Warnings: Spoilers for Season 7. Ziva is not so nice, kind of crazy, maybe OOC.

A/N Here is more. I hope you find the confrontation between Tony and Ziva satisfying. I have a feeling the team isn't done with her yet, but she won't be back around for a long time after this. Please let me know what you think! Thank you for all your support. You make writing this fun!

Pax- I wouldn't say I despise Ziva, but I certainly did not like the direction that Shane Brennan took the character in. She had way more layers when DB was show runner and we saw a much softer Ziva at times in those early seasons. Her attack on Tony turned me off to TIVA. I had shipped it previously until that moment when she assaulted him. Never understood how some can see that as an act of love.

DiNozzoDame- Ziva is easy to write as nasty lol. Yes, Tony is going to get to speak to her before she leaves for Israel. Right now I have no plans for her to be back in the immediate future, but I think she'll pop up again later down the road.

Guest- Glad you found the story and that you are enjoying it! Tony and Natalie are great for each other (I'm biased of course lol). And they'll have to find some way around rule 12 or just convince Gibbs that they love one another.

Guest- Thank you! I'm glad that you like Natalie :)

Tony was pacing autopsy while Ducky examined Natalie like a predator hunting his prey. Natalie, for lack of a better term, was a white hot mess. Ziva attacking her had rattled her normal cool composure. Which made Tony even more furious with his former partner.

Ducky kept patting her hand while he looked over her knee, reassuring her that it was alright now. "Mister Palmer, will you go to the gym and get a knee brace, please? Tell them that an agent was injured on the job and has a contusion."

Jimmy looked sheepishly at Tony before darting out of the room. Tony stopped his pacing and crossed his arms over his chest. "How long should she be off her feet, Ducky?"

"Few days at least until the swelling goes down," Ducky replied, he smiled at Natalie and pat her unbruised cheek. "You are lucky to have just a bum knee."

"So I've been told," Natalie whimpered, closing her eyes tightly. Her whole body ached from being thrown around and hit numerous times.

Tony swallowed the angry bile in his throat. Since finding Ziva on top of Natalie, clawing at her like a rabid dog, he was a ball of rage himself. Probably a bit more controlled rage than Ziva, but still... when she got back from the ER he was going to leave nothing between them. "You should be proud of her, Ducky... she outsmarted the ninja..."

Ducky looked up, puzzled. "Oh?" he asked, pressing an icepack to Natalie's swollen cheek.

"Broke Ziva's nose," Tony offered, "by ducking."

"It wasn't my intention to break her nose," Natalie argued, eyes popping open, filling with tears again. "Ducking her blow was a natural instinct. I can't help it that the wall was right there."

"Well... lucky for you it was there my dear," Ducky surmised. "Or Ziva might have done more damage to you."

Natalie winced, rolling her shoulder, exposing the marks of Ziva's hands that had tried to strangle her. She was very much aware that the wall had slowed down Ziva's attack. And she was grateful for it. "Ducky, can I go home?"

Ducky shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see why not. But I suggest that you have Anthony or Timothy drive you. I gave you a pretty powerful painkiller."

Tony promised the medical examiner that he would make sure Natalie got home that night, and that he was going to stay with her. Ziva was a loose cannon, there was nothing to suggest that she wouldn't come after his partner again, at her home. And if she dared to try something that stupid, Tony was going to be there to protect Natalie. Maybe add a black eye to Ziva's broken nose even if he didn't believe it was ever okay to hit a woman.

McGee popped into the room then, looking flustered. "Gibbs wants us to interrogate McKnight." He blinked rapidly when Natalie turned to look at him and he saw the bruises on her face and neck. "Whoa... what the hell happened to you?"

"Ziva," Tony answered for Natalie.

"And Natalie's still standing? Impressive. Where's Ziva now?" McGee inquired.

"Gibbs took her to the ER. Natalie broke her nose."

"I did not break her nose! It was the wall!"

Tony chuckled, crossed the space between them and planted a soft kiss on her forehead before exiting the room with McGee. His confrontation with Ziva was going to have to wait until later... for now Natalie was safe, and he intended to keep it that way.

