay."

"Good." Tony turned away sorrowfully.

She flashed her hand out, catching his cheek and turning him back to face her.

"Tony, don't take this the wrong way."

"What's the right way?" He laughed bitterly. "Zi, go. Just… If you ever need me, call."

"I will."

Ziva brushed his lips, a cool ghost of a kiss, and disappeared.

Just minutes later, Tony watched her fade away on the tarmac, again.