NCIS ~ I Will Love You Thru Everything

chapterrr 34 °

Gibbs entered Abby's lab. She was huddled over the screen, typing at breakneck speed. She jumped when he got over to her. "You find something, Abs?" he asked. Abby hesitated. "I've been going over alot of the evidence. The note from Ziva's apartment, this snapshot from the pile of photos of them in the parking garage, and now..I found.."she trailed off. She would not tell Gibbs this unless it was relevant to the case, and this time it was. She still hated doing it, thought. Abby took a deep breath. "I found Tony's DNA on Ziva's shirt. And the initial swabs from the clothing in her apartment have his skin cells on it." she said in a rush. Gibbs didn't say anything for a moment. "What kind of DNA, Abby? Are we talking basic skin cells, or are we talking..real dna from some playtime they had together?" Abby re-consulted the tests. "No, nothing like that. There was no sexual residue whatsoever. But Gibbs..the amount of skin cells on Ziva's clothes, and the clothes we took for comparison at her apartment, is too much just to be normal." she looked reluctant to admit the next part. "Gibbs, the two of them are somehow tied to this case, and I think..I think they're seeing each other, Gibbs." Gibbs closed his eyes for a moment. Of course he had noticed the little flirtatiousness going on between them, it had been impossible to miss. But for them to actually be dating..He stood, torn. "Are you absolutely positive on this, Abs?" he asked softly. Abby bit her lip, then nodded. Gibbs took a moment to decide his next action, then headed out of the lab. It was time to pay Miss David a visit.

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Ziva was finally able to sit up and move her stomach without it hurting immensely. She'd been in the hospital for only two week, but she healed quickly. Only two more weeks, and the doctors would release her. Her phone buzzed, and she picked it up expecting it to be Tony. It was from Abby. It simply read, 'Sorry'. Ziva frowned in confusion. Sorry for what? She noticed the curtain moving and set her phone aside as Gibbs walked into the room. Her face lit up in pleasure. Gibbs had only been by a few other times, but they were to question her about the house and events, and to discuss the cuts. She hoped this time he was here for a more pleasant time. "Hello, Gibbs." she greeted him. Gibbs smiled slightly and slid into a chair. "Hey Ziver, how ya feeling?" he gestured to her upright position in the bed. "Looks like you're getting there." Ziva looked happy. They made small talk for a few moments, then all of a sudden, Gibbs leaned forward. His eyes were on his fingers as he held them up while he talked. "We've found some new evidence. And its relevant to Abby, it's relevant to you, and its relevant to Tony." Gibbs hadn't meant to play games with her about this, but the look that crossed Ziva's face when Tony's name was mentioned was unmistakeable. She immediately schooled her features, but it was too late. She knew Gibbs had noticed. Gibbs tapped his fingers together. "How long?" he asked, his voice low. Ziva didn't look at him. Her heart was racing, and she had never been so apprehensive. She honestly had no idea how he would react. After all, she and Tony had been lying to him and sneaking around for almost two months. She bit her lip in indecision, then admitted that it had been almost two months. Gibbs let out a long, drawn out breath. His expression betrayed a million emotions at once. Disappointment, anger, curiousity, disbelief - the worst being the distance that entered his gaze. "David, you know work relationships don't work. They're unprofessional and distracting. Not to mention, against the team rules." Ziva was crushed. That he was using her last name was already a sign that he was distancing himself. "I am sorry, Gibbs." she whispered. Gibbs flushed with anger and sorrow. "Sorry for what, David? For going behind my back? For lying, not once or twice, but over and over? For not trusting me, and not coming to me? You've broken rules before and I was the first person you came to." Ziva's face was filled with sadness. "Yes, sorry for all those things, and more." Gibbs heart softened when he saw how upset she was. "I don't think you and Tony are a good idea," he said softly. Ziva's eyes filled with tears that didn't fall. Tears because everyone truly did disapprove. Abby did, obviously, or she would not have voiced her suspicions. Her father did, because he thought Ziva was only good for some object of a toy for a man. Now,  Gibbs, the man she admired the most, was telling her that the man she loved and wanted to be with, was not a good idea. Tears because she wanted, more than anything, to be with Tony.

Gibbs leaned back. "I'm going to leave you alone for a little bit," he tols her. There was no anger in his voice anymore, only regret. "I will have to change something, Ziva. Either you or Tony will probably be transferred, once I discuss this with Director Shephard."

Finally, Ziva's tears fell. She turned her head away from Gibbs and began to cry into the pillow. No amount of pain inflicted on her by a human could compare to the pain she felt at the thought of not being with Tony forever.

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Later that night around 9 p.m, Gibbs finally stopped driving aimlessly around. He drove to Dinozzio's apartment and knocked. Tony let him in with a bewildered expression. Gibbs never did things like this. Gibbs strode to his living room but stopped still on his way. On Tony's table was the photo Tony had ordered for Ziva's birthday. It was beautifully framed, and the photo itself was stunning. Gibbs studied the photo, all his anger evaporating. He looked closely at Ziva's face in the photo. Her eyes were bright and her smile was happy...happier than he'd seen her in a long, long time. And Tony's eyes were looking at her. His gaze was deeper than usual. His arms were wrapped around her, and they fit perfectly together.

Tony cleared his throat. "Boss, I--" Gibbs cut him off. "I know, Tony. I talked to Ziva earlier." Tony's expression was confused. Gibbs explained about the skin residue found all over alot of her clothes. Tony blushed. "Boss, we've never..I mean, we've kissed but never.." he stumbled on his words awkwardly. "we've never done it." he finished lamely. Gibbs looked at him. "Well, good, Dinozzio. I'd have to smack you." Tony looked up, momentarily stunned. "You're not pissed?" he asked. Gibbs sighed. "You lied to me, Tony. More than once, too. You broke a team rule. Of course I was pissed." he admitted. Tony made sure he had heard correctly. "You were pissed, as in the past? Not now?"

Gibbs picked up the frame and looked at it again. "I was angry, with both of you right up until the moment I saw this photo. Looking at this...I realize your job shouldn't be your life. Your happiness is so much more important. And this photo brings back some things I haven't seen in a long, long time." he said. Looking Tony in the eye, Gibbs said, "I haven't seen a smile like this on your face since before Kate died." And for the first time since her death, neither of the men winced at the mention of Kate's name. Gibbs went on. "And the look in Ziva's eyes? She's had a hard life, and I don't think I've ever seen her this happy." Gibbs set the photo back down on the table. "Maybe I was wrong, kid..and..I'm sorry, too." he admitted. Tony was in shock, really. "We can both stay on the team then?" he asked, hope in his voice. Gibbs hesitated. "I need time to think on all this, Tony. But I..I'm not upset with you. Thats the most important thing." He hadn't removed his coat, so he headed back towards Tony's door. Tony watched him exit the apartment. He stood and stared dumbly at the door for a few minutes after Gibbs left. Suddenly, he grabbed his keys and the framed photo and ran towards the car. He needed to tell Ziva!

Thanks for reading! ;) Comment please if you liked it ;D were you guys ok with how it played out, with Gibbs and everything?