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Panda-Chan: Panda does not own NCIS or anything else recognizable in this fic.
-lineenil-
Timothy McGee wiped the sweat from his palms as he stepped off the elevator into the bullpen. He wasn't exactly sure why he was so nervous, it wasn't like he was asking her out for the first time. That day had been one of the best and worst days of his year. He smiled fondly as he remembered the day he had finally gotten the nerve to ask out the woman he had fallen for.
-thisisaflashback-
Tim sat at his desk, sending small glances over to the desk that held Ziva David, the Mossad liaison and fourth member of their team. He had figured out, with the help of Abby, of course, that he held more than friendly feelings for the Israeli woman. It had started a while ago, his heart speeding up when he received attention from her and his breath catching whenever they would brush against each other; even if it was only for a second. He didn't have to be a rocket scientist to know that he had a crush on the woman; it was the same way when he started seeing Abby.
But where his affections for Abby were nothing but a short crush, he knew that his affections for Ziva went much deeper. That's why he had decided that he would ask the Mossad Officer out and do everything imaginable to make her say yes. He had already made arrangements for a nice little French café that overlooked the waterside for that weekend and had preordered a bouquet of orchids, the Israeli woman's favorite flower. He had it ready to be picked up by the time he left work today and would keep them fresh until their date.
Now all that was left to do was to actually ask her out, a feat in itself if anyone was to ask Tim. He knew what he wanted to say to her, had recited it in front of his mirror last night and then in front of Abby when he had come in this morning; and if Abby squealed in joy and crushed him in a hug that meant Ziva would receive it well, as well, right? His brain said yes but the sweat permeating his palms said that there was still a good chance that he would be rejected. So without giving it anymore thought he stood from his desk and walked the few steps to Ziva's, happy that Gibbs and Tony had left to follow a lead so they wouldn't be there to witness his awkward proposal.
The Mossad Officer was so engrossed in her work that she didn't notice the Junior Agent walking up to stand beside her desk and was so surprised at the hand on her shoulder she reacted without thinking. Needless to say she had Tim on his front in seconds, his arm twisted back and face pressed to the floor. She came to her senses several seconds later and jumped off of him, helping him to his feet as he swayed gently and rolled his shoulder to relieve the pain.
"I'm really glad that you don't greet us like that all the time because I don't think our arms could handle it." Tim joked, pulling a laugh from his co-worker that sounded heavenly to his ears.
"I am sorry, McGee, I did not hear your approach and acted on instinct. I was Zonked Out, yes?" her mixed idioms were always enough to bring a smile to his face and he corrected her without even thinking about it.
"Zoned Out, yeah, and I guess that was my fault. I was trying to be quiet so I wouldn't disturb you, now I'm thinking that I should start stomping around like an elephant." Another laugh and he chuckled along with her merriment.
"Come now, McGee, you could never stomp like an elephant; you are much too skinny for that." Her comment caused him to blush fiercely as it was accompanied with a full body check out that seemed to leave her satisfied.
The comment and look worked together to give him the confidence needed to ask his question. With a deep breath Tim took Ziva's hand and looked her in the eyes, trying to convey the feelings that he held.
"Ziva, I was wondering if you would like to go out with me this Saturday. There's this really great French café on main street that makes great food." He continued to hold her hand as she assessed him, looking for any sign that Tony may have put him up to this.
She seemed to realize that he was being truthful and that he honestly wished to take her out as she smiled back.
"I would love to go out with you, McGee. What time should I be ready and how should I dress?" her questions released all the tension from Tim's shoulders and he was barely able to stop himself from sagging in relief.
"Our reservations are at 8:00 so I'll pick you up at 7:30, and dress nice. I mean, not that you don't always dress nice but you should dress nicer than nice, yeah." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, wondering if his nervous mumblings had lost him his chance with the woman of his dreams.
"Haha, do not worry, McGee, for you I shall dress my best." And with a sultry look she turned and made her way back to her desk, a little extra swish of her hips keeping Tim mesmerized until she had sat down and looked at him with a faint look of amusement.
