The supermarket was fairly empty when Ziva wheeled in. She supposed this was what it was like before everyone got out of work. She looked around for a basket when she spotted the motorized version for the handicap.
Really, it was very difficult for Ziva to think of herself as handicap but she had to remember it was temporary and she might as well use what tools she needed to get her through this time. So she went over to one of the motorized baskets and lifted the arm so she could slide over. One of the customer service kids jogged over to her and asked if she needed help. She told him she could handle moving over to the other seat and he told her he'd take her wheelchair and stow it behind the customer service counter. It was a nice ride and he didn't want anyone to take a joyride on it.
Ziva smiled and slide over to the other seat and started playing with the controls. She had to laugh to herself as she wondered how tight a turn the thing could make. Then the kid returned and told her he'd accompany her around the market and get the items on the higher shelves for her and given her situation she thanked him. He also asked if she was going to use delivery - which Ziva did not know was an option and they went and filled out all the paperwork to set up a delivery account. This eased her mind regarding getting the purchases home.
She and Jake, the grocery store kid, went around the market collecting all she'd need for dinner, and she picked up baking supplies as well and various cheeses. She thought she might try a homemade pizza and surprise Tony.
"Here!" McGee yelled as she heard Tony's shoes slide on the tile floor.
"There you are," Tony rushed to her looking haggard and disheveled. He turned to Jake and said, "Who are you?"
"Jake," Jake replied cheerily. "I was just helping Mrs. DiNozzo with her shopping.
"Oh," Tony nodded. "Thanks, Jake but I can take over now."
"Kay, no problem." Jake nodded to Ziva. "See you soon, Mrs. DiNozzo."
"Thank you, Jake," Ziva said before her eyes went to Tony's. "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be at work."
"You left the house!" Tony's voice was strained. He crouched down by her chair, "You have to warn a guy before you do these things, Ziva."
McGee crouched down on the other side of her chair and touched Ziva's arm, "You have to warn a McGee too!"
"You guys are insane," Ziva shook her head. "I am perfectly fine; I told you so on the phone!"
Tony's face crunched up in frustration as McGee took Ziva's hand, "Ziva," started McGee. "You are supposed to be taking it easy and resting. Tony...Tony is going to have a heart attack if you keep running off to parts unknown."
Ziva smiled at McGee and touched his face, "Only Tony?"
"Well, maybe a McGee too," Tim smiled back.
"Guys, I am at the supermarket not the heart of Syria," Ziva took hold of both their hands, "You gotta let me do something otherwise I might lose my mind and someone could die."
McGee's cell rang and he swiped it on, "Hey, boss. Yeah, she's fine but I think Tony looks a bit pale. Aha. Ok. Ziva, Gibbs wants to know if you want him to have a stroke?"
Ziva turned to McGee with wide eyes and looked at the cell in his hands, "Guilt? Really? You, Gibbs?"
McGee hit speaker and Gibbs said, "You force me to use what I can, Ziver."
"Stop it," Ziva scowled. "All of you," she said directly into McGee's cell.
"I'm heading back, boss," McGee told Gibbs.
"I'm not," said Tony.
"Ok, let me know, DiNozzo," said Gibbs before he hung up.
McGee kissed Ziva's cheek and whispered, "Behave or I really am going to implant a sub dermal restraining device."
Once McGee left Tony stopped Ziva from moving her motorized supermarket basket and looked into her eyes, "You scare me," he simply said.
"Tony-"
"Something could happen to you; even in just these few blocks," Tony's eyes reflected the worry he felt. "Sweetheart, you are not there yet. You are not well enough to wonder out on your own."
"Tony," Ziva said softly, "people in wheelchairs do it all the time. I have an advantage on them because I still have my arm strength and-"
"They also took the time to learn from the professionals before they went rolling around town," Tony's voice hardened. "You have not. You are hell bent on being independent and forcing your body to do what you want it to do before it is ready. Ziva, you are going to do more damage in the long run if you keep this up!"
