A/N: Hello faithful readers and welcome to the last chapter of Part 1. This concludes Season 4 and the chapter everyone is looking forward to when this dratted assignment finally comes to an end will be the first of Part 2. Look for it Tuesday as a new story under Moments In Time - Part 2, Season 5. Thank you all so much for the lovely response to this story, it exceeded all my expectations. You are all wonderful people and I am thrilled to have you along for the ride. With love, ~Aliyah

Tony was sitting at the kitchen table staring resolutely into his cooling coffee when Ziva came out of the bathroom after her shower, using a towel to dry her hair. She observed his concentration and sat opposite her husband, taking a bite of the scrambled eggs that sat at her place and chewing slowly before speaking. "What is it?"

He lifted his eyes to hers. "Hm?"

Ziva leaned her chin on her hand. "Is the coffee telling the future? You are watching it very intently."

Tony shrugged. "Maybe." He smoothed his tie. "I'm going to tell her Zi."

Without even asking she knew who he meant. "What about Jenny?"

He snorted. "The Director can take her vendetta and shove it in her ear for all I care. This has gone on long enough."

Ziva traced his ring finger gently. "Could you get fired?"

Tony sighed. "For insubordination maybe. But I think Gibbs would be on my side, and..."

"As will I," Ziva promised. "I do not think she will go against all of us."

"Not if she wants to keep this on the down low. Anyhow," he turned his mug around in a circle, "it doesn't matter. I'm done."

Ziva stood and crossed over, leaning down to kiss him. "I am very proud of you and how you have handled this situation. And I love you so much. I want you to know that."

Tony pulled her down again, indulging in her mouth for a long moment before reluctantly letting her go. "Keep that up and we're going to be late for work."

She tossed him a wink and a smile as she headed into their room to gather her weapons. "Another time then."

"I'll hold you to that," he called after her, and just like that another day began.

NCIS

Partly to commiserate over the dreaded polygraph tests starting next week, partly to celebrate the coming weekend, and partly because Abby claimed they hadn't had enough fun time recently, the team members all agreed to meet at their favourite bar after work. This was good news for everyone except Tony. Having now made his decision, he'd been wound tight all day, more than ready to have this whole mess over with.

He met Ziva in the dark parking lot and leaned her against the car. "I have to do this honey. I'll meet you there, okay?"

Her brow furrowed. "Must you do it tonight?" She wanted this over as much as he did, but she was so tired of missing him and wanted him close.

Tony stroked her cheek. "Before I lose my nerve."

Ziva sighed. "Okay."

"Hey," Tony frowned, "I'm doing this for us, remember?"

She moved away from him. "I know. See you later."

He lifted an eyebrow. "No good luck kiss?"

Ziva brushed her lips quickly over his and squeezed his fingers. "Be careful."

Tony chuckled. "I don't think she bites babe."

She shrugged. "Habit."

He slid his arms around her tense form. "I love you."

Ziva's smile was a glimmer. "Me too. I will be waiting." Then she was gone to meet Abby and McGee who'd offered to give her a ride, and Tony was left hoping this would be the last time he ever had to leave his wife when all he wanted to do was stay.

NCIS

It was unnerving when Nick pegged Tony as a cop two minutes after their first meeting and with hardly any interaction at all. Was it really that obvious? He felt more cop than pretend boyfriend backing up Carly when Nick started getting belligerent about his buddy's care. Once he and Bernie were let in to see Devon, Jeanne smiled at Tony. "Want to take a fifteen minute break with me?" she asked, desire to be with him obvious in his tone. He smiled and nodded and Jeanne looked at the nurse. "We'll be in the cafeteria Carly."

They headed for the elevator with arms wrapped around each other, Tony allowing Jeanne that last bit of contact before he broke the news to her. He picked up the tab for pie and coffee and they sat in the empty room watching the rain fall outside. Tony took a bite of pie and decided to start with the easy stuff. "So, what's the living situation update?"

She wrinkled her nose and shrugged. "I'm probably going to go with the one I saw last week. It'll do, for now. I need to have somewhere to go, the next three weeks are going to fly by and things are pretty crazy here right now."

"Must be hard to find time to look," Tony commented, looking for a segue.

Jeanne pointed her fork at him. "It's hard to find time to see you too, but I make it a priority."

