Sorry it's taken so long to update! I've been busy getting my knee to work again. I've tried posting all day today, but there's rain around today, and my internet has been going off and on.

Thanks for the reviews! Here's the next chapter for you. Enjoy!

Tony walked to his apartment door, wondering who could be visiting at this early in the morning. When he looked through the peephole, he did not immediately recognize the man. Opening the door, Tony asked, "Can I help you?"

"We've never met," the man said, smiling slightly. "I'm Jeremy Holdset, Ziva's boyfriend," he introduced.

"Never expected this to be the way I met you," Tony said, giving the man a hesitant DiNozzo smile. "Is everything okay?" he asked, hoping Ziva was okay.

"Yeah, Ziva's just fine. I'm actually on my way over there, but I wanted to stop by and talk to you for a second," Jeremy explained. "Mind if I come in?"

"Sure," Tony said, opening the door wider and allowing the man in.

"Nice photo," Jeremy commented, pointing to the photo of Tony and Ziva at the Christmas party two years ago. "How long have you known Ziva?" he asked, wondering around the room.

"She was transferred to NCIS three years ago," Tony answered, wondering where Jeremy was going with this.

"You two hit it off pretty good then, huh?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah, I suppose we did," Tony said. "Sorry, but I don't see what any of this has to do with you?"

"Oh, it has everything to do with me," Jeremy hissed, walking up to Tony. "I want you out of Ziva's life," he whispered, the two glowering into each other's faces.

"That's kind of a hard thing to do, considering we're partners," Tony shot back. Jeremy just glared at him for a moment. Suddenly, Tony felt Jeremy's fist make contact with his stomach. When he doubled over in pain, Jeremy used the motion to kick Tony's legs from out from under him. Tony felt the air leave his chest the moment his back hit the floor.

"That can be changed," Jeremy smirked standing over a hurt Tony. "You best keep this between you and me if you know what's good for you," he warned before turning and leaving the apartment.

When Tony stormed into the office ten minutes late, Ziva was the only one in the bullpen.

"Where's Gibbs?" Tony asked, sitting in his chair while trying to hide the pain he still felt from the early morning encounter.

"With Ducky," she answered, noticing the somber mood he was in. "Gibbs will kill you when he finds out you were late again," she said, attempting to start their normal, fun bickering back up.

"I don't want to talk about it," Tony said, looking down at his paperwork.

"Was she that bad last night?" Ziva asked, trying to get Tony to open up.

"I said I didn't want to talk about it, Ziva. Just let it be," Tony said, not looking up. He knew the minute he looked into Ziva's big brown eyes he would be in trouble. The whole way to work, Tony racked his brain for what the best way to deal with this. He knew the moment he told Ziva what happened, she would accuse him of being jealous and trying to tear them apart. However, he also knew she would never forgive him if he didn't tell her.

Ziva leaned back in her chair, studying her partner's face. Something had definitely gotten under Tony's skin today, and she had a feeling she did not want to know what happened.

"I'm going to go say hi to Abby," Tony said a moment later, leaving before she could answer.

Abby's Lab

Tony walked into Abby's lab, looking around to make sure she was the only one there. "Hey, Abs," he said, walking up to her and handing her a Caf-Pow.

"Uh-oh, what's this going to cost me?" Abby asked, smiling at the man before her.

"Answer a hypothetical question for me," Tony said, leaning against the table. "Say that I knew this guy who had an early morning um… visit with his partner's boyfriend. The guy's gut tells him that there is more to this boyfriend than his partner knows. What do you think he should do?"

"When you say a 'visit,' in what context do you mean?" Abby asked. "Did the guy deliberately find the boyfriend, or did the boyfriend look for the guy?"

"Oh, the boyfriend definitely sniffed out the guy," Tony snorted. "The guy doesn't even wake up until he absolutely has to, why would he get up early just to talk to some man he's never met?" Tony pointed out.

"Did the boyfriend do or say anything that would make the guy think the way he does?" Abby asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tony lifted his shirt and showed Abby the bruise growing across his torso. "I don't think this was a 'let's be friends' introduction," Tony said sarcastically.

"Tony, you need to have Ducky check that out," Abby exclaimed.