"But Tony-"
"No buts," Tony's stern expression kept Ziva still, "If you want to do something like this then you do it with me or one of us not alone!"
"I do not need to be sat on like a baby," Ziva challenged.
"Yes you do," Tony stated firmly. "I don't care that you took out a top ten most wanted. I care that you walk straight in a few months. I care that you don't fall and hurt yourself doing something risky. And right now risky for you is crossing the street."
"Tony, I think..." Ziva looked at him and nodded. "Very well," she said knowing that Tony's overreaction was more a byproduct of what happened to put her in this chair. It was for all of them, Gibbs, McGee, all of them. And she really hadn't recognized it until this very moment. Ziva knew she could handle a lot; she had already and had found a way to take that pain and put it in a box and lock it away. She knew how not to dwell.
But Tony and the others were not like her. They were suffering the trauma and being overprotective seemed to be the way Tony...hell all of them were coping. She could give them that; for now.
"Good," Tony stood and nodded. "Then let's pay for this stuff and cart it home."
"You know they have delivery here," Ziva informed. "Very convenient."
"What you get?" Tony peered into the basket.
"A lot of things," she smiled before moving the contraption. "This thing has no horsepower. It would be faster to crawl."
"Ziva," Tony shook his head.
"Well, it would!" Ziva stopped and grabbed a box of spaghetti. "Did you invite everyone over tonight?"
"No," Tony answered. "I think tonight I want you to myself. They can come over another night."
"But I have all this stuff," Ziva commented.
"And it will keep in the fridge; come on lets go home," Tony walked her to checkout, paid for the stuff and lifted her from the supermarket's chair to her own wheelchair. Tony, however, did use their delivery service as he was itching to get Ziva home.
When they got home, Tony poured him and Ziva a glass of wine, though hers was very small - he didn't want it reacting with her meds - and he told her about finding a slim lead on Hoffman. They think Hoffman may have taken an alias from the Navy killed in action files but there were a lot of names to sort through before he could really call it a lead. The delivery came fairly quick and they put away the food together. As they finished the last box of cereal placement; Tony picked up his wine glass and spilled a bit on Ziva's shoulder - on purpose.
She looked up at him and saw those eyes as he came and kissed the wine away then suggest they bathe together.
A short while later; the jetted tub was full and steaming and Tony lowered Ziva down into the water before taking a seat behind her. They both leaned back and enjoyed the bubbles as Tony turned on the jets.
"I love you," he whispered into her ear.
"I know," she said. "And I love you, too."
"I can't let anything happen to you, Ziva," Tony held her tightly. "I have you back but I know what kind of world we live in. I know there are monsters around every corner."
"Tony, we fight those monsters. And we have fought them together for a long time," Ziva said. "But I know what this is; I know what I put you through and I am sorry that I had to hurt you."
"I wasn't sure I could make it without you," Tony's voice cracked. "Every day I had to get out of that bed; the bed we shared, the bed that held so many sweet memories, and put one foot in front of the other and exist not knowing if you were hurt. Not knowing if you were in danger; not knowing if you needed me."
"I always needed you," tears glistened in her eyes as she turned to Tony, "I just had to protect-"
"No you didn't," Tony snapped. "You didn't have to protect me from anything except losing you!" The emotion coursed through him as he pulled her even closer, "You are mine." Tony took a breath, "I am angry and scared because you tried to take away my life. You are my life."
"You are right, you are right," she cried. "But I was scared too; I had made the choice. And I just...I just did not want you to die." Ziva swallowed hard then looked up into his eyes, "You are the reason my life had any real joy, you are the reason I fought to live. And I do not just mean this last year."
Tony brushed his fingers over her cheek, "We are messed up aren't we?"
"Oh, yes," Ziva responded. "But we're getting better."
Author's note: Special thanks to Mrs. DiNozzo-I wish! For the comment on the gang coming over for dinner too often. It inspired a portion of this chapter!