NCIS Short Stories

There Part 1

It was too late. She should have been at home and not there. But he was at home. She didn't want to go back to that, not yet anyway. She looked down at herself. He got a bit carried away She thought looking at all the newly formed bruises. She knew her lip was busted and she could feel the black eye forming. She should just leave. Got to the gym until work. Say that a spare got out of hand. She was about ready to go when he opened the door.  

"Ziva?" He asked standing in his boxers and shirt. "Holy shit what happened to you?" He said guiding her inside.

"Nothing." She said mentally kicking herself. She had gotten so used to saying that about all her bruises.

"Oh really? Your face says otherwise." Tony said getting his first aid kit from the kitchen.

"It... It was my fault... I got home late..."

"Zi, calm down. Tell me what happened." Tony said sitting on the couch next to her. He started to put cool packs onto her bruised arms.

"I got home later than normal. When I do not get home on time he... He startes to drink..." She said with tears.

"Wait, did Ray do this to you?" Tony asked taken aback.

"Yes Tony, but I was my fault." She said shaking her head. She could not the believe that those words were coming out of her mouth.

"How the hell was this your fault? Why didn't you fight back?" Tony asked angry and confused. He couldn't believe that she would just let this happen, that Ray did this. It all started to make sense now. All the bruises all the broken ribs. Everything. This had been going on for a while.

"No. I can not fight back. I am stronger than him. I could kill him." Ziva said as if it was the most simple thing in the world.

"He could kill you!" Tony yelled.

"No, I would not let that happen." She said crossing her arms only to hiss in pain.

Tony shook his head and started to clean the cut on her lip while she held an ice pack to her eye.

"Alright. You're taking the bed."

"Thank you Tony. But I will take the couch." Ziva said quietly.

"Nonsense," he said waving his hand as he got up. Ziva flinched. "Zi, did you... Did you think I was gonna hit you."

"No. No of couse not." She said looking down. What was wrong with her.

Tony kneeled down to her eye level. "Ziva David, look at me." She slowly looked up with tears in her eyes. "I will never hurt you. I will never hit you. I will never put myself before you. I will do nothing to you that Ray did. I love you more than that."

"He will find me." She sobbed.

"No. Because you are with me now. Got it? I love you and I won't let anything happen to you."

"Alright." She said calming her tears. She laughed a little. "I will take the bed."

"There ya go. There's that million dollar laugh. Come on." Tony said smiling holding out his hand. She stared at it then took it. He got her settled in his bed then went to the living room.

He got about an hour worth of sleep until he felt someone watching him. He rolled over on the couch to see Ziva staring at him with tears running down her face.

"Zi?"

"I had a nightmare. He found me here in your bed and killed you infront of me." She said with tears from where she stood.

"Well that's just not gonna happen." He said standing up.

"Tony..." She started to cry.

"Alright, alright. Let's get you back to bed." He said standing up and guiding her to the bedroom. "We have to be up in like, five hours."

He laid her down on the bed and next to her. For a few minutes she laid stiff in the bed until she sighed and turned to face him. "Why do you love me?"

"What?"

"Tony, I know you heard me."

"Well, you are the definition of beautiful, you are funny, strong, a fighter. Really I love everything about you. The good the bad and the ugly of you. And trust me, I don't see any ugly." He said staring at the ceiling.

She stared at him for a minute then sighed. "You are funny. You take care of me even when I do not want you too. You are handsome. You are always there for me. And no matter how broken I am, you can always find a way to fix me."

"What was all that?" He asked turning to meet her eye.

"The reasons why I love you." She said simply. She scouted over to him and rested her head on his chest. He wrapped on arm around her waist. "I will not go back to him. Do not let me. No matter what he or I say. I do not want him near me."

"That can be arraigned. But what about your stuff? He moved in with you. How do we get around that?"

"I will move and get my things when he is away at work." Ziva said into his chest.

"Alright. Later we can go and get your stuff. Then you can move in here."

"No, Tony, that is okay-"

"Where else you gonna stay? At Gibbs? With McGee in the nerd cave?" He laughed.

"Perhaps Abby has a spare coffin." Ziva laughed. "Alright. He leaves tomorrow for a mission. Then?"

"Yup. Then work the next day." He kissed her head. "Now get some sleep. Got a lot of stuff todo tomorrow. Gotta rearrange this whole apartment."