Title: Love
Author: Lawral
Pairing: McGee/Ziva
Rating: FR7
Summary: Summary gives away the story; and you know how I love my secrets.
Note: Written for the Snow Challenge. I suddenly got this idea after watching The Stand and toying around the board.
The day had been a success and the nuptials had gone off with a hitch. McGee hadn't understood why Ziva had picked December to be her wedding date until he saw her face light up when a soft drizzle of snow began to fall as they left the church on the way to the reception.
The snow, of course. He thought. She loves the snow.
He couldn't disagree. She'd looked incredible in her full length, form fitted gown. The white had brought out her skin tone and the smile on her face looked as if it would remain etched on her face forever by force. The pictures that had been taken at the reception would turn out beautifully. She'd asked to have some taken outside in the snow. McGee had thought she was insane for going out in the cold with only her dress and her father's tux jacket laying around her shoulders. The white flecks of snow would stand out perfectly on her dark hair and she laughed as her father's teeth started chattering after they'd taken a few portraits together.
He continued to watch as she made her rounds to the other members of their team; her family in America. Abby had thrown her arms around Ziva in a true bone-crushing Abby hug and promptly asked if she could change into her black dress. Palmer had given his congratulations and even mustered up courage to give her a friendly hug as he returned to chatting with Abby at the table where the wedding party sat. Ducky had given her a kiss and given her an envelope before walking aimlessly around the dance floor again.
He smiled as he saw Gibbs come up to her and hug her for an extended period of time. He then turned to talk with the Director and Deputy Director David, keeping his arm around Ziva protectively. She showed off the rings on her fingers when the Director's wife joined his side. The two women smiled and started talking to one another as the men spoke. McGee had never seen Ziva look so much like a girl.
A woman, he corrected himself. A happily married woman.
She looked at him, the smile still adorned on her face and he heard her excuse herself from the group of men. She made her way over to him. He smiled and took her into his arms for a hug. He could smell the scent of her strawberry shampoo and the light mist of perfume she was wearing.
"What are you doing over here?"
"Nothing. I was just watching you be all happy." He told her as he released her from their hug.
She held onto his hand as the spoke. He could feel the cold metal against their warm flesh.
"Well, I am happy, Tim. It is my wedding day after all." She laughed.
"It was a beautiful wedding, Ziva. You look fantastic." He told her, squeezing her hand briefly.
"Growing up in Israel, I would not have believed I would have a wedding. Not with the fighting and the bombings, all the pointless killing." Ziva let her sentence fall away in the air.
"I'm glad you got your wedding, Ziva. Every woman deserves one." He went quiet for a moment.
Ziva noticed his unspoken statement lingering in the air and nudged him for it. "What is wrong, Tim?"
He took a deep breath as he continued to watch the festivities around him. Everyone was dancing and having fun and he was standing there happy but miserable. "Ziva, can I tell you something? Between us?"
"Of course."
"It's something that I never told you, something that I wanted to tell you but couldn't." He paused as he noticed Tony headed for them with drinks in hand. "I can't seem to stop going over the what ifs."
"What ifs?"
"Yeah. I love you and I never told you." Ziva had seemed surprised. "What if I had told you?"
Ziva shook her head for a moment and joined him in looking out over the guests that were dancing and enjoying the festivities. Would things have been different if McGee had confessed his feelings for her?
"I'm sorry. This probably wasn't the best time to tell you this. I mean, it is your wedding day and here I go throwing a curve ball right at the end. Forget I even said anything."
"Tim, you are my best friend. You are the only one who accepted me without question and did not compare me to Ari after everything was said and done. I can not and will not forget what you said. If there is anything I learned by spending so much time with you guys, it is that there are all kinds of love." She withdrew her hand from his and put her arms around his waist in a sideways embrace. "I love you, Tim. Though it is more of a platonic type of love. I do not wish to lose our friendship. Perhaps things could have been different but it seems it was not in the clouds, yes?"
Tim chuckled. "Cards, Ziva. It wasn't in the cards."
"Whatever," She mumbled as Tony finally reached them.
He handed them two of the drinks that were in his hands. He eyed the two playfully and, after his hand became free, smacked him in the back of the head.
"McGee! Get your hands off my wife. What's the matter with you?"
McGee looked stunned by the sudden whack to his head and Ziva laughed as their dysfunctional family antics returned to normal. "What? Afraid I might steal her from you?"
"I don't know, she does look mighty comfortable with her arms all around your waist." Tony said, eyeing her stance.
Ziva smiled and shuffled to wrap one arm around each man. She kissed McGee's cheek and then Tony's lips. "Do not worry, my little hairy butt. I love you both."
McGee smiled. She loved him in a friend capacity. That would be good enough for him as he knew how much in love Tony and Ziva were. He watched as they shared their first dance and joined Tony's side as Ziva shared a dance with her father. When it was time for toasts he raised his glass as Best Man and recited the words he'd carefully written in honor of his two best friends.
The snow continued to fall on the David-DiNozzo wedding and even though she didn't love him in the same way, he took peace in the fact that they were still family and they all loved each other in different ways for different reasons.