NCIS Fic Recs List
A compilation of my very favorite NCIS fanfic. This page was last updated on April 11, 2012.
If you like any of the fic you find here, please let the author know by reviewing! Even if it was written several years ago, I'm sure it would brighten the author's day to know that someone is still reading and appreciating his or her story.
For more reading material, check out the "weekly recs" tag in my journal or the weeklyrecs archive for more NCIS fanfiction I've been enjoying. And if you've exhausted all my suggestions, check out this post for more NCIS recs sites.
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McGee/Abby
Ziva/Gibbs
Tony/Ziva
Gibbs/Jenny
Tony/Gibbs
Gibbs/Abby
Tony/McGee
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Threesomes
Notes
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"Ten Nonlinear Moves" by Sequitur (sequitur_fic)
[PG, ensemble, set post-3x24 "Hiatus (Part 2)", ~3,100 words, livejournal link]
Summary: Tony doesn't become team leader overnight. First, they have all have to watch movies, develop new neuroses, and make flowcharts.
KEW note: Just a really, really good and funny look at how the team coped when Tony took over for Gibbs. Author's commentary on the story can be found here. There is a sequel, "Ten Incomplete Regressions", which picks up after Gibbs returns.
"One Less" by joykatleen
[T, Gibbs, ensemble, casefile, ~200,000 words]
Summary: The murder of a sailor in a DC warehouse reveals a conspiracy that's been silently destroying lives on a Navy carrier for years. Someone high is covering it up. Can Gibbs and company get to the root of it before more lives are lost?
KEW note: This is the best NCIS casefile out there. It is long (took me days to read!), detailed, thoughtful, action-packed, well-plotted, doesn't ignore character development, and is in short fabulous. The writing is very novelistic and takes its time introducing the characters, even the ones we already know. A must read, in my opinion.
"All The Works and Days of Hands" by Valieara (mannaplowsk)
[PG, Ziva, Gibbs, 7x01 "Truth or Consequences" through 7x04 "Good Cop, Bad Cop", ~2,200 words, livejournal link]
Summary: She's saying, The closest thing I have to a father is accusing me. And there's that. Ziva and Gibbs figure a few things out during Somalia and its aftermath, slowly and incompletely.
KEW note: I think this is gorgeous writing. Valieara somehow manages to infuse her sentences with the weariness of everything Ziva and Gibbs have been through. The words ending vignette haunted me for a long time as I frantically tried to find this story again.
"On the Outside" by Sashile (sashile)
[G, Ziva, Damon Werth, set post 7x06 "Outlaws and In-Laws", ~1,800 words, livejournal link]
Summary: Ziva's morning run is interrupted by someone she didn't expect to see, and she finds it's not as lonely on the outside as she previously thought.
"Of Meetings and Partings" by wildpeace (katy_moon_beam)
[PG, ensemble, future fic, ~3,300 words]
Summary: After 5 years, when the calls comes, they gather from far and near.
KEW note: I give it four hankies.
"Sawdust and Sandalwood" by wildpeace (katy_moon_beam)
[G, Ziva, Gibbs, ~4,100 words]
Summary: Ziva. Gibbs. Basement, bourbon, boat. A load of questions and answers that don’t look like answers.
"Drowning in Duplicity" by AlkalineTeegan (alkalineteegan)
[PG-13, Tony, set during season 4, ~10,000 words]
Summary: It's funny, it's sad, it's all over the place. It's like he's two different people. And sometimes, he is.
KEW note: I love this fantastic dive into the mind of Tony DiNardo. Or is he Tony DiNozzo?
"Conversations" by Embolalia NB: ongoing story
[PG, Ziva, Gibbs, 79,000+ words]
Summary: A series of one-shot conversations between Ziva and Gibbs over the course of the show.
"The Impractical Heart" by Pough
[PG-13, Tony-centric, ~120,000 words]
Summary: When a tiny virus sweeps through Tony's body, leaving catastrophic results, his team remains vigilant.
KEW note: This remarkable story is one of the only "member of the team gets hurt/sick/handicapped" stories that I've ever truly enjoyed. Given that this story has a medical focus, Ducky plays a much more prominent role than he does in most NCIS fics. And oh, my word, what this author has done with Ducky is brilliant.
"Sicarii" by PegasusUnbound NB: abandoned
[R, Ziva, set after 6x25 "Aliyah", 53,000+ words]
Summary: It was like she'd once told McGee . . . there is only so much torment the human body can endure. No one can hold out forever, not even Gibbs. Not even her.
KEW note: I hold out hope that this story will one day be finished. The writing starts out good, but then continually improves so that the last chapters are some of the most impressive writing I've ever seen in a fanfic. This story is so complex and an exploration of the worst and bleakest of human emotions, but the end result is fantastic.
"Gigolo" by kikkimax
[PG-13, ensemble, casefile, ~44,000 words]
Summary: A dead marine in an Armani suit means someone is going undercover in a house of ill repute.
"The Crux of the Matter" by Quinndolynn
[PG-13, McGee-centric, with a little bit of McGee/Abby and Tony/Ziva, set during and after 7x15 "Jack Knife", ~5,300 words]
Summary: McGee sleepwalks through a week of crucial moments. McAbby. Tiva. And monsters.
KEW note: I can't believe I forgot about this story, because it's one of the most hilarious things I've ever read and yet somehow isn't (quite) crack-fic. This is an exploration into what would happen to McGee's psyche after a week of playing nursemaid to Gibbs. Sample quotation: "McGee gives up on looking in his desk drawer for a power bar and adds crazy psychic powers and can probably turn into a bat to his mental list of reasons Gibbs is probably supernatural." There should really be a laugh-out-loud warning on the scene where McGee turns up at Tony's apartment in the middle of the night.
"Tin Star" by lilmouse
[PG, Tony, team, casefile, set sometime between 3x02 "Kill Ari pt. 2" and 3x04 "Silver War", ~38,000 words]
Summary: The death of a lieutenant leads to odd twists and her daughter's fate is in the balance.
KEW note: This is one of the absolute best NCIS casefiles in existence. Set in that odd period after Kate dies but before Ziva joins the team, it's a fantastic exploration of why Tony does what he does.
"The Conjugates" by Cricket Songs
[PG-13, Tony, Ziva, set between seasons 6 and 7, ~2,200 words]
Summary: He lived his life as casually as he could for three months while she was being tortured; completely oblivious and largely unharmed. Now all he can do is wonder: what was he doing, while she was busy suffering?
"The Lances Unlifted" by Cricket Songs
[PG-13, Ziva-centric, set before and after 7x01 "Truth or Consequences", ~6,400 words]
Summary: She cries out her frustration and she swears that as soon as she is free, as soon as the ropes have been cut, she will draw blood - and Death hovers at her shoulders all night.
KEW note: Ziva's trauma from within her own head. Not officially a companion piece to "The Conjugates", but these two fit together very well.
"My Father's Keeper" by Emerald1 (emerald_green37)
[PG-13, McGee-centric, set post-7x12 "Flesh and Blood", ~66,000 words, WWOMB link]
Author's Summary: When Gibbs goes too far protecting Tony after the events in Flesh and Blood, who will pay the ultimate price?
"Slaughter House" by Bob Rhynoplasty (bobrhynoplasty)
[PG-13, Tony, Gibbs, pre-series, ~22,000 words]
Summary: How did Gibbs and Tony meet? What was it about the young Baltimore cop that earned Gibbs' trust above all others? When a case of a slaughtered marine leads Gibbs to Baltimore, he's forced to team up with the locals to catch a serial killer.
KEW note: My favorite "Gibbs and Tony meet on a case in Baltimore" fic.
"La casa habitada" by sara_f_black (sfb_escritos)
[G, Gibbs(/Shannon), tiny spoiler for 7x24 "Rule 51", ~1,400 words]
Author's Summary: Leroy Jethro Gibbs nunca ha sentido tanto frío.
