New Years Eve.
Ziva sat at her desk, she had nowhere else to go. The snow was falling ever so lightly outside the window she was looking out. It was so beautiful in DC, she couldn't believe she almost gave all of that up. Most of all, she almost gave up her family.
The snow outside reminded her that at midnight that night, it would be the first of 2010. Another new year where she was suppose to belong. Shouldn't she celebrate it? Many of the years she had been in DC on New Years, she had always went to watch the ball drop; with Tony. Now, none of that had a meaning.
Since she had returned from Israel, her and Tony had never been the same. Sure, they had started talking again, maybe even flirting here and there, but nothing like it was. That was what upset her the most. She had left him when he never meant to do anything wrong.
This year was different. Everything was different. This year, Ziva would not be attending the ball drop, she would be sitting in her seat, at her desk, at NCIS. Where she was suppose to be, while everyone else went out with their dates or going home to drink; Ziva would be right there.
She turned away from the window and back to a picture on her desk. It was of her and Tony on the last New Years Eve. They had looked so happy, but now, she was not. Ziva didn't know how Tony felt, but she sure wished that he felt the same way.
Ziva sighed as she touched the photo. "Why can we not be the same? You meant everything to me, Tony. I guess I caused this all, did I not?" she knew she shouldn't be talking to herself, or a photo, but it made sense. That was the only way she would ever get those words out. "You had so many girls and I waited for so long. I waited too long to make a move to you. I met Michael and I thought he was right, but he was wrong.... I was wrong."
She turned as she heard the elevator ding. Ziva saw Tony's mouth open - shocked. He was lost at words as he looked at her. She quickly turned back away from him, hiding her reddened face. Ziva heard his coming footsteps - he wasn't going away.
"Did you mean that?" she looked up to his face. Ziva looked confused. "Did you mean all of what you just said?"
Ziva tried to throw her hand over her face to keep him from seeing the forming tears, but it was useless. Tony had just taken her hand into his, keeping her from covering her face. He looked at her, waiting for an answer. She frowned. "Yes, I meant it all... Is that all you wanted to know?"
Tony looked at her and nodded. "Yeah, that's it."
Ziva nodded back and began to get up. "I should be getting home instead of staying here. I knew it was a bad idea."
He shook his head. "If this is about what I heard, I am glad I did. You shouldn't have to worry about me hearing your feelings. Especially if they are about me,"
Ziva stopped him in his sentence. "Tony! I have tried for years to get you to see me, but you never do. I tried so hard to get between you and your booty calls, but it never worked. I was never good enough for you. I never have been and I never will be. I do not know why you came here, but you should not have. I should not have stayed."
"I have saw you, Ziva!" he yelled. "I saw you everyday, but I was afraid to do something about it. You always seemed like the type of woman who would never like me. I even tried to make you jealous. It never worked. You were the one who never saw me." he sighed, calming down. "The reason I came here was because I called your place, but nobody answered. I called Abby and she said she thought you never left. I thought I would come here and check on you."
Ziva never said a word after him, they had never saw each other. They had never saw what had been right in front of them; each other. "Oh," her eyes slid down from his face to her shoes. "Why were you looking for me?" her voice barely enough for Tony to hear.
"I wanted to see if you wanted to spend New Years Eve with me like we always do. But, I see that you don't want to. I will take you home and you can do whatever you want."
Tony started to turn around but felt a familiar touch on his arm. "Tony, I want to spend it with you. We always have spent this holliday with each other and I do not want to stop. It is our tradition." he nodded at her. "We do not have much time left."
He looked down at his watch. "We have thirty minutes to get to the center of town. I think we can make it to watch the ball drop."
"Okay, let me grab my things." Ziva unlocked her desk to grab her purse and turned back to face Tony. "I am ready."
Tony held out his hand for her to take. She stared for a second before he spoke. "Come on, Ziva. You said you wanted to be back to the old us, I am trying here."
And with that, she took his hand. "Okay, that sounds good to me." she walked off to the elevator with him. The whole time, she wanted to keep her eyes on him, but she couldn't let him see that. "Same spot we always go to?" she asked.
"Yeah, thought that would be the best thing."
"So do I."
They stepped on and off the elevator together, still holding hands. Tony wasn't going to give up, that night he was going to get Ziva - once in for all. He had tried too hard for too long, but so had she.
He opened the car door for Ziva before making his way to his side of the car. "Why did you want to take me home tonight, before you knew I wanted to do this? I could have easily drove myself home with my car."
"I was being nice. It would have been rude if I would have just left you standing there at NCIS."
Ziva nodded. "I guess so." she keep her eyes out the window of the car. Avoiding looking at Tony, for that would be far to complicated. "Does everything seem, uh... Different to you?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, since we came back from Africa." she looked over.
"A lot of things have changed since then."
"I think so, too." Ziva looked at her hands, they rested in her lap. It was the only thing to keep her from blurting something stupid out. "You seem older."
"You told me that two years ago."
"But this time, you really do seem older. You have become more protective."
Tony pulled off the side of the road where he always parks with Ziva on New Years Eve. He got out and walked to her side of the car, helping her out. "Thanks." she said.
"Ziva, I have become more protective. More protective over you." he said looking into her eyes. "You have made me like this. I realize that if I screw up, I could lose you. I have to be protective."
"Tony, you could never lose me again. I am not going anywhere." Ziva took him by the hand and started walking toward their spot.
On the roof of the Capital One building, Tony and Ziva always stood to watch the ball drop. You could see everything from there. The whole town, and the ball drop even better. He looked at her as the reached the top.
"Ziva, do you ever think..." he stopped. "Do you ever think we could be more?"
"More as in how, Tony?"
"More than partners, more than friends."
"Lovers?" she asked.
"Yeah."
Ziva stared up into the sky, looking at the ball. "I have always wanted that."
"Me too."
They heard the people below them counting down from five. It was almost time. They started counting down with them. As Tony and Ziva reached one, Tony took Ziva in his arms and kissed her. That had been the first time they had kissed on New Years Eve. And it had been perfect.
"I love you, Ziva."
"I love you, too, Tony."
AN: Okay, I realize that I am posting this early. But I fear that if I do not post this now, it may never be posted. I tend to forget about posting my things. Also, I do plan on finishing my fanfic Body Language as soon as I can. I have it typed up, but I do not feel as though I am ready to send it to my beta. Kk. :) Well, I think this is about it. Hope you love this & PLEASE Review! :)