We Will Be Remembered

Forced Goodbyes

This is probably going to be short. I have a lot of last minute studying to cram in before my enormous lab exam tomorrow. I probably should've started studying sooner, but why would I want to do that?

*****

"So we know he was up in that suburban area at the same time as us," Tony said, marking the town on the map. He was completely calmed down and neutral about earlier, but Ziva was still treading lightly.

She didn't like treading lightly around people. In her experience, that meant it was about time to separate herself from the situation and the person in question.

She didn't want to have to do that.

"Last known location was the motel." He tapped the motel's place on the map. "We can assume he's nearby now. He's got some way of tracking us that we don't know about."

"He's probably watching the access of his file," she said finally.

"In which case he definitely knows we're here. McGee was looking at that file."

Ziva sighed and took a moment to focus on the comforting presence of the pistol on her hip.

"Any ideas?" Tony asked. She thought maybe she detected a hint of sarcasm in his voice, but she shook it off. 

She had one idea, but she knew he wouldn't like it.

Her idea would entail handing the reins over to Gibbs and letting their boss do what he did best.

Personally, she had no complaints. Gibbs was their boss, their ring leader, and he knew what he was doing. He let them play on their individual strengths, and he was the coordinator behind it all. Was that so bad? That was the team dynamic. McGee was the brains, she was the muscle, Tony was the wildcard. It had to be that way if they were going to get anything done.

"You're being awfully quiet. Spit it out, sweet cheeks."

She winced at the pet name. It was funny before, but now...

"It's nothing," she said, knowing as she said it she was just setting herself up for disaster.

"Just tell me."

She sighed. "I think we should call Gibbs and McGee back."

He opened his mouth to argue but she held up a hand.

"I'm not finished. We need them. McGee could put up cameras or something, so we know when the Dragon's here and where he is. And Gibbs... he'd probably jump at a chance to get his sniper rifle out again."

Tony sat back and crossed his arms. "No."

"No?"

"No."

"This isn't just your decision. This is my life too."

"Guess we're at an impasse then."

It was so hard to keep her cool when he was being this frustrating. "I think it's our best option."

"I disagree."

"Really? Because seems to me you didn't have any other ideas to offer. It's this or nothing."

"Then we let him come to us. Fend off the blows as they come."

She stood up, shaking her head. "Forget it. There's no 'we.' I... I can't do this. Not when... I'm sorry, but I can't. There are other things at stake here. So I'm... I'm done." She took a deep breath, hesitating in the doorway.

His face was still blank, but a muscle was ticking in his jaw.

"I'll let you know when I reach headquarters," she said, and then she turned and walked out.

*****

Ouch.

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