Sweet Cheeks

Rifiuto: Non Miriena

Summary: Why did Ziva look so shocked when McGee called her 'Sweetcheeks' in Blowback? Could there have been a reason for it? McGiva.

A/N: Just a little something to hopefully make you all smile while I trudge through the rest of my brother's writing for Past Lives.- Licia

"Uh, Sweet Cheeks, it's okay. We're all set."

She found herself looking at Harrow, her mouth open slightly to speak.

"We are?"

Her mouth dropped open further; and after a moment, she turned, her dark gaze shifting slightly to the side as Tim stepped into her peripheral.

Sweet Cheeks?

Since when did they start using pet names? And why Sweet Cheeks of all things?

"Yeah. My brother just called with directions. You know the Washington Monument, who thought it'd be so tough to find?"

He took her arm, tugging her away after thanking Harrow. "What just happened?"

"Change of plans. Follow, do not approach." She rolled her eyes, squeezing his hand before climbing into the passenger seat.

"He spotted us!"

Tim chased after her, dashing pass the two men Ziva had managed to down with only a couple flicks of her wrists. He'd heard the sound of her being slammed up to the back of the bus stop, and, only knowing it was her because of the lightness of the sound, had felt his heart jump into his throat. Though she was tough, she was small, and anyone bigger than her could easily get the upper hand if they caught her off guard. They quickly followed Harrow, dashing up the stairs of La Fonte Plaza after him, being cautious as they reached Harrow's still body. Quickly putting her gun away, Ziva glanced at Tim before turning the man over. She pressed her ear to his mouth, and, upon hearing nothing, began CPR as he pulled out his phone and dialed emergency.

The softness of her voice as she counted out the number of compressions while she gave mouth-to-mouth to their suspect didn't do anything to calm Tim's racing heart.

"You were supposed keep Mr. Harrow under surveillance, not chase him into a coronary!" Ziva winced, glancing at Tim, who shook his head and rolled his eyes before speaking.

"Director, once he had us made, we had to take him in-"

"No, Tim, she's right. We should have let Harrow escape, and then he could have sold ARES and we could have caught Black Rose or La Grenouille selling it to Iran or Syria or-" Jenny glanced between the pair,

"Don't get cute, Officer David!" Ziva and Tim exchanged glances. "I'm saying there had to be a better way! Right, Tony?"

"That's right, Director, they could've..." The couple turned to their partner, surprised to hear him siding with Director Shepard instead of Gibbs.

"Shot him." Ziva snorted softly at Gibbs' blunt answer; she swallowed it, however, at a glare from Jenny.

"That's right, they could've shot him."

"Of course, in a high octane situation, Ziva reverts back to her Mossad training, and probably would've put a round through his heart."

She pursed her lips, wrinkling her nose at Gibbs's suggestion. "Three rounds."

Gibbs nodded once, turning to Tim. "And McGee, not to be outdone, would've-"

"Added three more." He replied, glancing at Ziva, who smiled proudly at him. He was learning fast. Director Shepard glanced between the agent and the officer; she caught the looks they sent each other- something in the back of her mind told her that Gibbs's Rule Twelve was being cast aside, but since she wasn't the Team Leader, she'd let Gibbs deal with it, and if he didn't, then she would.

"Gibbs."

Her former lover turned to her. "See? There you go, six rounds, same result, one dead Mr. Harrow." The two younger federal officers glanced at each other; slowly, Ziva shifted closer to Tim, sliding her arm through his and down into his coat pocket, where she slipped her fingers through his. Gibbs watched the action, narrowing his blue eyes. He'd have to talk to the two in regards to the rules, and if he had to, he'd partner Tim and Tony up- they'd been partners before Ziva showed up and would be long after she was gone- and keep Ziva on desk duty for as long as she was there.

"You don't think they will find out, do you, Tim?" Ziva asked, taking his hand as they headed to the car. He shrugged, squeezing her hand as they headed down the street, past the coffee shop Harrow had exited just before his death.

"I hope not, Ziver." She met his gaze. "I think they know- or, at least, suspect. As long as we keep it out of the office and don't put the team in jeopardy during a case, it shouldn't be a problem." She sighed, nodding. It had been months since they'd been to the judge with Sarah and Penny, since they'd finally gotten the feelings they'd been developing from the first moment they began working together- all of which had gone from late night dinners and games of Scrabble to steamy, shared showers and forty-eight hour, off-rotation weekends spent in the bed- all of which had culminated in their quick, secret ceremony at the courthouse, with only Penny and Sarah as their witnesses.

They had agreed not to wear their wedding rings at work, lest Gibbs, Tony, or any one of the hundreds of agents working at the Navy Yard discovered and went rushing to the director. That was the last thing they needed- to be found out and then either have Tim removed from the team or have Ziva sent back to Israel. He released her hand as she dug into her pocket for the keys-

"Head's up!"

She looked up in time to catch the car keys as they came flying towards her. When she turned, she found him holding a cup out to her. A grin lit her features as she took it, taking a sip. "Toda."

"Al lo davar." He accepted the kiss quickly before getting into the passenger seat. As she clambered into the driver's side and started the car, he reached out, taking her hand and squeezing as he reached over and turned off the car. She turned to him, startled.

"Tim, what the-"

"I love you, babe." She grinned, giggling- something that, if heard, would make DiNozzo jump out of his skin. "What's so funny?"

"Now that," She replied, bumping her nose gently against his. "I can do," She glanced at his lap, knowing exactly what she wanted to do when they got home, to release the stress of Harrow's death and Jenny's bitchy attitude in response to their tailing. She gently smacked her husband's cheek. "Sweet Cheeks."