KEW note: If you know any Spanish at all, read this. Gorgeous and sad.
"Unreal City" by mercury marbles (mercury_marbles)
[PG, Ari, pre-series, ~1,600 words]
Summary: Different times, different places. The same man.
KEW note: A chilling, lyrical look through Ari's history with gorgeous use of references to "The Waste Land".
UPDATE (Dec 2011): This story has been deleted by the author. Message or e-mail me and I can try to hook you up with a copy.
"across the universe" by mercury marbles (mercury_marbles)
[PG-13, Ziva-centric, ~12,000 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: Ziva always knew she would die young, but never like this. Abby dances, DiNozzo is not a complete idiot, McGee wears heart-shaped sunglasses, Ducky waxes poetic, Gibbs is most likely a Viking, Kate Todd is dead, and so is Elvis, and Ziva soon, too.
KEW note: This story was an instant favorite for me. There are about a zillion fascinating character moments; it's long, complex, and a little unsettling. I love its depiction of Ziva as a person with many, many secrets and how she allows them to influence (or not) her interaction with the world around her.
UPDATE (Apr 2011): This story has been deleted by the author. Message or e-mail me and I can try to hook you up with a copy.
"IDK, my BFF Gibbs?" by Kira (bloodyfandom)
[R, Gibbs, Tony, crack fic, ~1,500 words]
Summary: Gibbs + netspeak = ??
KEW note: I died laughing. There's so little pure humor in the NCIS fandom and this is a breath of fresh air.
"The Secret Life of Pimmy Jalmer" by tigerlily25 (tigerlily0484)
[PG, Jimmy, set sometime between 7x13 "Jet Lag" and 7x16 "Mother's Day", ~5,500 words, livejournal link]
Summary: There's a whole world outside the morgue walls that Palmer has yet to explore, but the simultaneous demands of med school rotation and NCIS might just prove to be his undoing. So many shoes, so little time.
KEW note: I love the charming and unexpected details of Jimmy's life outside of NCIS.
"The White Hat Sneakers" by Tipper
[PG-13, McGee, ensemble, casefile, ~61,000 words]
Summary: When McGee and three other agency white hats are taken, the rest of the team will do whatever it takes to find him.
KEW note: Really, really good gen that makes McGee victim and hero at the same time.
"Defying Gravity" by tigerlily25 (tigerlily0484)
[PG, Tony, set after 6x25 "Aliyah" and during 7x01 "Truth or Consequences", ~14,000 words, livejournal link]
Summary: Everything falls eventually, no matter how hard or high you try to throw it.
KEW note: This is a fascinating look inside Tony's head during the time between seasons 6 and 7. It had me hooked from the first Ace Ventura quote.
"Hija de Dios" by Spanish-little-girl (o_o_aurora_o_o)
[NC-17, Ziva, Eli David, AU, ~1,500 words]
Quote: Te deslizas de puntillas por el corredor. Nadie te reconocería con la peluca y las gafas, pero te gusta ser cuidadosa. Discreta, sacas la tarjeta de su escondite, abres la puerta y cierras suavemente. Te está esperando desnudo sobre la cama, hojeando un informe.
KEW note: What if Ziva and Eli David were merely assumed identities? Deliciously dark and one of the most original fics I've read, it's like an AU hiding within canon.
"readiness and wanting" by dress without sleeves (ohladybegood)
[R, Ziva-centric, set after 7x01 "Truth or Consequences", fanfiction.net link, ~3,500 words]
Summary: Being held as a prisoner of war isn't something you just bounce back from. Ziva's not sure what it is you're supposed to do, but she spends a lot of time being angry and wanting to shoot things.
KEW Note: This fic emphasizes that it's not just time with the team that Ziva has missed, but time with the whole world. It's this connection to reality that makes the story so poignant.
"A Four Letter Word" by Sarah B. Leonard (tingreca)
[G, Tony, set during season 4, 100 words]
Quote: Sometimes work wasn’t really work. It was waving guns and chasing suspects.
KEW note: I'm quite impressed with how much character insight the author crammed into this tiny piece. One of the best pieces of very short fiction that I've ever read.
"Wedding Present" by karaokegal
[G, Fornell, Gibbs, pre-series, 100 words]
Summary: The beginning of a beautiful friendship.
KEW note: Pithy and perfect. Two laconic bastards meet over common ground. Another amazing short piece.
McGee/Abby return to navigation
"Still and Always, McGee" by Malvolia NB: ongoing story
[G, McGee/Abby, 33,000+ words]
Summary: Sometimes you have to give something up to safeguard something you want more. A series of one-shot missing McGee and Abby moments, starting with their break-up.
"Fireworks" by rosesinjanuary (rosesinjanuary)
[PG, McGee/Abby, ~500 words]
Summary: Love isn't always like you think it will be.
"Pictures" by rosesinjanuary (rosesinjanuary)
[PG, McGee/Abby, ~1,100 words]
Summary: Ziva's not the only one who doesn't like McGee having those pictures of her...
KEW note: McGee/Abby is my NCIS fanfic fluff weakness. I don't want them to get back together on the show, but in Pretend Land, they're perfectly imperfect for each other. Rosesinjanuary's stories perfectly capture their beautiful, bittersweet ties to each other.
Ziva/Gibbs return to navigation
"Something More" by CSIGurlie07
[PG-13, Gibbs/Ziva, takes off from 5x12 "Stakeout", ~249,000 words]
Summary: The ever-evolving relationship between Ziva and Gibbs. Unusual, unorthodox, and totally right. It started with a stakeout, and nothing will ever be the same.
KEW note: Hands down the best story that I have ever read for this pairing.
Tony/Ziva return to navigation
"As I'm Leaving" by ygrawn
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, set post-5x18 "Judgment Day", ~10,400 words]
Summary: Tony knows exactly what Ziva is asking, and it’s got nothing to do with driving her back to her apartment.
KEW note: Instead of fading to black when two characters fall into bed with each other, this fic holds it breath and dives right in after them, and what happens after that is kind of a revelation. Yes, there is an explicit sex scene, but it's the kind where every little detail tells you something about the characters. There's brilliant ensemble work in the beginning and end, too. My favorite Tony/Ziva fic ever.
"Hide and Seek" by jelenamichel (jelenamichel)
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, ~26,000 words]
Summary: Ziva's disappeared, Tony's keeping his mouth shut, and Gibbs is full of suspicion. How will Tony's choices impact the two most important relationships he has?
KEW note: You know that old saying, "You always remember your first time"? Well, this is the first NCIS fic I can ever remember reading. And I still love it!
"Of Jews and Gentiles" by Sashile (sashile)
[R, ensemble with Tony/Ziva, casefile, ~92,000 words, livejournal link]
Summary: After investigating an attack on a Jewish lieutenant and her non-Jewish boyfriend, Ziva discovers a pattern of similar deaths. An undercover mission with Tony as her boyfriend leads to some dramatic discoveries.
KEW note: Part of a casefile arc including "Deep Lacerations", "Of Jews and Gentiles", "Truths and Covert Lies", "Consequences of Love and War", "Lethal Fractures", and "The Price of Honesty". While all the stories are well written and peppered with fascinating details (the author is an Army doctor) and well-developed original characters, I like "Of Jews and Gentiles" best, followed by "Truths and Covert Lies". "Of Jews and Gentiles" is a great introduction to the series (no need to read "Deep Lacerations" first) and "Truths and Covert Lies" is the more Tony-and-Ziva-focused sequel.
"Too Late" by Rigil Kent (rigil_kent)
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set post 6x16 "Bounce", ~17,000 words, livejournal links: 1, 2, 3, 4a, 4b]
Summary: Tony hates Valentine's Day, Gibbs sees his team splintering, Ziva reaches a crossroads, and the future doesn't turn out like anyone expected.
