A/N: This is just a little story that was rolling around in my head and I had to write it :) I hope you like it.
Tony walked and knelt down beside the headstone, pressing a hand against the top to steady himself. He laid the yellow roses he had brought down on the ground and stood back up. He placed his hands in his pockets and looked down at his shoes, keeping the rain that was pouring down from getting in his face.
"I miss ya, Kate." He said, rocking back on his heels. "Can't believe it's been this many years."
He stood there for a moment, thinking about all of his memories with Kate and for some reason he kept remembering the day she got killed, but not the moment on the rooftop. He remembered thinking about her in her catholic school girl outfit and Ziva walking in on him. 'Having phone sex?' echoed in his mind, and he smiled.
He instantly felt bad about thinking of Ziva while visiting Kate. Ziva was Kate's replacement, Ziva's brother was the reason Kate wasn't there. He shook his head and gave the headstone a sad smile. "I wish you got to know Ziva, you would love her. Okay, maybe you wouldn't but everyone has warmed up to her." He looked down at his watch and gave the headstone another sad smile. "Time for work. I'll see you later." He whispered as he walked back to his car, driving to work.
He took the elevator up to the bullpen and smiled when he saw Ziva sitting at her desk. She was wearing her cargo pants and a pink shirt, her hair pulled back into a slick pony tail.
"You're late, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, walking out of the bullpen and up the stairs to the directors office.
"I was at the cemetery, Boss." DiNozzo called after him.
Gibbs paused, looked at Tony and nodded, then continued up to the directors office.
"Zee-vah." Tony said, standing in front of her desk. "How was your night?"
"I am not in the mood, Tony." Ziva said coolly, looking at her computer screen.
"Whoa." Tony said, holding his hands out in front of him, as if surrendering to Ziva. He walked over to his desk and sat down, propping his feet up on the desk. "Where's McGee?"
"I do not know, Tony." Ziva said, just as cold as before.
"What's the matter Zee-vah?"
"Nothing." She snapped, biting on her bottom lip.
Tony was about to say that was a load of crap when he saw Abby, Tim and Ducky walk into the bullpen. "There you are Probie!"
"Are you coming with us Tony?" Abby asked, holding a dozen black roses in her hands.
"Nahh, I went earlier. I brought yellow roses." Tony said, eying Abby's roses.
Abby shrugged, and looked at Ziva. "Are you coming Ziva?"
"No." Ziva answered coldly.
Abby looked at Ziva, then at Tony and raised an eyebrow. Tony shrugged and a small smile played on Abby's lips. "Are you two fighting? Like a lovers fight?" She wiggled her eyebrows.
"No." Ziva snapped again. "Nothing is wrong with me!" She threw her hands up in frustration.
"Okay, dear." Ducky said, clearly not believing that nothing was bothering Ziva, but ready to leave all the same. "We must be leaving now, before Jethro comes back with a case."
"Good point, Ducky." McGee said as they got into the elevator. "Cover for me." He told his co-workers as the elevator doors closed.
"Ya sure your okay?" Tony asked, his voice soft.
"Yes." Ziva said, not as cold that time.
"Okay." Tony said, dropping the subject.
"DiNozzo. David." Gibbs said as he walked down the stairs. "I need you to go talk to the Commanders wife."
"I will go alone, Gibbs." Ziva said, standing up and grabbing her gear.
"No ya won't David, DiNozzo is going with you." Gibbs said, sitting down at his desk and looking over a folder.
Ziva looked like she wanted to say something but didn't. She walked over to the elevator and pressed the down button. She looked at Tony "Are you coming?"
Tony grabbed his gear and hurried to get in the elevator before it closed. As soon as the doors did close he flipped the switch, bringing the elevator to a stop.
Ziva glared at Tony and reached out to flip the switch back on. Before she could reach the switch Tony snatched her hand and pressed her back against the wall of the elevator, her hands trapped by his.
"I'm not starting the elevator until you tell me what's wrong." He threatened.
"Then I guess we will be here awhile." Ziva snapped, trying to wiggle out of Tony's grasp.
Tony leaned up against her, using the full force of his weight so Ziva couldn't escape. "Ziva just tell me."
Tony felt Ziva stop struggling and locked eyes with her. "Do you know what today is?" Ziva asked in a small voice.
"Yeah. The day Kate died." Tony said in a nonchalant voice, not understanding why it bothered Ziva this much. Then it clicked and he understood perfectly. Ziva blamed herself for Ari killing Kate. "Ziva," He whispered. "This is not your fault."
Ziva bit her lip and shook her head. "It is…if I would have been able to stop him or if I was there for him-"
"This is not your fault." Tony interrupted, his voice firm.
"What if I could have helped Ari? Then Kate would still be alive." Ziva said.
"No she wouldn't." Tony said. "When it's your time, it's your time."
Ziva shook her head.
"It is not your fault." Tony said again, even firmer.
Ziva was quiet for a long time.
"That's not the only thing bothering you." Tony observed.
"I lost someone too." Ziva said softly, so softly Tony wasn't sure he heard right.
Of course this time of the year would be sad for Ziva, her brother died. She had lost both of her siblings, that had to be hard. Losing someone you grew up with must be a horrible feeling.
"I know, Ziva." Tony said. "And I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"No you are not. You wanted Ari dead." She said bitterly.
"That's true, but I don't like to see you hurting and your hurting now." Tony said.
"If only I was there for him-" Ziva began.
"Ziva you can't think like that. If it wasn't for Ari and all the bad he did, I would never have meet you." He said, his voice low. He felt bad about admitting it, saying the words out loud. If Kate hadn't died, he would never have gotten to know Ziva and Ziva changed his life.
"And Kate would still be alive." She added.
"It's not your fault."
They stood together in silence for a couple of minutes and then Ziva finally nodded. "I think I know that." She said. "You can let go of me now."
Tony grinned and stepped back, flipping the switch in the process. "You've gotten soft on me, Ziva."
Ziva snorted. "I have not, I was just speaking the truth."
Later that night, Ziva was sitting on her couch, reading a book and drinking a cup of tea when she heard a knock on her door.
It was Tony. She quickly opened the door and Tony walked in, carrying a DVD and several boxes of Chinese take out.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Celebrating." Tony answered, giving her his most charming smile.
"What are we celebrating?" Ziva asked, thinking of nothing they could possibly celebrate on the anniversary of Kate's death.
"It's been five years since you've come to NCIS." Tony announced proudly, sitting the Chinese take out on her table. "Five whole years that I've had to put up with you." He teased.
Ziva couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, Tony." She said, reaching for his free hand and squeezing.
"No problem, Zee-vah." He said, squeezing her hand before letting go.
Please review :)
-Tay