Jonathan waited and waited to ask the question that was eating him up inside. He sat perched on the edge of his seat just waiting for the right time to ask Gibbs. And then the day of at 1550 Zulu time he asked in front of the whole team
"Hey Gunny who's your date tonight for the Marine Corp Award and Recognition Gala tonight in D.C"
Tony almost sprang from seat at such a tantalizing concept he was in one moment transfixed on Gibbs
I without skipping a beat he looked up from his paperwork "I'm taking Ziva I thought you knew?" Gibbs wasn't going to get caught in a trap that easily
Jonathan stared puzzled at Ziva since she'd turned him down. With what he had thought was a lame excuse of "I already made plans with a friend"
"Plans with a friend Ziva?" He glared at her from his desk
"Ok wait let me explain" She looked like kid that her hand caught in the cookie jar. She got up and made her way over to his desk and leaned onto the edge. Tony enjoyed the great shot of her ass, until Gibbs noticed and shot him a dirty look.
"I did have plans with a friend flying in from Israel. Then Gibbs asked if I could be his escort"
"Date" said in a gruff almost guttural tone from Jonathan
"Whatever so I agreed besides I did you hard one"
"What?" he was puzzled by this Ziva-ism
"You know a hard one" she again thought she'd gotten this translation correct
"I think she means solid Jonathan"
"Yes thank you McGee I did you one of those"
"How is that exactly?" He was puzzled and nervous as to what she planned
"My friend Ava from Israel she quiet cute and she'll be your date" she smiled proud of herself
"Wait what" Tony burst into laughing followed by a few chuckles from McGee, even Gibbs had to smile at the cunning of Ziva's plan.
"She's quiet beautiful I couldn't cancel on her after she took all the time and effort to come here. Besides I told her all about you and she's quiet interested in meeting you" the devious look at her face was both exciting and terrifying to Jonathan.
"WHAT did you tell her Ziva?" He was panicked and it showed
"Oh you'll see" She smiled proud of what she'd done. She'd made this proud Marine squirm in his chair brought her pure joy
"Gunny a little help" he was looking for some support
"I don't get involved in your personnel lives you know that"
"Thanks Gunny and stop laughing Tony"
That night the two Marines stood in the bullpen in there dress uniforms making sure they were clean and properly dressed for tonight's event. Gibbs looked a little uncomfortable in his dress uniform; he obviously hadn't worn it for a while. Jonathan was furiously cleaning his shoes he made sure they shined for when he got his award. Abby appeared out of the elevator, camera in hand to get pictures of this monuments event. "Oh Gibbs you look certifiably handsome" She glowed as she stared at him clutching her camera
"Abby stop drooling at the gunny" Jonathan couldn't help himself from digging her a little
"Shut up Jonathan I was gonna say you look nice too, but your breathe stinks
"Hey"
"Now children" Abby stuck her tongue out at him from behind Gibbs.
The elevator pinged and the doors opened and two simply stunning women walked in the bullpen. There stood the dates for these two lucky Marines. Ziva stood in a simple purple dress with a plunging neckline, smiled and flashed her mesmerizing emerald eyes at the pair of them. Both stood in awe this women who now hardly looked like they assassin they worked with earlier today. Her friend was there in the green dress Ziva had worn while she was undercover with Tony some time ago. She was taller then Ziva just barely even without her heels. Her eyes were honey brown and had a heart-stopping stare. Ziva couldn't of made that dress look as good at it did on her mysterious friend. "Stop drooling boys" Abby stormed out of the bullpen and onto her evening
"Jonathan may I present my friend Miss. Ava Rahal"
"Pleasure" His eyes looked her up and down and smiled at the goddess that stood in front of him. As he took her hand, his eyes quickly jumped back to Ziva to see if was jealous or about to kill him.
"Gunny how are we this lucky?"
"Don't know don't care lets just get this over with" he was already walking toward the elevators they ran so not to be left behind.
In Gibbs car they chatted to break the ice and to prepare themselves for the evening ahead
"Oh Ziva did I tell about the letter I got about tonight?" He was going to embarrass Gibbs after what happened this morning no matter what
"What letter?" She faked interest she really didn't care. She was happy to have her closet childhood friend with her
"The Commandant of the Marine Corp, he ordered me to present the Gunny to him tonight for his award, Seems that he's skipped out on it a few times before."
She laughs a little "What don't you like about awards Gibbs?"
Gibbs looked more irritated than embarrassed "I do my job nothing special why do I have to get dressed and loss a night I could be working on my boat to get an award that's say congratulations you do your job well. I already know that" With that typical gruff tone that Gibbs used when he had to talk about himself
The two agents laugh at what is typical Gibbs logic
"Yeah but look at our dates and there is a free bar that must of helped change your mind?" Jonathan wouldn't give up
"Ziva changed my mind" Jonathan sat puzzled and in slight shock
"How's that" he pondered they possible responses Gibbs could give him
"I agreed" she said with some sort of pride In her voice
The Gala was housed in one of the finest hotels in all of D.C. The two couples walked into the grand hall and proceeded to the bar without skipping beat
"Drinks gunny"
"read my mind" They marched the most direct route to the bar cutting threw guests and high ranking officials with ruthless efficiency. Until they reached their target
" To the Corp Gunny" they held up a double shot of tequila each
"Semper fi"
"Ooo Rah Gunny" they slammed back their drinks with pride and with a sense of duty fulfilled
"I'll have Mojito" Ziva looked a little appalled by the two of them and there drinking habits.
