Title: Tennessee Tobacco
Author: Trista Groulx aka dustytiger
Rating: T (like the show to be safe)
Disclaimer: I remain a poor broken crafter, please don't sue NCIS belong to its creator, writer, network, and actors and actresses who make the magic happen.
Summary: What if Gibbs didn't have enough room for three when the power went out after "deja vu?"
Notes: This is DiNozzo/Keates fic. If you don't like the pairing don't read it. This remains a no negativity zone and therefore all non-constructive reviews will be erased and/or reported.
I was given a little prompt following the fic, so thank 03rm291 for kicking my muse into this gear. The song title seems random but it's a song that I think fits them by an artist called Danny Michel. The main part of the song that makes me think of them for some reason is "your love is like Tennessee tobacco, it's killing me and all I want is more." So here's a quick little stand alone. I'm working on a few other things right now but as always I don't know when any of it will be ready to share. I don't often play into Abby's early quirks, but it's what came to me after being asked to write the fic. Enjoy this little fic!
Zoe Keates shook her head when she saw the number that popped up on her cellphone screen. She swore they spoke more now than they did before they had broken up. She wanted to ignore it but knew he'd just keep calling until he got the answer he wanted; just like she had in the past few weeks. They had always had an odd relationship, but their breakup seemed to have solidified how different they could be. Most couples didn't carry on a casual relationship after ending a year long relationship; but they never were like most couples and it didn't look like that was going to change now.
"Tony," she sighed. "I thought we agreed last week was the last time."
"That's not the only reason I call you," he told her.
"So what it is it?"
"Can I stay at your place tonight?"
"That's not exactly proving me wrong."
"I lost power last night, and it's still not up yet," he explained.
"Stay with someone you work with."
"Only Gibbs and Abby have power. I drew the straw to stay at Abby's."
"So you can stay with Abby," she reasoned.
"I don't want to. She has a skeleton in her living room."
"Why does she have a skeleton in her living room?"
"You've met Abby, do I really need to explain further?"
She laughed. "I guess not, what does this skeleton have to do with me?"
"I can't sleep with Daisy watched me, it's creepy."
"She named it? Never mind, of course she did. Tony you know what'll happen if you come over."
"You haven't complained before," he reminded her.
"Most people don't continue to sleep together after they've broken up."
"Since when did we become most people Zoe? Come on please don't make me sleep in the same room as a skeleton."
"All right, Spider," she agreed, "but you'll be on the couch."
"That's fine, thank you Zoe," he assured her.
DiNozzo hung up the phone, with a smile on his face. Both Bishop and McGee caught the look on his face, and knew that he would not be staying at Abby's that night. They had both suspected that their breakup was far from the end for the couple, and this turn of events certainly seemed to prove the point. DiNozzo packed up what he needed, and left the building before anyone could ask him anything else. He wasn't ready to answer any questions, although he was sure that he would star in the next day's wild rumours.
As Keates waited for him she started to wonder if she had made the right choice allowing him to come over, given their past. She knew that if been the one who lost power she would have asked the same of him and expected the night to go the way they both knew it would. He knocked on the door before going inside, he then locked it behind him. The two of them stood in the living room staring at each, both wishing they had more willpower.
"Hi," he greeted.
"Hi," he mirrored.
Every time he saw her he felt the same way he did the first time he had seen her. There was something he couldn't explain that drew him toward her. He was sure she felt the same unexplained magnetic attraction. They assumed that was why they would always end up the same way. She too felt the same jolt when she would see him, as much as she wanted to ignore it, it was impossible. Something would always draw her toward him and it was too hard to fight it.
"Zoe, look I," he tried to explain.
"Tony, haven't we given up on this?" she asked.
"That's clearly not happening."
"I'm doing this as a favour to you, unless you want to go spend the night with a skeleton."
"Zoe, it's more than that," he told her, reaching to take her hand.
"Stop, we can't keep doing this. We broke up, why is that so hard for you to understand?"
"Don't pin it all on me. I still don't understand why we broke up."
"I've told you before, we aren't going anywhere," she reminded him.
"We talked about that before, we don't want kids and we don't want to get married. Is there someone you want that with now?"
"No, I don't want kids, and I don't understand what the big deal is about getting married anyway. It seems like a lot of tradition that always ends the same."
