Godfather

Part 1.1

Part I

(Ziva) Another seemingly sleepless night, knotted in nightmares and slumber so deep it was scary. Another internal war debating whether to tell him or not, whether it was worth or if it would only end up like everyone else, everything else. I knew there would be a thousand chances today, tomorrow. But even then I knew I'd lost the willpower to do it.

I dragged myself out of bed, stumbled into the shower. The bruises were back; I've been sleepwalking again. Where had I gone this time? What was I searching for? What had I done in attempt to find it?I trailed my fingers along the string of purple-blue jewels encircling my wrists and thighs, tried to mentally transform them from secrets left in the form of pain to scientific reasonings. Blunt force trauma wounds, Ducky would say. Of course, he would ask where they came from, and of course I wouldn't know. I had enough to worry about besides Ducky blabbing that I was hurt.

(Tony) "Fly me to the moon.. let me land among the stars.." I sang to myself, skipping off to the bathroom. I stroked my shaving cream beard, pinching my face into a mock Godfather stare. "Great men are not born great, but they grow great.." I chuckled, scraping the razor down my chin. Gibbs wouldn't agree. As far as I knew, he was born with his tiny hand cupped around his forehead in salute.

The fact that I was thinking about Gibbs proved what a workaholic I was. Any other moderately attractive bachelor would start their day by kissing last night's girl goodbye as she left in his shirt. That certainly beats musical shaving.

(Ziva) I got to work early. The gym was empty; the few agents working out scattered as I entered the room. A solitary punching bag stood, backlit by a single overhead. I took a swing. The shot rolled up my arm at impact, vibrating where the bruises ringed across my skin. I kicked. Again, a deep pain worked its way up my leg, seeped into my bones. What had I been doing at night that caused my muscles to strain like this? "Come on, Ziva," I chanted, remembering the last time I was in here, with a dislocated shoulder and a mouthful of words hiding in my throat. "You are Mossad. A fearless warrior. You are stronger than this!" I punched, waiting for the ache to disappear, but it didn't. I knew now it wasn't because of my sleep patterns. The hurt pulsed evenly with the flow of my blood, pumped through my veins with each heartbeat. "He is not powerful over you," I growled for my own sanity. "He is not the reason it hurts so much!" If only it were that simple. If only I could give in to what I knew was my fate. Instead, I was fighting it, because I knew- or thought I knew- I would only lose him in the end, just like everyone else I've admitted to loving before him.

(Tony) I saw her, but I know she didn't see me. She was crumpled by the punching bag in the gym, looking just like she does when she says she's fine but really can't admit to herself that she's unravelling. It was only a glance, and she'd been off her game recently. She didn't have that raven's eye glare anymore. There was something else too, something that surely explained what she was doing at the gym at 0500. What was I doing here at 0500? Had I even noticed the time when I got up this morning? Or was I here for a reason I either couldn't remember or couldn't explain? "Tony!" I jumped, hand flying to my holster. It was only Abby. Did everyone get there this early? "Tony Tony Tony. I need to talk to you about-" She stopped, peering around the corner. "Why are you down here?" I shrugged, stuttering something about traffic. She rolled her eyes. "Oh Tony. We both know why you're here." That inquisitive, I-know-what-you're-thinking-haha smile spread onto her face. Had she seen Ziva? "You're finally taking my advice to do morning yoga!" I laughed nervously. "You got me, Abbs." She smiled triumphantly. "Well, you're in luck. Since McGee's not here-" "Wait a sec." I grinned. "McGee does morning yoga with you?" She nodded. "Yeah. Although he always says he slept funny or Gibbs needs him to finish some paperwork, so he just watches me." I bit back a fit of laughter. McGee was going to hear it later. "Does he really?"

"Uh huh. But now you're my partner!" My temporary phase of glee ended fast. "Abby, I really don't think- what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" I smiled at my wit. Now she turned somber, or as somber as Abby could be. "Well- it's really a question for Ziva." Ziva. Why was I worrying again? Thankfully, my cell went off. "Oh would you look at that, it's the boss man. Gotta go Abby." I took off down the hall. "Tony!" She yelled after me. I ignored her, for the caller ID read Ziva David.

(Ziva) It kept ringing. Poor Tony, I was probably waking him up. Oh well, I guess I'd- "Hello?" I froze. He'd answered. "Tony.."

"Yes Ziva?"

"I just- well- when are you coming to work?" He laughed. "Actually, I'm already here." "What?"

"Yeah. the early bird gets the worm.." I opened my mouth, and closed it. "It's an American saying, how the first bird awake gets the-"

"I know what it is, Tony."

"Okay. Well, why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you calling me, Ziva?" God, what an idiot I was. Classic American idiot. "Oh right. We're- going on assignment together!" Oh great. "Really? Um, that's worth calling for, I guess."

"Yes it is. I'll see you soon then."

"What?"

"You said you were at work."

"Right. Yes. Of course! Right. Bye." I snapped my phone closed as Gibbs hurried in from the elevator. He never walked, just hurried in a casual-not-casual sort of manner. "Need anything, Ziver?"

"Why would you think that?"

"It's 0500 and you're at your desk."

"So are you." He looked me up and down. "What do you need?" I gave in. "An assignment. With Tony."

"Why?"

"I told him we had one." He sighed. "You're in luck. McGee is going to be working with Abby and Autopsy on cold cases, and you two are going to be their crime scene correspondents." I nodded. Seemed simple enough. "What about you?"

"Conference in MTAC. You sure that's all?"

"Yes. And- sorry for springing this on you."

"Don't apologize, it's a sign of weakness." Weak. Was that how I was classified now?

The elevator doors dinged open; Tony stepped out with his shirt untucked and Abby in tow. Gibbs and I stared. "Oh no. It's not- we didn't- she's-"

"Tony's medicine fell out of his bag when he was running-"

"That's all, Abby."

"But aren't you going to tell everyone who you were talking-"

"Abby, I went downstairs for yoga, but you weren't-" McGee strode into the squad room from the elevator across the hall. He looked around in mock horror, realizing he wasn't alone. "Yoga, McGee?" Gibbs asked, crossing his arms. "Well boss, it's really more instructional-"

"I'm sure you have fun watching Abby get into those compromising positions, McTaiChi." Tony flaunted, grinning. "Can we see a Warrior II, Timmy? Or maybe a downward dog?" Tony started twisting himself into a pretzel at Abby's feet, mocking the expression of a sensei. Gibbs bent over to smack him upside the head. McGee chuckled. Abby spun on her platform heel. "Tim! Tony was demonstrating a perfect lotus position!"

"Abby, he was making fun of you, trust me-" He argued. "You are both a bunch of squareheads." I interrupted. Abby nodded in agreement. "It's blockheads, Ziva." Tony groaned, still knotted around himself on the floor. "You gonna get up, DiNozzo?" Gibbs tilted his head down at Tony. "On it Boss." He scrambled to his feet, tucking in his shirt. "I like it up here. It's more fun." Abby concluded, planting herself in McGee's chair. "But you need music. I'm going to go get my CDs."

"Go with her McGee, and stay there. You two are working cold case files with Ducky." "But Gibbs-" They whined. "No buts. You two," He motioned to Tony and I. "Get your first location from the files in the morgue. Don't call me unless you are dead." He rushed off to MTAC. "Boss!" Tony yelled up the stairs. A single hand was raised before the doors to MTAC locked shut. "Ducky isn't here yet." Tony muttered. "No one is. It's 0500!"

"Yay! Now we can all do yoga!" Abby cheered. Groans reminisced from all of us as we piled into the elevator. "What?" Abby whimpered. "No one wants to do yoga?"