With a fiery blush he sat down and started working on their case again.
-timeskipDayofDate-
She had dressed way beyond best, in his opinion, as she had answered the door wearing a floor length gown, the crème color complimenting her skin like no other could. A slit in the dress, stopping at the middle of her left thigh showed just enough of her leg to be appropriate, and the back of it was open, showing of the silky expanse of her back.
He had stood there for a good few minutes, the wires in his brain having not yet had the time to tell him to close his mouth before a fly flew in, when Ziva lifted up a delicate hand and closed it with a small snap.
"You will catch bees, McGee." Her soft smile following and heating up his face as it had done when he had first asked her out.
"Flies, Ziva, catch flies. And can you blame me? I said dress your best, not give me a heart attack upon sight." Again that heavenly laugh fell from her lips and forced a small smile upon his lips. "Oh, these are for you." Tim said, pulling his hand from behind his back and handing the Israeli woman the bouquet of orchids.
"Tim, they're beautiful." Ziva breathed as she took the flowers and brought them to her nose to smell.
Tim smiled and held out his hand.
"Come, we don't want to be late." He took her arm and led her to his car, opening her door and letting her in before walking around to his side and starting the car.
The drive to the café was silent and comfortable, neither exactly knowing what to say but comfortable enough to not have to say anything. When they pulled up to the café he got out and once again opened her door, offering her a hand to assist her from the car. He gave his keys to the valet and opened the door for her to enter.
"Thank you, McGee, you are quite the gentleman." She said, standing on her tip toes to press a kiss to his cheek and then wipe the lipstick left away.
He coughed and blushed awkwardly, leading her up to the woman at the podium who would give them their table.
"Name please." The woman requested, smiling pleasantly at them as she waited for his name.
"Uh, McGee, Timothy McGee." He gave and she looked at her list, smiling again when she finally found him.
"Yes, Mr. McGee. Please follow me to your table." She grabbed two menus and began walking through the restaurant, seating them at a table with a great view of the fountain outside. "May I get you anything to start you off?"
"Yes, I'd like a bottle of champagne, please, and a bucket of ice." Tim smiled pleasantly at her upon his request.
"Of course, sir, it will be right out." She laid their menus in front of them and walked off to tell the waiter.
"Now, you would not be trying to get me drunk, would you, Tim?" Ziva asked with a coy smile, giving him a playful look.
"Of course not, Ziva, I want to seduce you not have you telling everyone about the first time you tortured someone." He joked back, causing her face to go red; something that very rarely happened.
"It happened once, McGee, and that was the first time I had ever had liquor. You all knew that I would do something that I would not normally do."
"I know, but you have to admit that it was pretty funny. I mean the way you took that coaster and-" he was cut off as she placed a hand against her mouth, her hand surprisingly free of calluses for someone who carries a gun for a living.
"You would not want me to show you what I can really do with a coaster, would you, McGee?" Ziva asked, her innocent smile telling Tim that she meant no threat.
"Haha, I guess not, though I might like it if you did it in a provocative manner." He graced her with a big teasing smile, leer at her playfully from across the table.
Ziva laughed as a waiter came with their wine and poured them each a glass before placing the bottle in the bucket of ice. With that done, he turned to them and asked for their orders.
"Could you give us few more moments, please?"
"Very well, sir."
The waiter walked away to another table while Tim and Ziva picked up and perused their menus.
Oh, I have not had Coquilles Saint-Jacques since I was little girl. Father took us to France one summer and we went to this bistro, but I was so young that I could not read the menu so I pointed to the first thing I saw." Ziva laughed, clearly enjoying the memory, and Tim couldn't help but to smile along with her.
"You sound like you were cute as a child." Tim smiled. "But you're beautiful as a woman." He placed his hand on hers and entwined their fingers before pulling back when the waiter came back to their table.
"Are you ready to order?" he asked, notepad and pencil ready to record what they wished.
"Yes, the Lady will have Coquilles Saint-Jacques and I would like to have your Steamed Mussels in Vermouth." Tim answered, picking up their menus and handing them to the waiter.