"So where do we go from that? How do we move forward when neither of us wants to take the step that comes next?"
"Spider," she murmured turning away from him. "This was a bad idea."
He took her wrist to stop her. "You keep saying that but you never explain it to me. You never tell me why this is such a bad idea. Why do you keep running from me when there's something that keeps pulling us back together? What are you so afraid of Zoe! I have the right to know."
"Tony, just because we can get each other off better than anyone else we've been with doesn't mean we have a solid foundation for anything real. Why do people seem to think that being together means whatever this is was meant be?"
"It's more than that for me, Zoe and I want to be more for you as well. I'm not asking you to say that the universe wants us to be together, but it's hard to ignore what we feel when we see each other."
"Don't do this, and please don't say it Spider."
"Why?!" he demanded. "Why can't we say what we both feel?"
"Don't tell me you know what I feel!"
"What are you so afraid of?"
"Stop, Tony, just stop," she begged trying to move away but he wouldn't let her hide again, they both needed answers.
"Explain it to me Zoe. I don't understand why you keep running from this."
"Because, Spider, I don't want to be the person to identify your body when you finally kill your damn self!"
"Hold up, I'm not the only person in a high risk job. For me this works because we understand why we do what we do. The way I see it the fact we understand why we do these jobs has been one of the reasons we've kept going."
"You're okay with the thought of losing me?"
"Of course not, Zoe, I never want to lose you, but I understand why we take the risks we take every day. Even if we had different jobs one day you could walk out in front of a bus, and I'd still lose you. Hell, not going out isn't even an option, so why focus on it? If I lose you I know I won't find anyone else that makes me feel this way. Do you really want to stop this as a way to not lose each other, 'cause the way I see it your way ensures we don't have each other anymore, and working on this together is a gamble I'm willing to take."
She hugged him tightly. "Spider, I'm scared," she finally admitted, barely above a whisper.
He kissed the top of her head. "I am too. I've never felt like this before. As hard as it can be sometimes, I want more."
She looked up at him, her gaze was intense and he wasn't sure what was going to happen next, still worrying that she would still walk away. Although they both knew the other's pasts it was still difficult for them to tell each other how they really felt. They had both seen too many examples of people who claimed to love each do nothing but cause pain. She knew she didn't want to lose him, and it was illogical to push him away so that it didn't happen. Whenever things had gotten too serious in the past she had always run, but she knew she couldn't keep running from him.
"Zoe," he whispered, running his fingers along her cheeks. "I have to tell you. I can't pretend that I don't."
"Tony," she murmured. "If you say it we can't take it back."
"I don't want to take it back. I think I regret lying to anyone I've said it to before because it was something else. With you I know it's right, I know it's the only way to see it."
"I know. I've never told anyone before."
He cupped her face, and quickly pecked her lips, to reassure her. "I love you Zoe Kaetes, and I can't stop."
She stared at him tears in her eyes. "I- Sp- Tony," she paused for a long moment. "I love you."
The two of them stared at each other for a few long moments before her lips were on his in a frenzied embrace. This was the part they never had any trouble with. He lifted her easily into his arms, and pushed her easily toward the bedroom. She didn't fight it, wrapping her legs around him, knowing that the night was going to end how it always did; and also completely differently from ever before. It was no longer just something physical and amazing it was now also emotional and that connection made the encounter all the more euphoric.
Somehow the two broken souls had found each other. Despite how scared they were they knew they would never find happiness in solitude nor would it be found apart with anyone else. They had to rely on each other and they would find a way to make it work. They wanted something more than they had seen growing up and surrounded by failed relationships because of the passions they pursued. They had been dancing about the truth for so long it was well past time to stop.
Their relationship would always be passionate both through good and bad times. They both knew they would fight harder than ever before to stay together this time. As hard as they had tried to pretend that something didn't pull them together it was impossible to ignore; everyone could see it plainly and they finally stopped fighting it. They had pretended for far too long and they were both exhausted, falling asleep naked in each others arms- happy in a way they never thought they could be.
The End
Notes: So there it is, just a little something. I don't want to believe they've really split up, cause I like them together too much. I guess we'll find out how things play out. Thank you in advance for any support on this guy. Hearts and hugs. -Trista