AN: This chapter isn't one that we really know what to do with. There needs to be something here to move the story to the next part that IS in our brains, but we're not sure what. So we're kind of flying by the seat of our pants on this one.

MN: Maybe, since she doesn't know what to do, I can sneak some fluff in on this one without her realizing it.

Vaguely, Ziva registered that the car had slowed down. That had to mean they were no longer on the highway. She forced her eyes open and tried to figure out where they were.

"We're a little north of Gaithersburg. The little guy needs a pit stop."

Ziva nodded and reached for her bottle of water. Several long sips rinsed the cotton ball feeling from her mouth. As she returned it to the cup holder, she noticed the time. It was just after 1800 hours. She had been asleep for two and a half hours. "Thank you both for letting me rest."

She turned to look at Ori in the back sleep. "Were you good for John?"

Ori nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!"

"He was great. He's a good kid." Borden pulled the car into a parking space outside a convenience store and shifted into park. As he reached for his seatbelt Ziva shook her head.

"I can take him."

"Alright. I should call and check in with the team at the hotel anyway."

Ziva was completely stunned by what he had said. "You want me to leave?"

"No. But I want you to be safe. I'd rather you be protected away from me then in danger with me."

She could see the pain it caused him to say that. "You don't think I'd be safe if I sent him away?"

Tony shook his head. "I don't know. But I know he's safer with you than without you. And as much as I'd like to believe that we could protect you, I know the Marshalls can do it better."

His hand was still on her arm and she raised her hand to grasp it. "You know, McGee told me pretty much the same thing."

She could tell his smile was forced. "Smart kid, that McGenius. What'd Gibbs say?"

"He didn't. He told me it was my choice and whatever I decided he would support me."

"And have you? Decided, I mean." She couldn't read the look on his face. His emotions seemed to be as jumbled as hers.

"Yes. The Marshall Service will be at NCIS to pick us up Monday morning."

They stood together in silence for a moment then his hand tightened around her arm and he pulled her against him. His arms wrapped around her tightly and she felt something inside of her snap. The emotions she had been holding back all week came rushing out and she was powerless to stop the tears.

Abby popped to her feet as McGee exited the office he and Gibbs had been ensconced in for several hours. "Well?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. They are waiting for her handler to get here before they make the final call. They kept mentioning that there were extenuating circumstances. Gibbs wants us to get back to his place and do some digging. We managed to weasel it out of them that Ori's adoption is being processed tomorrow while they're in town. He wants someone to be there. He doesn't trust the Marshalls to tell her."

She fell into step beside him as they moved down the hallway. "Let me guess, we don't know what time, or what judge?"

"Exactly. We'll stop for Caf-Pows on the way. This may be a long night."

Ziva smiled as Ori went barreling into the room in front of her. This was only the second time the boy had ever stayed in a hotel and this one was far more elegant than the motel they had slept at when they entered the program.

As she looked around, she realized that 'room' wasn't an accurate description. It was a suite. From the hallway they had entered to a living room, complete with couch, armchairs, and TV. There was even a small kitchenette to one side with a dining table. Three closed doors lined the outside of the room. Two bedrooms and a bathroom if she had to guess.

A pair of Marshalls was waiting for them and she shook their hands as Borden introduced them. As Ori explored, the four adults moved to the sitting area. Ziva sat in one chair, the two new Marshalls resumed their positions on the couch, and Borden remained standing.

"There will be two Marshalls in the room at all times. Another in the lobby, one in the garage, and two in the lounge. I know Ori's excited but he has to stay in the room. I have to go to a last minute meeting. Why don't you guys order dinner and relax? I may be late getting back here. We'll be leaving at 8am sharp for the courthouse. Ori will stay here with a pair of Marshalls and they will meet us at the courthouse after your testimony. We'll finalize the adoption and come back here. You'll have enough time to shower and change and pack back up before you're transferred to a new handler for relocation."

