A/N: This was co-authored by the amazing: PurpleJelloTIVA.

Tony was sitting anxiously behind his desk. He had finished his paperwork half an hour ago and was waiting for Ziva to finish hers. She had used her gun in a car chase earlier and had to file an extra report, so it was taking her slightly longer than usual to finish.

Ziva let out a sigh and in her frustration threw a pen at Tony's head. He had been getting under her skin all day. He was acting more like a nine year old on a sugar rush than an NCIS Special Agent. Normally she found it endearing and it would make her laugh, but the stress of the latest case, together with his annoying antics, were getting on her nerves.

Tony caught the pen, a clear sign to Ziva that he was done with his paperwork. She looked up at him and he smiled at her brightly, clearly impressed with himself for catching the pen. Ziva had been hell bent on giving him a clear can you stop being so annoying stare but failed miserably and ended up sending him a small smile back.

"You almost done?" Tony asked.

"Yes and you?" Ziva responded.

"Almost, just dotting my I's and so on." Tony answered pretending to find a typo and correcting it.

Ziva looked at him, wondering why he hadn't gone home yet. "I should be done in 10 minutes or so." This got her an even brighter smile in return and she figured that he was waiting for her. Something he had being doing more and more of lately.

Tony's eyes shot to the bottom right of his computer screen. It read 5:32 PM which meant they should make it easily. He opened his backpack and checked if he still had the envelope McGee handed him this morning.

-TIVA-

"So can you do it?" Tony asked looking around the bullpen for anyone listening in.

"Why do you want two tickets for the opera anyway?" McGee asked.

"None of your business McNosy." Tony answered.

"Isn't that one of the big three though?" McGee responded unphased by the name calling, after all McGee had almost heard them all by now.

"Who says it's for a date?" Tony responded trying to keep him from nosing around to much.

"Well, you want me to believe you're going with a friend to the opera." McGee asked.

"Yes." Tony answered quickly.

"You don't even like the opera, so why would you get tickets to go see it? You only buy tickets for things you don't like if you want impress a woman." McGee responded looking up at Tony.

"Did you ever think that maybe I'm doing it for other reasons McGee, like trying to broaden my own interests." Tony answered.

"By going to the opera?" McGee asked again.

"Yes! Now can you do it or not?" Tony asked.

"Do what?" Ziva asked appearing behind Tony, catching Tony by surprise, something he would never quite get used to.

"Nothing." Tony said quickly and shot McGee a look telling him to keep his mouth shut.

"Tony asked me for tickets." McGee said laughingly.

"Tickets for what?" Ziva asked.

McGee opened his mouth to respond, when Gibbs came in barging through the bull pen declaring that there had been another murder. Ziva quickly lost interest in Tony's ticket quest and moved to her desk to grab her gear and head with the rest of the team into the elevator.

-TIVA-

That had been a close one. He had not wanted Ziva to know that he got tickets to the opera. He did not want her to get the wrong impression. They were at a good place now, and Tony liked the direction they were heading in. For those on the outside looking in, it may have looked like small baby steps but for them it felt like huge leaps towards their final destination.

It had not been easy for Tony to open up about his personal life. He was sure that it wasn't much different for Ziva. They kept there lives and mostly their emotions very private and sharing them with each other was scarier than anything else he had done in his life. For some reason though it did not feel so daunting. He trusted her with everything he was telling her.

He was brought back from his thoughts by Ziva declaring that she was finished with her work. Tony made a big show out of typing one last word before declaring the same. They both looked at Gibbs at the same time.

Gibbs looked up at them before saying; "Go on, go home, you've been here for three days straight."

Ziva and Tony looked at each other not having to be told to go home twice, especially if it was 17 minutes before the end of the work day. With their luck a Navy officer would be found dead within those 17 minutes.

"Thanks Boss, see you tomorrow Probie." Tony said as he gathered his things.

"Have a good night; Gibbs, McGee." Ziva said as she picked up her belongings and put on her coat.

"So, Ziva any plans for tonight?" Tony asked as they walked towards the elevator.

"No, I was thinking about having an early dinner and then maybe read a good book." Ziva responded smiling sideways.

"You know..." Tony started but then stopped.

"Yes?" Ziva asked as she pressed the button of the elevator.

"Well I was thinking... You know... You told me... I just... You missed it last time... So I thought... Well... You know..." Tony answered, not finding the words to get it right. Not sure if this was such a good idea after all.

"... Spit it, DiNozzo." Ziva said as the familiar ding of the elevator went off and the doors opened.

Tony took a deep sigh and took the blue envelope out of his backpack. "Spill it, not spit it."

"Whatever." Ziva responded as she walked into the elevator.

"I got us tickets to the opera." Tony responded, waiving the blue envelope in the air and Ziva smiled at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

McGee looked as Tony entered the elevator with a smile on his face. The blue envelope that he had handed Tony this morning was the last thing he saw before the doors closed. He looked back at his computer screen and the unfinished paperwork he still had to do. For some reason it didn't seem as boring anymore, because when he finished he could go down to Abby's lab and tell her what he had just witnessed. He would definitely get a warm Abby reception for delivering this news.

"You got us tickets? Ziva asked a little confused.

"Well yeah, I mean. you didn't get to go last time and I felt bad not being able to get you tickets last time so..." Tony said trailing off

"Because you felt bad you spent a lot of money on tickets now?" Ziva asked enjoying pushing his buttons after his childish behavior had pushed hers all day.

Tony was getting a bit anxious again. He still wasn't sure if Ziva was open to the idea and just mocking him or worse if she was trying to let him down gently. "Well I wanted to make you happy. We've been through a rough time lately and you deserve some time to enjoy and relive some good memories." Tony said scratching the back of his neck.

After that comment ,the unshed tears in Ziva's eyes became even more apparent and Tony was almost a hundred percent sure he had screwed up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep."

Ziva smiled at him, realizing for the first time since her father passed away that she could also have good memories of her family. Those that did not bring up violence or images of a broken family. "You did not overstep Tony."

"I didn't?" Tony asked not remembering the last time a woman made him so confused about everything. He was usually so confident about these things.

"No, you did not." Ziva answered smiling at him.

"So does this mean you want to go to the opera with me tonight?" Tony asked as the elevator stopped at the parking garage.

"Tony DiNozzo are you asking me out on a date?" Ziva answered, deciding to push his buttons one more time.

Tony froze just outside the elevator, adrenaline shooting through his bloodstream as he tried to figure out what the right answer was.

"I thought we could just go as friends."

"Well it's the new us, maybe this is part of that new us."

"Yes, Ziva David I'm asking you out on a date."

None of these really seemed to fit though, but Tony realized he had to come up with an answer pretty soon because Ziva was now looking at him expectantly. She had not expected the question to throw him completely, and right now he looked postively terrified.

"Well my Ninja, I was hoping you would give me a second chance to ask you out." Tony answered and Ziva's eyes widened in shock.

A/N: Let me know what you think, or what you would like to see happening with McGee's ticket connections