Tony was just opening his mouth to offer a solution to that problem, like taking him out of her schedule completely, but her pager went off, Code Blue, and Jeanne left in a hurry. Sighing, he repeated the words, ate the last bite of pie, and took their coffees to go. The cop in him flared up again when Jeanne wondered how Devon went bad so fast and he took the backpack from the chair to do a little digging. His discovery of the ticket and announcement that the guy was probably body packing drugs sent the team into high gear, but their efforts were unfortunately in vain.

There wasn't much he could say to calm Jeanne's anger over losing a patient or her frustration because she was helpless to do anything about the situation. She disappeared into the Staff Lounge for a good twenty minutes, but came out looking much calmer. Resigning himself to the reality that the conversation he was desperate to have wouldn't happen tonight, he headed for the elevator holding Jeanne's hand. Maybe breakfast was a better time anyways.

"Well, I will see you in the morning. I gotta go." He kissed her, hoping this would be the final time he had to share any intimacies with a woman not his wife.

"I'll be out at seven," she reminded him as Tony pressed the down button and waited, anxious to get to the bar where Ziva was waiting.

All of a sudden Jeanne breezed through the doors following her brief conversation with the orderly. "They're headed to the morgue."

His heartrate sped up and somehow Tony knew the night wasn't over yet. Jeanne shifted impatiently from foot to foot and when the elevator dinged she flew out and around the corner. Tony took off after her, calling her name. "Jeanne. Jeanne!" At the morgue doors he caught up and grabbed her arm. "Hey! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Tony demanded. "He's at least got a knife in there."

She glared at him. "I will not let him butcher her brother in front of her."

"Keep your voice down," he cautioned.

Jeanne crossed her arms. "Those drugs are in twenty-five feet of intestines. He doesn't know where to cut, he'll make a gory mess she'll never get out of her head."

Tony's tone was serious. "Get behind me."

She just looked at him. "Why?"

Frustration got the better of him, both at Jeanne and the situation, and he gripped her arm tighter. "Because I tell you to." She saw that he meant it and moved. Tony swept his jacket aside and reached to his hip for the gun tucked under the front seat of his car. Jeanne saw and she seemed to look at him with new eyes. He forced a bit of levity into his voice. "Haven't got a weapon on you by any chance, do you?"

Just then the door opened and Nick pointed a gun at Tony's head.

NCIS

At the semi-deserted bar, now that Abby and McGee were back at NCIS and Palmer and Lee had disappeared somewhere looking for the restrooms, Ziva stared forlornly into her half-empty glass. "I have a funny feeling Doctor."

Ducky chuckled. "It's the tequila my dear. You've had three shooters just in the time I've been here."

She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed Tony's number again. At the message on the screen she flipped it closed, annoyance cloaking her words. "Straight to voicemail, just like always when he is with her." Being on her way to drunk make Ziva less censored than usual. He should have come by now, it had been hours. She was past understanding and well on her way to frustrated. How long could it take to tell the truth?

Ducky sounded confused. "Tony?"

Ziva snapped her attention back to her companion. "What?"

He shook his head and sipped his drink. "Nothing."

Ziva looked at him from under her lashes. "Oh no, no, no, that look was definitely something."

Ducky turned towards her. "Well, why do you monitor Tony?"

She frowned. "I do not monitor Tony."

The ME's half-smile was far from reassuring. "Oh yes you do my dear. Like a mother with a toddler."

Ziva swallowed a little more alcohol. "Ah, that is a good description."

Ducky ventured even further. "Or a woman with a wayward lover."

She pointed the glass at him. "Do not profile me Doctor, I am no longer a killer."

His tone was sincere, concerned even. "Ziva, it's Friday night. Tony is with his girlfriend and you are worried about him. What does that tell you?"

"He is my partner," Ziva stated firmly. "And my partner said he would be here. And...and I have this not so good feeling." She blinked back unwelcome moisture in her eyes and Ducky looked ahead silently, unable to offer any reassurances. In their line of work promises were just empty words.

NCIS

In the Morgue Nick frisked Tony roughly, seeming surprised that he wasn't carrying. He demanded that Jeanne call off security but she tried to talk him into leaving, promising they'd forget this ever happened. Nick slammed the butt of his gun into Tony's head and he crumpled to the floor, Jeanne moving quickly to catch him. "Will you forget now Doc?"