"Abs, I need you to pull up some security footage for me," Gibbs said, entering the lab with a Caf-Pow.

"Sure," she said, looking confused. "Do you have a time and place?"

"Staff lounge, little after nine-teen hundred hours."

"Wow. Specific. Something go down?"

Gibbs didn't saw a word, he just gestured towards the computer. Abby took the hint and got to work. In no time she had the footage he was looking for. At first she was confused as to why they were watching Tony and Natalie chat in the staff lounge... is Gibbs really using me to see if they're breaking Rule 12? But then, Tony walked away and Natalie was about to leave when Ziva slid into her path.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Ziva went to make some coffee, Natalie stayed behind to talk to her... but then something in Ziva's body posture changed and Abby knew what was going to happen next even before the Israeli went off on the agent on the video. It was obvious that Natalie didn't want the fight, trying to get out of the room before getting seriously hurt... but Ziva was relentless, going after her again and again... until Tony tore her away from his partner and stood between them.

"Stop the tape," Gibbs snapped. Abby did so. "Make a copy of this to give to Vance."

"Gibbs... what... I have never seen her that mad," Abby said, quietly. "She could have... she could have killed Natalie."

"Think that was her intention, Abs," Gibbs replied, coldly.

Abby bit down on her lower lip. Tim and Tony had been right... Ziva was out of control and she had totally misjudged Natalie. "What are you going to do?"

Gibbs snarled a response, "Going to make it very clear to her that she isn't to lay one more finger on my team." With that he stalked out of the lab. Balboa was probably on his way back to NCIS now, trying his best to handle Ziva. Gibbs was going to make sure that he was waiting for them when she returned.

"McKnight's a racist son of a bitch, boss," Tony reported, cracking his knuckles. "Natalie's instincts were spot on. He lawyered up before we got a confession. But MP's found a forty-five caliber pistol in his barracks. Abby is testing it for blood. Shot that close there had to be splatter."

"Tell me, Agent Gibbs, what is going to happen to this marine?" Malachi asked, sounding weary. No one in that bullpen blamed him. He was dealing with an out of control, jealous Ziva, as well as trying to find the killer of his countryman. "Director David is going to want an update when I speak to him next."

Gibbs pursed his lips and looked, sternly, at Malachi. "McKnight will be charged with murder. We have his weapon in custody, his prints on the body... plenty of evidence to get him. He'll serve his time here, in the States. This wasn't an act of terrorism so... I don't think he will be shipped back to Israel. What did you tell him about Ziva?"

Malachi sighed and glanced at Natalie's empty desk. He knew that Ziva was out of control, that the only reason she wanted to come on this training mission with Benjamin had been because she was hoping to speak to Tony. It was where she had been the night their friend had been murdered... staking out the senior field agent's apartment. More like stalking... "Ziva has every right to be angry for the way her life has turned out... no one can deny what she went through in that camp was horrible... but it does not condone the fact that she attacked Agent Callahan. Which... I hope she is okay?"

Tony set his jaw. "Her knee is swollen, cuts and bruises. Ziva took the brunt of it, surprisingly."

"Sometimes Ziva is so blinded by rage that she cannot focus on the fight," Malachi admitted. "Lucky for Agent Callahan this was one of those times."

"You realize that she has to go back to Israel, don't you?" Tony inquired. After I give her a piece of my mind of course.

Malachi was very much aware that Ziva needed to go home... before she ended up killing someone on Agent Gibbs' team. "Officer Hadar is on a flight as we speak to collect her."

Gibbs chuckled, coldly. "Good luck with that."

Tony clenched his fists at his sides. It was quite possible that Ziva was going to be led out of NCIS in handcuffs. She certainly wasn't going to go willingly. "What did you do with her for now?"

"She's cooling off in an interrogation room," Gibbs replied, "Balboa is with her."

"Just Balboa?"

"Two agents outside... just in case."

"Boss?" McGee called down from outside of MTAC. "Vance needs you and Makachi up here. Director David wants a conference."

