Tony lifted her out of the wheelchair when they got to the apartment door and Ziva gave him a strange look. "Hey, I want to carry you over the threshold again."
Ziva laughed and kissed him. It was funny how natural that had become; especially with Abby and Gibbs right there. Gibbs opened the door and he entered, followed by Abby rolling the wheelchair inside. Tony hung back a moment and looked into Ziva's eyes.
"I love you," he said. "Welcome home, Mrs. DiNozzo and don't you dare leave it again."
"I love you too, Tony, so very much." Ziva kissed him tenderly and then he carried her into their home.
Ziva looked around, the ramp was in place for the step down, there were mats and exercise equipment in the living room behind the piano but for the most part it looked the same as when she'd left. Except, she then noticed, a stack of unwrapped presents by the sofa. Tony took a seat on the sofa, keeping her in his lap and Abby placed a pillow behind her back so she wouldn't tumble over. It was so odd not having her balance completely under her control.
"We have presents!" Abby shrieked.
McGee walked in from the kitchen and asked if she wanted a drink and Ducky came in with a platter of shrimp appetizers. "Leon wanted to come but someone has to work," Ducky commented. They then proceeded to spend several hours eating, chatting and opening gifts. Ziva wasn't sure how much more of this she could take - it was almost as overwhelming as the wedding. She opened everything from lingerie from Abby to a new Sig from McGee to a beautiful picnic basket from Ducky and a hand-carved locking gun box from Gibbs. It was a beautiful afternoon.
When everyone had gone and it was just her and Tony; he wheeled her around the apartment and showed her all the handles and things and then she saw the triangular pull up rod over the bed. It swung back and forth and she made a very suggestive comment. Tony kissed her but brushed off the comment and went to a small box on the dresser. He sat on the bed next to her chair and opened the box.
"You left these behind," Tony pulled out her wedding rings and placed them on her finger, kissing her hand afterwards.
"I wanted you to have them," Ziva whispered as she stared at her hand.
"Why did you leave your necklace behind?" Tony thumbed her Star of David necklace before hanging it around her neck.
"I lost the other one I had and you gave me this one that Christmas...I didn't want to lose it too. So I left it with the rings," Ziva touched Tony's face as he sat back down.
"We made a copy of the necklace and McGee put a tracker in the gold," Tony grinned. "But..."
Ziva leaned forward and kissed Tony. Tony lifted her from the chair and pulled her onto his lap as they continued to kiss.
He placed her on the bed as their heated kisses continued but undressing had become awkward. And when they were both finally down to their skivvies Tony stopped. He pulled her into his arms and said she needed rest. Ziva didn't want to rest she wanted him but she saw the fear in his eyes, the fear of hurting her. For a moment, Ziva was afraid he couldn't find her attractive like this; that it would be too awkward to make love to a woman who could not move her legs. But soon she realized it was not that; he tended to her like a china doll and she understood completely what was going on with him. So she let him hold her and they watched a movie before drifting off to sleep.
In the early morning hours, when everything was still outside, Ziva opened her eyes to find Tony staring at her. He had this look...this look of longing and love that broke something inside of her.
"Make love to me, Tony," she whispered.
"Ziva," he held her closer, "it is too soon. Let's wait-"
Ziva turned in his arms and kissed him, "no more waiting," she said as she wrapped her arms around him. "You will not hurt me, I promise."
Tony resisted at first but she touched him in all the right places. Tony was gentle and loving and something snapped between them. The pain of the last ten months, the pain and joy of those eight days, the pain of simply not knowing what would happen. They had each other now and they wouldn't let go. Tony made Ziva promise...promise that she would never exclude him from anything again; even if it meant their deaths. Because he could not go through this again. Ziva swore she would never keep anything like this from him anymore. She told him it was the hardest thing she'd ever been through and that having him in her arms was the only thing she wanted for the rest of her life.
The touched each other, kissed each other, devoured each other and the love that had been fettered for so long poured out of them unbridled and uncontainable.
They stayed in bed together for a long while before Ziva insisted she needed a shower. Tony forced her to stay still until he had everything ready and then he carried her into the shower. He didn't like the shower chair because it had no back support. He put it against the wall in the shower but was afraid she could still slip if she was alone and made her promise to shower with him. Ziva told him he just wanted to see her lathered up. And he did not deny it.
"What time is the appointment?" Ziva asked as Tony turned on the dishwasher after their breakfast.
"11:30," he answered as he turned to see her in her wheelchair, reaching up and wiping down the island. She'd already tidied up the dining room in the few minutes it took him to load the dishwasher. She was not going to be easy, "Ziva," Tony leaned on the island. "You are not even home twenty-four hours; take it easy and let me do the housework."