KEW note: For me, chapter 4 of this fic represents some of the best of fannish writing, where canon, bit characters are expanded and given a life of their own without detracting from the people who we really want to be reading about. It's a good balance.
"Transitional States" by Rigil Kent (rigil_kent)
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, AU from 4x03 "Singled Out", ~235,000 words, livejournal link]
Part 1: Things Fall Apart
Part 2: The Widening Gyre
Part 3: Slouches Toward Bethlehem NB: abandoned
Summary: Feeling disrespected and rejected by his teammates in the wake of Gibbs's return from Mexico, Tony DiNozzo accepts the Rota assignment. And nothing is the same.
KEW note: Part 1 is probably one of the hands-down best written, most action packed NCIS stories I've read. Part 2 builds it into a bigger arc which unfortunately is left unfinished in Part 3 as the author grew disenchanted with NCIS. Absolutely worth a read, and maybe one day it will be continued.
"Save Us" by angel-death-dealer
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, ~44,000 words]
Summary: She's been gone for fourteen months. Kept prisoner by people who should have loved her. But now she's back, and she needs protection, and she's not alone.
KEW note: So fluffy you'll get cavities. Babyfic alert.
"The Last Unspoken Summer" by wildpeace (katy_moon_beam)
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set post 3x24 "Hiatus", ~10,500 words, alternate ff.net link or parts 1, 2, 3, 4 on LJ]
Summary: What happens during the summer between Hiatus and Shalom.
"The Short Walk to the Long Goodbye" by wildpeace (katy_moon_beam)
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, set post 5x18 "Judgment Day", ~18,000 words, sequel to "The Last Unspoken Summer", alternate ff.net link]
Summary: Suddenly, he is standing in the middle of her living room, and she has a shot trained between his eyes. “ You didn’t say goodbye.”
KEW note: I prefer the sequel.
"City of Cliché" by madame.alexandra
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x13 "Jet Lag", ~2,100 words]
Summary: Clichés are just traps that everyone secretly desires to spring. Jenny and Gibbs may have been the first to fall in Paris, but Ziva and Tony seem to be the heirs to their folly--or fortune.
"Perspective" by ygrawn
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, ensemble, ~12,700 words]
Summary: "I think everybody knows about us," Tony says.
"Tether" by brightblue
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, set during 5x18 "Judgment Day", ~4,000 words]
Summary: She believes she is keeping him bound together by sheer force of will; if she drops her guard for even a second, he will break.
KEW note: The expansive sequel, which continues after the events of "Judgment Day", is "Tangled Up".
"Battle of the Sexes" by M E Wofford
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, ~20,000 words]
Summary: Ziva challenges something Tony says.
KEW note: A provocative story that's not without humor.
"Itching the Scratch" by badboy_fangirl
[R, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x13 "Jet Lag", ~1,700 words]
Summary: Tony and Ziva go to Paris.
"Not in the Script" by Quinndolynn
[PG-13, Tony, Ziva, ~1,500 words]
Summary: Patching up someone’s wounds is only sexy in the movies.
"Growing Up" by fmd-jade NB: work in progress
[PG, Tony/Ziva, McGee/Abby, future fic, ~25,000 words]
Summary: People get older, they grow up, grow more mature. Or so you'd think. But trying to handle a normal life can be rather challenging for our favourite agents.
"Belle Ville" by Quinndolynn
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x13 "Jet Lag", ~2,800 words]
Summary: Twelve moments from a trip to Paris. Including an inevitable one.
KEW note: It's a tough call given the volume of stories, but I think this is my favorite "Jet Lag" fic.
"Demons" by Jeanne Luz
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, set after 4x01 "Shalom", ~3,100 words]
Summary: Tony, Ziva and their demons.
KEW note: This author does a great job of not resolving the issues. (Note: Chapter 1 on fanfiction.net is the original story; Chapter 2 is a sequel.)
"The Truth Shall Set You Free" by Jedicren
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, set post 7x13 "Jet Lag", ~5,000 words]
Summary: A week after Tony and Ziva's visit to Paris, questions arise about what happened the night of their hotel stay when Tony is implicated in a failed F.B.I. sting.
"Mirror, Mirror" by LittleSammy (littlesammy)
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, ~2,300 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: Tony. Ziva. A bathroom. A mirror. 'nuff said.
KEW note: A guilty pleasure. I love the maturity that the author gives Tony and Ziva even in this little bit of smut.
"Pivotal Moments" by Embolalia
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, Ziva/Michael Rivkin, set during season 6, ~47,000 words]
Summary: A series of missing scenes exploring Ziva's relationships with Michael and Tony across season 6.
KEW note: The author has another similar story, "Completely Insufferable", covering season 4.
"Symbiosis" by Zaedah (zaedah)
[PG, McGee, Tony/Ziva, McGee/Abby, ~65,000 words]
Summary: "The thing that sticks a hook in McGee's gaping mouth in the midst of the unannounced programming is that Tony doesn't seem surprised."
KEW note: This story takes on two challenges: telling the story of Tony and Ziva's relationship and conveying everything that goes on in the mind of McGee. The story's unique writing style succeeds in doing both, and this is one of the best McGee voices I've ever seen.
"Inevitable" by Mooncombo (mooncombo)
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, starts after 3x24 "Hiatus Part II", ~7,600 words]
Summary: Ch.6-Never too far from the periphery of his mind is the road traveled to get to this point. The road was bumpy but they survived.
KEW note: Chapter 6 is the end of this story as it was originally published (and rec'd). However, the same story on ff.net houses the in-progress continuation, starting with Chapter 7.
"Start Healing" by i love alex (awesomemorning)
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, set in early season 7, ~19,000 words, livejournal links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (locked to community members)]
Summary: Her necklace is missing. And he is the one who is going to find out where it is.
"Blank" by Prissy and Bregan NB: abandoned
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, Ziva/Damon Werth, future fic, 38,000+ words]
Summary: Saleem stands over Ziva with insidious intent in his eyes. Her knife gleams in his hand. She can barely pray to live for another day. Waking up, it is ten years in the future. Her mind is blank and she doesn't remember life after her aliyah to Israel.
KEW note: This fic is 38,000+ words of amazingness. It's awesome as it is, but I continue to hold out hope that it will be finished someday.
"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" by LostinOblivion
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, ~3,000 words]
Summary: Gibbs gets an emergency call in the middle of the night about one of his agents, and gets a surprise at the scene.
"Debris" by LittleSammy (littlesammy)
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, set after 7x21 "Obsession", ~1,700 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: Tony and Ziva deal with what happened in "Obsession".
KEW note: Watch the author's warnings on this gutsy fic: Angry!sex, bordering on non-con. The slightly less angsty sequel is "Collateral" (if you're on fanfiction.net, the sequel is posted as chapter 2).
"Be Still" by CarlieD
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, AU from 3x08 "Under Covers", ~10,500 words]
Summary: What if… Tony and Ziva had needed to remain undercover? What if NCIS and FBI could not back them up and they had needed to truly be Jean-Paul and Sophie Ranier?
"A Mangled Reminder" by Jananae
[PG-13, Tony, set during 7x01 "Truth or Consequence", ~2,200 words]
Summary: After the dust has settled in Salim's camp, Tony finds something precious.
"Not a Present" by Jananae
[PG-13, Tony, Ziva, set post 7x10 "Faith", sequel to "A Mangled Reminder", ~2,000 words]
Summary: Ziva is given a certain special something on Christmas night.
KEW note: Both this story and its prequel are technically gen with no romantic elements, but I'm putting them here because they're both nice reflections on Tony and Ziva's partnership.
"Sure You Don't" by GRACE5
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, future fic, ~2,950 words]
Summary: Tony needs Ziva's reassurance.
"The Night Before He Went Away" by LittleSammy (littlesammy)
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x24 "Rule 51", ~1,600 words, fanfiction.net link]
Author's Summary: The night before Ziva's ceremony.
