"Don't you think that is enough, Ziva?" Sarge said as he watched Ziva do her two hundredth pull up. "I am normally fighting with my clients to push harder with you it is slow down. Now I know what Tony and Gibbs meant," he stated as he glanced over at Gibbs in one of the side chairs.

It had been eight days since she found out about Hoffman killing EJ and likely being one of his targets. Ziva could have gone into Langley, separated herself from Tony and the team to protect them but if she had she was sure to lose her marriage. That was one thing she would never risk unless there was no other choice. She would die to protect Tony, any of them. But she'd come to understand in these months that Tony's feelings were just as strong, just as powerful. She promised never to exclude him and even though it pained her to know he could be in the line of fire she had to keep her promise.

To the outside world and anyone looking it would appear that they were all just carrying on with their normal lives. But things were far from normal; clothing taken to the cleaners was secreted away by friends, burn phones were used to make arrangements, small, subtle movements made to vanish.

Tony had contacted an old friend from a burn phone and used the internet in a neighbor's apartment in order to secure a location. In a few days time she and Tony and most of the team would be relocating to a farm in Virginia. Tony's old boarding school friend had inherited a farm from his grandparents that he knew had sat empty for the last six months. Tony asked if he could rent it for a year, Ziva thought a year was excessive but she let Tony make the call. Vance called in a favor from a consulting firm and wrote them a check. The firm outfitted the farm with computers and equipment for Abby. They wouldn't just be hiding, they'd be investigating too. They were set to leave in a few days with an elaborate plan to ensure they were not followed. Ziva wanted to get as much from Sarge as she could so she could replicate the exercises on her own.

"I have always been determined," Ziva said through a huff.

"Well I don't want you to hurt yourself," Sarge said. "Let's call it a day."

Reluctantly, Ziva nodded and allowed Sarge to help her down from the bar and back into her chair. She glanced at Gibbs, who'd taken to driving her to therapy, and saw his disapproving stare.

"Sarge," Ziva started, "I get the basics, arm strength, stretches and leg pressure. But, which exercises are best for my lower back?"

"Your nerves are healing but not completely alive yet. They are making new connections and synapses that will restore proper communication down your spine," Sarge explained. "In cases such as yours the time varies but you have indeed made a lot of progress. However, the only thing that will get you truly walking again is for those nerves to repair themselves completely. So there isn't one exercise that will speed that along. You will know when it is time to start walking when we are on the balance bar and you can feel your back doing its job."

"I see," Ziva nodded. "So until that time all I can do is keep strong and wait?"

"Pretty much," Sarge nodded. "But when you do feel your back able to support you we can definitely strengthen it with therapy. Though, I will say, knowing you that will not take long."

"Thank you, Sarge, for everything," Ziva smiled and shook his hand. "I'll see you next time."

Sarge nodded and Gibbs came over, "Stubborn kid," Gibbs said.

Ziva shrugged and they gathered her things and went out to Gibb's truck. Gibbs lifted her into the passenger seat and put her chair in the back.

"I saw you on the burner," Ziva said as Gibbs closed his door.

"Yeah," Gibbs nodded. "Figured your therapy place would be a safe bet to stay unobserved. No cameras in there. Vance says the place is ready, we should be moving in a few days."

"Abby came over last night," Ziva commented. "She seems excited."

"She is; she gets new lab toys in a new setting but I think she is mostly excited about getting McGee away from Delilah."

Ziva turned her head towards Gibbs and her eyes widened, "You are gossiping?"

"I have four kids and they are all in love with each other. So a father has to do what a father has to do," Gibbs stated. "At least you and Tony wised up."

Ziva stared then laughed as he pulled out of the parking and headed up the block. "Tony told me the place has a workshop stocked with tools."

"Oh?" Gibbs adjusted in his seat. "I haven't really taken a look at the place."

"Yeah," Ziva said with amusement, "And there is a lake nearby-"

Before Ziva could finish her thought a black sedan rammed into the truck sending them crashing into some parked cars on Ziva's side. The crunch of metal on metal reverberating in her ears. Ziva blinked and saw that Gibbs had hit his head as blood ran down from his left temple. She looked out onto the street and saw people backup away from them as a lone man stepped out of the black sedan and extended a gun towards Gibbs.

Ziva knew her gun was with the wheelchair so she scrambled to get Gibbs' gun out of his holster. When she looked up she saw the man wore a black hoodie and black pants, his face was obscured, what was that? A clear mask? She couldn't make out his features but she saw his eyes, bright blue. He approached them and took aim directly at Gibbs.

Ziva pulled Gibbs gun, aimed and fired just as the man took one more step forward. She missed his heart and the bullet grazed his right hand forcing him to drop his own gun and went into his shoulder. He stood there almost unfazed and stared at her, tilting his head he extended his other hand to her as if he was gesturing for her to come with him.

Damnit! She couldn't get out of the car on her own, she couldn't physically arrest him. "Get the cops," she yelled at a bystander.

"Step back from the gun!" she screamed louder as she continued to point the gun. "Put your hands over your head!"

"It's safe!" The man yelled, "You can come with me." He took a step closer to the car, one hand bloody at his side the other extended towards her.

Where were the damn cops, "Stay where you are!" Ziva ordered.

The man yanked Gibbs' door open, "I can destroy him for you."

Ziva shot the man in the chest twice as he moved to lay hands on Gibbs and pulled Gibbs' head into her lap. The man stumbled backwards but soon straightened as if he had not been shot. It was clear he was wearing a vest but even with a vest he should have been affected significantly by the force of the bullet. Yet, he stood his ground. Stunned, Ziva moved her hands up slightly and aimed for his head but he somehow perceived this motion and grabbed a man that had come closer to move the gun on the ground away.

The hooded man held the bystander in front of him blocking Ziva's shot. He retreated back to his sedan and paused before entering to lift his arm in order to show her a tattoo on his left wrist; she could not see it clearly. He then pushed the bystander aside and entered his car. Ziva wanted to shoot at his tires but was afraid to hit one of the surrounding crowd. The black sedan sped off and out of sight.

Ziva looked down at Gibbs' bloodied head but saw that he was breathing and even moaned. She touched his head gingerly and saw that the gash wasn't overly deep and the bleeding was already clotting.

She then fumbled for her phone as she heard the sirens in the distance. Pulling it out of her jacket pocket she called Tony. "Something has happened."