A/N: Hello again! I know I made a lot of you mad last chapter, but I tell you this: I DO NOT KILL OFF ANY MAIN CHARACTERS IN MY STORIES!!! I ONLY HURT THE BAD GUYS! So, I also know that it was a bit confusing with the code names and all, but that will be cleared up soon, I promise. So, now on to Chapter One!

Chapter One:

TWO WEEKS EARLIER

Ziva David shot awake as her alarm clock blared. She let out a small groan as she slapped the alarm off. She did not get up right away though. Tony DiNozzo's arm around her wouldn't allow her.

She tried to slowly pry herself away from Tony. "Don' go," he mumbled in his sleep, trying to pull her back into bed.

"I have to, Tony. Naomi and I go jogging every morning, remember?"

"Stay," he said as Ziva finally pulled herself up out of bed and grabbing Tony's shirt off the floor and covering herself as she searched for her exercise clothes.

"You have to go back to your apartment and get ready for work, remember? You did not bring a change of clothes with you this time."

"Fine," he grumbled slipping out of bed himself and grabbing Ziva as she pulled out her track pants. He planted a passionate kiss on her lips.

"Tony!" she exclaimed, pushing him off with a laugh. "Go! I will see you at work."

"Fine, Sweetcheeks," he muttered with a pitiful look.

"Take that look off of your face, Tony. It will not work!"

"'Wipe' Ziva," he said with a smile, watching her hungrily as she pulled her track pants and tank top on.

"Whatever." Ziva pulled her hair in a ponytail. "See you later, my Little Hairy Butt." She quickly kissed him and left her apartment and went into the lobby.

Naomi Schliemann was there already, munching on a cereal bar. "Guten morgen, Ziva," she greeted, tossing her long time friend a cereal bar.

"Toda raba."

"I saw Tony's car out in the parking lot. You two have fun last night?"

"None of your business, Naomi," Ziva retorted as the two sat off at a brisk pace. "Besides, you had your own fun last night, yes?"

"No," she replied. "Not your kind of fun."

"Then why was McGee at your apartment when I returned your book?"

"He wanted my input for his latest novel. His stories are quite good, even though it is obvious that the characters are based on the team. And yes, he did add me into the story. Meet Mossad Officer Natalya, the long time best friend of Lisa with a shady past of her own."

"He has no idea, does he?"

"He knows that I am a trained assassin as are you. The missions I have been on, nein."

"What was the deal with that mission in Germany? I heard pieces of that story, but not the full picture."

"Later."

"Okay." Ziva dropped the subject for now. Then, she turned and grinned. "Are you sure you did not have any fun last night?"

"Enough with the teasing!" Naomi exclaimed. "You know good and well that McGee is not my type. I like men that are a little…" she thought for a second for the American term, "rough around the edges so to speak. That is not McGee."

"True."

"Besides, he is pining away for Abby in his own sweet way. Abby just needs to see that for herself. She loves him, too. I can see it in her eyes."

"They have dated before, I think. Abby was the one who wanted to keep it 'casual' or so she said."

Ziva watched the wheels start to spin in Naomi's head. "What are you thinking?"

"You will see." Naomi grinned mischievously and picked up the pace.

Always the prankster, Ziva thought as she rushed to catch up with her.

Tony DiNozzo looked up with glee as Ziva and Naomi exited the elevator. The two were arguing about something as they walked in. Naomi was tossing something up and down in her hand. His main focus was on Ziva though as her eyes flared when she argued. Those beautiful eyes filled with such passion, such love.

"You have been in America for a week and you have not found a car?" Ziva was asking Naomi.

"I have found plenty of cars, just not one that I like."

"How about a Mustang?" Tony interjected. "Can't go wrong with one of them. Or maybe a Fiero, like the one from the crime scene last week."

"Good suggestions. I will keep them in mind." Naomi walked up to McGee as Ziva took her seat. "McGee, you left this at my apartment last night."

That got Tony's attention. "Probie, were you probing last night?"

"I was not!" Timothy McGee protested. "We were discussing my next novel. She volunteered to offer constructive criticism for my draft."

"And what sort of escapades do Mossad Officer Lisa and Special Agent Tommy engage in this time?" Tony asked.

"None of your business."

"Come on, Probie. Just a little tid bit of juicy information?"

"Nope."

"Not even your newest character?" Naomi asked. "Mossad Officer Natalya, the long time best friend of Lisa with a shady past of her own."

"Really?" Tony asked. "Does Mossad Officer Natalya fall for Agent MacGregor?"

"No," Naomi replied nonchalantly. "McGee is nowhere near my type. He is not tough enough for me."

"I can be tough!"

"Since when?" Tony asked with a laugh.

"When I have to be."

"Any of you got any leads on that Assassin ring yet?" Leroy Jethro Gibbs strolled in from the stairs, coffee in hand. "Or were you too busy talking about Elf Lord's newest novel to care about two dead marines in the last two days?"

"Nothing yet, Boss," Ziva reported. "Local LEOs have not picked up any chatter."

"They are not leaving much of a trace on the computers," McGee said. "I'm still working on it."

"Abby and I are still running what little evidence we have through the mass spectrometer and AFIS. Speaking of which, I need to get down there. Auf wiedersehen!"

Naomi walked back to the elevator, humming a song under her breath as she left.

"DiNozzo? You got anything?" Gibbs asked.

"Most of the murders including our marines were within a ten mile radius of the Mason Neck State Park Area in Woodbridge. I am thinking that the Assassin Ring is HQ'ed somewhere in that area, Boss." Tony brought up the map of the area on the plasma. "I smell an undercover mission."

"Good thinking, DiNozzo. At least somebody here knows how to do their work."

"Ah, I love the smell of tortured Probie in the morning," Tony quipped with a cheeky smile. "Smells like victory!"

He got a head slap for his efforts.

AN: Not the best spot to leave off a chapter, but there you go. By the way, my poll is still open, but the results are rather obvious. By the next chapter, it will be closed. Until, next time! Maylee