Lie Again

The Aftermath

Tony's heart lodged itself in his throat as he watched Ziva slam into the hood of a gray compact car.

"Ziva!"

The car reversed, tires squealing. The petty officer they'd been chasing hopped in the passenger side, and then the car sped away.

Tony fired off a few rounds in the car's direction, but his focus was on his collapsed partner.

"Ziva. Ziva!"

He dropped to his knees next to her. Kate's last moments flashed before his mind's eye.

Not again.

He carefully rolled Ziva onto her back.

She immediately cringed, but at least she was able to do something, right?

"Are you okay?" He was vaguely aware of another car halting nearby, but his eyes were all for her.

"I... I think so..." Still wincing, she let Tony help her sit up. She rubbed the back of her head.

"You got hit pretty hard. The guy hardly even slowed down."

"When do they ever."

Footsteps hurried towards them.

Tony turned just in time to see Gibbs and McGee running over.

"What happened?" McGee asked, somehow not noticing the black tire streaks on the road.

"The petty officer's get-away driver decided to stop the chase by plowing into Ziva," Tony said, now more than a little ticked off.

"Ouch." McGee scrunched up his face at the thought.

***

"You okay, Ziver?" Gibbs muttered, crouching next to her.

Honestly, everything was a little blurry, and she wanted the ground to stop rolling like waves.

She shrugged. "I have been better."

"I'll bet." Gibbs was looking at her with worry in his eyes, an expression she was all too familiar with.

"I can take you to the ER," Tony volunteered.

"No, I am fine."

"Are you sure?"

She started to nod but it sent a splitting pain through her head. Maybe the ER wasn't the worst idea...

"Come on." Gibbs and Tony lifted her to her feet, and the world seemed to spin around her.

"But the petty officer-" Ziva bent over at the sudden pain in her midsection. It really shouldn't have been a surprise, since that's where the car hit her first. She let out a little groan before she could stop herself.

"DiNozzo, you drive her over."

Ziva raised her head enough to see how far away they had left the car. There was no way she was going to walk that far.

"Sure thing, Boss. McGasp, you wanna drive that car over here?"

"Of course."

Relief spiralled through her like whiskey as Tony tossed McGee the car keys.

"Update me," Gibbs ordered Tony after the car pulled up.

She didn't hear Tony's response, but she knew what it would be. Tony always obeyed Gibbs, to a fault.

"And Ziver?"

She looked up, swallowing back pain.

"If the nurses tell you to take it easy, I don't want to see you at work tomorrow." His eyes narrowed slightly, but she knew it was only because he cared so much. "I'll know."