A/N: Hey everyone. Thanks for the fabulous reviews on the last chapter! I'm so honored. You're awesome.

Today's chapter really sets apart this story from my other stories and a lot of other stories out there, if I do say so myself. You may not be able to see it quite yet, but you will. It's the start of something, or several somethings, I suppose. You'll get some answers, and some new questions. So get ready, cause we've got quite the ride ahead of us.

I'm spoiling you with the extra length—but hey, you're so fabulous, I can't help it. Yes, my favorite word most definitely is "fabulous."

Don't forget to review!

Gibbs walked into Abby's lab, Caf-Pow in tow. He put it on her desk, but she didn't take it. "Thanks, Gibbs," She said. Her music had come back on, but it was quieter than usual, and perhaps a little sad.

"Whatdya got, Abs?"

"Not a lot. Our killer meant business. The bullet was too damaged to be able to get a match. Lucky him,"

"The blood?"

"Still running," She replied. "I didn't get anything off of Kasing's clothes. Sorry, Gibbs,"

Gibbs gave a small, comforting shrug. "Thanks, Abs," He said and started to leave.

"Something's wrong with Tony," Abby said. Gibbs stopped in his tracks and turned back to her. "He didn't even watch a movie all week. Didn't do anything at all,"

Gibbs sighed. "Yeah, I know,"

"I'm worried," She pressed. "This isn't like him,"

"Last week was hard on him,"

"It was hard on all of us," She said as Gibbs walked back over to her. "Did Mossad ever call?"

"They called Vance,"

"Why wouldn't they call you or Tony or Tim?"

He shrugged. "They took our reports,"

"But they don't want to hear it from you?" Gibbs shook his head. "Ziva would have never let this go," Abby said.

"I won't let it. I'm calling Mossad," Gibbs said storming out of the lab.

Abby blinked back a tear of frustration. It shouldn't have happened this way. None of it should have. But there was no way, no possible way it could be fixed. Not now.

Gibbs stood in front of the large screen in MTAC.

"Director David will be on in a moment," The technician explained. "Sorry for the way,"

"The Director is a busy man," Gibbs replied dryly.

The screen crackled and Mossad Director Eli David appeared on the screen. "Special Agent Gibbs," He said.

"Not one for pleasantries, are you?" Gibbs mused.

"No, my schedule is busy enough as it is. What can I do for you?"

"You can start by explaining to me why my team has not been contacted about--"

"Ziva's case," Eli finished. Gibbs looked at him expectantly. "We did not need more than your reports,"

"I know how Mossad works. You don't just trust the words on a paper,"

"We did not need to. Ziva was murdured by a contract killer. No name you would know,"

"Ziva was a pro. She wouldn't have just let someone shoot her,"

"No, she wouldn't. But she did. That is what America did to her. She became weak. Her skills deteriorated,"

"She was your daughter," Gibbs cried, unable to understand the lack of emotion in this man's eyes.

"And I grieved at her memorial service,"

"Her body was never found. Why?" Gibbs ignored his ridiculous reply.

"This killer was a pro, just like Ziva had been. We may never have the answer,"

"This isn't like you, Director,"

"You do not know me, Special Agent Gibbs,"

"I knew your daughter. I know you trained her. I know she would never let a loose end go and I know you taught her that!"

Eli laughed. "You are as passionate as Ziva said you are. But not to worry. The killer is no longer a problem,"

Gibbs didn't need to ask. He knew Mossad would have taken him out. "So that's it. This is where it ends?"

The door to MTAC flew open as Tony walked in at the force of a hurricane. "Wrong. It does not end here, Director,"

Eli smiled. "You must be Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Tony, yes? Ziva spoke often of you,"

Tony ignored the pain in his heart. "Why didn't you call?"

"I just explained to Special Agent Gibbs. It was not necessary,"

"And why not?"

"He was a contract killer,"

"And you know this how?"

"You do not need to know that," Eli replied, a patronizing tone in his voice.

"Who hired him?"

Silence. Tony glanced at Gibbs. Mossad was about action, not answers. They both new that.

"That is not important. He is no longer a threat. Ziva is gone,"

"Yes. Your daughter, your last living child was shot and killed and it's of no consequence to you," Tony laughed. "You really are as horrible as I thought. Maybe more,"

"I did not ask to be insulted,"

"You also didn't ask about Ziva. You didn't care. You never did. What kind of a father raises his children to become assassins and Hamas moles? Excuse me, Hamas terrorists," Tony chuckled. "I guess it doesn't matter anymore, huh? Ziva's dead. The contract killer is dead. Guess you're all out of problems, then, huh? So it doesn't matter who got Ziva killed? Doesn't matter that he's still out there, murdering people every hour?"

