Okay so the season finale left a very big plot open for me to just grab onto and I had to take it! I have waited for an opportunity to write something like this for a long time so here I am.

For those of you reading The Past Forgotten, yes I am still writing that one as well :) It's going to be a very busy hiatus for me!

Anyways I hope you enjoy this story, to let you know now this will be a long story like the majority of my other stories.

Hundan.

It took a lot of courage for the three of them to do what they did, but they wouldn't have had it any other way. Gibbs was their family and they would do anything for family, even if it meant giving up the thing they all did best in life. The one thing that they seemed to do right in this world.

And yeah, for Tony it's a little strange thinking he doesn't have a job right now, that he's unemployed, because he never thought it would be like this. The world always needs someone to patrol the streets and catch the bad guys, because there is never a shortage of crime. But here he is and it's only been five hours of being that way and already he's a little lost.

He was going to ask the others out for a drink after they walked out if the director's office but in the end he didn't. He didn't feel the need to celebrate anything, because honestly what exactly was there to celebrate?

He was going to go see Gibbs but he knows the man has his own problems to deal with at the moment, he doesn't need Tony's load on his back as well. He's unsure what to do because he's confused, he's got a lot on his plate. He always thought his plate had been pretty full, but no, apparently it can fit a lot more on it.

His boss is in the middle of a battle for his career, Tony and his two best friends don't have a career, he's unsure exactly where he stands with Ziva right now because that situation is all too much and too confusing, and he's out of alcohol.

Yep, tonight wasn't looking great, but Tony had done what he'd done for family and he would do it all over again if he had to. He knows he's done right, no matter how shit he feels right now.

Tony has always tried to protect the people he cares about and so far he has done pretty well if he were to judge. He thinks about others before himself and that is exactly how he had ended up in this predicament. Because Gibbs was family and he gave it all up for him. Tony gave up everything he had worked for his entire police career, just for the one man. It might seem like a lot, but for Tony he owes that man everything.

Gibbs is the one man who has always believed in him, he's the one who has made him the man he is today and Tony would do anything for him. If Gibbs said jump, Tony would ask how high. That man was like a father to him.

There is one reason his boss is in this mess, a mess that could have been anyone of them. It's the secrets. It's the lies. It's things you do that may not be legal but humanely it's for the safety of other people, the ones that don't deserve the dark fate criminals bestow upon the innocent. Protect and serve, it's the code. And sometimes, sometimes the rules are broken and the lines are blurred. But you do what you have to do.

You try to live life doing what's right, even if it's a little wrong at the same time. But he hopes God will forgive them for their sins, because of why they do what they do. They should be considered saints, for the risk they take every day, but no. What they get is their boss accused of being the bad man, when all he does is try to be the best man he can, the best agent, the best marine.

He knows his boss has a lot of secrets behind him, a lot of bad ones too hidden away deep. There is a lot more pain in Gibbs than anyone truly knows. Tony feels it, he knows it's there because he is too much like Gibbs himself. It's not good for him, because Gibbs lives a hard life and if Tony is being honest he doesn't want to see himself in the older man's shoes in ten years. Why? Because Tony doesn't want to be lonely like his boss. But that side of Tony's life is complicated.

He's been trying to change that, he really has. Tony has tried so hard these last few years, especially this year, to be the honest man. Because the honest man is the one that comes out on top. And he wants to be that man, the one on top of life, the man that is happy. The one that is not alone because he's not afraid of love. But, it's hard. However, he thinks he's getting there. Slowly.

It's hard, because Ziva is hard, and his relationship with her has always been complicated. But he's trying and as of lately she's been trying too. It's confusing and sometimes a bit messy, but they both know there is something there. It's just taking a long time to figure out what.

He knew what he was getting into before he let himself fall for her, because his partner had always been a complicated woman, and a stubborn one at that and it took him a long time to crack her surface and get her to really open up to him. In saying that it's not like he's the easiest man to deal with, it's probably why their relationship is so difficult.

