"For the last time, I'm not going." She replied with a stoic face, eyes never leaving the book she's been currently glued on for a long time now. She lazily propped her feet on the center table as she continued to act as if there was no one in the room, but her.

When in fact, there were two more people sitting beside her and they have been getting on her nerves for quite some time now. She didn't sign up for this.

"C'mon Ziva, don't be such a killjoy. This is going to be fun!" She reassured her, using her very best persuading tone for her to finally agree to come with them, but this has been going on for the past hour now and Ziva has not been making any intention to move. Not even close. Breena impatiently fidgeted her fingers on the back of the couch, eyes gradually following Ziva's every move. "How hard can speed dating be?!" She exclaimed, reaching out to finally get the book from her hand and purposely failed.

"I'm not interested. That's all." She chuckled as she flipped a page from her book. She has been reading the same sentence over and over again, and there was nothing she can do but to act as if it was more important than listening to the two women beside her.

"You're such a liar," Lauren, Breena's sister, rolled her eyes as she gave up, leaning her head back down to the couch.

"Am not." The Israeli raised her eyebrows, turning her head to Lauren's direction.

"Oh yeah? Then give us one good reason why you don't want to be a part of this?" Lauren challenged her and Ziva smiled as she briefly closed the book. She knew why. She knows the reason why she's been ' politely' turning down all the friends' offers for her the past few days. It's just that she isn't sure if this is the right time to open up about it, is it already the appropriate time to let the truth come out? Or should I wait a little longer until I finally see him? The second option's pretty much decent. And so she bit back a sigh in defeat and opened her book once again.

"Ziva, you haven't been seeing a guy for two years now. That's quite unhealthy." Breena stated.

Lauren bit back a laugh and so did Ziva. "I do not see how that affects my health," She replied with sarcasm as she flipped another page, now losing pace from the story.

Silence filled the room for the first time in what seemed like forever. Breena thought of the right words to say without making any implications that she knew what has been going on for months while Ziva was away.

-x-

The minute that she heard the front door click and the sound of keys being placed back on a table, she managed to greet her husband without looking back. "How's work?" She asked, both eyes and hands fixated on their dinner for tonight.

"The usual. Dead marine found, autopsy, Dr. Mallard's non-stop babbling about his time in England, -" He babbles on and on as his wife listens intently. "Oh - and Tony's got a new girlfriend."

These words almost made her chop her own finger.

"Damn it!" She cursed.

Palmer at fast speed, made his way to her with concerned eyes. "What happened? Are you okay?" Reaching out for her hand and inspecting to see if it was bleeding. Luckily, it wasn't.

"Yes, I'm fine." She reassured him, washing her hands thoroughly in the sink. "What did you say about Tony?"

"He's been reunited with his old partner in Philly-"

She tensed, placing a hand on his mouth. "Way before you guys even met Ziva?" Jaw slightly hanging open as she tries to process what her husband has been saying. This still doesn't make any sense for her. How could he - "move on"...

He nodded, grinning widely as if he accomplished a good deed. "You should have seen the look on his face, those puppy eyes and that flirty smile - oh boy, it's just good to see the good ole' Tony back."

She shook her head in disapproval. How can she be so affected over this matter when she hardly knew Tony?

Well technically she knew him, and most importantly how close he was with Agent David who has been his partner for eight years. Being partners and working alongside with her for that long period of time, obviously left a door hanging for a relationship. 'I mean who would not have feelings for someone you work with every day?!'

And most importantly, Breena doesn't need to prove herself further because her husband used to share stories about Tony and Ziva almost every day after he comes home from work. And based from his stories, it's clearly impossible that these two are nothing but colleagues.

It was disappointing how no one from the team or better yet, from Palmer's second family failed to come to their wedding (not that an actual wedding did happen at that time) but despite that, she was very knowledgeable of the nature of their work and knowing what the team has been going through at that moment, she totally understood everything. But one thing that was bugging her (until now), was that she didn't have the chance to see Tony and Ziva together, in their prime.