"no one more than you" by dress without sleeves (ohladybegood)
[R, Tony/Ziva, ~1,900 words, livejournal link]
Summary: Tony and Ziva, never quite getting it right. But coming awfully close.
KEW note: The third section is one of my absolute favorites.
"Roll Credits" by mala (monimala)
[R, Tony/Ziva, 1,000 words]
Summary: Two distinct personalities clash and it's really just an orchestrated cover for the fact that they're in love.
KEW note: This fic is distinguished for excellent use of Tony's film obsession.
"Pieces That You Left Behind" by axlotlgirl
[PG-13, Tony/Jeanne, Tony/Ziva, AU from 5x01 "Bury Your Dead", ~12,000 words]
Summary: Jeanne was the one blown up in 'Bury Your Dead.' Tony grieves, but his hand is already being held.
KEW note: This story is as much (or more) Tony/Jeanne as it is Tony/Ziva. I really appreciate that it gives Tony the chance to grieve for Jeanne that he never got on the show and in no way belittles their relationship, even as he eventually moves on. Plus there's a nice casefile element to the story.
"At Every Opportunity" by Embolalia
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, AU, ~22,000 words]
Summary: Where would Tony and Ziva be if they'd taken ALL of the chances we know they've had?
KEW note: I really didn't like this story at first, because I like plots that are in canon and this was just way too AU for me, but this story won me over with its emotional depth.
"Four People Ziva David Never Hooked [Up] With" by boonies
[PG-13, Ziva, Tony/Ziva, ~4,300 words]
Summary: And the one person she did. Or: the importance of semantics.
KEW note: This story is so wonderful at characterizing Ziva's relationships with multiple characters that I'm tempted to put it in the gen section, even if it does finally end up Tony/Ziva. The fantastic Ziva & Jenny section could be a fic all on its own.
UPDATE (Dec 2011): This story is currently locked by the author. If you have saved copy or working link, please get in touch.
"The Time and In Between" by anr
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x24 "Rule 51", ~925 words]
Summary: The first day of summer.
KEW note: Suspenseful, vivid, and terse. The communication between Tony and Ziva, in the form of Gibbs's rules, feels spot on.
Gibbs/Jenny return to navigation
"Russian Twilight" by madame.alexandra
[NC-17, Gibbs/Jenny, pre-series, ~102,000 words]
Summary: The Czech Republic, Russia, Serbia, and ultimately, Paris again. Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Jenny Shepard are more lovers than partners, and yet they still have a job to do--a job that may very well tear them apart. This is their story...further continued.
KEW note: The denouement of a fantastic (and totally canon-compliant!) series about Gibbs's and Jenny's partnership and affair. Part 1 is "Probie Days"; part 2 is "Paris Nights". "Russian Twilight" is third and best.
Tony/Gibbs return to navigation
"Damage" by Xanthe2 (xanthe /xanthestories)
[NC-17, Gibbs/Tony, ~132,000 words, ncisfiction.com link, livejournal link]
Summary: When Gibbs investigates a minor robbery, he uncovers something much more sinister. The resulting investigation has unexpected and far-reaching consequences.
"a thousand miles (mend what is broken)" by uncaused (chatona)
[NC-17, Gibbs/Tony, AU from 4x03 "Singled Out", ~20,500 words]
Summary: “I want you to come home, Tony.”
KEW note: I would call this the definitive Gibbs/Tony take on the "what if Tony took the job in Spain?" question. Tony doesn't come back, so the team goes to get him. I love Tony and Abby's friendship in this story (Quote: He left Abby a voice mail. "I got to Spain all right. The sun's shining. Later, Abs.") and I also like Tony's new team.
"Twelve Steps to Understanding?" by ingenius_inc
[NC-17, Gibbs/Tony, mentions of Gibbs/Ducky, spoilers for 3x24 "Hiatus (Part 2)", ~5,500 words]
Quote: It’s the look that says You’re an idiot and You’re a really big idiot and I wish I could legally arrest you for that (but as it is, I might just shoot you and have Abby hide the body someplace really degrading) and Tony swallows the rest of what he’s going to say, because oh God, Gibbs must have seen him-of course Gibbs had seen!-and Tony feels really totally stupid for thinking that he might have gotten away unnoticed.
KEW note: This story takes the time-honored formula of "the first time" and spins out to its conclusion, but there's so much more here. Also, I haven't personally listened to it , but apparently there's an audiofic version of this story.
"Operation: Wedding in Vermont" by lisgreomg
[PG, McGee, Gibbs/Tony, ensemble, ~4,950 words]
Summary: Gibbs is a stupidhead. So the team punishes him by following all the rules.
KEW notes: This is inspired. Basically, the team points out Gibbs's fundamental hypocrisy by obeying all the rules to the letter...just not Gibbs's rules. And did I mention that it's hilarious as well?
Gibbs/Abby return to navigation
"How to Confuse a Polygraph Machine" by Chirugal (chirugal /hinkykinky)
[NC-17, Gibbs/Abby, ~3,000 words]
Author's Summary: Abby needs a test subject for her polygraph machine. When she makes the mistake of asking Gibbs to take the hot seat, the polygrapher becomes the polygraphee…
"The Shorter Story" by anr
[PG, Gibbs/Abby, ~1,700 words]
Summary: He'll figure it out later.
Tony/McGee return to navigation
"Razor's Edge" by colorguard28 (colorguard28)
[PG-13, Tony/McGee, takes off after 6x25 "Aliyah", ~124,000 words]
Summary: Two teammates come together after Ziva stays in Israel. Now they must survive her return, their own demons and well-intentioned meddling by unknowing teammates.
"Takin' a Crazy Chance" by catwalksalone (catwalksalone)
[PG-13, Tony/McGee, 5,000 words, AO3 link]
Summary: Secret boyfriends, that's what they aren't.
Ziva/Jenny return to navigation
"Written by the Victors" by Sabine (fromthesabrary)
[R, Ziva/Jenny, Gibbs/Tony, Gibbs/Jenny, 2,600 words]
Summary: Everybody comes to Belgrade.
Threesomes return to navigation
"Vanilla" by Precious Pup (redvelvetribbon)
[NC-17, McGee/Abby/Tony, ~1,800 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: Tony is seeing Tim in a whole new way.
"House of Cards" by Rainne (xdawnfirex_fic)
[NC-17, Kate/Tony/McGee, Gibbs/Abby, AU, ~147,500 words, dreamwidth link]
Summary: Maybe they can get through this together.
KEW note: Bet you never thought I'd a threesome series set in an alternate universe where Kate doesn't die and Ziva doesn't exist, right? Wrong! Somehow this incredibly domestic series keeps on working for me.
"Refuge" by SerenityMeiMei (serenitymeimei)
[NC-17, Gibbs/Tony/Ziva, ~7,000 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: What if the freaky FBI chick who had been taking photos of Tony and Jeanne had really been an obsessed stalker? This is the aftermath
Notes:
"Work in progress" means that the story's plot has not yet reached its conclusion.
"Ongoing story" means that the fic adapts to follow the show's plotline and may continue indefinitely.
"Abandoned" (also known as "on hiatus") means that the story's plot has not been finished and the author is unlikely to continue it. I list abandoned stories here on the merits of their completed chapters. For most of these stories, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for each new chapter and am still disappointed that they have lapsed.
Please comment to report any broken links. (Where possible I've tried to include two different links to stories in case of site outages or account deletions.)
Don't forget to leave feedback for the authors! (It doesn't matter when the story was written!)
Page History:
Fixed links and added one story April 11, 2012.
Removed broken links and lj-cuts December 4, 2011.
Updated June 29, 2011.
Updated April 4, 2011.
Word counts added for all stories August 28, 2010.
List mirrored at my fanfiction.net profile August 12, 2010.
Last updated July 12, 2010.
Updated June 10, 2010.
Updated May 28, 2010.
Rec list created May 17, 2010.
