Chapter fifteen.
Sleeping with Tony was like being wrapped in a blanket, warm and comforting. His warm, naked skin felt so smooth against his own. Gibbs couldn’t stop running his hands up and down his back, revelling in the feeling of silky skin and hard muscles. A tousled Tony blinked sleepily as he lifted his head to meet his lover’s eyes.
“Hey…” Tony’s voice was sleep drugged and husky. He cleared his throat, “How’s your leg?”
“My leg’s just fine,” Gibbs replied, drawing Tony in for a kiss. He loved the way Tony just melted into him, and the way his strong hands held him close. Moaning lightly, Tony rubbed against his body, eager for more skin on skin contact.
A shrill sound lifted the lusty fog from Tony’s mind as the doorbell rang.
“Shit,” he cursed, jumping out of bed, flinging the covers aside. He pulled on a pair of sweats and grabbed a t-shirt. He was still half hard, but prayed their visitor wouldn’t notice. Why, why did people feel the need to stop by at oh-seven-goddamn-hours?
He ran a hand through his hair before tearing the door open. “Abby, dontcha have something better...” and stopped, dead in his tracks. The woman at his doorstep was not Abby, as he’d expected, but Ziva.
“Oh, hi…sorry,” he muttered, trying to remember whether he’d closed the door to the den.
Ziva looked him up and down a bit before declaring, “I need to speak to Gibbs, it’s important.” She whisked by him and was on her way upstairs when she noticed the open den door.
“Now,” Tony complained, “I’m getting kinda tired of bossy ladies trying to get into my house at the crack of dawn.”
Ziva just cocked an eyebrow and proceeded to walk into the den.
“Hey, wait a minute, Ziva, let me just check and see if he’s up.” Tony brushed past her to find Gibbs shrugging into his robe.
*****
Not wanting to wait any further, Ziva followed him ignoring the glare Tony shot her. She’d never been here before, and her eyes subconsciously scanned her environment, taking the room in. It wasn’t that large, and a bed probably put there before Gibbs returned from the hospital took up much of the space. She knew McGee had helped Tony get the house in order, and she’d felt a little left out at the time.
Shaking it off, she looked at Gibbs, who was still struggling to get his robe on properly.
“Here, let me,” Tony offered, moving to the far side of the bed to help him.
“Thanks,” Gibbs replied, casting a glance at Tony, who looked back at him, green eyes sparkling. Something in them flashed, and then it was shut away. Ziva frowned, but was interrupted in her chain of thoughts by Gibbs, who stood facing her.
“Let’s move this to the living room,” he ordered. Casting one last glance at the bed, Ziva left the den, preceding the two men into the other room. Tony disappeared into the kitchen and returned a couple of minutes later with a tray filled with glasses, a jug of juice and some rolls.
Tony filled two glasses and handed one to Gibbs before offering the other to Ziva. She accepted, wanting to have something to hold on to. This conversation was not going to be easy. She studied Tony as he pottered about the room, finding a blanket for Gibbs then moving to turn up the heat. Handing him a roll and urging him to eat something before tossing a pill bottle in his lap.
She could see why Gibbs would want Tony there. She’d seen this caring side of Tony before, but not quite like this. There was this bond between the two men that she could very well see Shepard being jealous of.
“Why are you here, Ziva?” Gibbs asked, looking at her curiously. Tony had pulled up a chair, sitting between her and Gibbs.
“I’ve obtained information you may use if Shepard doesn’t get off your case. What I’m about to tell you must not leave this room.”
“What kind of information?” Tony asked, leaning forward, studying her closely.
“When you were stationed in France, Gibbs, with Shepard, she was involved in an operation that brought her to the attention of the Mossad,” Ziva began. “You were trying to take down a man called Michel LeCourt, an Algerian born French national. Do you remember this man?”
“Yes, I do,” Gibbs replied, “he was thought to be linked to El Haziri, the head of a terrorist cell responsible for hijacking an Israeli passenger plane in -95. We lost track of LeCourt in Nice, when I was arrested. Shepard had to complete the mission on her own.”
“You traveled to the South of France in order to neutralize him, yes?