Eli glared at Tony before he cut off the feed. Tony shook his head and turned to Gibbs.

"You wanna explain what that was all about?" Gibbs said, gesturing to the empty screen.

"There's holes in his story the size of the Atlantic, Boss,"

"I know, DiNozzo,"

"He refuses to let Ducky to the autopsy. He refuses to let us investigate. He refuses to find out who wanted Ziva dead. He refuses to find her body. Something is up!"

"Tony," Gibbs started.

"Boss, she could still be alive,"

"Tony," He said, his voice softer. Tony gave a small sigh and looked at him. "You need to let this go. You saw the amount of blood at the scene. No one could have survived losing that amount,"

"Boss," He said, his voice barely a whisper.

"Ziva is dead, Tony. You need to deal with that. Look at you. You're a mess. You can barely concentrate. You're losing it,"

Tony just stared at Gibbs, his expression losing its anger and being replaced with a surprised knowing. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Take another week off. Vance offered you two. But you're gonna use this time to get your head on straight, you understand? You will eat every three hours. You will get up and go to sleep at a decent time. You will do more than lie around or watch movies. You will get out of your apartment. Do I make myself clear?" His eyes bore into Tony, shaking him to consent. "I lost one agent. I'm not losing another,"

"Alright," He gave in softly, unable to fight anymore.

Tony sat on his couch, finishing off a box of chow mein. He threw the empty container onto his coffee table, which was already covered in numerous take-out cartons and pizza boxes. Several soda cans were stashed in the pile. Dressed in an old Ohio State shirt and shorts, he lay back on the couch lazily. Part of his appetite had come back, but only due to the necessity of sustinance during the long hours Gibbs had the team working.

Kasing's case had been ordered into the cold case pile by Vance earlier that day, stating that his Major Case Response Team didn't need the burden when there were bigger cases to deal with. It had taken an hour of convincing Gibbs not to continue investigating before the special agent stormed out of his office.

His cell phone began to vibrate. Sighing, he pulled it from the table and answered it. "DiNozzo,"

"You at home?" Gibbs asked, not even bothering to say "Hello."

"Yeah…"

"Get out. Go rent a movie,"

"What?"

"Rent a movie, DiNozzo. Get dressed. Get a movie. Get some coffee while you're out,"

"I thought you said no more movies,"

"It's a start, DiNozzo," Gibbs explained. "Shave. Wash your face. And clean off that coffee table. Take out the trash,"

"A start?"

"Yes," Gibbs was determined, and Tony knew that if he didn't follow his instructions, Gibbs would come over to his apartment and give him a headslap.

"Fine," Tony replied, hanging up. He pulled on some jeans and a button up shirt that he had found on his bed and slipped on some shoes. He dug out a trashbag from his cabinets and dumped seven pizza boxes, thirteen Chine takeout containers, twenty-one soda cans, and a whole lot of other unidentifiable crap into the bag. He grabbed his keys and wallet and took them with him as he walked down the hall to the elevator. I'm tired of pretending.

He drove to his favorite movie store where he had, of course, a Platinum Membership.

"Tony! It's great to see you," The cashier said. He knew her face from seeing her here so many times, and she knew his name from the number of times she had seen his ID in his wallet. "Haven't seen you around here in a few weeks,"

"Yeah, well, I've been busy," He said as he scanned the New Arrivals aisle. "Work's been a pain,"

"I know how it is… Looking for anything in particular?"

"Not really," He said.

"Alright, then. Let me know if you need any help,"

He flashed her a quick smile and nod before he walked down the aisles some more. Nothing sounded appealing. It was all either too depressing or not depressing enough. Finally his eye landed on one that sounded just right. He picked it up and brought it to the cashier.

"The Sound of Music. Girlfriend making you watch it?"

Tony pulled out his wallet. "Not my girlfriend," He answered vaguely.

"But you care about her,"

"Obviously not enough," The cashier looked at him, confused. "I got her killed,"He said as the cashier handed him the bag. He walked out the door, leaving her stunned at the register.

Tony walked to his car and got in. It was only then that he hear a faint beeping from the back of the car. "Oh, crap," He mumbled as he opened the door and ran, barely making it a few feet before the thunder of an explosion threw him to the asphalt. His head was throbbing, and the world was on fire, but all he saw was her face.

"I'm here with you."

And then, it all went black.