"I have to get used to doing these things, Tony," Ziva nodded up at Tony, "at some point you are going to go back to work and I...oh my...I am going to be a housewife!"
Tony chuckled, "The most dangerous and beautiful housewife ever!"
"I need something to do," Ziva wheeled herself into the living, "more than just sit around."
"Ziva!" Tony followed her into the living room and sat on the sofa, "I forbid you from planning any assassinations."
Ziva looked at him sideways, "Ok, I promise. No rogue missions to kill international criminals...this week."
Tony practically glared at her.
"Ok, no rogue missions to kill international criminals without you?"
"Better," Tony kissed her nose. "I'll talk to Vance. Maybe he'll let you do all my paperwork from here?"
Ziva rolled her eyes. "Fine! I'll do your ROIs. Let's go, I want to see the place and maybe I can do some extra exercises while we wait."
"You are only like this because we keep telling you, you have to rest," Tony grabbed her wheelchair handles.
"Yeah, and?" Ziva asked.
Before Tony could reply a knock sounded at the front door. "Let me get that before you plot a new mission for the CIA."
Tony pulled the door open and revealed Gibbs standing there with a cup of coffee in his hand, "Hey Boss."
Gibbs entered and went to kiss Ziva, "Morning you two. I understand Mrs. DiNozzo's first therapy session is today?"
"Yes," Ziva kissed Gibbs cheek, "I get to meet this Sarge Dr. Kenneth talked about. I hope he can help me get the strength back in my back."
Gibbs crouched by her wheelchair, "Ziva, your strength will return in time. Don't push it."
"It's no use, boss," Tony grabbed his car keys, "stubborn thy name is Ziva."
Ziva crinkled her nose at Tony.
"Let's take my truck," Gibbs said. "The chair will fit better in the back and I want to make sure Ziva doesn't overdo it." Gibbs placed his hand on her shoulder and Tony caught how worried he was for Ziva.
They went down and got into Gibb's truck, Tony lifted Ziva into the seat and practically screamed at her when she tried to get out of the truck on her own. He told her the doctor didn't want her putting weight on her legs right now. Ziva was just annoyed but did as Tony said.
Once inside the physical therapy area a large, burly man approached them and introduced himself as Sarge. Apparently, he'd been a Sergeant in the Army for fifteen years. His previous appointment ended early so he took Ziva right away. Tony and Gibbs sat nearby even though Sarge had told them to go get some food or something that family didn't normally like watching his sessions with patients. Tony and Gibbs declined and stayed right there with coffees in hand.
Ziva was wearing her black jogging pants, a loose fitting tank top, a dark purple lightweight jacket and her sneakers. Tony had tied them and she'd actually felt it when he pulled the shoelaces. Her hair was in a ponytail and she was ready to work. Sarge wheeled her a distance from Tony and Gibbs and parked her in front of a stool; where he sat.
"They aren't going to save you, Ziva," Sarge started. "I have had many a family member sit and wait here and want to interfere with my sessions and I have always kept them at bay. If you want to walk again - you will have to work for it like you have never worked for anything in your life. It will be the hardest thing you ever do."
Ziva looked at Sarge and wanted to laugh but realized he must not have read her file completely and had every intention of taking advantage of that fact. Maybe, if she pushed a little hard now she'd get on her feet sooner. It always worked for her in the past - push, push, push.
"I am not going to coddle you," Sarge continued. "If you want this I want to see the fire from you not a defeatist attitude. I promise we will be in this together-"
"Ok," Ziva interrupted. "That sounds great. What do you want me to do first? And what are the best exercises to strengthen my legs?"
Sarge was obviously surprised. "Um, Ok. I see you are raring to go. I hope you can keep up this attitude, Ziva. This won't be-"
"Aha," Ziva looked around. "What is first?"
"I am going to test your upper body strength," Sarge said. "Now don't worry when people first start their upper body strength is poor. We will develop that over time and it will help you move your lower body when we get to that point."
"When does that point usually get here?" Ziva asked as she followed Sarge to the test area.
"Depends on the patient, usually a few months," he answered.
"I want to be walking in a few months," Ziva said.
"Let's just take this one step at a time, ok?" Sarge grabbed a pair of hand grips shaped like a v. "Take these and when I tell you to squeeze, squeeze as hard as you can. The computer will tell me at what level we are starting you at."
"Ok," Ziva nodded as she adjusted the grips in her hands.
Sarge hit a few keys on the computer and then nodded to her. "Go ahead and squeeze as hard as you can."
