NCIS: Best Shots

Chapter Twenty-One: What About Love?

I've been lonely

I've been waiting for you

I'm pretending and that's all I can do

The love I'm sending

Ain't making it through to your heart

The newest member of Team Gibbs sighed in frustration and slammed her hands on her desk. Her co-workers Tony DiNozzo and Tim McGee jumped and sent startled glances in Ziva David's direction. Only Leroy Jethro Gibbs himself looked unalarmed as he asked "What is it, Ziva?" after taking a sip of coffee.

"Nothing, Gibbs," she replied, even though she felt swamped by loneliness. Not only was she the only girl on the team—not counting Abby—the agent she loved wasn't taking the bait. She'd been waiting for him for years, and all she could do was pretend they were just co-workers.

You've been hiding—never letting it show

Always trying to keep it under control

You got it down and you're well

On your way to the top

But there's something that you forgot

To make things worse, Ziva knew she and Tony were hiding their feelings from each other and never letting them show in case the fearless leader found out they were probably breaking Rule #12. Sure, there were times they'd briefly lose control in their game of cat-and-mouse, but otherwise Tony had it down, and the senior field agent was close to being team leader. Still, the new probie couldn't help feeling there was something the Italian field agent forgot.

What about love

Don't you want someone to care about you

What about love

Don't let it slip away

What about love

I only want to share it with you

You might need it some day

I can't tell you what you're feeling inside

And I can't sell you what you don't want to buy

Something's missing you got to

Look back on your life

You know something here just ain't right

Inspiration struck her as she thought of a way to attract Tony's attention so she could talk to him alone. Smiling slightly, she typed out an email message to DiNozzo: I have to talk to you. Meet me over by that corner in the stairwell. Ziva.

Before hitting "Send", there was one other thing she had to take care of. Carefully, she formed a paper ball, took aim, and fired. It landed on Tony's desk, and then bounced off. The field agent's head shot up and he looked questionably at the probationary agent. Ziva mouthed "Check your email," after she hit "Send."

Still leaving DiNozzo looking confused, she rose and headed to the corner staircase, where she was hidden from the others' view. After a few heartbeats, she heard his familiar footsteps coming towards her, and then he came into sight. He asked in concern, "What is it, Ziva?"

She could feel tears welling up but managed to hold them back. Ziva managed to say, "Don't you want someone to care about you?"

"Huh?" After a moment, his expression cleared and grew wistful. Ziva just knew he was thinking about Jeanne, so she snapped, "And I don't mean Jeanne, either."

"Then who do you mean, Ziva?"

The former Mossad liaison officer sighed. "Tony, I can't tell you what you're feeling inside, and I can't sell you what you don't want to buy, but something is missing."

He still looked perplexed, so she continued, "You got to look back on your life. Something here just isn't right, Tony!"

Too late, she realized her voice had risen on the last sentence and every agent in the place was looking at them curiously.

The two agents just stared back defiantly until the others returned to their business. Once Ziva was sure they were being totally ignored, she returned her attention to DiNozzo, whose perplexed expression was beginning to clear as what she was implying dawned on him. "Oh, you don't mean—"

"Yes, I do." Ziva sighed, "Maybe I should explain."

Which translates to: "Maybe I should sing part of a song." Now all she had to do was remember the lyrics. Since it was an old song, she racked her brain trying to bring the elusive memory forth. As the lyrics suddenly popped into her head, she sang quietly:

"What about love

Don't you want someone to care about you

What about love

Don't let it slip away

What about love

I only want to share it with you"

Tony swallowed nervously and took a pace away from her. "I do, too, Ziva, but—" He broke off. "Gibbs wants to see me. I'd better go."

Quickly, he backed away and hurried off, leaving Ziva staring helplessly after him.

What about love

Don't you want someone to care about you

What about love

Don't let it slip away

What about love

I only want to share it with you

Love oh oh

What about love

Love

Ooh what about love

Love love love

What about what about love

What about love