A/N: Hey everyone.

Here's today's chapter. Um… not much to say about it actually, but I like it a lot.

I finished the ending for this story a few days ago, I believe. It's great; I think you all will really like it. I might rewrite it though, for the third time, LOL. But we have a little while more before I post it, so no worries.

Oh, and by the way, you all should check out Oh my word, they shiver so sweetly by my fabulous friend, Bravo my lady Grace—it's a series of little oneshots, beautiful and intrinsic, and she was so generous as to allow me to contribute. So go check it out. It's really wonderful.

Alright. Enjoy your chapter, my dear friends!

"No, I'm pretty sure I don't," he answered tentatively, turning the phone on speaker so Ziva could hear. He took his hand and placed it loosely around Ziva's waist, pulling her gently inside, ignoring the feeling of "rightness" that it gave him.

Little did he know that she was doing the same.

He closed the door. "Well, I suppose that's understandable," the voice replied, chuckling.

"And who is it exactly that I'm not missing?" Tony asked.

"What, you don't recognize my voice?" the voice laughed.

Tony smirked. "Not really," he admitted sarcastically. Ziva smiled inwardly. This was so typical of him.

"I'll try not to be offended," the voice said, obviously smiling. Part of Tony was glad that he couldn't see the smile. "Is Officer David there with you?"

A gong pounded in force against Tony's heart as he glanced at Ziva, his hand flinching as he resisted the urge to take her hand or wrap his arm around her, bringing her close to him.

Little did he know that she wished he would.

"Why?" Tony asked defensively.

"Mmm, and so she is," the voice confirmed. "Can I speak to her?"

Ziva's hand reached out for the phone, but Tony backed away. "No, you can't,"

"Then perhaps I should come to you,"

The line went dead.

Tony called Gibbs the second the voice had hung up. He, of course, insisted on protection for the both of them, arriving at the apartment in minutes, full protection detail included.

"He will win if we go and hide," Ziva said.

"He'll also win if we die!" Tony replied.

"We are fine on our own," she insisted.

She said "we", Tony thought. He liked the sound of that. "Clearly," he said sarcastically.

"And I do not think we should rule out a woman," Ziva continued.

"And why's that?"

"If you have to ask, DiNozzo…" Gibbs began.

Tony put up a hand. "I know, I know,"

"Your list of enemies is a long one," Ziva pointed out.

"Yours isn't exactly short either. Or perhaps it is, seeing as they're all dead," he spurt back.

Ziva gave him a smirk. "Well obviously it is someone we both know,"

"Unless he's using Tony to get to you," Gibbs said.

"Or it's the other way around," Tony added. Ziva scoffed a little, but smiled. "What?"

"Nothing, Tony," Ziva replied, smiling a little. She turned to Gibbs once more. "I refuse protection detail, Gibbs. I am of better use in the field than being cooped up in a safehouse--"

"No, Ziva, you're not going out," Tony said.

"And why not?" she asked, turning around, finding herself only inches away from him.

"Is it not blatantly obvious? You could be killed!"

"It is not as if he has made an attempt on my life. You are the one whose car was bombed," Ziva pointed out.

Tony stared at her for a moment, eyes confused. "Who told you about that?" his voice was soft.

Ziva opened her mouth and closed it again, not sure of what to say.

"I did," Gibbs spoke up. "Now if you two are finished, we're going back to headquarters. All of us. You're at least of some use there," he said, walking away, leaving the pair with no choice to but to follow, each sighing silently.

As Tony and Ziva made their way through the Naval Yard, neither could ignore the eyes they felt upon their backs, given by other agents.

Finally, Tony stood up from his desk to find the entire squadroom stopped in bewildered stares. "What?" he cried, a crazy half-grin on his face. "You scared of us or something?" Tony eyed a probie and smiled, walking over to him. He adjusted the agent's tie. "Wanna tell me what's going on, probie?"

"Tony," Ziva said in a low, warning voice.

