Far Away

Time and Space

"I have to go," he said suddenly, and then he was gone before she could get out another word.

He didn't even say goodbye.

Ziva stopped walking, and glared at the man next to her. "Stop following me, Rivkin, or you will not live to see another day."

He raised his hands in surrender. "I gave you my terms. If you would agree to them, I would not have to keep following you."

"You are only going to get yourself killed." She set off again, walking faster than before.

He still kept pace. "Please. Help me with this mission, and your father and I will both be able to leave you alone."

"No." She jerked to a stop, and he took another few steps before realizing.

He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You do not understand what it is like. He will never leave me alone. There is always another mission. If I give in this time, I will never be able to say no again."

"You have already cost him days. Is that not punishment enough? If you drag your feet any longer, Ziva, lives will be lost."

She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away. "Then I suggest you find a way to save them."

"I am trying, but you are making it very difficult."

She rolled her eyes and tried to walk past him, but he caught her arm.

"Please, Ziva. Just this once."

"I will not-"

"If you help me, I will personally see to it that your father leaves you alone." There was something in his eyes that begged her. Something sad, something desperate and wild.

A groan caught in her throat. "I..."

"All you have to say is yes."

She bit her lip, feeling herself slipping over to the edge. She was struggling to hang onto what she wanted. 

"Ziva-"

"Fine." She pressed her lips together, already furious with herself for giving in.

"Thank you," he breathed, looking like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "You will not regret this."

She already was.

"You read the file, right?"

"A week ago."

"I can refresh-"

"That will be unnecessary."

"Okay, then perhaps we should-"

She turned a cool stare on him. "I believe I was supposed to take lead on this?"

He shrunk before her. "Of course."

She was supposed to work with him? This man who weakened the moment she put ice in her voice? He was already seeming like a liability, and they hadn't even started yet.

They'd be lucky if they both survived what was to come.

***

He hadn't been able to make out either of their words, but Ziva had sounded surprised to see the other man.

That was why she was distracted.

One week apart, and she was already talking to other guys.

Tony shook his head. He shouldn't have been feeling the way he was feeling. Ziva wasn't really his. He had little right to feel jealous. They were never a thing. Not really.

But he couldn't deny the hurt.

It crushed him to think maybe she didn't feel the same way he did.

Maybe that night on her couch had been nothing more than drunken desperation. It was his own fault for thinking it meant more than it did.

Was it? It wasn't like they ever talked about it. They didn't do that kind of thing, talk about themselves, get personal. They never dared to discuss what they were. Coworkers, yes, friends, maybe. Anything else?

He wanted them to be more, but he had the feeling that Ziva didn't.

Couldn't she at least have said something? Maybe made an excuse and ended their call before talking to that other guy? Shielded him from the truth?

Yes, that was what really bothered him. That she had talked to that guy while talking to him.

The desire to drink himself senseless hit hard again, and it took all his strength to not wave down the nearest waitress.

He needed to be back on the ship in a couple hours, and he knew that stumbling back drunk wasn't a good idea.

Even if it would make him feel better for a while.

His cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he grumpily pulled it out to look at the screen.

A text.

From Ziva.

He wanted to ignore it, but his eyes were already reading the message.

'I am sorry. Please call me back.'

He frowned and then sent a quick message back. 'Can't. Boarding.' Guilt stabbed at him, but he smothered it. He already had space. Now he needed time.

He turned his phone off before she could text back.

And that was that.

*****

Very short. Sorry.

That's what happens when I decide I'm going to try to update every day. Twelve day streak!

I hope you're enjoying this...

Also, I promised in the description that this was going to be a Tiva fanfic, so even if I do eventually throw some Ziva/Michael stuff in there, well... Just remember what I promised.

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