A/N: I rewatched Silent Night the other day and I just couldn't get this little one shot out of my head. I kept on going over the part where Ziva is all like "Do you regret not having a wife and kids, especially during this time of year?"
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
There's a reason why Tony DiNozzo doesn't do holidays.
It isn't just because they remind him of his mom, and of when they spent hours decorating the Christmas tree, talking about everything imaginable. It's a Wonderful Life has always been on when they were decorating the house. Tony would stop every now and then to watch the film, and his mom would always have to tell him, 'Come on Tony… This house isn't going to decorate itself.'
It doesn't have to do with any of that actually. Most years they had been swamped with cases, and it had taken off the edge that came with the holidays. The edge that Tony had hidden perfectly.
Gibbs is the only one who knows of Tony's holiday woes. That was only because A) Gibbs knew everything, and B) he was the only one who was there to witness it. He was a witness to the one thing that didn't happen very often. The DiNozzo heartbreak.
When he hears Detective Kemp's name, he can't help but cringe a bit. The others notice before he can stop himself. They soon figure out that he isn't the one who ended it, and even they know that something like that doesn't happen. Ever.
Tony can tell that Ziva is curious. Curious about one of the few woman who have broken Tony's heart. Sure, there are lingering feelings deep inside, but that's all that they are. Feelings. And feelings can't compare to the ever-growing love he has for the woman sitting next to him.
So when Ziva begins to question him about things that have obviously been on her mind for a while, he gives her as little information as he can and deflects the rest. He deflects and deflects, until he can think of a good excuse to leave.
Fortunately though, excuses are good to come by. It doesn't make it easier for him, but it's better than nothing. Anything is better then what he's going though.