And lately, it takes a lot of effort for him not to touch her, and he knows it's the same for her with the amount of times her hands find themselves on him.

But can you blame them? Eight years is a very long time.

Tony knows his life is going to be difficult in a lot of ways for a while, he just hopes he can get through it. It'll be tough but as long as his family sticks by him, he should be okay. Nothing is stronger than family, whether or not DNA is concerned. Family is family and if your family is made up of a bunch of slightly dysfunctional Navy cop's, then that's your family. And Tony would do anything for them.

The knock to his door in the middle of the night is what woke him. He'd fallen asleep on the couch, when exactly he wasn't sure. He stands and stretches his back and his knee gives a pop, rubbing his eyes he makes his way to the door. His watch tells him it's just before midnight and he has two guesses at who is at his door at this hour of the night.

It's either his neighbour from across the hall back from her normal Friday night out and she's had a bit to drink and she'll try her charms on him. Tony's dad must not have been enough if she keeps knocking on his door in the middle of the night like this every couple of weeks. If it's her, he is surely not going to answer, he doesn't have it in him to deal with that tonight.

Or it's Ziva. She's the only one who would come calling to his home at this hour, and after a day like today he's pretty confident it will in fact be her.

He takes one look through the peephole in the door and sees his partner. He sighs with a bit of relief, because he'd only just realized that her company tonight was the comfort that he needed. And even if they are both unemployed, she's still his partner. She always will be.

He opens the door and she greets him with a soft smile, one of slight concern once she sees him still in his work clothes minus the tie and jacket. She knows he was asleep (she has a good idea where) and that she'd woke him but in what he's dressed and the very tired look on his face, one not of sleep deprivation but mental and emotional ache, she knows her company will be better for him. She hopes.

"You know you really shouldn't sleep on that couch" she says quietly, smiling at him a little. He can see in her eyes that the only reason she feels the need to smile is for him, because deep down she's not really happy tonight. He smiles back, only for her.

"It's nicer than you think" he returns and she smiles but shakes her head, because yes it may be comfortable but that doesn't mean it's any good on his back. He steps aside then and she walks into his apartment.

She's only been here a couple of times since she stayed here that night shortly after her father's death, and he's starting to like it. He knows why he didn't open up his home to her before then, because he wasn't ready yet, heck he wasn't even ready to let his father into his home. But now that he has opened it up to her it feels so right. He knew from the first moment she stayed here that it was the right thing to do. He feels comfortable with her in his home.

He closes the door behind him and when he turns around Ziva is standing there, looking at him with something in her eyes. Something was bothering her. But after today it would be very hard for Tony to figure out what exactly it was out of the many things, unless she tells him. And he was counting on her doing just that. Because lately they are more open about this sort of thing.

"I went to see Gibbs" she starts, and her voice is suddenly a lot quieter than it was before. He already doesn't like where this is going.

"What did he say?" Tony asked. And yes, he was curious. He wanted to go see the older man himself but he just couldn't, he didn't want to burden Gibbs with his problems. He knows exactly why Ziva went though, because he knows she was still a little upset over the little argument she and Gibbs had about them trying to protect Gibbs from Parsons. And yeah, no matter what Gibbs had said they had still done it, they had still risked themselves for him. They'd given up a lot for him.

"He was not there" she says. And now Tony knows exactly what is really bothering her in this moment. The fact that the only father she has left is not there for her when she needs him to be. Tony doesn't like when she's upset like this.

"He will probably be at the cabin" Tony guesses, especially after someone trashed his home. When Ziva begins to shake her head and avoid his eyes, his gut doesn't like it either.

"He was not there either Tony, he is nowhere" she states, and she doesn't like this information. She doesn't like that she cannot find him.

This is the point where he reaches out and holds onto her forearm, because touch from him like this reassures her, and that's what she needs right now. That is exactly why she has ended up at his doorstep in the middle of the night, not McGee's, not Abby's, because no one gets to her like he does. No one calms her at a simple touch like him.

