Ziva sat fuming at her desk in the office. Even if they were on call this weekend, nothing had happened so far and she was enjoying the time it gave her until about 1 hour ago McGee has called her and told her that Gibbs has ordered them to come to the office. Suspecting they have had a case she was annoyed by what McGee was telling her, when she entered the bullpen. Of course it was DiNozzo again. This little annoying, stupid pig was the reason they sat here and that Gibbs was who knows where and pampering his Senior Field Agent. Ziva snorted. She could not understand at all that Gibbs would care for DiNozzo. He was childish, annoying, immature, stupid. He was nothing like her. She was Mossad. Highly trained, professional. How Gibbs could ever hire him or even promote him to be a senior agent was beyond her imagination. He was always in trouble caused by his own screw ups. He could only be the reason for pain and death. Nothing good would ever result of this little worthless peace of shit. How he could ever blend all the others within NCIS she could never understand. Could they not see what he really was?
Her plan was so simple. Should have worked so easily. She was more then shocked, when Gibbs was choosing him over her in Tel Aviv. He was the cause that she has had to stay behind, what happened to her in Somalia. He was for god’s sake the first reason at all they have had to fly to Israel after he killed Michael. Why could Gibbs not see, that it all was Tony’s fault? That she was so much better then him? Who was she kidding? Gibbs did not even see it, when Tony caused the death of Jenny in LA, why should he see it in Tel Aviv? She has had to try her best to get rid of DiNozzo before he was responsible for another death. Maybe even the death of the only person she ever loved. Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Gibbs was only blended by Tony’s charm. And if he was unable to see it by himself she has to handle the things on her own.
It was so difficult to be trusted by Gibbs again after he has found out, that she was ordered to kill Ari and was not doing it to protect him, to do the right thing. That she has always plaid for Mossad and not for NCIS. That she supported again another Mossad Agent gone rouge with Michael. It was more an inspiration to play the card of father figure this one afternoon in his basement, but at the end it did the trick. She was back, was now a full NCIS agent. Back in the team, played them all once again in doing like the conflict with Tony was solved. She was playing the good little girl and agent, did all, Gibbs and the others were expecting from her. But nothing helped. Tony was still his favourite. And it was even more annoying, that this stupid excuse of a man did not even recognize it.
Oh yeah she knew exactly why Gibbs was by Tony today. The little slut has been getting exactly what he deserved Friday night. And he was a slut. Nothing more, nothing less. Did he not brag all the time about the women he was sleeping with?! If this will not destroy Tony and he will talk to Gibbs about what happened she was sure Jethro would be so disgusted about what he will see on the DVD her business partner has left in the apartment and about the lies of Tony that it was not consensual, that he will fire him latest then. This time her plan was so perfect that it will result in no other outcome then to get rid of Tony. And if Tony did not show Gibbs the DVD and was not in turmoil of what happened to him, she will show Gibbs for sure the video. She just has to sit back and wait. Play her cards in the right way and everything will end up as it’s supposed to be. She only has to play along a little bit more. Play the concerned teammate, who was in love with Tony, caring for him, until she will be able to stab him in the back and make him break totally.
Let the games begin. Ziva stood up and walked to McGee’s desk. “Tim? Should we not have heard something from Gibbs or Ducky by now?” startled McGee was looking up from his computer in the concerned eyes of Ziva. “I … I am not sure Ziva. I think you might be right. Do you think we should call Gibbs?” “I don’t know. He really did not say anything else to you as to call Ducky to meet him there and to call me to meet you in the office?” Tim shook his head. “I don’t know. Something does not feel right. I really have a pinky feeling McGee.” A small smile was gracing Tim’s face. “What?” asked Ziva. “Hinky! You mean you really have a hinky feeling not pinky. Pinky means small or if you mean pinkish it is more something like a colour. Pink, you know!” “Pinky, hinky what ever!” answered Ziva annoyed. Did McGee have to start now to sound like DiNozzo? “You know what I mean. I think you should call Gibbs.” “Me?” Tim squeaked. “Why me? Why don’t you call him?” Ziva smiled smugly. “Did you forget? Since I am back I am only a probationary agent. And you are a junior agent. Chain of command! If someone should call Gibbs it should be you.” Ah it was so simple to manipulate McGee. He was really believing, that she complimented him in calling him junior field agent and herself probationary. She could really see how he was lightening up with it.
Tim squared his shoulders grabbed the receiver of his telephone and pressed speed dial one. It was ringing once, twice … The longer it took for Gibbs to pick up the more uncomfortable Tim got. Damn! Ziva has played him. Gibbs would have called if something was wrong. He would not be happy that he was calling him. And now since it was already ringing he could not drop the call again. Bracing himself for the expected bark of his boss and from which he knew, was inevitable, he shot a dark look at Ziva who was just smiling innocently at him.
“Gibbs!” Tim winced as he heard the voice of his boss. “Hey boss, McGee here!” “I know it is you McGee!” “Ähm.. yes … of course you know…” Tim heard a deep sigh on the other end of the line. He was imaging the look of Gibbs as he pressed his nose with his thump and index finger at the same time. “What do you want, McGee?” answered Gibbs calm. “Ähm, we just wanted to know if everything is ok. Since you called me we did not hear anything again and well, we were getting quiet worried.” Tim’s heart was beating faster and he winced by his own words. Gibbs was not interested in the feelings of others, saw it as a sign of weakness in the same way as if someone apologized and here he was and spilling his gut to his boss. He hated Ziva!
