Long Author's Note justified by long chapter: You know when I said the last chapter was my favorite? Well, I lied. Chapter 7 kicks 6's butt. Okay so this is the last chapter before we get into the REAL story- yes my children, this is only the introduction. Thanks for the reviews and alerts! Literally, you guys made my day! One more thing, the first person to find the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows reference gets chapter 8 sent to her/him in advance.

Anyways… we continue…

Tony peaked his head out room 106's door. The coast was clear.

Visiting hours were over, resulting in few nurses roaming the hallways. Being the special agent he was, Tony took one more glance both ways just to be sure. Swiftly and silently, he exited the room, his bad arm in a sling, his good on wheeling the I.V. pole with his good one.

Ducky had spoken to Dr. What's-his-face and had received the approval for Tony to visit his fallen friend in late afternoon at a point when they were both considered stable. DiNozzos were not known for their patience.

Powder blue doors aligned both starch-colored walls as he walked the empty hallways. Small plastic chairs white chairs rested outside every other door. Where chairs were not, gurneys helped out outline the perimeter. The small numbers sliver numbers that rested top center of the doors were useless, apparently just there for decoration. Since when did room 120B come after room 137? Whoever designed Bethesda was stupid and/or had no sense of direction… and no originality… every hallway looked identical to the last. Navigation was borderline impossible.

Finally, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. At the end of what seemed like the ninth turn of the hospital maze, a red neon sign spelling out the words 'Intensive Care Unit", resting over double doors leading to a new corridor.

Placing all his weight into his good shoulder, Tony gently pushed the door open. A loud screech of old iron echoed through air.

SHIT.

Like a ninja, Tony's head quickly went both ways, looking for any sign of someone who could sabotage his search and find mission. A pain shot through his arm resting in the sling. Maybe it was a little too quickly. The small hallway stayed empty as no doctors, nurses, security guards, patients, etc. appeared.

Four open doors to what he guessed were rooms for patients lay on each side him. So his chances of picking the right door were…(where's McGee when you need him?)… twenty-five percent. The closest one was just as good as any.

What's behind door number one? He poked his head inside the door just enough to see monitors, and a figure lying in a bed. Not being able to tell if it was Ziva, the senior special agent took a few steps inside.

Definitely. Not. Ziva.

An eighty something year –old man slept before in Bethesda's signature white sheets. Next too the bed was a thick Manila folder with big black letters written across the front.

A few more steps and Tony was face to face with the folder marked 'confidential'. Because one look couldn't hurt… and he could blame his actions on newly prescribed morphine… the file of Ernesto Hernandez was opened.

Poor guy. Eighty-seven years old and he had to… have eight grams of cocaine surgically removed from his anus!

Disgusted, Tony immediately closed the file, and exited the room. This was not somewhere he wanted to be.

As the other three doors stared at him, he decided to try the one directly across the tiled hallway. Once again he peeked his head in to see a figure on a bed, but this time, the figure was smaller. He entered the room silently as he moved to the bedside of the sleeping person. The face was turned in the other direction, but it was obvious this poor soul was a woman.

There was no question about who this girl was. He knew her, there was no question about it… but he still needed to be sure. Tony made way his was around the bed to see the girl's face, knocking over an empty coffee cup lying on the floor. He approached slowly and cautiously, because if he moved too quickly, she might die right there. Eyes closed, lips parted just slightly, she looked so at peace. If wasn't for the clean white bandages wrapped around her head, the I.V.s protruding from her arm, and the nasal canal circling around her face, she'd look perfect.

Oh Ziva.

Tony pulled a plastic chair close up to the bed so that his partner was easily in reach. Ziva's chest slowly rose and fell, and every so often, her lip, or eye, or cheek would twitch as another reminder she was still with him.

Tony reached out and gently ran his thumb over her cheek. Absent mindedly, his fingers moved to her eyes as he gently traced the lids. Only was it when his fingers were outlining her lips did he realize the inappropriateness of it all. Tony drew back his hand, placing it on the end of the thin mattress. Maybe he was imagining it, but he could have sworn his partner let out a soft groan from the absence of contact.

Tony leaned forward to rest his head on the bed, careful not to disturb Ziva, or his holey shoulder. The sound of shoes walking on tiles outside the room was lost as a wave of exhaustion swept over him. His partner was okay… he was okay... he could sleep.

"Wake up Tony." The familiar voice was quit, but still stern and startling.

"GIBBS!" Tony flew up into a sitting position, being rewarded with a sharp pain radiating through his arm.

"What the hell are you doing in here?"

The Senior Agent's mouth went dry. "Uhh… I just came down here to check on Ziva." He looked at his sleeping partner, "I wanted to make sure she was okay…"

"Did you hear anything last night?" Gibbs interrupted, tone unchanged.

"Uh…no. No boss. Why?" Relief and confusion both bombarded him at the sudden change in conversation.

"You sure?" Now there was a bit of urgency.

"Positive. What's going on?"

Gibbs looked from his agent to the door. "It seems the hospital had a security breach last night."

"Yeah, I snuck down here…."

"No. Bigger than that."

Tony's brow furrowed. "What's going on Gibbs?" his voice now matched his boss'.

"Nurse called about an hour minutes ago. She found a dead snake tied to the doorknob of this room."

"What?" This made no sense.

" Ziva shot and killed the Cobra. Looks like Muerte de la Serpiente is coming back to bite us."

"You think de Herodes' guys left that as a message? How would they get in?"

"Don't know. That's what we're trying to find out."

A small groan caught both men's attentions.

Ziva lay staring at them, looking confused as ever. Her eyes scanned the room, until they spotted green ones intently watching her.

"Tony!" She began to slowly sit up. "How are you feeling?" Concern could be found both in her voice and eyes.

The senior field agent smiled. "I should be asking you that. I wasn't the one shot in the head." He went to stroke her forearm, then thought better of it. "How are you feeling?"

"I am fine Tony. Thank you." The ends of her mouth just slightly tilted up.

"You're gonna be in you're grave, and you'll still be saying that." He flashed his patented smile.

"You're both gonna be in your graves if you don't shut up." Gibbs gave them each a warning glare. "you okay Ziver?" his glare softened… slightly.

"Yes. Thank you Gibbs."

"Good, because you're both being checked out of here today."

The partners looked at each other with quizzical expressions, both knowing they were in no shape to go back to work.

"Uh boss, I don't think it's a good idea to have Ziva working a crime scene just yet. Head injuries do weird things… ah!"

Gibbs' hand collided with the back of Tony's skull.

"You would know DiNozzo. You're both being moved to an FBI safe house until Muerte de la Serpiente is under control." Gibbs voiced it as an order.

"FBI? What!"

"What?" Ziva's eyes flickered between the two men, "Under control? What are you talking about?"

Gibbs looked at Tony, "Vance feels it's inappropriate for NCIS to handle the case." He turned his head to Ziva, "Someone left a dead snake on your door. They think it was the Cobra's guys."

Ziva looked almost insulted. "Gibbs, I do not need to be placed in protective custody, it is not necessary…"

"Don't argue; it's already been set up with Vance. You two are being moved to a safe house. Once Abby and McGee come back with your stuff, you're gone."

"Wait…" Tony's face took on a look of horror. "McGee's going through my apartment?"

"Where is the safe house Gibbs?" Ziva ignored Tony's previous statement.

"Can't tell ya."

"What!" The matching tone of his agent's voices made Gibbs laugh… inwardly of course.

"You'll know when you get there."

Did you find it? Review and/or Alert and let me know if you guys like the way the story is going- just wanna keep the readers happy and the only way to make that possible is with feedback from you guys… so… REVIEW! Peace.