{C}
If you like any of the fic you find here, please let the author know by reviewing! Even if it was written several years ago, I'm sure it would brighten the author's day to know that someone is still reading and appreciating his or her story.
For more reading material, check out the "weekly recs" tag in my journal or the weeklyrecs archive for more NCIS fanfiction I've been enjoying. And if you've exhausted all my suggestions, check out this post for more NCIS recs sites.
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Ziva/Gibbs
Tony/Ziva
Gibbs/Jenny
Tony/Gibbs
Gibbs/Abby
Tony/McGee
Ziva/Jenny
Threesomes
Notes
Gen return to navigation
"Ten Nonlinear Moves" by Sequitur (sequitur_fic)
[PG, ensemble, set post-3x24 "Hiatus (Part 2)", ~3,100 words, livejournal link]
Summary: Tony doesn't become team leader overnight. First, they have all have to watch movies, develop new neuroses, and make flowcharts.
KEW note: Just a really, really good and funny look at how the team coped when Tony took over for Gibbs. Author's commentary on the story can be found here. There is a sequel, "Ten Incomplete Regressions", which picks up after Gibbs returns.
"One Less" by joykatleen
[T, Gibbs, ensemble, casefile, ~200,000 words]
Summary: The murder of a sailor in a DC warehouse reveals a conspiracy that's been silently destroying lives on a Navy carrier for years. Someone high is covering it up. Can Gibbs and company get to the root of it before more lives are lost?
KEW note: This is the best NCIS casefile out there. It is long (took me days to read!), detailed, thoughtful, action-packed, well-plotted, doesn't ignore character development, and is in short fabulous. The writing is very novelistic and takes its time introducing the characters, even the ones we already know. A must read, in my opinion.
"All The Works and Days of Hands" by Valieara (mannaplowsk)
[PG, Ziva, Gibbs, 7x01 "Truth or Consequences" through 7x04 "Good Cop, Bad Cop", ~2,200 words, livejournal link]
Summary: She's saying, The closest thing I have to a father is accusing me. And there's that. Ziva and Gibbs figure a few things out during Somalia and its aftermath, slowly and incompletely.
KEW note: I think this is gorgeous writing. Valieara somehow manages to infuse her sentences with the weariness of everything Ziva and Gibbs have been through. The words ending vignette haunted me for a long time as I frantically tried to find this story again.
"On the Outside" by Sashile (sashile)
[G, Ziva, Damon Werth, set post 7x06 "Outlaws and In-Laws", ~1,800 words, livejournal link]
Summary: Ziva's morning run is interrupted by someone she didn't expect to see, and she finds it's not as lonely on the outside as she previously thought.
"Of Meetings and Partings" by wildpeace (katy_moon_beam)
[PG, ensemble, future fic, ~3,300 words]
Summary: After 5 years, when the calls comes, they gather from far and near.
KEW note: I give it four hankies.
"Sawdust and Sandalwood" by wildpeace (katy_moon_beam)
[G, Ziva, Gibbs, ~4,100 words]
Summary: Ziva. Gibbs. Basement, bourbon, boat. A load of questions and answers that don’t look like answers.
"Drowning in Duplicity" by AlkalineTeegan (alkalineteegan)
[PG-13, Tony, set during season 4, ~10,000 words]
Summary: It's funny, it's sad, it's all over the place. It's like he's two different people. And sometimes, he is.
KEW note: I love this fantastic dive into the mind of Tony DiNardo. Or is he Tony DiNozzo?
"Conversations" by Embolalia NB: ongoing story
[PG, Ziva, Gibbs, 79,000+ words]
Summary: A series of one-shot conversations between Ziva and Gibbs over the course of the show.
"The Impractical Heart" by Pough
[PG-13, Tony-centric, ~120,000 words]
Summary: When a tiny virus sweeps through Tony's body, leaving catastrophic results, his team remains vigilant.
KEW note: This remarkable story is one of the only "member of the team gets hurt/sick/handicapped" stories that I've ever truly enjoyed. Given that this story has a medical focus, Ducky plays a much more prominent role than he does in most NCIS fics. And oh, my word, what this author has done with Ducky is brilliant.
"Sicarii" by PegasusUnbound NB: abandoned
[R, Ziva, set after 6x25 "Aliyah", 53,000+ words]
Summary: It was like she'd once told McGee . . . there is only so much torment the human body can endure. No one can hold out forever, not even Gibbs. Not even her.
KEW note: I hold out hope that this story will one day be finished. The writing starts out good, but then continually improves so that the last chapters are some of the most impressive writing I've ever seen in a fanfic. This story is so complex and an exploration of the worst and bleakest of human emotions, but the end result is fantastic.
"Gigolo" by kikkimax
[PG-13, ensemble, casefile, ~44,000 words]
Summary: A dead marine in an Armani suit means someone is going undercover in a house of ill repute.
"The Crux of the Matter" by Quinndolynn
[PG-13, McGee-centric, with a little bit of McGee/Abby and Tony/Ziva, set during and after 7x15 "Jack Knife", ~5,300 words]
Summary: McGee sleepwalks through a week of crucial moments. McAbby. Tiva. And monsters.
KEW note: I can't believe I forgot about this story, because it's one of the most hilarious things I've ever read and yet somehow isn't (quite) crack-fic. This is an exploration into what would happen to McGee's psyche after a week of playing nursemaid to Gibbs. Sample quotation: "McGee gives up on looking in his desk drawer for a power bar and adds crazy psychic powers and can probably turn into a bat to his mental list of reasons Gibbs is probably supernatural." There should really be a laugh-out-loud warning on the scene where McGee turns up at Tony's apartment in the middle of the night.
"Tin Star" by lilmouse
[PG, Tony, team, casefile, set sometime between 3x02 "Kill Ari pt. 2" and 3x04 "Silver War", ~38,000 words]
Summary: The death of a lieutenant leads to odd twists and her daughter's fate is in the balance.
KEW note: This is one of the absolute best NCIS casefiles in existence. Set in that odd period after Kate dies but before Ziva joins the team, it's a fantastic exploration of why Tony does what he does.
"The Conjugates" by Cricket Songs
[PG-13, Tony, Ziva, set between seasons 6 and 7, ~2,200 words]
Summary: He lived his life as casually as he could for three months while she was being tortured; completely oblivious and largely unharmed. Now all he can do is wonder: what was he doing, while she was busy suffering?
"The Lances Unlifted" by Cricket Songs
[PG-13, Ziva-centric, set before and after 7x01 "Truth or Consequences", ~6,400 words]
Summary: She cries out her frustration and she swears that as soon as she is free, as soon as the ropes have been cut, she will draw blood - and Death hovers at her shoulders all night.
KEW note: Ziva's trauma from within her own head. Not officially a companion piece to "The Conjugates", but these two fit together very well.
"My Father's Keeper" by Emerald1 (emerald_green37)
[PG-13, McGee-centric, set post-7x12 "Flesh and Blood", ~66,000 words, WWOMB link]
Author's Summary: When Gibbs goes too far protecting Tony after the events in Flesh and Blood, who will pay the ultimate price?
"Slaughter House" by Bob Rhynoplasty (bobrhynoplasty)
[PG-13, Tony, Gibbs, pre-series, ~22,000 words]
Summary: How did Gibbs and Tony meet? What was it about the young Baltimore cop that earned Gibbs' trust above all others? When a case of a slaughtered marine leads Gibbs to Baltimore, he's forced to team up with the locals to catch a serial killer.
KEW note: My favorite "Gibbs and Tony meet on a case in Baltimore" fic.
"La casa habitada" by sara_f_black (sfb_escritos)
[G, Gibbs(/Shannon), tiny spoiler for 7x24 "Rule 51", ~1,400 words]
Author's Summary: Leroy Jethro Gibbs nunca ha sentido tanto frío.
KEW note: If you know any Spanish at all, read this. Gorgeous and sad.
