Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS.
Ziva woke up to her alarm clock and turned it off, rolling over and muttering curse words. Damon pulled her back against him, "Mmm… good morning. No run this morning sweetheart?"
"No. It's my wedding day and I want to sleep."
Damon chuckled and reset the alarm. He snuggled back down with the woman who in a few hours would become his wife. As it turned out, he didn't need to bother with the alarm. Five minutes before it was set to go off there was loud pounding on the door.
"I am going to kill whomever that is," Ziva threatened.
"It's probably your friends, Ziva."
"At least you get to get ready at NCIS," Ziva complained.
"You'll have fun with Abby, Breena, Mel, and Sarah."
"Yes but you get McGee, Jimmy, Nate and Tony."
"And your Abba. Don't forget about him. Think he'll smack me in the back of the head? So far I've been able to avoid that particular pleasure."
Ziva laughed at that and pulled on a robe over her nightgown, heading for the door. Damon could hear the squealing of the girls as he grabbed his dress blues and headed for the door.
"Bye Damon," they all chorused.
Ziva groaned and then got in the shower. Her bridesmaids were laughing and talking as they ate the doughnuts they had brought. She wondered again why she was doing this big wedding. She'd never wanted a big wedding and unlike Tali, who often talked about flowers, cakes, food, and dresses, all Ziva wanted was the security of the rings being exchanged. She did not see the point, even now. Abby had insisted and found Ziva a simple dress. It was strapless, had a full skirt, and was tight on her upper body. She did look good in it, she realized as she'd tried it on for Abby. Abby had squealed and exclaimed and wholeheartedly approved of the dress. Ziva had also let Abby pick her bridesmaids outfits and the ties for the groomsmen. Abby had chosen a pretty blue and decided Ziva should carry peach, white and yellow roses as her bridal bouquet.
Finishing her shower and wrapping herself up in a towel, she wondered just what part of this wedding she had planned herself and what she had said okay to just to make other people happy. Normally she was not a people-pleaser but the one thing she did not want to fight about was her wedding. She did love her dress and she did like the flowers. The bridesmaids dresses were pretty and she was sure that with Tony in charge the food and the cake would be excellent. But had any of it been her idea? She would have married Damon any time, anywhere, in her cargo pants and a shirt after work if that's what she happened to be doing before they decided to tie the knot. She sighed and then decided to do this wedding right because all of her friends would be there. She turned on her hair dryer and tried to get her hair dry as fast as possible.
When she came out of the bathroom, she noticed that all of her bridesmaids were dressed and ready. Sarah, Mel and Breena were watching TV. Abby helped Ziva put on her dress.
"You look amazing Ziva! Damon's not going to be able to take his eyes off of you!" Abby gushed as she sat Ziva down and began to curl Ziva's hair. "And you'll be an official American citizen after today! How does that feel?"
"It is nice Abby," Ziva said, getting out her make-up and beginning to apply it. She was just happy to be becoming Mrs. Damon Werth.
At NCIS headquarters Vance called to Tony, "Agent DiNozzo, a word please."
Tony took the stairs two at a time and tried not to mess up his suit. Ziva would kill him if he didn't look nice for her wedding. "Yes Director?"
"You need to change. I'm sending you to Mexico."
"But Director!" Tony protested angrily.
"That's an order Agent DiNozzo. I'm sure Agent David will understand you had orders to follow."
"She's my best friend, Director. Can you really see her forgiving me for missing her wedding day?"
"Yes, if it helps this country. The Renosa Drug Cartel is at it again. They need to be stopped. I'm sure you'll see Mike Franks there too. Get changed."
"Director, I'm part of the ceremony," Tony pled.
"And I'm sure you can find someone to stand in for you," Vance said.
Tony nodded once, curtly and walked out, slamming Vance's door. He angrily unknotted his bowtie and stripped off his suit jacket and vest, throwing them on top of his desk when he reached it and unbuttoning his white shirt.
"Tony what are you doing? Ziva will kill you if you mess that up!" McGee said.
"Not going Probie. I've gotta call Ducky. He has a matching bowtie and vest."
"Can't stand to see the girl you love marring someone else?" McGee asked, "Come on Tony, you can be bigger than that. Be there for her."
