Disclaimer: No I don't own, just borrowing one of my favorite couples.

A/N: This takes place roughly between 'Flesh and Blood' and 'Jetlag' R&R please

There comes a time in everyone's life that they must face their past and then move beyond it if they want to find true happiness. Tony looked out into the night through the windows that that took up most of one of the walls in the squad room. None of his teammates were left in the building. They had all headed for home hours ago. Tony had no real reason to go home though. No one was waiting for him there. His past was filled with countless meaningless relationships. There was one that wasn't meaningless, but even that one was doomed from the beginning since it was based on lies. He had loved Jeanne but not enough to put her before the job. When he had the chance to make the choice he chose the job.

Now he was feeling very alone and the job was a cold comfort. There was one woman that he would give up the job for if it came down to it. Unfortunately he thought that he would never have that chance. She wasn't the same person she used to be, but that was fine because he wasn't the same man either. If only he could convince her of that. Of course there was always rule #12, but he thought they could get around that as long as they kept it out of the office. The biggest problem was that she still saw him as a womanizer. Her meeting his father hadn't helped matters he was sure. The number of ex-wives that his father has was a source of embarrassment for him. Plus Tony Senior had flirted outrageously with both Ziva and Abby.

He heard the elevator ding and turned to look. Ziva walked out of the elevator and crossed over to him. When she reached his side she turned to look out at the night sky. She could see their reflections in the window. Looking at his reflection she asked, "Why are you still here?"

"I was catching up on some of the paperwork."

"You did not want to go home?"

Normally he would make a comment designed to divert the conversation away from anything that would expose his true feelings but tonight he chose to open up. "It's not like someone is waiting there for me."

"No hot co-ed waiting by the phone."

"I'm getting to old for co-eds don't you think?"

"You seem to be down in the pits. Besides does it really matter what I think?"

"Dumps, and yes it does."

"Dumps what?"

"It's down in the dumps not pits."

"Dumps then. Tony, I am not sure why it suddenly matters to you what I think but truth be told yes I do believe you are to old for co-eds. But also they are too young for you. You need some one more mature."

Tony chose to focus on the first part of what she said. "Your opinion has always mattered to me. I just never chose to admit it before." They stood there, looking out into the night in silence for a few minutes before he asked her, "Why are you here instead of at home or out on a date."

"Who would I have a date with?"

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe Corporal nose breaker Werth. You did say you would see him later."

"I am his friend Tony, nothing more."

Tony was relieved to hear her say that. "That still doesn't explain why you're here."

"I was there but it was too quiet and when I dozed off, well it was not to pleasant dreams."

"Somalia?"

"Partially"

"If you want to talk about it?"

"I do not....but maybe I should, just not tonight."

"OK. Just remember that I am here for you when ever your ready."

"Thank you."

They were silent again for a while. Then Tony decided to ask about his fathers visit. "Ziva, when my father was here, what did you really think of him?"

"He is very handsome."

"Well yeah! But then he is a DiNozzo. I meant on a more personal level."

"He likes the ladies, Yes?"

"Yes, I evidently have a new ex-stepmother that I didn't know about."

"I am sorry Tony, you deserve a better father."

"We both do."

"Yes"

"I am never going to be like mine."

"But you like the ladies too."

Tony knew that this was it. This was his chance to make her see that his womanizing days were behind him for good. He turned to face her and drew her around so that she was facing him, then he reached down and took hold of her hands. "I am not the same man that I used to be Ziva. My days of going out with a string of different women are in the past. I am only interested in one lady these days. I want to be with her and only her."

"Who is the lucky girl?"

"It's not a girl, it's a woman." He let go of one of her hands and raised his free hand to her cheek to caress it. "Ziva, you are so beautiful..."

"Tony..."

""Shh..let me finish. I know I act like a jerk most of the time, but that is mostly to hide what I am really thinking and feeling. Back during the summer when we thought you were dead, it was like life lost all real meaning. Then when Saleem took the hood off and there you were, it was like someone flipped a switch and life flowed back into me." Tony leaned down and gently kissed her. When he pulled back he looked down into her eyes waiting to see if she would go for one of those dangerous killer paper clips. Instead she gazed back up into his eyes for a few moments before reaching up and pulling him down for another, deeper kiss.

Once they had to come up for air, Ziva looked up into his eyes again and said, "Tony, I know that I when I first saw you in Somalia, I did not act like I was glad to see you and I am sorry for that. The truth is that I was resigned dying and I did not want you to die with me. It seemed like a cruel twist of fate that after coming to terms with never seeing this handsome face again or hearing your sexy voice, there you were. It was like a new form of torture."

He pulled her to him and wrapped her in his arms. She melted into his embrace and they stayed that way for a long while. Eventually Tony said. "I am ready to go home... if you come with me."

She pulled back a little and looked up at him. "I am not sure I am ready for..."

He placed a finger in her lips to quiet her. "You don't have to be ready for that. We'll just be together and when you doze off maybe being with me with keep the not so pleasant dreams away."

"In that case, let's go home."

They turned and headed for the elevator with his arm draped around her shoulders and hers around his waist. A thought occurred to him as they entered the elevator. "Hey you used a contraction."

She just smiled as the doors closed.