"Unreal City" by mercury marbles (mercury_marbles)
[PG, Ari, pre-series, ~1,600 words]
Summary: Different times, different places. The same man.
KEW note: A chilling, lyrical look through Ari's history with gorgeous use of references to "The Waste Land".
UPDATE (Dec 2011): This story has been deleted by the author. Message or e-mail me and I can try to hook you up with a copy.
"across the universe" by mercury marbles (mercury_marbles)
[PG-13, Ziva-centric, ~12,000 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: Ziva always knew she would die young, but never like this. Abby dances, DiNozzo is not a complete idiot, McGee wears heart-shaped sunglasses, Ducky waxes poetic, Gibbs is most likely a Viking, Kate Todd is dead, and so is Elvis, and Ziva soon, too.
KEW note: This story was an instant favorite for me. There are about a zillion fascinating character moments; it's long, complex, and a little unsettling. I love its depiction of Ziva as a person with many, many secrets and how she allows them to influence (or not) her interaction with the world around her.
UPDATE (Apr 2011): This story has been deleted by the author. Message or e-mail me and I can try to hook you up with a copy.
"IDK, my BFF Gibbs?" by Kira (bloodyfandom)
[R, Gibbs, Tony, crack fic, ~1,500 words]
Summary: Gibbs + netspeak = ??
KEW note: I died laughing. There's so little pure humor in the NCIS fandom and this is a breath of fresh air.
"The Secret Life of Pimmy Jalmer" by tigerlily25 (tigerlily0484)
[PG, Jimmy, set sometime between 7x13 "Jet Lag" and 7x16 "Mother's Day", ~5,500 words, livejournal link]
Summary: There's a whole world outside the morgue walls that Palmer has yet to explore, but the simultaneous demands of med school rotation and NCIS might just prove to be his undoing. So many shoes, so little time.
KEW note: I love the charming and unexpected details of Jimmy's life outside of NCIS.
"The White Hat Sneakers" by Tipper
[PG-13, McGee, ensemble, casefile, ~61,000 words]
Summary: When McGee and three other agency white hats are taken, the rest of the team will do whatever it takes to find him.
KEW note: Really, really good gen that makes McGee victim and hero at the same time.
"Defying Gravity" by tigerlily25 (tigerlily0484)
[PG, Tony, set after 6x25 "Aliyah" and during 7x01 "Truth or Consequences", ~14,000 words, livejournal link]
Summary: Everything falls eventually, no matter how hard or high you try to throw it.
KEW note: This is a fascinating look inside Tony's head during the time between seasons 6 and 7. It had me hooked from the first Ace Ventura quote.
"Hija de Dios" by Spanish-little-girl (o_o_aurora_o_o)
[NC-17, Ziva, Eli David, AU, ~1,500 words]
Quote: Te deslizas de puntillas por el corredor. Nadie te reconocería con la peluca y las gafas, pero te gusta ser cuidadosa. Discreta, sacas la tarjeta de su escondite, abres la puerta y cierras suavemente. Te está esperando desnudo sobre la cama, hojeando un informe.
KEW note: What if Ziva and Eli David were merely assumed identities? Deliciously dark and one of the most original fics I've read, it's like an AU hiding within canon.
"readiness and wanting" by dress without sleeves (ohladybegood)
[R, Ziva-centric, set after 7x01 "Truth or Consequences", fanfiction.net link, ~3,500 words]
Summary: Being held as a prisoner of war isn't something you just bounce back from. Ziva's not sure what it is you're supposed to do, but she spends a lot of time being angry and wanting to shoot things.
KEW Note: This fic emphasizes that it's not just time with the team that Ziva has missed, but time with the whole world. It's this connection to reality that makes the story so poignant.
"A Four Letter Word" by Sarah B. Leonard (tingreca)
[G, Tony, set during season 4, 100 words]
Quote: Sometimes work wasn’t really work. It was waving guns and chasing suspects.
KEW note: I'm quite impressed with how much character insight the author crammed into this tiny piece. One of the best pieces of very short fiction that I've ever read.
"Wedding Present" by karaokegal
[G, Fornell, Gibbs, pre-series, 100 words]
Summary: The beginning of a beautiful friendship.
KEW note: Pithy and perfect. Two laconic bastards meet over common ground. Another amazing short piece.
McGee/Abby return to navigation
"Still and Always, McGee" by Malvolia NB: ongoing story
[G, McGee/Abby, 33,000+ words]
Summary: Sometimes you have to give something up to safeguard something you want more. A series of one-shot missing McGee and Abby moments, starting with their break-up.
"Fireworks" by rosesinjanuary (rosesinjanuary)
[PG, McGee/Abby, ~500 words]
Summary: Love isn't always like you think it will be.
"Pictures" by rosesinjanuary (rosesinjanuary)
[PG, McGee/Abby, ~1,100 words]
Summary: Ziva's not the only one who doesn't like McGee having those pictures of her...
KEW note: McGee/Abby is my NCIS fanfic fluff weakness. I don't want them to get back together on the show, but in Pretend Land, they're perfectly imperfect for each other. Rosesinjanuary's stories perfectly capture their beautiful, bittersweet ties to each other.
Ziva/Gibbs return to navigation
"Something More" by CSIGurlie07
[PG-13, Gibbs/Ziva, takes off from 5x12 "Stakeout", ~249,000 words]
Summary: The ever-evolving relationship between Ziva and Gibbs. Unusual, unorthodox, and totally right. It started with a stakeout, and nothing will ever be the same.
KEW note: Hands down the best story that I have ever read for this pairing.
Tony/Ziva return to navigation
"As I'm Leaving" by ygrawn
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, set post-5x18 "Judgment Day", ~10,400 words]
Summary: Tony knows exactly what Ziva is asking, and it’s got nothing to do with driving her back to her apartment.
KEW note: Instead of fading to black when two characters fall into bed with each other, this fic holds it breath and dives right in after them, and what happens after that is kind of a revelation. Yes, there is an explicit sex scene, but it's the kind where every little detail tells you something about the characters. There's brilliant ensemble work in the beginning and end, too. My favorite Tony/Ziva fic ever.
"Hide and Seek" by jelenamichel (jelenamichel)
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, ~26,000 words]
Summary: Ziva's disappeared, Tony's keeping his mouth shut, and Gibbs is full of suspicion. How will Tony's choices impact the two most important relationships he has?
KEW note: You know that old saying, "You always remember your first time"? Well, this is the first NCIS fic I can ever remember reading. And I still love it!
"Of Jews and Gentiles" by Sashile (sashile)
[R, ensemble with Tony/Ziva, casefile, ~92,000 words, livejournal link]
Summary: After investigating an attack on a Jewish lieutenant and her non-Jewish boyfriend, Ziva discovers a pattern of similar deaths. An undercover mission with Tony as her boyfriend leads to some dramatic discoveries.
KEW note: Part of a casefile arc including "Deep Lacerations", "Of Jews and Gentiles", "Truths and Covert Lies", "Consequences of Love and War", "Lethal Fractures", and "The Price of Honesty". While all the stories are well written and peppered with fascinating details (the author is an Army doctor) and well-developed original characters, I like "Of Jews and Gentiles" best, followed by "Truths and Covert Lies". "Of Jews and Gentiles" is a great introduction to the series (no need to read "Deep Lacerations" first) and "Truths and Covert Lies" is the more Tony-and-Ziva-focused sequel.
"Too Late" by Rigil Kent (rigil_kent)
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set post 6x16 "Bounce", ~17,000 words, livejournal links: 1, 2, 3, 4a, 4b]
Summary: Tony hates Valentine's Day, Gibbs sees his team splintering, Ziva reaches a crossroads, and the future doesn't turn out like anyone expected.
KEW note: For me, chapter 4 of this fic represents some of the best of fannish writing, where canon, bit characters are expanded and given a life of their own without detracting from the people who we really want to be reading about. It's a good balance.