"Me Too" Ava and Ziva shared a giggle between at they expense of their dates. The ladies watched there Marines drink in all the courage they would need for the night and then a little more for good measure. Gibbs turned back to Ziva as she finished her drink.
"Dance Miss David?"
"Gibbs" she was shocked that he'd ask "of course. Now you two play nice" she teased as Gibbs lead her away. Ava and Jonathan were now alone for the first time
"Ok now I have to know your not Mossad are you?"
"No I was IDF but that was years ago" she looked puzzled as to why he would such a question but she though about who he worked with and it all made sense.
"No disrespect but that's a relief. Now what did Ziva tell you about me?" He had to know what Ziva really though of him and his chance was wrapped in a green dress and flirty eyes.
"Everything and a little more. Oh no Jonathan you're going to have to try a lot harder then that. I've known Zi since we were little girls. I know her better then she knows herself" She went back to her drink to ponder her next line to feed him. She looking up to see that he was hooked on her and there wasn't the though of Ziva on his mind.
"What does that mean?" Now he was completely enraptured by Ava's little game
"Well let's start with another one of these and will go from there"
"Yo bartender can I mojito and Corona down here stat!"
Later in the evening Gibbs looked like he was getting his teeth pulled when he was presented with his Distinguished Service Medal from the Commandant. They'd never seen look so uncomfortable in his own skin. Next came Jonathans Award for his service in Iraq. He beamed with pride as they pinned the medal to chest. He and Ava hadn't stopped staring at each other since Gibbs and Ziva left them earlier. Ziva now began to question her plan as those two slipped outside to the balcony hand in hand.
"Ziva you ok?" she sat there in silence stirring an empty drink and tapping her hand on the edge of the table.
"Yeah I'm fine Gibbs I'm just a little tried" she snapped back to reality and had to face Gibbs
"Come on lets get you some fresh air and a change of scenery?" The two headed from the Main hall down to the hotel bar for some peace and quiet.
An hour had past neither of them knew since they had continued to drink and share stories of there pasts. More Ziva then Gibbs since even now he wouldn't put his guard down. As Gibbs and Ziva took a shot each in memory of Ari and Cate, she saw them slip out the front door of the hotel and into a cab. She paused for a second and almost choked on her shot of tequila. Gibbs went for the bottle but Ziva who had misery written across her face quickly snatched it from him.
"I shouldn't have brought that up" Gibbs spoke in a slow mournful tone.
"It wasn't you Gibbs" She held back the start of tears.
The two sat quietly and finished the bottle together before Gibbs drove her home.
Ziva stumbled into her apartment having left Gibbs at the curb. It was her first chance to let out her frustration and pain from the night. She wandered into her bedroom to find Ava past out on it. Perfect she thought to herself as she stumbled back to the kitchen. There she was surprised to find the light now on and a man standing in her kitchen
"Oh hey Ziva, sorry we both needed to crash an she had a key to your place I hope your not mad. I crashed on your couch to sober up." He was still a little out of it from too much tequila.
"You bastard how could you?" She clinched her fists and could no longer hold off the tears
"Wait what did I do?" Completely puzzled by her words and emotions
"Ava" She was so angry that he would take advantage of her or her of him. How could she miscalculate so badly to of let this happen?
"Wait. What. No I didn't she's engaged" He stumbled over his words and furniture as Ziva approached him. He was trying to stay just of her reach, as she pursued him into the living room.
"Don't lie to me Jonathan" The anger was clear and evident on her face as well the pain inside her
"Ask her yourself she was going to surprise you. We talked all night. I wouldn't that's not me, not how I operate Ziva believe me nothing happened"
"What did you talk about?" Even drunk her mind was on and doing what it was trained to do.
"Um you, The Marines, the IDF, her fiancée, dogs, Gibbs a bunch of stuff. Did you think I was putting the moves on her? Did you?" He was offended that she though so little of him as to pursue her friend.
"Well" She was now realizing that maybe she was the one in the wrong and what that would mean in the morning
"NO Ziva I didn't she's not you" He stepped into her reach and held out his hand as if to go for her waist to pull her in close to him.
"What" anger was replaced by shock of his words.
"You heard me damn it. Even if she wasn't engaged I wanted to spend the night with you that's why I asked you. He began to teeter a bit and his balance shifted back and worth from one leg to they other "Oh shit I knew I had too much to drink."
He ran into the bathroom to puke up his guts and that left Ziva alone to think. She sat down on her couch to ponder his words. Did he fell the same way or was it the alcohol? What had Ava said to him about how she felt? The last thought she had was how much she wanted to kiss her Marine and then she just past out from the emotion and the booze. Jonathan came out of the bathroom to find Ziva fast asleep. He smiled and leaned in for kiss only to be greeted by a very loud snore from Ziva. He laughed a little and kissed her on the cheek good night Ziva and made his way to the door.
"Maybe someday"