Hard Falls

She was running. Running faster than she ever had before, and she was paying the price for it. Her chest burned, the fire spreading through her limbs, and her breath arriving in ragged puffs. Her mind raced, and images flashed in and out of sight.

She knew she should stop, but her legs refused and kept pumping, ignoring her brains screechings to halt. To rest. She was nearly there, so close, she had to make it. She sprinted round the corner and…

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Tony DiNozzo was not a coffee person, yet here he was standing in a stuffy diner at 6 30 in the morning waiting for a hot blonde waitress to quit flirting and just give him his damn decaf. Normally a hot blonde would not have bothered him, in fact he would have welcomed the distraction, but today he only had room enough in his head for one woman.

After politely interrupting the waitress's onslaught of hair flicking and girly giggling, he grabbed his coffee and walked swiftly out into the crisp DC air. Glancing at his watch he discovered that he didn't have to be at work for another hour or so and decided to find a secluded bench in the park.

A few minutes later….

He found a spot and sat down coffee in hand, staring off into space, the place was almost silent and he soon got lost in his thoughts.

He knew she was the only one he could ever feel this way about. She'd been plaguing his thoughts ever since Jeanne, and everyday his feelings intensified up to the point where it actually hurt to think about her. He took an absent sip of coffee and promptly spat it everywhere, his cup flying away as he shot off the bench.

"Eugh, that stuff is disgusting." Wiping his trousers free of scalding coffee he glanced up to see an old lady across the path glaring at him disapprovingly, he raised his hand, flashed his signature DiNozzo grin and went to pick up his cup. Bending down he grabbed the polystyrene mess, and was just about to straighten up when something slammed into his side sending him flying. He landed roughly on his back and something heavy slammed onto his chest, winding him.

He blinked rapidly to clear his head and attempted to sit up, but turning his face upwards his gaze met a beautiful pair of deep startled brown eyes.

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Ziva's fall was not as bad as she expected. She'd been running so fast that she had smashed into someone. An apology on her lips, she looked down at her unfortunate cushion and found an intense green eyed stare. At first all she managed to do was blink and open her mouth slightly, then a deep crimson blush crawled up her cheeks and she stammered,

"T-Tony, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you. I…" A finger met her lips and she stopped abruptly at the look on his face. What was that? Before she had registered him moving he was lifting his head upwards towards her, his lips brushing hers as he murmured,

"I'm glad you were the one that landed on me."

Her breath caught in her throat as his breath ghosted over her mouth.

"Tony…" Her voice was soft, and he took the opportunity of her parted lips to press his own to hers. He was kissing her. Tony. Kissing her. She felt very light headed all of a sudden, but snapped out of her trance when his tongue snaked over her bottom lip. She deepened the kiss, and he moaned longingly into her mouth. Her hands dragged through his hair, and he felt a stirring far down his torso that caused him to abruptly pull away, panting.

"Zi, we're…in a park," a small embarrassed flush tinted his cheeks, and Ziva smiled, rolling off him and offering her hand. He stood shakily wondering if this was another cruel dream, and if he would wake up any second just in time for another in a long line of cold showers. But then he realised that even in his times of greatest need his imagination had never been this good. She looked stunning, even in her sweats, with her hair disheveled and falling loosely from its band, he wanted to touch her, to taste her, but he knew he couldn't not here, not now.

"Ziva I…" She interrupted him, a sad look on her beautiful face.

"I know Tony, you did not mean to kiss me, you were not thinking." She turned away, tears pricking her eyes. She loved him. She knew it for sure now, to scared to admit it before. But she also knew that he had never felt the same way.

"No Ziva." He spoke so softly she wondered if she'd heard him right, turning to look at him.

"What?" He stepped towards her, closing the gap between them.

"I said no Zi. I've never thought about anything so much in my entire life." She looked up at him, confusion on her face.

"I don't," his lips came crashing down on hers, cutting her off and she gasped into his mouth, her shock didn't last long though, and she quickly responded, the need and passion they had been suppressing for 3 years finally bursting into a heated kiss.

They broke apart, both gasping for air and holding on to each other, as if afraid to let go. Tony's eyes met her own and he smiled warmly.

"I've wanted to do that for quite awhile." She smirked up at him.

"Me too." The silence that fell was not awkward, but Tony felt the need to say what he had been suppressing ever since he had been freed from Jeanne.

"I love you Ziva." Her mouth opened and she stared at him in shock. Had he really just said that?

"I think I always have." Her smile could have lit up the whole of DC as she looked up at him, her eyes full of happiness.

"I love you too Tony." He beamed at her, laughing as he picked her up and spun her around. Setting her down he held her tightly to him, never wanting to let go. Ziva closed her eyes against the tears of happiness threatening to erupt, and when she opened them Tony's watch swam into focus over his shoulder. Her eyes widened and she cried out making Tony spring away.

"Tony we're gonna be late!"

-------The End-------

I know it was a bit cheesy in places but it's my first story and I think it went rather well…. Reviews are loved : )