I hope that you enjoy the story :) I think that I will write more chapters, I stopped because it was becoming to long.
Ziva hated the apartment where she was staying. It's cold and new, with none of the warmth that a real home brings. She felt a sudden desire to do something, to get out of the house. Feeling spontaneous, she grabbed her car keys, wallet and NCIS badge and headed out to her car.
She drove like a madman, with no particular destination in mind. She was surprised to find herself in front of Tony's apartment. She got out of the car hesitantly and walked over to the door of his apartment. But before she knocked, she heard a female giggle and Tony's low murmur. Bile rose up in her throat, she choked it down and left as quickly as she came. The only sign of her presence being the squeal of car tires on the street. Tony barely even noticed, he was taken up by a certain beautiful blonde in front of him.
Ziva once again drove like a madman, unwilling to admit to herself just how much it hurt about Tony being with the other woman. She berated herself, he had bragged about being with many woman before, he was her partner, not her lover. His habits should not affect her in this way. She was brought out of her daydream when she had a near miss with a truck. She stopped again, smiling this time when she realised where she had taken herself. She was at Gibbs's home.
She let herself in with the spare key hidden underneath the dead pot plant. Gibbs had told her about it once, when she had picked the lock one time to many.
It was after a hard case, Ziva had made a habit of going over to Gibbs's place to have a drink. She picked the lock and walked to the basement with natural grace. Although she had never told anyone, she had being an avid ballet dancer in her youth.
"How did you get in here?" Gibbs asked absently from where he was working on his boat.
"I picked the lock." Ziva answered, collecting cups from various positions over the room to drink from.
"You could always use the spare key you know." Gibbs informed her, accepting his glass. "Thanks," he told her.
"You never told me where it is," Ziva informed him.
"Underneath the pot plant on the porch," he answered.
"The one which is dead?" Ziva questioned. Gibbs gave her a glare which a lesser woman would have shrunk from, Ziva met his gaze coolly.
"It isn't dead," Gibbs corrected her, "merely hibernating."
"I did not know that plants' hibernated," Ziva contradicted him, he glared at her again. "Okay, thank you Gibbs, I will use that key from now on." Ziva finished the conversation before they moved onto other topics.
Ziva broke out of her reverie as she approached the top of the basement staircase. Shivers broke down her spine as they always did when she stood up there, she would never forget killing her brother Ari from up here. Ziva descended the staircase quickly, coming to standstill besides Gibbs who was sawing a plank of wood.
"Where does that plank of wood go?" Ziva asked to draw attention to her presence.
"It's going to be part of the frame," Gibbs told her as he finished the cut. "Can you take the other end? I need to check that it's big enough." Ziva nodded and helped him move the piece of wood. Once they were done, Gibbs handed her a piece of sandpaper and they fell into a familiar rhythm.
"What can I do for you Ziver?" Gibbs broke the silence, using her nickname.
Ziva shrugged, "I wanted to get out of my apartment." Gibbs nodded knowingly.
"Anything bothering you?" He asked quietly.
"No," Ziva replied to quickly, "yes," she amended. He waited, knowing that she would open up soon. "Tali, my sister died today," she said it so quietly that Gibbs almost missed it. Gibbs laid a hand on Ziva's arm, compassion showing clearly in his eyes.
"I just could not face an empty apartment today," she whispered.
"You can stay here tonight if you would like Ziver," Gibbs told her. Ziva hesitated before taking Gibbs up on the offer.
"That would be great, thank you Gibbs."
They worked in silence until it was late, Ziva disappeared upstairs to make dinner, which they ate it in front of the TV, the silence between them companionable. Once they were done, Ziva left to get changed, Ziva soon realised that she hadn't brought any clothes. "Gibbs," Ziva called.
"Yes," Gibbs replied.
"Do you have any spare clothes, I do not have mine." Gibbs soon appeared with a sweatshirt that was five sizes to big and some grey track pants that Ziva had to roll up to avoid tripping over. Ziva insisted on sleeping on the couch even though Gibbs had two spare bedrooms. Gibbs eventually gave up, seeing that she was adamant.
"Goodnight Ziver, sleep well," Gibbs told her as he switched off the light.
"Laila tov Gibbs," Ziva answered sleepily.