Ziva pushed the door open, allowing it to bang against the wall as she did so. It had been a long day, a long week, really, and now all she wanted to do was collapse onto her couch or bed or something soft and sleep for a few months.
She slipped off her shoes and padded to her bedroom, peeling off her shirt as she did so. It was a habit of hers to undress as she was wandering around her apartment, so she had to step over discarded shirts and pants and shoes as she made her way to the back of her home. As she reached her bedroom, she paused to unbutton her cargo pants, slipping them off and entering the room.
Just as she did so, her cell phone rang. Letting out a groan, she fished around in her now discarded pants to find it, flipped it open, and barked, "Officer David."
"Gee, Ziva, don't sound so happy to hear from me."
"Someone better be dead for you to be calling me now, Tony." She released her hair from the clip it had been in, letting it fall across her shoulders.
"Well, no..."
"Then I am hanging up. Goodbye, Tony." She closed the phone again before he could say anything further, and quickly slipped off her bra and underwear, searching for a towel so she could take a shower before she turned in for the night.
She found one and wrapped it around her naked body, heading for the bathroom and hoping that nothing else would distract her from relaxing. Hearing no knocks on the door or chirps from her phone, she smiled and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her as a statement of triumph.
What she didn't know, however, was that at the exact moment she stepped into the hot shower, McGee was on his way over to her apartment, dirty and disheveled and in need of someone to talk to. This was something he couldn't go to Tony about, and he didn't want to bother Abby with it, either. He had a feeling Ziva would be pissed at first, but once she realized that he was coming to her to talk, she would lighten up. Hopefully.
Ziva switched off the shower spray, allowing the steam from the room to envelop her, and stepped from the glass-encased shower stall. She toweled herself off, wrapping the damp cloth around her torso, and as she was toweling her hair, she heard a knock at the door.
"What does he want now?" she muttered to herself, assuming it was Tony outside. She stomped from the bathroom, still towel-clad, and entered the living room, laughing bitterly to herself. If he was going to show up unnanounced, she'd give him something to look at.
She yanked open the door, asking, "And just what is it that's so important?" as she did so. She then chose to look up and saw that it was McGee standing there, not Tony.
"I'm sorry?" he asked, focused on her question, and then saw that she wasn't wearing any clothes, just a towel, and his eyes widened. "Oh! I'm sorry, Ziva. I can come back..."
Ziva, who had been so surprised to see McGee standing there, blinked a few times, then realized what was going on and shook her head clear. McGee had turned and was walking towards the elevator. "Wait!" He faced her again. "I thought you were Tony... It's not important. Come in." He walked back towards her, brushing past her as she allowed him admittance to her home. She closed the door behind them, and then, realizing she still was mostly naked, pointed to her bedroom. "Let me go put some clothes on."
She quickly walked back to her bedroom, gathering clothes as she did so, hoping that McGee hadn't passed any judgment from the mess. At the same time, McGee attempted to keep his gaze averted from Ziva's crouching form, but it was difficult – he was a man, how could he not look?
As she entered her bedroom, McGee settled into the couch, perusing Ziva's apartment. He had only been here a few times before, and never for more than a few minutes, mainly just to drop something off or pick Ziva up when her car wasn't cooperating, which happened quite a bit with her driving record. So to get a chance to really look at her apartment was something he wasn't about to pass up.
He had just noticed an elaborate gold menorah on a shelf and smiled to himself about it when he heard Ziva's voice. "So what brings you here?"
McGee turned to face her, noting that she now donned a soft purple t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants covered in penguins. He raised an eyebrow at her as she sat, facing him. "I needed someone to talk to." He motioned at her pants. "Penguins?"
She shrugged. "They were on sale." He gave her a look. "Okay, so I think they're cute. Have you ever seen a penguin waffle, McGee?"
He chuckled. "It's waddle, not waffle, and yes, I've seen it." His chuckles slowly died down as Ziva looked at him expectantly. He sighed. "I'm really starting to feel bad about this whole breach of trust thing with my writing Deep Sixed without consulting any of you. I don't want you guys to... not trust me. And I don't know what I can do to earn your trust again."
Ziva shook her head, running a hand through her still damp curls. "What makes you think..."
"I know, I'm asking a lot for you and Tony to trust me after what I did," he interrupted.
"I was going to say," Ziva said softly, leaning forward, "what makes you think we don't trust you? I don't know about Tony, but anything I've said has been in a joking manner. I know what it means to be distrusted. I wouldn't wish that on anyone." She leaned back into her side of the couch again, satisfied with her answer.
McGee sighed again. "Thank you, Ziva." He paused. There was something else he wanted to say, but couldn't bring himself to.
Ziva tipped her head to the side. "What?"