“Everything is ok, Tim! I am sorry, I forgot to call you. Ziva and you can go home. I will see you tomorrow.” Answered Gibbs and dropped the call.
Tim was stunned. He heard the long tuuuut in the line, but he was unable to move. He was clutching the receiver of the phone tight, causing his knuckles to turn white and the plastic to crack lightly under his vice grip. Gibbs has called him Tim? And he said he was sorry? Was this really his boss he has been talking to? Tim was blinking his eyes. His gut was starting to chum. Something which not happened often, but from what he knew never meant something good. Tony and Gibbs had told him so often about a gut feeling. When he has met them all this years ago he never could believe in something like this. He has had never experienced it before. But in working with both of them over the years, he learned more and more that it was a real bad sign and even experienced it by himself. He even started after some time to trust it. But Gibbs has had said, that everything was ok. Didn’t he?
At the end his boss was also only a human, so why was it bothering him that he was behaving once like a normal human being? >Because it is not Gibbs’ way to behave like that!< a voice sounding like Tony was niggling in his mind. He remembered the last time Gibbs was nice and he did not like it. It was after Kate’s death. No! If Tony was dead, then he would not sit here and still clutching his phone. He would be by now at his apartment and shoot and sketch. This was just leaving the option that Tony was not all right as Gibbs tried to convince him on the phone. But it could not be something serious or again he would be there by now….
“MCGEE!” Tim jerked his eyes startled to Ziva, who was standing in front of him and seemed to have been trying to get a response since some time now. If he interpreted the look right she was giving him?! “And?” Ziva asked. Tim dropped the receiver back on his phone. Pressed the button to shut down his computer and answered. “Nothing! Gibbs said everything is ok and we should go home. He said he will see us tomorrow.” “That’s it?” Ziva asked again annoyed and Tim’s gut was starting to chum again, when he heard the tone of her voice. He stood up, took his gear and his coat and said. “That’s it.” Repeating her own words. Something was holding him back to say more. He was not sure what or why. He just knew he should not say anything else. He passed Ziva and headed to the elevator, determined to leave as fast as possible. Or better to get out of her hair. He pressed the button to call the cabin and was relieved that the doors opened immediately. The hair at his neck was rising and he felt goose bumps all over his body. A chill was running down his spine. He felt the eyes of Ziva bore in his neck….
As the doors of the elevator closed behind him, he let out a shaking breath he did not even recognize he was holding and turned around facing the doors. That was hinky. No not hinky. That was creepy. Creepy with a big C. What ever this was, it was not good. Tim hoped he was just stressed. It would not wonder him, after 8 weeks of cases without any break, but somehow not really believing in it…
TBC
Author's Chapter Notes:
See summary/chapter 1
Several spoilers for season 1-7
Several spoilers for season 1-7
Chapter End Notes:
And here we go. The next chapter.
You might wonder about the content of this chapter, but let me explain it a little bit: I don't like Ziva! For me Kate was the one and only. The way the writers picture Ziva on TV is nothing else than arrogant. Somehow sad because the character has much more potential. Isn't it? Even the way the authors of the series are concentrating on Ziva in season 7 and the way they paint the character of Tony were not making me really happy so far. Making me to include my frustration about it in my fiction. Don't get me wrong I am and always will be the biggest fan of NCIS: Nothing can stop this, but I am greatful that I have the opportunity with my fictions to spin another wheel of the story. :-)
@Lady Harold: Thank you so much again. Hope I don't repeat myself to often about how nice it is to see your review. I am touched that you want to cheer me up because of the e-mail debacle. It works! :-) It shows me that there are really existing sane readers in this forum who understand how important it is for an author to get fair feedback. Even better of course if it is positiv. I cannot agree with you that your English is bad. Just the opposite. Looking forward to hear from you again.
@everybody: Of course I would be more happy to see more comments of other people. But even if not, I will continue with the story and end it as planned. Please enyoj and if you feel like you cannot resist and post a comment during any time of the story please feel free to do so. As mentioned before I am even open for critisicm it should just be fair!
You might wonder about the content of this chapter, but let me explain it a little bit: I don't like Ziva! For me Kate was the one and only. The way the writers picture Ziva on TV is nothing else than arrogant. Somehow sad because the character has much more potential. Isn't it? Even the way the authors of the series are concentrating on Ziva in season 7 and the way they paint the character of Tony were not making me really happy so far. Making me to include my frustration about it in my fiction. Don't get me wrong I am and always will be the biggest fan of NCIS: Nothing can stop this, but I am greatful that I have the opportunity with my fictions to spin another wheel of the story. :-)
@Lady Harold: Thank you so much again. Hope I don't repeat myself to often about how nice it is to see your review. I am touched that you want to cheer me up because of the e-mail debacle. It works! :-) It shows me that there are really existing sane readers in this forum who understand how important it is for an author to get fair feedback. Even better of course if it is positiv. I cannot agree with you that your English is bad. Just the opposite. Looking forward to hear from you again.
@everybody: Of course I would be more happy to see more comments of other people. But even if not, I will continue with the story and end it as planned. Please enyoj and if you feel like you cannot resist and post a comment during any time of the story please feel free to do so. As mentioned before I am even open for critisicm it should just be fair!