"Perfect."

Ziva smiled as she pulled the last pint of chocolate ice cream from her freezer. She grabbed a spoon from the drawer underneath the counter and made her way to the quaint living room, a movie already in the DVD player. She wasn't sure what it was, something Tony had insisted she borrow. She had just pressed the play button on the large, silver remote and had just removed the top to her ice cream, her spoon stuck in the chocolate, when someone knocked on the door.

She groaned loudly as she pressed 'Pause' and moved towards the door. She straightened out her purple t-shirt and her black and purple boxer shorts. She wanted nothing more than to just curl up with her Ben and Jerry's and this strange movie on her couch, but this night stranger was keeping her. She opened the door and, although it killed her to admit it, she was happy to see Tony standing on the other side.

"Agent DiNozzo, what are you doing here?"

Tony stood, leaning against the doorframe, a look on his face that Ziva did not recognize. Instead of asking questions, she moved aside and let him in, walking past her towards the living room. This was not the first time he had ever been inside her apartment. This was also not the first time they had ever shared late night talks. But there was something different about tonight, and it killed Ziva that she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Gone With the Wind? Good choice," Tony said as he picked up the DVD case and placed it back down on the table before he sat down and put his head in his hands. Ziva wasn't sure what to do. She could stand where she was, and give him his space, or she could move onto the couch and place a hand on his shoulder.

She didn't remember deciding, but as her feet carried her across the floor to occupy the space next to her friend, she didn't object. She slowly reached her hand up and placed it on his shoulder, and he lifted his head at the feel of her touch. "I'm sorry for showing up here so late."

She smiled and ran her finger along his shoulder. "Do not be sorry. Just tell me what is wrong."

"That's the thing, there is nothing wrong. Everything in my life, it's perfect. But I still feel like something is missing."

"You need a girlfriend."

He smiled. "The last time I had one of those, it didn't turn out well. Of course, I was acting so it was never supposed to work out, but you know what I mean. I'm not the kind of guy who has a girlfriend."

Ziva pulled his face up to hers, her finger under his chin. She could feel the hairs on his chin, just barely there. "Tony, do not blame yourself for what happened with Jeanne. It was Jenny's idea."

"But I should have stopped it; I should have told her when I had the chance."

"And blown your cover?"

Tony shook his head slowly, that look from earlier returning to his face. "Tony, you cannot do this. You only did what you were supposed to do."

"But I didn't. Because I was never supposed to fall in love with her."

The pain in his eyes caused Ziva to feel pain. She wished there was a way to make him see that he's not going to be alone. "No one is ever supposed to fall in love with someone," she mumbled.

"What?"

Tony stared long and hard into Ziva's eyes, the dark brown making him feel safer then he has in years. "No one is ever supposed to fall in love with the person they actually fall for. But it happens and we learn to deal with it. We learn to accept it."

She didn't see him move closer to her. She didn't see him move his hands. But she did feel his hand slowly moving up her arm, a trail of goosebumps left behind. She felt his hand get tangled in her hair, unlike the times he would tousle her hair at work. She felt his breath, soft and hot on her neck, his mouth moving up towards her own.

As his lips touched hers, she closed her eyes, letting herself go in the moment. She raised her hands up and put one on each of Tony's cheeks as he slowly laid her back on the couch. His fingers moved to her stomach, slowly moving underneath her paper-thin shirt. Ziva wrapped her fingers around his neck, their lips still connected. Tony lifted the shirt up around Ziva's head, their lips only separating for a second. She tugged at the bottom of his gray t-shirt, her fingers tickling his abdomen, and she could feel him smiling.

But suddenly his lips were gone and she felt herself frown. "What is wrong?"

Tony sat back on his heels and Ziva shifted underneath him, placing her arms behind her so she could lean. "Ziva, we don't have to do this. I shouldn't be pulling you into this problem."

She leaned forward and placed her finger over his lips, still hot and swollen. "I want to do this. Honestly." He moved her hand and placed his lips on hers again, her fingers finding their way to the edge of his shirt again. But this time, she completely lifted it over his head and he ran his fingers through her dark brown waves again. He pulled her up off the couch and she directed him towards the bedroom, her fingers managing to remove his belt as they moved.

And as Tony laid Ziva back onto the bed, she stared into his eyes, seeing nothing but passion in them.