"I... should go. You obviously were just going to bed."
She rolled her eyes. "You're here, I'm awake, and I'm not going to get to sleep any easier wondering what you were going to say." She finished and waited in silence for him to speak.
"Uh, it's nothing, it's just silly," he said, laughing lightly. He ran a hand through his hair, looking at her pants. "I was just gonna say..." he glanced up at her, "it's nice to see you looking like, well, a girl. You look really pretty."
Ziva bit back a smile, slightly flustered. "Thank you, McGee. Um, I don't know what to say."
"Oh, ah, you don't have to say anything," he responded, standing from the sofa. "I just thought you should know." He turned to the door, then back to her again. "Maybe we can talk more another time, when you're not so..."
"Tim," Ziva interrupted him, and he looked surprised at her use of his first name. There was something different in the way she was looking at him, something almost ... lustful. He shook his head of the image, sure he was just imagining things, creating situations he wished would happen. He looked back at her, and she was now wearing an amused smile. "If you want to talk, we can talk." She patted the spot where he had been sitting.
"I don't want to impose..."
She laughed. "You're already here. I don't know how you could be imposing anymore than you already have."
He shuffled his feet, battling between leaving or staying. She was inviting him to stay and talk, but it could just be her being polite. But then again, Ziva wasn't known for being polite. She was Ziva, after all. If she didn't want him there, she could have easily just killed him.
McGee's head shot up at that thought, eyes wide. Ziva gave him a curious look, and when he didn't say anything or move, she stood, walking towards him.
"Um, if you don't want me here, I can leave. I don't want to piss you off."
She reached him and stuck out her hand. He looked at it, then to her face, but made no move to take it. She sighed and grabbed his hand in hers, leading him back to the couch, where she released it and sat.
He reluctantly followed suit, perching himself on the very edge of the sofa, ready to bolt if she made any sudden life-threatening moves. Ziva reached forward for a brief moment, and he flinched.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"Uh, no," he stuttered. "Listen, you're not going to try to kill me or anything, are you?"
She gave him a look. "Do you think I charm my victims into trusting me before I kill them?"
"Well, yes."
Rather than get upset, Ziva laughed. "Oh, McGee, you are quite adorable. I can't believe you are frightened of me. I can promise you, I don't bite." She leaned closer to him, and he leaned back. "Unless you ask nicely." She then relaxed back into the couch, smirking.
His shoulders slumped in slight relaxation, and he looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry. It was just a thought that came into my head..."
She waved his words away. "It's understandable. I am a trained assasin, after all." There was a silence for a few moments, then Ziva continued. "Why didn't you change before coming over?"
McGee looked down at his shirt, almost as if he just realized he was wearing it. "I guess I just wanted to clear things up right away, and changing clothes was the last thing on my mind. I was really nervous, Ziva."
She furrowed her brow in curiosity. "Why? Did you honestly think we distrusted you, that we wouldn't have your back?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I know you wouldn't really let something happen to me if it were a life or death situation, but . . ."
Ziva sighed. "Sometimes I wonder how you do this job, McGee."
"I know," he groaned.
She reached over and picked his hand up, a motion that surprised him, and he looked up at her. "You need to learn that when people give you their word, it won't be easily broken. And something you may not realize is how much this team has saved me." He gave her a surprised look. "I need all of you, and while I may not show it, this team is the most important thing to me. I would never deliberately do something to cause your mistrust." She paused. "Can I tell you something?"
McGee's eyes widened slightly. "I don't know what you can tell me that would be more shocking than what you've already told me, unless you're about to admit your undying love to me," he joked, laughing nervously.
Ziva smiled slightly and shook her head. "No, but sometimes trust is more important than love." She looked down at their hands, then back up at his face. "Of everyone on this team, I put the most trust in you."
He looked taken aback. "Why?"
She chuckled and shook her head again. "You know how I feel. Tony still calls you Probie, even though you were his senior agent while he was in charge. You were once the newbie. And now that's me, even if I have been here for almost two years. So you have to ask?"
McGee shook his head in disbelief. "I guess I just thought . . . Tony's your partner, Gibbs is the boss . . . Hell, even Jenny should rate higher than me."
"You really need to work on your self-esteem, Tim," Ziva said softly, and he didn't miss the use of his first name again. "I know how loyal you are, and I will admit, it is difficult to think about simply working with you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" McGee asked, turning defiant.
She sighed, her fingers twitching in his. "Sometimes I think that you're just the type of man any woman would kill to have." She glanced up at his face to gauge his reaction.
"Is that including you?" he managed to ask, his voice suddenly husky.
"I even have the means to actually kill if I needed to," she answered, not meeting his eyes.
"Ziva, I had no idea you felt that way," McGee said once he could concoct a response. They were both silent for a moment, before he finished. "I could have only hoped you felt that way."