"Very good, sir. Your orders shall be sent out when ready." The waiter walked off and Tim picked up his glass of wine and toasted Ziva.
"To the most beautiful woman here." Ziva blushed softly and tapped her glass against Tim's and took a sip.
They continued to talk and laugh until their dinners arrived and then the time was filled with quiet words and the chewing of food. It didn't take them long to finish their dinner and pay and they were outside again with Tim offering his coat to a softly shivering Ziva.
"Thank you, McGee, it has gotten chilly since we have been inside." She wrapped the jacket around her body tighter, smiling slightly at the smell of Tim that lingered on it.
"It has, indeed, but I hope that won't prevent you from taking a walk through the park for me." Tim asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly and putting an arm out in front of him to show the way.
"Of course not." Ziva laughed lightly and took Tim's elbow when he offered it.
The night was calm and quiet as they walked through the paths winding between the trees. Stars shone brightly overhead, twinkling merrily as the winked down at all the couples in the dark. No matter how beautiful it was, however, it was still cold and Ziva shivered in spite of the Tim's large coat. Seeing this, Tim put his arm around the Israeli woman and drew her to his side.
"Thank you." Ziva smiled up at Tim and his cheeks dusted a soft pink in pleasure.
"Anytime." His mouth quirked up into a half smile as they continued to gaze at each other.
It was in that moment that everything seemed to stop and they found themselves leaning in and their lips touching in the faintest of caresses. They pulled back slightly, just staring at each other, before leaning back in for a harder, more passionate kiss. It seemed to last forever as they slowly ran out of breath, neither noticing as they drowned in the feelings the other's lips were igniting in their bodies. The need for air and the burning in their lungs forced them apart, but they strove to make those last few moments last.
Tim was the first to open his eyes when they pulled apart and he took that moment to marvel at the beauty of the Israeli women's face. Her beauty only increased when she opened her eyes and to Tim they were two bright emeralds shining in the moonlight.
"You're so beautiful." He breathed, his hand reaching up to sweep a lock of hair away from Ziva's face.
Ziva stared into his eyes for a few moments more before sighing contently and laying he head on his chest. They stood there for what seemed like hours, holding each other as they memorized every detail of their first kiss shared. Before long, however, Tim noticed the time and escorted Ziva back to his car and then drove her back to her apartment building where he escorted her back to her door.
"Thank you for tonight. It was amazing and beautiful and like nothing I have ever experienced before." Ziva shrugged of Tim's coat jacket and handed it to her while making sure the bouquet in her arms didn't fall to the ground.
"If you think this was great then you should see what I have in store for you on our next date." His words were confident, but there was a look in his eyes that showed his nervousness and that he was actually asking a question.
Ziva smiled softly and reached up with her free hand to pull Tim down for a passionate kiss. They broke apart panting and Tim's lips quirked up into a half smile.
"I'll take that as a yes, then." He laughed a little and placed a small, chaste kiss on Ziva's lips before pulling away.
The Israeli chuckled softly and graced Tim with one last smile before turning and entering her apartment. The famous author cum field agent turned and walked back to his car with a spring in his step and plans for another date forming in his mind.
-theflashbackhasended-
Tim smiled softly at the memory and sat at his desk while he booted up his computer, going through the various folders and requests that had been placed on his desk for him to look over today. He looked around at the three desks surrounding his and saw that while only he and Ziva were at their desks; Gibbs's coffee was sitting on his and Tony's computer was booted up. Feeling this to be his prefect chance Tim stood and headed over to the Mossad Officer's desk.
"Good morning, Ziva." He started professionally, leaning against the side of her desk with his hands in his pockets.
"Good morning, McGee, how are you." She returned, continuing to type away at whatever she was doing on her computer.
"I'm feeling great today, actually, and yourself?" he was feeling nervous again, unsure of how to ask the question so he drew the conversation out. 'Come one, it's just Thanksgiving! You've been going out together for six months, it's not that hard!' The Junior Field Agent ranted at himself silently, berating himself for being afraid to ask his question.