"I'm fine, Abs," he assured her. Sighing, he asked, "What do I do, Abs? She won't believe me if I try to tell her, but will kill me if I don't tell her."

"Believe your gut," she told him. "And I will work on scoping out this man," Abby said. "No one is going to hurt my friend and get away with it," she fumed. "He will pay," she promised and Tony had to take a gulp.

Bullpen

When Tony walked into the bullpen, he was startled to find a man leaning against Ziva's desk talking to him. He knew instantly it was the same man he'd just seen not an hour ago at his apartment.

"I told you it was not a good thing for you to come here," Ziva scolded the man. "I thought you had a meeting this morning," she asked.

"It got canceled at the last minute," he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "I thought we could go for lunch."

Neither seemed to pay any attention to Tony as he sat down at his desk or him glare at the man standing there smiling down at Ziva. How the man had nerve to walk into this building as if he'd done nothing wrong, was beyond Tony's imagination.

"Jeremy, this is my partner, Tony," Tony heard Ziva introduce. "That is McGee over there," she pointed towards a wide-eyed McGee. "I do not know where Gibbs is, or I would introduce you," she explained, looking at the empty desk to her left.

"Nice to meet you," Jeremy said, the smile on his face making Tony want to punch him. "Ziva talks a lot about her teammates. I'm glad I can finally put a face to the names," Jeremy said, looking over towards Tony, a smirk on his face.

Tony's cell phone broke the growing tension in the air. "Hey, Abs, what's up?" he asked. "K, we'll be right there," he said hanging up the phone while he stood. "Come on, McGee, Abby has something for us," he told the probie.

"Wait, I will go, too," Ziva spoke up, curious at the change in Tony.

"No," Tony clipped, turning to look at her. "Stay here with your boyfriend. We'll fill you in later," he told her.

The mixture of emotions in Tony's eyes threw Ziva for a slight moment. She saw hurt, sadness, frustration, and something else there that she just could not make out.

"Everything okay?" Jeremy asked Ziva when Tony and McGee left.

"Yeah," Ziva nodded to clear her head. "We are working on a case that has all of us a little stressed," she lied. "You never told me why you came here," she changed the subject.

"I thought I could take you out to lunch," Jeremy grinned down at Ziva again.

"It is not that easy, Jeremy," Ziva began. "Gibbs has been on a rampage today, and would not be happy if I left."

"I'm sure Tony and McGee can handle everything just fine," Jeremy insisted. "Come on, I know a great place down the road," he urged and Ziva gave in.

"I will meet you outside," Ziva sighed. "I need to go tell the others," she explained, grabbing her bag.

Abby's Lab

Ziva walked in and saw Tony, McGee, and Abby crowded around one of the computers. She could not see, so she asked, "What are you looking at?"

The three jumped at her voice, and turned around as Abby clicked the mouse.

"Ah, McGruff was just showing us some pictures of Jethro," Tony lied.

"I thought you said Abby had something to show us?" Ziva asked, crossing her arms, knowing the three were hiding something from her.

Abby was the first to speak up, saying, "I found this new picture for my wall that I wanted to show you guys. I call it 'A Spinal Tap Gone Awry," with a little flair of her hands.

"Okay," Ziva sighed, knowing she would not get an honest answer out of any of them. "Listen, can you cover for me for about an hour?" she asked. "Jeremy wants me to go to lunch with him."

"But, Boss said that no one was to leave the building unless he gave them permission," McGee stumbled.

"Let her go, McGee," Tony spoke up. "She's never been one to follow orders," he said, looking into Ziva's eyes finally. "Have fun," he said.

Ziva wanted to ask Tony what was wrong, but knew it was not a good time. So, instead she turned and walked back to the elevator, feeling Tony's eyes bore down on her back as the elevator doors shut.

"Tony, we can't let her go with this guy," Abby spoke up not a moment after the elevator doors touched.

"We don't have a choice," he muttered to himself. "I don't care what you have to do, Abby, but find out who this guy really is before he does something," Tony urged the forensic scientist. "I'm going for a walk," he told the two before leaving the same way Ziva had.

"You don't think…" McGee began, but never finished. Both knew the answer, so the question didn't even need to be asked.