She looked up at him. "You trust me, yes?" He nodded. "Then I think we should make a jump of faith."
"Leap, Ziva," McGee corrected, before leaning in and gently meeting her in a kiss. She responded slowly, unsure of how to progress, and he placed his hand upon her cheek, caressing small circles into her skin. The kiss gradually deepened as they grew more comfortable with the newfound intimacy, and it wasn't long before McGee was pushing Ziva back into her end of the couch, both their hands fumbling with the buttons on his shirt and the zipper on his pants.
They pulled away briefly in order to disrobe, and through short breaths, McGee asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Ziva nodded, brushing her hair from her face. "I trust you."
McGee let out a shaky breath and nodded as well. "Okay then." He paused. "Um, where are we doing this?"
Ziva blushed as she realized sex on a couch wouldn't exactly be comfortable or romantic, then stood up and held her hand out to McGee. He stood, took her hand, and followed her to her bedroom.
This whole situation was bound to be awkward, as they both were uncomfortable in intimate situations in the first place, and that didn't even account for this being their first time together. Yet they kept the awkwardness at bay, focusing solely on the moment, on their feelings, on the physical needs that consumed both their bodies.
Ziva stopped before the foot of the bed, turning and motioning for McGee to stay. She slowly removed her pajama top, revealing taut, firm breasts unrestrained by any sort of bra. McGee let out a breath, amazed by her beauty, and watched as she slid her penguined pants down her shapely legs, showing the lack of panties, as well.
He stood transfixed by her nudity, and she waited for him to make a comment. Finally, he spoke: "I've never seen someone look so beautiful."
For the second time that night, Ziva blushed. "Thank you," she said softly, then motioned to him. "Don't make me stand here naked all alone."
"Uh, right," he responded, and quickly began to undress, first removing his shirt, then his pants, and ending with his socks and boxers. He looked up from removing his underwear and caught Ziva staring, which only made his already endowed member appear larger.
"Ziva," he started, and she looked him in the face again. The look of lust in his eyes was reflected in hers, and he was no longer about to play nicely. He came at her, descending upon her mouth with his own with such voraciousness that Ziva almost melted to the floor. His arm came around her back, holding her up, as he pushed them to the bed and onto the mattress.
Ziva scooted backwards, allowing room for McGee on top of her, as he crawled along the comforter, keeping their lips locked in kisses the entire time. Once Ziva reached the headboard, she threw her arms behind her, grabbing the wood, and ordered, "Do it now."
McGee's eyes burned with intensity as he grabbed his enormous erection and prepared to enter Ziva. It was no easy feat – Ziva was a tiny woman, and her inexperience with sex showed as he pushed himself inside her. It took all he had, but he was soon entirely inside her, and Ziva let out a moan loud enough to wake her neighbors.
"Shoulda guessed you'd be a noisemaker," McGee grunted, beginning the ritual thrusting.
Ziva chuckled darkly. "Oh, I can be much louder than that."
"I wouldn't doubt it," McGee responded, and with that, Ziva craned her head forward and silenced him with another kiss.
"Let's leave the talking for later," she said after she pulled away, and McGee nodded, his face stern in concentration.
He continued to thrust into her, the bed rocking with every forward motion, as Ziva continued to moan loudly and McGee continued to attempt to silence her. Eventually, silencing her was the furthest thing from his mind, as he began to pant from the impending orgasm shooting its way through his body, and the shrill sound of Ziva's scream echoed through his head as he came violently inside her.
McGee opened his eyes, still panting, and saw Ziva beneath him, smiling and looking up at him. "Well," she said, "I told you I could be louder."
He groaned and rolled over to lie beside her on the bed, the sheets sticking to his sweaty back. "Yeah, and now your neighbors are probably going to think someone got killed over here."
"They know I can protect myself," Ziva responded, rolling to her side and propping her head up on her hand.
"I know, and that's what worries me," McGee said.
Ziva smirked at him, reaching over and tweaking his nose. "Don't worry. I'm an officer of the law. I can claim I was doing a public duty."
McGee smiled, staring up at the ceiling. "Oh, so now sleeping with me is a public duty?"
Ziva pondered that thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I do believe it is. After all, happy people do better work, and our work is to protect the public, and I don't know about you, but I am definitely happy."
He rolled over to face her, the grin still plastered on his face. "So am I," he said softly, before kissing her again. "So am I." He held his right arm up, motioning to it with his head. "Come here. I think I've got a safe place for you to sleep tonight."
She smiled back at him and rolled over to curve herself into his body, allowing their combined heat to warm her body and her heart, and they both allowed their exhausted bodies to fall into slumber, where their dreams would be peaceful the whole night through.