She stared daggers at him and he repeated his request for her to call off security. Defiance clear in her every move, Jeanne rose and walked to the phone. In the haze of pain clouding Tony's mind, he wondered why she didn't give the security guard a distress code disguised as the real thing. Did doctors have those in real life? Maybe it was only in the movies. Ah, movies. Sitting at home with a drink and his arm around Ziva with yet another great cinematic classic playing on the small screen. Tony frowned. Where was he again? Oh yeah, the floor, and Ziva was probably made at him because he'd missed their meeting at the bar. But if she let him lay on the couch with his head in her lap, her graceful fingers running gently through his hair, maybe the pounding would go away and he'd be able to think.

The next thing he knew Jeanne was kneeling beside him, shining a light in his eyes that caused black spots to dance in his field of vision. It would've been nice to skip this part, where he gets injured, but Tony hated to think of this all going down in his absence, leaving Jeanne without protection. She made him sit up and had him follow her finger with his eyes, while Tony rubbed the base of his neck.

Finally Jeanne sat back. "I don't see any signs of concussion."

"I've been hit harder by my sister," he quipped.

Jeanne raised an eyebrow. "You don't have a sister."

His brow furrowed in pretend confusion. "I don't?" She just smiled but Nick was out of patience and wanted to get on with it. Tony lifted his chin in the direction of the body. "Do it. I don't want you to get hurt."

Nick kept his gun trained on Tony while Jeanne prepared. She found the drugs with little trouble but ripped them open with the scalpel. When Nick made a move towards her, she stabbed him in the shoulder and the gun fell from his hand. Nick staggered back and, seeing his chance, Tony slid across the floor, grabbed the gun, and shot above Nick's head as he lunged at Jeanne with the knife.

"Next one's in your ear," he yelled, fully the cop now. "Drop it."

Nick complied and Tony stood slowly. He looked at Jeanne. "You okay?"

She pulled down her mask. "Not really."

Tony grinned, never taking his eyes off the cowering drug dealer. "You know me, never a dull moment."

She choked on a laugh. "I take back what I said about needing more excitement in my life. Boring is highly underrated."

Tony chuckled and reached for his cell phone. It was going to be a long night.

NCIS

Ziva stayed at the bar long after Ducky finally said adieu, remaining unmoving except for the every five minute check of her phone for messages, until finally the bartender told her they were closing and offered to call her a cab. She agreed half-heartedly, having held onto the slightest thread of hope that her husband would suddenly appear and take her home. When the yellow car pulled up out, Ziva made her way slowly inside and gave the driver her address.

She was able to keep her emotions in check until she stood in the livingroom of their cold, empty house. Then Ziva burst into tears, regretting the amount of alcohol she'd consumed because getting drunk always depressed her. With tears streaming down her cheeks, Ziva made her way to the bedroom, crawled under the covers, and curled up in a ball around Tony's pillow. His scent infused every breath and only made the ache of loneliness worse. For the first time since her brother's death, Ziva closed her eyes and cried herself to sleep.

NCIS

After the police arrived and processed the scene, Tony and Jeanne had to give their statements and both Nick and Bernie were taken into custody on multiple charges. The night slowly bled away and faded into a sunny morning by the time the couple was released and left the hospital holding hands. Tony rubbed his head and Jeanne leaned into him. "You should be under observation for twenty-four hours." She sounded happy about that.

He forced a small smile. "Whatever Doctor orders." Tony hoped he'd get the chance to finally say what he came to say and maybe find a quiet moment to get ahold of Ziva and let her know his absence wasn't by choice. The arrival of a limo pulled him from his thoughts. "What's this?"

"My secret," Jeanne told him, eyes dancing. The driver opened the door for her and she got in. "Bonjour Papa."

Tony could hear Rene Benoit's response, "Bonjour mon fille," as he kissed her cheeks.

He stared at the driver's impassive expression and reluctantly got in, praying he hadn't been made. Ziva was expecting him home and he didn't want to disappoint her, not again.

Jeanne was very happy to see her father and Rene smiled at Tony. "So this must be Anthony DiNardo," he exclaimed as Tony shifted uncomfortably. The Frenchman leaned forward and kissed his cheeks. "Welcome to the family, Professor," Rene chuckled, his tone suggesting a deeper knowledge of Tony's identity.

With nothing left to do, Tony smiled and began watching for a moment he could get to his phone without being noticed. This was the call he'd hoped never to have to make.

Sarah - you're welcome :) Yeah, there's a lot of stress the others don't get to see, but Z knows him better than anyone and she has a front row seat for the toll this assignment is taking. Jeanne is procrastinating, but only because she doesn't know she only has one choice in the end. Which is coming, as you can see by Tony's unraveling patience. We're almost there now, hopefully it will be worth the wait. Thanks for reviewing! :)