"It's Gibbs Ziva I am sure he is fine" Tony assured her, because Gibbs was fully capable of taking care of himself. Right? Ziva smiled a little and gave a nod in return. "Anyways he's probably just handing back the orange jumpsuit and handcuffs" Tony joked and it brought a light chuckle from her. However when that laughter died down she looked up at him a little more seriously.

"We shouldn't really joke about it" she said, sadly. Because yeah they had almost lost their boss today, and what they had to give up to stop that from happening had been far too much to joke about. But Tony cannot help it, cracking jokes and making people smile is still part of who he was.

"I know, sorry" he felt the need to apologize. He knows he did his job at making her laugh, but seeing her upset again simply does not sit well with him. He's seen her more upset in the last few months then the eight years he's known her. He's not sure if that's because it's been really rough lately or she just is not afraid to show her emotion as much as she used to. He would bet it was a bit of both.

She shook her head a smiled softly at him again. He knows what she's saying silently, that it's okay and he doesn't need to apologise. For a moment after that she just goes quiet and looks at him, holds his gaze. Something is on her mind and she wants to get it out.

"You think we did the right thing?" she asks, looking away for a moment before bringing her eyes back to his. Earlier she was very sure in herself about doing this, but there is something deep in her gut that tells her maybe it wasn't the right thing.

Tony can see her doubt, because like him she's probably never been without a job, without anything to pass the days. For him it had been basketball then the police force, NCIS. For her the IDF, Mossad then NCIS. They've both lived full lives and now here they are, with nothing to hold their focus week by week. Tony's suddenly realizing how hard this is going to be. But, he knows he's done right.

He doesn't quite know how to explain how Ziva is looking at him right now, hope maybe? Complete faith in whatever he is going to tell her?

He moves his hand from her forearm and slides in down until he slips his hand into hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze and her eyes follow the path of his hand. His hand warms her skin and makes her heart race at the movement.

"Hey" he says softly and her eyes drift up to meet his. Suddenly they are so open, her walls completely gone. Because the last two times he's said that word like that, it had been two of the most comforting moments she's ever shared with him.

"We did the right thing, what we did was for the best" he assures her quietly, and yes she needs this. She doesn't know why she suddenly doubts herself. Today has just been very difficult and maybe, just maybe, she needed to be here with him to feel okay.

She looks down at their hands and her hand plays with his a little bit before she looks back up at him with a smile.

"For family" she whispers. And he nods in return because yes, this had all been about family. They were all family.

She's smiling at him lightly and her hand isn't planning on letting go of his, but he just knows deep down that she's still that little bit not sure about this.

"We are going to be okay, we will get through this" he tells her and he believes his words, and it seems as though she does too, especially at the way she looks at him now. He feels it when her hand suddenly lets go of his one and then he feels her hands wrap around his back and press into him, pulling him closer. He doesn't think for one second and he follows her in the movement and holds her close to his chest.

"We are not alone" she whispers against his neck and those simple words have him tightening his hands around her and his heart skipping. He knows she means all three of them, her, him and McGee, but saying it like that, in those words was so personal to the two of them. He knows they have had problems the last week with what happened while she was gone for her fathers funeral but for her to say that. It meant so much.

The unspoken words behind it, she did not feel alone because she knows she has him. And this time it is him who she will fall to, he is the one she will rely on to hold her on her feet and make her not feel alone. Because he is the only one she trusts like that and she will not be weak and slip up again. Because he deserves her not to.

"You will never be alone" he replies and his chest is suddenly doing all sorts of things to him, because maybe this confession was too much right now, but then again maybe it was needed right in this moment. Because they both needed to hear this, and now after all that has happened today and the last few months, they know without a doubt they will always be there for each other.

Through thick and thin they are in this together. Tony knows they still have a long journey ahead of them and this is only the beginning, but as long as he has her and she has him, maybe they will get through this alright after all.

And maybe for once in their life they could have a happy ending.

Love to hear your thoughts!