“Ziva!” Maggie rushed to catch up with her. “Ziva,” she said again, touching her arm. Ziva turned to Maggie with tears streaming down her cheeks. “What’s wrong?”
“Noah is what’s wrong. I can’t stay away from him,” she explained.
“I thought you and he were…” Maggie began.
“We were,” Ziva confirmed.
“Did something happen?” Maggie said, wondering how Noah could have messed this up.
“Not really,” she said and sighed. “Okay,” she conceded. “I admit I was really into him. And the vampire thing didn’t bother me; it was kind of a turn on. But then I started becoming jealous – first the scene with Abby and then later even of his companions. I tried to pull away and it’s like I can’t! It’s like he has this hold on me,” she said, confused.
“Well, that’s because he does,” Maggie answered. “Ziva, a vampire is naturally attractive to the opposite sex. It’s part of their make-up. But, in the same way another attractive person can be, he can be resisted. But once you’ve ‘been with’ him, there is no way to break the hold. You literally will never be able to resist him,” Maggie shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry if he didn’t tell you that before he slept with you…” she began.
“No,” she interrupted. “I think he did. I just didn’t understand what he was saying.” Ziva grew silent, withdrawing into her own thoughts.
“You need to talk with him, Ziva,” Maggie suggested. “Make sure he understands how you’re feeling. If he knows you aren’t willing, I promise he won’t pursue you. He’s far too chivalrous to take someone against her will.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Ziva said. “And it’s not that I don’t want to be with him. It’s just that I don’t know how to control these jealous feelings that I’m having.”
“Talk to him about them,” Maggie insisted. “In his 600+ years of ‘life’, I’m sure you aren’t the only person with which he’s had to deal with this issue.”
“I’ll think about it, Maggie,” Ziva said, still unsure. “But I want to be the one to talk to him. Please respect my privacy.”
“Of course,” Maggie said with a smile. She gave Ziva a quick hug. “Sorry for intruding.”
“No,” Ziva protested, “you were a big help.”
“Get your butt in my office, DiNozzo,” Director Shepard barked into the phone. “I cut you some slack, but now it’s time for you to get your rear in gear. I need you,” she said plaintively.
“Okay, okay,” he answered quietly. “Give me time to shower and shave, then I’ll be in.”
“Make it snappy,” she added, hanging up the phone. She smiled to herself. Tony was an incredible agent, and would make a fantastic team leader. Now that Jethro was back and doing well, she had hoped to be able to convince him to take his own team. Now, with experiencing Kate’s loss again, she felt it was imperative that he make some changes. He had worked several undercover operations for her successfully. She only hoped she could convince him to get his head back in the game. She knew what it was like to feel responsible for lost love. At least he wouldn’t have to work with Kate everyday, imagining what could have been. She shook the thoughts from her head, and prepared to pitch her latest idea to Tony.
“So, what’s it gonna be,” he asked her, leaning into her personal space. His eyes moved up and down her body, his pupils dilating with desire.
“Tony, you don’t want this,” Maggie said with genuine concern.
“The heck I don’t,” he countered bitterly. “You have no idea what I want,” he said roughly, his eyes giving her no room to doubt his intentions.
“Well, I certainly don’t want to hook up with you,” Maggie said, taking a step back from him.
“Of course you do,” Tony said, taking a step to close the gap she had just put between them. “How could you not?” he said mocking himself. He ran his fingers down her arm suggestively.
“Tony,” Maggie said sweetly, “please…”
“Please, what?” he said, leering. “Because I could…”
“Please don’t make me hurt you,” she interrupted, shaking her head. “Tony, I know you’re hurting right now and you think…”
“You don’t know anything!” he said before turning away from her and walking down the hallway. Maggie’s eyes reflected the sadness and concern she felt for him.
“I thought I was going to have to intervene for a minute there,” Gibbs said, joining Maggie from where he had watched the scene.
“I can handle myself,” she replied. “I just feel so badly for him.”
“Don’t,” he said. “Grief and hurt – no matter how bad – are never a license to treat a woman the way he was treating you.”
She met his eyes, her expression speaking volumes. “I’ve been treated badly before.” She paused before continuing. “I realize Tony doesn’t have any excuses, but he does have a lot of pain right now. If he had pressed the issue, he would have regretted doing so.”
“I’m sure,” Gibbs muttered, uncomfortably. Maggie left him to his thoughts and made her way back to her desk.
“Take a seat, DiNozzo,” Director Shepard said, motioning to the chair directly across from her desk. They sat in silence for a moment before she continued. “Tony, I’m not even going to pretend to know what you are going through right now. I don’t know anything about your relationship with Kate, and even less about the grief you are now experiencing. What I do know is that I need you here, and in top condition. Frankly, I don’t care what it takes to get you there.” She paused, giving him a hard look. “I want you to tell me what you need.”
Tony laughed, his eyes showing his confusion and grief. “What do I need?” he repeated. “Now there’s the question of the hour. I don’t know. If I knew of something that you could do that would make me ‘me’ again, I would tell you, Jenny.”
“I appreciate your candor, Tony,” she smiled at him. “Less than a year ago, when Jethro returned to NCIS, I offered you a team of your own. You declined, mostly because you were concerned over Gibbs’ mental health at the time. Now it is obvious that he is back, and in full control of this team.” She paused, meeting his eyes. “To be honest, Tony, I have a position that I desperately need you to fill. But you are clearly not in a healthy place right now, and I am hesitant to recommend you.”
“Well don’t let me put you out, Director,” Tony said sarcastically.
“Tony,” she interrupted him. “You know how much I respect you, and how much confidence I place in your abilities. Respect me enough to see things from my perspective.”
“I’m sorry, Jenny,” he said, hanging his head a bit. “I just don’t know how I am ever going to get back to where I once was.”
“You never will, Tony,” she said with a smile. “You’ll be a better, stronger Tony because of the things you have experienced. But please don’t let this turn you into a bitter, cynical Tony. I would hate to see you lose that easy camaraderie you have with your fellow team members, your good humor, or your flirtatious spirit – those things are part of what make you one of the best people I’ve ever had the good fortune of working with.”
“Thanks, Jenny,” he said softly. “I appreciate that.”
“Thank me by listening to my advice, and for getting back to work,” she said with upraised brows.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said as he headed for the door.
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