A Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan is the inspiration for these drabbles (yes there will be more). If you haven't read it I highly recommend! It's a quick and easy read. This is my first attempt at writing so please bear with me and let me know what you think!

"It has always been my habit…to ask that question"

"What are you thinking?"

Tony jumped slightly at the new presence beside him. He whipped his head around to the vacuum-seal doors of MTAC and then back to her questioning eyes. Had he really been so zoned out that he hadn't heard her come in? She could be to stealth for his liking.

He sighed then looked down, tightening his hold on the chairs armrest. He opened his mouth to reply when she cut him off.

"Tony…" she said softly, but sternly, letting him know she wouldn't accept a half ass answer.

He looked up to meet her eyes again, and slowly let out another breath. "I just… I just hate when you do that." He told her tightly, while he jerked his head towards the MTAC screen.

Ziva's eyes followed his gesture. On the screen was the surveillance footage of her confrontation with three Hercules sized men at the bar from earlier that night. Her brow furrowed and she turned her gaze back to him. "You hate when I wear tight clothing?" she leered, referring to the uncharacteristic tight leggings and top she had on in the video.

Tony's eyes darkened with frustration as he gripped the armrest harder. "No Ziva, I hate when you release the Kraken without warning!" he started. His voice got harsher, "Those guys were all three times your size and could have done a lot more damage! If you had just let us know you saw the guy had his gun we could have been there Ziva, we could have taken him down before he even lifted his weapon, before the other two could lay a hand on you."

She instinctly brought her hand up to rub the bruise forming on the side of her jaw.

"I know you think you can take them, and you did rough them up pretty well, but dammit, Ziva, just let us help every once in a while…" He sighed, exasperated.

Surprised by his confession, she dropped the hand from her face to his whitening knuckles on the armrest. She let her pinky trace the vain between his fingers, to his wrist, and back again, in an attempt to calm him. She felt him tense at the initial contact—the last time she had touched his hand had been a desperate grasp, to keep from crumbling in the desert.

Eventually though, he let the caress open him up a bit more. "Things are finally getting back to normal, I don't want to have to work without you again." He paused, and then added quietly, "I just got you back."

Although it had been a few months since the team had rescued her, Ziva had only recently began to feel secure in her own skin again. And evidently, she was not the only one to realize it. Her pinky stopped its exploration of his hand and opted for tucking snuggly under his palm, and she let her thumb smooth over his skin. She smiled shyly at him, "Sometimes… Sometimes it is hard for me to remember that I am not in this alone. That people care about my outcome."

That you care.

Tony's eyes saddened a little as he slightly tilted his head to the side. He released the death grip he had on the armrest and turned his hand up into hers. "Someone around here is always going to care, Ziva."

I'm always going to care

The corners of her mouth lifted higher as she gripped his hand a tad tighter. "Tony—" she began, but was promptly interrupted by the 'VROOSH' of the MTAC door. When they saw a silver head poke through they quickly jumped apart.

"There you are. Lets go, I need you two in Interrogation."

They both released a heavy sigh and started to get to their feet.

"Now" Gibbs ruffed.

The pair was up in a flash, fighting their way through the door a matter of seconds later. Tony yelped as Ziva expertly landed a kick to his shins that temporarily put her in the lead. She chuckled while he jogged to catch up and fell in step next to her.

As they neared Interrogation, Tony leaned down to her ear. "For the record," he started, as a faint 'With me, DiNozzo' could be heard. "I definitely do not hate when you wear tight clothes." He finished with a grin.

Her eyes widened. He laughed while he quickly dashed out of her reach and into the interview room before she could land another blow on him.