"You think this is because of jealousy Probie?"
"Well isn't it? You guys always flirted, were always making innuendos, you slept over at each others places. You lied to us about where you slept when Gibbs sent you to Paris. Admit it Tony, you love her."
"Yeah McGee, we flirted. We like it; we're good at it. And the innuendos were there to make you squirm. Also they were our source of entertainment by the way. Yes she slept at my place; yes I slept at her place. And the only reason we lied about where we slept when we went to Paris was because Ziva wouldn't want you, Gibbs, that witness or anyone else to know she was up all night crying and screaming about Somalia! And yes damn it I do love her. She's my best friend, my partner, she was a good officer and she's a hell of an Agent. It kills me that I'm missing her wedding but Vance gave me a direct order," Tony yelled. "Does that answer all of the questions that were none of your business anyway Probie?"
"I'm sorry Tony. I didn't know."
"Just go, Tim. I've gotta call Ducky," Tony said, turning towards his desk phone and dialing.
McGee walked out of the bull pen and got into his car.
The wedding would take place at Ducky's because they would all fit in his home. Gibbs had found the couple a judge to marry them.
At Ducky's Abby was beginning to freak out. Tony was nowhere to be found and his cell phone was going straight to voicemail. Ducky came down the stairs in the same colors Abby had chosen for the bridal party.
"Ducky, where's Tony?" Abby asked, anxiously.
"Anthony asked me to stand in for him," Ducky said. "I assume this means I'm escorting the lovely Sarah?"
"Yes. Ziva's going to kill Tony."
"Let us hope that she does not," Ducky said, allowing Abby to arrange him next to Sarah.
In the living room, Ziva was pacing.
"Calm down Ziver. He loves you," Gibbs said.
"I know he does. It is not him I am worried about Abba. Something does not feel right. My Mossad "Ninja senses" as Tony calls them, are tingling," Ziva said, still pacing.
"You wear a hole in Ducky's carpet; he'll be pissed Ziver. Sit down kid. Everything will be fine."
Ziva sat, only to jump right back up again and resume her pacing.
"Okay, I'll bite, what's bothering you?"
"I don't know. Everything is perfect but I… I just… I have a bad feeling Abba."
"Can you chill out for Damon? You know men freak out over things like this. If he thinks you're a mess he'll freak out too."
Ziva nodded and sat, practicing sitting still until Gibbs stood and offered her his arm. "Showtime Ziver. Are you scared?"
"No. Happy," Ziva said, smiling and taking his arm. When they got to the door of the library, Ziva gave an audible gasp. "Abba, where is Tony?" she asked, sounding desperate, clinging to Gibbs arm hard enough to make him wince.
"I don't know Ziva. Last I saw him, he was getting changed to come here," Gibbs said, taking a step forward which Ziva matched.
Ziva took another step forward before she stopped and put herself on her tiptoes to murmur to Gibbs, "I can't do this without Tony, Abba. He's my best friend."
Damon was transfixed by Ziva. She looked radiant. He couldn't take his eyes off of her and he didn't want to. He felt his face break out in a goofy grin that he couldn't help wearing whenever Ziva's beauty caught him unaware. Slowly he registered the panic in his lover's eyes, the hesitancy in her steps. Did she not want this? Had she talked herself out of being with him? Was she just scared? Damon could feel his happy expression eroding away and then his heart stopped when she stopped and leaned up to whisper something to Gibbs. As always, Gibbs face was unreadable. Damon was unsure if he should go comfort Ziva, stay put so as to not freak her out more, or tell her it was okay that she didn't want to marry him. The last thought was so painful that Damon had to suck in a breath and he placed his hand over his heart. He felt it beating and wondered how it was still moving when the rest of him was frozen in shock and pain.
Suddenly, Gibbs spoke, "Does anyone know where DiNozzo is?"
There were shakes of heads and murmurs of 'no'.
"Sorry Ziver, but if you love him, then you gotta do this. Even without Tony. You love Damon?"
"Yes, for always Abba."
"Then let's make you his wife."
Damon breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that she didn't want him. She wanted her best friend at her wedding.
"Can I make a phone call first?" Ziva asked, looking at Damon for permission.
He nodded and watched Gibbs pull out his cell phone and hand it to Ziva.