The Girl Of His Dreams
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He always liked this time of day the best; night, when they were all alone, when all the distractions of his job, and the world outside, just seemed to disappear, and it was just the two of them. Alone. Enjoying their time together.
Sometimes, he felt that he loved her smile more than anything else. Each and every time he looked at her, her beauty could still take his breath away; the way it had the very first time he'd seen her. Her skin was so soft and delicate to the touch, and her dark hair was as soft as silk, making him want to run his fingers through it every time he held her. She had beautiful dark eyes, eyes that he felt he could lose himself in forever.
And now, after all this time, she only had eyes for him. It always amazed him, even now, to see the way her eyes lit up when he entered the room.
It was true that he had had some serious doubts about her, back in the beginning. She had heralded such changes in his life, and he hadn't been completely sure that he was ready to make those changes. It had taken some time, but now... Now, he couldn't imagine his life without her in it.
It was equally true that there had been a time when she hadn't looked twice at him. There had been a time — not that long ago, either — when she had wanted someone else, when she had craved someone else's kisses and caresses, when it had been someone else's arms that she had run to for love and comfort. But he'd tried not to let it bother him too much. He had been content to wait patiently, because he knew that, eventually, she would turn to him.
Then, one day, it had all changed. When she finally noticed him, when he had suddenly become the most important person in her life, it had been one of the greatest feelings he had ever experienced. To simply look into her glorious brown eyes and see her love for him reflected there... there just weren't any words to describe the way it made him feel. It made him want to take her in his arms and never let her go.
It hadn't been like this before. Before her, he had never been so open about his feelings. But he just couldn't seem to resist kissing her and holding her and telling her how much she meant to him.
He treasured this time alone with her the most. But he was always worried that someone would come and take her away from him and end this wonderful dream... and he had a feeling that moment was coming sooner than he'd hoped it would.
He brushed his lips over her dark curls and over her closed eyelids — she looked so much like her mother at that age. He knew, he'd seen the photographs somewhere, once. He murmured softly, almost incomprehensibly, not sure that she could really hear him. "Ahuvati sheli — my love." From the very beginning, he'd used Hebrew when speaking words of love to her; it had been something private, something that made their time together even more special, more intimate. Something that the two of them could share.
He could hear quiet footsteps entering the room, sounds that meant that she'd be leaving him soon, and the soft smile that he'd had on his lips as he thought about her slowly disappeared.
"Anthony DiNozzo!" he heard her mother say, a small note of exasperation and loving amusement apparent in her voice. "You were supposed to put her to bed a half an hour ago."
"I know, I know," he admitted, grudgingly.
"You know, you never held Jacob and Joshua as much as you seem to hold Rachel," she said, as she gently took the sleeping infant from her father, an indulgent smile crossing her lips as he reluctantly let go.
"I know, Ziva, but Rachel's different — she's the girl of my dreams."