Phone Calls
It had been nearly three weeks now and still she had not been able to get through to him. Now, as she paces around her apartment, phone at her ear, Ziva silently prayed that he would pick up. Where are you, Tony? Please pick up.
She missed him badly and she hated to admit it but she couldn't hide from the truth anymore, she really liked her partner and she got the feeling that this would not go away. Suddenly the ringing stopped as the call connected and a rough, sleep-deprived voice sounded on the other end of the line.
"Zi? Is that you?" A wide smile erupted across her face.
"Tony" she breathed.
"Ziva" no matter how many times she had her him say her name, hearing him say it now made her heart skip a few beats and caused butterflies to dance in her stomach.
"Hey" she says softly at a complete loss of words.
"I miss you" he says shyly.
His reply - his sweet, simple reply - makes her heart sing with love. Three small words coming from his lips could never have the same effect on her coming from anyone else.
For a while they sit and talk... about everything and nothing at all. She tells him about her recent cases and he teases her about the hot weather he's been enjoying. She doesn't really pay much attention though as she's more focused on trying to remember the way he pronounces each syllable so that she'll have something to hold onto while he's away.
All of a sudden there's a knock at the door and although reluctantly, Ziva tells Tony she has to go.
"Zee-vah" he whines almost like a child, "don't go!"
Just as she reaches the door, she manages to hang up and throw her phone behind her where it lands with a soft thud on the sofa. She quickly arranges her long and still slightly damp hair over her shoulders to make herself look somewhat presentable and reaches for the door handle.
When the door swings wide open to reveal the figure behind it, Ziva almost faints. She wasn't really sure what she was expecting but this was definitely not it. Before her knees do actually give in, a pair of strong hands wrap firmly around her waist and pull her towards him. His mouth sinks into hers immediately. She throws her arms around Tony's neck and wraps her legs around his torso, pushing him up against the wall just inside her apartment. A small laugh escapes his lips as he pulls away and tucks a strand of loose hair behind Ziva's ear. She tries to kiss him again but Tony places a finger to her lips before she can and she slips down to stand in front of him a pout steadily setting on her disappointed face. As soon as he drops his finger, it's Ziva's turn to start whining like a child and DiNozzo has to raise his finger again to quiet her.
"Slow down, we don't have to go so fast Zi. We have all the time in the world," He whispers in her ear.
Then he takes her by the hand and leads her to the sofa where he lays staring up at the ceiling mindlessly on his back, his tired limbs outstretched, Ziva's warm body pressed into him, her toes pushing playfully against his calves.
"I love you" Ziva says gently, before realising he's already asleep and thinks it's just as well. She knows this can't possibly end well but still she clings to the hope that it might.