Desperate the woman she may be, she's been dreading to see their relationship and how they would have interacted together if they ever did make it to her and Jimmy's wedding. She wanted to know what it would be like to see it, them, first handedly. It was intriguing how their relationship was, and how come they are still nothing but friends after all the things they've been through together. (Yes, Jimmy didn't fail to mention what happened in Somalia.)

She thought she would finally have the chance to see it, but one day, news broke out from her husband that she was gone with the possibility of never coming back. It dreaded the whole team, and she couldn't imagine how Tony's had been dealing through all of it. As someone who actually believes in love, she felt a pang in her chest for the couple. Not that she was even close to Tony or Ziva, but having to hear it from Jimmy about what they have - she's sure it's love when she sees (technically) hears it. Now, having to see it all gone and being thrown away just like that - it was a big slap in the face.

Especially now, when she just heard from Jimmy that he has finally moved on. She was not in the pleasant mood to hear it. She swore to death that if ever by chance she sees Ziva someday, she would give her what she truly deserves. Also, to make her realize that she wasn't 'damaged goods' and that she deserved a happy ending, just like everyone in this world.

Optimistic she was, but it was the truth. Breena thought Ziva's just stubborn or maybe afraid enough to see it.

Stubborn - exactly the appropriate word to describe Miss Ziva David right now.

-x-

"Why are you both so determined for me to do this speed dating thing, anyway?" She asked as she raised her eyebrows and placed her elbow on the back of the couch, turning her head to Breena.

This was it- she's going to say it. With unsteady hands and cheeks flustering, Lauren nudged her on the elbow to wake Breena up to her senses but she couldn't find the right words to answer back. Thank God, her sister's here to catch her. "Because you need a man." Lauren smirked as Ziva laughed once again. The smug look faded as she watched Ziva with eyes closed, still not fully recovered with what she said. It was the complete truth though, but her eyes are on and has forever been on someone else's, and speaking of that - she needs to go find him ASAP.

It's driving her insane of why the sudden urge for these two sisters to be so curious of her love life. Not that she minds, because there was nothing to say - but it just made her wonder how the hell it came to this.

"Ziva, this is not a laughing matter." Lauren urged on, Ziva pressed her lips together to reprimand herself from laughing once again of why they're all taking this so damn seriously.

"I'm sorry, I'm just saying that -"

Lauren waves her hand dismissively. "There's someone else, isn't it?" She asked, crossing her arms on her chest.

Ziva's face fell to an expression both women couldn't define. She felt a lump in her throat as she found the word 'discomfort', which be the appropriate term to describe the way she's feeling at this very moment. In what way can she say, 'Yes, there is someone' when she and Tony didn't even come close to being in a relationship? Technically, she didn't own him. But the days they spent on Israel, those days have been nothing but irreplaceable and remarkable on so many different levels. She was sure as hell that he got the message when she left her most prized possession to him. He may not know how much he meant to her, but she was sure that it was enough to make him realize that she would be coming back to reclaim her necklace, and back home with him. The exact way he wanted them to be in the first place.

"Actually, there is." She said without even realizing what came out of her mouth.

"And who might that be? Agent DiNozzo?!" Breena asked, she was raging uncontrollably. It felt wrong, but she deserved to know either way. It was a mistake to not bring this up to her in the first place and most definitely it was wrong for her to hope something.

She furrowed her eyebrows, "How -"

"Who the fuck is DiNozzo?!" Lauren asked, giggling from the wine the women had before dinner. Her eyes widened as her brain finally registered that she just interfered between the two, and it was not a smart move getting between her sister Breena, whenever she's at her boiling point. Oh, that must be the guy Breena's been talking about...

"Yes, you are right. It is Tony," She bit her bottom lip but not even that close to being ashamed of admitting it before shrugging her shoulders as if it wasn't a big deal.

"He's with someone new now, Ziva..." She said with a voice forming like a whisper.

She averted her eyes away from her and finally for once, Ziva completely let go of the book. And it was now falling from the couch and down to the floor, the same way a tear was now falling from her eye down to her cheek.

-x-