They were lying close together. She could smell the cologne he always wore, but this time the smell was different. She wasn't only smelling a hint of it from across the bull pen. It was right there holding her, loving her. She smiled into his chest and then lifted her head to meet his warm gaze. He returned her smile and whispered "I love you."
Ziva blinked awake. The arms she had felt were gone, and the dream still lingered in her mind. Horror washed over her. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and sat up in bed. She exhaled. It was clear these thoughts were not going away. They had started a week or two ago when she suddenly found herself staring at him constantly from across the bullpen, admiring his features, his flaws. She tried to stop herself immediately. It wasn't safe, to have these feelings. They made her vulnerable. She couldn't allow herself to put her hopes in another human being; she had done that with her father and look how that turned out. It wasn't that she didn't trust Tony, she trusted him with her life. It was herself she couldn't dare trust.
So she had tried, to stop, but it was clear that this was not something controllable, not something that could be hidden by her tough exterior. She would have to get an answer, somehow, someway. She covered her face with her hands and let out an exasperated sigh. Just then, she heard a soft knock. Her eyes flew to the clock. It was 2 a.m.. Who would be here at this hour? She grabbed her gun off of her bedside table and went towards the door. She would have to cope with these feelings later.
She looked through the peephole and her breath caught in her throat. There he was, as if her dream had summoned him. He looked stolid, like he was holding himself together, but could crack at any moment. "Tony?" she said softly. "Hey Ziv." He said giving her that famous Dinozzo half smile, but she could tell it took a lot out of him. "Come in, Tony." She said motioning for him to enter her small apartment. Before she could say anything else, he interrupted her and said "It's my dad. He's in the hospital, and they say he only had a couple of days to live." She was shocked. Even with his silly exterior that could be serious when he needed to, she had never seen him like this. He was here for comfort, from her. He was letting down her guard and showing her a part of him others might never see.
"Tony..." it was all she managed to get out. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn't here to talk about it, and that was fine with her. "How about a movie?" She suggested. He smiled; she knew the way to his heart. "Pirates of the Caribbean…" he confirmed. He popped the disk in the player as she made popcorn. When she came into the living room he was already on the couch. He stretched out his arms towards her. Her heart stopped. She couldn't believe this was happening. It was something from her dreams. She curled in his chest, and was prepared to listen to two hours of Tony's movie expertise. She didn't know where this was leading, but if he could let his guard down, she thought that eventually, so could she.
More to come :)