Tony watched as the team leader and Israeli strode quickly up to MTAC. He was glad he didn't have to be a part of that... because he really had a few, nasty things to say to Eli David. So instead of following Gibbs, Tony spun about on his heel and headed for the interrogation room that Balboa was sitting in with Ziva. Poor guy, he probably shouldn't have to deal with her all on his own. Of course, Balboa was a great agent and could handle himself, Tony concluded as he reached his destination. He nodded a greeting at the two agents and asked to go inside. They shrugged and stepped aside to allow him access.

Bracing himself, emotionally, Tony pulled the door open and stepped into the room. Balboa was playing a game on his cell phone, smartly sitting as far away from Ziva as he possibly could. Ziva herself was seated at the table, her nose bandaged. Neither of them acknowledged his presence, until he slammed the door shut. Immediately both pairs of eyes were on him.

He didn't wait for them to say anything. Tony stepped towards Balboa and asked, "Mind if I have a word... privately with Ms. David?"

Aware of the complicated history between the former partners, Balboa stood, eying the Mossad officer carefully. "Sure. If she tries anything just scream... we'll be waiting outside." He left the room without another word, closing the door behind him.

Ziva stood, her shoulders still stiff with anger. "Finally. You have come to tell them this is ridiculous. Baby-sitting me..."

"You still think you did nothing wrong, don't you?" Tony snapped, glaring at her. "You attacked a federal agent."

"She provoked me."

"Didn't they teach you any self-control in Mossad?"

Ziva set her jaw. "Why are you defending her? She stole my place! She thinks she's better than me at my job! And she is certainly delusional if she thinks that you do not love me anymore! I know you do, Tony! You would not have risked your job for me if you did not!"

Tony scoffed and almost laughed. "Wow... Malachi said you had some issues upon returning from that camp... I didn't think they were this bad. Natalie didn't steal your place... Gibbs picked her to fill the spot you left when you refused to come back to D.C to work with me. And today... she was better at her job than you. She found out who killed Benjamin before you did. Also, she isn't deluded into thinking that I don't love you anymore... because I don't... I told her so. I was an idiot to risk my job back than for you because you didn't feel the same about me."

"Do not feed into her lies, Tony! She is spewing hateful things about me!"

"No, Ziva, she's spewing the truth! You're out of control! You have been since hooking up with Rivkin!"

"You killed him out of jealousy!"

"I killed him to save my worthless ass... remember?" Tony shot back at her, fuming.

Ziva bit back her insults and bitter tears. "So you'd rather be with her than me."

Tony nodded his head, slowly. "Yes," he said. "I would. I've never had to question where he loyalty lays, I know she has my back. I know that she wouldn't assault me with a loaded weapon while I was injured. I know that she cares about me."

She glared at him, as her world shattered even more. Coming here... he was supposed to be the one to pick up all the broken pieces... not make things worse. "It will never last," she hissed, vehemently.

He shrugged. "It will last longer than you or I would have. What we had wasn't love, Ziva. I'm sorry if you thought it was. But... we would have destroyed one another... it would have been a violent relationship. I was abused by my father my whole childhood... don't you think I deserve to be with a woman who isn't going to belittle me or abuse me?"

"I never would have hurt you, Tony! How can you say that? How can you possible love her?" Ziva cried, near hysterics.

"You know what? I don't know why I bothered," Tony snapped, turning about to leave. "You're impossible to get through too. Have a nice flight home!"

"You'll be sorry!" Ziva shouted at his back.

Tony paused and with his fists clenched tightly, he turned to face her. "Are you threatening me?" he growled, low in his throat. "Because, unlike my partner, you try to start something with me, David, I won't hesitate."

Ziva squared her shoulders. "You'll be sorry one day when you realize what we could have had. When you wake up next to her and realize that it was never real."

"Sorry, Ziva," Tony tossed out, with a wave of his hand. "There was never any us."

"Please, Tony," she begged, tears running down her cheeks, "Don't just walk away!"

"I have to, Ziva," he responded, coldly.

She moved across the room towards him, pulling on his shirt and trying to pull him down to kiss her, but Tony pushed back, setting her down in the chair. He swallowed, angrily. "Officer Hadar is on his way to pick you up."

