Title: Opportunity

Rating: T, I suppose

Spoilers: Anything up until "Truth or Consequence"

Summary: An opportunity presents itself to Tony and Ziva, will they take it?

Pairing: Tiva, of course.

Disclaimer: If I owned them, Tiva would be a reality and not just something I'm writing about.

Chapter One

They'd been sitting in the small diner in the middle-of-nowhere Delaware for nearly an hour, waiting to see if the heavy blanket of snow would let up enough for them to head back to D.C. Tony was on the phone with Gibbs, explaining their situation, and Ziva sat opposite him, trying to focus her attention on anything but the sound of his voice.

"Yeah, Boss, as soon as we get the go ahead from the sheriff, we're gonna start back," he was saying, "But the main road out of town is shut down because of a water main break and we were told there really isn't another route out of here."

Ziva watched the snow continue to come down, coating the Charger in a thick white blanket, and listened intently to Gibbs muffled voice on the other end of the phone.

"Just find somewhere to stay, DiNozzo, no point putting either of your lives in danger by driving back in this mess," he was saying.

Tony nodded, even though Gibbs obviously could not see him, "Will do, Boss."

"And DiNozzo," Gibbs said, "Do I need to remind you about the rules?"

Tony cleared his throat and Ziva hid her smirk by keeping her gaze locked on the car outside.

"Um, no, Gibbs," he said, "I remember."

Tony said goodbye and hung up, putting his phone on the table beside his empty coffee cup.

"Gibbs thinks that we should just find somewhere to stay for the night."

Ziva nodded, turning to face him now, "I heard."

Tony waved over their waitress by lifting his empty cup.

As she approached, Ziva turned her gaze back to the heavy snow. They'd only been in town for a couple of hours, interviewing acquaintances of their dead Navy officer, when it had started coming down. And then they'd learned of the water main break and a feeling of dread washed over her. She'd known then that they would not be heading back to the office and that she and Tony would end up having to find a motel to take refuge from the weather.

"More coffee?" the waitress asked.

Ziva glanced over at her, shaking her head, "No, thank you."

The waitress re-filled Tony's cup.

"We are looking for a room for the night," Ziva told her, "Is there somewhere that you could recommend?"

"Oh sure," she said, "There's a small inn down the block. It's off season here, obviously, so I'm sure that they've got a room available. You can leave your car here, it's not too far of a walk. Just tell 'em Julie sent you."

Ziva nodded, "Thank you."

The waitress nodded, leaving them alone again, and Ziva watched Tony finish his fresh cup of coffee. When he placed the cup back down on the table and fished a five dollar bill out of his wallet, she slid out of the booth.

"I will get our things out of the car," she told him, holding her hand out for the keys.

He looked at her for a long moment and she couldn't help wondering what he was thinking as he placed the keys in her outstretched hand. She stands there for a moment longer, watching him watch her, before turning her back to him and heading for the car.

It has been nearly four months since he and Gibbs and McGee rescued her from her captors in Somalia and in that time, so much within her had changed. Although she and Tony had not set their relationship back to where it had been, they had been able to resume some sense of normalcy. But in that time, she had realized that she did not want to be back where they were. She wanted something more. And she was fairly certain that he felt the same way. They were both just too scared to admit it.

"Ziva, you all right?" Tony asked, his voice startling her slightly.

She turned, handing him his bag and slinging her own over her shoulder.

"I am fine, Tony," she said, closing the trunk and stepping back onto the side walk, "We should go. It is getting colder by the minute."