"Nothing," the probie said unconvincingly.

"Come on, that's the best you've got?"

The agent shrugged but finally gave into the steely stare DiNozzo had been giving him, rivaling even Gibbs'. "You seem to," he coughed. "Have a lot of people after you. Like, both of you," he admitted, shaking beneath the authoritative hand that rested on his shoulder.

"Tony," Ziva repeated.

He finally looked over at her, having difficulty ignoring the thump-thump his heart gave whenever his eyes met hers. "Yeah?"

"Vance wants to see us,"

"Crap," he muttered.

"Agent DiNozzo, thank you for joining the party," Vance said from behind his desk, papers shuffling through his hands, Gibbs standing in front of him, not moving a muscle. Ziva came from behind Tony and shut the door before taking her place beside him, a little closer than necessary, reminding him of a time so long ago. Of when Jenny died, and Vance came at him with every strike her could find. And she stood behind him, the whole time, her presence seeming to be the one thing tying him to the ground.

"Sure," he answered, a sarcastic grin shining on his face.

"You two sure seem to make a lot of enemies," Vance began, ignoring Tony's defiant attitude.

"It means we're doing our job," Tony defended in a low, serious voice. Ziva looked to him and held back the smile of pride that threatened to come through.

"You're putting a lot of people at risk,"

"And you think we're doing this on purpose?" he laughed.

"I think you should be careful,"

"Why do you think we're here, under protective custody?" Tony challenged.

"And I think you should pursue any and all leads. Gotta catch this one," Vance moved on. "But I need you to be at your best. You may be under protective custody but we don't need your childish attitude right now, understand?"

You're just jealous, Tony was tempted to reply. A chill ran down his spine as he was once again pierced with another memory.

"You are jealous," Ziva said, speaking of Rivkin.

"Am not," he insisted, not convincing even himself.

"Are too," she replied.

He never told her otherwise.

"Yes, sir," he answered, his feet planted firmly, aiming for the highest amount of self-control he could muster.

From her place, Ziva could see the frustration running through his eyes, practically clear through the air around him, his body tense. Instinctively, she took his hand and held it gently for a moment. And strangely, a look of shock and then peace finally found their way through to him, and he visibly relaxed. Startled by the effect, she immediately pulled her hand back to herself. She glanced to Vance who had seemed to miss the exchange, now involved in a stare down with Gibbs.

Finally, their silver-haired-fox turned to the pair and looked them in the eye. "No one leaves the building, got it?"

"Gibbs, I--" Ziva started.

"We already had this conversation, Officer David," Gibbs said, walking towards her and stopping in front of her before finally leaving the room.

Ziva shook her head a little. Tony glanced at Vance. "You're dismissed," he confirmed and they walked out in Gibbs' trail.

Tony stood across the room, leaning against the wall near the elevator, watching the woman who sat at her desk from afar. His arms had been crossed in pensiveness for quite some time, watching her, studying the way she moved about. Though it sounded more like stalking, he was merely appreciating the most important thing in his life, the thing he nearly lost. He knew just how her swayed when she swiveled in her chair, he knew just how she typed, he could even tell when she was checking her email, even when he couldn't see her screen.

He knew her better than anyone.

With each breath he took, a voice inside him screamed at him to go tell her, to gather her in his arms, to hold her tight, to whisper every word he had always wanted to say to her.

Finally he saw her stand in a huff and come strutting towards him. He looked around for a way out, a way to try and look busy, as if he wasn't watching her.

"What are you doing, Tony?" she eyed him.

"Standing,"

"And?" he shrugged and fiddled with his watch. "I can feel you watching me, Tony. You haven't moved for twenty minutes and I demand to know why,"

"I was taking a break," he tried. She could always tell.

"Yeah, right," she said, folding her arms as she stood before him.

He took a breath and stood up straighter. "Ziva, I--"

"Tony! You have got to come see this!" Abby called as she walked out of the elevator.

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