Ziva's lip trembled. Tony was going to walk away from her. He was going to leave her to deal with all of this on her own... and for what? Some woman that claimed she loved him? "Tony..."

"Tony is on his way to take his partner home," Gibbs threw out, interrupting them.

"Boss?"

"Get out of here, DiNozzo."

"Yes, boss."

Gibbs waited until the door had slammed shut before he glared at Ziva. "I just got done talking to your father. We're in agreement that you need out of Mossad... that you need help. Don't bother contacting me, or my team until your head is on straight."

Ziva thew him a look through her tears. "So you are going to abandon me too? Just like my father did in that desert?"

Sighing, Gibbs shook his head. "I'm sorry you feel that we're abandoning you, Ziva. I can't make any excuses why you father left you in that camp for so long... but I can tell you my reasoning behind my decision... I need to protect my team... Tony, Tim, Natalie... you lay one more finger on any of them and I'll make sure you rot in GITMO for something."

He stormed out of the room to find that Tony was leaning against the wall, waiting for him. One silent look between the two agents told Gibbs all he needed to know... that they were on the same page where it concerned Ziva... that they were all better off if she were out of the picture.

But there was something else in Tony's eyes. Gibbs couldn't quite put his foot on it, but he knew that it had to do with the SFA's feelings for Natalie. It was hard not to hear the conversation between Tony and Ziva... and he had been turning a blind eye to what was happening between Tony and Natalie for weeks now. He flashed back to the disastrous relationship between himself and Jenny... was Tony on that same path with Natalie?

"I, ah, should probably get Natalie home," Tony said, breaking the silence. He turned to go.

"DiNozzo?"

"Yeah, boss?"

"Don't be me. Don't hide from it like I did."

Tony turned slightly to glance at Gibbs. Was he... was he giving Tony permission to break rule 12? "Boss?"

Gibbs just gave him a small smile. "Make sure, Callahan gets home safely!" he called as he disappeared down the hallway, leaving Tony standing there to ponder what had just happened.

"Ah, Anthony, here to pick up your charge for evening," Ducky said with a smile.

"Yeah. Is she sleeping?" Tony asked, spying Natalie's prone form laying on an autopsy table.

Ducky nodded. "Yes, poor thing was already spent... the painkillers just helped her along. I put a few more in her bag to bring back to her apartment. If her knee starts to hurt again make sure that she takes them... since I am assuming you are going to stay the night with her."

Tony licked his lips and nodded. "Yeah. I'm still not entirely convinced she's safe from Ziva," he said, moving across autopsy. He gently placed a hand on his partner's shoulder and shook her awake. "Hey. Wake up, sleepy head."

Natalie blinked open grey eyes and she gave him a small grin. "Have you come to take me home?"

"Yeah," he said, helping her sit up. "Luna's going to be worried about you."

"I don't think cats really worry... they aren't like dogs," Natalie replied as Tony slipped her into her coat. "My jaw hurts. Why does my jaw hurt?"

"Don't you remember getting into the fight with Ziva?"

"Fight? I got into a fight with Ziva?"

Ducky chuckled from his desks. "Seems the painkillers have fogged her memory."

Tony arched his eyebrows and gave a little shake of his head. "Maybe that's a good thing."

"Perhaps, Anthony."

"Hey... can we get something to eat?"

"How about I make you something?"

Natalie looked at him, puzzled. "You can cook? The take-out King?"

Tony laughed and helped her to her feet, supporting her against him. He grabbed both their bags and wished Ducky a good night. As they were making their way towards he elevator, Ducky stopped him by saying something to him. Tony missed what he said, but turned slightly to ask the good doctor to repeat it.

Ducky smiled, warmly at him, "I hope, dear boy," he said, "that you do not wait too long to tell her."

"Too long to tell her what?" Tony quipped, anxiously. First Gibbs and now Ducky? Was he that transparent?

"That you have feelings for her, Anthony," Ducky replied, seriously. "Don't be like Gibbs. He waited too long to tell Jenny and now she is gone. Do not let a painful history repeat itself."