Disclaimer – I only borrowed them, but I did make up a rule, it would be pretty cool if it ended up being one though =]
Now for those of you that read my SG-1 story 'You know me, wouldn't miss this for the world' I haven't given up on it, I just wanted a break from it and found that I have been unable to write any other story let alone finish that one, I'm surprised this one has worked out so well.
Gibbs reached out for his coffee cup but found that it was empty. He inwardly sighed, it had been a long weekend; he looked up to see that his team were practically falling asleep as they tried to write their reports.
Gibbs got up and walked around his desk heading to the elevator, "I'm going for coffee, I expect you all to be on your way home by the time I get back."
Gibbs was debating how long he was going to stay at the office when he left the elevator to go back to the bullpen, his fresh cup of coffee already half finished in his hand, he looked up to find that both Ziva and McGee's desks were empty however...
"DiNozzo!" Tony's head snapped up from his computer screen, "I thought I told you to go home!" Gibbs was stood in front of Tony's desk now staring down at the occupant.
"Er, yeah you did boss, it's just I've er, got a question."
Gibbs waited a moment, "Well?" he said sounding a little impatient.
"Well you see boss, er, well next week, I mean, well, yeah, next Monday, it's, well, er..."
"Spit it out DiNozzo"
"It's Valentine's Day!" he finally spluttered out.
"And?"
"Well I was wandering if you er, well you see..." Tony seemed at a loss for words and Gibbs had to stop a smile from forming as he watched his senior agent's mouth open and close in a good impersonation of a fish.
He had a good idea what was on Tony's mind, however Tony had set himself up good and proper and Gibbs just couldn't resist saying "DiNozzo, you better not be asking me out or so help me God-"
Tony's eyes looked ready to come out of their sockets "No boss!" he said quickly, "You know, not that dinner with you wouldn't – I mean, I bet any woman would love to have dinner with you, but-"
"It's okay DiNozzo, I get it, you're not asking me out" Gibbs quickly cut him off.
Tony visibly relaxed and sighed as he let out a "Thank you boss"
They were both quiet for a minute before Gibbs finally said "So you wanted to ask me a question?" He was fairly certain he could win a bet guessing what this was all about, though it wasn't hard, Tony had obviously been thinking about this for days and with the way that he had kept shooting sideway glances at a certain-
"It doesn't matter boss" Tony said as he stood up and started collecting his things ready to go home, "let's just forget I said anything" he added.
"Tony" Gibbs sighed and Tony's head quickly shot up to look at him, it wasn't very often that Gibbs called him by his first name, "I'll get the elevator with you, I'm going down to check on Ducky and Abs anyway"
Tony looked confused "but doesn't that mean you get the other el-"He quickly shut up when he saw that Gibbs had his 'no messing' face in place "Right boss"
Gibbs still had his coffee in hand, when they were finally in the elevator, and as the doors shut and they started their decent he took a long gulp before leaning over and flicking the emergency stop switch. "So you wanna tell me what's on your mind?" Gibbs said before he took another gulp of coffee.
Tony sighed.
"You know what the rule is" Gibbs stated turning to face
"Whatever is said in the elevator stays in the elevator" Tony said as he looked straight on at the metal doors.
"Aha" Gibbs nodded in affirmation.
Tony eventually turned to look at his boss "I'm gonna break a rule boss, and I'm gonna do it by asking if I can break another rule."
"Ah, rule 18"
"Yup, it's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission."
"And so you're asking my permission to break rule 12" It was more of a statement rather than a question.
"Never date a co-worker" Tony quoted then let out a little laugh, "I should have guessed that you would know somehow"
Gibbs smirked a little as he gave a quick shrug, he hadn't revealed his secrets before, he wasn't about to now, he let out a little sigh, "I knew this day was gonna come sooner or later."
"What do you mean boss?"
"Come on DiNozzo! The whole office knows how you feel about Ziva, as well as knowing that she probably feels the same way about you, you've been dancing around each other for months, years even."
Tony couldn't help but smile it was true after all.
"So what do you say boss?" Tony asked nervously, he knew that how the rest of his life might work out could all depend on this moment.
Gibbs turned so he was facing Tony now face on, as always he could guess what the answer was but he had to ask to make sure "What would this mean to you Tony?"
Tony took a moment before he finally whispered "everything..."
"And what's gonna happen if this doesn't work out?"
"I don't know boss, I'm hoping that I'm not gonna have to find out."
Gibbs was quiet for a minute before he quietly asked "Do you love her?"
Tony smiled his smallest but most sincere smile "I think I do boss."
Gibbs had a feeling that Ziva would have had exactly the same answer.
"Okay" he finally said.
Tony couldn't believe his ears "Really?" he asked shocked, it was the answer that he had been hoping for, but to actually hear it said out loud was slightly mind boggling.
"Yeah DiNozzo, really" he took a step toward Tony "but if you ever hurt her," he pointed his finger at Tony's face "you'll have me to answer too" he said pointing to himself.
"I would never dream of hurting her boss" Tony said as he looked directly into Gibbs eyes, he wanted to convey that that was the upmost truth.
"Okay then" Gibbs said as turned and put the elevator back into motion, and they both turned to face the doors once again.
He took the last gulp of his coffee, and then gave Tony a quick head-slap, "take that stupid grin of your face DiNozzo."
So I know it's the middle of July and I'm talking Valentine's Day, but hey beggars can't be choosers.
So I'm thinking maybe one more chapter where Tony actually asks Ziva out, cos come on, you can't have a Tiva story without one of the main characters! Anyway I'll see how it goes.
Please feel free to review, I like to know when people enjoy my ramblings, and I warn you, I finished this at half 2 in the morning, so if I made any mistakes, please feel free to point them out, but could you do it nicely, I would be much obliged. =]