Ziva was tossing and turning all night, her nightmare almost real. She had been nightmare free last night, since she had told Tony about her previous one. He was the only person who could stop her nightmares.
Ziva shot up, gasping as her horrible dream startled her awake. She sat there, her breathing heavy. She bit her lip to keep from crying.
Quickly, Ziva grabbed her phone and dialed Tony's number. It was two a.m., but she had hopes he would answer. He had to. She couldn't work like this.
"Ziva," he answered groggily, "it's two in the morning."
"I know. I am sorry if I woke you..." She replied, now ashamed that she had been selfish enough to call. Her breathing was still rough, which Tony noticed.
"Zee, what's wrong?" He asked, nearly forcing himself awake.
"I cannot sleep." She confessed.
"Oh god. Don't tell me it's the nightmares."
"It is..."
"I'm coming over. Don't go anywhere!"
"Wait, you do not have a key."
"Ziva I know where you hide your key. I'll be over in a few." He confessed. Ziva could hear him getting dressed over the phone. She was lucky to have a partner like him.
Ziva hadn't noticed when Tony walked in. She sat there with tears in her eyes, expecting him to be a while longer.
"Zee, are you crying?" He asked, walking in and sitting down on the bed beside her. She looked at him. "You are..." Tony hugged her.
"Thanks for coming, Tony." She sniffled, not moving from his arms.
"My pleasure. I thought you were done worrying about Somalia, Zee?" He asked.
"I am. They are not about Somalia this time." She confessed. Here we go, she thought. He was shocked.
"Then what about?" Tony questioned, as thoughts started racing through his mind.
Ziva sat up and asked him if he knew what happened to Ari. He was wondering where she was going with this, but he said yes and elaborated.
Ziva shook her head, "They told you wrong. For good reasons."
"Then how did he..-" He almost asked, but upon looking at her face, he knew. "You killed him?"
She nodded.
"Oh God, Ziva. I'm so sorry. Is that what the dreams were about?" He asked. Becoming aware she was close to tears, he cupped her face in his hands and looked her in the eyes.
"No, but it's part of it." She looked him in the eyes, locking their gaze for just a moment. He noticed a saddened look in her soft brown eyes yet again. Against Tony's will, she broke from his grasp and grabbed her phone again. She dialed her voicemail, playing back a message her father had sent.
*I know you killed Ari. I know everything. I'm coming to DC this week to talk*
"Zee, he's just coming to talk," He said, again seeing despair in her eyes, "but you don't think so."
"In Mossad, traitors can be punished to whatever extent the director sees fit. Tony, he killed my mother. He would not hesitate kill me, too." She informed him, her eyes filling with water.
"No, Ziva. No...he can't. I won't let him touch you." He held her even tighter than before, and put his chin on top of her head.
"He's my father. How can you stop him?" She cried into his chest.
"I don't know how, I just know I will. Because... Because..." He stuttered, wondering weather or not he should finish. Ziva broke from his hug, again against his will.