“We did. I was detained by the French police, who had received an anonymous tip linking me to a series of brutal murders in and around Nice, but Shepard slipped away. Neutralizing LeCourt was considered quite a feat for her, it put her on the fast track for promotion, she got the attention of the powers that be, so to speak.”
“The Mossad were also operating in the south of France at that time,” Ziva continued. “We had a double agent named Yitzhak Cohen, who had been infiltrating the terrorist cell you mentioned, called the Light of Allah. He had gained the trust of El Haziri, who could in turn provide us with vital information regarding other terrorist cells operating around the Mediterranean.”
She paused, looking at Gibbs before she went on.
“Shepard was the one behind the anonymous tip off to the French police. She had learned that Michel LeCourt was meeting a contact that evening at St. Pierre, a village outside Nice. I believe she wanted to make this hit on her own, to further her career. She’s always been ambitious and ruthless, but I didn’t think she was capable of deceiving a team member. She planted enough evidence to keep them interested enough to need to check you out of the case, but not enough to for them to hold you for any period of time.”
Tony couldn’t listen anymore. He got up and started pacing the room swearing under his breath.
“Sit down, Tony. I can’t think with you stomping around the room like this.”
“Fuck, Jethro! That bitch tried to put you away!” Fury radiated off Tony as he circled the room.
“Please…” Tony glanced at Gibbs, and there it was again. Things being said without a word uttered.
Tony sank into his chair, looking rather deflated.
Ziva continued.
“Michel LeCourt was Yitzhak Cohen, the Mossad agent infiltrating the Light of Allah. He was meeting with another Mossad operative, to brief him on the latest intelligence gathered concerning an attack planned in Spain, to strike the railroad line leading into Madrid.”
“Fucking hell!” Tony exclaimed.
“That night Shepard killed them both, probably thinking she took out two potential terrorists.”
“Why do you say ‘probably’ ?” Gibbs asked.
“I’m afraid I can’t get into that,” Ziva apologized.
“She covered her tracks pretty well, and the Mossad weren’t able to solve the assassinations until a couple of years later. By then, Shepard was on the fast track, working her way up in NCIS. It was decided to wait, to see if she could become useful at a later stage. Shepard is, as far as we know, not aware of the fact that the targets in Nice were Mossad operatives.”
“Why are you doing this, Ziva?”
“She’s letting her personal life govern her priorities. That’s not acceptable. There’s just too much at stake. We need to keep our focus on the job at hand. I will not be used as a pawn in her personal vendetta against you, Gibbs.”
“Hey!” Tony said indignantly, looking rather annoyed.
“And you, Tony,” she smiled.
“I don’t know what to say, Ziva. It’s a bit much to take in. We need to discuss this, and decide what to do. Much depends on Shepard. I won’t expose her unless she causes further harm.”
“Why the hell not?” Tony’s fury was rising again.
“She’s not without power on her own, Tony. She could do considerable damage to both of us, even outside NCIS.”
“What if I don’t care about that, Jethro? I want to live my life as I see fit, not …”
“Tony,” Gibbs warned, getting his attention. “This is not a conversation for now.”
They looked at each other for a long moment, before Tony relented. “Yeah, you’re right.” He walked off, leaving Ziva and Gibbs alone.
“Thank you, Ziva, for doing this. I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”
“You’ve helped me more than once, Gibbs, I’m just glad to return the favor.” She got up and kissed his cheek, before leaving. Tony was in the den, straightening the bed and tidying up a bit.
“You ok?” she asked.
“I’ll be fine,” he assured her. “Just need to cool off a bit, that’s all.”
They said their goodbyes and Ziva left to go into the office. It was Friday and she planned to spend the weekend at home. Maybe she could cook dinner for Gibbs and the rest of the team tomorrow. She would have to check with Abby, see if any plans had been made.
At four she was headed out of the office, wanting to get a head start on her shopping. Abby was coming over later, they were going to decide what to make for dinner tomorrow night. She’d never cooked with Abby before; the experience could prove to be interesting. She headed over to the nearest mall, needing to get some wine and snacks, making it a proper girls’ in.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Ziva reveals the information learned in her secret file to Gibbs and Tony.
Chapter End Notes:
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I'd also like to thank everybody who's reading my story, thank you so much, you make this so much fun!