A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this up but take heart, it's the longest chapter yet. Expect more in a few days.

It was quite a while before Tony recovered enough to take stock of the situation. When his breathing returned to normal and he finally felt like he was inhabiting his own body again, he looked down at Ziva. She was sprawled on the bed next to him, her dark hair fanned out. She was sound asleep.

Tony surveyed her naked form, wincing a bit when her saw her bruised neck and thighs. He had never gotten as far as removing his pants, and the zipper and belt buckle had abraded her sensitive skin. The sight made him slightly queasy. Although Ducky had talked about sex being a healthy reaction, Tony doubted he had anything like this in mind. Yes, she had met his every thrust with total abandon. Yes, her sleep-filled face was relaxed and peaceful for the first time since they had learned of her father's plans. Still, Tony could not help the tendrils of guilt that curled within him and he vowed that next time it would be different. Or non-existent. He would not take advantage of her again.

Careful not to disturb her, Tony slid from the bed, collected his shirt from the floor, and stepped silently out of the bedroom. He headed for the living room but stopped in the powder room along the way. He used his cupped hands to splash cold water on his face. As he scrubbed a towel over his features, he glanced into the mirror, biting his lip when he saw the bruises at the base of his neck. Quickly, he buttoned his shirt all the way to the top and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it did an adequate job of camouflage.

When he made it to the living room, he sank onto the couch with a sigh. He turned on the TV, tuning it to one of the sports channels, but stared at it sightlessly as he replayed the past hour in his mind. At first it had seemed like the answer to the months of anguish he had endured since Ziva had stayed behind in Israel, leaving a larger-than-partner-sized hole in his life. Her return had not solved the problem. Perhaps due to the trauma she had suffered, they had seemed unable to move past a stage where they tiptoed around each other, avoiding sensitive topics and lacking the closeness they had developed in earlier times. Whatever else this evening had wrought, he hoped it had gone a long way towards breaking down the walls between them.

Tony's musings were interrupted by the buzz of his phone. He glanced at the screen, then flipped it open. "Hey, Abby. What do you need?"

"Oh my God, Tony, is Ziva okay," Abby said in a near frantic tone.

"Right now she's sleeping. Probably good for her."

"Yeah, I mean, jeez, how good can you be after your own father tries to kidnap you and you have to shoot him. Except she didn't. Well, she shot him but she wasn't shooting at him."

"Whoa, Abs, I am seriously not following you here," Tony said, confused by Abby's random ramblings.

"I reconstructed the scene and Ziva wasn't shooting at her father, she was shooting at the other Mossad officer. Her dad must have just moved at the wrong time and she winged him."

"That's good news."

"I should say so because otherwise the whole patricide thing would be just too awful, like one of those Greek plays where everyone goes crazy in the end. Except it's not, because it was an accident. Although now that I think about it, weren't there a lot of accidents in the plays. You know, son kills dad because he doesn't know who he is. Not that Ziva didn't know her dad, but still."

"Abby, at this point I have no idea what you are talking about," Tony muttered in confusion.

"I was telling you how the whole situation is like a Greek tragedy," Abby said, then gasped in alarm. "Oh Tony, does that mean Ziva's gonna go crazy too?"

"Hey, wait a minute, could we at least wait until she wakes up before you have her in a straitjacket."

"You're right, I know you're right, I just can't help it ... I worry about you guys. Besides, I know Gibbs will take care of everything, he always takes care of everything. Oh, that's what I was calling to tell you. Gibbs is on his way over and he's in a bear of a mood."

Just then the doorbell chimed. "Thanks for the warning, Abs, but I think he's here now."

Tony hurried over to the door. When he peered through the peephole, he saw Gibbs standing outside, impatiently wiggling the knob as if he could unlock it by sheer force of will. When Tony opened the door, Gibbs strode in past him without anything by way of a greeting.

"How is she?" Gibbs asked.

"Uh, sleeping, boss," Tony said as he surreptitiously checked his collar in the hall mirror. He was relieved to see that his battle scars were still concealed.

"She talk?"

"Not really, I think she's just exhausted now." Gibbs very presence was unsettling Tony and he turned the conversation in another direction before Gibbs could ask an awkward question. "Have you questioned Director David yet?"

"No, they took him to Bethesda to treat his wound. We won't get access to him until tomorrow, and maybe not even then. Bastard lawyered up already." Gibbs voice tensed with suppressed anger as he talked about Ziva's manipulative father.

"I still can't believe she shot him," Tony said.

"Didn't mean to."

"Yeah, Abby told me. Right before she started babbling about patricide and Greek tragedies."

Gibbs sucked his breath in at Tony's words. Yes, he thought, it's a good thing Eli's injuries were not more serious. No matter that it was justified, Ziva already had her brother's death on her conscience. The addition of her father might well have been the final straw. Suddenly, Gibbs was worried all over again.

"Let me check on her," Gibbs said as he headed back for the bedroom.

"No!" Tony yelped. "I mean, don't disturb her, she really seemed exhausted." Tony's mind raced as he tried to think of a way to keep Gibbs out of the bedroom. One look at the state of it's contents, not to mention Ziva naked on the bed, and he would know exactly what had happened.

Gibbs quirked an eyebrow at Tony's strange behavior. "Think I can handle being quiet. I need an idea if she's gonna be ready to give a statement tomorrow."

Tony's heart plummeted, there was no way he was changing Gibbs' mind, and all hell was about to break loose. He started mentally debating whether he should start running now or whether that would only make things worse when Gibbs finally caught up with him. Before he could weigh the options another voice saved him.

"Gibbs, I am fine. I will be at the office tomorrow, ready to give a statement," Ziva said from the bedroom doorway.

Tony's eyes flew up at the sound of her voice. She was wrapped up to her neck in a thick terry robe, all sign of their earlier exertions easily hidden. Her face was calm, almost emotionless. There was no sign of the distraught woman Tony had brought home, nor of the wanton who had clawed his back just a few hours earlier.

"Ziva, are you sure?" Gibbs asked, not quite believing the change in her.

"Yes. And I am sorry for my behavior earlier. I was just ... in shock ... it will not happen again. I, more than anyone, should have known what Eli would do."

"Ziva, he is your father ..." Gibbs said.

"Not anymore," she said dispassionately. When they just stared at her, she continued, "Really, I am fine. I just need to rest, you can go home, I will see you tomorrow."

"I think she's right, Gibbs. You can go home and I'll stay on the couch. A good night's sleep may be all she needs," Tony said.

"I do not need a babysitter, I just need to be alone," Ziva objected. "Go home, Tony, I will see both of you tomorrow."

An with that, Tony's worst fears were confirmed. After the way he had behaved, she wanted nothing to do with him. His heart sank. Now, right when she needed a friend, he had ruined everything. Filled with shame, he didn't even object, just gathered his jacket and followed Gibbs out the door.