"I am fine, McGee. I feel as fit as a banjo." She smiled and her mixed idiom, once again, proceeded to bring a smile to his face.
"It's fiddle, Ziva, 'Fit as a Fiddle." His correction brought a faint pout to her lips but she smiled soon after and looked up to catch his gaze.
"Darn, I was sure that I had gotten that one. Anyways, was there something that you needed, Tim?" her gaze was quizzical and he flushed as he felt the sweat start forming on his palms again.
"Uh, well, you see I was, uh, wondering if, uh, !" he said the last part of his question in a rush, the words running together and becoming illegible.
She blinked at him in wonder, trying to figure the last part out, but before she could ask Tim to repeat himself Gibbs came back with Tony.
"We got a body in Anacostia, McGee, call Ducky, DiNozzo, gas the van." The ex-Marine ordered, throwing the keys to Tony as Tim went to his desk to call Ducky.
The ride to Anacostia was taken in silence, no one willing to talk unless someone started to first, so they all contented themselves by doing their own thing until they got to the crime scene. Thirty minutes later they were there, mostly thanks to Gibbs's driving and a few run red light, and while Gibbs went off to talk to the people in charge Tim went and tried to talk to Ziva gain.
"Hey, Ziva, what have we got?" he asked as he looked at the young Petty Officer that was lying face down in a pile of dirt, what Tim assumed to be the Petty Officer's backpack laying a few feet away looking completely ransacked.
"This is Petty Officer Daniel Woodsur, stationed in Norfolk." She replied, showing him the information that showed on the portable print checker she was holding.
"Norfolk? If he's stationed there then what was he doing all the way over here in Anacostia." Tim asked the Israeli woman but Gibbs answered before she could.
"He's dressed to run; there are better trails here than there are in Norfolk." The Agent-In-Charge informed before walking when he saw Ducky and Jimmy pull in.
"Not to mention hotter babes." Tony commented as he went over to question the two women who had found the Petty Officer, both dressed in tight running pants and workout bras.
Ziva snorted and snapped some pictures as Tim sketched and looked for things to bag and tag.
"So what was it you asked before we left, McGee? I am afraid I was unable to hear you." Ziva turned to catch his gaze and his cheeks took on a dusting of pink before he cleared his throat to answer her.
"I was wondering if you would like to ha-." Tim was cut off as Ducky, Jimmy and Gibbs walked over to join them.
"So what do we have here, Timothy?" and with that they got into investigating the case.
The case lasted for a few weeks as they ran down leads and worked through assumptions to find the truth. It also seemed like Tim wasn't meant to ask Ziva to Thanksgiving Dinner as every time he attempted to ask the question someone would come along and interrupt, or one of their phones would ring. It came as a relief to the Junior Field Agent when Gibbs and Tony went to make the arrest on the Petty Officer's ex-Girlfriend who was upset at the Petty Officer for breaking up with her for another girl.
Being alone and taking the chance, Tim rushed up to Ziva and took a hold of her hands.
"You, Me, Thanksgiving Dinner, My place?" he asked in a rush, not taking the chance for another interruption to take place.
Ziva just looked at him for a few moments, and he was afraid that she would say no, but she smiled and nodded her head.
"I would love to have Thanksgiving Dinner with you, Tim." Tim sighed and kissed her, sagging in relief that he had finally gotten to ask her the question he had set out to ask weeks before.
-lineenil-
Panda: Woo, it's done!
Panda-Chan: Yeah, but the endings kind of crappy, though.
Panda: I know! But it would have gotten even crappier if I had continued it on, so I just stopped it. Besides, I haven't been to sleep since yesterday, give me a break.
Panda-Chan: It's not my fault that you don't know how to go to bed at a reasonable hour, anyway, we would like to ask people to R&R as it would be lovely.
Panda: We would also ask that if you know the name of a good BETA we would love to get a hold of them! We also had plans of adding a Christmas Story onto this but we wanted to get your thoughts on the matter.
Panda-Chan: So just tell us if it's good or bad and we'll go on from there.
~~Finite~~