"Transitional States" by Rigil Kent (rigil_kent)
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, AU from 4x03 "Singled Out", ~235,000 words, livejournal link]
Part 1: Things Fall Apart
Part 2: The Widening Gyre
Part 3: Slouches Toward Bethlehem NB: abandoned
Summary: Feeling disrespected and rejected by his teammates in the wake of Gibbs's return from Mexico, Tony DiNozzo accepts the Rota assignment. And nothing is the same.
KEW note: Part 1 is probably one of the hands-down best written, most action packed NCIS stories I've read. Part 2 builds it into a bigger arc which unfortunately is left unfinished in Part 3 as the author grew disenchanted with NCIS. Absolutely worth a read, and maybe one day it will be continued.
"Save Us" by angel-death-dealer
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, ~44,000 words]
Summary: She's been gone for fourteen months. Kept prisoner by people who should have loved her. But now she's back, and she needs protection, and she's not alone.
KEW note: So fluffy you'll get cavities. Babyfic alert.
"The Last Unspoken Summer" by wildpeace (katy_moon_beam)
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set post 3x24 "Hiatus", ~10,500 words, alternate ff.net link or parts 1, 2, 3, 4 on LJ]
Summary: What happens during the summer between Hiatus and Shalom.
"The Short Walk to the Long Goodbye" by wildpeace (katy_moon_beam)
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, set post 5x18 "Judgment Day", ~18,000 words, sequel to "The Last Unspoken Summer", alternate ff.net link]
Summary: Suddenly, he is standing in the middle of her living room, and she has a shot trained between his eyes. “ You didn’t say goodbye.”
KEW note: I prefer the sequel.
"City of Cliché" by madame.alexandra
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x13 "Jet Lag", ~2,100 words]
Summary: Clichés are just traps that everyone secretly desires to spring. Jenny and Gibbs may have been the first to fall in Paris, but Ziva and Tony seem to be the heirs to their folly--or fortune.
"Perspective" by ygrawn
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, ensemble, ~12,700 words]
Summary: "I think everybody knows about us," Tony says.
"Tether" by brightblue
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, set during 5x18 "Judgment Day", ~4,000 words]
Summary: She believes she is keeping him bound together by sheer force of will; if she drops her guard for even a second, he will break.
KEW note: The expansive sequel, which continues after the events of "Judgment Day", is "Tangled Up".
"Battle of the Sexes" by M E Wofford
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, ~20,000 words]
Summary: Ziva challenges something Tony says.
KEW note: A provocative story that's not without humor.
"Itching the Scratch" by badboy_fangirl
[R, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x13 "Jet Lag", ~1,700 words]
Summary: Tony and Ziva go to Paris.
"Not in the Script" by Quinndolynn
[PG-13, Tony, Ziva, ~1,500 words]
Summary: Patching up someone’s wounds is only sexy in the movies.
"Growing Up" by fmd-jade NB: work in progress
[PG, Tony/Ziva, McGee/Abby, future fic, ~25,000 words]
Summary: People get older, they grow up, grow more mature. Or so you'd think. But trying to handle a normal life can be rather challenging for our favourite agents.
"Belle Ville" by Quinndolynn
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x13 "Jet Lag", ~2,800 words]
Summary: Twelve moments from a trip to Paris. Including an inevitable one.
KEW note: It's a tough call given the volume of stories, but I think this is my favorite "Jet Lag" fic.
"Demons" by Jeanne Luz
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, set after 4x01 "Shalom", ~3,100 words]
Summary: Tony, Ziva and their demons.
KEW note: This author does a great job of not resolving the issues. (Note: Chapter 1 on fanfiction.net is the original story; Chapter 2 is a sequel.)
"The Truth Shall Set You Free" by Jedicren
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, set post 7x13 "Jet Lag", ~5,000 words]
Summary: A week after Tony and Ziva's visit to Paris, questions arise about what happened the night of their hotel stay when Tony is implicated in a failed F.B.I. sting.
"Mirror, Mirror" by LittleSammy (littlesammy)
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, ~2,300 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: Tony. Ziva. A bathroom. A mirror. 'nuff said.
KEW note: A guilty pleasure. I love the maturity that the author gives Tony and Ziva even in this little bit of smut.
"Pivotal Moments" by Embolalia
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, Ziva/Michael Rivkin, set during season 6, ~47,000 words]
Summary: A series of missing scenes exploring Ziva's relationships with Michael and Tony across season 6.
KEW note: The author has another similar story, "Completely Insufferable", covering season 4.
"Symbiosis" by Zaedah (zaedah)
[PG, McGee, Tony/Ziva, McGee/Abby, ~65,000 words]
Summary: "The thing that sticks a hook in McGee's gaping mouth in the midst of the unannounced programming is that Tony doesn't seem surprised."
KEW note: This story takes on two challenges: telling the story of Tony and Ziva's relationship and conveying everything that goes on in the mind of McGee. The story's unique writing style succeeds in doing both, and this is one of the best McGee voices I've ever seen.
"Inevitable" by Mooncombo (mooncombo)
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, starts after 3x24 "Hiatus Part II", ~7,600 words]
Summary: Ch.6-Never too far from the periphery of his mind is the road traveled to get to this point. The road was bumpy but they survived.
KEW note: Chapter 6 is the end of this story as it was originally published (and rec'd). However, the same story on ff.net houses the in-progress continuation, starting with Chapter 7.
"Start Healing" by i love alex (awesomemorning)
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, set in early season 7, ~19,000 words, livejournal links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (locked to community members)]
Summary: Her necklace is missing. And he is the one who is going to find out where it is.
"Blank" by Prissy and Bregan NB: abandoned
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, Ziva/Damon Werth, future fic, 38,000+ words]
Summary: Saleem stands over Ziva with insidious intent in his eyes. Her knife gleams in his hand. She can barely pray to live for another day. Waking up, it is ten years in the future. Her mind is blank and she doesn't remember life after her aliyah to Israel.
KEW note: This fic is 38,000+ words of amazingness. It's awesome as it is, but I continue to hold out hope that it will be finished someday.
"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" by LostinOblivion
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, ~3,000 words]
Summary: Gibbs gets an emergency call in the middle of the night about one of his agents, and gets a surprise at the scene.
"Debris" by LittleSammy (littlesammy)
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, set after 7x21 "Obsession", ~1,700 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: Tony and Ziva deal with what happened in "Obsession".
KEW note: Watch the author's warnings on this gutsy fic: Angry!sex, bordering on non-con. The slightly less angsty sequel is "Collateral" (if you're on fanfiction.net, the sequel is posted as chapter 2).
"Be Still" by CarlieD
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, AU from 3x08 "Under Covers", ~10,500 words]
Summary: What if… Tony and Ziva had needed to remain undercover? What if NCIS and FBI could not back them up and they had needed to truly be Jean-Paul and Sophie Ranier?
"A Mangled Reminder" by Jananae
[PG-13, Tony, set during 7x01 "Truth or Consequence", ~2,200 words]
Summary: After the dust has settled in Salim's camp, Tony finds something precious.
"Not a Present" by Jananae
[PG-13, Tony, Ziva, set post 7x10 "Faith", sequel to "A Mangled Reminder", ~2,000 words]
Summary: Ziva is given a certain special something on Christmas night.
KEW note: Both this story and its prequel are technically gen with no romantic elements, but I'm putting them here because they're both nice reflections on Tony and Ziva's partnership.
"Sure You Don't" by GRACE5
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, future fic, ~2,950 words]
Summary: Tony needs Ziva's reassurance.
"The Night Before He Went Away" by LittleSammy (littlesammy)
[PG-13, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x24 "Rule 51", ~1,600 words, fanfiction.net link]
Author's Summary: The night before Ziva's ceremony.
"no one more than you" by dress without sleeves (ohladybegood)
[R, Tony/Ziva, ~1,900 words, livejournal link]
Summary: Tony and Ziva, never quite getting it right. But coming awfully close.