At her nod of understanding, Borden excused himself, exiting the room. She looked to where Ori was, staring out the door to the balcony. "Come on, Pitzl. Let's decide what to get for dinner."

He had held her close as she cried and for a while after. They were still standing out in Gibbs' back yard when it started to rain, but he still hadn't moved. Not until she pulled back from him. She didn't meet his eyes as she turned toward the house, but she did take his hand, leading him in behind her.

Once inside, he had shucked his soggy shoes and socks. When he'd looked at her, she shook her head. "Tony, you are soaked. Let me find you something of Gibbs' to wear and we'll put your clothes in the dryer."

Which is how he had come to be sitting on Gibbs' couch, a beer in his hand, wearing a pair of USMC shorts and a faded NIS t-shirt. Ziva had gone to shower but was now sitting next to him, also sipping on a beer. They hadn't spoken in twenty minutes. He decided it was up to him to break the silence.

"We won't stop looking, you know. For answers. For a way to bring you home."

She didn't turn to look at him but reached over and slid her hand into his. "I know. I just hope you can find one."

He squeezed her hand gently. "Me too. I'm gonna miss you, Zi."

He could see the emotions welling up inside of her again. "I will miss you too."

He couldn't bear to see her cry again so, in his typical fashion, he decided to make a joke. "And if you ever tell McGee I said this, I will hunt you down. I'm gonna miss the kid too."

A small smile twitched at her lips. "I know he will miss you all as well. You've all been so good with him. But he talks about you a lot. More than the others."

Her revelation made his heart ache. He had made it sound joking, but he really had become fond of Ori and was going to miss him dearly. "We bonded. We have something pretty big in common."

Finally she turned to look at him, one eyebrow raised in question. "Oh?"

"Yeah, we're both pretty crazy about you."

"Porca vacca! I thought I told you not to be here when I got home?" Tony slammed the door behind himself, not caring that the action probably sent his upstairs neighbor's cat careening through her apartment.

His father walked out of the kitchen, a dishrag over his shoulder, shaking his head. "And I'm pretty sure I told you I'd stay until I thought you didn't need me anymore. Now why don't you go wash up? Maybe change. You've got about fifteen minutes until dinner, Junior."

Tony stalked to his bedroom and slammed that door behind himself as well. He pitched his jacket unceremoniously in the general direction of the closet and flopped on his bed. He'd only laid there for a moment before he reached into his pants pocket and extracted his wallet.

Carefully he pulled the precisely folded picture from within the leather and opened it. It was a picture he wasn't supposed to have. When Homeland had confiscated everything relating to the case, they'd taken the digital file too. But he'd already had it printed.

Gingerly he used his sleeve to wipe away a smudge and he choked back the tears welling in his eyes. He wasn't sure why the picture meant so much to him. It wasn't planned, something Abby had found 'adorable' and snapped with her cell phone. It showed Tony, sitting on Gibbs' couch. A sleepy Ori was in his lap holding a book Ducky had given him and Ziva was leaned against his side so she could see to read it to him. In it, they almost looked like a family.

A family he had failed. When Homeland had swooped in he had tried to resist the orders to leave the case alone. So had the others at first. But then the agent in charge had threatened to arrest him and Gibbs put a stop to the investigation. She had been gone six months and it felt like forever. How was he supposed to handling knowing she would never be able to come home?

A knock on the door shook him from his thoughts. "Junior, dinner!"

AN: Holy angst batman! Now, I am going to go ahead and find somewhere to hide because when JenJen reads how we left things with Tony and Ziva, she is going to want to hunt us down and kill us. But seriously, we may have cut it short but it was some good fluff!

MN: It was definitely good fluff (cause, ya know, I wrote it) and it set up the next bit perfectly. But AJ's right. JenJen is going to want us dead for how we left it. I think I'm gonna go ahead and just lock myself up in my cage….

Translations:

Porca vacca!: pretty much means 'dammit!' in Italian.