This episode was EPIC! Honestly, Cote de Pablo did a great job! She was SO in character. Anyone else take note of her character flinching at the gun shots while the Lt. was on the phone? Seriously, Cote's great. Okay, enough fangirling. I don't own the title, Bread does.

And Though She Tried to Hide

Tony stares at Ziva as she takes in Vance's stare of acceptance. He knows going after Bodnar is happening for a new reason now. Yes, his partner is going to track down her father's killer for closure, but she is also going for Jackie Vance. She may have forgotten before, but he knows Vance has just given her a new determination. The woman breaks her stare with their overseer and all agents resume their work.

An hour later the two agents are alone. Tony nods at his partner when he notices she is staring into space.

"You okay with going after Bodnar?" He questions. The look on her face tells him all he needs to know, but he wants to hear her speak to him aloud.

"Yes." Ziva answers with steely determination. Her reaction gives him shivers. In so many ways, he is reminded when he went after her in Somalia. Determined and half way crazy, the man stopped at nothing to get his partner back. As he stares at her a little longer Tony can see another look in his partner's eyes. She is scared. Inhaling, the man crosses the expanse between the desks and sits at hers. Taking her Israeli flag from its cup, the agent examines the object before saying, "It's okay to be afraid of this."

Surprise covers Ziva's face at her partner's words. She knows they can speak without communicating, but his words hit home. Anything anyone has said to her the past week has hit home, but now she knows he is clearly on her side.

"At lo levad." She hears her partner softly speak while he puts her flag back in its holder. Glancing up, Ziva stares inquisitively at her partner. He continues.

"I told you after your father died that I was there for you. Why didn't you let me in on tracking Bodnar?" Tony asks cautiously. The last thing he needs right now is a hot tempered, ex- Mossad, Israeli, American, Special Agent, Ninja partner who is angry at him.

Knowing he means the question out of concern, Ziva swallows and breathes in a slow breath. She knows how he must have felt. She felt the same way when he was with Jeanne. He is worried, sporadic, and a borderline stalker. The agent will never tell, but she knows when her desk has been rifled through. But earlier, familiar feeling surfaced when he showed up at the studio she and McGee had been in. Her mind went back to all the times she pointed a gun at him. She guesses tonight is the third. The woman stares her partner in the eyes as she speaks.

"I did not want to hurt you." She pauses, "Or Gibbs. If I went after Bodnar, I had to do it myself."

"You let McGeek in." Tony points out. Ziva nods cautiously.

"I know. I did so reluctantly, but I need his computer skills." She answers. Neither speaks for a few minutes each reveling in the upcoming mission.

Without a word, Tony leaves to go back to his desk. He has a lot to mull over until their plane leaves for Europe, namely how to keep himself restrained if Ziva gets into trouble. He is unsure how much hurt she can take anymore. As he stands, he feels her hand on his. Briefly looking down, his eyes are brought to his partner's face as she quietly says, "I know."