KEW note: The third section is one of my absolute favorites.
"Roll Credits" by mala (monimala)
[R, Tony/Ziva, 1,000 words]
Summary: Two distinct personalities clash and it's really just an orchestrated cover for the fact that they're in love.
KEW note: This fic is distinguished for excellent use of Tony's film obsession.
"Pieces That You Left Behind" by axlotlgirl
[PG-13, Tony/Jeanne, Tony/Ziva, AU from 5x01 "Bury Your Dead", ~12,000 words]
Summary: Jeanne was the one blown up in 'Bury Your Dead.' Tony grieves, but his hand is already being held.
KEW note: This story is as much (or more) Tony/Jeanne as it is Tony/Ziva. I really appreciate that it gives Tony the chance to grieve for Jeanne that he never got on the show and in no way belittles their relationship, even as he eventually moves on. Plus there's a nice casefile element to the story.
"At Every Opportunity" by Embolalia
[NC-17, Tony/Ziva, AU, ~22,000 words]
Summary: Where would Tony and Ziva be if they'd taken ALL of the chances we know they've had?
KEW note: I really didn't like this story at first, because I like plots that are in canon and this was just way too AU for me, but this story won me over with its emotional depth.
"Four People Ziva David Never Hooked [Up] With" by boonies
[PG-13, Ziva, Tony/Ziva, ~4,300 words]
Summary: And the one person she did. Or: the importance of semantics.
KEW note: This story is so wonderful at characterizing Ziva's relationships with multiple characters that I'm tempted to put it in the gen section, even if it does finally end up Tony/Ziva. The fantastic Ziva & Jenny section could be a fic all on its own.
UPDATE (Dec 2011): This story is currently locked by the author. If you have saved copy or working link, please get in touch.
"The Time and In Between" by anr
[PG, Tony/Ziva, set during 7x24 "Rule 51", ~925 words]
Summary: The first day of summer.
KEW note: Suspenseful, vivid, and terse. The communication between Tony and Ziva, in the form of Gibbs's rules, feels spot on.
Gibbs/Jenny return to navigation
"Russian Twilight" by madame.alexandra
[NC-17, Gibbs/Jenny, pre-series, ~102,000 words]
Summary: The Czech Republic, Russia, Serbia, and ultimately, Paris again. Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Jenny Shepard are more lovers than partners, and yet they still have a job to do--a job that may very well tear them apart. This is their story...further continued.
KEW note: The denouement of a fantastic (and totally canon-compliant!) series about Gibbs's and Jenny's partnership and affair. Part 1 is "Probie Days"; part 2 is "Paris Nights". "Russian Twilight" is third and best.
Tony/Gibbs return to navigation
"Damage" by Xanthe2 (xanthe /xanthestories)
[NC-17, Gibbs/Tony, ~132,000 words, ncisfiction.com link, livejournal link]
Summary: When Gibbs investigates a minor robbery, he uncovers something much more sinister. The resulting investigation has unexpected and far-reaching consequences.
"a thousand miles (mend what is broken)" by uncaused (chatona)
[NC-17, Gibbs/Tony, AU from 4x03 "Singled Out", ~20,500 words]
Summary: “I want you to come home, Tony.”
KEW note: I would call this the definitive Gibbs/Tony take on the "what if Tony took the job in Spain?" question. Tony doesn't come back, so the team goes to get him. I love Tony and Abby's friendship in this story (Quote: He left Abby a voice mail. "I got to Spain all right. The sun's shining. Later, Abs.") and I also like Tony's new team.
"Twelve Steps to Understanding?" by ingenius_inc
[NC-17, Gibbs/Tony, mentions of Gibbs/Ducky, spoilers for 3x24 "Hiatus (Part 2)", ~5,500 words]
Quote: It’s the look that says You’re an idiot and You’re a really big idiot and I wish I could legally arrest you for that (but as it is, I might just shoot you and have Abby hide the body someplace really degrading) and Tony swallows the rest of what he’s going to say, because oh God, Gibbs must have seen him-of course Gibbs had seen!-and Tony feels really totally stupid for thinking that he might have gotten away unnoticed.
KEW note: This story takes the time-honored formula of "the first time" and spins out to its conclusion, but there's so much more here. Also, I haven't personally listened to it , but apparently there's an audiofic version of this story.
"Operation: Wedding in Vermont" by lisgreomg
[PG, McGee, Gibbs/Tony, ensemble, ~4,950 words]
Summary: Gibbs is a stupidhead. So the team punishes him by following all the rules.
KEW notes: This is inspired. Basically, the team points out Gibbs's fundamental hypocrisy by obeying all the rules to the letter...just not Gibbs's rules. And did I mention that it's hilarious as well?
Gibbs/Abby return to navigation
"How to Confuse a Polygraph Machine" by Chirugal (chirugal /hinkykinky)
[NC-17, Gibbs/Abby, ~3,000 words]
Author's Summary: Abby needs a test subject for her polygraph machine. When she makes the mistake of asking Gibbs to take the hot seat, the polygrapher becomes the polygraphee…
"The Shorter Story" by anr
[PG, Gibbs/Abby, ~1,700 words]
Summary: He'll figure it out later.
Tony/McGee return to navigation
"Razor's Edge" by colorguard28 (colorguard28)
[PG-13, Tony/McGee, takes off after 6x25 "Aliyah", ~124,000 words]
Summary: Two teammates come together after Ziva stays in Israel. Now they must survive her return, their own demons and well-intentioned meddling by unknowing teammates.
"Takin' a Crazy Chance" by catwalksalone (catwalksalone)
[PG-13, Tony/McGee, 5,000 words, AO3 link]
Summary: Secret boyfriends, that's what they aren't.
Ziva/Jenny return to navigation
"Written by the Victors" by Sabine (fromthesabrary)
[R, Ziva/Jenny, Gibbs/Tony, Gibbs/Jenny, 2,600 words]
Summary: Everybody comes to Belgrade.
Threesomes return to navigation
"Vanilla" by Precious Pup (redvelvetribbon)
[NC-17, McGee/Abby/Tony, ~1,800 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: Tony is seeing Tim in a whole new way.
"House of Cards" by Rainne (xdawnfirex_fic)
[NC-17, Kate/Tony/McGee, Gibbs/Abby, AU, ~147,500 words, dreamwidth link]
Summary: Maybe they can get through this together.
KEW note: Bet you never thought I'd a threesome series set in an alternate universe where Kate doesn't die and Ziva doesn't exist, right? Wrong! Somehow this incredibly domestic series keeps on working for me.
"Refuge" by SerenityMeiMei (serenitymeimei)
[NC-17, Gibbs/Tony/Ziva, ~7,000 words, fanfiction.net link]
Summary: What if the freaky FBI chick who had been taking photos of Tony and Jeanne had really been an obsessed stalker? This is the aftermath
Notes:
"Work in progress" means that the story's plot has not yet reached its conclusion.
"Ongoing story" means that the fic adapts to follow the show's plotline and may continue indefinitely.
"Abandoned" (also known as "on hiatus") means that the story's plot has not been finished and the author is unlikely to continue it. I list abandoned stories here on the merits of their completed chapters. For most of these stories, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for each new chapter and am still disappointed that they have lapsed.
Please comment to report any broken links. (Where possible I've tried to include two different links to stories in case of site outages or account deletions.)
Don't forget to leave feedback for the authors! (It doesn't matter when the story was written!)
Page History:
Fixed links and added one story April 11, 2012.
Removed broken links and lj-cuts December 4, 2011.
Updated June 29, 2011.
Updated April 4, 2011.
Word counts added for all stories August 28, 2010.
List mirrored at my fanfiction.net profile August 12, 2010.
Last updated July 12, 2010.
Updated June 10, 2010.
Updated May 28, 2010.
Rec list created May 17, 2010.
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