Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or the characters.

Summary: Tony and Ziva will have to fight to keep what they care about the most. Will it be enough? Will they succeed?

Author's note: The story is set in season 5 between Designated Target and Recoil, but there shouldn't be any big spoilers.

I also really really want to thank my beta-reader, three.steps, who spent a lot of time correcting and improving my fic. Thank you Jessica!

Read and enjoy!

CHAPTER 1

- NCIS by Thom E. Gemcity -

It was around 11am on a Monday morning. The squad-room was unusually quiet which Ziva didn't seem to mind. She was having a hard time enough dealing with the tension that she was slowly starting to feel, and stressful noises would only have worsened the situation. She had her eyes fixed on her computer screen trying to stay focused on the report she had been working on for two hours so far. Two hours for a simple report seemed longer than it actually was. In general half an hour was enough for her, even if English wasn't her first language. But somehow, today her computer didn't seem to want to cooperate.

Discretely from his desk, Tony was observing her.

"Damn it!" She exclaimed pressing hard on her keyboard's keys.

"You lost it again?" He asked her looking over what seemed to be a transcript. He didn't need an answer, the look she gave him at that moment expressed much more than any word she could ever say. "Didn't I tell you, an hour ago, to save your work when you're half way through it so that this kind of accident doesn't happen again? I guess you didn't pay attention and see where it led you; you'll have to start it all over again…for the fifth time."

She flashed a fake smile. "Thanks for reminding me, but there's no way I am going to type a new one. They will have to be satisfied with a handwritten one." She pushed her keyboard away, took a paper sheet from her upper drawer and started writing.

But her tranquillity was short-lived. Tony's irritating sniggers forced her to stop.

"Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not making fun of you, it's just that's it's so hilarious." He held the script up to prove to her that she wasn't the reason for his laughter.

It hadn't been his intention, but with this gesture Tony had aroused Ziva's curiosity. She stood up and silently walked towards him. "What are you reading?"

He was so absorbed that he jumped at her words. He took a moment before answering, the time for his heartbeats to return to a normal rhythm. "Nine Crimes In Salem by Thom E. Gemcity."

Ziva leaned over his feet which were, as usual, resting on his desk, and read the title on the cover by herself for confirmation. "McGee's new book? Did he give it to you?" She asked snatching the book from his hands.

Tony was now staring at her, his eyes wide open not believing what she just did. Not thinking twice, very quickly, he took it back. "Not exactly."

"You mean you stole it?" He hadn't answered yet, but knowing Tony it was pretty obvious he had indeed stolen it. She didn't want to have anything to do with it, so she nonchalantly went back to her desk before adding: "Of course you stole it. You had better put it back where you found it before he notices." She kindly warned him even if she was disapproving what he did.

Ziva was right, stealing was bad, but Tony had his own way of seeing things. "He left it in his unlocked drawer for a good reason; he wanted us to find it and read it."

"That's nonsense. If he wanted us to read it he would've just given it to us, Tony." She was already holding her pen, ready to finally finish her report.

"Look, if he's writing about us again I have the right to know, don't you think? And you should feel concerned too, Lisa!" He teased her.

He had a point, they fell for it the first time and it didn't end very well. "And? Is he?" She curiously asked.

"She asks if he is…Of course he is. This story is all about Tommy and Lisa." His grin couldn't be wider. "It's even getting really really hot in chapter 6."

Strangely Ziva couldn't resist. She ran towards his desk again and grabbed the transcript. In no time she flipped through it until the famous chapter. She frowned as she was reading it. "This isn't about them at all." She threw the book on his lap. "I don't know why I am still listening to you."

Tony watched her walking away "He might not this time, but I had to be sure…And you have to admit that you would have enjoyed reading a story exploring the sexual tensions between Tommy and Lisa. I see it in your eyes. Just admit it." Tony teased her again.

"Admit what?" McGee arrived in the midst of their conversation.

Tony straightened himself in his chair trying to hide the book under his desk. He knew that if he didn't give an answer very quickly McGee would suspect that they were talking about him. He had to say something, anything. "Admit what…admit what…Admit that she sucks when it comes to computer science." He stammered before finally come with something that seemed rather convincing.

At Tony's words McGee turned his head and looked at Ziva.

"I do not!" She exclaimed feeling quite offended.

"Ok, you don't. Then could you please tell McGee where your four reports are?" Tony had managed to turn all the attention on her and he was pretty proud of it.

McGee, who was now in front her desk, looked completely clueless. "What reports?"

She couldn't ignore his question. Besides, Tony was making signs in her direction, behind McGee's back, pushing her to answer faster. "It's nothing McGee. Really. It's just…it's just that my computer ate all the reports I wrote today." The embarrassment made her slightly blush.

He frowned at Ziva's reply which confused him even more. He moved to the other side of the desk and kneeled next to her. "You wrote more than one? What's the point doing that?" McGee stared at Ziva with a questioning look.

"Didn't I just tell you? My computer ate them." She sounded quiet upset.

He pulled himself up by grabbing the edge of her desk. "Never heard of something like that before. Let me see."

Ziva got up and offered her chair to him. Tony chose that moment to join them, hiding something in his closed hand. "Ten bucks he finds them." Tony put the money just next Ziva's keyboard.

In less than two seconds four little windows popped up on the screen. "Here they are!" McGee said as if it was easy as pie, but it had indeed been very easy.

"Already?" Ziva couldn't believe it. Now she was not only feeling stupid, she was also looking stupid.

"You owe me ten dollars Ziva." Tony held his hand out on her to receive the money.

"Not even in your dreams. I owe you nothing, I didn't make a bet." She exclaimed with indignation violently moving his hand away from her.

"Ziva, can I talk to you?" A voice coming from upstairs interrupted them.

The three of them looked up to see Jenny leaning on the banister. She had her bad days look and Ziva studied her trying to see if she had to worry or not. "Of course." She answered.

While going up the stairs Ziva had a look down at Tony and McGee, who were watching her. She wasn't sure if it was because of the concerned looks they had on their faces, Jenny's serious tone or maybe both, but suddenly, a very bad feeling came over her.

TBC… So, what do you think?