Ziva took a moment then squeezed the grips until they were almost closed. The lights on the computer blinked rapidly and Sarge stared at her in awe.
"How did you? That is a higher score than even I get," he shook his head.
"I have had a lot of practice," Ziva smiled. "Can I try the balance bars?" She wheeled herself over to the two balance bars and grabbed the end.
Tony and Gibbs ran to her and Tony took hold of her waist, "No way, ninja!"
Gibbs turned to Sarge, "What the hell! You cannot let her start there. She isn't suppose to put any weight on her lower body. She's only a day out of the hospital!"
"A day?" Sarge blinked. "What is she doing here?"
"Didn't you read her file?" Tony put his hand on her shoulder and kept her in the chair.
Ziva pouted, "How am I going to get better if I cannot exercise?"
Sarge grabbed her file and came back to them, "I am sorry. Her medical details didn't come in until this morning and they weren't placed in her file. Still, this doesn't explain her upper body strength or-"
"She is a Federal agent. Highly skilled," Gibbs offered.
"And really stubborn," Tony added as he shook his head at Ziva.
"Ok guys," Sarge started. "I am really sorry. Let me have a talk with Ziva for a moment?"
Gibbs stood in front of Ziva protectively, obviously not wanting to budge. Ziva touched Gibbs' arm and said, "It was not his fault, Gibbs."
Gibbs turned back to her, "Don't drive us crazy, Ziver." He kissed her head and went with Tony back to their seats. Tony shot her a behave yourself look before he followed Gibbs.
"Ziva," Sarge sat in front of her with the file open. "I see the doctor wants me to take it easy on you so I am sorry we got our signals crossed. I spoke with Kenneth but he just wanted to make sure you were on my roster. He usually sends me the tougher cases of self pity. But it doesn't appear you have any of that."
"I am motivated to return to my normal life," Ziva stated.
"How about we start with; how did you get injured?" Sarge put the file down and looked at her.
"The details are classified but I fell from a balcony onto a car roof," she said matter-of-factly.
"Classified?" Sarge said. "Balcony fall...this is James Bond stuff isn't it?"
"Pretty much," she smiled.
"Ok, well," Sarge picked up the file again, "it appears I am just suppose to help you with upper body - which you don't seem to need much of - and start your transition from the chair to your feet..."
Ziva sat up straighter and grinned widely, "Yes?"
"Later," Sarge continued. "Your spine is still in the initial heal stage. I can do some stretches with you and you can work with arms weights if you like."
"That's it?" Ziva was beyond disappointed.
"That's it for now," Sarge smiled at her, "I have to say you are something. Aren't you afraid of the pain that comes with this? Or have you not felt it?"
"I have felt pain in many ways and it has never stopped me from doing what must be done," Ziva said.
"Ok," Sarge stood and went to get some weights. He turned back and shook his head.
Ziva knew he found her strange but she did not care. She wanted to get better and make sure her family knew she was whole. She worked with Sarge for about an hour doing arms weights and stretches. She asked if she could work a bit on the punching bag but Sarge thought that was too strenuous yet. Then Tony and Gibbs packed her up in Gibbs truck. On the way back to the apartment Gibbs got a call from her replacement, Bishop.
Ziva had not met Bishop and wondered what she looked like. She was probably some hot twenty-five year old that kept making google eyes at Tony across the bullpen. She listened to the call; at least Bishop spoke loudly - something I am sure Gibbs hated - because if she had to rely on Gibbs for information all she'd have were a few grunts and a hang up.
"So who is Theodore Hoffman?" Ziva asked.
Gibbs glanced at her and smiled. "New case."
Ziva turned to Tony.
"Don't look at me," Tony shrugged. "I've been with ninja for weeks."
"Former Navy Intel officer," Gibbs said. "That we believe is a serial killer."
"Is he in custody?" Ziva inquired.
"No," Gibbs narrowed his eyes, "he managed to wipe all photos, DNA and fingerprint files and all of his personnel records from the system. He is a ghost right now."
"What about the people that worked with him?" Ziva pushed.
"There were only three officers that had regular contact with him and they are all dead now." Gibbs told her.
"So he's a ghost," Tony said.
"He's a ghost," Gibbs confirmed. "Until we hunt him down."
"Need help?" Ziva smiled.
Author's note:
Thank you so very much for all the reviews; they really brightened this experience. Aliyah I hope you enjoyed the last few chapters! You were so absolutely wonderful with your reviews! I'd like to mention each and every review but I think that would take me several more chapters so please let me say that I can't express how much I adored reading them! Every single one from 'can't wait to read more! to the quoted lines from the story.. just adore you guys! Thank you for reading!