Title: Man of Two Minds
Author: Trista Groulx aka dustytiger
Rating: T (like the show to be safe)
Disclaimer: I remain a poor barista I make nothing from this I am borrowing these characters for fun and they still belong to their network, creators, writers, actors and actresses who bring them to life.
Summary: Ziva comes back from Israel, but Tony is already in a relationship Keates. How will he choose between two such important parts of his life?
Notes: This part is super short, and I think wraps things up on Ziva's end. Wow I can't believe this is over. What a whirlwind journey where I've learned a lot about myself and certain others. I still like Ziva's character and I still don't understand the repeated accusations that I was bashing her through this fic, yes I had her act a lot differently from but that's how this fic came into my head, I wanted to write some drama for a change.
Ziva just wanted a drink, and to be outside of the hotel she'd been staying at. The room felt so sterile but she still wasn't sure where she was going to stay and didn't want to go house hunting until she decided where she wanted to be. She missed being and DiNozzo, there was something that felt safe there, and that's why she had stayed there, hoping somehow something could change between them. It was one of the few places she had ever felt at home and hoped she could find somewhere for herself that was as comfortable as the small apartment her friend had opened up for her what felt like a lifetime ago.
She had found what she needed in Israel but she would never have what she came back for in the place which made her at home. She wondered into a bar she'd been to several times before, usually after a rough case with the team. She sat down at the bar, and ordered herself a martini, looking around the bar. She smiled for a moment noticing familiar faces at the back, but she decided to hang back for a moment to assess the scene. Everyone she had thought of as her new family were there, as well as some faces she didn't already know.
She was about to pick up her drink and join them, but she still held back, realising that one person may not want to see her for a while. What made her notice this was something else was more than just a group of agent winding down after a rough day was how DiNozzo and Keates were acting. He had his hand on her hip, and she seemed very happy curled up toward him, her hand on his chest, they were even sneaking in a few kisses as they celebrated with their friends.
She sighed softly realising she would be the last person they would want to see, but still hoped somehow they might be friends again at some point and was glad she was able to reconnect with her other friends. She was clearly seeing them celebrating big news and although she felt a pang of loss she was truly happy for him. As hard as the past week had been she understood she had been the one who was in the wrong and had made a lot of mistakes. There had been a time where she could have been the person in DiNozzo's arms and she only had herself to blame for having lost it. She did want him to be happy, and could only hope that she might find that happiness too.
She finished her drink and decided to go elsewhere before anyone saw her. As much as she wanted to see her friends it wasn't the time and place. She took a deep breath as she stepped outside. She knew that if she stayed there would be times where she might see the couple out together. She wasn't sure if they could still be friends after the way she'd come back, but she still wanted to be closer to the rest of the people she cared about, and hoped there was a way to do that without interrupting his life and his happiness. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she knew where she wanted to be, even if she no longer knew how she would find the happiness she had once enjoyed in her adopted country.
The End
Notes: All right that was that, I'll likely explore Tony/Keates and Tony/Ziva again. This has been quite the eye opener for me. This the the most reviewed fic I've written in this fandom. This fic marks the first time I've erased a review, and the first time I've considered disallowing anonymous reviews. This fandom is intense to say the least and I honestly hope this fandom is not losing great young authors because of a few people who feel the need to attack writers who don't write the exact thing others think they should. I believe in writing for you, but it is nice to hear what readers think of what you're doing, nobody wants to be bombarded with negative, mean spirited and rude reviews for wanting to tell a story. Thank you for all of those who took this journey with me and who were honest and understanding of the story I wrote and of me. It was never people who told me honestly they didn't enjoy this that upset me it was those who chose to attack me instead of the words I wrote and that is always uncalled for. I'm nervously excited to see how people take the wrap up. HUGZ and hearts -trista