It took several minutes for Gibbs's words to hit Emily. She didn't know what to feel. To find out that the man she had just started dating. Had his heart-broken by another woman. A woman who was now dead and he didn't even know it.
"How long have you known?" Emily finally asked.
"When it looked like we were going to lose Tony. I tried calling her and that's when I got the news." Gibbs explained.
"What happened to her?" Emily asked.
"She was murdered." Gibbs replied angrily.
"No. Do they know who did it?" Emily asked.
"Not yet but the son of a bitch better hope he or she isn't caught by me or DiNozzo." Gibbs replied gruffly.
"How long has she been gone?" Emily asked.
"I happened exactly one week before Tony's surgery. Just after you guys met actually." Gibbs explained.
"Why didn't they contact you?" Emily asked.
"They tried too but she deleted all of her old numbers." Gibbs explained.
"I am glad you found out." Emily replied.
"I am too but telling DiNozzo is going to be one of the hardest things I've ever done. They were really close and he takes everything so hard. That's why I am glad he has you." Gibbs replied.
"I will be there for him." Emily replied.
"I know you will." Gibbs replied.
"Where is she buried? I am a teacher's assistant so I get the summer off. Tony can take some vacation days and we can go over there. I have a friend who is a missionary over there who I'd love to see and Tony can say a proper goodbye." Emily questioned.
"She isn't buried. They had her cremated and her friend who told me. Is sending me the ashes. That way we can scatter them. Where we want." Gibbs explained.
"That's nice and it may give Tony some closure." Emily replied.
"That's what I am hoping for and that's why I am going to leave it up to Tony to decide where to scatter them. He can invite the rest of us or not. Just as long as we all get to say our goodbyes." Gibbs explained.
"Are you sure he can handle that?" Emily asked.
"He won't be alone." Gibbs replied.
Tony walked down the stairs of Gibbs's house. With any luck Boss was still working in the basement. He was going crazy lying in bed. He had been in a coma for a week. Hadn't he rested enough? At least he was out of the hospital and able to go back to work the next day. Even if he had to ride a desk. At least until the end of the week. Of course what was good enough for the doctors was never good enough for Gibbs. He looked around the corner before slinking into the kitchen towards the fridge.
"Jackpot" Tony whispered as he slid the pizza box out.
"What do you think you are doing?" Gibbs asked.
"Uh getting pizza." Tony replied.
"Are you sure that's wise?" Gibbs asked.
"Come on I should be ready for solid food. My stomach's had enough time to recover!" Tony whined.
"Remember you've been fed by a tube for the past week. Yesterday was your first day on liquids. Give it more time." Gibbs replied.
"I can handle it." Tony replied.
"Well if you're sure." Gibbs smirked.
Gibbs knocked on the door of the bathroom. Tony had been holed up in there for almost an hour now. He had warned Tony to take it easy. Of course being Tony he wouldn't listen. The young Italian was almost as hard-headed as he was. At least Tony was losing weight. He wasn't badly out of shape but he had talked about dieting for a while. He figured there would be teasing back and forth with McGee because it took McGee a whole summer to do what Tony was seemingly doing over a couple of weeks. All joking aside he was prepared to rush his son back to the hospital.
"You alright in there DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked knocking on the door.
"You were right." Tony moaned.
"Can you repeat that?" Gibbs asked.
"You were right. Eating five slices of pizza was a bad idea." Tony moaned.
"Well thanks for admitting that." Gibbs replied.
"I'm dying." Tony moaned.
"Are you being dramatic or do I need to take you back to Bethesda?" Gibbs asked.
"I'm fine." Tony moaned.
"Good if you wanted to go back I would be calling 911." Gibbs replied.
"Ha ha" Tony laughed sarcastically.
The next morning Tony was seemingly feeling better and wanting to go to work. Gibbs knew that he had to tell him before they went to work. If Tony learned that Ziva was gone from somebody who assumed he knew. It could get ugly. He was relieved that Emily had offered to be present when he broke the news. He had called her and she agreed to come over right away. Tony was surprised to see her. When Gibbs sent him to answer the door.
"Boss, Emily is here." Tony said.
"Good to see you Emily." Gibbs replied.
"Hey Boss, why is she here?" Tony asked.
"Tony, we need to talk." Gibbs replied.
"What?" Tony asked.
"I got some very bad news while you were in the hospital." Gibbs replied.
"Are you sick?" Tony asked.
"No, it's about Ziva." Gibbs replied.
"What's wrong with her? Do I need to go to Israel?" Tony asked.
"No Tony, she she's dead." Gibbs replied.
"WHAT?!" Tony demanded.
"She's dead, Tony. I am so sorry." Gibbs replied.
"No... she can't be gone." Tony cracked.
"Tony I am so sorry." Emily replied.
"How did she know?" Tony asked.
"Gibbs told me last night." Emily replied.
"What?! Who else knows?!" Tony demanded.
"Everybody else." Gibbs replied.
"Why didn't you tell me?! Don't you think I deserved to know?!" Tony demanded.
"I found out the second day you were in a coma. She had been gone a week by then. They wanted to tell us but she had erased all her contacts from here." Gibbs explained.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" Tony demanded.
"You had been in a coma and then I didn't want that to be the news you woke up too." Gibbs replied.
"We were honest with you about Shannon and Kelly!" Tony yelled.
"Tony that almost killed me." Gibbs replied.
"Tony he was just trying to protect you." Emily pleaded.
"No! You know what?! You had the right idea Boss! I resign!" Tony yelled swinging the front door open.
"Tony please calm down. We made a mistake and we are sorry." Emily replied.
"I never want to see you again either!" Tony yelled slamming the door behind him.
A/N: I know it is mean to break Tony and Emily up after she was by his side through his appendectomy ordeal but I thought their relationship was too perfect too fast. Things will get better though. It will just take a while. Also while Tony's on his little sabbatical. He will get a huge surprise that turns his world upside down. Hint it involves Ziva's death and a secret she's been keeping. Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW.