Disclaimer: I mean no profits with this story. The show and its characters belong to their owners.
The wind is softly blowing while Ziva watches Delilah, standing right in front of her on the sidewalk. A petite brunette, with baby blue eyes and a flawless skinny body. The younger woman is fresh, warm and genuine; everything that Ziva thinks McGee deserves.
Tony and Tim are far too consumed in their own conversation to notice when Ziva sighs. The new restaurant is great and she had the best time while trying to ignore how it all felt like a double date. These two days in D.C. have been amazing. And it feels good to be back home — even though she knows that's how she should feel in her new apartment in Israel instead.
"Your aura is pink, you know?", Delilah's soft voice brings Ziva back to reality. "And Tony's aura is blue." The younger woman mentions in a way that it seems obvious… But Ziva's expression clearly gives away the fact that she has no clue of what is going on. "Do you know what that means?"
Ziva frowns, shaking her head; overwhelmed with the desire to end this crazy conversation before it begins but curious enough to follow the lead.
"That when you're close to each other, both your auras turn lilac." Delilah explains patiently, already used to the look people send her way whenever she mentions subjects like these — as if she's Wednesday Adams. She looks far wise beyond her years, wearing a gracious smile. "That you are soulmates."
Ziva flinches and finds herself unable to respond.
Delilah laughs, feeling pleased with herself for catching a woman as experienced as Ziva off guard. She steps closer, whispering, "You should visit more often", before giving McGee's israeli friend an uncalled goodbye hug.
Ziva shrugs awkwardly and releases an uncomfortable smile. Oh, how she's changed ever since she first came to the US… Delilah is lovely. A bit noisy for Ziva's taste, but definitely nice; a free spirit. "I will", she blurts out and they hold a silent conversation with their eyes. from woman to woman.
Delilah doesn't insist and Ziva doesn't try to deny anything.
McGee shake hands with Tony and approaches the two women. "Your flight is due in the morning, right?"
Ziva nods, offering no further explanation. She feels like choking because only now she understands how much she's missed him, them, all of this.
"You want a lift?", McGee offers politely, looking at Tony before turning his attention to her.
Ziva shakes her head and touches his chest in a comforting way, "No." The 'thank you' goes unsaid, but he catches it in her eyes. She stares up at her geek friend, who's also holding back his tears. "I'm gonna be fine."
The younger man doesn't give her time to refuse his honest hug. (She wouldn't, anyway) And, while diving his face in her hair, to hide the blush on his cheeks, McGee clumsly confesses, "I miss you." He hears Ziva swallowing with difficulty, knowing for sure that she feels the exact same way, even if she won't say so in order to make things more practical, easier. (because that's who she is) "Take care."
"You too", Ziva replies, her voice thick, looking at him so proudly, as he puts his arms around Delilah; the cute young couple waving their goodbyes.
Tony's right beside her; a comfortable presence waiting for the other pair to walk away. And once they're finally out of sight, he softly touches the small of Ziva's back, gently dragging her through the streets.
They walk towards the hotel she's staying in (out of stubbornness) — which is just a couple of blocks away from the restaurant. As if things have never changed, they flirt, they tease, they exchange meaningful looks. He talks about the new team dynamic and she updates him with her how life has changed now that she's back in Israel.
They stop once they reach their destination, surrounded by a comfortable silence.
There's so much left to say…
They have spent the entire weekend together. Breakfast at Le Caprice every morning, barbeque at Gibbs with the rest of the team and inevitably watching a movie at Tony's place — just for old times' sake… It all felt natural; except for those moments, late at night, when he would drive her back to her hotel.
It goes without saying that Tony will return in the morning; his car neatly parked, patiently waiting to take her to the airport.
But both their hearts ache because they don't wanna waste any minute of these precious final hours.
Who's to know when or even if she'll be back?
She's flying to Israel in the morning and it still feels as sorrowful as when he had to fly back to the US on his own; without her.
"I heard what Delilah said", Tony states, cocking his head to the side to try to hold her gaze. He smiles in that charming way that always makes her knees go weak. "Do you believe her?" His eyebrows raise and his tone is humorous, but there's an underlying meaning in there.
Ziva feels like laughing and teasing him back, just to relieve a bit of the tension that's burning her shoulders. But she also feels like sobbing. She wants to offer him the obvious answer — no, she doesn't believe Delilah. And to complain that he should know her better than that.
Ziva David does not believe in astrology or parapsycology.
But then her veins get filled with audacity and her heart beats faster.
She takes one step closer to him, raising a hand to brush against his stubble… It feels good; way better than the last time.
His eyes go darker as he looks down at her, obviously missing her touch just as much as she does his.
It all flies by so naturally that Ziva forgets to reply.
No, she won't go into an existencial crisis to find out if auras are real or not.
She doesn't care if her aura is pink and his is blue.
But Ziva feels tempted to confess the fragile truth that she wants to believe… She needs to; for him, for her, for the both of them, for the eight years in which they've built this untouchable relationship and the sexual tension so obvious that even Delilah in a couple of hours could tell.
Tony runs the palm of his hands through her ribcage, her waist, her hips… It comes out like begging, but he doesn't really care, when he whispers, "Come with me" — obviously inviting her for a lot more than just a sleep over at his place.
Ziva's eyes sparkle as if the light of the sun reflected in the moon is suddenly shining there too. And she smiles, answering him without words by brushing her hands against his.
No, Ziva David doesn't believe in auras.
She doesn't believe in long-distance relationships either.
But when we find our soulmates, questions like these don't matter anyway.